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Thread: Airline News

  1. #76
    bkkandrew
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    Thought I would bump this thread with the following article, but before I do, I note that the spectre of insolvency is haunting so many airlines right now, that they are not really worth a mention...

    Polish pilots' poor English almost led to mid-air collision over Heathrow



    A Polish flight crew forced to rely on air traffic control directions after their navigation system shut down nearly collided with another plane over Heathrow because they had such poor English, it emerged today.

    The LOT airlines Boeing 737, carrying 89 passengers to Warsaw, wandered around the skies over London for nearly half an hour as the pilots struggled to understand basic instructions.

    The jet's Flight Management System - which provides directions like a car's satnav, but also enables the autopilot - failed because the co-pilot entered the wrong geographic coordinates before taking off.



    Out of control: A LOT airlines plane was unable to find its way after the autopilot shut down

    Instead of entering an westerly longitude as Heathrow lies to the West of the Prime Meridian Line in the London district of Greenwich, he entered an easterly one.

    The error meant that the electronic navigational tools that modern pilots use to fly shut down, a report by the Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) said.


    The pilots were forced to fly the plane using standby instruments and struggled to follow the co-ordinates given by air traffic controllers.

    Several times the co-pilot, who was flying, turned the aeroplane in the opposite direction given by controllers.




    At one point he flew the aeroplane too close to another aircraft, forcing the other to change its course.

    It caused a "Short Term Conflict Alert" but was not close enough to count as a "near miss", an AAIB spokesman said.

    Eventually controllers guided the aircraft step by step back to Heathrow Airport until they could see the runway where they landed, 27 minutes after take off.

    But the June 2007 incident highlights the risk of having so many foreign pilots using British airports who have just a small grasp of English.


    Only 15 out of 800 Polish pilots flying internationally have passed the test for the required standard of English, The Times reported today.


    English is the international language of aviation but many countries failed to comply with the International Civil Aviation Organisation deadline of March this year for ensuring their pilots were proficient in the language.

    The AAIB report said: "The crew of LOT 282 were not able to communicate adequately the nature and extent of their problem.

    "The commander, who was making the radio calls was not able to understand some of the instructions."

    The investigation concluded that the initial error by the co-pilot was "compounded by the difficulty of obtaining information from the pilots because of their limited command for English".


    The report also notes that all airports around London are very close to the Meridian line and that this "can lead crews to make such co-ordinate entry errors of this nature".

    In addition, states the report, the Polish airline rarely lands at airports west of the line and so most of the co-ordinates used by its pilots will be "eastings".

    The navigational problems, said the report, were compounded by the fact that the aircraft's radio controller could not understand some of the instructions.

    A transcript of the radio traffic between Air Traffic Control (ATC) and the aircraft commander is included in the report.

    At one point the controller is forced to ask: "At what heading do you think you are flying at the moment."

    Later he says he has realised that there are navigational problems and asks if the crew have, "any other problems flying your aircraft".

    "Only the navigation," replies the commander.

    Even after landing the crew was still in the dark as to why the navigational instruments had shut down and suggested it could have been caused by a passenger who was using a mobile phone.

    But extensive tests on the equipment revealed no faults.

    The report concludes that: "A fairly simple error...went undetected and led to a serious incident."

    It adds: "An incident like this demonstrates how reliant pilots have become on the Flight Management System."

    ATC also comes in for criticism for failing to realise how severe the aircraft's navigational difficulties were.


    The service now plans to use the incident in training exercises.

    LOT airlines is "considering reminding pilots of the necessity to use extra caution when manually entering co-ordinates when at locations close to the Prime Meridian," adds the report.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1025911/Polish-pilots-poor-English-led-mid-air-collision-Heathrow.html

  2. #77
    bkkandrew
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    Italians Shun Alitalia, Ignoring Berlusconi Plea for Patriotism


    By Marco Bertacche




    July 4 (Bloomberg) -- Lorenzo Schapira tries to avoid flying Italy's near-bankrupt flagship carrier, Alitalia SpA. The planes are run-down and the service is ``appalling,'' he says.

    ``The government should let Alitalia go bust,'' a 52-year- old who runs a disco and a sports club near Milan, said on board an Air One SpA flight home from Rome.

