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☆ These plane crash survivors and victims’ loved ones are becoming scared to fly again after years of travel. They’re not alone
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Elizabeth Wolfe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Others, however, said they are still confident in flight safety, pointing out that commercial air travel remains one of the safest modes of transportation. Cara and Erin Ashcraft survived the crash of American Airlines Flight 1420, operated on a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, during a landing at Little Rock National Airport on June 1, 1999. “I’ve never had concerns (about air travel safety) before. This is the hole left behind when the plug door of an Alaska Airlines flight blew off midflight on January 5, 2024. Pierson is wary of attitudes around the apparent safety of American air travel, he said.

Persons: Barb Handley, –, ” Handley, Handley, ”, ‘, Mary Handley, Alice, Barb Handley Miller, Pat Gabrielse, Dan Handley, Beth Handley McMall, Kathleen Handley Salemi, Cara, Erin Ashcraft, “, I’m, ” Cara, ” Cara Ashcraft, ’, McDonnell Douglas, Andy Scott, “ I’m, ” Erin Ashcraft, ” ‘ I’ve, Trey Smith, “ I’ve, ” Smith, Smith, Scott Kirby, United, Boeing Aubrey, Max, Aubrey, they’re, ” Anthony Brickhouse, Florida’s Embry, Brickhouse, Ed Pierson, Pierson, That’s, ” CNN’s Chris Isidore, Jacopo Prisco Organizations: CNN, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines Boeing, Boeing, –, National Transportation, NTSB, Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines, American Airlines, McDonnell, Little Rock National Airport, Dallas Morning News, International Air Transport, United, Reuters United, Airbus, “ Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Florida’s, Riddle Aeronautical University, Alaska Airlines Max, US Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Foundation for Aviation Safety, Air Canada, San Francisco International Airport Locations: Alaska, Little Rock , Arkansas, United States, Virginia, Los Angeles, East, Southwest

In February last year, a new Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max plane was on one of its first flights when an automated stabilizing system appeared to malfunction, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing soon after they took off. Less than two months later, an Alaska Airlines 737 Max plane with eight hours of total flight time was briefly grounded until mechanics resolved a problem with a fire detection system. And in November, an engine on a just-delivered United Airlines 737 Max failed at 37,000 feet. These incidents, which the airlines disclosed to the Federal Aviation Administration, were not widely reported. But since Jan. 5, when a panel on a two-month-old Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet blew off in midair, episodes like these have taken on new resonance, raising further questions about the quality of the planes Boeing is producing.

Persons: Max, ”, Joe Jacobsen Organizations: Southwest Airlines Boeing, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, Max, Boeing Locations: Alaska

☆ Qantas pilots landed a plane with just one working engine, and the airline says it was safe to do so
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Qantas pilots safely landed a plane with a single engine in Perth. Engine failure is rare, but it's not the first time a Qantas engine has had issues. These aircraft are designed to safely operate with one engine," Qantas told The West Australian. AdvertisementIt's not the first time Qantas pilots have had to turn off an engine to land safely. In January 2023, pilots landed a Qantas flight flying from Auckland to Sydney after one of the engines failed while crossing the Tasman Sea.

Persons: it's, —, they'd, Lachlan Britt, Darrell Weekes, Doug Drury, you'd, Drury Organizations: Qantas, Service, West, The West Australian, Airbus, West Australian, Business, The West, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, University of Bologna, Federal Aviation Administration, Central Queensland University, CNN Locations: Perth, Melbourne, Australia, Auckland, Sydney

☆ Flying is getting scary. But is it still safe?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Another Boeing jet plunged so severely that passengers were thrown onto the ceiling of the cabin, leaving dozens so injured they need to be hospitalized upon landing. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images/FileHowever, other forms of flying are not nearly as safe. “Taking the Max out of the equation, (flying has) been proven to be pretty darn safe,” he said. A year ago, the discussion about air safety wasn’t focused on Boeing planes. “The gold standard is melting down, because we continue to try to downplay everything and talk about how safe the system is.

