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 …
Read More »UAE’s Etihad to suspend flights to Qatar
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | AFP | Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways said Monday it would suspend flights to Qatar after the United Arab Emirates was among major Gulf states to sever ties with Doha in an unprecedented regional crisis. Etihad said flights would stop on Tuesday, after the UAE, …
Read More »UGANDA AIRLINES: Museveni meets Airbus representatives
President meets Airbus representatives, assures Ugandans, “Uganda Airlines will succeed” Entebbe, Uganda| PPU| President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said that once revived, the Uganda Airlines will succeed mainly because of the direct travel opportunities that it will offer its citizens in the diaspora, the business community and tourists. He said the …
Read More »US says no laptop ban on board flights from Europe for now
Washington, United States | AFP | US aviation security officials stepped back Tuesday from imposing a ban on carry-on computers on flights coming from Europe, which had been proposed to guard against possible bomb-laden electronics from the Islamic State group. But the Department of Homeland Security said a ban, already …
Read More »Heathrow chaos as BA scrambles to recover from IT crash
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Thousands of travellers faced further chaos on Sunday as British Airways cancelled around 60 flights from London’s Heathrow Airport following an IT system failure. Around one quarter of Sunday’s flights set to depart from London’s major hub before 4.00 pm (1500 GMT) were cancelled …
Read More »Made-in-China jet takes maiden flight
China’s homemade passenger jet aces first flight Shanghai, China | AFP | The first large made-in-China passenger plane successfully completed its maiden test flight Friday, marking a key milestone on the country’s ambitious journey to compete with the world’s leading aircraft makers. The narrow-body C919 jet — white with green …
Read More »Made-in-China passenger jet set to take wing today
Shanghai, China | AFP | China will on Friday conduct the maiden test flight of a home-grown passenger jet built to meet soaring domestic travel demand and challenge the dominance of Boeing and Airbus. The C919, built by state-owned aerospace manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), was set to take wing …
Read More »United Airlines hikes compensation to $10,000 after passenger fiasco
Chicago, United States | AFP | United Airlines on Thursday announced it will offer bumped passengers up to $10,000 in compensation and reduce overbooking following the dragging incident on board one of its flights that caused worldwide outrage. Those and other changes, which the airline called “substantial,” are the result …
Read More »VIDEO: United Airlines finally apologizes, as image takes beating
Chicago, United States | AFP | The chief executive of embattled United Airlines unequivocally apologized Tuesday for an incident in which a passenger was dragged off a plane, and promised a thorough review of the airline’s practices. The apology came after a torrent of criticism of the carrier’s action on …
Read More »Nigerian becomes first African to fly solo around the world
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigerian airline pilot Ademola Odujinrin, known as “Lola”, has become the first African to fly solo around the world, his foundation Transcend said in a statement Thursday. The 38-year-old Nigerian left Washington in September last year abord a Cirrus SR22, a small, single engine airplane, …
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