    He's not alone. Travelers interviewed last week at Milan's Linate and Rome's Fiumicino airports said they'd given up on Alitalia and politicians should too. About three-quarters of Italians disapprove of the government's 300 million-euro ($473 million) bailout for the carrier, according to a June 5 online poll published by daily newspaper Corriere della Sera.

    ``Airlines go bankrupt all over the world,'' said Alessandro Rovere, who works in the computer industry in Milan. ``I don't see why Italy shouldn't do the same for Alitalia.''

    State-controlled Alitalia posts losses of about 3 million euros a day. No buyer has surfaced for the carrier since Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said during his election campaign in April that a ``huge'' number of buyers had answered his appeal to keep Alitalia in Italian hands.

    It's ``a question not only of pride but of national security,'' he said April 9 on RAI state radio in Rome.

    The emergency loan, the equivalent of more than 5 euros per taxpayer, is buying little more than three month's worth of oil.

    ``I hoped Berlusconi would stop pouring money into Alitalia,'' said Sara Chiappara, 33, a textbook editor for a Milan publisher. ``It's unbelievable. We've done our part for Alitalia. It's enough.''

    `Last Chance'

    Alitalia Chairman Aristide Police told shareholders on June 28 in Rome that the airline faces its ``last chance'' to avoid bankruptcy. The stock lost almost half of its value this year before it was suspended June 4 pending a sale.

    The government has given Intesa Sanpaolo SpA, Italy's second-biggest bank, until the end of July to come up with a plan to improve the airline's finances.

    Former Chairman Maurizio Prato told labor unions the only thing that could save the airline was an ``exorcist'' after worker opposition to job cuts scuttled takeover talks with Air France-KLM Group in April.

    Even Alitalia's largest labor union, Filt-Cgil, says the current bailout is useless without clear measures to boost market share and make money. Italy has injected about 3 billion euros into Alitalia in the past decade.

    `Drop in Ocean'

    ``The emergency loan is like a drop in the ocean of Alitalia's losses without a relaunch plan,'' said Mauro Rossi, Filt-Cgil's national secretary. ``Alitalia has always been used and abused by politicians for electoral purposes.''

    Airlines around the world are struggling to cope with oil prices above $140 a barrel. At least 24 airlines, including Silverjet Plc of the U.K., have failed this year. Carriers such as United Airlines and Ryanair Holdings Plc are cutting back capacity.

    In Italy, consumers are abandoning Alitalia in spite of a new advertising slogan that tries to make using the carrier a patriotic act: ``Flying Alitalia Makes Italy Fly.''

    ``People think the company has no future,'' said Emanuele Marella, 37, a cheesemaker in Rome. He said he chose Air One because when he booked the night before he paid only 130 euros for a flight to Milan, compared with the 300 euros quoted by Alitalia. ``They need to act quickly.''

    Rome-based Air One, owned by Italian entrepreneur Carlo Toto, controlled 37 percent of the Italian market in 2007.

    `If or When'

    Elio Lannutti, head of Italian consumer association Adusbef and an opposition-party senator, said people lack confidence in Alitalia.

    You ``don't know if or when you'll get to your destination,'' he said. ``There are structural problems with the airline and you can't resolve them with national pride.''

    Bookings at Alitalia dropped 20 percent when the talks with Air France-KLM failed. Traffic plunged 26 percent in April, according to the Association of European Airlines. Alitalia said the decline was worse than expected after taking into account flight reductions.

    Alitalia has said that bookings have recovered, and that it was more punctual and canceled fewer flights than its bigger European rivals. Management has strived to ``guarantee, even in such a difficult context, the airline's operations and an improved service,'' Chairman Police said last week.

    Yesterday, Italian Industry Minister Claudio Scajola said the government would stand by Alitalia while seeking a buyer.

    An ``important country like Italy can't do without a flagship carrier that can compete in international markets, safeguarding national interest, especially for a country where tourism is so important,'' he said.

    Complaints about Alitalia often center on the company's aging aircraft, half of which are MD-80 jetliners, a model that hasn't been produced since 1999.

    Self-Reclining Seats

    An Alitalia official said the company wouldn't comment on its airplanes. The carrier said in 2006 that MD-80s are among the safest planes in the world. Other airlines, including Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana SA and SAS Group's Scandinavian Airlines, also fly them.

    Alitalia's fleet, including regional and low-cost units, had an average age of 12.4 years at the end of 2007, compared with 8.8 years for Paris-based Air France.