Persons: Kardashian, ”, Anthony Brickhouse, “, it’s, Carlos Avila Gonzalez, Ed Pierson, Max, Pierson, ” Brickhouse, We’ve, That’s, Brickhouse Organizations: New, New York CNN, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Japanese Coast Guard, Embry, Riddle Aeronautical University, Asiana Airlines, San Francisco International, San Francisco Chronicle, Railroads, Amtrak, Foundation for Aviation Safety, Max, Alaska Air, National Transportation Safety Board, FedEx, an Air Canada, San Francisco International Airport, NTSB, Air Canada, “ Pilots Locations: New York, Tokyo, Buffalo , New York, United States, San Francisco, Southwest, Alaska, “, Hawaii

☆ 8 Incidents in 2 Weeks: What’s Going on With United’s Planes?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Christine Chung | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An engine fire sparked by plastic packaging wrap, a tire lost shortly after takeoff and a plane veering off the runway: These are among the eight incidents that have occurred over the past two weeks on flights operated by United Airlines. While no injuries — or worse — have been reported, the mishaps have generated headlines and stoked rising anxiety about aviation safety among federal officials and passengers alike. All of the incidents happened in the United States, and five involved airplanes made by Boeing, a manufacturer already under intense scrutiny. In January, a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner in mid-flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing. United, one of the world’s largest airlines, flies aircraft manufactured mainly by Boeing and Airbus.

Persons: jetliner, Scott Kirby, ” Organizations: United Airlines, Boeing, Alaska Airlines Boeing, Max, Airbus Locations: United States

☆ United's string of scary safety events likely has nothing to do with Boeing
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewFrom a missing panel to a tire falling off midair, United Airlines has experienced multiple high-profile safety incidents over the past few weeks. Instead, some aviation experts have pointed to a possible trend in United's maintenance safety systems. Regarding the missing panel, he said, "that smacks of a maintenance problem of United Airlines." Former Delta Air Lines chief pilot, Alan Price, noted safety redundancies in some events played out as they were designed to. Kirby said safety enhancements like an extra day of pilot training and a "centralized training curriculum" for new-hire mechanics, which were planned before the recent safety events, are actively being deployed.

Persons: —, Max, That's, Arthur Rosenberg, Richard Aboulafia, Steve Ganyard, Alan Price, Kit Darby, Mark Millam, Scott Kirby, Kirby Organizations: Service, United Airlines, Airbus, Boeing, Business, Fox News, Tires, Aviation, ABC, Denver International Airport ,, Aviation Safety Network, Former Delta Air Lines, Associated Press, CBS, Flight Safety Foundation, Alaska Airlines Locations: Houston, San Francisco, United, Denver, Denver International Airport , Colorado, USA

☆ So-called black boxes carry the real answer to what happened on LATAM flight 800
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Running to the tail of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner is an umbilical cord carrying a rapid play-by-play of virtually every flight feature. The 787 Dreamliner — one of Boeing’s more recently developed aircraft — feeds data into the flight data recorder through a system called the Common Data Network, which some compare to the human body’s central nervous system. The Federal Aviation Administration used this data after ungrounding Boeing’s 737 Max in late 2020 to track every Max flight. Some aircraft also carry a Quick Access Recorder (QAR) that is not hardened like the FDR but tracks the same data. When US Air flight 427 crashed three years later near Pittsburgh, the FDR recorded 11 parameters.

Persons: FDR, ”, Peter Goelz, Goelz, Kathleen Bangs, Max Organizations: CNN, FDR, LATAM Airlines, Street Journal, National Transportation Safety Board, US National Transportation Safety Board, International Civil Aviation Organization, Federal Aviation Administration, Aircraft Communications, United Airlines, US Air, NTSB Locations: France, Australia, United Kingdom, Pittsburgh

☆ Europe regulator says it would pull Boeing approval if needed
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Signage outside the Boeing Co. manufacturing facility in Renton, Washington, US, on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. The acting head of Europe's aviation regulator said on Wednesday the agency would halt its indirect approval of Boeing's jet production if warranted, but he feels reassured that the plane maker is tackling its latest safety crisis. Asked if EASA would be prepared to stop recognizing U.S. production safety approvals declaring that Boeing jets are built safely, Tytgat said, "If need be, yes." The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, said last week an audit of Boeing and supplier Spirit AeroSystems found multiple instances of poor controls. Under a transatlantic pact, the FAA and EASA regulate the factories of their respective plane makers — Boeing and Airbus — and recognize each other's safety approvals.

