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2012 News

February 2012

7 February: SAA Voyager Centre tackles credit card fraud

In an effort to fight increasing cases of credit card fraud at its Voyager Centre, South African Airways (SAA) has announced that it has changed the requirements when dealing with upgrade taxes and verification processes. From 31 January, SAA call centres are no longer required to request credit card authentication from clients in the form of a copy of the back and front of the card together with a copy of the customer's identification document. The airline is currently also in the process of developing a systematic payment verification process to further ensure the prevention of any incidents of fraud in the future.

7 February: SAA's strategy to get passengers out of London

The replacement of smaller aircraft with larger ones that cater for more passengers has been the saving grace of many flying South African Airways (SAA) from snow-struck London. The decision to use aircraft with larger passenger capacity for flights to and from London, was reached on Saturday when it became apparent that some 30% of flights from Heathrow Airport would have been cancelled due to snow and ice expected for the British capital. Saturday saw 15cm of snow falling over the City.

7 February: Cathay Pacific's suspends Jo'burg online booking service

Cathay Pacific's Johannesburg office has confirmed that the airline will temporarily suspend its global online booking system and other online services over the weekend of 11 and 12 February during a reservation systems upgrade. The airline will be switching to a new reservations system and replacing an in-house system introduced in the 1980s.

7 February: Acsa wins concession for Brazilian airport

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), in partnership with Brazilian companies Invepar and OAS, yesterday won a concession to overhaul Sao Paulo's Guarulhos Airport in the South American country. The consortium won with a bid of R71.3bn, making it the most valuable of three Brazilian airport contracts awarded yesterday.

6 February: Comair shows resilience in the face of economic doom

Erik Venter, Comair CEO said that Comair Limited is displaying staying power during these tough economic conditions. Globally airlines are all feeling the pinch and 2012 will be a watershed where only the most agile will survive. As part of this strategy to improve efficiency and increase revenue, Comair is implementing new technology with the introduction of the Sabre Sonic CSS suite, a revenue-generating reservations system that includes inventory management and check-in systems.

6 February: Man praises police and iCloud

Hennie Stander, a Durban man has praised the swift response of the police and the iCloud service for Apple products which led to the speedy recovery of his missing iPad this week. Stander had left his iPad on a Mango Airlines plane and contacted Mango staff who told him that nothing had been on the plane. A driver for an aircraft catering company and a cleaner were apprehended.

6 February: San Francisco Airport receives yoga room

San Francisco Airport has opened what it calls a first of its kind yoga room. Airport officials said the low lights, and soothing blue walls aim to afford stressed out travellers an oasis of calm in which to flex, twist and decompress. The idea for the room, in the newly refurbished Terminal 2, came from a passenger suggestion at an open house. It joins the Berman reflection room, a space intended for silence and meditation located before Terminal 2 security.

6 February: SA Air Force pilot forced to resign over ejection

An South African Air Force (SAAF) pilot who flew Cheetah fighters was grounded and ordered to sit at a desk and make tea for senior officers. Andrea Serra, 43, a major in the SAAF, is suing the Ministry of Defence for R3 482 124 for loss of income, claiming that he was "victimised and unfairly treated" by his superiors. He has told the Pretoria High Court that he was made to resign from the air force after ejecting from a fighter plane.

He has however, been told by the court that his multi-million rand claim was ludicrous as his complaint was vague and embarrassing. "This reasoning is so ludicrous bearing in mind that your reason for resignation is constructive dismissal," said SA National Defence Force lawyer advocate Tobias Kruger. He said Serra was barred from flying until he resolved the problems in his marriage.

6 February: Airbus modifies production process of Superjumbo airliner

Airbus is modifying the production process for the wings of its A380 Superjumbo airliner. This is to eliminate the recently discovered problem of two types of cracks in non-critical wing components. Both types of crack have been found on L-shaped brackets, inside the wing, which are used to attach the skin of the wing to the ribs inside the wing.

6 February: Emirates launches service to Lusaka and Harare

Emirates has extended its reach into Africa with the launch of a new linked service to Lusaka and Harare. The airline now flies to 22 destinations in Africa, and the new service will connect Zambia and Zimbabwe to key markets across Europe, the Far East, Australasia and the Indian subcontinent. The Dubai-Lusaka-Harare service operates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using an A330-200 aircraft in a three-class configuration.

6 February: Comair Chairperson Donald Novick retires

Comair Chairperson Donald Novick retired yesterday after 50-years at the airline, following the resignation of his sons Gidon, who resigned as Comair co-CEO, and Ari, who resigned as MD of Comair General Aviation Holdings last year. Comair joint deputy Chairperson Martin Moritz will informally assume the role until a news Chairperson is elected on 13 February, Comair said yesterday.

6 February: Etihad Airways to offer 96-hour tourist visas

Etihad Airways is offering complimentary 96-hour tourist visas to guests transiting the United Arab Emirates, effective immediately. The visas, ideal for travellers making stopovers en-route to their final destination, are being offered in co-operation with Radisson Blu hotel on Yas Island.

6 February: Comair to discontinue Johannesburg-Nelspruit services

Comair said this week that it would suspend its Johannesburg-Nelspruit service from 11 February. The airline also confirmed that it would discontinue services between Johannesburg and Vilanculos, Mozambique. It said Federal Air would continue the service under its own brand.

2011 News

November 2011

24 November: TAAG Angola Airlines allowed to add two aircraft

As a result of "further improvement", TAAG Angolan Airlines is now allowed to add two aircraft to those operating into the EU. The announcement was made when the European Commission announced its updated list of airlines operating to the European Union. TAAG Angolan Airlines is now allowed to operate two B777-300s into the EU.

24 November: Helicopter crashes while putting up Christmas tree

A helicopter helping to install a Christmas tree on Auckland's waterfront crashed in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, but the pilot escaped serious injury. Footage captured by Television New Zealand on Wednesday morning shows the pilot slowly descending from about eight metres when the chopper's blades appear to get caught in cables attached to scaffolding. The rear of the helicopter snaps and the pilot is tossed about as the helicopter smashes into the ground. The television station reported that pilot Greg Gribble, who has 20-years of flight experience, said he was "doing fine" after his ordeal.

24 November: Acsa denies reports of OR Tambo scam

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has denied reports of a scam at OR Tambo International Airport involving con-artists posing as porters. According to information given to Hotel & Restaurantmagazine by an anonymous source, passengers arriving at the international terminal are accosted by porters brandishing Acsa permits and demanding exorbitant amounts of money to carry their baggage and escort them to the domestic departures section of the airport. It was alleged the porters were in cahoots with check-in and security staff to carry out the scam, the magazine reported. But Acsa's Communications and Brand Manager for OR Tambo International Airport, Unathi Batyashe-Fillis, said the authority is not aware of any such scam.

24 November: BA gives Cape Town new accolade

British Airways' international customers have added Cape Town's recent strings of accolades, naming the Mother City as one of the most desirable places in the world to visit this summer. Cape Town came fifth in an online poll of places people would most like to visit.

24 November: Airport workers paid bonuses to crackdown on bulky baggage

Airport workers are being paid bonuses to crack down on travellers with bulky hand luggage. They get £5 (R60) for every 10 passengers they can ask to pay to check in bags deemed too big to carry onto aircraft. Ryanair passengers are among those who could face particularly eagle-eyed attention as a result, but other budget airlines are thought to use similar tactics. Airlines often have contracts, which give companies that provide check-in staff a financial incentive to detect passengers with excess baggage.

24 November: Pilot causes hijack scare after locked in loo

A pilot created a hijacking scare when he got stuck in the lavatory during a flight in the US. The captain of the Delta flight accidentally locked himself in the bathroom during the flight from Ashville, North Carolina, to New York. The co-pilot became alarmed and notified air-traffic control after a passenger, with a "thick foreign accent", tried to alert the cockpit of the problem.

23 November: Lufthansa increases seats on SA routes

German airline Lufthansa, which has resumed its seasonal service between Frankfurt and Cape Town in addition to its daily flights to Johannesburg, increased the number of seats on the two routes by 60%. The average passenger loads to and from Cape Town were currently around 85% and the Director in Southern Africa of the airlines advised to resume year-round flights to the City.

23 November: The cost of flying to increase with carbon tax

Suggestions by the South African government that it will include airlines in its economy-wide carbon tax will, if they become a reality, lead to further costs for passengers. If a carbon tax is levied on flights in and from South Africa by the government, there will be an effective double taxing of emissions, because the EU has already proposed sweeping emission levies on all aircraft flying into Europe.

23 November: Biofuels need to make up half of SAA fuel supply by 2020

Biofuels may need to comprise as much as half of South African Airways' (SAA's) fuel supply by 2020 if the national carrier is to avoid future carbon penalties, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Monday. Speaking at the launch of a solar photovoltaic facility alongside Eskom's Lethabo power station, near Vereeniging, in Gauteng, Gigaba said SAA was "extremely vulnerable" to the possible imposition of penalties and taxes on carbon emissions, owing to the fact that it operated in the global market. "To address this challenge will require a coordinated government programme that promotes investment in second generation biofuel crops," Gigaba said, adding that state-owned forestry company Safcol had been developing intellectual property to support this process.

