After months of preparations, South African Airways resumes both domestic and regional Africa service.South African Airways’ first scheduled flight takes off from Johannesburg to Cape Town on September 23.Flights are also set to start to five African capitals – Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka and Maputo.

Following months of preparation after exiting business rescue, South African Airways (SAA) resumes both domestic and regional Africa service. The carrier’s firstscheduled flight is an early morning take-off from OR Tambo International in Johannesburg to Cape Town International on September 23 and is one of three return flights per day between the two cities. Flights are also set to start to five African capitals – Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka, and Maputo.

SAA’s Interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo says, “This week is a proud and significant one for SAA and its staff as well as all South African citizens. Our journey back to the skies has not been easy and I pay tribute to our dedicated workforce in all areas of the business all of whom have and are putting in long hours ahead of this day. People in every facet of the business want nothing more than for SAA to succeed and for us to build a new airline based on safety and exemplary customer service.”
Kgokolo says while South African Airways has big ambitions it’s overriding ethos will be one of responsible and prudent fiscal management and a commitment to transparency. “We restart this business with a new vision of pride in the brand and one that has been inculcated into every staff member. Our first order of business is to service ourstart-up routes efficiently and profitably and then look to expanding the network and growing our fleet, all depending on demand and market conditions.”
SAA’s Board Chair John Lamola says, “SAA’s return will provide more market equilibrium in terms of ticket pricing. Since the carrier went into and then out of business rescue there has been less local capacity and that means tickets have become more expensive. Our return to the skies will mean more competitive pricing and will enable more South Africans to fly.”
Lamola says SAA’s return to the skies is also a major economic enabler, particularly with its strong focus on cargo flights. “Economics aside, there is also the pride factor. Seeing SAA’s tail colors on international tarmacs is not only positive for South Africa but the rest of the continent.”
SAA’s Interim Executive: Commercial Simon Newton Smith says, “We are in many ways, a metaphor for the country; it has not always had the easiest history, but it is resilient, its people are rightfully proud and it’s a country never to be underestimated. Our job is to show the world that South Africa is rebounding and starting the journey to a full and better recovery. We’re re-starting humbly but with big ambitions.”
SAA’s Chief Pilot Mpho Mamashela says “All of us who are going to be at the front of the plane in coming weeks and months fully understand the new vision of SAA and we are proud to be part of this new era. We are determined to be absolutely perfect and to make South Africans proud.”

New service reinforces the warm relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Kazakhstan.New service will enable passengers flying to and from Almaty to enjoy seamless connectivity to over 140 destinations.The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 140 destinations.

Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it will launch scheduled passenger services to Almaty, Kazakhstan starting from 19 November 2021. The new service will be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class.

This service will enable passengers flying to and from Almaty, Kazakhstan to enjoy seamless connectivity to over 140 destinations, via the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha, the State of Qatar.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are proud to bring our award-winning services to Kazakhstan, adding this unique destination to our growing network. This new service reinforces the warm relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Kazakhstan, and reaffirms our commitment to further developing trade and tourism between our two great countries.”
Kazakhstan is the economic powerhouse of the Central Asia region. It is an adventurer’s paradise, with landscapes varying from snow-capped mountains to expansive deserts, rocky canyons, coniferous forests, and untouched river deltas. Visitors can also admire historical landmarks including the bright-yellow towers of the famous Zenkov Cathedral in Almaty.
Flight Schedule to Almaty from 19 November 2021:
Friday and Monday (all times local)
Doha (DOH) to Almaty (ALA) QR 391 departs: 01:15 arrives: 08:35
Almaty (ALA) to Doha (DOH) QR 392 departs: 21:40 arrives: 23:55
The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 140 destinations. Qatar Airways also features flexible booking policies that offer unlimited changes in travel dates and destinations, and fee-free refunds for all tickets issued for travel completed by 31 May 2022.

Northern Pacific Airways agrees to purchase its first six Boeing 757-200 aircraft.Northern Pacific Airways completed the transaction to meet part of its initial fleet requirements.The first new Boeing 757-200 aircraft within this purchase will be delivered to Northern Pacific Airways immediately,

This week, Anchorage-based Northern Pacific Airways, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FLOAT Alaska LLC, agreed to the purchase of its first six aircraft—Boeing 757-200s. The airline completed the transaction to meet part of its initial fleet requirements. The first aircraft within this purchase will be delivered immediately.

