Thread: Airline News

Makes you realize how exciting 2 seat aviation in the pioneer days, Amy Johnson, Antoine de St Exupert author of Vol de Nuit, Amelia Earache etc

Makes you realise why aircraft try very hard to avoid thunderstorms.

A Malaysian Airlines flight suffered a cabin depressurisation on the way from KL to BKK, dropped altitude, turned around and has now landed back in KL.

Boeing can breathe a sigh of relief, it was an A330.

Malaysia Airlines Flight Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok Declares Emergency - AVS

^ That's a big aircraft for such a short flight.

Anyway, another decompression, this time Korean Air and a 737-max. Unlike the 330, it happened in cruise and required dropping of masks, descent and a few needed a trip to hospital.

Originally Posted by Troy

^ That's a big aircraft for such a short flight.

Didn't Thai use an A380 for HK turnarounds?

Thai Airways Launches Daily Flights to Milan and Oslo

Thai Airways International has announced the start of daily flights connecting Bangkok with Milan, Italy, and Oslo, Norway. The expansion is in response to the growing demand for connections between Thailand, the Asia-Pacific region, and major European cities. The service, operated under the Star Alliance network, is expected to further enhance the airline's European route offerings.


For the Bangkok-Milan route, flight TG940 will depart from Bangkok at 12.40 a.m., arriving in Milan at 7.35 a.m. local time. The return flight, TG941, leaves Milan at 2.05 p.m. and lands in Bangkok at 5.55 a.m.


Similarly, the Bangkok-Oslo service begins with flight TG954 departing Bangkok at 12.55 a.m. and reaching Oslo at 7.25 a.m. local time. The return journey, TG955, departs Oslo at 2.15 p.m. and arrives back in Bangkok at 6.15 a.m.


These new routes are expected to cater to tourists and business travelers, providing more direct access to Scandinavia and Italy from Southeast Asia.

https://thainews.prd.go.th/nbtworld/.../390400/?bid=1

This is the first airline where women can request not to sit next to men

It’s a sad reality that, when travelling alone, women often have to take extra steps to keep themselves safe. The onus shouldn’t be on women, and we wish it wasn’t this way.


But now, one airline is making it easier to calm anxieties when it comes to flying, becoming the first to allow women to request not to be seated next to a man.


A low-cost airline based in India, IndiGo, has announced a pioneering new policy allowing women to view the gender of the passengers sitting around them before booking.


They’ll be able to choose to sit next to a woman if they’d prefer, which they’ll be able to do by viewing the seat plan ahead of flying.

Where women are booked on, their seats will flash pink – yes, somewhat of a cliché but the policy itself is a watershed moment when it comes to passenger safety.


However, it’s not yet clear how or whether it plans to incorporate its non-binary customers, who don’t identify as male or female but could still be vulnerable to the threat of male violence or intimidation, into the policy.


Critically, men will not be privy to this information when booking, so they won’t be able to use it to deliberately position themselves next to a woman.


The new initiative was spurred by a survey issued to its female customers, who were asked how their travel experience could be made more comfortable.


Indeed, flying – and travelling more generally – can be nerve-wracking when going solo as a female – or even if you’re just sat away from your pals.

As such, in 2022, research from Wizz Air unveiled that over 50% of women said they felt concerned about their safety when travelling solo.


Elsewhere, there are already multiple measures in place across India’s railways to protect women, including the provision of women-only carriages (which aren’t compulsory to use, but a soothing suggestion).


‘IndiGo is proud to announce the introduction of a new feature that aims to make the travel experience more comfortable for our female passengers,’ IndiGo told CNN in a statement of the new policy.

‘We are committed to providing an unparalleled travel experience for all our passengers, and this new feature is just one of the many steps we are taking towards achieving that goal.’

This is the first airline where women can request not to sit next to men | Metro News

I’m all for it, as long as I don’t end up sat next to someone obese, male or female. The gross obese passengers always limit the size and weight of carry on baggage.

Originally Posted by Switch

The gross obese passengers always limit the size and weight of carry on baggage.

Where do you get that idea from?

Gulf airlines have pretty well always done this on request.

BA are fucking useless at it.

Yeah, I got requested to move on an Etihad flight. Bummer, as I was shifted from an aisle seat to a middle seat next to the bulkhead next to the toilets. Somehow I survived, lol.

