Saturday, January 31, 2015
NEWS Air New Zealand resumes night rider fares on domestic flights
The airline air new zealand has announced that it will resume the night rider fares within NZ after many residents were angered by the airline last year for stopping them. These flights were between AKL/WLG/CHC now the intend to offer more airports. The flight start at 9.30pm overnight until 5am the next morning. However any passenger carry on on baggage can expect to pay for it. Carry on baggage only. Also they are or there will be no light refreshments on these flights.
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NEWS Air NZ under investigation probe with insurance
the Kiwi airline AIR NZ is under intense investigation for selling high insurance travel included in the air fares. Many passengers have complained the airline had not explained fully why there is a big jump in insurance compared with the airfare.
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NEWS All Nippon Airways Places Airbus, Boeing Orders
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has placed orders for Airbus and Boeing aircraft to bolster the airline’s growing fleet.
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NEWS Easyjet, it's Gatwick's biggest airline - but calls for new runway at Heathrow
Now that easyJet flight to Belfast, Berlin or Barcelona could soon be departing from Terminal 4 at Heathrow. As Britain's largest budget airline is Gatwick's biggest customer. But it has told the Airports Commission that the next new runway in London should be built at Heathrow, not at Gatwick,
The commission run by Sir Howard Davies, is taking evidence from the interested parties before it is publishing its decision after the general election. The choice is either an extra runway at Heathrow or more capacity at Heathrow with either extended northern runway or a third runway north of the current pair.
And like most other-low cost airlines of the world, easyJet has never flown from Heathrow. The airport is Europe's busiest and with only two runways, congestion has been an issue a lot.
The no-frill airlines are dependent on fast turnarounds, as little as 25 minutes before arrival and departure, which can be difficult to have when at a full capacity airport like Heathrow.
The commission run by Sir Howard Davies, is taking evidence from the interested parties before it is publishing its decision after the general election. The choice is either an extra runway at Heathrow or more capacity at Heathrow with either extended northern runway or a third runway north of the current pair.
And like most other-low cost airlines of the world, easyJet has never flown from Heathrow. The airport is Europe's busiest and with only two runways, congestion has been an issue a lot.
The no-frill airlines are dependent on fast turnarounds, as little as 25 minutes before arrival and departure, which can be difficult to have when at a full capacity airport like Heathrow.
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| easyJet recently have been having discussions with staff on a new livery for the airline. A conclusion will be made and a new paint scheme will soon be added to this aircraft before being rolled out on the existing and soon to arrive fleet. |
EMERGENCY Flight #AA3425 from Des Moines makes emergency landing in Waterloo
Flight AA3425 was heading to Chicago on Saturday morning, but it diverted because of maintenance issues. The airplane was able to taxi itself and land safely at the airport.
On board were 49 passengers, and a different aircraft was brought to the airport to continue transporting them.
NEWS First Eurowings A320 to take off Feb. 1; Germanwings to go by year end
Lufthansa Group’s low-cost subsidiary Eurowings will perform its maiden flight Feb. 1 from Hamburg to Prague, with its first 162-seat Airbus A320.
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NEWS Near-midair collision shakes JetBlue passengers
The FAA has opened an investigation into a JetBlue flight involved in a close call with another plane over Westchester County Airport. About 1:45 p.m. Sunday, JetBlue Airways Flight 94 from Orlando was preparing to land at the airport when its pilots received a safety alert from air-traffic controllers about a plane in the vicinity, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
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NEWS Spirit Airlines takes a swipe at the expensive Super Bowl ads
Spirit Airlines has created perhaps the cheapest “Big Game” Ad ever. No Hollywood actors, no pyrotechnics, no elaborate sets and of course no expensive television buy. A few puppets and some stock footage promote Spirit’s ultra-low Bare Fares.
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NEWS RAF E-3D Sentry deployed to fight ISIL
Royal Air Force's E-3D Sentry airborne control and command aircraft has joined the formidable array of coalition aircraft operating against ISIL forces this week.
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NEWS Finnair steps up Finnair Plus programme
Finnair has enhanced its Finnair Plus programme enabling members to book Classic award flights to Europe, Tel Aviv and Dubai without having to pay the fuel surcharge fee.
NEWS Ryanair steps up services for business travellers
Ryanair has extended its Business Plus fast-track security service to London Gatwick, Rome Ciampino and Eindhoven with plans to roll out the initiative to other European airports.
NEWS Etihad boosts South Asia, North America connectivity
Etihad Airways has made a number of schedule changes to the airline’s flights between its Abu Dhabi hub and Chicago, New York, and Toronto, which will start on Sunday 29 March 2015.
NEWS Gulf Air steps up Larnaca service
Gulf Air is increasing its Bahrain – Larnaca service to six weekly services, consisting of 3 direct weekly operations and 3 weekly operations via Kuwait International Airport, effective immediately.
BREAKING #QZ8501 Captain “was out of his seat conducting an unorthodox procedure when his co-pilot apparently lost control
The captain of AirAsia Flight QZ8501, which crashed into the Java Sea on Dec 28, 2014, had left his seat before the plane lost control, according to Reuters on Saturday (Jan 31).
Captain Iriyanto “was out of his seat conducting an unorthodox procedure when his co-pilot apparently lost control, and by the time he returned it was too late to save the plane", two unnamed sources familiar with the investigation told Reuters.