    ``Last time I flew Alitalia for a flight to Berlin the plane was decrepit and seats reclined by themselves,'' Rita Perrone, a tax collector living in Brindisi, said as she prepared to board a flight operated by Air One.

    Bloomberg.com: Exclusive

  3. #78
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldgit View Post


    How does the pilot dodge these birds?
    seeing they are to his right and not in front of the aircraft there should be no problem.

  4. #79
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    153 people have been killed after a Spanish jet taking holidaymakers to the Canary Islands crashed on takeoff and burst into flames at Madrid airport, the Spanish government said.
    Stuff.co.nz
    Spanish Transport Minister Magdalena Alvarez told a news conference that 17 of the 19 injured had been identified.
    Smoke billowed up near Terminal Four from the remains of Spanair's Flight JK5022, an MD-82 jet bound for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
    The 15-year-old plane, carrying 166 passengers and nine crew, shot off the runway at 2:45 pm local time, according to Spanair, and witnesses described a huge explosion.
    "Only the tail was recognizable, there was wreckage scattered all over the place and dead bodies across a wide area. A lot of them were children," Herbigio Corral, who headed the rescue effort, told reporters.
    There were only 28 survivors, he said.
    Of the survivors, eight are in critical condition, an emergency services spokesman told national radio.
    It is not known if any New Zealanders were on the flight.
    Development Minister Magdalena Alvarez said the cause of the accident seemed to be "an error in takeoff". But Spanish media quoted sources as saying the plane's left engine, made by Pratt & Whitney, had caught fire.
    The plane had left late after being delayed, El Mundo said.
    The flight was a code-sharing operation with Lufthansa serving the Canary Islands, a popular holiday destination for tourists from throughout Europe.
    Lufthansa said seven passengers with Lufthansa tickets, four of them from Germany, had checked in for the flight, and a Canary Islands official said passengers included Swedes and Dutch.
    Thick columns of smoke rose into the air and police blocked off both ends of the Terminal Four runway, where more than 20 ambulances and many fire engines were stationed.
    "I saw how the plane broke in two and a huge explosion," said Manuel Muela, who was driving past the airport when the crash occurred, according to newspaper El Mundo.
    FLAG AT HALF MAST
    Police escorted tearful relatives of passengers past reporters and dozens of workers identified as psychologists and social workers arrived at the terminal.
    Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero interrupted his holidays and the Spanish Olympic Committee said the Spanish flag would fly at half mast in the Olympic village in Beijing. Spain's national soccer team wore black armbands at a friendly match with Denmark.
    Spanair, which is owned by Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS), has been struggling with high fuel prices and tough competition during an economic slowdown. It announced it was laying off 1,062 staff and cutting routes to turn the airline around after losing US$81 million in the first half of the year.
    Hours before the crash, Spanair's pilots threatened to strike. SAS has been trying to sell Spanair since last year.
    The MD-82 is a medium-range single-aisle plane, popular with regional airlines. It is a member of the MD-80 family of planes made by US manufacturer Boeing Co.
    American Airlines had to cancel 3,000 flights earlier this year after US authorities ordered them to ground MD-80 series planes to check their wiring.
    Boeing bought McDonnell Douglas in 1997, and the last of the MD-80 family rolled off its production line in 1999.

  5. #80
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    These are the billboards which aussies are passing on the way to work...

    you'll have to teach your wife phonetics or else she won't get the joke...


  6. #81
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    Lovely

  7. #82
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    Very Australian, wouldn't you say?

  8. #83
    bkkandrew
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    Ice crystals in fuel caused London 777 crash

    Safety checks for THOUSANDS of planes after ice in fuel caused BA crash at Heathrow

    By Ray Massey
    Last updated at 10:42 PM on 04th September 2008



    Every long-haul passenger plane in the world faces strict new safety checks to prevent a repetition of the Heathrow crash-landing in January.

    They could also be ordered to fly at lower altitudes after investigators admitted last night they have no idea how many other planes may be vulnerable to a 'previously unforeseen threat' of ice blocking the flow of engine fuel.

    An eight-month investigation into the dramatic crash-landing has concluded that a rush of ice crystals choked off the fuel supply less than a minute before touchdown.

