ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish airliner skidded off a runway, crashed into a ditch and broke apart while landing in bad weather in Istanbul Wednesday, killing three people and injuring dozens more. Passengers had to scramble through the split fuselage to escape.
The aircraft, operated by low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines, was arriving at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport from the western Turkish city of Izmir with 183 passengers and crew on board when it had what the Transportation Ministry described as a “rough landing.”
Istanbul Gov. Ali Yerlikaya said the plane failed to “hold onto the runway” and skidded some 50-60 meters (yards) before it dropped into the ditch from a height of about 30 meters (98 feet.)
“We are deeply saddened … (But) we are very happy that we escaped a greater accident,” Yerlikaya said, adding that the plane could have burst into flames.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca reported early Thursday that three people had died and 179 required care at multiple hospitals.
Emergency workers, assisted by an excavator, recovered one body from beneath the wreckage before the rescue mission ended.
The airport was shut down after the incident, which occurred at around 6:30 p.m. local time (1530 GMT), and flights were diverted to Istanbul’s main airport.
WASHINGTON/PARIS/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – A pilots union filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to immediately halt American Airlines U.S.-China service, as cabin crews worldwide voiced unease about exposure to the rapidly-spreading coronavirus which has killed more than 170 people in China.
Sri Lankan Airlines staff wear masks at Bandaranaike International Airport after Sri Lanka confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the country, in Katunayake
The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, cited “serious, and in many ways still unknown, health threats posed by the coronavirus.”
American, the largest U.S. carrier, did not immediately comment on the suit, filed in a Texas court. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline announced on Wednesday it would next month suspend flights from Los Angeles to Beijing and Shanghai, but continue flights from Dallas.
The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the coronavirus outbreak in China a global emergency as cases spread to 18 countries.
The lawsuit came as an increasing number of airlines stopped their flights to China. Air France-KLM, for example, suspended its Beijing and Shanghai flights after cabin crews demanded an immediate halt.
Others that have dropped mainland Chinese destinations besides Wuhan, the outbreak’s center, include British Airways and Germany’s Lufthansa. Wuhan is closed to commercial air traffic.
Virgin Atlantic also said on Thursday it would suspend its daily operations to Shanghai from Sunday for two weeks because of the safety of customers and staff and a declining demand for tickets, but would continue flights to Hong Kong.
Other major carriers have kept flying to China, but protective masks and shorter layovers designed to reduce exposure have done little to reassure crews.
Thai Airways is hosing its cabins with disinfectant spray between China flights and allowing crew to wear masks and gloves.
“I don’t think it’s safe at all even with gloves and masks, because you catch it so many ways, like your eyes,” said one flight attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“My friends also feel unsafe and don’t want to fly,” she said. “When we fly, we don’t sleep a lot.”
Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are operating fewer China flights, with Delta offering food deliveries so crew can stay in their hotels.
Korean Air Lines Co Ltd and Singapore Airlines are sending additional crew to fly each plane straight back, avoiding overnight stays.
The South Korean carrier also said it was loading hazmat suits for flight attendants who might need to take care of suspected coronavirus cases in the air.
The outbreak poses the biggest epidemic threat to the airline industry since the 2003 SARS crisis, which led to a 45% plunge in passenger demand in Asia at its peak in April of that year, analysts said.
(Reporting by Laurence Frost, Aradhana Aravindan, Chayut Setboonsarng, David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski Additional reporting by Caroline Pailliez in Paris, Josephine Mason in London, John Geddie in Singapore, Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, Jamie Freed in Sydney and Joyce Lee in Seoul; Writing by Jamie Freed and Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines Airbus A321 plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport
CHICAGO (Reuters) – United Airlines Holdings Inc <UAL> said on Tuesday it was suspending some flights between the United States and Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai between Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 due to a “significant decline in demand” as the new coronavirus spreads.
“We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops and will adjust our schedule as needed,” United said in a statement.
The coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China has killed 106 people in the Asian country and spread across the world, rattling financial markets.
United’s suspension affects a total of 24 flights.
The other two U.S. airlines that fly to China, Delta Air Lines Inc <DAL> and American Airlines Group Inc <AAL>, said they had not reduced their flights at this time but were closely monitoring the situation.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Boeing Co <BA> said on Friday it is addressing a new software issue discovered in Iowa last weekend during a technical review of the proposed update to the grounded Boeing 737 MAX, a development that could further delay the plane’s return to service.
“We are making necessary updates,” Boeing said in a statement. Officials at the planemaker said the issue relates to a software power-up monitoring function that verifies some system monitors are operating correctly.
One of the monitors was not being initiated correctly, officials said. The monitor check is prompted by a software command at airplane or system power up, and will set the appropriate indication if maintenance is required, company officials added.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not immediately comment. ABC News reported the issue early Friday.
Boeing is halting production of the 737 MAX this month following the grounding in March of its best-selling plane after two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people.
U.S. regulators are waiting for an update from Boeing on how they will resolve the issue. A U.S. official briefed on the matter said Friday the FAA is now unlikely to approve the plane’s return until March but it could take until April.