Persons: Luc Tytgat, Tytgat, AeroSystems Organizations: Boeing Co, Reuters, European Union Aviation Safety, Boeing, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Airbus — Locations: Renton , Washington, US

☆ A Chinese airline warned passengers not to throw coins into plane engines after an Airbus A350 was delayed for 4 hours
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

China Southern Airlines warned passengers on social media not to throw coins at planes. In a video, a flight attendant tells confused passengers someone threw "three to five coins" into the engine. AdvertisementA major Chinese airline has warned passengers not to throw coins into its planes' engines after an incident last week. China Southern Airlines posted a five-minute video on Weibo explaining how actions like "throwing coins at the plane" can delay flights and threaten safety. CNN reported that it happened on another Chinese Southern Airlines flight in 2017, when an elderly passenger said it was "a prayer for a safe flight."

Persons: —, 📹亡 Organizations: China Southern Airlines, Service, Weibo, Liberty Times, Airbus, Southern Airlines Locations: Hainan, Beijing, Sanya

☆ Airplane safety has hit a new record. But these ‘critical phase’ challenges are still a problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Now in its 60th year, the IATA Annual Safety Report - compiled by the International Air Transport Association - has been tracking the evolution of commercial aviation safety since 1964. But despite this, 2023 had the lowest fatality risk and “all accident” rate on record. North America has maintained a fatality risk of zero since 2020, says IATA. Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post/USA Today Network/Sipa USAThe 2023 “all accident” rate was better than the year before in all regions except North America and Asia Pacific. Europe has maintained a fatality risk of zero since 2018.

Persons: hasn’t, ”, Willie Walsh, Greg Lovett, haven’t Organizations: CNN, Alaska Airlines, IATA, International Air Transport Association, Yeti Airlines, Regional, Palm Beach International, USA, Tokyo Haneda, Japan Airlines Locations: Nepal, Florida, North America, Asia, Europe, Africa, North Asia, Tokyo

☆ FAA had 'no presence' in Boeing's factory, despite its headquarters being 20 minutes away, former employee says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewA Boeing whistleblower who quit over concerns about the company's 737 Max production told Politico that the FAA had "no presence" at the factory he worked in. Two months after Pierson's resignation, a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max crashed into the sea in October 2018, killing all 198 people on board. The company faced backlash again in January of this year after a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off mid-flight . Pierson told the publication. AdvertisementPierson told Politico that he still feels unsafe on Boeing Max planes — so much so that he refuses to fly on them.

Persons: —, Max, Ed Pierson, Calhoun, Pierson, Dave Calhoun, JASON REDMOND, That's Organizations: Service, Boeing, Politico, FAA, Lion Air Boeing, Business, Ethiopian Airlines, New York Times, NBC News, Alaska Airlines Boeing, Max, CNBC, Alaska Airlines, Boeing Renton Factory, Getty, Foundation for Aviation Safety, Boeing Max, FFA Locations: Renton , Washington, AFP, Northwest, Seattle, New York, Alaska, Wichita , Kansas

☆ Aviation safety panel finds Boeing culture included safety ‘gaps,’ fear of retaliation
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Chris Isidore | Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Federal Aviation Administration issued a report Monday sharply critical of the safety culture at Boeing, following two fatal crashes and several years of safety and quality issues at the troubled aircraft maker. Its work included conducting more than 250 interviews and reviewing more than 4,000 pages of documents, and focused on both safety culture and the FAA program that delegates some aircraft certification work to Boeing employees. The panel was not charged with reporting on any specific incident involving Boeing aircraft. “However on several occasions during the expert panel’s activities, serious quality issues with Boeing products became public. In particular, it found Boeing repeatedly revised its Safety Management System – or SMS – manual, which is suppose to guide employees on procedures they should follow to insure planes are safe.

Persons: Boeing’s repreated, ”, Dave Calhoun, “ Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, FAA

☆ Project Sunrise: Aircraft delays push back launch date for Qantas’ record-breaking flights
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Travelers who were hoping to experience Qantas’ long-awaited, record-breaking ‘Project Sunrise’ flights next year will have to be a bit more patient. Project Sunrise: Australian airline Qantas is gearing up to launch its ultra long-haul "Project Sunrise" flights between Australia and New York City and London. Qantas Business Suites: For the first time, Qantas will add a sliding door to its business class seats for added privacy. The layout includes six first class seats in a 1-1-1 configuration, 52 business class seats in 1-2-1, 40 premium economy seats in 2-4-2 and 140 economy seats in 3-3-3. Business class suites will be 42 inches wide with 25-inch-wide chairs that can be reclined into a two-meter bed.