The airline intends to offer service between points in the U.S. and Asia, via Anchorage, Alaska.
The acquisition of the Boeing 757-200s is the first step in Northern Pacific‘s business plan. Prior to entering service, the aircraft will undergo a full C-level maintenance check by Certified Aviation Services LLC (C.A.S.), a leading maintenance, repair and overhaul (M.R.O.) firm in San Bernardino, California. The Alaska-based carrier intends to continue enlarging its fleet as it prepares for passenger flights.
The best in class Boeing 757-200 is powered by twin 36-600 Rolls-Royce RB211 underwing turbo engines for a maximum takeoff weight of 255,000 lbs. The plane can transport over 200 passengers to their destination’s each flight, with a range of 3,915nm/-7,250km per fueling. The single-aisle plane is less costly to fly than its wide-bodied counterparts, yet has a range greater than other aircraft of similar size. Over the duration of their manufacturing program, more than 1,049 Boeing 757-200s were delivered. The aircraft is well suited for point-to-point, long-haul flights, and has enough space to accommodate each passenger’s carry-on.
“Northern Pacific is proud to introduce these powerful aircraft as the foundation of our fleet,” said Rob McKinney, Northern Pacific’s Chief Executive Officer. “The Boeing 757-200 will help us achieve operational savings and efficiencies while offering our customers a rewarding travel experience.”
Northern Pacific Airways (NP) plans to offer flights between points in the U.S. and points in East Asia by connecting through Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska.
FLOAT Alaska LLC, headed by Rob McKinney CEO, is the parent company of Ravn Alaska, Northern Pacific Airways, FlyCoin, and other Alaska-based ventures. 

Qatar Airways, a founding member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, signed the historic Buckingham Palace Declaration on 2016.Buckingham Palace Declaration aimed at taking real steps to shut down the routes exploited by traffickers of the illegal wildlife trade, to move their products.In May 2019, Qatar Airways became the world’s first airline to achieve certification to the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Assessment.

Qatar Airways has extended its participation in the USAID ROUTES (Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species) Partnership, reinforcing its commitment to combat illegal trafficking of wildlife and its products.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker
Qatar Airways, a founding member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, signed the historic Buckingham Palace Declaration in 2016, aimed at taking real steps to shut down the routes exploited by traffickers of the illegal wildlife trade, to move their products. Subsequently in May 2017, the airline went on to sign the first Memorandum of Understanding with the ROUTES Partnership. In May 2019, Qatar Airways became the world’s first airline to achieve certification to the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Assessment. The IWT Assessment certification confirms that Qatar Airways has procedures, staff training and reporting protocols in place that make the smuggling of illegal wildlife products more challenging.
The Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Assessment was developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with the support of ROUTES, as part of IEnvA – IATA’s environmental management and evaluation system for airlines. Compliance with the IWT IEnvA Standards and Recommended Practices (ESARPs) enables airline signatories to the United for Wildlife Buckingham Palace Declaration to demonstrate that they have implemented the relevant Commitments within the Declaration.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade threatens our global biodiversity, and poses a risk to health and safety, particularly in marginalized communities. We are taking measures to disrupt this illicit trade in order to conserve biodiversity and safeguard our delicate ecosystems. We remain committed with other aviation industry leaders to emphasize our zero-tolerance policy towards illegal trafficking of wildlife and its products, and we join the ROUTES Partnership in saying – ‘It Doesn’t Fly With Us’. We will continue to work with our stakeholders to raise awareness and improve detection of illegal wildlife activities to protect these creatures that we value.”
Mr. Crawford Allan, the ROUTES Partnership Lead, welcomed the leadership Qatar Airways has shown in efforts to prevent wildlife trafficking saying: “Through its actions on raising awareness, training and including wildlife trafficking within its policies, Qatar Airways has demonstrated its commitment to the Buckingham Palace Declaration and to the goal of the ROUTES Partnership. I am proud to see that Qatar Airways is continuing these efforts and being part of a growing number of companies to say It Doesn’t Fly With Us.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that wildlife crime is a threat not only to the environment and biodiversity, but also to human health. Despite restricted travel, reports of illegal wildlife seizures over the past year have revealed that traffickers are still taking their chances to smuggle contraband through the air transport system. Qatar Airways recognizes that with support from the USAID ROUTES partnership, the air transport industry can move towards a greener planet that includes ecosystems and wildlife conservation, essential parts of a thriving wildlife economy with and for local communities.
As an inaugural signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration in March 2016 and a founding member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, Qatar Airways has a zero-tolerance policy towards the transportation of illegal wildlife and their products. Qatar Airways Cargo launched the second chapter of its sustainability program WeQare: Rewild the Planet earlier this year, focused on transporting wild animals back to their natural habitat, free of charge. The cargo carrier’s initiative to preserve wildlife and re-wild the planet is aligned with the airline’s commitment to fight wildlife trafficking and illegal trade of wild animals and thereby protect the environment and planet Earth.

