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Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 26, 2021

Second explosion reported at Kabul airport after 13 people killed in first bombing

Explosions rock Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport.The blasts appear to be suicide bombing attacks.According to Taliban, 13 people died in first explosion. Two bombings near Kabul airport today resulted in “a number of US & civilian casualties”, the Pentagon said. An explosion earlier today near the Abbey Gate of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, has been confirmed by the US Department of Defense Press Secretary John Kirby, who said that the blast resulted “in an unknown number of casualties.” According to Taliban spokesperson, the apparent suicide bombing attack killed at least 13, including children and Taliban guards. A second blast has been reported at the Baron Hotel area near Kabul airport following a major explosion as military evacuation continues. Shortly before the second explosion, France’s Ambassador to Afghanistan warned civilians to “take cover” away from the gates to the Kabul airport, saying a second bombing may be imminent after confirmed reports of a major blast as military evacuation continues. Ambassador David Martinon tweeted an “urgent” warning to “all our Afghan friends” on Thursday, warning that a “second explosion is possible.” US officials have said the first blast was likely the work of a suicide bomber outside the airport. The scene at Hamid Karzai International Airport was already chaotic before the explosion, as thousands of Afghans, Americans and others seek safe passage out of the country before the August 31st deadline. Intelligence reports had surfaced earlier this week warning of “imminent” terrorist attacks on the Kabul airport by ISIS-K – an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 25, 2021

Delta Air Lines: All unvaccinated staff will be charged extra $200 for health insurance monthly

Delta to charge unvaccinated employees extra for health benefits.Delta’s new health insurance policy kicks in on November 1.Average hospital stay for COVID-19 has cost Delta $50,000 per person. Delta Air Lines announced today that all airline employees who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will have to pay extra $200 per month for health insurance coverage. Delta Air Lines CEO’s memo to staff said the “surcharge will be necessary to address the financial risk the decision to not vaccinate is creating for our company.” According to Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian , the “average hospital stay for COVID-19 has cost Delta $50,000 per person” and “in recent weeks since the rise of the B.1.617.2 variant, all Delta employees who have been hospitalized with COVID were not fully vaccinated.” Although 75% of Delta Air Lines employees are vaccinated against the virus, Bastian argued that the “aggressiveness” of COVID-19’s Delta variant “means we need to get many more of our people vaccinated, and as close to 100 percent as possible.” The changes will come into effect from November 1, while, from September 12, unvaccinated employees will also have to take weekly COVID-19 tests. Unvaccinated employees must additionally wear face masks indoors. Public and industry reaction to the airline’s decision was mixed. Some praised Delta’s decision, saying it was an “appropriate” way to encourage vaccination and could make “a real difference.” Others, however, warned that it could set a bad precedent claiming that the decision was ultimately based on financial greed, not concern for the public. Other airlines, including United Airlines, Air Canada and Australia’s Qantas, are making vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for employees. Earlier this month, United CEO Scott Kirby and President Brett Hart told staff that, while they know some employees would disagree with the decision, “everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated.”

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 25, 2021

South African Airways returns to the skies September 23

South African Airways to resume operation in September 2021.SAA will continue to be a safe carrier and adhere to COVID-19 protocols.SAA is restarting with a formidable business case. The wait is finally over. In just under a month, the striking and familiar livery of South African Airways (SAA) will once again be visible in the skies as the airline resumes operations. The carrier has confirmed the first flights will commence on Thursday, September 23, 2021. Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, 26 August 2021. Voyager bookings and Travel Credit Voucher redemption will be available from Monday, 6 September 2021. South African Airways Interim CEO Thomas Kgokol Interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo says, “After months of diligent work, we are delighted that SAA is resuming service and we look forward to welcoming on board our loyal passengers and flying the South African flag. We continue to be a safe carrier and adhering to COVID-19 protocols.” South African Airways will as an initial phase operate flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka and Maputo. More destinations will be added to the route network as it ramps up operations in response to market conditions. Kgokolo added, “there is a profound feeling of enthusiasm within Team SAA as we prepare for takeoff, with one common purpose -to rebuild and sustain a profitable airline that once again takes a leadership role among local, continental, and international airlines.” Notes Kgokolo, “The aviation sector is currently going through a testing period, and we are aware of the tough challenges that lie ahead in the coming weeks. We thank South Africa for the support we have received in getting us to where we are today. As we are now poised for takeoff, we see this as a major milestone for SAA and thecountry.” According to the chairman of the SAA’s Board, John Lamola, since the national carrier came out of business rescue at the end of April 2021, the Department of Public Enterprises together with the Board and the Management team have been seized with planning for the relaunching of a restructured and fit for purposeairline that South Africans can again be proud of. “The airline is restarting with a formidable business case”, says Lamola. Cuthbert Ncube, the chairman of the African Tourism Board (ATB), said upon receiving the news, that African Tourism Board is glad to see South African Airways restarting its operation and returning to the skies. The return of such a major regional and international player as South African Airways to business is essential for the tourism industry in the southern part of Africa to restart and begin its recovery from all the damage done by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 25, 2021