23 November: Passengers forced to pay to stay grounded

Authorities are seeking reassurances from an airline after passengers claimed they were forced into a whip-round to fund the remainder of their trip back to Britain. Those on board said they were "held to ransom" for six hours on the tarmac in Vienna after a flight with Austrian airline Comtel Air from Amritsar in India stopped to refuel. They told how they had to hand over about R240 000 to pay for the rest of the journey. More than 180 passengers, who should have arrived back in Birmingham on Saturday, finally got there on Tuesday night, according to reports.

23 November: Pilot error contributed to near disaster at George Airport

Pilot error contributed to the near disaster at George Airport in 2009 when a jet belonging to Airlink overshot the runway, breached the perimeter fence and ended up in the middle of a public road. "The pilot in command of the George incident and his flying records are part of the investigation," Airlink CEO said yesterday. This brings a new twist to the long standing saga between Airports Company South Africa and Airlink, which have both denied culpability for the incident.

23 November: No word on suspended Zambezi flights

Following Zambezi Airlines suspension earlier this month, there has been no word from the airline about when, or if, it will resume flights. However, the Lusaka Times reported that one of its aircraft, which was damaged at Lusaka International Airport earlier this year, has been returned following six-months of repair work in South Africa.

23 November: Passengers cannot opt out of full body scan

Passengers flying to and from the UK will not be able to opt out of having a body security scan, the country's transport secretary said on Monday. Instead of a "pat down" search, passengers will have to pass through a security scanner, a procedure that could be rolled out across the UK in the future, Transport Secretary Justine Greening said in a statement. Proposals recently agreed by the European Parliament include the right to request an opt-out from scanning. Proposals to introduce body scanners in airports Europe-wide have been on the agenda since an attempted attack on a transatlantic flight by a man hiding an explosive device in his underwear on Christmas Day 2009.

23 November: The cost of flying to increase with carbon tax

23 November: SA Express skips meeting with MP's over irregularities

SA Express did not show up in Parliament yesterday to respond to allegations that they knew about alleged irregularities in the state-owned airline. The alleged irregularities are being investigated by forensic auditors. Democratic Alliance deputy spokesperson for public enterprise, Pieter van Dalen, experienced a frustrating morning as he was prepared to grill SA Express Chief Executive Inati Ntshanga over allegations that he and chairperson of the board, Lilian Boyle, had known about irregularities in the accounting system of the airline.

15 November: 77 people unharmed after botched landing

No one was harmed when an aircraft flying from OR Tambo International Airport to Pietermaritzburg from Madagascar landed on its belly. It was the skills of pilot Harm Kelderman and co-pilot Chris van Rensburg that ensured that none of the 77-people on board were hurt. Cabin crew members Felicia Mafunge and Nicola Haag have also been praised for remaining calm throughout. The plane landed on its belly, sparks flying and smoke filling the cabin, after its front landing gear failed. It seems there was a human error with the maintenance cycle on the plane and the undercarriage did not open.

15 November: French President's second hand jet costs R2.9bn

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's second-hand jet cost R2.9bn. Like President Jacob Zuma's office, Sarkozy's staff wanted a longer-range aircraft and had safety concerns after experiencing engine failures with his two previous Airbus A319s. Sarkozy's modified Airbus 330-200 is so large - it is twice the length of the A319 - that it reportedly cannot land on the Paris military runway used by his predecessors. Aviation International News reported that Sarkozy's staff demanded it be fitted with electric window shades, ovens which could warm and grill meals in-flight, and new engines.

15 November: Hawker Beechcraft to increase production of Hawker 400XPR

Hawker Beechcraft has announced plans to increase the scheduled production of its Hawker 400XPR. The 400XPR is an upgrade programme for the Hawker 400 that adds winglets, the Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engine and optional Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, as well as a number of other system enhancements. Certification of the engines and winglets is expected at the end of June 2012.

15 November: Qatar Airways eye African destinations

Qatar Airways' entry into two African cities this week marks the first of potentially more route launches on the Continent as the airline's CEO spelled out a commitment to grow its regional operations. The Libyan port City of Benghazi and Ugandan City of Entebbe have joined Doha-based Qatar Airways' global network taking the carrier's African portfolio to 16 destinations. In addition to the passenger flights launched to Uganda yesterday, Qatar Airways also began the first of twice-weekly dedicated freighter services to Entebbe.

15 November: Boeing executive assists in UAE puzzle

A top Boeing executive has added a new piece to the United Arab Emirates (UAE's) fighter modernisation puzzle, as the US government has delivered classified briefings about the capabilities of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the F-15E Strike Eagle. Neither aircraft has been mentioned in the past as among the options for replacing the UAE air force's fleet of Dassault Mirage 2000-9s. The UAE has been negotiating with France for the Dassault Rafale since 2008, and within the last two weeks asked the Eurofighter Typhoon to submit a rival bid. But UAE officials are still casting an even wider net as they consider all of their fighter modernisation requirements.

15 November: 330ml Valpré wins business with SAA

A newly designed 330ml Valpré spring water bottle, tailor-made for the airline industry, has won Coca-Cola South Africa (CCSA) business with South African Airways (SAA). Coca-Cola South Africa is to supply SAA with its premium spring water brand Valpré for the next three-years. Valpré is a proudly South African premium water brand of CCSA that is sustainably sourced from natural spring water and bottled through CCSA's state-of-the-art, energy efficient plant in Heidelberg, near Johannesburg. The Valpré bottle is made from up to 30% plants and is 100% recyclable. Over 8-million bottles of Valpré still and 680 000 bottles of Valpré sparkling will be supplied to SAA each year.

15 November: Cabinet orders house demolition

Hundreds of families in Syokimau, Nairobi are struggling to come to terms with their loss after their luxurious houses were demolished at the weekend. This comes after Cabinet established that the houses were built on land belonging to the Kenyan Airports Authority. It is being reported that the piece of land is part of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. House owners were on Monday due to go to court as they claim that Syokimau is not in capital Nairobi, and they did not invade land belonging to the authority.

15 November: Cape Town International give schools recording opportunity

Finalists in the Cape Town International Airport choir competition gave 14 schools from across the peninsula the chance to record their first festive CD. The three winners of the competition were recently announced at the airport shopping centre in Belhar. The winning schools were Settlers High School, Hoerskool Jan van Riebeeck and the Harry Gwala High School. The schools also won trophies, cellphones and cash prizes.

15 November: Airfare price discrepancy

The results of a survey released last Friday by online travel agency Travelstart are eye-opening. The company paid multinational consumer research company Synovate to source international flight prices from traditional travel agency groups, with surprising results. Prices varied hugely, leading Travelstart to allege that the agencies often quoted fares on which they stood to earn the highest margins, rather than those that were cheapest for the consumer. The agents, who were contacted, were not told that they were part of a survey, and the first price they quoted was used – no negotiating took place. Travelstart chose the travel agency brands and flight routes, but the researchers independently selected the dates and flight times and number of passengers.

15 November: Airlines in SA risk muti-million rand fines

Airlines in South Africa stand accused of flouting new consumer laws, risking multimillion-rand fines. Following complaints, the National Consumer Protection Commission analysed airline contracts and found most terms and conditions in breach of the Consumer Protection Act. Violations include non-refundable tickets, validity of airline tickets, ranging from three months to two years, over-selling and over-booking and the consumer's rights to a refund. Airlines have until 2 December to respond.

14 November: KSIA management centre launched

King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) has moved to ensure that there is no repeat of the logistical nightmare that took place on the afternoon of the Soccer World Cup semi-final in Durban last year, when the world again arrives in the City this time for the United Nations climate change talks. An airport management centre, which serves as an operations hub from which airlines, traffic control and ground handlers may make collaborative decisions was launched last week.

14 November: Egypt Air resume flights to Tripoli

Egypt's national airline will resume flights to the Libyan capital of Tripoli this week. Egyptian national airliner Egypt Air late last week released a statement, which said that it will resume flight service to its neighbouring country's capital, which were halted following Libya's eight-month civil war. Egypt Air said that it will run daily flights from Cairo to Tripoli starting 17 November. Meanwhile, Egypt Air said that it began running four flights per week to the eastern City of Benghazi earlier this month.

14 November: Acsa communications manager refutes allegation

Hilton resident Andy Pepperell, who was among the passengers on board Airlink Flight SA 8739 during last week's controlled emergency landing at OR Tambo International Airport, said that no paramedics or ambulance were immediately on standby to assist a colleague who had collapsed after exiting the aircraft. Airport Company South Africa (Acsa) Communications Manager at OR Tambo, uNathi Batyashe-Fillis refuted Pepperell's allegation. She said that all internal emergency services, which included an ambulance with paramedics, and fire crews were deployed.

11 November: SAA amends published fares

South African Airways has advised that it will be amending published fares between South Africa and other points in Africa, effective 18 November.The affected destinations include Nairobi, Lagos, Entebbe and Luanda. All tickets issued on or before 17 November will be honoured at current fare levels.