    Continued here:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-Heathrow.html

  9. #84
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    They could also be ordered to fly at lower altitudes

    Which means more fuel will be used = increased fuel surcharges

  10. #85
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    Bangkok Post Main Entrance Page

    Air NZ to implement new checks on RR Trent 777's

  11. #86
    bkkandrew
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    XL Bite the dust

    Thousands may be stranded as XL Leisure prepares to declare bankruptcy



    Holiday firm XL in administration


    Tour operators have been hit by soaring fuel costs


    Tens of thousands of Britons could find themselves stranded abroad after the country's third largest package holiday group went into administration.

    The XL Leisure Group, which operates XL airlines, flies to 50 destinations, mainly in the Mediterranean.

    All its flights have now been cancelled and its aircraft grounded The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said 85,000 people could be stranded abroad and 200,000 have made advance bookings with the company.

    BBC NEWS | Business | Holiday firm XL in administration

  12. #87
    I am in Jail

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    Bald-head adverts for NZ airline

    Bald-head adverts for NZ airline



    New Zealand's national airline is looking for bald passengers to head up a new advertising campaign.



    The carrier said it wanted 50 passengers to be "cranial billboards" and publicise a new check-in service on their heads.

    The fliers will be offered money to have their pates temporarily tattooed with the message.

    The airline said it would pay NZ$1,000 (£380; $666) per head, making it easy money for bald frequent fliers.

    The airline's marketing manager Steve Bayliss said in a statement: "How better to tell our customers that Air New Zealand is going to do something about [long check-in queues]... than through messaging they can read while they're standing in a queue themselves?"

  13. #88
    bkkandrew
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    Alitalia 'running out of fuel'


    Negotiations with unions will be critical to saving the airline


    Italy's national airline, Alitalia, may have to cancel some flights because of a lack of funds to buy fuel, a top official has warned.

    Augusto Fantozzi, Alitalia's bankruptcy administrator, made the comments as he called unions to emergency talks a day after the latest session broke down. The unions earlier quoted him as saying flights could not be "guaranteed" because we cannot "get fuel".


    BBC NEWS | Europe | Alitalia 'running out of fuel'

  14. #89
    bkkandrew
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    It looks like farewell Alitalia, cue violins...

    Consortium withdraws Alitalia bid


    Union protests forced the ailing airline to cancel 40 flights on Wednesday


    A consortium of investors proposing to rescue airline Alitalia has withdrawn its takeover offer, raising fears the carrier may go into liquidation.

    The Italian group, called CAI, dropped its bid after unions failed to back the deal before a 1400GMT deadline.

    While four of Alitalia's unions had supported the deal, five had objected because of plans to cut 3,000 jobs.

    Italy's flag-carrier has already warned that it is running out of funds to buy all the aviation fuel it needs.

    Making its announcement, CAI said it expressed "profound disappointment".

    "Further concessions would inevitably have put the realisation of the plan at risk," it said.

    Cancelled flights

    Italian Labour Minister Maurizio Sacconi said before the deadline that the future of Alitalia was "hanging by a thread".

    The company is dead and some of my colleagues want to be its undertakers


    Head of the UIL union, Luigi Angeletti


    While Italy's four main union organisations - CGIL, CISL, UIL and UGL - had signed up to the agreement with the CAI, five other unions had rejected the deal as "useless and provocative".

    Those opposed to the package - SDL, ANPAC, UP, ANPAV and Avia - include pilots and cabin crews.
    Their protests forced Alitalia, which is losing 2.1m euros ($3m; £1.7m) daily, to cancel 40 flights on Wednesday.

    The head of the UIL union, Luigi Angeletti, attacked those unions that rejected the CAI offer. "The company is dead and some of my colleagues want to be its undertakers," he said.


    Continued here:

    BBC NEWS | Business | Consortium withdraws Alitalia bid

  15. #90
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    Asian airlines brace for worse turbulence next year: analysts
    Sun, 26 Oct 2008


    Asia's aviation sector is hurting from a sharp descent in passenger numbers but the full impact of a deepening global financial crisis is not likely to be felt until next year, analysts said.

    Small carriers will be particularly vulnerable as people curtail travel plans, they added, predicting some airlines will not make it through.

    "The biggest challenges right now are weakening passenger demand, particularly for first and business class travel, and continuing uncertainty about the global economic outlook ," said Andrew Herdman, director-general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).