‘Wing of Tomorrow’ reaches a key milestone with the assembly of its first full-size wing prototype.Airbus’ new program will enhance understanding of wing manufacturing and industrialization.Three full-size prototype wings will be manufactured in total under the ‘Wing of Tomorrow’ program.

‘Wing of Tomorrow’, a major Airbus research and technology program, has reached a key milestone with the assembly of its first full-size wing prototype.

The Wing of Tomorrow program will not only test the latest composite materials and new technologies in aerodynamics and wing architecture but, importantly, explore how wing manufacturing and industrialization can be improved to meet future demand as the sector emerges from the pandemic.
Three full-size prototype wings will be manufactured in total:  one will be used to understand systems integration; a second will be structurally tested to compare against computer modelling, while a third will be assembled to test scaling-up production and compare against industrial modelling.
Sabine Klauke, Airbus Chief Technical Officer, said: “Wing of Tomorrow, a crucial part of Airbus’ R&T portfolio, will help us assess the industrial feasibility of future wing production. High-performing wing technology is one of several solutions – alongside sustainable aviation fuels and hydrogen – we can implement to contribute to aviation’s decarbonization ambition.  Wing of Tomorrow is also an example of how large-scale industry collaboration will be critical to achieving our sector’s agenda for a more sustainable future.” 
Wing of Tomorrow, part-funded by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute, is a fully transnational Airbus program involving global partners and teams across Airbus’ European sites, including Bremen in Germany, where the ‘Wing Moveables’ team is based. The three wing demonstrators will bring together more than 100 new technologies to explore new manufacturing and assembly techniques with the goal of making aviation more sustainable.
Sub-assembly of the complex wing cover took place at Airbus’ Filton site, England, having been manufactured at the National Composite Centre in Bristol. The wing cover and a major component from GKN Aerospace – the Fixed Trailing Edge – were delivered to the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Wales, facility on Airbus’ wing-production plant in Broughton, Flintshire, for assembly to begin.

Kazakhstan’s government officials announce the resumption of air service with several more countries.Kazakh carriers will increase flight frequencies to Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Germany and United Arab Emirates.Flights from Kazakhstan to Czech Republic, China, Italy, Sri Lanka, Kuwait and Azerbaijan also resume.

Officials from the Kazakh Intergovernmental Commission for preventing coronavirus spread announced that Kazakhstan residents can now fly to 16 more countries, starting September 21, 2021.

The commission has made a decision to increase and resume regular international air service to 16 countries worldwide with a frequency of 114 flights a week.
Thus, Kazakhstan increased flights frequencies to Russia by 54, by 7 to Turkey, by 9 to the United Arab Emirates, by 5 to Uzbekistan and Germany, by 3 to the Maldives, Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee’s Telegram Channel announced.
Kazakhstan resumed flight to Czech Republic, China and Azerbaijan. Besides, there will be flights from Kazakhstan to Italy twice a week, and flights from Kazakhstan to Sri Lanka and Kuwait three times to a week.
Kazakhstan’s flag carrier, Air Astana, today announced the resumption of direct flights from Almaty to Male (Maldives) from 9 October 2021. Flights will be operated four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays on Airbus 321LR and Boeing 767.
Air Astana has launched flights to the Maldives on December 5, 2020, and operated until May 24, 2021 before suspension due to government restrictions. According to the Ministry of Tourism of the Maldives, Kazakhstan was ranked fifth by a number of arrived tourists to Male between January and May 2021 after Russia, India, Germany and Ukraine.

Russian Emergency Ministry’s Antonov An-26 aircraft disappeared from flight radars near Khabarovsk.The aircraft had a flights crew of six people on board and was performing a technical flight.Searches are complicated by the darkness and unfavorable weather, according to the ministry press service.

Press service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry confirmed that its An-26 plane disappeared from flight radars 38 kilometers (23.5 miles) from the Khabarovsk city airport, around the territory of Khekhtsir Nature Reserve in the Khabarovsk region in Russia’s Far East.

