Thread: Airline News

Miami International Airport turns into slugfest after massive brawl breaks out

Miami International Airport turns into slugfest after massive brawl breaks out | Fox News

^ massive, eh?

PM Says No Financial Support For Struggling THAI

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday denied reports that the government, through the Finance Ministry, would allocate 50 billion baht to recapitalise financially struggling Thai Airways International Plc (THAI).


He was responding to reports the carrier would again become a state enterprise through the re-acquisition of the ministry’s majority stake in the airline.


The prime minister said THAI is currently moving through the debt rehabilitation process.


“I have decided that the government will not involve itself in the work of the rehabilitation plan administrators. The government will not provide any financial support. When the rehabilitation plan begins to be implemented, we’ll then decide how to proceed,” Gen Chan-o-cha said.


The airline lost its state-owned status last year when the Finance Ministry reduced its stake to under 50%, to help ease the debt-rehabilitation process.


Previously, several cabinet ministers were concerned the government would need to guarantee a loan worth billions of baht to prop up THAI if it were to come under the state enterprise umbrella again.


Reportedly supporting THAI’s reinstatement as a state enterprise were Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith and Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow, who also heads the government’s economic team.


They argued reinstatement, which would require the Finance Ministry to become the majority shareholder again, would boost the airline’s financial strength and its bargaining power with creditors.


On Wednesday, creditors postponed a vote on THAI’s debt-restructuring plan until next week.


The vote, to be held next Wednesday will decide whether the airline, burdened by debts exceeding 300 billion baht, can stay in business. The airline needs more than 50% of creditors to accept its plan.


Pantip Sripimol, director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office, said this week’s vote was delayed after more than 10 creditors called for the plan to be amended.


One issue involves getting the Finance Ministry, still THAI’s biggest shareholder, to guarantee loans for the airline to make it easier for it to borrow and more viable to sustain the company.


But before the ministry can act as a loan guarantor, it must boost its take back to over 50%, which would make THAI a state enterprise again.


Calls to reinstate the Finance Ministry as the majority shareholder have come under fire from critics who fear it would be too much of a financial burden.


Currently, the ministry and the Government Savings Bank together hold 49.9% of THAI’s shares.


The airline, which suffered a record loss of 141 billion baht last year, is reportedly seeking a deferment of bond repayments for six years and a waiver of unpaid loan interest.


PM Says No Financial Support For Struggling THAI | Chiang Mai One

U.S. Airlines May Start Weighing Passengers At The Gate

U.S. airlines may need to start weighing passengers in order to comply with FAA rules. For safety reasons, carriers need to calculate an aircraft’s weight and balance, and it has to be within allowable limits for the plane. However the assumptions they’ve been using for passengers are outdated. Americans are getting fatter, and the federal government wants airlines to find out how much fatter their passengers have gotten, at least for smaller aircraft.


The FAA realizes that passenger weight can vary by route and airlines may want to document this difference.
Standard weights may not be appropriate for smaller planes, with smaller sample size and greater likelihood of variance from average.
Airlines can use standard weights published by the CDC for larger aircraft, with variance for winter and summer based on greater weight assumptions for clothing in the winter. However they outline a method for smaller aircraft to determine “[a]ctual passenger and bag weights” and to determine whether aircraft up to 70 seats should be considered small or large for this exercise.


MORE U.S. Airlines May Start Weighing Passengers At The Gate - View from the Wing

^ Once I was on a small turboprop with some co-workers going to a meeting. Two of my co-workers were a married couple sitting together and probably weighted over 600 lbs. between the two of them. The pilot came back and made one sit in the front seat and one sit in the back seat before take off. Had never even thought of weight and balances before that trip.

Originally Posted by misskit

U.S. Airlines May Start Weighing Passengers At The Gate


The FAA realizes that passenger weight can vary by route

Too right. I remember my first visit to Hawaii. I was young and slim and frankly resented the luggage weight restrictions when I was surrounded by passengers who were each carrying 100lbs plus more than I weighed.

Originally Posted by misskit

^ Once I was on a small turboprop with some co-workers going to a meeting. Two of my co-workers were a married couple sitting together and probably weighted over 600 lbs. between the two of them. The pilot came back and made one sit in the front seat and one sit in the back seat before take off. Had never even thought of weight and balances before that trip.