Fiji pushes towards tourism reopening by December 2021

Over 92% of Fiji’s target population received first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.Tourism Fiji launches new local initiative to encourage vaccination.Fijian tourism industry has widely adopted the Care Fiji Commitment. With over 92% of the target population receiving their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination and over 41% now fully vaccinated, Fiji is making significant progress towards its goal of reopening by December 2021, as each vaccination brings Fiji one step closer to being able to welcome international guests to the islands once again. Fiji pushes towards tourism reopening by December 2021 “We are at crossroads of a new age of travel and tourism where resumption of international travel is pinned on a silver bullet—COVID-19 vaccine,” said Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, Hon. Faiyaz Koya. “Vaccinating our target population not only ensures we keep our communities safe, but also that we are ready to welcome the world back to our shores and get Fijians back to the jobs they love.” As part of the preparations for re-opening Fiji, Tourism Fiji has launched a new local initiative to encourage all Fijians to get vaccinated and be ready for travel to resume when restrictions are lifted. It’s a simple message, but an important one: “It’s our best shot at travel: get vaccinated and get ready.” The campaign joins in on Tourism Australia’s message to share the same support and encouragement for vaccination across Fiji. To ensure the utmost health and safety of both travelers and locals upon borders reopening, the Fijian tourism industry has widely adopted the Care Fiji Commitment; a WHO-approved standard of best-practice health and safety measures designed to align the industry to safe travel norms in a post-COVID world. Tourism operators are working to achieve 100% vaccination of all eligible staff and will receive the CFC 100% Vaccination Stamp once completed. To-date, there are 46 Fiji resorts that have achieved 100% vaccination of their staff. Additionally, Tourism Fiji North America has launched an interactive marketing campaign, called “Find Your Bula” to encourage consumers to start dreaming and planning their perfect trip to Fiji. The campaign is centered around a quiz to help travelers to find their ‘Bula’ and receive travel suggestions matching their preferences. The campaign plays off of the Fijian greeting “bula” – a term with many meanings including hello, happiness, good health, and the energy of life.

Mario Masciullo - eTN Italy·

Aviation Feature

·August 24, 2021

Alitalia airline: Closed for business

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 24, 2021

Taliban: Only foreigners can leave Afghanistan from Kabul airport

Taliban won’t let Afghans to leave via Kabul airport.Taliban discourages Afghans from fleeing the country.Taliban says all foreigners must leave Afghanistan by August 31. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid announced today that the Islamist militant group would no longer permit Afghans to enter Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport in an attempt to leave Afghanistan. Taliban: Only foreigners can leave Afghanistan from Kabul airport Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, Taliban spokesman said Taliban will no longer allow Afghans to leave the country via Kabul airport and called on the west not to encourage the educated elite to flee. The spokesman demanded that western powers refrain from evacuating Afghanistan’s educated elite, such as doctors and engineers. Mujahid said that Taliban leaders were not in favor of allowing Afghans to leave, but reiterated that all foreigners must be evacuated from Afghanistan by August 31 and could continue to use Hamid Karzai International Airport until that deadline. Mujahid also cited the chaotic situation at the airport as a reason for Afghans to avoid it. He said the crowds around the capital’s airport should return to their homes, claiming that their safety would be guaranteed. In the same press briefing, Mujahid claimed that people could remain in Afghanistan and promised that there would be no reprisals. He said the Taliban had forgotten conflict in the past and would let bygones be bygones. He also confirmed that the Taliban had not agreed to extend the August 31 deadline set by the US to complete their evacuation of Afghanistan.