Originally Posted by misskit

This is the first airline where women can request not to sit next to men

does that mean i can request not to sit next a man?

Scammers are taking to the skies, posing as airline customer service agents

Scammers are always looking for new ways to target vulnerable people. Now they're taking to the skies.


The scammers are now lurking on social media, looking for posts from upset travelers dealing with flight cancellations and delays, and posing as airline customer service agents, the Federal Trade Commission warned in an alert.


"Most people can probably agree that there are few things more frustrating than airline delays or cancellations that leave you stranded at the airport,'' the FTC said. "Whether the issues are the result of an unprecedented event like the Crowdstrike glitch that grounded thousands of flights worldwide, or more common disturbances like weather delays, desperate travelers often turn to social media for help from the airlines.


"Opportunistic scammers know this, and they’re re lurking behind fake accounts trying to steal travelers’ information. The scammers ask passengers for a slew of information, like their booking confirmation number, phone number, or bank account,'' the FTC said. "Or they send passengers to a spoofed site that harvests their personal information and use it to steal the passenger’s identity or rack up charges on their accounts."


Cybercrime is the 'fastest-growing crime'


"Cybercrime is the fastest-growing business on Earth," Eric O'Neill, a national security strategist at NeXasure, a cybersecurity firm that offers advisory services, told USA TODAY.


O'Neill has predicted that by 2026, the cost of "dark web" cybercrime will exceed $20 trillion.


"In terms of GDP, that is No. 3 in the world and bigger than Germany and Japan put together," he said. "Cybercriminals have emulated the best in the business − espionage agencies (aka spies) − to launch deceptive attacks that gain the trust of their target so that the criminal can coerce them into handing over their most sensitive data with a smile."


Cybercriminals "have mastered the art of inserting themselves into a crisis," O'Neill said, and that included the Crowdstrike outages, which caused flight delays and cancellations. "They use deceptive and impersonation attacks that prey upon a target’s fears or desire to believe a thing to be true.


"During the CrowdStrike crisis we saw countless scams where criminals would use imposter attacks that pretended to be airline support, Crowdstrike support and various pretend vendor support to assist a target in escaping the crisis," said O'Neill, a former undercover field operative for the FBI who was tasked with surveilling foreign and domestic spies and terrorists.


Scammers target people seeking help on social media


Scammers have tried to target people who use social media to try to engage an airline for customer service before, said Jason Rabinowitz, co-host of Flightradar24’s AvTalk Podcast. Flightradar24 is a global flight tracking service that provides real-time data on thousands of flights.


Rabinowitz had a series of posts on X in October highlighting fake accounts pretending to be airlines.

"This has been going on for a while now, and it doesn't seem to have gotten better," Rabinowitz told USA TODAY. "The only real change since then is that a number of airlines have given up on Twitter as an official channel altogether."


But more airline passengers than normal turned to Twitter, now X, during the Crowdstrike glitch because the technical hiccup left some airline websites and apps inaccessible, Rabinowitz said.


"Scammers were definitely trying to take advantage of this, replying to unsuspecting passengers while posing as the airline,'' he said. "One of the best tips to avoid being scammed is to always verify the authenticity of the account responding to you. Do a quick Google search to make sure it’s really the airline’s support account, and watch out for tricks like substituting a 1 for an l."

Tech support imposter fraud is common


Tech support scams are a common go-to for cybercriminals, beginning with an email or text alert that targets information that has been compromised or identified on the dark web, O'Neill said.


"When the victim calls for assistance, the criminal sitting in the dark web call center walks them through a process to install a helper application on their device,'' he said. "This download grants control to the attacker, allowing them to dateline information, lock the device with ransomware or load other malicious software."

Tips to protect yourself from airline rep scammers


Here are some more tips from the FTC on what to do when you have a travel disruption and how to avoid getting rerouted to someone impersonating an airline employee.


Contact the airline's customer service directly through the airline's official app, website, chat or phone number and sign in to your account.


Speak to a customer service representative in person if you are at the airport.


If you go through social media, make sure to find the airline's official social media page on its website. Look for a verification symbol or badge. Never give out personal information on social media.


If someone stole your personal information, go to IdentityTheft.gov to report it and get the next steps. Report imposters to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.