On Thursday, the country's National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) revealed that the French co-pilot, Remi Plesel, was flying the plane when the aircraft went down, rather than Captain Iriyanto, an experienced former fighter pilot. "The second-in-command was the pilot flying," chief investigator Mardjono Siswosuwarno told reporters in Jakarta, adding that the captain was monitoring the flight.
Friday, January 30, 2015
NEWS Inside North Korea's Airliners
This is flying North Korean style. Air Koyo provides decent service according to air enthusiast Sam Chui
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INCIDENT Hawaiian A330 at Honolulu rejected takeoff due to unreliable airspeed
A Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330 from Honolulu (USA) to Auckland (New Zealand) was accelerating for takeoff when the crew rejected takeoff reporting an unreliable airspeed.
The aircraft moved slowly to the taxiway to be checked.
A number of main tyres deflated.
INCIDENT China Southern Airlines made an exit taxiway at Nanyang Airport (China)
An aircraft of Chinese airline China Southern Airlines made an exit taxiway during its travel on the Nanyang International Airport (China) in still uncertain circumstances but which are essentially due to the weather.
The plane, an Airbus A319 was taxiing, about 15:45 local time, when in circumstances that remain to be clarified, the pilots were unable to prevent the unit from rolling off the taxiway with the left main gear and front axle. The landers were immediately driven into the ground covered with snow and the plane got stuck. The pilots then immediately contacted the emergency services.
NEWS DIA launches plan to move TSA out of the terminal's Great Hall
Denver International Airport today issued an international request for qualifications in hopes of finding a public-private partnership to kick the massive security screening apparatus overseen by the Transportation Security Administration out of the Great Hall inside the Jeppesen Terminal.
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NEWS Dear Media: Copilots are Pilots!
Good god, a copilot at the controls! Most reporters seem to have no idea this is perfectly normal. Contrary to what a lot of people are led to believe, copilots are not "apprentice pilots," and both cockpit crewmembers are fully qualified to fly the aircraft.
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NEWS Pilots Disabled Critical Computers Moments Before AirAsia Crash
The pilots of AirAsia Bhd. Flight 8501 cut power to a critical computer system that normally prevents planes from going out of control shortly before it plunged into the Java Sea, two people with knowledge of the investigation said. The action appears to have helped trigger the events of Dec. 28, when the Airbus Group NV A320 climbed so abruptly that it lost lift and it began falling with warnings blaring in the cockpit, the people said. All 162 aboard were killed. The pilots had been attempting to deal with alerts about the flight augmentation computers, which control the A320’s rudder and also automatically prevent it from going too slow. After initial attempts to address the alerts, the flight crew cut power to the entire system, which comprises two separate computers that back up each other, the people said.
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NEWS American Airlines announce six new routes
American Airlines will add six new routes throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, further strengthening its position in these key markets.
EMERGENCY ‘People screamed’ as tyre burst of Ryanair Edinburgh to Dublin
A Ryanair plane was forced to make a dramatic landing at Edinburgh airport this morning just minutes into the flight.
Passengers on the 8.05 to Dublin reported hearing a loud bang seconds after takeoff, before the captain veered sharply off course and piloted the plane back towards the runway.
Bewildered passengers were met with fire crew and the emergency services before being informed that one of the plane’s tyres had burst on takeoff and it was unsafe to proceed to Dublin.
As buses whisked the travellers to the terminal building, they saw the shredded rubber lying in pieces on the runway.
NEWS Qatar Airways takes stake in International Airlines Group
Qatar Airways has acquired a 9.99 per cent stake in International Airlines Group, owners of British Airways, Iberia and Veuling. In a statement the Qatari flag-carrier said the deal was part of its efforts to enhance operations and strengthen existing commercial ties initiated through codeshare agreements with IAG, as well as its membership of the oneworld alliance.
NEWS UK government backs Gatwick Airport rail development
Gatwick Airport has released new images of its new rail station, on the day that government minister, Penny Mordaunt, announced £10 million of funding to secure the redevelopment of the transport hub. The £120 million redesign will transform the station and passenger experience, with work scheduled to start in 2017 and complete in 2020. The £10 million announced today by the department for communities and local government minister was funding that the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership will put toward the station’s redevelopment.
NEWS Boeing reports new cost increases on 787 programme
Reaching an ever-elusive breakeven point on Boeing’s 787 programme slid still further from the company’s grasp in an otherwise profitable fourth quarter and 2014 overall. At the beginning of last year, Boeing chief executive and chairman Jim McNerney projected that deferred production costs would peak at around $25 billion by the end of 2014, signaling the programme’s break-even point on a unit basis.
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NEWS Dubai Now World's Busiest International Airport
London is no longer the world's leader in international traffic. Dubai with just over 70 million passengers in 2014, surpassed London's 68 million. This makes Dubai the world's leader in international traffic.
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NEWS American Airlines Customers Gain More Access To Mexico, The Caribbean And Latin America With Six New Routes
American Airlines will add six new routes throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, further strengthening its position in these key markets. New service to Barranquilla, Colombia (BAQ), will add a new destination to the airline's global network and customers will have increased options when traveling throughout the region. Expanded service includes new flights to Belize City, Belize (BZE); Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (GCM); Guadalajara, Mexico (GDL); Managua, Nicaragua (MGA); and Monterrey, Mexico (MTY).
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NEWS AirAsia Co-Pilot Was at Helm Before Crash
Airbus planes have computerized protection systems designed to avoid an aerodynamic stall, a condition in which an aircraft’s wings lose lift because forward speed is too low or the wings are pointing upward too steeply. But under extreme circumstances, such as multiple failures or disconnection of redundant flight-control computers, the stall-protection system becomes inoperative. That is apparently what happened to Flight 8501, though questions remain about the primary and contributing factors.