Tony Ofungi - eTN Uganda·

Aviation Feature

·August 24, 2021

Uganda to Dubai: once they get off COVID red list

This development brings to an end the protracted 5-phased certification process that saw the carrier’s pair of A330s grounded in Entebbe.The airline now can switch between the CRJ-900 and the higher capacity A330 on services, depending on passenger and cargo demand.A330s will be used on services to London, Dubai, Mumbai, and Guangzhou once Uganda gets off the COVID-19 red list. The Acting Director General of UCAA, Fred Bamwesigye, applauded the team upon the successful completion of the process of adding the Airbus to the Mitsubishi CRJ 900 on the AOC during the handover ceremony held in Entebbe. The last phase of the 5-stage certification process followed a flight from Entebbe, Uganda, to Johannesburg, South Africa, when senior training captain Francis Barros and senior training captain Pete Thomase landed the Airbus #A330-800 series Neo on August 12, 2021, at OR Tambo International Airport. The development brings to an end the protracted 5-phased certification process that saw the carrier’s pair of A330s grounded in Entebbe, pending the AOC since the airline completed the national carrier’s order of the second of 2 A330s in February from manufacturer Airbus pending the AOC. It now gives the airline the flexibility to switch between the CRJ-900 and the higher capacity A330 on services, depending on passenger and cargo demand. According to Uganda Airlines Acting CEO, Jennifer Bamuturaki, the A330s will be used on services to London, Dubai, Mumbai, and Guangzhou once Uganda gets off the COVID-19 red list in destination countries. The continuing restrictions on travel from Uganda have seen the planned service to Dubai slip by a month to October, while that to London has now been moved to early 2022. London, Mumbai, and Guangzhou are among the top unserved point-to-point routes from Entebbe according to statistics from 2019. The Entebbe-London route had 84,000 round-trip passengers during the year, followed by Mumbai at 42,000 and Guangzhou at 29,000. That would represent a daily load of 230 passengers between Entebbe and London – 115 to Mumbai and 79 to Guangzhou. In Uganda, from January 3, 2020, to today, August 24, 2021, there have been 118,673 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 2,960 deaths, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). As of August 23, 2021, a total of 1,163,451 vaccine doses have been administered. #rebuildingtravel

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 24, 2021

Delta Air Lines buys 30 more Airbus A321neo aircraft

Delta Air Lines orders 30 additional Airbus A321neo jets.New order brings Airbus outstanding orders from Delta to a total of 155 A321neos.Delta is showing responsible leadership and casting a strong vote of confidence now in the A321neo. Delta Air Lines has ordered 30 additional Airbus A321neo aircraft to help meet the airline’s future fleet requirements. The newly-ordered aircraft are in addition to the airline’s existing orders for 125 of the type, bringing the outstanding orders from Delta to a total of 155 A321neos. Delta Air Lines buys 30 more Airbus A321neo aircraft “Adding these aircraft strengthens Delta’s commitment to replacing older fleets with more sustainable, efficient jets, and offering the best customer experience in the industry,” said Mahendra Nair, Delta Air Lines‘ Senior Vice President – Fleet and TechOps Supply Chain. “Delta appreciates the extensive partnership with the Airbus team in support of our strategic growth plans, and we look forward to continuing to work together throughout the recovery and beyond.” “As the industry looks to emerge from the pandemic, Delta is showing responsible leadership and casting a strong vote of confidence now in the A321neo,” noted Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. “With orders for 30 more of an aircraft that is in very high demand around the globe, our partners at Delta are underscoring the strategic role they see for the A321neo with its outstanding environmental performance for the airline’s renowned customer service and reliability for years into the future.” Delta’s A321neos will be powered by next-generation Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofan engines that bring significant efficiency gains over Delta’s current, already-efficient A321 aircraft. Equipped with total seating for 194 customers with 20 in First Class, 42 in Delta Comfort+ and 132 in the Main Cabin, Delta’s A321neos will be deployed primarily across the airline’s extensive domestic network, complementing Delta’s current A321 fleet of more than 120 aircraft. The airline is slated to receive the first of its 155 A321neo aircraft early next year. Many of Delta’s A321neos will be delivered from the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. The airline has taken delivery of 87 U.S.-manufactured Airbus aircraft since 2016. As of the end of July, Delta’s fleet of Airbus aircraft numbered 358, including 50 A220 aircraft, 240 A320 Family members, 53 A330 widebodies, and 15 A350 XWB aircraft.