More than a few aircraft have been brought down by improper baggage loading or insecure cargo shifting during takeoff.

This one out of Bagram was notable. They reckon the cargo slid to the back and damaged flight controls, but I don't think they would have been able to do much about it anyway.

Thai Airways Selling Direct Flights To Phuket From 4 European Cities To Test Demand

Thai Airways has started selling direct flights from four cities in Europe to Phuket as the province counts down to its planned quarantine-free reopening in July, with hundreds of tour agents invited to take experimental trips during the third quarter to test the scheme.


However, with the cabinet on Wednesday extending a nationwide state of emergency until 31st July, all services to the island have to be conducted as semi-commercial flights, requiring passengers to obtain a certificate of entry prior to arrival as part of COVID-19 containment measures.


Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said tourism demand during the initial stage of the Phuket sandbox is expected to be soft because of tight travel restrictions in both Thailand and some tourist origin countries.


For instance, a travel advisory in the UK rates Thailand on the amber list, mandating travellers returning from Thailand to quarantine at home for 10 days.


Even though vaccinated tourists are exempt from quarantine in Phuket, they may be reticent to travel if it means isolation for many days when they return, said Mr Cheawsamoot.


Most of them will likely resume travel once the situation in Thailand improves, he said.


TAT is working with Thai Airways in preparation for the July reopening, with the flag carrier launching ticket sales to test the market, with one returning flight for each route per week.


Thai Airways offers direct flights from Paris, Frankfurt, London and Copenhagen to Phuket via a triangular pattern.


Inbound flights from Europe will fly direct to Phuket airport before stopping over at Suvarnabhumi airport for departure.


The flag carrier also plans two routes from Asian cities – Seoul and Taipei – to Phuket from July, while the schedule from Tokyo still requires confirmation.


Mr Cheawsamoot said the agency plans to work with Thai Airways and other international airlines to bring hundreds of overseas tour agents to Phuket, but as a small group at different times.


In addition to feedback on the entry process and travel experiences during the pandemic, Phuket wants to hear from these guests about new tourism products that include local stakeholders, such as farmers and local communities.


“Our travel surveys in several countries found tourists still want to come to Thailand, but seek unique quality experiences,” he said.


“Phuket must strictly follow the plan to improve its standards this year.”


For the Phuket sandbox, TAT plans to scale down its marketing to a city level instead of designated areas around the country, as several parts of Thailand still report high daily infections.


The agency admitted the destination has a geographic advantage.


Islands such as Phuket and Samui have limited entry points, allowing them to better control the flow of tourists and administer health screening measures more efficiently, said Mr Cheawsamoot.

Thai Airways Selling Direct Flights To Phuket From 4 European Cities To Test Demand | Chiang Mai News - Daily News Stories From Chiang Mai & Thailand

Well they are talking the talk, but can they pull it off? I can see a lot of people trying to use this to get round quarantine.

I assume that Phuket will have the same type of quarantine as Samui

Draft scheme to reopen Ko Samui from July 2021 for vaccinated visitors from low/medium risk countries:

Day 1 quarantine inside room
Day 2-3 Outside activities within hotel
Day 4-7 travel with guided tours ("sealed routes")

PCR test day 1 and day 4, checking body temperature every day.
After day 7 free to travel wherever they want in Thailand.

Etihad Airways Resumes Flights to Rabat and Phuket

On the back of quarantine free travel to Morocco, and back into the emirate of Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways is restarting services to Rabat on 23 June 2021.


As Phuket prepares to reopen to international vaccinated travellers, Etihad is recommencing services to the popular holiday destination on 1 July 2021.


Fares from Abu Dhabi to Rabat and Phuket start from just AED 995 return in Economy. This fare is limited on a first come first served basis. The sale starts today, Wednesday, 2 June 2021 and ends on Friday, 4 June 2021.


Guests who book between 5 and 9 June 2021 will enjoy return fares to Rabat starting from AED 1,995 in Economy and Business fares from AED 9,495. Travellers can jet off to Phuket in Business from AED 6,995. Sale fares are valid for travel until 20 November 2021.