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NEWS Delta flight lands in Vegas with pilot locked out of cockpit
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Officials say a Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis made an emergency landing in Las Vegas on Thursday with the co-pilot at the controls after the pilot was locked out of the cockpit. McCarran International Airport spokeswoman Christine Crews says none of the 168 people aboard Delta flight 1651 was injured, and the MD-90 aircraft wasn't damaged.
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NEWS Qatar Airways takes stake in International Airlines Group
Qatar Airways has acquired a 9.99 per cent stake in International Airlines Group, owners of British Airways, Iberia and Veuling. In a statement the Qatari flag-carrier said the deal was part of its efforts to enhance operations and strengthen existing commercial ties initiated through codeshare agreements with IAG, as well as its membership of the oneworld alliance.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
NEWS Passenger, cargo planes slide off Ford Airport taxiway
Airport officials said an American Eagle plane landed around 9:15 a.m. on a runway and then slid off a taxiway as it was heading to the gate to park.
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NEWS United Flight Makes Emergency Landing In Ontario, California
ONTARIO (CBSLA.com) — An United Airlines flight Thursday was forced to make an emergency landing in Ontario minutes after departing from LAX. United flight 1181, which was flying from LAX to Dulles in Washington, D.C., diverted to Ontario International Airport around 9 a.m., according to the FAA.
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NEWS World's Longest Commercial Flight Aircraft Retires
Qantas Airways 747-400 aircraft VH-OJA, "City of Canberra", holds the world record for the longest ever commercial flight, non-stop from London to Sydney in 20 hours, 9 minutes and 5 seconds in August 1989. Now, in early March, it will take its final.. and shortest flight, with an expected flying time of just 10 minutes.
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NEWS Delta Air Lines #DL1651 from Minneapolis to Las Vegas was forced to make an unscheduled landing today after the pilot was locked out of the cockpit
A Delta Air Lines flight heading from Minneapolis to Las Vegas was forced to make an unscheduled landing today after the pilot was locked out of the cockpit, airport officials said.
The call about Flight 1651 came in around 12:10 p.m. and the plane landed safely at McCarran International Airport around 12:25 p.m., officials told ABC affiliate KTNV.
The cockpit door malfunctioned, locking the pilot out of the cockpit, airport officials told KTNV, noting that another crew member made the landing.
No one was injured and there were 168 people on board the plane, officials said.
BREAKING The Venezuelan airforce has shot down a plane after not responding near Eagle Beach, Aruba
The Venezuelan airforce has shot down a plane after not responding. Plane was shot down in open waters. Plane crashed near Eagle Beach, Aruba. 3 Bodies & drugs have been found.
NEWS Iberia Express is soon to be welcomed to London Heathrow on 2 new routes
Iberia Express today announced they are beginning 2 new routes from Heathrow to Tenerife-North and Gran Canaria.
TFN-LHR, starts 29th March for a 3 weekly service
LPA-LHR, starts 30th March for a 4 weekly service.
TFN-LHR, starts 29th March for a 3 weekly service
LPA-LHR, starts 30th March for a 4 weekly service.
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| Iberia Express A320 EC-JSK at Santiago de Compostela / airplane-pictures.net |
BREAKING Pilots of AirAsia #QZ8501 Disabled Critical Computers Moments Before AirAsia Crash
The pilots of AirAsia Bhd. Flight 8501 cut power to a critical computer system that normally prevents planes from going out of control shortly before it plunged into the Java Sea, two people with knowledge of the investigation said.
The action appears to have helped trigger the events of Dec. 28, when the Airbus Group NV A320 plane climbed so abruptly that it lost lift and it began falling with warnings blaring in the cockpit, the people said. All 162 aboard were killed.
The pilots had been attempting to deal with alerts about the flight augmentation computers, which control the A320’s rudder and also automatically prevent it from going too slow. After the initial attempts to address the alerts, the flight crew cut power to the entire system, which is comprised of two separate computers that serve as backups to each other, the people said.
While the information helps show how a normally functioning A320’s flight-protection system could have been bypassed, it doesn’t explain why the pilots pulled the plane into a steep climb, the people said. Even with the computers shut off, the pilots should have been able to fly the plane manually, they said.
Flight 8501 climbed more than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) in less than 30 seconds, rising above the altitude where it was authorized to fly, Ertata Lananggalih, an investigator with Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee, said in Jakarta on Thursday.
The co-pilot, with 2,247 hours of flying experience, was at the controls and communicating with the ground while the captain, who had 20,537 hours, was monitoring, said Mardjono Siswosuwarno, the lead investigator of the crash. The account was the first description of the last moments of the plane.
ALERT United Airlines #UA1181 was forced to make an emergency landing in Ontario minutes after departing from LAX
An United Airlines flight Thursday was forced to make an emergency landing in Ontario minutes after departing from LAX.
United flight 1181, which was flying from LAX to Dulles in Washington, D.C., diverted to Ontario International Airport around 9 a.m. due to reports of a burning smell, according to the FAA.
Passenger Mitchell Hashimoto tweeted that he saw smoke in the cabin of the Boeing 757.
United flight 1181, which was flying from LAX to Dulles in Washington, D.C., diverted to Ontario International Airport around 9 a.m. due to reports of a burning smell, according to the FAA.
Passenger Mitchell Hashimoto tweeted that he saw smoke in the cabin of the Boeing 757.