    "The next 12-18 months will be extremely difficult times for airlines and some won't survive the current crisis," said Herdman, whose AAPA represents 17 airlines in the region.

    Shukor Yusof, an aviation analyst with credit rating agency Standard and Poor's, said he expects some airlines to defer aircraft orders or return leased planes as they reduce routes and flight frequencies.

    "The weakest ones will not be able to maintain the business," he said.

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said passenger volumes for Asia Pacific carriers dropped 6.8 percent in September, much sharper than the average 2.9 percent decline worldwide.

    Asian airlines also carried 10.6 percent less cargo in September, worse than the drop in Europe and North America, as trade volumes fell sharply, IATA said.

    "The deterioration in traffic is alarmingly fast-paced and widespread," IATA director-general Giovanni Bisignani said in a statement.

    "We have not seen such a decline in passenger traffic since SARS in 2003," he added, referring to the health scare that grounded travellers in Asia.

    Analysts fear that unlike during the SARS period, which lasted for a few months, the current crisis will last for a year or more.

    Losses for global airlines this year may exceed IATA's earlier projection of 5.2 billion US dollars, with another further 4.1 billion dollars in losses seen in 2009.

    Business class travel, a major cash-spinner for airlines, has become an early casualty of the crisis, especially with retrenchments and belt-tightening in the financial sector, analysts said.

    Leisure travel is also suffering as tourists stay home or travel to nearer destinations.

    Singapore Airlines said it carried 1.6 percent fewer passengers in September from a year ago.

    Singapore's Changi Airport said it handled 2.89 million passengers in September, down 0.4 percent from last year -- the first decrease in monthly traffic since February 2004, the airport operator said.

    Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific said passenger numbers in September dropped 0.7 percent year-on-year, while Australia's Qantas said the number of international passengers it carried fell an annual 6.4 percent in August.

    "People in the source countries are beginning to say: 'Well, let's rethink what we're going to do for the holidays,'" said John Koldowski, an analyst with Bangkok-based Pacific Asia Travel Association.

    "It will take a little bit of time because some have already booked their tickets. But if this progresses, we're going to see a much deeper contraction for 2009."

    Tourism-related industries like hotels are likely to suffer as well.

    "What we're finding out is that people are shifting the way they travel. Instead of travelling business they travel economy; instead of staying at a five-star hotel, they stay at a three-star hotel," Koldowski said.

    Business travellers have become more prudent with entertainment expenses as well, he said, adding: "The longer the crisis goes, the tougher it's going to be."

    Some analysts said the crisis could force a consolidation of the industry, but others argue that pride could get in the way of cross-border mergers for national flag-carriers.

    Earlier this month, India's largest domestic airline, Jet Airways, struck an alliance with arch-rival Kingfisher Airlines involving code-sharing, ground-handling and route rationalisation to avert collapse.

    Herdman of AAPA said a key factor in surviving the current crisis is a strong balance sheet because of the tight credit situation.

    "In this environment, it's almost impossible to raise equity and the cost of debt is rising," he said. "The airlines best placed to survive are those with good cash reserves."

    business.maktoob.com

  16. #91
    Thailand Expat Texpat's Avatar
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    Oil is 65 bucks a barrel now, but world stock markets are keeping passengers home.

    Tough business.

  17. #92
    bkkandrew
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    My basic ticket cost has just collapsed for the LHR BKK monthly trip. I might snap up 6-months worth up at this rate...

  18. #93
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mid
    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said passenger volumes for Asia Pacific carriers dropped 6.8 percent in September, much sharper than the average 2.9 percent decline worldwide.
    But the TAT would have us believe that it's business as usual...lying cvnts...

  19. #94
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    ^

    from the blog world ............

    One thing I did find interesting however, were some of the statistics on offer.

    I hadn’t realized before that foreigners only actually make up 30% of the tourist arrivals in the Rose of the North (Chiang Mai), with the rest being Thais. Contrary to other figures that I have seen posted in the English language press, here we were informed that foreign tourist arrivals have actually decreased over the past couple of years by almost 15%+. With tourism from the likes of Japan, US, UK and Germany being affected most; that’s to say dropping by 20%. As for the amount of Thai tourists arriving, that has stayed more-or-less the same.