The aircraft had a flight crew of six people on board and was performing a technical flight, according to the press service.
“At 11:45 Moscow time, the Crisis Management Center of Russia’s Emergency Ministry in the Khabarovsk region received a message that Antonov An-26 aircraft disappeared from flight radars 38 km from the Khabarovsk city airport, presumably in the area of Khekhtsir Nature Reserve. According to preliminary data, there was a flight crew of six people aboard,” the press service said, adding that the plane was performing a technical flight.
“Searches are complicated by the dark time of the day and unfavorable weather conditions,” the ministry added.
More than 70 rescuers and a reconnaissance helicopter had deployed to the suspected crash site.
Accidents involving dilapidated aircraft in Russia’s wild and remote Far East are still very common.
In August, eight people were killed when a Mi-8 helicopter, with 16 people on board, crashed into a lake on the volcanic Kamchatka peninsula due to poor visibility.
In July, an airliner with 22 passengers and six crew members on board crashed as it was about to land in Kamchatka, leaving no survivors.
The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a twin-engine turboprop civilian and military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the Soviet Union from 1969 to 1986.
The An-26 is also manufactured without a license agreement in China by the Xian Aircraft factory as the Y-14, later changed to be included in the Xian Y7 series.

Germany’s Volocopter teams up with Geely Holding Group to establish a joint venture in Chengdu, China.The joint venture will take charge of production and market operation of Volocopter products in the Chinese market.The joint venture plans to help promote urban air mobility in China in the coming three to five years.

A new joint aircraft company, named Volocopter (Chengdu) Technology Co., Ltd., or Volocopter Chengdu for short, has been announced by Germany’s Volocopter, a specialist in the manufacture of autonomous air vehicles, and a second-tier subsidiary of Geely Holding Group.

The joint venture will be located in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, and will take charge of production and market operation of Volocopter products in the Chinese market.
Volocopter Chengdu also signed orders with Volocopter for 150 aircraft, including logistics unmanned aerial vehicles and manned aircraft.
Air vehicles and their parts will be produced in Hubei Geely Terrafugia, a manufacturing base of Geely in China, according to the joint venture.
Volocopter Chengdu will also attend the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China) on September 28.
“Today marks another important milestone on our journey to bring affordable electric air mobility to China, the biggest single market opportunity for the UAM industry,” said Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter.
UAM refers to a new mode of urban transportation that uses electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to move people or goods within lower urban and suburban airspaces. It helps relieve the strain on increasingly congested city roads and allows people and goods to reach their destinations faster and more safely.
Volocopter is currently the world’s first and only eVTOL aircraft manufacturer that has obtained design and production approval from European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

The International Air Transport Association announced the program and speakers for the World Air Transport Summit (WATS).World Air Transport Summit (WATS) will be held in conjunction with the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Boston, USA, 3-5 October.Session topics include addressing the challenge of climate change, safely reconnecting the world during COVID-19, diversity and inclusion in aviation, collaborating with value chain partners, and air cargo.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the program and speakers for the World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which is being held in conjunction with the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Boston, USA, 3-5 October.

“I’m very excited that the World Air Transport Summit will again take place as a live event for the first time since June 2019. Virtual forums are no substitute to the value created when people meet face to face. As we plan for the industry recovery from COVID-19 and address critical climate change issues, the in-person discussions and debates among the industry’s top leaders and stakeholders will be particularly significant,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Session topics include addressing the challenge of climate change, safely reconnecting the world during COVID-19, diversity and inclusion in aviation, collaborating with value chain partners, and air cargo. The always popular CEO Insight Debate will return, moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest, anchor of Quest Means Business.
Aviation’s response to climate change will top the agenda. The keynote address will be delivered by Rachel Kyte, Dean of the Fletcher School, Tufts University and former special representative of the UN Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All. Kyte previously was the World Bank Group vice president and special envoy for climate change, leading the run-up to the Paris Agreement.
This will be followed by a panel of key stakeholders focused on sustainability including:
Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus  Stanley Deal, Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes  Annie Petsonk, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, US Dept. of Transportation Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, KLM Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO, LanzaTech

As Canada prepares for the return of direct flights from India to Canada, Transport Canada is announcing an extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting flights to Canada from India.Everyone in Canada is advised to avoid non-essential travel outside Canada – international travel increases the risk of exposure to, and the spread of COVID-19, including infection caused by new variants.Border and public health measures also remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves.