Juergen T Steinmetz·

Aviation Feature

·August 24, 2021

Evacuation Plane Hijacked in Kabul disappeared to Iran

An Ukrainian plane that arrived in Afghanistan on Sunday to evacuate Ukrainians has been hijacked by an unidentified group of people who flew the Ukrainian aircraft into Iran, Ukrainian Foreign minister told Ukrainian media: “Last Sunday, our plane was hijacked by other people.The plane was stolen and instead of airlifting Ukrainians, our next three evacuation attempts were also not successful because Ukrainian people could not get into the airport. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, the hijackers were armed. Other evacuation flights took off with no issue. However, the deputy minister did not report anything about what happened to the plane or whether Ukraine would seek to get it back. No information was released on how Ukrainian citizens can be evacuated from Kabul onboard this “practically stolen” plane or another aircraft Kyviv could send The minister only underlined that the Ukrainian diplomatic services headed by Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba “had been working in the crash test mode” the whole week. On Sunday, a military transport plane with 83 people on board, including 31 Ukrainians, arrived from Afghanistan in Kyiv. The presidential office reported that 12 Ukrainian military personnel returned home, while foreign reporters and public figures who requested help were also evacuated. The office also added that around 100 Ukrainians are still expecting evacuating in Afghanistan.

Mario Masciullo - eTN Italy·

Aviation Feature

·August 23, 2021

Bangkok Airways announces the resumption of Samui – Phuket (v.v.) Starting from 25 August 2021 onwards, Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited will resume its direct services between Samui and PhuketBangkok Airways is resuming this service in order to facilitate passengers as well as to support Thailand’s re-opening projects which are Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus Model. The resumed services between Samui and Phuket will be operated by an ATR72-600 aircraft, starting with three flights per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The outbound flight PG253 departs Samui airport at 11.25hrs. and arrives at Phuket airport at 12.25hrs. The inbound flight PG254 departs Phuket airport at 13.00hrs. and arrives at Samui airport at 14.00hrs. Passengers traveling to and from the two cities are required to present a medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected (done by RT-PCR technique and issued no more than 72 hours before traveling) and proof of vaccination. Additionally, passengers are also required to strictly follow guidelines issued by Phuket provincial office and Surat Thani provincial office, more information about requirements can be checked at https://www.gophuget.com and https://healthpass.smartsamui.com Moreover, the airline needs to extend the temporary suspension of in-flight meal service and temporary closure of its passenger lounges until further notice.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 20, 2021

European transport union demands minimum working standards within Lufthansa

Unions want decent working standards within Lufthansa Group.Lower standards of working conditions violate labor rights.Internal competition within Lufthansa could be solved by enforcement of collective agreements. Defining the minimum standards of working conditions for the people working across all of the Lufthansa Group is the first step to stop the ongoing social dumping actions the German air company is shamefully, but consciously, tolerating outside its mainline carriers. European transport union demands minimum working standards within Lufthansa Group In a recent letter addressed to the Chairman of Deutsche Lufthansa, Mr. Carsten SPOHR, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) condemns ‘’the lower social and labor standards for workers’’ approach, which Lufthansa Group management continue to tacitly implement in its Eurowings Discover operation. The Group believes that such actions are the only immediate and possible solution to face the current economic pressures of the market, which the ETF rejects. According to the ETF’ affiliates – Kapers (Switzerland), Vida (Austria), Aircrew Alliance and ver.di (Germany) and B.United (the Czech Republic) – this solution is generating a so-called “internal group cannibalism”, and supports a race to the bottom approach. Meanwhile the lower standards of the working conditions imposed so far by most of the low-cost airlines in Europe grossly violate the fundamental labor rights, and the group is racing to a similar faith. This is why the European Transport Workers Federation and its affiliates imperatively ask for this model not to be considered as a blueprint for the new entities, such as it is the case in Eurowings Discover, the newest airline company who started to operate within Lufthansa Group last month. Instead, we consider the internal competition within Lutfhansa Group could be rather solved by the enforcement of collective agreements inclusively at Eurowings Discover, and this enforcement model should then further be implemented also across all its European operations. The unions representing the Lufthansa Group’ workers and the ETF – representing 5 million of transport workers within Europe and beyond – are of opinion that the very first step into this direction would be: restarting the social dialogue in all carriers where this is not active, including Eurowings Discover andfinding the common ground for setting up minimum standards regarding the labor conditions for the thousands of workers of Lufthansa Group who currently do not have a collective agreement. Eoin Coates, Head of Aviation at ETF declares: ’’Crucially, both workers and employers need to come out of this crisis together, and therefore we must engage in social dialogue early to ensure the smooth creation of any new entities and the transition through any necessary change processes with fairness and openness at the core of such discussions.’’ ETF and its affiliates within the Lufthansa Group imperatively ask the management teams of all airline companies operating within the Lufthansa Group to restart the social dialogue with the representative unions in a coherent, efficient and permanent way. This would be a clear signal that Lufthansa Group is actually taking concrete steps towards changing the completely wrong direction the group is taking by deciding to drive down social and labor standards for its workers in new companies.

