Sydney, Australia | AFP | Australia has foiled an Islamist-inspired terrorist plot to bring down an aircraft with an improvised explosive device, authorities said Sunday, after four people were arrested in raids across Sydney. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the plot appeared to be “elaborate” rather than planned by a …
Read More »Two UN peacekeepers killed in Mali helicopter crash
Bamako, Mali | AFP | Two German UN peacekeepers were killed Wednesday when their helicopter crashed as they were monitoring clashes in northern Mali, German and UN officials said. UN diplomats confirmed that the attack helicopter and the crew had been supplied by Germany to MINUSMA, the UN mission in Mali. “Sadly we …
Read More »Airlines will need 637,000 new pilots over next 20 years: Boeing
New York, United States | AFP | Airlines will need 637,000 new pilots over the next 20 years to keep pace with the growth of global air traffic, Boeing reported Tuesday in an annual report on the subject. Its latest estimate of the pilot requirements is up 3.6 percent from last …
Read More »German fighter jets help Korean plane make emergency landing
Berlin, Germany | AFP | Two German air force jets were deployed late Saturday to escort and help a Korean plane land in Stuttgart after it lost contact with air traffic controllers. The Korean Air plane with around 200 people was flying from Seoul to Zurich when communication with controllers …
Read More »Kuwait airline says US laptop ban lifted
Kuwait City, Kuwait | AFP | Kuwait Airways said Sunday that a ban on laptops and tablets in the cabins of its US-bound flights had been lifted by Washington. “Now our passengers flying from Kuwait International Airport to in #NY will be able to use all of their personal electronic devices,” …
Read More »Airbus wins 203 plane orders in first half
Paris, France | AFP | European plane maker Airbus said Thursday it received 203 firm orders for aircraft in the first six months of this year and delivered 306 jetliners. Airbus said in a statement that it received orders for 138 medium-haul A320 and long-haul A330 aircraft in June alone …
Read More »Baby on board: Indian gives birth at 35,000 feet
Mumbai, India | AFP | An Indian woman gave birth to a baby boy on an international commercial flight as it flew at 35,000 feet, the airline said on Monday. The unnamed woman, in her 20s, went into premature labour on Sunday’s Jet Airways flight between Damman in Saudi …
Read More »Suspected North Korea drone filmed missile defence site
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korea said Tuesday a drone believed sent from North Korea had been spying on a US missile defence system before it crashed. The remains of the small drone, which was equipped with a camera, were retrieved by the South’s military last week from …
Read More »Airbus says passenger plane market to double within 20 years
Toulouse, France | AFP | Airbus Friday said it expects the market for large passenger planes to more than double in the next 20 years driven by growth from Asian markets. Raising its previous forecasts for the next two decades, the European aircraft maker also said a slowdown in orders …
Read More »Airline industry sees higher profits in 2017
Cancún, Mexico | AFP | The International Air Transport Association (IATA) increased its profit forecast for the global airline industry Monday, citing surging demand. Total profits for the group’s 275 member airlines are now expected to hit $31.4 billion this year, up more than five percent from the previous forecast …
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