Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) received close to 1.9 million passengers in November, representing a 4.4% increase in airport traffic compared with November 2015. Abu Dhabi Airports’ traffic figures also show consistent growth throughout the year, with total AUH passenger numbers having increased by 5.3% on the previous year. More than 22 million travelers ...
Read More »Aviation
Boeing-Mubadala initiative to boost UAE students’ aviation skills
Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business Boeing announced that the Boeing-Mubadala Co-Op internship program is on course to provide vital aerospace engineering expertise to bolster the UAE’s ever-expanding aviation capabilities. The Co-Op program, sponsored by ADEC, was launched by Boeing and Mubadala in 2015 to support the development of a sustainable aerospace industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Six ...
Read More »Singapore Airlines to diversify with budget airlines
Bloomberg When you think of Singapore Airlines Ltd., visions appear of cushy premium cabins and bespoke leather seats. It’s all that, yes. But the luxury carrier is working hard to diversify with budget airlines under its corporate banner. It owns low-cost carrier Scoot; 49 percent of Vistara, a joint venture in India with Tata Sons Ltd.; and NokScoot, a ...
Read More »One in eight airline pilots show symptoms of depression
Bloomberg Data on depression rates among pilots have been hard to come by, but a new study that surveyed active pilots found that nearly 13 percent met the threshold for depression — and about a third as many reported having suicidal thoughts. Why it matters: The 2015 crash of Germanwings Flight 9525, which was caused intentionally by a co-pilot ...
Read More »With $75mn US fund, low-cost carrier eyes Argentina market
Bloomberg The serial airline entrepreneur trying to launch Argentina’s first low-cost carrier is betting the government will deregulate the industry enough to make his venture viable. And if it doesn’t, he’s got a back-up plan. Julian Cook, 43, chief executive officer of Flybondi, said he’s been told by Tourism Minister Gustavo Santos that price floors for airlines will be ...
Read More »BA cabin crew suspend Christmas strike
Washington / AFP British Airways (BA) cabin crew have suspended a two-day strike planned over Christmas, labour union Unite announced after securing a new deal with the airline. Almost 2,000 British Airways cabin crew, or more than one in seven, were due to walk out on Christmas Day and December 26 (Boxing Day) in a dispute over pay. Talks ...
Read More »New uniforms make American flight attendants ‘sick’
Bloomberg American Airlines flight attendants filed a grievance with the carrier over new uniforms they say have caused headaches, skin irritation and other health problems since being introduced in September. The airline should either stop issuing the clothing or allow workers to wear their previous outfits, Bob Ross, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, said in a ...
Read More »China to boost economy by getting people to jump out of planes
Bloomberg China has targets for just about everything, from ethanol production to reaching Mars. Now the top economic planning body wants to get more tourists to hit the road, and has even announced targets for skydiving, water skiing and mountain climbing, as authorities push for more consumer spending to aid the economic transition away from old industrial drivers. The ...
Read More »India to fine airlines for dumping toilets mid air
Bloomberg An Indian green court ordered the country’s aviation safety regulator to ensure planes don’t dump human waste during flights, ruling on a plea by a New Delhi resident who claimed his neighborhood had to endure excreta that fell from the skies. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the safety regulator, should conduct surprise checks on aircraft when they ...
Read More »LaGuardia’s redesign to lift people above ceilings that don’t leak
Bloomberg Congestion is the biggest reason why LaGuardia Airport in New York is regularly rated the worst in America: Neither planes nor people move in an efficient manner through a facility designed for far, far less traffic. When it’s completed in summer of 2022, a gleaming new LaGuardia will be a modern space featuring a collection of aeries and ...
Read More »