Betting on leisure travel could help Air France to recover quicker.Airline must focus on high-volume leisure routes.Travelers looing to escape their lockdown locations. Air France’s bet on leisure routes could catalyze a quicker recovery for the carrier as outbound leisure travel in France increased to 74.3% in 2020, despite restrictions severely reducing the total number of outbound trips. Leisure travel is a safe bet for Air France The industry experts note that, with business travel demand suppressed, the airline must focus on serving high volume leisure routes and upsell premium cabins to high budget travelers to support a strong recovery. Pre-pandemic, outbound leisure travel from France accounted for 72.1% of international trips in 2019. The increase in 2020 highlights that leisure demand is likely to be one of the most prevalent reasons for travel in the immediate recovery period as travelers look to escape their lockdown locations. Furthermore, industry experts forecast that outbound leisure trips from France will see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.9% between 2021 and 2025, reaching 34 million international leisure trips by 2025. This shows the potential the leisure market holds and that Air France’s focus on leisure routes will put the carrier in a stronger position. The introduction of Muscat, Zanzibar, and Colombo, as well as more flights to Miami and Papeete (Tahiti), all leisure-focused destinations, reaffirm the carrier’s bet on leisure travel’s strong rebound. Air France has announced the extension into winter of what are typically summer-only flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Seville, Las Palmas, Palma de Mallorca, Tangier, Faro, Djerba, and Krakow. By extending these routes to typically warmer destinations in winter (other than Krakow), Air France is reaffirming its expectation that familiar, leisure-focused destinations will be in demand. A live poll showed that 41% of global respondents will likely opt for international trips to the same destinations they used to visit pre-COVID when restrictions ease. Given that these routes were available pre-COVID, they could benefit from the increased desire among travelers to visit familiar destinations. This is a smart move by Air France as it benefits from additional revenue by satisfying the current market sentiment. According to a live poll, 28% of global respondents have revealed that their travel budget has increased either ‘slightly’ or ‘a lot’ since the start of the pandemic. These consumers should be a prime target for Air France’s long-haul business class. The carrier’s focus on some luxury-orientated long-haul leisure destinations this winter will present ample opportunity to upsell the business class experience to leisure travelers, especially those with a higher budget. Pre-COVID business travelers were the backbone of premium revenue, but with demand down, leisure travelers must be the prime target. Business class should be promoted by Air France as a luxury start and/or end to a holiday. By upselling to leisure flyers, the carrier could mitigate against the loss of business demand, protecting against the loss of revenue.

Juergen T Steinmetz·

Aviation Feature

·August 17, 2021

African Tourism Board told Air France, we love you!

