Tag: Crew (Page 7 of 9)

Norwegian to Cancel Approximately 3000 Flights and Implement Temporary Layoffs Due to COVID-19

March 10, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Due to the COVID-19 situation, Norwegian is preparing to cancel approximately 3000 flights between mid-March and mid-June. This represents approximately 15 percent of the total capacity for this period. The company has also put several other measures in place, including temporary layoffs of a significant share of its workforce.

The past week, Norwegian has experienced reduced demand on future bookings. The company will cancel about 3000 flights to meet the change in demand. The cancellations represent approximately 15 percent of the total capacity for the period mid-March to mid-June. It will affect the entire network and more details will be shared as soon as they are ready to be implemented. Affected customers will receive information about these changes as soon as they take place.

“This is a critical time for the aviation industry, including us at Norwegian. We encourage the authorities to immediately implement measures to imminently reduce the financial burden on the airlines in order to protect crucial infrastructure and jobs,” said CEO Jacob Schram of Norwegian.

“Unfortunately, cancellations will affect a significant share of our colleagues at Norwegian. We have initiated formal consultations with our unions regarding temporary layoffs for flying crew members as well as employees on the ground and in the offices. We will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with unions and employees to work through this difficult situation together,” said Schram.

Norwegian will continue to share updates with its customers, the financial market and the media once new measures are implemented.

Airliner Skids, Breaks Open in Istanbul; 3 Dead, 179 Injured

February 5, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

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.

Click the link for the full story! https://apnews.com/f7a089322c96a26dfde4bb5c0ac30b1f

Air-to-Air Refueling Broadens C295 Tactical Airlifter’s Operational Versatility

February 3, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

The new capability for Airbus’ C295 to serve as an aerial tanker brings additional flexibility for this tactical airlifter, further increasing its already-proven versatility and opening additional mission opportunities.

Airbus Defence and Space developed a removable air-to-air refuelling (AAR) kit for the twin-engine aircraft that utilises a 100-ft.-long deployable hose with a “basket” at the end – enabling the transfer of fuel to receiver aircraft equipped with a probe. A remote vision system allows crewmembers aboard the C295 tanker to monitor refuelling operations from the cargo cabin.

Recent flights to test the kit involved an Airbus-owned C295 that refuelled a C295 from the Spanish Air Force, as well as proximity tests with the C295 and a fast fighter aircraft – a Spanish Air Force F-18.

“Customers are increasingly interested in purchasing not just an aircraft, but a versatile platform that can be used for different missions,” explained Martín Espinosa, the Airbus Defence and Space engineering technical manager responsible for the C295’s aerial refuelling test campaign. “The development of the air-to-air refuelling capabilities of the C295 forms part of this strategic vision.”

The C295’s aerial refuelling capability would be a highly valuable mission-extender for customers using C295s. These customers include the armed forces of current and future C295 operators responsible for civil and military search and rescue missions.

Additionally, it could serve as a cost-effective platform to train fighter pilots in the skills needed for air-to-air refuelling. “The C295 tanker kit could facilitate training of fighter pilots for missions involving refuelling, or even for AAR services on a lease-by-the-hour basis at a fraction of the cost of heavier aircraft,” explained Luis Díaz-Miguel, the Tactical Airlifters Marketing Manager.

Captain Gabiña, a Spanish Air Force pilot involved in the aerial refuelling tests, gave high marks to the C295 in its new role as tanker. “The degree of difficulty in flight test is always high since it involves performing manoeuvers that no one has done before. It should be noted that due to the positive behaviour of the aircraft, the operation has been good and straightforward,” he said.

Atlas Air Lands El Al As New Customer

January 8, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

El Al Israel Airlines is outsourcing operation of its main freighter route between Tel Aviv and Liege, Belgium, to Atlas Air Inc. under an extended charter arrangement.

Atlas, an aviation services company headquartered in Purchase, N.Y., said Tuesday it is leasing El Al a Boeing 747-400 all-cargo aircraft, operating it with its own crew and providing maintenance and insurance (ACMI) beginning this month.

El Al, a new customer for Atlas, is experiencing strong growth in demand across its freight network, according to the announcement. The Israeli carrier sells the space on the plane and covers expenses such as ground handling, landing fees and fuel.

No terms of the commercial cooperation were disclosed, but ACMI deals typically run for one to three years.

Click the link for the full story!

