KiwiRail has welcomed the Government’s rapid review into its handling of disruptions to passenger services in Wellington earlier this year and has already moved to change its systems.
Improvements made include:
Use of the TEC to achieve network compliance is now part of a wider Infrastructure Integrated Plan, with a longer-term (12 month) plan around its use nationally. While there have been detailed operating plans for each area the TEC assesses, this change introduces a national level of oversight, linked into when track safety cases expire.
Developing robust processes and procedures around the escalation, prioritisation and approvals required where the TEC schedule cannot be met.This is an important backup if it is looking unlikely the TEC will be able to carry out required work in time. The issues that resulted in the Wellington disruption were escalated too late for KiwiRail to take effective action to avoid the speed restriction being put on the Kāpiti Line.
Developing better resilience around the TEC, through a review of the tasks needed to ensure its successful operation – including a review of existing staff resourcing and formalising training processes. This is to ensure the TEC is able to operate effectively.
Reviewing the maintenance programme for the TEC. The TEC is 41 years old and will be replaced in FY2027. A procurement process for a new vehicle is well underway. The maintenance programme review, and any changes that come from it, will help ensure the TEC can continue operating reliably until the new vehicle arrives.
General Manager Metros Jon Knight says KiwiRail has made a huge commitment to the local commuter rail network, and will work hard to deliver on the Government’s investment.
Boeing [NYSE: BA], Honeywell Aerospace and Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. have reached an agreement to provide in-service support of the T-55 engine should the government of Germany select the H-47 Chinook for its Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) heavy-lift helicopter requirement.
Since the forming of the Chinook Germany Industry Team in 2018, originally comprised of nine German companies, Boeing continues to build a strong industry team to provide the Luftwaffe with local long-term services support, maintenance and training of the Chinook over the next several decades. In addition, Boeing’s industrial plan will foster German economic growth while creating highly skilled jobs in country.
“The partnership between Honeywell, Rolls-Royce Deutschland and our industry team members provides an established local supply base for around-the-clock parts availability, NATO interoperability and streamlined aircraft maintenance procedures,” said Michael Hostetter, vice president of Boeing Defense, Space & Security in Germany. “The Luftwaffe will have access to training and sustainment solutions that ensures the H-47 Chinook’s readiness for any mission.”
Under the agreement, Honeywell will license Rolls-Royce Deutschland as its partner in Germany to perform depot-level maintenance of the Chinook T-55 engine operated by the Luftwaffe.
Our partnership with Boeing and Rolls-Royce Deutschland will provide the Luftwaffe with access to a world-class maintenance and repair and overhaul facility for the T-55 in Germany. The in-country location will also ensure fast and flexible reactions to cater to the demanding needs of the Luftwaffe.
The H-47 Chinook is the most advanced transport rotorcraft in the United States Army inventory. With a proven track record of performance and versatility unmatched by any other heavy-lift aircraft, the Chinook provides Germany with the most modern, affordable solution ready to operate today. As chosen by NATO nations Canada, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, the Chinook gives Germany interoperability that other helicopters cannot while meeting a wide range of mission needs.
Boeing has an established and growing presence in Germany. The company is a strong contributor to the German economy with more than 1,000 employees at 11 sites from Hamburg to Munich and sustains thousands of additional jobs through its supply chain and other activities. Boeing and its supply-chain partners spend almost $1.2 billion a year with its established network of suppliers located across Germany. Germany is a key market for Boeing to invest in research and technology partnerships. Boeing has established two research sites in Germany, the Research & Technology Office in Munich and the Digital Solutions & Analytics Lab Frankfurt and invests in a growing portfolio of research and technology projects with German industry, universities and research organizations.
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As a top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 160,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.
Canada’s CH-147F Chinook makes its 1st flight
Amtrak Downeaster, Boston, MA, BON, Amtrak Conductor
The Downeaster is a 145-mile regional passenger train service, managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, and operated by Amtrak.