Persons: ” Christian Scherer, – Organizations: CNN — Travelers, Qantas, Airbus, Sydney, Reuters, CNN, Sunrise, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Boeing, Australian, Qantas Qantas, Singapore Airlines ’, JFK Locations: Australia, New York, London, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Sri Lanka, New York City, Singapore Airlines ’ Singapore, JFK

☆ China’s coast guard has triggered ‘panic’ in Taiwan. That’s only part of Beijing’s plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Nectar Gan | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“It’s super scary,” a passenger told Taiwan’s United Daily News in a video upon returning to shore under the escort of a Taiwanese coast guard ship on Monday. “(The Chinese coast guard) chose a tourist vessel because it’s high profile – you would expect lots of people on the boat with cameras and phones,” he said. The stakes are high, as the increased presence and closer proximity of Chinese and Taiwanese coast guard vessels raise the specter of miscalculations that could potentially spiral into open conflict. Speaking to reporters about the inspection by the Chinese coast guard, Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-kcheng highlighted such risks, saying the defense ministry is “very concerned” about potential miscalculations. Taiwan's coast guard inspects a vessel that capsized during a chase off the coast of Kinmen on February 14, 2024.

Persons: King Xia, ” Kuan, Taiwan’s, Ian Chong, Chong, ”, “ They’re, Chiu Kuo, Lai Ching, China’s, Nancy Pelosi’s, Tian Feilong, It’s, Tian, “, Lai Organizations: Taipei CNN, Taiwan’s United Daily News, Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, Democratic Progressive Party, National University of Singapore, South China, Taiwan’s, Taiwan Coast Guard Administration Locations: Hong Kong, Taipei, Taiwanese, Kinmen, China’s, Beijing, Taiwan, Xiamen, China, East, South, Taiwan's, Nauru, Taiwan Strait

☆ The Alaska Air flight was terrifying. It could have been so much worse
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Because for the 171 passengers, four flight attendants and two pilots on board Alaska Airlines flight 1282 who experienced all of that on January 5, it could have been so much worse. Passenger oxygen masks hang from the roof next to a missing door plug of an Alaska Airlines flight on January 5. Here’s the ways in which Alaska Air — and Boeing — got lucky to have the plane finally develop problems when and how it did on January 5. Both would not have been the case had the door plug come out at the cruising altitude above 30,000 feet. Damage to the planeThe real nightmare scenario for experts is what happened to the door plug once it blew away.

Persons: “, ” Jennifer Homendy, Max, ”, Anthony Brickhouse, Boeing —, Jennifer Riordan, Brickhouse, “ There’s, Mike Dostert, Joe Jacobsen, Ben Minicucci, Homendy, ” Minicucci, Dave Calhoun, Calhoun Organizations: New, New York CNN, Alaska Airlines, National Transportation Safety, CNN, Boeing, Embry Riddle University, Alaska Air —, Transportation Safety, Max, Foundation for Aviation Safety, FAA, “, Records, Aircraft, Japan Air Lines, NTSB Locations: New York, Instagram, Alaska, Hawaii, Anchorage, Honolulu, Portland

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal accident investigators are pushing to retrofit current aircraft with better cockpit voice recorders, citing the loss of evidence during last month's blowout of a door panel on a jetliner flying over Oregon. The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday that the Federal Aviation Administration should require many current planes to have recorders that can capture 25 hours of audio, up from the current standard of two hours. The FAA announced late last year a proposal to require the 25-hour standard but only on new planes. The FAA received about 115 comments about its proposal during a comment period that ended Feb. 2. Photos You Should See View All 22 ImagesCockpit voice recorders, or CVRs, are designed to capture conversations between pilots and any other noises that might help investigators understand the circumstances of an accident.

