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, …
Read More »Electronics ban on flights not a longterm solution: IATA boss
Montreal, Canada | AFP | British and US bans on laptops and tablet computers in flight cabins are not sustainable in the long term, the head of the association representing airlines said Tuesday. “The current measures are not acceptable as a long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to …
Read More »World giants China Southern and American Airlines announce tie-up
Shanghai, China | AFP | China Southern Airlines said Tuesday it would sell almost a one-tenth stake to American Airlines in a $200 million tie-up that could see two of the world’s biggest carriers cooperate in a range of areas. American Airlines is the world’s largest carrier by scheduled passengers carried, …
Read More »The leggings Twitter storm
Washington, United States | AFP | United Airlines has run into a social media storm after it barred two teenage girls from boarding a flight in Denver because they were wearing leggings. Another girl who was also wearing leggings was allowed to board the flight from Denver International Airport to …
Read More »UK issues laptop, tablet flight ban after US warning
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain tightened airline security on flights from Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa on Tuesday, banning laptops and tablet computers from the plane cabin following a US security warning. Passengers flying directly to Britain from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey …
Read More »Nigerian airline lays off two-thirds of staff to cut costs
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s second largest airline Aero Contractors has laid off two-thirds of its workforce to save costs and prevent it from going under, a government agency official confirmed on Friday. The company said in a letter to employees on Thursday that it was “constrained to place (them) …
Read More »China’s first stealth fighter J-20 enters service
Beijing, China | AFP | China has put its first stealth fighter into military service, state-run media reported on Friday, in the latest milestone highlighting the modernisation of the country’s armed forces. Swift, stealthy, and armed with long-range missiles, the J-20 represents a leap forward in China’s ability to project power …
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