This week, American Airlines Group Inc <AAL> and Southwest Airlines Co <LUV> both said they would extend cancellations of MAX flights until early June.
Also this month, the FAA and Boeing said they were reviewing a wiring issue that could potentially cause a short circuit on the grounded 737 MAX. Officials said the review is looking at whether two bundles of wiring are too close together, which could lead to a short circuit and potentially result in a crash if pilots did not respond appropriately.
U.S. and European aviation safety regulators met with Boeing in an effort to complete a 737 MAX software documentation audit that was begun in November. Documentation requirements are central to certification for increasingly complex aircraft software, and can become a source of delays.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and David Gregorio)
13 daily flights between Washington’s Reagan National and Newark Liberty mostly aboard the world’s only two-cabin 50-seat regional aircraft – the Bombardier CRJ-550 starting March 29
New jet offers first class seating, Wi-Fi, more leg room and enough space for every customer’s roller bag
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines today announced a new hourly shuttle service between Washington’s Reagan National Airport and New York/Newark Liberty International Airport. United will operate the world’s only two-cabin 50-seat regional aircraft – the Bombardier CRJ-550 on most flights. The CRJ-550 is designed for business and leisure travelers who want true-first-class seating, Wi-Fi, more leg room and enough space for every customer to bring a roller bag on board.
With this new shuttle service, United will now offer more travel opportunities between these two cities than any other airline in the world. Tickets for the 13 daily flights between New York/Newark and Washington, D.C. will be available for purchase beginning January 18 and service starts on March 29.
“Our customers who regularly travel between Washington, D.C. and New York – one of the busiest routes in the country – have told us they value convenient flights and a comfortable ride above all else,” said Sarah Murphy, United’s senior vice president of United Express. “With our new shuttle service aboard the one-of-a-kind CRJ-550, United Airlines is the only carrier to deliver both.”
The CRJ-550 is a first-of-its-kind jet boasting a wide variety of premium amenities, including:
10 seats in United First, 20 seats in Economy Plus, and 20 Economy seats
Space for every customer to bring a roller bag on board.
A self-serve refreshment center for United First customers featuring a wide assortment of snacks and beverages.
More overall legroom per seat than any other 50-seat aircraft flown by a U.S. airline.
The ability to stay connected while in flight with United Wi-Fi.
Every customer. Every flight. Every day.
United continues to strengthen its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers’ best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to today’s announcement, United recently:
Announced that MileagePlus award miles will never expire
Committed $40 million toward a new investment initiative focused on accelerating the development of sustainable aviation fuels and other decarbonization technologies
Established Miles on a Mission, a first-of-its-kind crowdsourcing platform which gives customers a simple way to donate miles to non-profit organizations and charities in need of air travel
Launched ConnectionSaver, a digital tool dedicated to improving the experience for customers with connecting flights
Instituted PlusPoints, new upgrade benefits for MileagePlus Premier members
Gave Economy customers a choice of complimentary snacks on domestic flights
Made DIRECTV free for every customer on more than 200 aircraft
United Airlines logo. (PRNewsFoto/United Airlines)
(Reuters) – American Airlines Group Inc <AAL> said on Monday it had reached a confidential agreement with Boeing Co <BA> to address damages the airline incurred in 2019 due to the ongoing grounding of its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
American, the largest U.S. airline, said the compensation will be received over several years. The airline will use more than $30 million of the compensation for the airline’s 2019 employee profit-sharing program.
American said it does not expect any material financial impact of the agreement to be realized in its fourth-quarter 2019 earnings and it will continue talks regarding compensation for damages related to the MAX grounding beyond 2019.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents American Airlines’ 28,000 flight attendants, said it welcomed the news about compensation, and was evaluating the details.
Boeing said it does not comment on discussions with airlines.
Boeing’s best-selling 737 MAX has been grounded since two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people. The company is halting production this month. A number of airlines have struck confidential settlements with Boeing in recent weeks.
(Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
An American Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8, on a flight from Miami to New York City, comes in for landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York
President Trump accused Iranian general Qassem Soleimani of planning “imminent and sinister attacks” Friday in his first televised remarks since thedeadly airstrike that killed the generalat Baghdad’s international airport.
“We took action last night to stop a war,” Trump said during brief remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. “We did not take action to start a war.”
Without divulging details about what led to the early morning airstrike that killed Soleimani and nine others, the president said the United States “caught” the general “in the act and terminated him.”
“Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion,” Trump added, saying that “what the U.S. did yesterday should have been done long ago.”
The killing of Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, marks a major escalation in the standoff between Washington and Tehran, which has careened from one crisis to another since Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions.
Senior State Department officials described the killing as a defensive strike supported by solid intelligence and claimed Soleimani was planning imminent attacks against United States interests and personnel in the region.
FILE PHOTO: Boeing 737 Max aircraft at Boeing’s 737 Max production facility in Renton
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Airlines and Boeing have come to an agreement concerning compensation for certain losses caused by grounded and undelivered Boeing 737 Max aircraft, the Turkish airline said on Tuesday.
The statement to the Istanbul stock exchange did not specify the value of the deal. The airline has 24 Boeing 737 MAX planes in its fleet. The 737 MAX has been grounded since March after two crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people within five months.