Persons: don’t, ”, Jennifer Homendy, — Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, The National Transportation Safety, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, European Union Aviation Safety Agency, United, Alaska Airlines, NTSB, Air Canada Locations: Oregon, Europe, San Francisco

☆ Taiwan reports more Chinese balloons over Taiwan Strait
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A kid runs across the flag of Taiwan banner during the announcement of official results on January 13, 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwan's defense ministry said on Sunday it had detected eight Chinese balloons crossing the Taiwan Strait in the previous 24 hours, of which five flew across Taiwan, the second day in a row is has reported a large number of balloons. China's defense ministry did not answer calls seeking comment on Sunday. Both China and Taiwan are currently celebrating the Lunar New Year holiday, the most important festival in the Chinese-speaking world. Chinese warplanes operate daily in the Taiwan Strait and often cross its median line that previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides.

Persons: China's, Lai Ching, Lai Locations: Taiwan, Taipei, China, United States

☆ Worried about how safe it is to fly? Here’s what the experts have to say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“I don’t believe that you should be worried,” says Geoffrey Thomas, an aviation safety expert and editor in chief of Airline Ratings, which publishes an annual list of the safest airlines. The list of the world’s safest airlines is topped by Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, Finnair and Cathay Pacific. Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images“Aviation is the safest mode of transportation,” says Anthony Brickhouse, a professor of aviation safety at Florida’s Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “Unfortunately, with the Japan Airlines accident, we did lose five people on the military aircraft, but everybody made it off of the civilian aircraft. Remote in probabilityDespite concerns, the Boeing 737 has a better safety record than the 747, experts say.

Persons: ”, Geoffrey Thomas, it’s, “, Thomas, Charly Triballeau, Anthony Brickhouse, Florida’s Embry, Brickhouse, Max, we’ve, Willie Walsh, Arnold Barnett, That’s, we’re, ” Barnett, Jason Redmond, Barnett Organizations: CNN, Alaska Airlines, Max, Boeing, “, Airbus, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Getty, Florida’s, Riddle Aeronautical University, US Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Japan Airlines Airbus, Tokyo Coast Guard, FAA, Japan Airlines, NTSB, Reuters, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, European Union, United Locations: AFP, Tokyo, Japan, Africa, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Canada, China, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

☆ Taiwan Reports More Chinese Balloons Over Taiwan Strait
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry said on Sunday it had detected eight Chinese balloons crossing the Taiwan Strait in the previous 24 hours, of which five flew across Taiwan, the second day in a row is has reported a large number of balloons. In its daily report on Chinese military activities, Taiwan's defence ministry said it spotted the first balloon on Saturday morning and the last one mid-afternoon, having spotted the same number of balloons on Friday. China's defence ministry did not answer calls seeking comment on Sunday. Both China and Taiwan are currently celebrating the Lunar New Year holiday, the most important festival in the Chinese-speaking world. Chinese warplanes operate daily in the Taiwan Strait and often cross its median line that previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides.

Persons: China's, Lai Ching, Lai, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard, Sonali Paul Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, China, Taipei, United States

But Finland's national carrier Finnair said Friday that it started asking passengers this week voluntarily and anonymously hop onto a scale with their hand luggage at the country's main airport in Helsinki, the airline said Friday. Passengers boarding onto European and long-haul flights won't be “penalized for their weight,” and “the numbers are kept discreet, away from prying eyes,” she added. Finnair has chosen the latter, but safety authorities require that the survey is renewed every five years. The last time Finnair weighed passengers was in 2018. In June, New Zealand’s national airline also weighed passengers before boarding.

Persons: Finnair, ”, Päivyt Tallqvist, Tallqvist Organizations: Associated Press, Passengers, European Aviation Safety Authority, New Locations: COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Helsinki, Finnair

☆ Finnair starts weighing flying passengers at the gate
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —We all know what it’s like to have our baggage weighed at an airport check-in. But now, some brave airline passengers are consenting to being weighed themselves before boarding the plane. In a trial by European carrier Finnair at its Helsinki Airport hub, volunteer passengers are being weighed at the departure gate in order to allow the airline to refine weight estimates for planes before takeoff. Korean Air conducted its own weighing program in 2023, while Air New Zealand also did a weight survey last year. Finnair is collecting data for both winter and summer seasons, since passengers tend to wear heavier clothing and coats during the cold Finnish winters.