PORTLAND, MAINE – The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) announced yesterday that the Amtrak Downeaster will begin Phase 1 of Service Restoration beginning June 15, 2020. Service will resume with one round trip on weekdays only between Brunswick, ME and Boston, MA: southbound Train 680 and northbound Train 685. Downeaster service has been suspended since April 13, 2020.
A number of protocols and procedures have been implemented to protect the health and safety of passengers and crews.
Highlights of Phase 1 Service Restoration Plan:
Amtrak has implemented new cleaning and disinfecting protocols nationwide, and train equipment used in Downeaster service will undergo enhanced cleaning before and after each trip.
Crews and passengers will be required to wear face covering while boarding and moving about the train
The number of passengers per train will be limited to no more than 50% of available seating capacity so riders are able to adhere to physical distancing guidelines.
Advance reservations are required and cash sales will not be accepted.
Station facilities will not be open; passengers should go directly to the outdoor platform to wait for their train.
Café service will not be available, however complimentary water will be available upon request.
Stations are being updated with signage and other enhancements to promote public health and physical distancing.
While NNEPRA expects Downeaster increase service throughout the summer months, no date has been set for subsequent phases. The NNEPRA Board of Directors plans to meet later this month to evaluate the potential for adding more daily trips.
Pan Am Railways has expedited a series of track improvement and maintenance projects along the Downeaster corridor to take place this spring to avoid construction-related service interruptions later in the year. The schedule for Train 680 has been modified slightly to adjust for construction-related delays. Passengers on travelling on Train 685 to stations north of Haverhill should expect delays of approximately 15 minutes.
Complete information about the steps Amtrak is taking to protect the health and safety of their passengers and crews is available at Amtrak.com
Amtrak Downeaster, Boston, MA, BON, Amtrak Conductor
The Downeaster is a 145-mile regional passenger train service, managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, and operated by Amtrak.
LONDON (Reuters) – Irish airline Aer Lingus said it was reviewing its social distancing procedures after a flight on Monday was packed with passengers.
European flights have all but come to a standstill during the coronavirus pandemic with only a few services operating for essential travel such as people going to work or being repatriated, or for cargo.
While there is no visibility on when travel restrictions will ease, airlines are considering how to safely restart services and give passengers confidence to fly.
Aer Lingus, owned by IAG <IAG.L>, said it would consider how it operates after its Belfast to London Heathrow flight on Monday had “unexpectedly high loads” and that due to the level of the demand for the route, it could need to make changes.
“Aer Lingus is reviewing its processes and procedures applicable to the operation of this service,” an Aer Lingus spokeswoman said, adding that safety was its top priority.
Some airlines have discussed leaving middle seats empty on flights to enable social distancing, while other airlines such as Germany’s Lufthansa <LHA.DE> and Hungary’s low cost airline Wizz Air <WIZZ.L> have made it compulsory for passengers to wear face masks on flights.
(Reporting by Sarah Young and Ian Graham; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
FILE PHOTO: The Aer Lingus EI-DER Airbus A320 makes its final approach for landing at Toulouse-Blagnac airport
During the scheduled two weeks of suspended operations at the Boeing [NYSE: BA] Philadelphia facility in Ridley Township, the company has been working to restart production with enhanced safety measures. Boeing will resume operations in our production facilities and other areas deemed essential on Monday, April 20. The number one priority is and will continue to be protecting the health and safety of our employees, their families and all of our stakeholders.
Since suspending operations on April 3, Boeing Philadelphia has taken a number of steps:
Enhanced cleaning of the entire facility and implementing improved procedures. We’ve posted signage throughout the facility to help keep enhanced hygiene top-of-mind. Hand sanitization stations have been added at entry points to the site.
Physical distancing practices reinforced. Shift times will be staggered. Virtual meetings will continue, where possible, to reduce face-to-face interactions. Work areas have been spaced farther apart with visual markers displayed to encourage physical distancing. Cafeteria areas will be adjusted to allow for more physical distancing.
