Saudi Arabia has given Air India permission to fly between New Delhi and Tel Aviv over Saudi airspace, the airline's spokesman said Wednesday, ending a 70-year ban and marking a diplomatic shift. Saudi Arabia does not recognize Israel and lifting the airspace ban would reflect what appears to be thawing ties between Israel and the kingdom. Both are US allies with a shared concern over Iranian influence in the region. India and Israel have built close ties over the years away from the public eye, largely centered on arms purchases. But under Narendra Modi economic ties have flourished. Air India plans to operate flights 3 days a week, and the flight would save 2 hours of travel time as a result of flying over the Saudi airspace, an Air India spokesman said. <br/>
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Separation of an engine fan blade caused a United Airlines Boeing 777-200 enroute to Honolulu to lose its engine cowling Feb 13, according to a preliminary report released March 5 by the US NTSB. The new information reveals that the incident involved more than the straightforward loss of the cowling. The aircraft "experienced an in-flight separation of a fan blade and subsequent loss of the inlet and fan cowls of the right engine, a Pratt & Whitney PW4077, during descent into" Honolulu, says the NTSB's preliminary review. The pilots received warnings of "an engine compressor stall" shortly after starting descent, at about 32,700ft altitude, the report says. "The crew declared an emergency and proceeded to [Honolulu] without further incident." <br/>
United Airlines and petroleum behemoth BP USA are launching a new kind of loyalty program. United said starting Wednesday it will begin offering both United MileagePlus members and BP Driver Rewards members the option of earning and using miles on fuel purchases at participating BP retail locations in the US. United’s new joint venture with BP is believed to be the only such program in the US that gives customers the ability to earn and use airline miles at the pump for gasoline purchase. This new fuel-focused program points to the importance both United and BP place on providing a slew of incentives to ensure members remain vested in their respective loyalty programs. <br/>