11 November: Malaysia Airlines to cut flights to SA

Malaysia Airlines plans to pull its flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town early next year. Malaysia's The Star Online has just reported that the airline is planning to axe various unprofitable routes in a bid to reduce costs. These include flights to South Africa and Buenos Aires as early as February. The airline will also pull out of Dubai but this will be done gradually with a reduction of frequencies. Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines country manager for South and Central Africa, Yusno Said the airline would soon notify the South African market of any official developments.

11 November: Air Zimbabwe confirms flight changes

Air Zimbabwe has confirmed changes to its current schedule between Johannesburg and Harare. Flight UM368, which originally only operated on Fridays and Sundays, will now operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing from Johannesburg at 09:30, arriving in Harare at 11:15. Flight UM362 also operates on the same days, departing Johannesburg at 19:50, arriving in Harare at 21:35. On the return leg flight UM367 operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing at 07:00, arriving in Johannesburg at 08:45.

11 November: Midrand's Grand Central Airport applies for international licence

Grand Central Airport in Midrand is in the process of applying for an international airport licence and is seeking to launch commercial operations within the next 18-months.The airport is currently in discussions with Airlink but several limitations and issues still need to be resolved. In terms of its international licence, all the necessary infrastructure is already in place to commence international operations.

10 November: Passengers pay more for Nigeria-Europe air tickets

Foreign airlines are ripping-off Nigerians, as they make them pay about 76% higher fares, for flights departing from Lagos and Abuja to Europe, than for flights departing from Accra, Ghana, to Europe. Analysts said there is no justification for the huge price difference, as Ghana is a smaller market than Nigeria, and that it is expected that smaller markets should attract high fares, on account of higher operational costs. But other analysts attribute the abnormality to the differences in airport charges, aviation fuel costs and business environment, in the two cities on the West Coast of Africa.

10 November: Etihad lands in the Seychelles

Etihad Airways celebrated its inaugural flight to the Seychelles on 2 November. A statement from the airline said that forward bookings for the route, which will operate four times a week using a two-class A320 aircraft, are strong, particularly from points of origin in the airline's European network. The airline said the schedule offers an afternoon arrival and evening departure and European travellers can take advantage of overnight flights through Abu Dhabi in both directions, offering them a full extra day in the Seychelles.

9 November: United Airlines makes first US flight with advanced biofuel

United Airlines will make the first US commercial flight using an "advanced biofuel" on Monday, algae-based biofuel maker Solazyme said. The flight from Houston to Chicago will take the Boeing 737-800 from the former home City of Continental Airlines to the base of United, which took over Continental last year to form United Continental. The Solajet fuel blend includes 60% petroleum-based jet fuel and 40% biofuel.

9 November: Contraband cigarettes worth R500 000 confiscated at CT Airport

Western Cape police reported that contraband cigarettes with a street value of more than R500 000 were seized at Cape Town International Airport on Saturday. Police acting on a tip-off seized the shipment being brought by truck from Johannesburg to Cape Town around 15:00. A total of 1 477 cartons and 280 packets of cigarettes were confiscated.

9 November: Air Zimbabwe fuel shortage suspend international flights

Air Zimbabwe has reportedly suspended its international flights this past weekend as a result of fuel shortages. The fuel shortages are the result of a debt of several thousand dollars owed to the airline's jet fuel suppliers. Currently, the airline is only operating its domestic and regional routes and it is believed that the airline will resume its international flights once adequate fuel supplies are secured.

9 November: Discomfort over probe at SA Express

There is a growing discomfort over the quality of a forensic probe under way at state-owned airline SA Express, where employees accused of impropriety have not been suspended amid fears they could be influencing the outcome of the investigation. SA Express' audit and risk committee commissioned a probe into the conclusion of an information technology contract worth between R3m and R5m with Merlyn Technologies. This followed a tip-off by an anonymous whistle-blower that procurement procedures were not followed.

9 November: US federal agents avert potentially catastrophic event

US federal agents at Chicago's O'Hare Airport averted "a potential catastrophic event" when they stopped a package containing a live military flare from being loaded onto a flight to Japan. US Customs and Border Protection said the Vietnam War-era device, identified as an M49A1 phosphorous trip flare, was found in the mail as it was passing through the busy facility on Thursday. When agents looking for contraband in the mail contacted the sender for more details, they learned he had acquired the device online from an estate sale and was sending it to a buyer in Japan.

9 November: Obama's VIP Boeing 737 mishandled

The improper handling of a VIP Boeing 737 carrying President Obama's wife, Michelle, into Andrews Air Force Base was the responsibility of a 21-year-old controller who had accumulated four operational errors in the previous four years. In a newly-released factual report on the 18 April operational error, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the controller violated at least two standard procedures for arrivals at the airport. After earlier co-ordination errors at the Potomac consolidated terminal radar approach control, the controller had been decertified but was later re-certified after training.

4 November: Kenya Air use fuel hedges as protection

Kenya Airways used fuel hedges to protect its bottom line from an escalation in direct costs in its first-half ended September, it said yesterday, as it prepares to raise funds to finance its expansion. The airline, 26% owned by Air France-KLM, posted a 38% jump in pretax profit to 2.83bn shillings.

4 November: Polish pilot considered a hero

Polish pilot, Tadeusz Wrona, who safely crash-landed a Boeing 767 with 230 people on board recounted on Wednesday his astonishment at discovering that the plane's landing gear did not work, but he said he was eager to get back to work again. Hailed by Poles as a hero for keeping calm and avoiding a disaster during Tuesday's emergency landing at Warsaw Airport. Polish President Bronislaw Kwasniewski said on Tuesday he would bestow a state decoration on Wrona for his feat.

4 November: Laser pointers causing air disasters increase

Aviation safety experts have said that the chances of handheld laser pointers causing an air disaster are becoming ever more likely. Incidents of lasers being used to target pilots in British airspace have leapt from only 30 in 2007 to 1 600 in the first nine months of this year. Laser interference generally involves directing beams at aircraft on take off or landing, the most critical phases of flight when pilots need to be their most alert. In several recent cases, pilots have been forced to hand the controls to their co-pilots after being temporarily blinded. The danger is posed either by the laser being shone directly into the pilots eyes, or reflecting off the cockpit windshield and filling the cabin with light.

4 November: Air France now flies direct to Cape Town

Local tourism has been given a major boost after it was announced that Air France became the 17th international airline to have flights direct to Cape Town. At a ceremony last night, MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Alan Winde, attended the departure of the first flight to the Charles de Gaulle Airport. The addition of Air France to the flight roster now means that the average number of international flights to Cape Town stands at 12.

4 November: Nigeria accuses Europe of unfair competition

Nigeria's head of civil aviation is accusing Europe of using safety blacklists as a mechanism for unfair competition. He added that many of the air accidents that occur in Africa are due to foreign registered aircraft or aircraft operating there illegally. The US Federal Aviation Authority has a system where if it deems that a country is unsafe, it bans all airlines from that country and it also prevents US carriers from operating there. However, Europe only bans the airlines from the blacklisted country, while allowing European airlines to continue flying there.

4 November: EU climate chief defends law on air pollution

Despite a protest by global airlines, the European Union's (EU's) climate chief said she hopes to avoid a confrontation over EU legislation that will charge airlines for pollution. Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard defended the EU legislation shortly before airlines in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the EU on Wednesday not to go ahead with plans to charge for carbon emissions on landing and take-off from Europe from 1 January.

4 November: BA reduces flights to Nigeria

The Federal Government yesterday directed Britain's largest carrier, British Airways (BA), to reduce its flights from seven per week to three on the Lagos to London route, effective 8 November. Government's decision is in retaliation to an alleged refusal by British Airways to grant slots to Arik Air, Nigeria's largest carrier by fleet size, at the London Heathrow Airport. Following this development, British Airways will now operate 10 frequencies into Nigeria, as against 14 on both the Lagos to London and the Abuja to London routes.

3 November: Qantas Airways to cut fares to win back passengers

A newspaper reported that Australia's Qantas Airways plans to cut fares and launch an advertising blitz to win back passengers after its recent showdown due to strike action caused international travel chaos and left almost 70 000 stranded. Qantas flights returned to normal on Tuesday for the first time since it grounded its global fleet last weekend, a deliberate tactic to gain the upper hand over unions in a long-running and costly dispute.

3 November: Singapore Airlines launches long-haul low-cost carrier

Singapore Airlines has officially launched its new long-haul low-cost carrier, Scoot. Starting in mid-2012 with a fleet of four B777-200 aircraft purchased from parent company, Singapore Airlines, Scoot will offer a no-frills service on medium- to long-haul routes to and from Singapore. It is managed and run independently to Singapore Airlines, and already operates from separate offices.

3 November: Durban North Virginia Airport receives extension

The lease for Virginia Airport in Durban North has been extended by the eThekwini Municipality for a further 10-years.The decision to renew the lease brought sighs of relief from aviation businesses based at the facility, who faced having to close up shop and relocate next year. It was unanimously endorsed by the council this week, based on recommendations by the economic development and planning committee chaired by Deputy Mayor Nomvuzo Shabalala. The leases of operators and businesses at the airport, which include a pilots association, three aircraft maintenance companies, five flight schools and 13 charter businesses, were set to expire in March next year.