Visit FlightRights.gov to learn about the airline passenger protections you may be entitled to or to file a complaint with the Department of Transportation if you feel an airline is not treating you fairly.


O'Neill also said that consumers should treat communications from the internet or cold calls or texts to their phone as possible threats.


"I routinely teach that we must regard these communications from a 'trust last, verify first' mentality,'' he said. "Before investing in a scheme, agreeing to tech support from a stranger, responding to the email with that fortune that looks too good to be true, pause, take a moment to investigate, and uncover the scam. If something looks too good to be true, in a world captured by cybercrime, it is."

Scammers are taking to the skies, posing as airline customer service agents

If you're planning a trip to Blighty soon, perhaps note the following and if need be change your destination airport.

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport will go on strike from the end of the month.

The 650 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union will be on strike for 23 days.

Strike action will take place from 31 August to 3 September, at which point a period of work-to-rule - where no overtime is undertaken and no extra work beyond what is contractually required is done - will begin and continue until 22 September.

The long-running dispute centres on enforced changes to terms and conditions - including the introduction of inflexible rosters.

Part-time workers and partially retired staff are being forced to change their working hours and practices, the PCS added, while new staff members are having their flexible work applications refused.

Many strikes have been threatened in recent years, but few have materialised as management has acceded to demands.

"We know our strike action is likely to cause serious disruption to travellers using Heathrow at the end of the summer, but the strike can be avoided if the employer listens to the concerns of our members," said the PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote.

The union said 160 staff have left the Border Force due to the lack of flexibility.

"Our hard-working members at Heathrow take great pride in keeping our country's border safe, but many are being forced out of the job they love," Ms Heathcote added.

"They're being told by managers to choose between caring responsibilities and their job, which is no choice at all. The only reason they're being forced to choose is because their managers are forcing them."

Heathrow is not just the UK's busiest airport but the largest in Europe too.

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow to strike from 31 August | UK News | Sky News

US orders inspections of Boeing 787 planes following midair plunge

Aviation regulators in the United States have ordered airlines to carry out inspections of hundreds of Boeing 787 Dreamliners after a sudden midair dive during a flight in March injured dozens of passengers.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday that the captain’s and first officer’s seats on certain 787-7, 787-9 and 787-10 aeroplanes should be inspected “for missing or cracked rocker switch caps and for cracked or nonfunctional switch cover assemblies” within 30 days.

“Operators must also perform any necessary corrective actions,” the FAA said in a statement.

The FAA directive affects 158 US-registered aeroplanes and 737 aeroplanes worldwide, the regulator said.

The airworthiness directive (AD) comes after Chile’s aviation authority said earlier this year that preliminary inquiries into the March 11 incident showed that the captain’s seat experienced an “involuntary movement forward” during the flight.

Some 50 passengers were injured when LATAM Flight 800 suddenly plunged 400 feet (120 metres) while en route to Auckland, New Zealand from Sydney, Australia.

In its directive, the FAA said the “uncommanded horizontal movement” of the captain’s and first officer’s seats during LATAM Flight 800 had “caused the control column input to disconnect the auto-pilot, resulting in a rapid descent until the First Officer took control of the flight”.

The FAA received four additional reports of the problem from Boeing following the incident, the most recent of which was in June, the regulator said.

“Uncommanded horizontal movement of an occupied seat can cause in-flight upset from unintended and abrupt flight control inputs, which could result in a rapid descent of the airplane and serious injury to passengers and crew,” the FAA said.
“The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.”

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The directive is the latest in a series of incidents to draw attention to safety issues at Boeing.

Boeing last month finalised a deal to plead guilty to fraud after US prosecutors concluded that the company violated a deferred prosecution agreement over two fatal crashes of the 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019.

The Arlington, Virginia-based aircraft giant is also facing a separate criminal investigation into a January incident during which a 737 MAX operated by Alaska Airlines lost part of its fuselage mid-flight.

US orders inspections of Boeing 787 planes following midair plunge | Aviation | Al Jazeera

More Boeing problems: New aircraft type cracks during test flight

Of
Anna Danielsen Gille




Another piece of bad news has landed at the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing. After the company's new aircraft type 777X aircraft were on the wings during a five-hour and 31-minute test flight - without passengers - it turned out that cracks had broken in the plane.