(Reporting by Ceyda Caglayan; Editing by Daren Butler)
São José dos Campos, Brazil, December 30th, 2019 – Air Kiribati, the flag carrier of the Republic of Kiribati, received today its first E190-E2 jet. Embraer announced the contract with the Government of Kiribati, in partnership with its national airline, Air Kiribati, in December 2018. The airline ordered two E190-E2s and has purchase rights for two more.
“Aviation is critical for any island nation and Kiribati is no exception. Our Government has made the conscious decision to take into our hands the opportunity to unlock economic prosperity for our people and our nation through the purchase of these two aircraft,” said Hon. Willie Tokataake, Minister for Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development of the Kiribati Government. “The arrival of our first jet today is the culmination of three years of vision, strategic thought, government focus, research, evaluation, hard work, commitment, partnership and a good measure of problem solving.”
Air Kiribati is the launch operator for the E190-E2 in Asia Pacific. The aircraft will be configured in a dual class layout seating 92 passengers in total, with 12 seats in business class and 80 seats in economy class. Located in the central Pacific, Air Kiribati can now fly longer domestic and international routes than it currently does with its turboprop fleet.
“This is first E190-E2 delivered in the Pacific region,” said Cesar Pereira, Asia Pacific Vice President, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We’re are honored that Air Kiribati selected the E190-E2 as the best fit for the airline’s challenging flying environment. The E190-E2 has cutting-edge technology and is the most fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly single aisle jet in the world. These attributes are extremely important for Kiribati.”
With a maximum range of up to 2,850 nautical miles, the E190-E2 can serve destinations throughout the vast expanse of Kiribati, including nonstop from Tarawa to Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, one of the most challenging routes in the Pacific. The current domestic flight from Tarawa to Kiritimati requires an international stopover in Fiji.
Spanning four time zones and comprised of more than 30 islands, Kiribati is the only country in the world to be in all four hemispheres. Embraer has been present in the Pacific since the first Bandeirante was delivered to a customer in Australia in 1978. The company continues to support operators across Oceania more than 40 years later.
The E190-E2 is the first of three new aircraft types in the E-Jets E2 family, developed to succeed the first-generation E-Jets. Compared to the first-generation E190, the E190-E2 burns 17.3% less fuel and nearly 10% less than its direct competitor. This makes it the most efficient single-aisle aircraft on the market. The E190-E2 generates significant savings for airlines in terms of maintenance costs. It has the longest maintenance intervals – 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit in typical E-Jets utilization. This means an additional 15 days of aircraft utilization over a period of ten years.
The E2 cockpit features advanced Honeywell Primus Epic 2 integrated avionics. Combined with closed-loop fly-by-wire controls, the systems work together to improve aircraft performance, decrease pilot workload and enhance flight safety. From a passenger perspective, the E2 cabin features a comfortable two-by-two layout. The absence of a middle seat enables passengers to have an enjoyable flight experience with more legroom and additional luggage storage space.
Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft up to 150 seats with more than 100 customers across the world. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,500 aircraft have been delivered. Today, E-Jets are flying in the fleets of 80 customers from 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 150-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline network carriers.
(Reuters) – At least 15 people were injured on Friday after a liquid nitrogen line exploded at a Textron Aviation plant near Wichita, Kansas, potentially setting back the launch of a new aircraft under development, county and company officials said.
Image from dailymail.co.uk
Emergency medical services took 11 people to the hospital, one of them suffering potentially serious injuries, Dr. John Gallagher, director of Sedgwick County EMS, told a news conference.
Company officials said two of victims went to the hospital in private cars and two were treated at the scene.
Injuries were limited because only a skeleton crew was on duty during the holidays, said Deputy Chief Daniel Wegner of the Sedgwick County Fire Department.
The explosion in a 3-inch liquid nitrogen gas line also damaged a storage tank, causing nitrogen gas to vent out of the building, Wegner said.
News video from the scene showed what appeared to be a steam cloud billowing out of the damaged building. The gas was not harmful, Wegner said.
A second valve also ruptured, said Kate Flavin, a spokeswoman for Sedgwick County, and emergency crews vented nitrogen gas from the affected tanks before doing another search of the plant.
No others were found injured and control of the facility was returned to Textron shortly after noon, but emergency crews remained on standby at the scene, she said.
Damage was contained to Plant 3, a site for composite manufacturing and experimental aircraft fabrication including that of the SkyCourier, said Stephanie Harder, a spokeswoman for Textron.
The SkyCourier, a utility turboprop under development, is due to enter service in 2020, Textron has previously said. Harder said it was too early to determine what damage the prototype aircraft under production may have suffered.
Textron Aviation, a unit of Textron Inc (TXT), makes Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft.
The Wichita-area economy has long been supported by aircraft manufacturing. Boeing Co (BA) announced in January it would suspend production of its 737 Max jetliner, which has been grounded worldwide after two fatal crashes. That move affected workers at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Boeing’s top supplier, which produces the jet’s fuselages.
Reporting by Daniel Trotta, Additional reporting by Rich McKay; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Bill Tarrant and Richard Chang