3 November: Acsa continues to monitor fuel supply at OR Tambo

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) said yesterday that it continued to monitor fuel supply constraints at OR Tambo International Airport. The airport now had jet fuel for 3.1 days available. The situation had improved from the 2.5 days reported previously. OR Tambo usually keep five days' worth of fuel stock. However, because of the disruptions in supply, the stock level fell to 2.5 days.

3 November: LOT Boeing crash lands in Warsaw

No one was hurt when a Polish LOT Boeing 767 from New York carrying 230 people was forced to make an emergency landing at Warsaw Airport on Tuesday due to problems with the aircraft's landing gear. Live television footage showed the Boeing landing on its belly, with a few sparks flying as it hit the runway covered with flame retardant foam. There was no blaze but firefighters hosed the plane with water and foam as a precautionary measure.

3 November: FWA disallows further strikes

Following two days of emergency meetings, Fair Work Australia (FWA), the country's top labour relations body, has disallowed further strikes and set a deadline for talks to end the airline's contract dispute with three of its major unions. The FWA's ruling is a win for Qantas, which succeeded in forcing the government to intervene. However, unions and many lawmakers claim the Qantas moves were an overreaction, noting that strikes had so far been limited in scope. The carrier started resuming flights on 31 October, although it was expected to take about two days to restore full operations

3 November: Consumer Protection Act discourage overbooked flights

The Consumer Protection Act is intended to discourage airlines across the world who routinely use overbooking. Airways across the world do this in order to compensate for the inevitable "no shows", in the hope that the "extras" will all find seats and the plane will take-off as full as possible and everyone will be happy. However, the airlines get their sums wrong from time to time, and that is when people who have pre-booked and pre-paid for seats on a particular flight get told, that the flight is overbooked and they can catch the next flight home. Section 47 of the act states that if a company can not deliver on a pre-paid service at the agreed time, the supplier must refund the amount paid, with interest, and in addition compensate the consumer for costs directly incidental to the supplier's breach of contract.

2 November: Rolls-Royce outlines strategy for new generation engines

Rolls-Royce has outlined a strategy to increase electrical output on a new generation of aircraft engines with an high demand for onboard power supply. Alex Zino, Deputy Director for the company's defence strategy and business planning said that Rolls-Royce has completed a demonstration programme for a small electric engine that yielded insights into electric power generation and low-cost manufacturing techniques. Even as the UK-based company and other engine manufacturers are continuing to focus on reducing specific fuel consumption, noise and emissions of future engines, the power and thermal management of next-generation propulsion systems is the subject of intense development work.

2 November: SAA adds more travel options in Africa

South African Airways (SAA) said yesterday that it has added two more travel options to its African route network. From 17 January 2012, SAA will fly from Johannesburg to Rwanda's capital Kigali, and onwards to Burundi's capital Bujumbura and back.

2 November: Air traffic increases while cargo traffic decreases

According to figures released on Monday by the International Air Transport Association, passenger traffic rose strongly in September but cargo traffic fell back. Figures showed that passenger traffic was 5.6% higher than the same month last year and stronger than the 4.6% year-on-year growth recorded in August. Air freight however, posted a 2.7% contraction compared to September 2010. This is a further deterioration from the 2.4% recorded in August.

2 November: Joint venture to develop airports for 2014 Winter Olympics

Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, state lender Sberbank and Singapore's Changi Airport will create an airport business joint venture aimed at developing airports that will be used for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Russia will host both the Winter Olympics in 2014 as well as a joint venture intended for the football World Cup four years later. The nation and desperately needs to improve infrastructure including roads, hotels and airports ahead of the two global sporting events.

2 November: Bird causes emergency landing

A plane operated by German carrier, Condor, bound for the Egyptian resort town of Hurghada made an emergency landing in Hamburg on Monday after a bird struck the engine causing damage. A spokesperson for Condor, owned by London-listed tourism group Thomas Cook said that shortly after taking off from Hamburg, a bird struck the Boeing 757's left engine, which then failed. The 245 passengers and eight crew were uninjured.

2 November: Latvian Baltic Aviation Systems sole bidder for JAT Airways

Serbia's Infrastructure Ministry said that Latvian group, Baltic Aviation Systems, will be the sole bidder for troubled JAT Airways. The Latvian company has purchased transaction papers and they are now awaiting an offer. Serbia had previously failed to sell a majority stake in JAT to Turkish Airlines. A first tender for the sale of a 51% stake in JAT Airways, priced at $72m, failed in 2008.

2 November: SA Express to write off R16m from profit

State-owned airline SA Express would have to write off R16m from its R51m profit this past financial year and adjustments for accounting errors in earlier years could also have an effect on its financial statements, members of Parliament's Public Enterprises Committee heard yesterday. MPs awaited the findings of a forensic audit report, expected to be finalised this month. In the 2010/11 financial year, SA Express allegedly increased its revenue by 5% to R1.75bn but its net after-tax profit slumped 80% to R51m.

1 November: Canada carries out research on reducing slipstream noise

Canada is set to carry out detailed research on reducing landing gear slipstream noise, a significant contributor to an aircraft's overall noise on its landing approach.The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has set aside a wind tunnel in Ottawa, Ontario, and has outfitted it with an acoustic liner and precision noise measurement technology. NRC's experts disassemble landing gear, then reassemble it part by part, measuring the noise generated by wind flowing around each component, and that caused by components interacting. In the next 10-years, International Civil Aviation Organisation standards will demand reductions in noise generated by commercial aircraft by 32dB, relative to the current standard.

1 November: Namibia opens new airport

Groot Property Group plans to develop the Groot International Airport, near Etosha in Namibia, in a bid to draw more visitors to the region. The airport will handle direct flights from the US via Senegal, Europe and Asia.

1 November: Fuel shortage nears critical level

The country-wide liquid petroleum gas shortage is reaching critical levels, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said yesterday. Meanwhile, senior officials in the South African Tourism Association have informed the DA that OR Tambo International Airport jet fuel is on the verge of running out, according to DA energy spokesperson, Sejamothopo Motau.en and her friends.

1 November: EVA Air goes Hello Kitty

Taiwanese airline EVA Air has selected it's new Airbus A330-300s to be transformed into Hello Kitty jets. The entire aircraft will be adorned with images of the popular cartoon

1 November: Air Zambezi's operating certificate suspended

Over the past weekend, the Zambian government has suspended Air Zambezi's operating certificate (AOC) due to serious safety concerns. The Zambian National Broadcasting Commission reported that it learnt with shock the government's decision to suspend its certificate. Maurice Jangulo, Zambezi Airlines Chairperson, said the airline adhered to safety and aviation regulations relating to aircraft maintenance. He said all aircraft are maintained and certified by South African company, Jetworx. Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication Permanent Secretary, Dominic Sichinga, said government will soon institute a tribunal to investigate the airline's operations.

October 2011

27 October: Swiss airline, Edelweiss arrives in Cape Town

Edelweiss Air, a Swiss airline, arrived on its maiden flight from Zurich to Cape Town at 20:25 on 25 October with over 150 passengers on board and departed again for Zurich at 22:25 with about 50 passengers. Using the Airbus A330-200, the airline is scheduled to fly non-stop twice a week between Cape Town and Zurich on Tuesdays and Fridays. From 1 November flights will arrive at 21:45 and depart at 23:25. Edelweiss Air is the second airline to join the Cape Town International Airport family this year, following Zambezi Airlines, which started operating from Cape Town in June this year.

27 October: Qatar Airways schedule flights to Benghazi, Libya

Starting 1 November, Qatar Airways plans to launch scheduled flights to Benghazi, Libya. Operating four times a week non-stop from Doha, this makes the number of destinations launched by the airline to 15 during 2011. Qatar Airways will operate the route with an A320 dual configuration aircraft, offering 12 seats in first class and 132 in economy.

27 October: Boeing opens Cyber Engagement Centre

On Tuesday, Boeing opened a new Cyber Engagement Center (CEC) in Annapolis Junction. The 32 000-square-foot facility will provide a collaborative environment where security experts work together to address current and evolving cyber-security challenges. The CEC offers secure meeting areas as well as dynamic data analysis, information sharing, traffic intelligence, analytics and other capabilities for commercial and defence customers. It is staffed by cyber-security experts and research-and-development (R&D) teams from across the Boeing enterprise. John Hinshaw, Vice-President and General Manager of Boeing Information Solutions said that the risks to industry and government cyber-security grow every second of every day.

27 October: NATO accused of violating airspace

Yesterday, Pakistan officials accused North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) helicopters of violating Pakistan airspace over the Taliban and Haqqani stronghold of North Waziriston, along the Afghan border. According to an official in Peshawar, the helicopters flew in from the Afghan province of Paktia and circled the border village of Zoi Nara for more than five minutes.

