Jacksonville, Florida, July 31, 2023 – CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division (SMART-TD) announced they are partnering to extend CSX’s conductor training program to five weeks from the previous four-week regimen to provide new hires with additional hands-on experience prior to beginning on-the-job training (OJT).
The extra week of training at the CSX Training Center in Atlanta will focus on performing tasks in a field setting to increase trainees’ exposure to railcar switching scenarios, radio communication, securement of equipment, brake tests and other fundamentals of the conductor’s role. Hands-on application of these skills begins in the third week of training, and the additional week will reinforce trainees’ comfort level by providing multiple opportunities to perform the tasks while operating on first and second shifts.
CSX developed the extended training program in consultation with the SMART-TD, which represents its train crew employees. After completing their five weeks at the Atlanta Training Center, new conductors begin up to five months of OJT at their hiring location, where they learn the physical characteristics and job assignments of their designated territory.
Qantas flights from eight overseas destinations are touching down in Australia today, bringing the first international tourists in almost two years and an eagerly anticipated boost for the country’s tourism industry.
The Qantas Group will fly more than 14,000 passengers into Australia this week as quarantine and border barriers for international tourists come down.
QF12 from Los Angeles was the first to land at 6.20am and flights from other international destinations including Vancouver, Singapore and London will arrive into Sydney throughout the day. Jetstar’s first unrestricted international flight JQ18 will touch down in Melbourne from Phuket at 10.05am and QF70 from Delhi to Melbourne will arrive at 1.35pm.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said bookings had been strong since the Australian Government announced the country was opening to international visitors, and today’s arrivals will be the first of many.
Qantas restarted its international network for Australian citizens and visa holders on 1 November 2021, with a number of routes coming online since then. Sydney to Dallas recommenced flying on 16 February, and flights to other destinations are scheduled to relaunch in coming weeks including:
SEATTLE, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Starting today, California residents who enroll in the Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK) Mileage Plan™ now through March 3, 2021 can book that long-awaited trip to visit Napa Valley, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, or any other California destination with a flight on Alaska Airlines.*
The “California, on us” offer is open to the first 25,000 California residents who sign up for Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ between now and March 3, 2021. Eligible new members will receive a discount code valid for one flight to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies within California for just the taxes and fees from $15 each way.
“We’ve made our mark in California, and we love converting new fans into loyal ones,” said Natalie Bowman, Alaska Airlines’ managing director of marketing and advertising. “There’s so much West Coast territory for Californians to explore––especially within their own state––that we’re excited to offer a fun way to jumpstart earning Alaska miles doing just that.”
The first 25,000 eligible new Mileage Plan members who sign up between March 1 and March 3, 2021 will receive an email on March 5, 2021 with instructions on how to take advantage of this promotion which will need to be booked between March 5-7, 2021 for travel between March 29 and May 26, 2021. To register and find more information, visit alaskaair.com/california.
In addition, everyone is eligible for 30% off flights to or from California by booking today through March 3, 2021 for travel between March 22 and May 26, 2021. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit alaskaair.com/safetydance.
With a focus on helping guests travel safely when they feel comfortable, Alaska has implemented more than 100 safety measures as part of the airline’s commitment to Next-Level Care. The airline emphasizes a layered approach to safety, which starts with the requirement that all employees and guests wear a face mask or covering through the airport and on board, with no exceptions. To further demonstrate the airline’s safety protocols, the Alaska Safety Dance highlights many of the ways in which the airline is keeping guests and employees safe including enhanced cleaning between flights, HEPA air filtration, and touch-free technology. To travel, flyers must also enter into a health agreement at check-in to confirm that they are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and will adhere to the mask policy.
Embraer delivered the fourth C-390 Millennium multi-mission medium airlifter of a total of 28 units to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). Like the three units already in operation, the fourth airlifter will be operated by the First Troop Transport Group (1st GTT). All 28 aircraft ordered by FAB are equipped to perform aerial refueling missions, with the designation KC-390 Millennium.