Air France is looking optimistically in expanding its outreach to Africa when the national carrier of France introduced its 2021/2022 winter scheduleAIr France will be expanding its global network to Zanzibar, Seychelles Maputo and BanjulAfrican Tourism Board Chairman applauds this move Air France, stylized as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. With the COVID-19 travel and tourism to Africa remains a challenge. Showing the confidence Air France is indicating for Africa will create confidence in the industry and hopefully among potential visitors. Paris-Banjul on Air France Air France will start service to Banjul, the Capital City of The Gambia in West Africa.Paris- Banjul will be operated on an Airbus A330 with 224 seats. It includes 36 spaces in business class, 21 premium Economy and 167 Economy seats. The Gambia is a small West African country, bounded by Senegal, with a narrow Atlantic coastline. It’s known for its diverse ecosystems around the central Gambia River. Abundant wildlife in its Kiang West National Park and Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve includes monkeys, leopards, hippos, hyenas, and rare birds. The capital, Banjul, and nearby Serrekunda offer access to beaches. Service is supposed to start on October 31. Paris- Maputo on Air France Also starting on October 31is Air France’s new service to Maputo, Mozambique. This new route to Maputo will be operated on a large Boeing 777-300ER offering First Class, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. Mozambique is a southern African nation whose long Indian Ocean coastline is dotted with popular beaches like Tofo, as well as offshore marine parks. In the Quirimbas Archipelago, a 250km stretch of coral islands, mangrove-covered Ibo Island has colonial-era ruins surviving from a period of Portuguese rule. The Bazaruto Archipelago farther south has reefs which protect rare marine life including dugongs. Paris- Abidjan on Air France AF704 will be operating between Paris Charles de Gaulle via Banjul to Abidjan in Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast recently hosted African Tourism Board Chairman Cuthbert Ncube and is on an expansion course to develop tourism in this West African nation. Côte d’Ivoire is a West African country with beach resorts, rainforests, and a French-colonial legacy. Abidjan, on the Atlantic coast, is the country’s major urban center. Its modern landmarks include ziggurat like, concrete La Pyramide and St. Paul’s Cathedral, a swooping structure tethered to a massive cross. North of the central business district, Banco National Park is a rainforest preserve with a hiking trail. Paris- Zanzibar on Air France Already on October 18, Air France will connect Paris with the holiday island in Tanzania, Zanzibar. This service will be operated with a stop in Nairobi, Kenya on a Boeing 787-9 Tourism in Zanzibar includes the tourism industry and its effects on the islands of Unguja and Pemba in Zanzibar a semi-autonomous region in the United Republic of Tanzania Paris – Seychelles on Air France Seychelles Tourism already announced and is excited to welcome an A330-2200 service from Paris to this French and English speaking Indian Ocean tourism paradise. Service originally started in 2019 and was interrupted due to COVID-19. This service will start on October 23. African Tourism Board Chairman Cuthbert Ncube told eTurboNews, he was excited about this expansion of the Air France network to Africa. Ncube feels this is a very positive development African Tourism has been waiting for.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 17, 2021

Prototype plane crashes in Russia killing all people on board

Plane crashes near Moscow.New Russian military transport plane burns and crashes on first flight.No survivors in Moscow plane crash. New Russian transport plane has crashed during a test flight as it attempted attempted to land at the Kubinka air base just outside of Moscow, killing all three people on board. Prototype plane crashes in Russia killing all people on board The plane missed the landing stripe by 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) and exploded upon its collision with the ground. [embedded content] Prototype plane crashes in Russia killing all people on board According to preliminary data, the crash was caused by a fire in the right-wing engine of the plane. The plane’s developer, United Aircraft Corporation, has confirmed the accident, saying that before the prototype plane crashed, the aircraft’s right engine went on fire, causing the Il-112V to tilt to the right side. The aircraft began to lose speed before flipping over and falling to the ground near Kubinka air base. The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) reported that the plane was piloted by chief pilot of the Ilyushin Aircraft Company, 1st-class test pilot, Hero of Russia Nikolai Kuimov, 1st-class test pilot Dmitry Komarov and 1st-class test flight engineer Nikolai Khludeyev. Rostec, the parent company of the United Aircraft Corporation, announced that it would create a commission to investigate the accident, noting that it is still in its experimental stage. According to a source in the law enforcement, the bodies of all three crew members of Russia’s latest Ilyushin Il-112V plane have been recovered. An aviation industry source said that the crew of the lyushin Il-112V were trying to save the plane until the very last moment and steered the aircraft away from residential buildings.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 17, 2021

Taliban halts all flights from Kabul International Airport

Taliban cancels all departures from Kabul airport.Kabul International Airport departures “temporarily suspended”.All flights were recommended to not fly over Afghanistan. Taliban representatives announced today that the departure of all flights from Kabul International Airport was “temporarily suspended” until further notice. Taliban halts all flights from Kabul International Airport According to local reports, Taliban units have come in direct proximity to the airport and fired several warning shots to disperse the people that have flocked there. Earlier, all commercial flights from the Kabul airport were cancelled, while all transiting planes were recommended to reroute and not fly over Afghanistan. On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the situation in the airport was calming down. On August 15, the Taliban moved into Kabul and imposed full control over the city in a matter of hours. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down, as he said, to avoid bloodshed and fled the country. Western countries are evacuating their nationals and embassy staffers.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·August 16, 2021