27 October: SAA flight bomb scare a hoax

A South African Airways (SAA) flight was disrupted on Wednesday morning when crew found a note in one of the restrooms indicating there was a bomb on board. SAA spokesperson, Dileseng Koetle, said the SAA emergency contingency plan for such incidents was activated. This included an onboard search by the crew. The situation was assessed and onboard procedures were followed to ensure that the customers, crew and aircraft were safe and secure. The incident was classified as a hoax and the flight continued safely to its destination.

27 October: City accuses parastatals of stunting its growth

The City of Cape Town has accused parastatals of undermining it while also disbursing profits from the region's resources to the rest of South Africa. According to acting Executive Mayor, Ian Neilson, Eskom, the National Ports Authority and the Airport Company of South Africa's (Acsa) recent tariff increases showed this. It is expected the profits from these increases will be handed directly to national government. "This has led to national development plans that undermine regional growth."

26 October: SAA increase fares between Africa and India

South African Airways (SAA) has increased fares from Africa to Delhi and points within India effective for sales on or after 22 October and for travel on or after 1 November. Fares to Mumbai will remain the same.

26 October: 'Stinky' Lufthansa puts three flight attendants in hospital

A Madrid-bound Lufthansa aeroplane was forced to make an unplanned stop in Zurich because an unpleasant smell left three flight attendants short of breath. Airport rescue personnel who entered the plane also reported feeling unwell from the smell; the source of the fumes however is still unknown. Three of the six attendants on board were taken to hospital for a check, but passengers were unaffected. The Airbus A320, which had taken off earlier from Frankfurt, landed without incident and all 85 occupants disembarked normally, the airport said. Lufthansa said no one had been in any danger, but engineers were trying to find out what caused the smell.

26 October: Night storm partially tears off Faro Airport roof

A storm in Portugal's southern Algarve region, tore part of the roof off Faro Airport injuring five people and causing flight disruptions. Officials said roof panels over the check-in area of the departure terminal peeled off when the storm hit yesterday. Hundreds of passengers were stranded at the airport as authorities cancelled or delayed departures.

26 October: Beijing's second airport suspends construction indefinitely

According to a report, China's second Beijing Airport project, which was scheduled to commence construction work this year, has been suspended indefinitely. The $4.8bn construction project was originally expected to complete site selection processes and commence construction work at the end of this year. Phase one of the project, with capacity for 40-million passengers, was slated for completion in 2014.

26 October: Unique Serco trailer for Durban air cargo

Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) South Africa has bought a state-of-the-art multi-temperature refrigerated trailer from Serco, and is using it to transport freight landing in containers at Durban's King Shaka Airport to destinations throughout the country. Boasting a variety of special features, it is designed to take a multi-temperature load with a 50/50 PVC sliding partition, which separates the load and also has a split elevator mounted at the rear of the vehicle that allows for easy handling of deliveries as well as cutting down significantly on offloading time.

26 October: Botswana skies 'safe' to travel

Botswana's Transport Minister has sought to calm fears about safety on aircraft serving the tourist attraction of the Okavango Delta wetlands following two plane accidents, one of which claiming eight lives. "I would like to assure all that they are safe to travel within Botswana and should not hesitate to do so. Botswana skies are safe,” Frank Ramsden said. Ramsden said that including last week's crash Botswana's safety record was the equivalent of 0.022 fatal accidents per million kilometres flown.

26 October: Belfast woman lands in court over air rage

A Belfast woman, Suzanne Mandry, launched a torrent of abuse at a stunned hostess of easyJet flight, after she was asked to put a seatbelt on her infant child. Mandry, 34, then shouted at a cabin crew manager who asked her to calm down. After the plane touched down, Mandry, who had flown with her three young children, was charged with two counts of making threatening comments to a crew member.

24 October: SA hosts its first ever world precision flying championships

South Africa is currently hosting its first ever world precision flying championships. The championship which started yesterday in Brits in the Northern Province, include 58 pilots from 14 countries. The pilots are all flying locally registered Cessna 150s and 172s in their efforts to outshine each other in what can best be described as "aerial orienteering". The aim is to improve flying skills to enable them to navigate and handle a single position-engined aircraft under visual flying conditions, without using technical systems.

24 October: Flights between Lanseria and Margate over December confirmed

Flights have been secured between Lanseria and Margate over December. This confirmation comes from a charter broker company Airline Control Systems. Flights will operate on Fridays in December and early January. A one-way fare is R2 900 and includes taxes and a light snack and beverage.

24 October: IATA suspends Arik Air billing system

West Africa's largest commercial airline Arik Air, has been suspended from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Billing Settlement Plan, citing incompliance with its banking requirement. In a notice sent to over 400 member airlines and ticket agents in 160 countries throughout the world late last week by the airlines body. "Due to incompliance with IATA banking requirements for settlement purposes, we are to suspend all BSP operations for Arik Air," IATA said in a released statement.

24 October: Badly designed aviation policies threaten jobs

A study by Oxford Economics warned that badly designed policies in South Africa's aviation sector not only threaten the jobs of those employed in the sector but also those in the tourism and related industries. The study by Oxford Economics said that inappropriate regulations could damage the effectiveness of infrastructure critical to the country's long-term success. SA is in the process of redesigning the aviation sector's regulatory framework to provide more stability. This came after the regulator was forced to grant a 161% increase in tariffs to Airports Company SA (ACSA).

21 October: Fourth CEO for Air Seychelles

After experiencing second consecutive years of losses, Air Seychelles has appointed a new CEO to head up a restructuring of the airline. Former COO at Kenya Airways, Bram Steller, replaced Maurice Loustau-Lalanne as CEO of Air Seychelles, becoming the carrier's fourth CEO. Captain David Savy has also resigned from his position as executive chairperson. The position has since been phased out.

21 October: Unruly passenger arrested by FBI

On Tuesday, a Southwest Airlines flight bound for Kansas City from Los Angeles made an emergency landing in Amarillo, Texas because of an unruly passenger. The passenger, Ali Reza Shahsavari, 29, was removed from the plane at Amarillo Airport and taken into custody by the FBI.

21 October: New flight rules will make pilots 'drunk' with fatigue

New European Aviation Safety Agency flight time rules will degrade pilots' physical and mental performance as much as having consumed five cans of beer, UK MPs have been told. The British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) briefed MPs and peers in Parliament on Tuesday stating that these proposed rules would see pilots flying with great fatigue, equivalent to putting them four times over the legal alcohol limit for pilots.

21 October: Increase in airport taxes to hit Cape Town tourism

Airports Company of South Africa's price increases have been described as "opportunistic". The sharp rise in airport tariffs will hit tourism in Cape Town hard. The new tariffs, which came into effect this month, would result in job cuts and "irreparable long-term losses" for its tourism industry. Councillor and mayoral committee member Belinda Walker stated that the company was being extremely reckless and inconsiderate in introducing new airport taxes of R96.49 for domestic passengers, R199.12 for regional passengers and R262.28 for international passengers.

19 October: Velvet Sky adds yet another route to services

19 October: PNG Q100 flight data and voice recorder, recovered

The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the Airlines PNG Bombardier Dash 8 Q100 that crashed on 13 October have been recovered. The airline said in a statement that the two devices have been sent to Australia for assessment. Its fleet of 11 Dash 8 aircraft remain grounded "until further notice", and all normal passenger services have been suspended until 22 October. "The airline is working with representatives of the airframe and engine manufacturers to gain approval for the aircraft to re-enter service," Airlines PNG said.

19 October: PNG Q100 flight data and voice recorder, recovered

19 October: FAA updates directive to check upper wing skins

US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulators have updated an earlier airworthiness directive instructing Boeing 767 operators to increase the frequency of inspections on upper wing skins to detect fatigue cracking. The move is in response to reports of "cracking in the upper wing skin at the fastener holes common to the inboard and outboard pitch load fittings of the front spar". The FAA said the cracks could lead to "the loss of the strut-to-wing upper link load path and possible separation of a strut and engine from the airplane during flight" if left unchecked.

19 October: Mozambique to unveil Machel statue

Mozambicans will this week commemorate the plane crash that killed their first president Samora Machel, 25-years-ago. Machel was killed during a mysterious plane crash on the border that joins Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa in 1986. A statue of the late statesman will be unveiled in his country's capital Maputo on Wednesday, the anniversary of his death.

13 October: APPOINTMENT OF PERCY MOROKANE

We are pleased to welcome Percy Morokane to the ATNS family. Percy has joined us from the 1st of October 2011, as the External Communications Officer in the Marketing and Communications Team. Percy possesses a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Transport Economics, an Intermediate Degree Qualification in Commerce and has undergone extensive media training at the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ), The Midrand Graduate Institute (MGI) and the Public Relations Institute of South Africa (PRISA). He is currently completing his post-graduate Diploma in Marketing. Percy has just completed courses in Government and Political Communications as well as Marketing Public Relations. He brings with him a wealth of experience that he attained over the last 11 years - working in the Marketing, PR and Communications environment at National as well as at Local Government.