    Chiang Mai Mega Fam Trip: Day 2

  20. #95
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    the following is also from the blog world ...............

    it's written by a person who's first language obviously isn't English and who's English may well be self taught so please cut 'em some slack .





    This information is dedicated to Burmese people who are willingly or unwillingly travel by air inside Burma.

    All reputed insurance companies all over the world are agreed unanimously for not to issue any insurance policy towards Burma and their affiliated organizations. This is directly affected to government, semi-government and private own airlines operated in Burma.

    Since International Insurance Companies are not doing business with above said airlines, only one remain for them to approach is government own Myanmar Insurance Corporation but what they can get from that company is just a friction of internationally required amount.

    That insurance crisis is not directly affected to domestic airlines yet but big problem for international flight. All international airports require every flight to cover with standard insurance policy and otherwise landing permission will be denied.

    Burma have two airlines operating internationally and one is semi-government Myanmar Airway International (MAI) and other is so call private own but actually all aircrafts were bought by government (tax payer’s money) and operated by Tay Za and cronies of Air Bagan.

    MAI have not much problem because they already sign the code sharing agreements with the airlines of every foreign country they fly so they only need the airworthiness and proper maintenance record of particular aircraft which must be approved by auditing of certify third party.

    Air Bagan can not get such priority as reputation of operation and experience are very much below standard for international air liner so notorious Tay Za try to take over the MAI by illegal but forceful order and favor of authority as he is a most trusted henchman of General Than Shwe. Please note that Tay Za is more powerful in Burma even than junta’s second man General Maung Aye. He is eye and ear of Than Shwe. Nobody dare to stop him. Ministers are afraid of him as his personal report to Than Shwe can ruin their carriers.

    Tay Za took the advantage of his influence over Junta leader and grab the ground handling services in Rangoon Airport from MAI by direct order from General Than Shwe. It was learnt from anonymous executive of DCA (Department of Civil Aviation)

    Air Bagan force MAI to charter their useless grounded aircraft although it’s not economical for MAI to operate but they have no other choice. MAI start using chartered Air Bagan flight and at the same time commence the auditing procedure for that aircraft. Final report came for that case and was very shameful and distressing. Report said that Air Bagan is not keeping a standard procedure for what must usually be for normal airline. Their maintenance standard is not even sufficient for domestic journey. Many parts used were overdue but no record of when it was changed and no report of necessary order to replace them.

    We can imagine that the best aircraft of Air Bagan fleets was in such a chaotic condition so the others used in domestic routes were out of question. Since beginning of the operation with 6 aircrafts in the fleets, two were already put in the casualty list. Air Bagan can’t buy the spare-parts because of sanction but still we can see their aircrafts in the air. They never change the essential parts when were due and force them to fly. For your own sake of safety, please take the others means of transports such as road, rail and river way. Flying on the Air Bagan is the gambling with the dead. We just let the true story run for people who still flying the Air Bagan without knowing of how Tay Za is cheating.

    Reported by Thu Ye Kaung.

    ko-htike.blogspot.com

  21. #96
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    On a totally differant subject: BKK -LAX
    I heard from a contact at Thai yesterday that the BKK-LAX flight that was due to cease on 31st October has been extended to 28 February

  22. #97
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    That is true it was in the Post today. With the decline in jet fuel price they can afford to keep it flying.

  23. #98
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    I try not to tell lies.....they are harder to remember!!

  24. #99
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    THAI saves Bangkok - Auckland and non-stop LA services

    THAI saves Bangkok - Auckland and non-stop LA services-29 October, 2008

    Finnair to increase scheduled flights to long-haul destinations

    Finnair has announced that it will increase scheduled flights to long-haul destinations in winter 2008. The airline will fly to Hong Kong daily in winter 2008, instead of four flights per week. The Bangkok, Thailand daily service will be almost doubled.

    Datamonitor - Finnair to increase scheduled flights to long-haul destinations - News

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    Icelandic-owned airline faces bankruptcy
    October 29, 2008 - 3:28PM

    Icelandic-owned budget carrier Sterling Airways A/S will file for bankruptcy.

    The airline said it was unable to raise financial support for a restructuring program due to the collapse of the Icelandic financial system and would file for bankruptcy.

    The airline is based in Denmark but has Icelandic owners.

    Sterling said it would not be able to refund passengers who had bought tickets from the company's website.

    news.smh.com.au

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