Canada continues to take a risk-based and measured approach to re-opening the border while prioritizing the health and safety of everyone in Canada.
As Canada prepares for the return of direct flights from India to Canada, Transport Canada is announcing an extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India until September 26, 2021, at 23:59 EDT.

Once the restriction on direct flights expires, travelers eligible to enter Canada will be able to board direct flights from India to Canada with the following additional measures:  
Travelers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test from the approved Genestrings Laboratory at the Delhi airport taken within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their direct flight to Canada.
Prior to boarding, air operators will be checking the travelers’ test results ensuring they are eligible to come to Canada, and that fully vaccinated travellers have uploaded their information into the ArriveCAN mobile app or website. Travelers who are unable to meet these requirements will be denied boarding.
As a first step, on September 22, 2021, three direct flights from India will arrive in Canada and all passengers on these flights will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival to ensure that the new measures are working.
After the resumption of direct flights, travelers who are eligible to enter Canada who depart India for Canada via an indirect route will continue to be required to obtain, within 72 hours of departure, a valid negative COVID-19 molecular test from a third country – other than India – before continuing their journey to Canada.  
Everyone in Canada is advised to avoid non-essential travel outside Canada – international travel increases the risk of exposure to, and the spread of COVID-19, including infection caused by new variants. Border and public health measures also remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves.

Launched in February 2021, ALBATROSS is a large-scale initiative of major European aviation stakeholder groups led by Airbus.ALBATROSS follows a holistic approach by covering all flight phases, directly involving all relevant stakeholder groups.Starting from September 2021, live trials will involve around 1,000 demonstration flights, showcasing mature operational solutions with potential fuel and CO2 emission savings.

Airbus, Air France and DSNA, the French Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), have begun working towards the development of “most energy efficient flights”, following their inaugural demonstration flight from Paris to Toulouse Blagnac on the day of the Airbus Summit event. The aircraft flew an optimized trajectory, marking the first of a series of trials planned during 2021 and 2022 within the framework of the Single European Sky ATM Research Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) “ALBATROSS” project.

Launched in February 2021, ALBATROSS is a large-scale initiative of major European aviation stakeholder groups led by Airbus. It aims to demonstrate, through a series of gate-to-gate live demonstration flights across Europe, the feasibility of implementing most energy efficient flights in the short term, by combining several R&D technical and operational innovations. 
“ALBATROSS” follows an holistic approach by covering all flight phases, directly involving all relevant stakeholder groups (such as airlines,  ANSPs,  network managers, airports and industry) and addressing both operational and technological aspects of aviation and Air Traffic Management (ATM). Many solutions will be put into practice during the flight demonstrations, from new precision approach procedures to continuous climb and descent, a more dynamic management of necessary airspace constraints, sustainable taxiing and  sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) usage. 
Thanks to the transmission of four-dimensional trajectory data, ATM will be able to optimize and better predict an aircraft’s trajectory, thereby enabling it to immediately and concretely reduce a flight’s environmental footprint.
Starting from September 2021, these live trials will involve around 1,000 demonstration flights, showcasing mature operational solutions with potential fuel and CO2 emission savings. First results are expected to be available in 2022.
The ALBATROSS partners are Airbus, Air France, Austro Control, DLR, DSNA, Eurocontrol, LFV, Lufthansa, Novair, Schiphol, Smart Airport Systems, SWEDAVIA, SWISS, Thales AVS France and WIZZ AIR UK.
The funding of the project is provided by the EU under the Grant Agreement No 101017678.

A company with a return email [email protected] is sending virus emails with the purpose to destroy travel agents computer systems.The email is designed to mislead recipients to open a malicious attachment protected with a so called pass-code. IATA did not respond.
A phishing email was sent by a criminal enterprise to US travel agents affiliated with IATA,
It appears this email originates from IATA, the International Air Transport Association.
The email is asking receivers to open a malicious attachment and use a password provided to do so. Once a receiver includes this password, the attachment will pollute computers with a malicious script.
The malicious email from iato.org (not iata.org) reads:
Dear Agent,
It has come to IATA’s attention that there is an ongoing fraud of hackers accessing Agents booking systems and issuing air tickets. The attacks are highly sophisticated, leading not only to huge financial loss to Agents but also breaches to the Agent’s systems.
To protect yourself from these numerous attacks, we strongly recommend the attached security measures.
For security reasons, use this code to open the attachment: 123
Best Regards,
IATA Customer Service

Anyone receiving such an email should delete it and clean the trash.