“It is with great satisfaction that we are receiving another KC-390 Millennium aircraft, which is being incorporated into our fleet. Soon, it will be operational in the most diverse missions, in different regions of Brazil and even abroad, similar to our first three aircraft. This platform has already demonstrated great capacity, mainly in the transport of supplies and materials during Operation COVID-19,” said the Brazilian Air Force Commander, Lieutenant-Brigadier Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez.
“We are very pleased with the delivery of the fourth C-390 Millennium to the Brazilian Air Force, as the airlifter has played an extremely important role in a series of humanitarian missions within the Brazilian territory and even abroad,” said Jackson Schneider, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “The C-390 is establishing itself as the tactical transport aircraft of this century, opening new markets, which is immensely important for Embraer’s strategy in the coming years.”
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, FAB has operated the KC-390 Millennium aircraft in logistical aerial transport missions, carrying tons of essential supplies to fight the pandemic in Brazil. Additionally, FAB operated one of the airlifters in a humanitarian mission to the Republic of Lebanon, in support of the population of Beirut, in August of this year.
On November 17, the Hungarian government signed a contract with Embraer for the acquisition of two C-390 Millennium multi-mission transport aircraft, in its air-to-air refueling (AAR) configuration, designated KC-390. The acquisition is part of the process to strengthen the capabilities of the Hungarian Defense Forces especially in the tactical airlift, AAR, and medical evacuation roles, as well as in other missions of public interest. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2023.
The aircraft will be the first in the world featuring an Intensive Care Unit configuration, an essential feature for performing humanitarian missions. The aircraft are also designed to refuel the Hungarian JAS 39 Gripen, as well as other aircraft using the same technology. These KC-390 will be fully NATO compatible, not only in terms of hardware, but also in terms of avionics and communications configuration.
At the end of October, teams from the Portuguese Armed Forces (FAP) and Embraer concluded the “Critical Design Review – CDR” for the KC-390 Millennium ordered by Portugal. This step has defined the aircraft technical requirements according to FAP demands, enabling Embraer to configure the aircraft. The Portuguese Government and Embraer signed a contract for the acquisition of five multi-mission airlifters that will support the operations of the Portuguese Armed Forces and increase readiness in missions of national interest. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2023.
A joint project between FAB and Embraer, the C-390 Millennium is a tactical transport aircraft designed to set new standards in its category. Some of the aircraft’s strengths are mobility, robust design, greater flexibility, proven state-of-the-art technology, and easier maintenance.
The C-390 Millennium and the designation KC-390 Millennium fly faster and carry more cargo than other military freighters of the same size and are the ideal platforms for the main usage scenarios. The aircraft require fewer on-demand inspections and maintenance, combined with highly reliable systems and components, which reduces the time on the ground and overall operating costs, contributing to excellent availability levels and low life-cycle costs.
In October 2019, the aircraft received the Grand Laureate Award, in the category of Defense, and the Laureate Award, in the category “Best New Defense Product,” from Aviation Week magazine.
The American Airlines Cargo team carried its first shipment of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine last night. In close collaboration with pharmaceutical and cargo partners, the airline received the shipment by truck at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and loaded the shipment onto a Boeing 777-200 aircraft flying to Miami International Airport (MIA). The vaccine shipment will arrive at its final destination in a U.S. territory in the Caribbean later today.
“The American team is proud to be a part of the critical effort to get lifesaving vaccine safely and quickly to people around the world,” said American Airlines Cargo President Jessica Tyler. “We were able to mobilize within hours of getting the call to move thousands of doses. We know this is the first of many shipments to come, and we are ready to scale our operation as additional vaccine is produced and ready for distribution.”
American began conducting trial flights in November to simulate the conditions required to transport the COVID-19 vaccine, stress testing the thermal packaging and operational handling process to ensure it remains stable in transit.