Personal mask use. Consistent with recent direction from the state government, employees are required to wear masks or other face coverings in the workplace. Masks will be made available onsite for employees who need one.
Temperature screening will be required for all employees daily before coming to work. Screening stations with no-touch thermal scanners will be set up to accommodate workers who need to check their temperature onsite. Employees who are not required to support operations in our production facilities, and who are able to telecommute and work virtually, will continue to do so.
Boeing Philadelphia site leadership will continue to monitor conditions and new information related to COVID-19, including the latest federal and state health guidelines, so we can continuously implement new safeguards and procedures.
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus COVID-19, our teams have been doing everything possible to guarantee the safety and health of our passengers and cabin crew.
We regularly consult all relevant international authorities to make sure that we follow – and even surpass – their instructions on health precautions related to the effort to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.
Aircraft cleaning procedures, which were already of the highest standard given our all-business class offer, have been reinforced to guarantee a safe and relaxing experience for our passengers. Our brand-new A321neo also features a state-of-the-art air circulation system that renews cabin air every 3 minutes.
COMMERCIAL POLICY
In light of President Trump’s recent restrictions on travel between Europe and the U.S., effective March 13th at midnight for a period of 30 days, we have been forced to reassess our flight schedule for the upcoming months.
We must suspend all scheduled flights from March 18th to April 12th, 2020,resuming with one daily flight between Paris and New York from April 13th once the restrictions are lifted.
The launch of the seasonal route from New York to Nice is pushed back to June 1st, 2020.
In the unlikely event that your flight has been cancelled by La Compagnie in light of the Covid-19 situation, you will be notified directly via the contact details provided in your booking and will be offered solutions to modify, postpone or cancel your flights.
Any passengers with a flight scheduled between now and May 31st, 2020 who would like to postpone their departure may do so, regardless of fare conditions and at no charge, or receive a non-refundable but transferrable voucher (valid for 12 months).
Emirates is providing customers more flexibility, choice and value through its newly introduced waiver policy for all booked tickets issued on or from today, 7 March until 31 March 2020, allowing customers across its network the choice of changing their travel dates without change and reissuance fees.
The move provides Emirates’ customers with peace of mind should they decide to change their travel plans due to the evolving COVID-19 situation. Customers can change their booking to any date for travel within an 11 month date range in the same booking class without change penalties. Difference in fare, if applicable applies. The policy covers all existing destinations across the Emirates network.
Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline, said: “We want our customers to feel fully supported, comfortable and confident when making travel plans, while offering them the best fares, without incurring change fees should they decide to delay or adjust dates. The situation remains dynamic and we will continue to look at ways to provide flexibility, convenience and peace of mind for our customers.”
Emirates Skywards will also be providing more flexibility to its members who have been impacted by the outbreak of the coronavirus through imposed travel restrictions and flight reductions. Skywards Platinum, Gold and Silver members can maintain their current status by fulfilling 80% of their tier travel requirements between 31 March and 30 June 2020. In addition, Skywards members booked to travel between 1 March and 30 June 2020 will be able to benefit from an additional 20% bonus Tier Miles.
For additional peace of mind, Emirates is also taking its aircraft cleaning process to the next level through additional precautionary measures of implementing enhanced disinfecting procedures after flights from destinations most affected by COVID-19. If the airline is alerted to any suspect or confirmed cases of infectious diseases, teams will be immediately deployed for a deeper cleaning to thoroughly disinfect all cabins of that aircraft with stronger, approved chemicals. Across all its aircraft, Emirates utilises HEPA filters, which are proven to remove more than 99% of viruses in the cabin environment. If there is a suspected case onboard, Emirates will go a step further to replace all the HEPA filters on the aircraft.
Customers are advised that fare differences or applicable taxes may apply if they wish to change their bookings to a different fare class. Current refund and rebooking conditions for tickets issued before 5 March still apply. Customers impacted due to cancellations of flights impacted by the COVID-19 virus are advised to check emirates.com for rebooking or rerouting options.