This is according to the aviation mediaCheck-in.

More specifically, in a review after the test run, the employees found cracks in one of the so-called thrust links, where the engine is attached to the blade. Two other test aircraft were affected by similar problems.

Now the test flights have been suspended immediately until a solution is in place.

In recent years, the manufacturer has given its name to a number of scandals involving other types of aircraft. Among other things, a side panel fell off while a full plane was in the air.

Originally Posted by helge

More specifically, in a review after the test run, the employees found cracks in one of the so-called thrust links, where the engine is attached to the blade. Two other test aircraft were affected by similar problems.

I had to look this up as I couldn't work out if it was part of the engine structure or part of the aircraft. It looks to be the GE9X engine mounting ...

Boeing Halts 777-9 Certification Tests For Engine Mount Checks | Aviation Week Network

...which is purpose built for the 777X, but not sure what caused it to fail.

Originally Posted by Troy

...which is purpose built for the 777X, but not sure what caused it to fail.

Shoddy workmanship and lack of oversight perhaps?

^ I'm still not sure who is at fault, some say it is designed by Boeing and some that it is GE.
While I was searching around I found the GE9X is about a tonne heavier than the older GE90. Somewhere in the order of 9.5 tonnes per engine. They really are monster engines. Anyway, it appears these thrust links were custom designed for the 777X and not just the GE90 ones thrown on to save a bit of money.

UK Chopper Choice, really is Black Hawk down

Seemed the best forum tho Choppers not Airlines, mods move
if you wish to news etc

Good news for Yeovil , but one bid is Hobson's choice

In a real crisis like Putin moving west the aged Puma needs replacing with state of the art?

Perhaps mashed Swede Malmomike can advise or get a gripen as they in LOS

A £1bn competition to replace Britain’s workhorse battlefield helicopter is in disarray after two of the three contenders withdrew at the last minute, warning that they were unable to submit viable offers. Defence contractors Airbus and Lockheed Martin opted not to submit a final bid by Friday’s deadline, leaving just Leonardo UK in the contest to replace the Royal Air Force’s ageing Puma support helicopters.

The new Labour government, which is under pressure to find savings in its defence budget, will now have to decide whether to award the contract to Leonardo or scrap the already delayed programme as part of its strategic defence review. Airbus, which had offered a militarised version of its H175 helicopter and pledged to build a final assembly line at its plant in Broughton in north Wales, said in a statement that it had been “unable to formulate a responsible bid that would in parallel satisfy the customer’s requirements and provide adequate long-term returns to the business”.


The European aerospace and defence group said it believed the outcome of “this procurement as it stands would not be able to deliver on current defence industrial strategy objectives, particularly its ambition for long-term new jobs, opportunities for the UK supply chain and sovereign capability”. US rival Lockheed Martin, which had offered its Black Hawk from the company’s Sikorsky business, said in a statement that it had decided not to bid as it “could not meet [the competition’s] minimum requirements in today’s market conditions”. Lockheed Martin had offered its Black Hawk from the company’s Sikorsky business before it too pulled out
which owns Britain’s only helicopter factory in Yeovil, Somerset and has stressed its local credentials as part of a greater focus on “social value” in defence procurement — confirmed it had submitted an offer.

Adam Clarke, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, which is offering its AW149 helicopter, said the company had met “the [Ministry of Defence’s] requirements, including for social value and UK industrial contribution” because of its “established UK onshore helicopter design and manufacturing capability and a related domestic supply chain”.The MoD first confirmed in 2021 that the RAF would retire its fleet of 23 Puma helicopters, which were built in the early 1970s, with the aim of bringing in the new helicopters in 2025.


Upgraded versions have been used to carry troops in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The so-called new medium-lift helicopter would replace the Puma as well as three other types.The initial intent had been to purchase as many as 44 new helicopters in a contract worth up to £1.2bn, but people familiar with the situation said the final number being asked for had fallen, making the procurement unviable.

The Ministry of Defence said the programme was an “important initiative to acquire a modern medium-lift support helicopter” but declined to comment further on the “ongoing competition”.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last month launched what he called a “root and branch” review of Britain’s military capabilities to ensure the country’s armed forces are able to counter rising geopolitical threats.The review, which is being led by Labour peer and former Nato secretary-general Lord George Robertson, will report by July 2025 and set out plan for how defence expenditure will rise from 2.3 per cent now to 2.5 per cent.