13 October: UK govt considering 'Heathwick' virtual hub

Plans to build a high-speed railway link between London's Heathrow and Gatwick Airports have emerged to increase airport capacity without the controversial third runway at Heathrow. The idea is to operate London's two main airports in a co-ordinated manner as a single "virtual hub", dubbed Heathwick, and transfer passengers between the two locations with a dedicated train line. It would cost around £5bn ($7.8 bn) to build, according to industry sources. The UK Department for Transport said that it is evaluating "whether it might be possible to create a 'virtual hub' by improving connectivity between existing airports" as part of a review of the coalition government's aviation policy. However, BA said that the high-speed rail line would do "absolutely nothing to address the ever more pressing issue of the south east's need to have more airport capacity".

13 October: Velvet Sky adds more flights to domestic service

Velvet Sky has announced the opening of sales of new flights between Cape Town and Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and Durban and Port Elizabeth. According to the published schedules on the airline's website, these services will start on 4 November, with more flights to be added on 6 November and 2 December.

13 October: Virgin Atlantic aids development of low carbon fuel

Virgin Atlantic is partnering with energy specialist LanzaTech to aid development of low-carbon fuel. It intends to use the new fuel within three years on routes between London Heathrow and Shanghai and Delhi, and LanzaTech will develop facilities in China and India to support the plan. The UK carrier said the process involved taking waste gas from industrial steel production and chemically converting it using technology from Stockholm-based Swedish Biofuels. Virgin said the process recycles gas, which would otherwise be vented as carbon dioxide.

13 October: Jeppensen sets up Lingbergh Green Alliance

Jeppesen has become a founding member of the Lindbergh Foundation Aviation Green Alliance, which aims to bring the industry together to address environmental challenges facing the aviation industry, including emissions, noise and operational efficiency. "Jeppesen fully supports the collaborative effort to develop solutions for addressing environmental challenges facing the aviation industry. It offers an opportunity for aviation-related companies and individuals to share best practices and establish innovative programmes to help guide environmental stewardship related to aviation industry operations," said Jeppesen President, Mark Van Tine.

13 October: Zim Air advises agents to issue tickets on Hahn Air paper

Following Air Zimbabwe's suspension from Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), the airline has advised agents to issue tickets on Hahn Air paper – 169 or to contact the airline's reservations office for assistance.

4 October: Eskom execs, CEO survive helicopter crash

Yesterday morning, four Eskom executives, including CEO, Brian Dames, as well as both pilots, survived a helicopter crash. Dames was travelling with Steve Lennon, Louis Maleka, Kerseri Pather and two pilots from Johannesburg to the Naledi substation in Groblersdal, Mpumalanga, when their helicopter crashed onto a landing strip soon after 10:00. According to Hilary Joffe, Eskom spokesperson, details of the accident were still unclear, but a thorough investigation would be conducted in conjunction with the Civil Aviation Authority to determine what had led to the crash.

4 October: Arik Air introduces international credit card online payment

Arik Air has introduced the option to pay with international credit cards, VISA or MasterCard, for tickets purchased online. These kind of payments will be available globally and the credit card transactions will be processed in the local currencies of US dollars, British pounds or South African rand. By doing this, Arik Air will take advantage of the additional security measures such as the advanced fraud prevention system made available by the Payment Service Provider, thus ensuring the transactions are safe for Arik Air and Arik's online customers.

4 October: Acsa wants investments plan to limit tariff hikes

A further sharp spike in the tariffs by Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) would be inevitable unless the regulator allowed the parastatal to smooth its investment costs over several years, airport operations Director Bongani Maseko said. When briefing Parliament's tourism committee, Maseko said that it was likely that OR Tambo International Airport would require an investment of R40bn in about four to five years to cater for the projected increase in passenger numbers. Maseko said that passenger numbers at South African airports in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban were projected to reach 50-million in 2015 from the current 32-million.

4 October: Motlanthe's 'forced plane landing' a rumour

Yesterday, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe's office denied that his jet had been forced to make an emergency landing in Wellington, New Zealand, on Saturday. According to Thabo Masebe, Motlanthe's spokesperson, there had been no emergency. He explained that it was a rumour started by plane spotters who eavesdrop communications between pilots and the flight tower command centre.

4 October: Suspicious object causes gate closure in Washington

On Saturday, authorities found a suspicious object at Washington's Dulles Airport, prompting the closure of several gates on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the 11 September attacks. Rob Yingling, airport spokesperson, said the airport was operating normally after some planes were reassigned to other gates for arrival and departure. The suspicious object was found in a freight container at about 16:30. Four hours later it was still being checked by Virginia state police near one of the airport concourses.

4 October: Air Namibia enhances Walvis Bay/JHB schedule

Air Namibia has confirmed that its Johannesburg-Walvis Bay services will remain as direct flights. Due to popular demand, the airline has enhanced its schedule on this route. Flights will depart Johannesburg at 07:45, arriving in Walvis Bay at 10:00. The return service will depart Walvis Bay at 18:25, arriving in Johannesburg at 20:40.

4 October: Only Russian player to survive plane crash, dies

On Monday, the only member of a top Russian hockey team that survived a plane crash that killed 44 people died of his injuries in a Moscow hospital. The Vishnevsky Hospital said 26-year-old Alexander Galimov died of the severe burns that covered about 90% of his body, despite the best efforts of doctors in its burn unit, considered one of the best in Russia. The crash of a chartered Yak-42 jet outside the western city of Yaroslavl on Wednesday last week took the lives of 37 players, coaches and staff of the local Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey club. It was reported on Monday that the only other person to survive, flight crew member Alexander Sizov, was reportedly moved out of intensive care and into a general ward at Moscow's Sklifosovsky Hospital.

September 2011

27 September: Latest Generation Radar

London Oxford Airport recently took the decision to install the latest generation radar system at the airport. The primary and secondary (Mode-S, MSSR) surveillance radar system, supplied by Thales with project management by NATS, will enable more efficient transits through local airspace as well as increase the throughput of IFR flight activity. The new system will be fully operational in good time ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games, at which point a further considerable increase in demand for capacity is anticipated.

27 September: Emirates expands African operations

The launch of flights to Lusaka, Zambia and Harare, Zimbabwe will boost Emirates' African operations. As of 1 February 2012, Zambia and Zimbabwe will be linked with a five-weekly flight from Dubai. The Dubai-Lusaka-Harare service will be operated by an A330-200 aircraft in a three-class configuration that offers 12 first class seats, 42 seats in business class and 183 passengers in economy class. Passengers flying Emirates from Lusaka and Harare will be able to connect to points across the Far and Middle East, the Indian sub-continent, Europe and Australasia via the airline's hub in Dubai.

27 September: FBI: Consortium welcomes 2 new Malawian airlines

The Malawi Travel Marketing Consortium has welcomed two new airlines, Ulendo Airlink and Swift Air, both Malawian owned and managed. The airlines have been operating scheduled flights connecting the country's major tourism and commercial centres to meet the needs of business and leisure travellers.

27 September: FBI: Mysterious markings on Southwest jet, no threat

A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said on Thursday that the airline is investigating mysterious markings that began appearing on the bellies of its jets earlier this year. These have been described as "similar to Arabic writing", but the spokesperson said, "The markings have no affiliation to any known group or activity". "The markings... are being considered vandalism, and Southwest is conducting an internal investigation to determine who is responsible". The spokesperson said the markings have been appearing on the airline's signature 737 jets for several months and vary in appearance. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies all concluded that the markings, described "as similar to Arabic writing," do not present a threat or a safety hazard.

27 September: Former SAA CEO to appeal case transfer

After the decision by Acting Judge Nazim Cassim to transfer two cases against former South African Airways (SAA) CEO, Khaya Ngqula, to the High Court in Pretoria, Ngqula has been given permission to appeal directly to the Supreme Court of Appeal. Judge Cassim's offer of automatic leave to appeal the judgement, which ordered that the two cases brought by SAA, claiming damages from Ngqula, be transferred from the South Gauteng Hight Court to the North Gauteng High Court.

23 September: Boeing, Emirates, NGOs deliver relief to Somalia

Boeing partnered with Emirates Airlines and non-profit organisations to transport relief supplies on board its newly delivered 777-300ER to victims of the civil war in Somalia. The relief shipment comprised of 34 000 pounds of high-calorie supplements designed to provide nutritional and medical care to the severely malnourished. Boeing and Emirates joined hands with the non-profit global health and disaster relief organisation, AmeriCares, and the UK-based international relief and development agency, Muslim Aid. Nutritional supplements were distributed to about 50 settlements around the capital city of Mogadishu where nearly 100 000 citizens have sought refuge.

23 September: Airzim struggles to restore customer confidence

Air Zimbabwe (Airzim), which has just resumed operations after resolving industrial disputes with pilots, is facing another tough challenge. The southern African airline struggles to restore customer confidence. Airzim on Sunday flew to Victoria Falls International Airport from the capital Harare with 16 passengers and returned with only one passenger. "We are looking at three to six months to resume normal loads. Clients often book flights way in advance, so we cannot expect an overnight change in the situation," Airzim acting group CEO, Innocent Mavhunga, said.

