general

The US Department of Homeland Security has issued a revised directive to airlines around the world in response to requests that it clarify aviation security measures scheduled to begin taking effect next week, the agency said on Friday. "This clarifying update will strengthen global aviation security and is a testament to our shared commitment to raising the baseline," said James Gregory, a spokesman for the US TSA, which is part of the DHS. An airline official briefed on the matter said the directive gives airlines more flexibility and additional time to obtain explosive trace detection equipment. The official was not authorized to discuss sensitive security issues with the media and requested anonymity. The directive includes technical adjustments, agency officials said, declining to release the text. European airlines have been pushing for changes to meet the new requirements, which begin taking effect on July 19. The new requirements include enhanced passenger screening at foreign airports, increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas and expanded canine screening. They affect 325,000 airline passengers on about 2,000 commercial flights arriving daily in the United States, on 180 airlines from 280 airports in 105 countries. On June 28, US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly unveiled enhanced security measures for all foreign flights arriving in the United States, which officials said were designed to end a limited in-cabin ban on laptops and prevent the ban's expansion to additional airports. In March, DHS imposed restrictions on passengers carrying large electronics like laptops in cabins on nine airlines, most of which were Middle Eastern carriers, to address the potential threat of hidden explosives. DHS spokesman David Lapan said this week that U.S. officials are working with airlines. "Some airports, airlines will be able to get there more quickly," Lapan said.<br/>

Fewer flights were on time and consumer complaints about airlines rose in May, according to the latest government figures. The TSA said Friday that 79.1% of flights on the 12 largest US airlines arrived on time in May, down from 83.4% in May 2016. Hawaiian Airlines had the best rating, followed by a closely bunched group of Delta, Alaska, SkyWest and United. Virgin America was last. There were 27 ground delays of more than three hours, which could subject the airlines to fines. Most were on a single stormy day in Philadelphia. The Transportation Department logged 1,262 consumer complaints about airlines, up 54 percent from May 2016. However, that's a tiny fraction of the millions of travelers. Most who complain do so directly to the airline.<br/>

Every day, tens of thousands of US airline passengers settle into their seats, lower the window shades and reach up to twist the air vents without the benefit of something that might do even more to keep them cool: a rule setting temperature limits inside the cabin. Airlines have their own guidelines — some allowing the mercury to hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) — and federal regulations cover air flow and, more generally, passenger safety and comfort. But nowhere do authorities say how hot is too hot when a plane is sitting on the ground — a fact illustrated this summer when a mother holding her beet-red infant had to plead to be let off a broiling regional jet stuck on the tarmac at Denver International Airport. Emily France said she and her 4-month-old son, Owen, sweltered aboard the 50-seat "oven with wings". She and the boy were taken away by ambulance. Doctors determined the baby suffered no lasting effects. France said she hopes federal regulators take note, and she has hired a lawyer who specializes in airline safety law. He is demanding an explanation. "There is no reason why heat bad enough to cause people to pass out is happening in cabins," said the attorney, David Rapoport. Authorities have heard complaints for years about stifling heat aboard airliners, though the FAA does not keep track of how many. The FAA declined to comment on the need for specific rules on cabin temperature when a plane is on the ground. But the agency noted in a statement that it specifies how many pounds of fresh air planes must pump through the cabin per minute and per passenger.<br/>

Travelers are purchasing more one-way flights as the price premium declines compared with round trips, according to Airlines Reporting Corp., which analyzes fare data. One-way jaunts have expanded to 42% of air travel so far this year, up from 29% three years ago, ARC said. The price drop is especially pronounced on leisure routes, with corporate travel seeing barely any change. From cities such as New York, Dallas, Denver and Los Angeles, the average premium to some destinations has shrunk to $10 from $125 when looking at each leg of the trip, ARC said. “The long-held belief that it is better to purchase round-trip tickets whenever possible to get the best fares is simply no longer true,” ARC said. The report offers no reasons for the change. One possibility is the decline of “fare fences,” such as the one-way premium and requiring a Saturday-night stay, amid rising competition from discount airlines. There’s also a potential downside. While one-way fares are increasingly popular, ARC warned of the risk of higher change fees if a customer buys two one-way tickets. “If the full itinerary is changed, the traveler may incur two change fees and that may make round-trip ticketing a better option in some cases,” ARC said in the report.<br/>

Speedy security screening at Hong Kong’s airport is about to get even faster, but this will come with higher costs – likely to be borne by airlines, which will pass them onto passengers. Hong Kong International Airport is set to unveil a dedicated security channel for premium travellers departing the city, with the service also open to those with special needs and reduced mobility, those who are pregnant, the elderly and adults with infants, according to the Airport Authority. Industry sources said that the airport will charge airlines HK$20 for just the premium passengers using the so-called “fast track” security service, to be officially launched in September.<br/>Cathay Pacific Airways, Cathay Dragon and Hong Kong Airlines will also take part in a test run of the new facilities later this month. The three airlines said they welcomed “any initiative” that boosted the experience of passengers. But a number of major international airlines said they were not interested in signing up for the new service, noting that it did not include speedy immigration checks. One prominent carrier felt it was being pressured to sign up, while another criticised the lack of details about the facility and the benefits for airlines.<br/>