The Rabat service will operate with an initial twice weekly flight and Phuket will be three times a week, using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offering Economy Space and Neighbour-free seating options.


To simplify the travel experience and provide additional peace of mind, Etihad recently launched Verified to Fly, allowing guests to validate their Covid-19 travel documents before arriving at the airport. Travellers who use Verified to Fly can enjoy fast track check-in at the airport by going to the dedicated Verified to Fly desk for a quicker and smoother experience. To use the Verified to Fly service, guests can sign-up by visiting Manage my Booking and will receive further information on how to submit their documents.


For more convenient travel options, guests can also check in for their Etihad flight from the comfort of their own home by visiting etihad.com/homecheckin up to seven hours before their flight. This means passengers can check in their bags, choose their seat and collect their boarding pass and luggage tags from their home in Abu Dhabi. Once at Abu Dhabi International Airport, all non-transit passengers who have used the home check-in service can skip the queues bag-free, making the airport journey seamless. Luggage will need to be collected at the destination baggage belt.


Flying to, from, and via Abu Dhabi is supported by the airline’s fully redesigned sanitisation and safety programme, Etihad Wellness, which ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey.


Those wishing to book are advised to visit etihad.com and the app to view their options, and to remain informed on the appropriate entry regulations at their end destination. Flights are also available for booking through the mobile app, by calling the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 600 555 666 (UAE) or through a local or online travel agency. A list of other local Etihad contact centres is available at etihad.com/contacts.

https://www.albawaba.com/business/pr...phuket-1431084

United Airlines Wants to Bring Back Supersonic Air Travel

The era of supersonic commercial flights came to an end when the Concorde completed its last trip between New York and London in 2003, but the allure of ultrafast air travel never quite died out.


President Biden mused about supersonic flights when discussing his infrastructure plan in April. And on Thursday, United Airlines said it was ordering 15 jets that can travel faster than the speed of sound from Boom Supersonic, a start-up in Denver. The airline said it had an option to increase its order by up to 35 planes.


Boom, which has raised $270 million from venture capital firms and other investors, said it planned to introduce aircraft in 2025 and start flight tests in 2026. It expects the plane, which it calls the Overture, to carry passengers before the end of the decade.


But the start-up’s plans have already slipped at least once, and it will have to overcome many obstacles, including securing approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and regulators in other countries. Even established manufacturers have stumbled when introducing new or redesigned planes. Boeing’s 737 Max was grounded for nearly two years after two crashes.


The deal is United’s latest attempt to position itself as a risk taker shaking up an industry that is just getting back on its feet after a devastating pandemic. The airline announced a $20 million investment in an electric air taxi start-up, Archer, in February, and it is working on a “steady drumbeat” of more such bets, said Michael Leskinen, who heads corporate development at United.


“We are really confident in the future,” Mr. Leskinen said. “Aerospace takes a long time to innovate. And so if you don’t start setting these opportunities out now, you will have missed them.”


United and Boom would not disclose financial details, including the cost of each plane, but Mr. Leskinen said the economics should be about the same as a new Boeing 787, a wide-body plane that airlines typically use on international routes. United has committed to buying the planes if Boom manages to produce them, secure regulatory approvals and hit other targets, like meeting its sustainability requirements.


Boom also plans to make planes for Japan Airlines, an investor in the company.


What is not clear is whether Boom has solved the problems that forced British Airways and Air France to stop using the Concorde on trans-Atlantic flights — high costs, safety concerns and flagging demand.


“There was no airline interest,” Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and consultant, said about why supersonic flights languished. “And a big part of the lack of airline interest was there were no engines that were commercially available that would allow a supersonic jet to be economically viable.”


Two decades later, some start-up companies, including Boom and Spike Aerospace, are pushing ahead with new designs and plans.


Boom, which is working with Rolls-Royce, the British jet engine maker, said its plane would be more efficient than the Concorde; United estimates it will be 75 percent more efficient. Boom’s planes will not be as noisy as the Concorde because their engines will create a sonic boom only when flying over water “when there’s no one to hear it,” said Boom’s chief executive, Blake Scholl, who previously worked at Amazon and Groupon.