Air China’s first C919 plane makes its debut flight

The first C919 aircraft received by Air China touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport on Thursday (Aug 29). The aircraft, the airline’s first domestically produced large passenger jet, adorned with the national flag, was greeted with a symbolic water arch, marking its official entry into its fleet.


This marks a significant step in China’s aviation industry, as the C919 becomes a key player in the domestic and international markets. The aircraft features a two-class configuration with 158 seats – eight in business class and 150 in economy.


To ensure the successful integration of the C919, Air China has emphasised safety and preparation. The airline has established specialised teams in aircraft maintenance, personnel training, ground support and operational control in partnership with the aircraft’s manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac).


These teams diligently prepared for the aircraft’s entry, including extensive training for pilots, dispatchers, cabin crew and safety personnel, as well as the development of robust maintenance and operational support systems.

The C919 is equipped with domestically made seating, custom in-flight entertainment, safety videos and amenities designed to enhance the passenger experience.


Air China will conduct rigorous ground tests, route validation flights, emergency evacuation drills and operational certification to ensure the aircraft’s smooth and safe commercial operations.


In April 2024, Air China signed a contract with Comac for 100 C919 aircraft, with deliveries scheduled from 2024 to 2031.

The delivery of the aircraft to Air China and China Southern Airlines this week at the Comac assembly centre in Shanghai underscored a significant achievement for the C919 programme. It signalled the beginning of the aircraft’s service with multiple operators, highlighting Comac’s enhanced production capacity and management capabilities.


With the C919 entering service, the aircraft’s presence with three airlines – China Eastern Airlines, Air China and China Southern Airlines – signifies a pivotal moment for China’s aviation sector, paving the way for the C919’s broader adoption and showcasing China’s advancements in large passenger jet production.

Air China’s first C919 plane makes its debut flight | The Star

Cathay Pacific has grounded its A350-1000 fleet after an engine problem on one on its way to Zurich. Problem with RR engine, but not sure what fault was. All 18 aircraft are being inspected.

Problem does not affect the more common A350-900, which has a less powerful RR engine.

I expect the reason will be published soon.

More here:

Hong Kong’s flagship airline Cathay Pacific has cancelled dozens of flights after a plane heading from the city to Zurich was forced to turn around due to an "engine component failure".

The company says it has now inspected all 48 of its Airbus A350s and found 15 aircraft with faulty parts that needed to be replaced.

The planes' Trent XWB-97 engines were made by British engineering giant Rolls-Royce.

Since Monday, Cathay Pacific has cancelled almost 70 flights, including routes linking Hong Kong to Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei.

Cathay Pacific said the disruptions will continue until at least Saturday.

"At Cathay, safety of our customers and our people guides every decision we make," the airline said.

"We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding."
Airbus did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment.

Cathay Pacific took delivery of its first Airbus A350 aircraft in 2016. The planes are equipped with fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines.

Rolls-Royce told BBC News that "it is committed to working closely with the airline, aircraft manufacturer and the relevant authorities to support their efforts."

"As well as providing support and guidance to Cathay Pacific, Rolls-Royce will also keep other airlines that operate Trent XWB-97 engines fully informed of any relevant developments as appropriate."

Cathay Pacific's A350s also serve destinations in Europe and North America.

In a statement the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it is “monitoring any information coming out of the technical investigation and will take decisions on any fleet level action as required.”

Other airlines that operate A350s include British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines. The BBC has contacted the companies for comment.

Japan Airlines said it was awaiting information from Rolls-Royce, but added "as a precautionary measure", the company had decided to conduct inspections on its five Airbus A350-1000 aircraft "during their scheduled maintenance opportunities" at Haneda Airport on Tuesday.

It does not anticipate any flights to be delayed or cancelled as a result of the checks.

Qatar Airways said there had been "no impact on the operation of any Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000s", but added it would monitor the situation.

This year, Rolls-Royce announced plans to invest heavily to improve its range of engines, including the Trent XWB-97.
In 2023, Tim Clark, the boss of gulf carrier Emirates, voiced concerns about the durability of the engine and the prices Rolls-Royce charged for maintenance.

Cathay Pacific grounds planes after engine problem