@WolfSpirit2013 A passenger Mitchell Hashimoto tweeted that he saw smoke in the cabin of the #Boeing 757. pic.twitter.com/c1auroyX6W
— Wolf♔H&U♔Raven (@WolfSpirit2013) 29 Janvier 2015
NEWS World's longest flight record-holder, Qantas 'City of Canberra' 747-400, retires
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| City of Canberra set a record in 1989 for flying non-stop from London to Sydney. |
Qantas Airways 747-400 aircraft VH-OJA holds the world record for the longest ever commercial flight, non-stop from London to Sydney in 20 hours, 9 minutes and 5 seconds in August 1989.
Now, the retired aircraft in early March will undertake its shortest-ever flight, from Sydney to Illawarra Regional Airport in Shellharbour, NSW, with an expected flying time of just 10 minutes.
NEWS Transformation of Gatwick rail station secured
Gatwick Airport has released new images of its new rail station, on the day that Government minister, Penny Mordaunt MP, announced £10 million of funding to secure the redevelopment of the transport hub.
NEWS Bomb threats on twitter require delicate decisions for Airlines
In the past week, there were 16 threats via Twitter, according to USA Today.
Bomb threats via social media have been around for a while, complicating the job of airline social media managers. Even threats that turn out to be a fake must be investigated as a precaution.
Today, American Airlines flight 1192 landed safely despite a tweet claiming the Islamic State had planted a bomb onboard.
Another plane was also affected by a bomb scare was United Airlines flight 223. It similarly landed without incident. The FBI is investigating, says NBC News.
JetBlue and Delta have faced similar bomb threats for multiple flights.
The trend started last April when a Dutch 14-year-old who has remained anonymous due to her age tweeted a threat at American Airlines:
“hello my name’s Ibrahim and I’m from Afghanistan. I’m part of Al Qaida and on June 1st I’m gonna do something really big bye.”
The airline had officials arrest her, despite her tweeted apologies. She was later released.
Since then, dozens of people have sent bomb scare tweets.
This past weekend, two Atlanta-bound flights were subject to bomb threats via Twitter, said the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The flights landed safely after being escorted by NORAD jets.
The Journal-Constitution says that a user called “King Zortic” tweeted to Southwest:
“A bomb was placed on SWA2492. It will be detonated at a random time of my choosing.”
A similar tweet was directed at the other flight.
A spokesman for Twitter says the company may disclose a user’s account information to law enforcement officials in response to a valid emergency request, but that it doesn’t release such information to airlines or other third-parties as a rule.
This policy can cause a delay in addressing hoax bomb scares. In light of the surge in threats, Twitter may be asked by airlines to do more to monitor and crack down on the threats.
NEWS Changi Airport crosses 54-million passenger mark in 2014
Singapore Changi Airport, recognised as the World’s Leading Airport by the World Travel Awards, managed 54.1 million passenger movements in 2014, the most in its 33-year history. This was a 0.7% increase compared to the whole of 2013. Cargo volumes were stable at 1.84 million tonnes while flight movements dipped 0.7% to 341,390 for the year.
NEWS Malaysia clears way for Flight 370 compensation
Malaysia's civil aviation authority issued a statement Thursday officially declaring the passengers and crew of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 deceased and saying the disappearance of the Boeing 777 on March 8, 2014 was an accident. The declaration by Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation clears legal hurdles to the airline making compensation payments to the victims of tragic aviation mystery. Civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said Thursday that the search for the jet "remains a priority." In a pre-recorded message broadcast on Malaysian television he said "it is with the heaviest heart and deepest sorrow that we officially declare Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 an accident." He said all 239 passengers and crew on board are presumed to have lost their lives.
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NEWS Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disaster officially declared an accident
Officials in Malaysia have declared the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 an accident, confirming there were no survivors. The decision is a technical step, with the search for the wreckage of the plane ongoing. The aircraft, with 239 people on board, disappeared on March 8th 2014, with no trace located since.
BREAKING: Manchester Airport suspends arrivals and departures due to the snow - @flightcrisis
In a twitter statement the airport has saidWe have currently suspended all departures and arrivals for a short period of time, whilst we are in the process of clearing both runways of snow so we can resume operations as quickly as possible.The safety and security of all of our passengers is of paramount importance and we ask for them to come to the airport as normal but to check with their airline for any further update.
It has already caused a number of flights to be cancelled and diverted and people are being advised to check the website of their airline.
UPDATE: @lufthansa flight #LH2500 Munich to Manchester on approach to Heathrow pic.twitter.com/zrcznNin6G - @FlightCrisis— Air News & Services (@airlivenet) January 29, 2015
Many flights have been either delayed, cancelled or diverted to neighbouring airports.
NEWS Thai reaches Boeing milestone with latest delivery
Boeing and Thai Airways have celebrated the Thai flag-carrier’s 75th direct delivery of a Boeing airplane. Marking the milestone delivery, Boeing and Thai collaborated to transport 1,000 wool blankets onboard THAI’s newly delivered 777-300ER (Extended Range). The blankets, donated by Another Joy Foundation, will be distributed by the airline to people in need in Thailand during the colder winter months.
NEWS Kenya Airport Authority confirms Diani Beach development
Tourism infrastructure on Kenya’s southern coast is set to receive a significant boost following the announcement of a planned expansion for the Ukunda aerodrome - also known as Diani Airport - by the Kenya Airport Authority. The aerodrome is the primary airfield for tourists visiting the southern coast’s popular Diani Beach resort and a take-off point for air safaris to nearby national parks with direct flights to Kenya’s iconic Masaai Mara.