In recent years, many people have also grown increasingly concerned about air travel’s contribution to climate change. Supersonic jets are expected to use more fuel than regular jets per passenger per mile, according to experts.


Mr. Scholl said the engines on Boom’s planes would rely entirely on sustainable aviation fuel, which can be made from waste, plants and other organic matter. Experts say such fuel could reduce emissions, but its supply is limited, it is expensive and its use does not eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.


United said it was too early to know how much it would charge for the flights, which it would run out of its hubs in Newark and San Francisco to start. But another big question mark about the plane is how many people will be willing to spend the thousands of dollars that each ticket on a supersonic flight is likely to cost.


United has long focused on business travelers, including by adding flights to Israel, China and other destinations popular with executives and by offering more business class seats on its planes. Mr. Leskinen called the idea of supersonic travel a “really powerful tool for business.”


“You can have a business meeting and still be home to have dinner with your family,” he said.


But corporate and international travel is expected to rebound slowly from the pandemic, and some experts say it might not recover fully for years because companies have realized that they can be effective without as many in-person meetings.


“The key to the success of supersonic transportation is the overlooked, underappreciated corporate travel manager, who is probably relegated to one of the worst offices in his or her company — and his primary task is to minimize corporate spending on business travel,” said Mr. Harteveldt.


If flights save a third of the travel time but also cost a third more, travel managers may end up saying, “I don’t know if we can justify that,” he said.


United Airlines Wants to Bring Back Supersonic Air Travel – DNyuz

Hey David mate, did you see the post by Kitt just above yours?

^
I think he did, and added some confirmation and photos.


As to where the demand will come from for these services? Is it possible that the growing green movement is enough to shame private jet owners onto fast commercial airlines?

Originally Posted by aging one

Hey David mate, did you see the post by Kitt just above yours?

His post expands on the previous one. I suspect that's why he did it.

EU stops Belarus flights
Belarusian aircraft will be banned from flying over EU territory and landing at EU airports.
The decision is said to have been made by EU at ambassadorial level on Friday, according to information to the news agency Reuters.
The ban will take effect on Saturday night.

Originally Posted by lom

I assume that Phuket will have the same type of quarantine as Samui

Draft scheme to reopen Ko Samui from July 2021 for vaccinated visitors from low/medium risk countries:

Day 1 quarantine inside room
Day 2-3 Outside activities within hotel
Day 4-7 travel with guided tours ("sealed routes")

PCR test day 1 and day 4, checking body temperature every day.
After day 7 free to travel wherever they want in Thailand.

This probably isn't the best thread if you want to discuss that topic, that's why the mods pinned this one:

Thailand quarantine and entry conditions

Although there hasn't really been any "news" on the topic other than the planned Phuket sandbox, which depends on vaccinations that are already way behind.

SINGAPORE: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the European Union have concluded the world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement, Asean said, to allow their airlines to easier expand services to and within the respective regions.

The agreement, once formalised, will mean that airlines of the combined 37 member states can fly any number of non-stop flights between countries in both regions, Asean said on Friday.

Additionally, airlines will be permitted to fly up to 14 weekly passenger services with one stop within the other region to pick up passengers on the return leg. There will no limits on flights with one stop to pick up cargo.

The agreement “provides essential guarantees of fair competition for our European airlines and industry, while strengthening reciprocal prospects for trade and investment”, said Adina Valean, the European Commissioner for Transport, according to the Asean statement.

EU and Asean reach landmark aviation deal

Heavier Passengers on Planes Mean New Safety Limits for Airlines


A change in an FAA weight rule could result in more fliers getting bumped from flights and more baggage delays


Passengers keep getting bigger. Now airlines must account more accurately for that.


The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring updates to passenger and baggage weight estimates that airlines use to keep each flight within airplane safety limits. Each U.S. airline must submit a plan by June 12 explaining which average weights for passengers and baggage they’ll use, down to phones and clothing, and how they estimated those weights. The FAA must approve each airline’s plan.