Alaska Airlines brings in 12 new Boeing 737-9 jets

Alaska Airlines is accelerating its fleet growth.Alaska Airlines exercising options early on 12 Boeing 737-9 aircraft.Option aircraft are now firm commitments for 2023 and 2024. Alaska Airlines announced today it is accelerating its fleet growth by exercising options early on 12 Boeing 737-9 aircraft. The option aircraft are now firm commitments for 2023 and 2024. This additional commitment brings Alaska’s total firm 737-9 order to 93 aircraft, five of which are currently in service. Alaska Airlines brings in 12 new Boeing 737-9 jets Alaska Airlines announced a restructured agreement with Boeing in December 2020 to acquire 68 Boeing 737-9 aircraft between 2021 to 2024, with options for another 52 deliveries between 2023 and 2026. This year, the airline has exercised 25 of the options, including 13 planes in May. As part of this transaction, Alaska will add 25 options to backfill the ones that have been exercised. “We are excited to accelerate Alaska’s growth, building on our solid financial foundation that enabled us to weather the pandemic,” said Nat Pieper, Alaska Airlines senior vice president of fleet, finance and alliances. “These aircraft are a prudent, long-term investment in our business that we can make while simultaneously maintaining our strong balance sheet.” Deliveries2021202220232024TOTALOriginal Firm Order1231131268May Option Exercise––9413August Option Exercise––10212TOTAL1231321893 “Boeing continues to be a terrific partner for Alaska. We began flying our first 737-9s this past spring, and we’re extremely pleased with the operational, financial and environmental performance of the aircraft,” said Pieper. “The planes are exceeding our expectations – from how quiet the engines run to the greater range they provide – and our guests love them.” Alaska’s 737-9s are configured to carry 178 guests with 16 First Class seats and 24 Premium Class seats, which provide the most premium legroom of any other U.S. airline.

Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·

Aviation Feature

·August 16, 2021

Jamaica welcomes 1 millionth visitor since start of COVID-19 pandemic

The one millionth passenger to arrive in Jamaica in the midst of COVID-19 was showered with gifts upon her arrival.Among the welcome gifts was a voucher, valid for one year, entitling the entire family to a 4-day 3-night all-inclusive vacation at Royalton.In the last quarter, tourism in Jamaica has increased by 5,000% in arrivals. Daynel Williams, accompanied by four family members, exuded abundant joy as she was ushered out of the line of arriving passengers on JetBlue from New York yesterday (August 15), to be met by a team of officials, headed by Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett. She was showered with gifts and heartfelt congratulations on being the millionth visitor since Jamaica reopened its borders to international air travel on June 15, 2020. All borders were closed in March 2020, cutting off all arrivals as the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, began to take its toll. Cuddling a baby in her arms while an infant held onto her dress, Mrs. Williams was almost speechless but managed to repeat “Oh God!” as she tried to contain her joy as Minister Bartlett told her that as the millionth stopover visitor, she was now the center of international attention, facing several media representatives jostling to get close up shots of her and her family. Her mother-in-law, Jennifer Williams, a Jamaican from Oracabessa, St Mary, was overwhelmed with joy as she was moved to tears. “I’ve been travelling back and forth to Jamaica for over 30 years now and this has never happened; I am so excited, I feel like crying.” She did allow a few tears of joy to flow while adding, “I’m so elated, I’m very, very happy. I can’t express how I feel.” Among the welcome gifts was a voucher, valid for one year, entitling the entire family to a 4-day 3-night all-inclusive vacation at Royalton, presented by Regional Director of Sales for Blue Diamond Resorts International, Kerry-Ann Quallo Casserly. Speaking to the significance of the occasion, Minister Bartlett said: “This is a milestone in the tourism annals, never before, within a year and one month have we ever had one million stopover visitors coming to our country.” Prior to COVID-19 it took Jamaica close to 20 years to record its first million arrivals in a year. However, up to 2019, just before the pandemic hit, stopover and cruise arrivals combined, exceeded 4 million. Since the reopening of borders on June 15, last year, tourism has earned US$1.5 billion and just over 50,000 of the 130,000 workers who were laid off, are now back on the job. The Sangster International Airport alone has accounted for 5,000 of its 7,000 jobs being restored. Mr. Bartlett said in the last quarter, “tourism increased by 5,000 percent in arrivals” and earnings also increased significantly, “so we have no doubt as to the impact of tourism on Jamaica’s economic recovery program.” Among the welcome party along with Minster Bartlett and Mrs. Casserly, were Director of Tourism, Donovan White; Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association President, Clifton Reader; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MBJ Airports, Shane Munroe and President and CEO of the Airports Authority of Jamaica, Audley Deidrick.