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/atlas-air-lands-el-al-164407972.html

Air France Plans to Run Flight Schedule Despite Jan 6-7 Strikes

January 5, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

PARIS (Reuters) – Air France <AFLYY> said on Sunday it planned to run its entire flight schedule on Jan. 6 and Jan. 7, despite calls by some crew unions to strike as part of ongoing nationwide protests over the government’s efforts to reform the pension system.

“On January 6 and 7, 2020, Air France plans to operate its entire flight schedule,” the airline said in a statement, which also cited discussions between the government and unions that it said had resulted in guarantees for flight crews’ future pension system.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Gareth Jones)

An Air France Airbus A319 plane takes off from the Nantes-Atlantique airport in Bouguenais near Nantes

Ethiopian Airlines Dash-8 Careers Off Juba Runway In Bad Weather

December 10, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

An Ethiopian Airlines aircraft has suffered a runway excursion at Juba International Airport this evening. Wet conditions are being blamed for the accident, which has caused extensive damage to the aircraft. All passengers and crew are said to have deplaned safely.

The Dash 8 can be seen on the grass away from the runway. Photo: Twitter with permission

What happened?

Images are circulating online of a worrying incident in South Sudan. An Ethiopian Airlines aircraft has ended up some way off the runway, embedded in a grassy field and listing to one side. Close up images appear to show some damage to the landing gear and fuselage.

Damage can be seen to various parts of the plane. Photo: Garanovich PuTin

Click the link below for the full story!

https://simpleflying.com/ethiopian-runway-excursion/

Eastern Congo Plane Crash Kills at Least 27 People

November 24, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – At least 27 people were killed, including some on the ground, when a small plane crashed into a densely populated neighborhood in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, a rescue official said.

The propeller plane, which was operated by local company Busy Bee, crashed shortly after take-off en route to the city of Beni, about 250 km (155 miles) to the north, officials said.

The company said the 19-seater Dornier 228-200 had 16 passengers and two crew members on board.

There was no word yet on what might have caused the accident.

Joseph Makundi, the coordinator of rescue services in Goma, told Reuters that 27 bodies had been recovered from the rubble, including those of several people hit by falling debris.

“I was at a restaurant with my family when I saw the plane spinning three times in the air and emitting a lot of smoke,” said Djemo Medar, an eyewitness in Goma’s Mapendo neighborhood. “After that we saw the plane crash into this house,” he said pointing to a nearby building.

“We know the pilot. His name is Didier. He was shouting, ‘Help me, Help me.’ But we had no way to get to him because the fire was so powerful,” Medar said.

At the crash site, residents threw water from buckets and cooking pots onto the smoldering wreckage. The rear section of the plane rested sideways, propped up by a wall, videos posted on social media showed.

Police arrested one man for stealing cash from the rubble and fired warning shots to disperse people who had started looting, he said.

Air accidents are relatively frequent in Congo because of lax safety standards and poor maintenance. All Congolese commercial carriers, including Busy Bee, are banned from operating in the European Union.

A cargo plane departing from the same airport and carrying staff members of President Felix Tshisekedi crashed an hour after take-off last month, killing all eight people on board..

Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Aaron Ross/Mark Potter/ Frances Kerry/Jane Merriman

Manila Bound Philippine Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Los Angeles

November 21, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

* All 347 passengers, 18 crew members safe – airline

* Flames, smoke came out of right engine – video

* Cause of engine failure not yet clear (Adds Boeing comment in 9th paragraph)

Nov 21 (Reuters) – A Philippine Airlines flight bound for Manila suffered an apparent engine failure on Thursday shortly after takeoff from Los Angeles and made an emergency landing, authorities said.

All 347 passengers and 18 crew aboard Flight 113, a Boeing Company 777 widebody, are safe, an airline spokeswoman said.

Pilots of flight 113 declared an emergency and reported a possible engine failure, Los Angeles International Airport said.

A witness on the ground described “bursts of flames” coming out of an engine.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said the plane returned and landed safely. Television station ABC-7 in Los Angeles aired video of the aircraft after takeoff that showed flames and smoke coming out of the right engine.

The plane landed around noon local time (2000 GMT) and was met by the Los Angeles Fire Department, the airport said. The emergency landing did not affect other flights.

Although the cause of the apparent engine failure was not immediately clear, it comes as Boeing faces intense scrutiny over twin deadly crashes involving its 737 MAX single-aisle jetliner. The 737 MAX has been grounded worldwide since March.

GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, which makes the GE90 engine for the 777 twin-aisle jetliner, said it was aware of the incident and was “working with the airline to determine the cause of the event and to promptly return the aircraft to service”.

Boeing said it was aware of an incident regarding Philippine Airlines and was closely monitoring the situation.

“You saw bursts of flames, little flames shooting out from the engine,” said Andrew Ames, a 36-year-old fitness professional in Los Angeles, who watched as the 777 ascended over the ocean after takeoff. “It almost looked like backfire flames from a motorcycle or car.”

“I had never seen a plane spew flames repeatedly. Then it stopped. As soon as it stopped, I saw the plane bank left, like it was heading back to airport,” Ames said.

The Philippine Airlines spokeswoman said the flight crew noticed smoke in the plane’s second engine, declared an emergency and returned safely to the airport.

“All passengers are safe and sound,” spokeswoman Cielo Villaluna said. “They are all being assisted to another flight.”

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, additional reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle, Martin Petty in Manila and Jamie Freed in Hong Kong; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Rosalba O’Brien, Himani Sarkar and Gerry Doyle)

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ExpressJet Begins Assigning Crew to Chicago E175 Base

November 15, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

ATLANTA, Nov. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, began assigning pilots to its Embraer E175 aircraft base of operations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, in advance of a January 1, 2020 open.

“Chicago’s size and central location makes it a highly desirable location for commuter pilots and locals alike,” said Scott Hall, Vice President of Flight Operations. “Opening the E175 crew base in Chicago is a natural outcome of ExpressJet’s growth trajectory.”

The E175 base will be in addition to ExpressJet’s existing ERJ145 pilot, flight attendant, and maintenance bases in Chicago. This is ExpressJet’s second E175 base, after the first base opened at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

About ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with over 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houstonand Newark. ExpressJet’s fleet includes more than 100 aircraft, including the Embraer ERJ145 and 25 new Embraer E175 aircraft. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and quality of life and can choose the Aviate career path to United Airlines. ExpressJet is a subsidiary of ManaAir, LLC. ManaAir is majority-owned by KAir Enterprises and minority-owned by United Airlines. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com.

European Pilot Group Demands Action over Ryanair Sick Leave Policy

November 14, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DUBLIN (Reuters) – The European Cockpit Association (ECA) pilot group has urged regulators to take action over what it described as a “safety hazard” caused by Ryanair’s <RYAAY> approach to flight crews’ sick leave, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

Europe’s largest budget carrier has spent the last two years negotiating improved pay and conditions with its pilots and cabin crew after a revolt by some staff forced it to recognize trade unions for the first time.

The ECA, which represents pilots’ associations in 33 European countries, said Ryanair adopts a practice of systematically questioning absences due to certified sickness, leading to investigative and disciplinary meetings where staff are threatened with potential dismissal.

Asked about the ECA’s concerns, a Ryanair spokeswoman said the airline operates “a standard sick pay scheme, and like all employers, manages absenteeisms”.

The airline, which has never had a fatal crash and has one of the youngest fleets in Europe, regularly cites safety as its top priority.

The ECA said it raised the issue with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) a year ago but that Ryanair’s “problematic approach” to flight crew’s sickness has not substantially changed.

“In fact, we are concerned that the safety hazard created by this approach remains fully in place, must be considered endemic, and quite evidently is not adequately addressed by the competent national authority: the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA),” the letter dated Nov. 5 said.

A spokeswoman for the ECA confirmed it had sent such a letter to the regulator, the second in a year, and that it was concerned that the safety hazard related to Ryanair’s policy remains unaddressed.

In the letter, the ECA said it was aware that the EASA raised the matter with the IAA following the initial complaint but that the Irish regulator told one of the ECA’s member groups that it was satisfied there was not a systematic issue of crews flying while unfit due to fear of sanction at Ryanair.

The IAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Citing letters sent to staff, the ECA said Ryanair or broker agencies overseeing agency workers used by the airline have gone as far as threatening to halt pilots’ career progression, due to their sickness rate.

The pilot group called on the European regulator to ensure the IAA adequately fulfils its safety oversight role by summoning Ryanair to stop the practice of intimidating letters and investigative proceedings and also carry out an independent confidential survey among Ryanair crew.

(Story by Conor Humphries and Padraic Halpin, editing by Giles Elgood)

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