NEWS Snow forces Manchester Airport closure
Manchester Airport has been forced to suspend flights as snow covers the north-west of England. All flights are expected to resume today, with passengers advised to travel to the airport as normal. Parts of Yorkshire, Derbyshire and the north-east have been hit by freezing temperatures overnight.
UPDATE: Malaysia Airline #MH370 officially declared missing but search continues -@flightcrisis
Earlier we reported that the search from MH370 had ended, which at the time was credible information from The BBC. However it has now been announced that the search will continue for the aircraft that disappeared on the 8th of March 2014.
Officials said that the recovery operation is ongoing but have said that the 239 people and crew on board are now presumed dead. The whereabouts of the plane is still unknown despite a massive search operation in the souther Indian Ocean over the past 10 months.
The declaration on Thursday should allow compensation payments to relatives of the victims.Malaysian officials added that the recovery of the missing aircraft remained a priority and that they have pursued "every credible lead".
Four vessels are currently searching the sea floor with specialised sonar technology in a remote stretch of ocean where the plane is believed to have ended its flight.Based on analysis of satellite and aircraft performance data, MH370 is thought to be in seas far west of the Australian city of Perth.
NEWS: Malaysia Airlines officially ends search for #MH370 -@flightcrisis
A Malaysian government spokesperson has officially declared the loss of flight MH370 was an accident and all on board are dead. The flight disappeared in March 2014 and is thought to have crashed in the Indian Ocean
Speaking to journalists in Kuala Lumpur, the spokesperson said he gave the news with "the heaviest of hearts and deepest sorrow".
The declaration officially ends the search for the missing aircraft and will allow families of those on board to obtain assistance for their claims for compensation, he added.
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NEWS: Irish Man averts airline disaster - @Flightcrisis
It's been reported that an Irishman from County Limerick prevented a major emergency aboard a flight from Hong Kong to Heathrow last weekend.The man from Kilcornan in Co. Limerick was returning home from holidays last Saturday morning when the frightening incident occurred just 15 minutes into the 12-hour flight.
The man had to wrestle an “agitated” passenger to the ground after he apparently tried to break the seal on an emergency exit door.
According to local newspaper Limerick Post,
"The man wasn’t very co-operative with the flight attendants and wouldn’t stay in his seat. He didn’t appear to be drunk, but he could have been on some other substance or had mental issues, I don’t know. He wasn’t shouting or anything, he was very calm and quiet. That was almost more worrying. From my experience on the football field, you’d always be more wary of a fella who is quiet and eyeballing you rather than a fella that’s roaring and shouting.
“He was very troublesome and wouldn’t put on his seatbelt when the signs came on. I was sitting three rows behind him and just happened to be the nearest passenger to him. He looked like he was trying to open the emergency door and I managed to wrestle him to the floor and other passengers and staff helped me restrain him.
“I’ve come up against bigger fellas during matches, he was a reserved type of fella,”
After the passenger was restrained and handcuffed in his seat, the flight continued to London Heathrow.
However half an hour after the first incident the same man was up out of his seat again and causing a disturbance. He again helped to restrain the man with the aid of a New Zealand and English passenger, before the man was moved to the front of the plane for the remainder of the flight.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
NEWS Shortage of pilots felt as ‘doctor copters’ take off
The number of flights undertaken by “doctor helicopters” in fiscal 2013 hit a record of more than 20,000, according to the Japanese Society for Aeromedical Services.
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NEWS Avgas fuel price review: Will prices go down in 2015?
Avgas is a big component in the cost of flying. And as much as we hate the cost, it’s a fact of life for us pilots. For this report, I’ve collected data from various sources to try and predict what we will see in 2015 in terms of retail prices for 100LL. This is a personal analysis and shouldn’t be considered fact – unless of course it happens. Safe Flying!
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NEWS Air Force picks Boeing 747-8 to replace Air Force One
The U.S. Air Force plans to announce on Wednesday that it has decided to use Boeing Co's (BA.N) commercial 747-8 airliner to replace its current fleet of Air Force One presidential aircraft...
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NEWS Emirates Announces Two New A380 Destinations in Europe: Dusseldorf and Madrid
DUBAI, U.A.E., 28th January 2015: Emirates, a global connector of people, places and economies, announced today the launch of A380 services to two European destinations: Dusseldorf and Madrid. For both cities, Emirates will be the first airline to operate a scheduled A380 service, offering an unmatched travel experience to business and leisure travellers alike.
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NEWS DJI no longer lets you fly its drones in Washington, DC
DJI really, really doesn't want to see its drones in the news for the wrong reasons. Just a day after the world learned that one of its robotic vehicles crash-landed at the White House, the company is pushing out a "mandatory" firmware update for its Phantom 2 drones that prevents you from flying anywhere within a 15.5-mile radius of downtown Washington, DC.
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NEWS FAA proposes $1.3 Million civil penalty against United Airlines for alleged hazardous materials violations
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed a $1.3 million civil penalty against United Airlines for allegedly violating Hazardous Materials Regulations.
The FAA alleges that during inspections in Boston, San Francisco, Denver and Chicago, the FAA discovered at least 120 instances in which the carrier failed to comply with the regulations. Almost all of the alleged violations involved failing to provide the pilot in command with accurate information about hazardous materials aboard the aircraft, including the location of the materials on the aircraft; the materials’ type, quantity, weight, proper shipping name, identification number and hazard class; dates of the flights; and confirmation that no damaged or leaking packages had been loaded onto the aircraft.