Persons: “ crouch, ”, you’ve, who’s, Päivyt, Finnair’s, Tallqvist, Alessandro Rampazzo, Finnair, Munnukka Organizations: CNN, Helsinki Airport, Getty, Civil Aviation Authority, European Aviation Safety Authority, Korean Air, Air New, Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Locations: Helsinki, AFP, Air New Zealand, Finnish, Munnukka

☆ Captain Sully and the FAA are warning against plans to force pilots to retire later — as aviation safety comes into laser focus during the Boeing scandal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewCaptain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberg and aviation regulators are warning Congress against raising the mandatory retirement age for pilots to 67. But as Congress works on the reauthorization bill, aviation experts are raising concerns about this potential measure. AdvertisementOn Monday, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker wrote a letter to Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, who sit on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. "The pilot retirement age should not be raised," he said in a Wednesday X post. It says it wouldn't increase the number of pilots working, per the AP.

Persons: —, Chesley, Sully, Sullenberg, Mike Whitaker, Ted Cruz, Maria Cantwell, Whitaker Organizations: Service, Federal Aviation Administration, Business, Reuters, Commerce, Science, Transportation, FAA, Pilots, Regional Airline Association, Associated Press, Air Line Pilots Association Locations: Canada

☆ Finnair has started asking passengers to volunteer to be weighed at the gate, and it's giving them a free baggage tag if they agree
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Finnair said no personal data is being collected along with passenger weight. Finnair uses its own passenger weight measurements, and authorities require that the data is updated every five years. The European Aviation Safety Authority also collects its own data on passenger weight for aircraft mass and balance calculations. Its latest study, in 2022, showed that average passenger weight did not significantly increase or decrease since the last study in 2009. AdvertisementAir New Zealand, Korean Air, Hawaiian Airlines have made similar requests of passengers in the past year, to better understand average weights for safety.

Persons: Finnair, —, Munnukka Organizations: Service, Guardian, European Aviation Safety Authority, Korean Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Uzbekistan Airlines, Business Insider Locations: Finnair, Finnair's, Helsinki, Zealand, Korean

☆ The Boeing 737 Max blowout has sparked a rare wave of public criticism from airline CEOs and the FAA, with harsh words flying about its quality control
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Airline CEOs have criticized Boeing in the wake of the Alaska Airlines blowout. AdvertisementThe Alaska Airlines blowout in January has subjected Boeing to a torrent of criticism from airline executives. AdvertisementFrom Boeing's biggest customer to regulators' strong words, the incident has sparked a wave of public criticism, a rarity in the aviation sector. AdvertisementAs the FAA increased its oversight of Boeing's production line, Administrator Mike Whitaker said: "The quality-assurance issues we have seen are unacceptable." Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, backed the FAA's actions, saying it "is holding Boeing accountable for its production quality problems."

Persons: —, Stan Deal, Scott Kirby, United Airlines Scott Kirby, Brian Snyder United, didn't, Max, Kirby, Ben Minicucci, Minicucci, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair Michael O'Leary, Yves Herman Ireland, O'Leary, Dave Calhoun, Tim Clark, they've, Clark, Mike Whitaker, Pete Buttigieg, Win McNamee, Donald Trump, Whitaker Organizations: Boeing, Alaska Airlines, FAA, Service, Street Journal, Airplanes, United Airlines, REUTERS, CNBC, NBC, Ryanair, Financial Times, Airbus, Emirates, Transportation, Max, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Alaska

☆ Japan Airlines Crash: Air Traffic Controllers Call for 'Significant' Staff Increase
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO (Reuters) - A labour union representing air traffic controllers in Japan has called for a "significant increase" in staff to improve the safety of operations at airports in the wake of a deadly crash at Tokyo's Haneda airport last month. "We strongly urge the realisation of a significant increase in the number of air traffic controllers," Masato Yamazaki said in the statement, adding that speculation about the cause of the crash risked putting mental strains on controllers. He said repeated staffing requests to the government, which directly employs air traffic controllers in Japan, have been only partially approved in recent years despite increased workload on controllers. Other countries including the United States and France are grappling with air traffic control staff shortages that airlines have argued pose risks to aviation safety. In 2019, each air traffic control operator in Japan handled nearly 7000 flights, up from around 4,600 in 2004, according to the ministry's records.

Persons: Masato Yamazaki, Yamazaki, Nobuhiro Kubo, John Geddie, Jamie Freed Organizations: Japan Airlines, JAL, Coast Guard, Airbus, Authorities Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Haneda, United States, France

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