unaligned

Kuwaiti LCC Jazeera Airways could set up a long-haul service with a foreign partner as an alternative to buying a stake in Kuwait Airways. Jazeera chairman Marwan Boodai said he would still prefer a stake in loss-making Kuwait Airways, but that he was preparing an alternative strategy. "Plan 'B' is tying up with an international player to go long-haul. We're seriously considering this now," he said. Kuwait Airways' privatisation was ratified in 2008, and both Jazeera and logistics firm Agility expressed an interest in buying a stake. However, Kuwait Airways' weak finances and bureaucratic hurdles have delayed the process. The carrier is currently in the midst of a restructuring aimed at returning it to profit, a step required ahead of a sale. <br/>

TransAsia Airways should review its safety protocols, pilot training and hiring practices to reduce "imminent risks", Taiwan's aviation safety agency said. These were among the 10 recommendations made by the Aviation Safety Council (ASC), which published the final report into its investigation of the June 2014 crash of TransAsia flight GE222. The incident took place while the pilots of the ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft were attempting to land during a thunderstorm on Magong island after a flight from Kaohsiung. Pilot error was the main factor behind the crash, which led to the deaths of 48 of the 58 passengers and crew. Among other things, they misjudged the aircraft’s altitude and failed to follow the proper protocols, said the ASC, The report casts a spotlight once again on pilot training and decision-making at TransAsia. <br/>