Further, the FAA alleges that on two separate occasions, United improperly accepted hazardous materials for air transportation. Additionally, the carrier allegedly failed to retain copies of shipping papers.
Among other things, the hazardous materials included lithium metal batteries, dry ice, corrosive liquids, radioactive materials, detonating fuses, compressed oxygen, engines, isopropanol, non-flammable aerosols, phosphoric acid, sodium hydroxide and ethanol solutions, air bag modules and printing ink.
The alleged violations occurred on domestic and international flights.
United told the FAA that it has made technological improvements to the pilot notification system and will enhance training for employees who load hazardous materials onto aircraft. The FAA will conduct inspections in early 2015 to assess the results of those changes.
United has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency
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NEWS Thousands of flights canceled as storm descends on the East
Airline travelers are going nowhere fast because of the blizzard bearing down on the Northeast on Monday, and Tuesday doesn't look much better.
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NEWS American Airlines reports record profit following US Airways merger
American Airlines Group has reported a record GAAP net profit of $597 million for the fourth quarter of financial 2014. This compares to a GAAP net loss of $2 billion in the fourth quarter 2013, which includes the results for US Airways only for the period from the completion of the merger on December 9th, 2013, through December 31st, 2013. For full year 2014, GAAP net profit was $2.9 billion, compared to a full year 2013 GAAP net loss of $1.8 billion for AMR Corporation, which includes the results for US Airways only for the period from the completion of the merger.
NEWS American Airlines reports record profit following US Airways merger
American Airlines Group has reported a record GAAP net profit of $597 million for the fourth quarter of financial 2014. This compares to a GAAP net loss of $2 billion in the fourth quarter 2013, which includes the results for US Airways only for the period from the completion of the merger on December 9th, 2013, through December 31st, 2013. For full year 2014, GAAP net profit was $2.9 billion, compared to a full year 2013 GAAP net loss of $1.8 billion for AMR Corporation, which includes the results for US Airways only for the period from the completion of the merger.
NEWS Dubai Airports takes position as world’s top international airport
Dubai Airports has released its year-end traffic report which confirm that Dubai International has secured its position as the number one airport for international passenger numbers. Full year passenger numbers totalled 70,475,636, up 6.1 per cent from the 66,431,533 recorded in 2013. This followed robust passenger traffic growth of 7.5 per cent in December with 6,498,573 passengers passing through the facility compared to 6,047,126 recorded in the corresponding month last year.
NEWS Reinventing Alitalia boosted by Sabre deal
One of Europe’s leading carriers, Italy-based Alitalia, has selected Sabre technology to help drive its newly announced ‘Reinventing Alitalia’ modernisation program. Under the long-term agreement, Alitalia will migrate to Sabre’s integrated Software-as-a-Service platform for all critical airline operations, including its industry-leading SabreSonic Customer Sales & Service passenger reservations system.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
NEWS IAG Reveals First Details of Its Aer Lingus Plan
Aer Lingus would keep its brand and rejoin oneworld if International Airlines Group (IAG) succeeds in acquiring the Irish carrier.
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NEWS Transavia unveils new livery
Air France-KLM's low-cost unit Transavia has rebranded amid expansion of its Boeing 737 fleet to take over more of the group's short-haul traffic. The livery – featuring a restyled logo on the fin and an enlarged brand name, in the carrier's traditional green, on a white fuselage – is intended to convey Transavia's aim of becoming "Europe's leading airline in hospitality", the group says.
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NEWS Airlines halt flights to Baghdad after gunfire hits plane
Several airlines suspended flights to Baghdad on Tuesday after a passenger plane arriving from the Mideast's busiest airport in Dubai came under fire as it landed in the Iraqi capital.
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NEWS Alaska Airlines: We Don't Want To Pay For New Sea-Tac Facility That Helps Delta
Alaska Air Group doesn't want to pay most of the costs of a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport international terminal expansion, which will primarily benefit its chief competitor.
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NEWS Viewpoint: Airbus Should Build A Truly Long-Range 757 Replacement
As a pilot for US Airways, I always believed there had to be a better way for single-aisle aircraft to fly long distances. I used to fly the Airbus A321 from Philadelphia (PHL) to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO), but even with two auxiliary center tanks, the A321's advertised range of 3,000 nm (2,400 nm useful range) limited it to only transcontinental flights. I also flew the Boeing 757 from Brussels (BRU) to PHL many times, taking off with a full load of fuel, passengers and cargo at maximum takeoff weight every time.
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NEWS Pichler Updates On Fiji Airways
Fiji Airways managing director/chief executive, Stefan Pichler, is now counting his last few days in the country. He will return to Germany next month to head turnaround Germany’s, Air Berlin. But before he leaves and in light of the fact that no one has yet been appointed as his successor, we caught up with Mr Pichler in a bid to update readers as to where Fiji Airways is placed.
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NEWS Grounded: How Qantas CEO Joyce pulled it down with a txt
SMH business journalist Matt O’Sullivan’s new book Mayday about the ideological and egotistical struggles over the future of Qantas reveals much about the planning Qantas CEO Alan Joyce put into his October 2011 ambush grounding of the airline.
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NEWS Turkish Airlines In Talks For Around 10 Airbus A380 Jetliners - Sources
Turkish Airlines is in negotiations to obtain 10 or more Airbus A380 jets in a deal potentially worth $4 billion based on a direct purchase at catalogue prices, two people familiar with the matter said.