American is an internationally recognized expert in cold chain logistics with an established network of facilities and team members who specialize in temperature-critical shipments to more than 150 cities in 46 countries around the world. In addition, American has the largest dedicated temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipping facility operated by an airline in the United States. From the time a shipment arrives at one of American’s facilities, it is tracked throughout its journey on the ground and from the airline’s Cargo Control Center, located within its Integrated Operations Control in Fort Worth, Texas.
This level of expert care has earned American the International Air Transport Association’s prestigious Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) certification. The CEIV certification is given to air carriers and players in the air cargo supply chain that have established the tools, procedures and staffing to ensure life sciences products are properly handled and arrive at their destination fully effective.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, American has been transporting hundreds of thousands of pounds of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical equipment, COVID-19 test kits and pharmaceuticals to help battle the coronavirus, as well as components for Phase III COVID-19 vaccine trials.
Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services (QANTAS) today marks 100 years since it was founded in the Australian outback.
On 16 November 1920, two veterans of the Australian Flying Corps, Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness, together with local grazier Fergus McMaster, founded what would later become the national carrier.
This happened just 17 years after the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers, two years after the end of World War One and at the tail end of the last major global pandemic, the Spanish Flu.
The new airline focused on conquering the “tyranny of distance” that was a major barrier to the growth of modern Australia. Its early chances of success were uncertain, to the point early backers called their investment “a donation”.
Initially carrying mail between outback towns, the airline was flying passengers to Singapore by the 1930’s. By the end of the 1940’s its strategic importance saw it nationalised and in the 1960’s, it was an early adopter of the jet aircraft that mainstreamed global travel. Qantas invented business class in the 1970’s, switched to an all-747 fleet in the 1980’s, was privatised in the 1990’s, founded Jetstar in 2004, went through major restructuring in 2014 and, by 2020, had recently completed several important ‘firsts’ in non-stop travel to Europe and the US.
Qantas is the oldest continuously-operating airline in the world and the only one that (normally) flies to every single inhabited continent on earth.
Planned centenary celebrations have been significantly scaled back due to the impact of COVID-19, but Qantas will still mark the occasion with a low-level flyover of Sydney Harbour on the evening of its anniversary.
The flight path is expected to pass near Rose Bay where our Empire Flying Boats took off for Singapore between 1938 and 1942.
Qantas Chairman, Richard Goyder, said: “The history of Qantas shows it’s no stranger to a challenge or a crisis. That’s often when its role as the national carrier has really come to the fore.
“We want to use this moment to say thank you to all those who have supported Qantas over the years. And, in particular, to the many people who have dedicated some or all of their careers to this great company.”
Qantas Group CEO, Alan Joyce, said: “Around the world, Qantas is probably best known for its safety record, endurance flying and long list of aviation firsts. But for Australians, there’s nothing quite like seeing the flying kangaroo at the airport, waiting to take you home. We hope to be doing a lot more of that in the months and years ahead.”
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) today announced the completion of its previously announced sale to affiliates of Brookfield Infrastructure and GIC.
Under the terms of the sale, each issued and outstanding share of G&W common stock converted into the right to receive $112 in cash. As a result of the completion of the sale, G&W’s common stock ceased trading on the NYSE prior to market open today and will no longer be listed for trading on the NYSE.
“This transaction is an excellent outcome for all G&W stakeholders,” said Jack Hellmann, Chief Executive Officer of G&W. “For our customers, employees, and Class I partners, the long-term investment horizon of Brookfield and GIC is perfectly aligned with the long lives of G&W railroad assets. We look forward to building on G&W’s track record of safety, service excellence and commercial growth as we become an important component of a portfolio of global infrastructure assets.”
About Genesee & Wyoming
G&W owns or leases 119 freight railroads organized in locally managed operating regions with 8,000 employees serving 3,000 customers.
G&W’s six North American regions serve 42 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces and include 113 short line and regional freight railroads with more than 13,000 track-miles.