23 September: SAA might lose chance to get back millions from former CEO

If the South Gauteng High Court Acting Judge Nazeer Cassim dismisses South African Airways' application for the case brought against its former CEO, Khaya Ngqula, and transfers it to the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, the airline might lose its chance to recover millions from Ngqula. The former CEO's legal team argued yesterday that according to his contract with SAA, any legal dispute must be heard in the North Gauteng High Court. The airline filed two claims against Ngqula last year in order to get back damages of more than R50m, allegedly caused by breaches of his fiduciary duties.

23 September: Airlines warn of trade clash over EU carbon emissions

European airlines said that the European Union faces a trade clash over its plans to curb emissions from aviation. This comes four months ahead of the introduction of a scheme strongly opposed by China. Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus, Secretary-General for the Association of European Airlines, told a conference that should the EU persist in its approach, "the question is posed as to how they will ensure compliance". "The EU faces a serious risk of some sort of retaliation", he said. According to Schulte-Strathaus the move could dwarf a record trade dispute over aircraft subsidies between Airbus and Boeing. The EU's Emissions Trading Scheme will compel airlines flying to or from Europe to buy permits for 15% of the carbon emissions they produce beginning in 2012.

19 September: Beijing to become world's largest air port

Currently London has the world's busiest system of airports, with Dubai not far behind. But congested Beijing is building a new airport that will see it become the world's largest aviation hub. Beijing's new airport at Daxing south of the city could have up to nine runways and ultimate capacity to handle around 370 000 passengers per day, or a staggering 135-million passengers annually. This would increase capacity at Beijing area airports to around 220-million each year, almost a quarter of a billion passengers.

19 September: DA calls for minister to pay for private jet

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has reiterated its call for International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to pay back R235 000 spent on chartering a private jet. The jet was chartered during a state visit to Norway earlier this year, after Nkoana-Mashabane declined to allow her handbag to be passed through a scanner at Gardemoen International Airport in Oslo, and missed her commercial flight.

19 September: New ADS to improve ACARS could be ready by early 2012

An in-flight aircraft performance data transmission service that promises to vastly improve on aircraft communications addressing and reporting systems (ACARS) could be in service in early 2012. EADS's Astrium Services unit presented its Airborne Data Service (ADS) concept at the Paris Air Show. The unit is currently testing the satellite system with aircraft of two commercial carriers, and expects to begin trials with a third European airline in the next few weeks. ADS is principally intended to provide airlines with real-time encrypted data to improve maintenance, repair and operations planning.

8 September: US, Kenya to discuss direct flights proposal

US Transportation Secretary, Ray Lahood, is expected to arrive in Kenya on 30 September to discuss the possibilities of introducing direct flights between the two countries. According to a Daily Nation report, a plan to introduce direct flights was first proposed in June 2009 but later shelved because the US government said that Kenya was unsafe.

8 September: 1time names new group CEO

Blacky Komani, non-executive director of 1time Holdings Limited, has been appointed as group CEO, effective 1 October. This is following the resignation of current group CEO, Glenn Orsmond. Orsmond's resignation takes effect on the same date, but he will stay on in the position of financial director until November while a suitable replacement if found. 1time Airline CEO, Rodney James said that although he does not really see a change in operations as such, Orsmond's knowledge and contribution to the group will be missed.

8 September: Boeing 737 MAX may be short-lived

The lifespan of Boeing's newly announced 737 MAX aircraft may be a lot shorter than previously thought. Boeing could have to go back to the drawing board for a new plane to protect sales, the head of engine maker Pratt & Whitney said on Tuesday. The warning comes amid a recent decision by Boeing to match European rival Airbus by putting new engines on its 737 jets to help lower fuel costs, rather than investing more money and time in a completely new design.

7 September: Mouse grounds Boeing

Yesterday, a flight was grounded after flight attendants spotted a mouse in the pantry of a Boeing 757. The rodent prompted Nepal Airlines to cancel a Bangkok-bound flight and tow the jet to a hanger to search for the stowaway. According to an airline spokesperson, the mouse is believed to have boarded the plane at the Kathmandu Airport on Monday through a food catering truck. BUSINESS DAY (National)

7 September: Velvet Sky celebrates 1000th flight

South Africa’s newest airline - and the first BBBEE owned carrier - recently made its 1000th flight. This is a significant milestone for the company, which took to the skies for the first time in March this year. Pilots and cabin crew have clocked up over 1650 flying hours since Velvet Sky was launched. In just over five months, the airline has achieved a 92% on time flight average.

7 September: New airport for Rwanda

The Rwandan government have announced that it was seeking bids to build a new airport in collaboration with private sector investors as it seeks to overhaul its infrastructure sector to cope with its expanding economy. Business day

7 September: Main Mumbai Airport runway open

The main runway of the Mumbai International Airport has been re-opened after it was shut down on 2 September. The runway was closed for three days after an Airbus A340 operated by Turkish Airlines veered off a rapid exit taxiway and got stuck in mud after landing. According to airport authorities the A340 was towed away on 5 September and the runway was re-opened later that day. Incessant rain had hampered initial recovery operations. AVIATIONWEEK.COM

7 September: Several bidders interested in Spanish airports

Spain's two biggest airports have attracted interest from six potential bidders as part of a €5.3bn planned sale. According to the Public Works Ministry five groups are interested in Madrid's Barajas and Barcelona's El Prat Airports, including German Airport operator Fraport and partner Spanish infrastructure firm Acciona.

7 September: Safety breach results in restrictions for Juneyao

Restrictions have been imposed on Juneyao Airlines by Chinese aviation authorities after one of its pilots ignored air traffic control orders to give way to another aircraft urgently seeking to land at Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport. The incident occurred on 13 August, when the South Korean pilot of a Juneyao Airbus A320 refused to give way several times to a Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER. The Boeing had declared an emergency and was attempting to land at the airport. FLIGHTGLOBAL.COM

7 September: Mango and Total offer September deals

Mango Airline and Total South Africa have joined forces in an advertising campaign which will see the airline give away R1m in fuel cards to winning guests on board flights during September. In a reciprocal action Total's Bonjour forecourt stores will give away R1m in Mango flight vouchers. Twenty guests on board every Mango flight in September will win a R50 Total fuel gift card in on-board draws, while at Total Bonjour forecourt stores the purchase of a Times or Sunday Times newspaper and a 2-litre Coke qualifies motorists to receive the R50 flight voucher.

1 September: ACSA to increase airport tariffs

The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) has voiced its concerns over the proposed increase in airports tariffs by ACSA. The increase will negatively impact air travel for local and international travellers. This tariff hike will become effective on 1 October 2011, and will increase passenger service, landing and aircraft parking charges by almost 70% in order for Acsa to recover a revenue shortfall. The Acsa Regulator approved this year's 34.8% increase, effective 1 April, but was delayed for implementation until 1 October. This was following the issuing of final permission by the Regulator in May.

1 September: Air Zimbabwe's future uncertain

The Zimbabwean government has failed to bail out nationalcarrier, Air Zimbabwe, clouding the future of the airline in uncertainty. Air Zimbabwe pilots embarked on a strike threeweeks ago, demanding outstanding allowances and wages, which stretch back to June.

1 September: ACSA CEO to step down as pay is slashed

Airports Company has reported a R220, after tax loss although executive directors received generous increases. Only the CEO. Monhla Hlahla suffered aserious pay cut in the year to March. Hlahla will step down as CEO at the end of September and has not disclosed where she is going. Acsa's loss is a R1.1bn decline from the previous year's taxed profit ofR901m. Trimmed bonuses meant that Hlahla's total pay for the year fell to R5.57m, a 33% drop from the R8.4m she received in 2010. CFO Priscillah Mabelane is also leaving Acsa but her package rose 48% to R4.8m. In relative terms, Group Executive Governance and Assurance, Nomini Rapoo, did best with a 64% increase to R1.9m. According to Mabelane ACSA is expected to return to profitability in the current financial year.

1 September: Boeing approves launch of new 737 variant

The launch of the new engine variant of the market-leading 737, based on order commitments for 496 airplanes from five airlines and a strong business case, have been approved by the Boeing Company's board of directors. "The re-engined 737 will allow Boeing to continue to deliver the most fuel efficient, most capable airplane with the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle market," Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, Jim Albaugh, said.

1 September: Man arrested at Miami airport with snakes, tortoises in his pants

A man trying to board a flight for Brazil was arrested at Miami Airport after security screeners said they found snakes and tortoises inside his trousers. According to a sttement by tThe US Transportation Security Administration the man had seven exotic snakes and three tortoises wrapped in nylon bags that had been stuffed into his pants. He was discovered as he went through a body scanner at one of the airport's security checkpoints on Thursday last week, and was arrested by US Fish and Wildlife Service officials for violating animal trafficking laws.

August 2011

23 August: Bees unleashed on plane

An airport official who smuggled a hive of bees onto a plane, panicking passengers when the insects escaped mid-flight in one of a series of security lapses at the provincial Blagoveshchensk facility. A spokesperson for the Yakutia Airline said that the bees escaped during a flight to Moscow after they were illegally stashed in a box in a coat-locker in business class. Although the incident took place on 28 May, it was only exposed on Thursday in a front-page story in state newspaper, The Rossiiskaya Gazeta, which alleged systematic failures at Blagoveshchensk Airport.