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NEWS Dubai Airports takes position as world’s top international airport
Dubai Airports has released its year-end traffic report which confirm that Dubai International has secured its position as the number one airport for international passenger numbers. Full year passenger numbers totalled 70,475,636, up 6.1 per cent from the 66,431,533 recorded in 2013. This followed robust passenger traffic growth of 7.5 per cent in December with 6,498,573 passengers passing through the facility compared to 6,047,126 recorded in the corresponding month last year.
NEWS Irish Rail reveals ambitions for Dublin Airport
Irish Rail has revealed plans to run trains direct from Dublin Airport to Cork, Galway and Belfast. Irish Rail chief executive, David Franks, said the development could cost as little as €300m, while offering a significantly boosting tourism.
NEWS Dubai Airports takes position as world’s top international airport
Dubai Airports has released its year-end traffic report which confirm that Dubai International has secured its position as the number one airport for international passenger numbers. Full year passenger numbers totalled 70,475,636, up 6.1 per cent from the 66,431,533 recorded in 2013. This followed robust passenger traffic growth of 7.5 per cent in December with 6,498,573 passengers passing through the facility compared to 6,047,126 recorded in the corresponding month last year.
NEWS A bullet hit the fuselage of a Flydubai #FZ215 on its descent into Baghdad
Flight FZ215 was hit by "small arms fire" before landing on Monday but all passengers disembarked safely, a flydubai spokesperson told AFP.
The no-frills carrier, a sister firm of Emirates, said it was working with Iraqi authorities to investigate the incident, adding that it will continue to fly to its other destinations in Iraq.
Other UAE airlines, including Emirates, Etihad and Air Arabia, suspended their flights to Baghdad.
"Emirates has suspended its services to Baghdad until further notice due to operational reasons," the Dubai-based airline said.
The Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said it had "suspended all flights to the Iraqi city with immediate effect and until further notice."
The website of Sharjah-based budget carrier Air Arabia also showed that flights to Baghdad were not available.
Baghdad airport staff confirmed there had been disruption to flights after Monday's incident.
"The plane was able to land normally but some airlines have cancelled or delayed their flights today," one airport employee said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Flights from some of the other major airlines flying to Baghdad, such as Turkish Airlines and Royal Jordanian, were delayed, their websites showed.
"The exact timing of flights is not yet clear. Operation directors are currently having a meeting," a Turkish Airlines official told AFP in Ankara.
Western airlines flying over Iraq have taken extra precautions in recent months for fear that jihadists of the Islamic State group might acquire weapons able to hit cruising airliners.
Baghdad International Airport is located west of the capital, near the province of Anbar, which is largely controlled by IS fighters.
NEWS Aer Lingus willing to recommend IAG takeover proposal to shareholders
The board of Aer Lingus has indicated to International Airlines Group that the financial terms of a propped takeover are at a level at which it would be willing to recommend it to Aer Lingus shareholders. IAG yesterday confirmed it had submitted an improved proposal to make an offer for Aer Lingus, valuing the company at €1.36 billion.
NEWS flydubai aircraft hit by gunfire at Baghdad Airport
Flights into Baghdad International Airport have been cancelled today by several Gulf based carriers following Monday’s attack, by unknown assailants, on a flydubai Boeing 737 as it came into land reports Phil Blizzard in Dubai. A flydubai spokesperson told Breaking Travel News: “After landing at Baghdad International Airport on January 26th 2015, damage to the aircraft fuselage consistent with small arms fire was discovered on flydubai flight FZ 215.
NEWS Virgin Atlantic selects Tata Consultancy for IT role
Tata Consultancy Services has announced that it has been selected by Virgin Atlantic Airways, one of the UK’s leading airlines, to provide fully managed services to transform and optimise its IT processes, applications and infrastructure. TCS will set up a private cloud for Virgin Atlantic and provide services including Infrastructure-as-a-Service, End User Services and Application Support Services across the whole of Virgin Atlantic’s technology landscape.
Monday, January 26, 2015
NEWS Bombardier begin CS300 engine run
Bombardier confirmed that the first CS300 aircraft commenced stationary engine runs in Mirabel, Canada –as a part pre-flight tests ahead of aircraft’s first flight in the coming weeks.
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ALERT Photo: Police respond to the crash of a personal helicopter at the Erie, Colo., Municipal Airport - @eriecolifestyle
A personal helicopter crashed at approximately 12 pm at the Erie Municipal Airport #cowx #denver #ErieCO pic.twitter.com/E9lXjFqm8P
— ErieCoLifestyle (@eriecolifestyle) January 26, 2015NEWS Emirates Operates Short EK205
Emirates today on its Boeing 777-300ER A6-EGY operating the EK205 from Dubai to Milan Malpensa then on to New York JFK terminated at Milan because of the expected severe weather to arrive in New York. The passengers have been accommodated overnight in Milan.
It is not yet known whether the aircraft will tomorrow continue on to New York or if it will be operating the Milan to Dubai sector of EK206 tomorrow afternoon.
It is not yet known whether the aircraft will tomorrow continue on to New York or if it will be operating the Milan to Dubai sector of EK206 tomorrow afternoon.
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| The Emirates A6-EGY that currently is overnighting in Milan Malpensa because of weather in New York tonight. |
NEWS British Airways A319 G-EUPV BA576 Milan Malpensa Diversion
A British Airways A319 G-EUPV was operating BA576 from London Heathrow to Milan Linate which diverted to Milan Malpensa this morning due to a closure of the runway at Milan Linate. The return flight BA577 operated from Malpensa once the passengers had been transferred by road. The return flight arrived at Heathrow at 16:25, 2 hours and 16 minutes later then scheduled.