Airlines in Hong Kong are being encouraged to use cleaner and quieter aircraft in return for the chance to operate more flights at night. A trial is under way for airlines flying out of Hong Kong International Airport to phase out older planes, as such flights contribute to noise pollution – a serious issue at night for nearby residents. As an incentive, compliance will be rewarded with opportunities to operate more late evening, overnight and early morning flights. The scheme looks to focus on the cause of pollution problems rather than restricting aircraft movements, aviation authorities say. The trial has already been in effect since March, and is expected to see benefits towards the end of the year if the plan continues on a full-time basis. “The overarching objective of the quota count scheme is to encourage airlines to use more environmentally friendly aircraft at Hong Kong’s airport,” a spokeswoman for the Civil Aviation Department said. Under the system, the noisier an aircraft the more points each flight accumulates. By switching to quieter planes fewer points are racked up. Points go into a pool shared by all airlines, meaning they work together to minimise them and then each shares an equal chance of obtaining new night flight slots. The scheme was inspired by an identical initiative in Britain.<br/>

Benghazi's international airport officially reopened for commercial flights amid a heavy security presence on Saturday after a three-year closure due to fighting in the city. The first outward bound flights from Benina Airport were to the capital, Tripoli, to Amman, Jordan, and to the south-eastern Libyan city of Kufra. Flights are also scheduled to and from Tunis, Istanbul, Alexandria, and the western Libyan city of Zintan. The flights are operated by two state-owned companies, Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways. Benina is just east of Benghazi, Libya's second city, where fighting escalated in the summer of 2014 when forces loyal to eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar launched a military campaign against Islamists and other opponents. Earlier this month, Haftar declared victory in the campaign as his forces battled rivals in their last downtown holdouts. Travelers and airport staff expressed relief at no longer having to travel to Labraq airport, a four-hour drive east of Benghazi, which had replaced Benina as the main airport for the eastern part of the country.<br/>

A Chinese woman has been detained for five days after trying to force her way through a security checkpoint at an airport in eastern China, state media reported. The incident happened about 7am on Saturday when security officials at Qingdao Airport in Shangdong province told the woman, surnamed Zhang, that she was not allowed to carry her power bank on to the flight, CCTV reported later the same day. Under guidelines set by the airline trade association IATA, power banks are allowed on flights as long as their capacity rating does not exceed 160 watt-hours. More powerful units are prohibited. After inspecting Zhang’s device, the officials were unable to determine its capacity and told her she could therefore not take it on to the flight, the report said. Zhang became upset and after failing to convince them that the device complied with IATA rules tried to force her way through the checkpoint. Due to the ensuing scuffle, officials were forced to temporarily close the security lane and call the police. She was given five days’ detention for causing the disturbance.<br/>

The nation’s major airlines will start randomly checking people’s electronic devices for explosives prior to boarding in response to a US counterterrorism request, airport sources said. The new measure is likely begin on Tuesday at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, Narita airport and five airports in Hokkaido, Sendai, Chubu, Kansai and Fukuoka that have direct flights to the US. The added layer of security could cause delays as many passengers may be unaware of the change. The random screenings will cover devices including computers, tablets, e-readers and cameras, the sources said. Phones will be exempt. Security personnel will now use explosives detectors at the request of the US government. The checks will likely be conducted at the departure gates rather than the security checkpoints, because the United States is calling for passengers to be segregated from those boarding other flights once screened. <br/>

FAA and the Civilian Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) signed a maintenance agreement guidance (MAG) document July 12 to implement mutual surveillance of certified repair stations located abroad for each of the agreement partners. The MAG agreement follows up on the two agencies’ maintenance implementation procedures agreement signed by FAA administrator Michael Huerta and CAAS in February 2016. The MIP provided the US and Singapore with the framework in which FAA and the CAAS can conduct surveillance on each other’s behalf to ensure compliance with each country’s respective regulatory requirements for maintenance and applicable special conditions, FAA said. The new agreement provides guidance for implementation of the earlier MIP agreement, which FAA said was the first of its kind in Asia and reduces industry costs and authority resources. “In cases where there are sufficient certificated facilities in both partner countries, MIPs may reduce the number of surveillance activities, free up inspector resources for the authorities, and reduce the regulatory burden on industry,” FAA said in a statement, noting there are 58 FAA-approved repair stations located in Singapore.<br/>