23 August: New Boeing 747-8 freighter wins approval

The way was cleared for the new Boeing 747-8 freighter aircraft to go into service when Boeing announced that the freighter won the approval of US and European safety regulators. Boeing said on Friday that both the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency approved the new aircraft, which is 16% larger than its predecessor. Boeing's initial customer for the jet is Cargolux, Europe's largest all-freight customer, which had engines made by General Electric. Until 2005, the iconic 747 was the world's largest plane, but then Airbus unveiled its A380.

23 August: Agreement on Durban port land deal expected soon

An agreement between Transnet and Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) for the purchase of land earmarked for a R75bn port in Durban is expected by the end of September. Progress in negotiations was being hampered by a difference in price expectations between the two companies, complicated by the Public Finance Management Act, which requires each company to behave in its own best interest.

12 August: Boeing uses carbon recycling to reduce aircraft interior weight

Boeing is nearing the implementation of a carbon fibre recycling effort for its 787 programme to reduce waste and use scraps to develop secondary aircraft structures. According to Boeing's programme manager of composite recycling, Bill Carberry, who also serves as Deputy Executive for the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA), the airframer is aiming to collect uncured carbon fibre scrap used in the manufacturing process to build items such as brackets, clips and cured material for interior parts and passenger seat backs. This could reduce the weight of a widebody aircraft interior by as much as 900kg.

12 August: Kenya Airways starts low-cost unit

Sub-Saharan Africa's third-biggest airline, Kenya Airways, has started a low-cost unit known as Jambo Jet, this is according to Business Daily reports. The new service will mostly operate Kenya Airways' regional routes in eastern Africa, the Nairobi-based newspaper reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Titus Naikuni. Jambo Jet was formed seven years after Kenya Airways merged its operations with a previous low-cost unit known as Flamingo Airlines.

12 August: Upgrade for Ulundi airport

Ulundi's stagnant Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Airport is to be given a R30m upgrade that could bolster economic development and tourism in Zululand. The KwaZulu-Natal Cabinet approved the upgrade for the airport's terminal building, main runway, and fire and rescue facilities. The Cabinet's decision comes after KZN Finance MEC Ina Cronje paid a visit to the site in April and pledged to lobby for improvements.

12 August: It's still safe to fly to UK, says British govt

The British government has given the assurance that it is still safe for tourists to visit the UK. This comes after the South African government advised its citizens to postpone non-essential travel because of rioting in several cities. Gary Benham, spokesperson for the UK High Commission in Pretoria, said that it is important to acknowledge that these isolated incidents are taking place away from key visitor attractions around the UK.

12 August: Embraer on schedule to complete KC-390 design

Embraer executives have said that the company remained on schedule to complete the joint definition phase and to freeze the design of its KC-390 transport in mid-2012. The Brazilian manufacturer had previously frozen the configuration of the KC-390, but certain decisions on key design details still needed to be worked out with major suppliers over the next year, according to Orlando Neto, Vice-President of sales for Embraer Defence and Security.

12 August: Sale of Denel unit falls through

Negotiations over the possible sale of loss-making Denel unit Denel Saab Aerostructures (DSA) has fallen through because the potential buyer was unable to fulfil the conditions, the group said last night. Communications Manager Sinah Phochana said the unit was instead pursuing a turnaround strategy and was restructuring key contracts to reduce the cash requirements of the business. In the year to end-March, the unit made a loss of R237m.

4 August: Air Zimbabwe strike still ongoing

In the most recent strike by Air Zimbabwe pilots, no agreement to resolve the strike has been reached. Innocent Mavhunga, acting CEO for the airline, has told media that all flights remained grounded until an agreement is reached. Currently, negotiations with the pilots are continuing, but pilots are refusing to return to work until there is "something" in their accounts.

4 August: Helicopter crash lands at UCT

Yesterday, a helicopter crash-landed at the University of Cape Town's (UCT's) campus. According to a Facebook user, the helicopter "crashed at middle campus". "I saw it spinning around and it was touching the trees. Then it just disappeared and went boom [sic. It is believed that the pilot was injured in the crash.

4 August: Air Botswana stops Kasane-Lusaka service

Air Botswana has given notice that the airline will no operate its twice-weekly service between Kasane and Lusaka, effective immediately. Its services between Gaborone and Lusaka, however, will continue to operate on Fridays and Sundays.

4 August: 1time withdraws Maputo route

1Time Airline has announced that the service to Maputo will be cancelled as from 31 August. According to Rodney James, CEO of 1time Airline, "This decision has been made after careful consideration regarding our Maputo route and it was certainly not an easy one to make," said James. Key to making this route viable is the necessity to capture both the business and leisure markets. Currently, 1time only has an allocation of 560 seats a week.

3 August: Singapore Airlines adds new flight from CPT

Singapore Airlines has added a Tuesday flight between Cape Town and Singapore, via Johannesburg. This makes a total of four flights a week, effective from 30 October. The Tuesday flight is in addition to the Wednesday, Friday and Sunday flights from Cape Town to Singapore via Johannesburg. The airline's services between Johannesburg and Singapore remain unchanged at seven times weekly.

3 August: Chartered flights from Cuba to operate in nine US cities

Cuban authorities announced on Monday that air travel between the United States and Cuba will become easier with the opening of charter flights to an additional nine US cities.The cities of Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Baltimore, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston and San Juan, Puerto Rico, were added to the charter flight list. The island is preparing for an increase in visitors from its long-time ideological foe under a recent loosening of travel restrictions by the Obama administration. However, the US maintains comprehensive sanctions on the communist Cuba and bans tourism to the island. In addition, it does not allow regular commercial flights between the two countries.

3 August: Embraer to develop narrowbody jet

According to a prominent Wall Street aerospace analyst, it is likely that Embraer will develop a new jet that pushes up into the lower end of the narrowbody market currently being dominated by Airbus and Boeing. Ronald Epstein of Bank of America Merrill Lynch believes the Brazilian aircraft builder will direct this focus with a 130- to 150-seat aircraft tailored for 2 000Nm flights - 1 440Nm fewer than the range of a 150-seat Boeing 737-700. According to Epstein, Embraer "can utilise its rolodex of customers and existing service network to grow into a new market".

3 August: DJ launches lawsuit against govt, airport

Ukhozi FM DJ Ngizwe Mchunu has launched a R10m lawsuit against customs, the Department of Agriculture and King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) for damages. The claim comes after Ngizwe was accosted by custom officials at KSIA after his return from a Dubai trip in May because he had his traditional shield among his luggage. Airport spokesperson Collin Pillay said that he was aware of the incident, but refused to comment because of the court case.

3 August: Serbia opens door for investors to replace JAT

Serbia has opened the door to investors for a new airline to replace indebted State-owned JAT Airways. Serbia had hoped to sell a majority stake in the socialist-era giant to Turkish Airlines, but no agreement was reached. In 2008, a first tender for the sale of a 51% stake in JAT, priced at €51m, failed. On its website, the ministry said that the tender expires on 30 September.

July 2011

29 July: Africa in dire shortage of aviation personnel

The latest report on Africa's aviation activities, compiled by the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO's) East and Southern African Office (ESAF) shows that there is a dire shortage of qualified personnel. The study further reveals that Africa needs to train about 1 500 aviation operators, 600 aircraft maintenance personnel and 4 000 airport operators urgently. The report said that 67% of aviation training centres in Africa had less than 10 instructors, while only four institutions had a staff complement of over 40 instructors. Meanwhile, African aviation authorities have admitted to a serious shortage of qualified personnel amid projections that the world would need over a million pilots and maintenance staff in the next 20 years.

29 July: List of strangest things left aboard planes

Virgin Atlantic has published a list of the strangest items passengers have left on its aircraft. Each year, about 12 000 books, 10 500 pairs of reading glasses and around 5 000 phones are left on Virgin Atlantic aircraft. Some of the strangest items left behind include an artificial limb, an urn containing someone's ashes and seven plastic orange pumpkins and witches' broomsticks. According to Virgin Atlantic Flight Services Manager, Laura Hutcheson, passengers leave all sorts of items on planes. "Many passengers start their holidays the moment they get onboard and when they relax into their adventure they can often forget the basics of checking they don't leave anything behind," said Hutcheson.

29 July: Kenyan airport to build new passenger terminal

Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport plans to begin construction of a new $500m passenger terminal early next year, in order to meet a forecast increase in passenger numbers. According to Martin Wambora, Chairperson of the Kenya Airports Authority, the expanded terminal will have the capacity to handle 20-million passengers.

29 July: Moroccan plane crash death toll at 80

Two injured passengers, who were taken to hospital after a Moroccan military aircraft crashed into a mountain in the south of the country on Tuesday, were reported dead on Wednesday morning. The crash death toll now stands at 80. Meanwhile, King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, announced three days of national mourning following the crash, one of the deadliest in the country's history.