G&W’s Australia Region serves New South Wales, the Northern Territory and South Australia and operates the 1,400-mile Tarcoola-to-Darwin rail line. The Australia Region is 51.1% owned by G&W and 48.9% owned by a consortium of funds and clients managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets.
G&W’s UK/Europe Region includes the U.K.’s largest rail maritime intermodal operator and second-largest freight rail provider, as well as regional rail services in Continental Europe.
G&W subsidiaries and joint ventures also provide rail service at more than 40 major ports, rail-ferry service between the U.S. Southeast and Mexico, transload services, contract coal loading, and industrial railcar switching and repair. For more information, please visit www.gwrr.com.
About Brookfield Infrastructure
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is a leading global infrastructure company that owns and operates high quality, long-life assets in the utilities, transport, energy and data infrastructure sectors across North and South America, Asia Pacific and Europe. We are focused on assets that generate stable cash flows and require minimal maintenance capital expenditures. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges. Further information is available at www.brookfieldinfrastructure.com.
Brookfield Infrastructure is the flagship listed infrastructure company of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with over $500 billion of assets under management. For more information, go to www.brookfield.com.
About GIC
GIC is a leading global investment firm established in 1981 to manage Singapore’s foreign reserves. As a disciplined long-term value investor, GIC is uniquely positioned for investments across a wide range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and infrastructure. In infrastructure, GIC’s primary strategy is to invest directly in operating assets with a high degree of cash flow visibility and which provide a hedge against inflation. GIC has investments in over 40 countries. Headquartered in Singapore, GIC employs over 1,500 people across 10 offices in key financial cities worldwide. For more information on GIC, please visit www.gic.com.sg.
HONG KONG, Aug 25 (Reuters) – The Chinese territory of Macau elected former legislature head Ho Iat Seng as its leader on Sunday – the sole approved candidate.
Ho, who has deep ties to China, is expected to cement Beijing’s control over the special administrative region and distance it from protests in neighbouring Hong Kong.
He secured 392 votes from a 400-member pro-Beijing committee to lead the world’s largest gambling hub for at least the next five years, public broadcaster TDM reported.
The 62-year-old’s highly scripted appointment comes as the former Portuguese colony tries to position itself as a beacon of stability and model for the Chinese government’s “one country, two systems” formula through which Beijing administers Macau and Hong Kong.
Although anti-government protests have roiled the former British colony of Hong Kong for nearly three months, Macau has seen little dissent to Beijing’s rule.
Ho said local youth could resist the influence of Hong Kong’s protesters and support measures to boost patriotism in Macau.
(Reporting by Farah Master; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
HONG
KONG, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Police in the world’s biggest gambling hub of
Macau are investigating what they suspect is a rare murder in a
five-star casino resort after a Chinese man was found stabbed in his
bed, broadcaster TDM reported on Monday.
Murder
cases have been rare in the Chinese territory since Portugal ceded
control of what had been a colonial backwater on the heel of China’s
southern coast 20 years ago.
The
suspected murder took place in Sands China’s Conrad Macau hotel, TDM
reported, citing police. It comes as slower mainland growth, a weaker
yuan and a simmering trade war with the United States threaten to derail
Macau’s growth.
The
41-year-old victim, an active gambler from the mainland, had been
stabbed. The case was being investigated and no further details were
available, TDM said.
Macau
police and Sands China did not respond to requests for comment. The
company is controlled by U.S. billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas
Sands.
Macau
is the only place in China where casino gambling is legal. Casino
revenues shrank in January for the first time in more than two years.
Violent
crime in Macau has often been linked to its junket operators – the
middlemen who bring China’s wealthiest to the gambling tables. Slower
growth and tighter regulations have made it hard for many small junket
companies to stay in business.
Criminal
gangs known as triads, which are known to operate in Macau, are
typically involved in extortion, money laundering, murder and
prostitution.
(Reporting by Farah Master Editing by Robert Birsel)