Airline officials say the weight estimates used for passengers and baggage are going up between 5% and 10%. That will affect some flights, possibly requiring that more passengers get bumped or more baggage left behind. Impact is likelier on unusually hot days and in cities higher above sea level, when the weight an airplane can safely carry is reduced because wings won’t generate as much lift. Flights into stiff headwinds that require more fuel also may face more weight issues.


Some airlines declined to talk about passenger weight and how they’ll handle the updated requirement. Others say they’re already taking steps to minimize any disruption this summer when the adjusted weight rules take effect.

MORE Heavier Passengers on Planes Mean New Safety Limits for Airlines - WSJ

Seven global airlines to fly direct to Thai holiday island Phuket


BANGKOK -- Seven international airlines will operate direct flights to Phuket in southern Thailand, starting in July, bringing foreign tourists to the resort island, with the Thai government accepting visitors vaccinated for COVID-19 without quarantines.


Thai Airways International will focus on welcoming vacationers from five European cities. Flights from Paris; Frankfurt, Germany; and Copenhagen to Phuket will begin July 2, according to the national flag carrier's chief commercial officer, Nond Kalinta. Flights from London and Zurich will resume the next day.


British Airways, Cathey Pacific, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Israel's El Al will operate flights to Phuket beginning in July, according to Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.


Thailand is set to conduct a "sandbox experiment" from July 1, using Phuket as a testing ground to welcome vaccinated foreign visitors. Tourists with proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test result can start their vacations immediately without sealing themselves in a hotel room, as visitors to other parts of Thailand are required to do.


Travelers must be fully vaccinated for at least 14 days before departure and show a negative test result within 72 hours of boarding their flight. If a mandatory test on the fifth day of their stay is negative, they will be allowed to take a day trip off the island.

The experiment's success is crucial for Thailand, as it will demonstrate the ability of Southeast Asia's second-largest economy to balance public health and fostering economic recovery.


The Tourism Authority of Thailand is forecasting the arrival of 129,000 foreign visitors in the first three months of the experiment. If the program goes smoothly, vaccinated tourists will be allowed to travel to places such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai, starting in October, and throughout the country in 2022.


A lack of tourists was the main reason the Thai economy shrank 6.1% in 2020. Tourism and related businesses accounted for a fifth of Thailand's gross domestic product in pre-COVID times. The Thai tourism industry has high hopes that the experiment will help revive the sector.


Representatives of several travel agencies in Thailand told Nikkei Asia that the pilot program is drawing strong interest from European travelers, many of whom typically spend weeks during the summer in tropical resorts.


Many in the industry had feared that the experiment could be postponed due to a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that the kingdom has been battling since March. Over 2,000 cases a day have been reported since mid-May. However, on Tuesday, the cabinet gave a provisional green light to begin the reopening program in July, suggesting that the current level of local infections will not stop the government from conducting the experiment.


About 400,000 people, more than 60% of Phuket's residents, have been vaccinated for the coronavirus, according to Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.


The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects Singapore Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Taiwan's EVA Air, Korean Air, its budget subsidiary Jin Air and French-Dutch carrier KLM to join the seven participating airlines soon.


It is imperative for airlines to attract a strong flow of foreign tourists to Phuket to maintain their routes profitably. This is especially true for cash-strapped companies like Thai Airways, which is currently under court-supervised rehabilitation. Thailand's Central Bankruptcy Court is scheduled to vote on June 15 on whether to approve a rehabilitation plan submitted by the airline.


Seven global airlines to fly direct to Thai holiday island Phuket - ChinaGoSmart is China’s most popular English web magazine!

Something strange is going on at BA. Apparently 4 pilots have died, no explanation.

Official British Airways twitter account :

Sadly four members of our pilot community passed away recently. Our thoughts are with their family and friends. However, there is no truth whatsoever in the claims on social media speculating that the four deaths are linked. Julie

https://twitter.com/British_Airways/...631007748?s=20

Originally Posted by Backspin

Something strange is going on at BA. Apparently 4 pilots have died, no explanation.

Ever heard of M. Poisson?

Prussian soldiers killed by horse kicks, 1898, comes to mind.

Nothing strange at all, move along please.

Could be car crashes, heart attacks, Covid, suicide, accidents in the home.

But of course the fucking antivax wankers are all over it like a cheap suit and skidmark is off and wanking.