Customers who wish to change their travel arrangements after making bookings between 7 March and 31 March can visit their travel agent or contact the Emirates call centre at +971 600 555555.
Customers with affected travel plans can go to the My Trips section of delta.com to help them understand their options.
Delta will reduce its weekly flying schedule to Japan through April 30 and suspend summer seasonal service between Seattle and Osaka for 2020 in response to reduced demand due to COVID-19 (coronavirus).
The health and safety of customers and employees is Delta’s top priority. The airline maintains an ongoing relationship with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, the world’s foremost experts on communicable diseases, to ensure training, policies, procedures, and cabin cleaning and disinfection measures meet and exceed guidelines. The latest information about Delta’s response to COVID-19 is here: news.delta.com/coronavirus
Flight schedule changes
Beginning March 7 for U.S. departures to Japan and March 8 for Japan departures to the U.S., the airline will operate the following schedule:
Market
Peak Frequency
Frequency March 7-April 30
Tokyo-Detroit
Daily
Daily
Tokyo-Los Angeles
Daily
Daily
Tokyo-Honolulu
Daily
Daily
Tokyo-Seattle
Daily
Daily
Tokyo-Portland
Daily
3x weekly
Tokyo-Atlanta
Daily
5x weekly
Tokyo-Minneapolis
Daily
5x weekly
Nagoya-Detroit
Daily
3x weekly
Nagoya-HNL
Daily
3x weekly
Osaka-Seattle
Daily
Suspended
Osaka-Honolulu
Daily
3x weekly
Tokyo-Manila
Daily
Daily*
*ends March 27
Delta’s planned consolidation of Tokyo flights at Haneda Airport beginning March 28 will happen as planned. Flights between Seattle, Detroit, Atlanta, Honolulu and Portland will transition from Narita to Haneda beginning March 28 for departures from the U.S. to Tokyo, and March 29 for departures from Tokyo to the U.S. Delta’s Tokyo-bound flights from Minneapolis and Los Angeles already fly into Haneda and will continue to do so.
Delta’s service between Narita and Manila will continue to operate daily until March 27, after which the flight will be suspended as part of the carrier’s previously-announced consolidation at Haneda. The airline’s new service from Incheon to Manila, previously scheduled to begin March 29, will now start on May 1.
The airline’s seasonal summer service between Seattle and Osaka will be suspended for the summer of 2020, with a planned return in summer 2021. Delta will continue to serve Osaka from Honolulu.
Full schedules will be available on delta.com beginning March 7. The airline will continue to monitor the situation closely and may make additional adjustments as the situation continues to evolve.
Article by Belén Morant, Media: Airbus Helicopters; Jonny Carroll; DTX Media
Tim Ochsner, Chief Pilot of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), explains the key to the success of the SAREX (search and rescue exercise)
When it comes to offering an adequate, effective and rapid response to natural disasters there’s no room for improvisation, particularly when a number of different agencies are involved. Tim Ochsner, Chief Pilot of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), explains the key to the success of the SAREX (search and rescue exercise) conducted by more than 20 different agencies since 2015, which has now established itself as the benchmark for rescue training in the US.
How did the need arise to organise rescue training on such a large scale as SAREX?
In 2011, the state of Texas had huge problems with wildfires, and the following years we had two major floods. All the agencies equipped with aerial capability for these kinds of situations were involved: the Army with their Lakotas, our local EMS agencies, the Austin Police Department with their H125 and San Antonio Police Department with an H125 as well…
We all quickly formed a team and worked together out of necessity due to the flooding. We didn’t have time to set much up – we just did it.
After those events, we thought we needed to come up with a better plan for training, establish a communication plan and standard operating procedures. We had to establish a cooperation framework that was independent to the parties we tend to work with, because at the end of the day these things can change. That’s how the SAREX exercise came about.