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| British Airways aircraft G-EUPV which operated todays flights. |
ALERT Editor's note: Snowfall estimates for the major winter storm that's now moving over the Northeastern U.S. have been bumped back up to as much as 3 feet in areas off the Atlantic after having been revised down earlier this morning. The governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have declared states of emergency, and one was also in effect for parts of New York. In New York City, drivers were told to stay off the roads after midnight, and schools are closed tomorrow. Boston has shut its schools for the next two days, and said public transportation would shut at midnight. In the skies, roughly 6,000 flights have been cancelled through tomorrow. We will keep bringing you updates as the weather intensifies. - Tricia
NEWS Greek F16 crashes in Spain during NATO exercise
Ten people have died after a Greek air force F-16 jet crashed at a base in Los Llanos in southeastern Spain, a senior Spanish defense official told CNN. The jet crashed on takeoff, hitting other planes on the ground during a NATO training exercise, the official -- by custom not named -- said.
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NEWS 10 Dead And 13 Injured After Greek F16 Crashes On Take-Off At NATO Air Base In Albacete, Central Spain
10 people have died and 13 have been injured after a Greek F16 fighter jet has crashed on take-off inside the Los Llanos air base in Albacete, central Spain, a Defence Ministry spokesman confirmed by telephone to The Spain Report.
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NEWS (Video) First F-35 Flyover - 4-ship Formation Over 2015 NFL Pro Bowl
This four-ship formation is the first flyover involving the F-35. Aircraft from the 61st Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona participate in a flyover at the University of Phoenix stadium for the 2015 NFL Pro Bowl.
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EARLIER EMERGENCY Icelandair flight #FI205 returned to Copenhagen
Today, an Icelandair flight FI205 from Copenhagen to Reykjavik on a Boeing 757-200 with registration TF-ISF had returned to Copenhagen.
Copenhagen Airport tweeted earlier today to inform that flight FI205 returned to Copenhagen because of an "indication on engine failure"
Copenhagen Airport tweeted earlier today to inform that flight FI205 returned to Copenhagen because of an "indication on engine failure"
NEWS IAG inches closer to Aer Lingus deal
Board members at Air Lingus are “considering” the latest takeover offer from International Airlines Group. IAG – owner of British Airways and Iberia, as well as low-cost carrier Veuling – saw two offers for the Irish flag carrier rejected at the end of 2014, but returned with a revised offer of €2.55 a share. For the new €1.36 billion to be successful it must secure the recommendation of the Aer Lingus board and both Ryanair and the Irish government.
New Blogger starting Mondag January 26, 2015
Good afternoon (local time in the Netherlands),
Starting today - mondag January 26, 2015 I will be a blogger at the website.
Thanks to the Airlive,net team for the invitation to become a blogger after our latest incident tweets
yesterday regarding a diversion of a Easyjet aircraft bound for BRS (EGGD) from SXF (EDDB) to
AMS (EHAM) as a result of a may day call out of the cockpit.
Starting today - mondag January 26, 2015 I will be a blogger at the website.
Thanks to the Airlive,net team for the invitation to become a blogger after our latest incident tweets
yesterday regarding a diversion of a Easyjet aircraft bound for BRS (EGGD) from SXF (EDDB) to
AMS (EHAM) as a result of a may day call out of the cockpit.
VIDEO Plane Cirrus SR-22 airplane ran out of fuel and deployed parachute for emergency landing in Pacific ocean
The pilot of a single engine Cirrus SR-22 airplane ran out of fuel 253 miles northeast of the island and was saved after the US Coast Guard contacted a nearby cruise ship to rescue him.
According to the coast guard, the pilot deployed the plane’s airframe parachute system just before 5pm (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time) on Sunday.
The pilot was reportedly in good condition.
According to the coast guard, the pilot deployed the plane’s airframe parachute system just before 5pm (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time) on Sunday.
The pilot was reportedly in good condition.
NEWS Boeing 777 -- Unveiling A Design Classic (1990)
No matter how you gauge the success of Boeing’s 777, whether in terms of sales, profitability, safety, versatility, longevity or derivatives, few can argue the remarkable impact the twinjet has made on the industry since entering service almost 20 years ago.
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NEWS: IS group hacks Malaysia Airlines website
Malaysia Airlines officials were struggling to restore the embattled carrier’s website after it was hacked by a group proclaiming support for the Islamic State group.
The airline’s site was changed, at first with a message saying “404 – Plane Not Found” and that it was “Hacked by Cyber Caliphate”. The browser tab for the website said “ISIS will prevail”.Malaysian Airlines is trying to recover from two disasters last year, including the disappearance of Flight 370, which authorities believed crashed 1,100 miles off Australia’s west coast.
The website was later changed to a picture of a lizard, with the ISIS reference removed and the claim of responsibility changed to “Lizard Squad – Official Cyber Caliphate”.
The Lizard Squad group last year claimed it was behind attacks on Sony’s online PlayStation network and Microsoft’s Xbox site.
In August, it also tweeted to American Airlines that there might be explosives on a plane carrying the president of Sony Online Entertainment, which makes video games, forcing the flight to be diverted.
Malaysia Airlines said that its domain name system was “compromised” and users were being redirected to the hacker group’s website. It said it will take up to 22 hours to restore the website.
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