A Bombardier Q400, operated by Bangladeshi airline US-Bangla, crashed on landing at Tribhuvan International in Kathmandu, Nepal March 12, killing at least 49 out of 71 people on board. According to local media reports, the aircraft veered off the runway onto a football field and caught fire after landing at Kathmandu. Images from the scene show a virtually unrecognizable fire-damaged wreckage. DG of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Sanjiv Gautam said the airplane may have sustained some technical glitches and lost control while attempting to land. “We are yet to ascertain the reason behind the accident,” he added. Authorities ordered the airport be shut immediately. FlightRadar24 shows flight number BS211 as being operated by US-Bangla aircraft registration S2-AGU, a 17-year-old Bombardier Q400. <br/>
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Fastjet, has been named Africa’s best value airline for its service excellence and contribution to the industry’s growth. The airline, which operates in most parts of Africa including Zimbabwe, received the award last week at the annual Air Transport Awards organised by International Transport News. Fastjet CE, Nico Bezuidenhout, says the accolade was in recognition of the efforts they made as part of the company’s stabilisation plan. “It also serves as a validation for the substantial changes and significant enhancements made during the stabilisation plan, which included a full network re-engineering process, a complete fleet changeover, a new reservation system launch and market entry of the Fastjet brand into Mozambique along with a move from London to African soil, among others.” <br/>
A Dallas-bound flight made an emergency landing at Albuquerque International, sending panicked passengers leaping from a wing onto the tarmac after crew members screamed at them to get away from the aircraft, passengers and officials said. Southwest Flight 3562 took off from Phoenix Sunday night and was headed for Dallas Love Field. About an hour later, the crew noticed an unusual smell in the cabin, the airline said. Passengers said they could feel heat from the vents shortly before the crew said the plane was going to make an emergency landing. Passengers were told to brace as the plane landed. Southwest said it worked to get passengers on board another flight to Dallas, and aircraft will remain in Albuquerque where mechanics will inspect it. <br/>
Russia’s Utair Aviation is developing a network in the South of Russia and adding new routes to cities hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup this summer. Utair will launch direct flights to the resort town of Anapa from Moscow, Surgut, Ufa and Nizhnevartovsk; to the resort town of Gelendzhik from Moscow and Surgut; and to Sochi from Krasnodar, Moscow, Surgut, Nizhnevartovsk and Tyumen. The airline will connect Volgograd with Kazan, Samara and Sochi—where the FIFA games for the World Cup 2018 will take place. FIFA World Cup 2018 routes were an overriding priority when planning the IATA 2018 summer schedule, the carrier said. The cup will take place from June 18-July 15. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency has prohibited airlines and airports from increasing rates during this period on flights to FIFA World Cup cities. <br/>
Hainan Airlines will take over stakes owned by its parent HNA Group in 2 local airlines and 5 other aviation and tourism businesses as part of the conglomerate's asset reorganisation, the company said. HNA's flagship carrier said Saturday it would take controlling stakes in West Air, Guilin Airlines as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul service providers HNA Technic and SR Technics. It will also take control of flight school Hainan Sky Plumage Flight Training, hotel investment and management platform HNA Hospitality Group and an unnamed overseas hotel operator. It did not give financial details of the transactions. Hainan Airlines suspended trading in its shares Jan 10 and later said it was carrying out a "major asset restructuring". It said the trading halt would continue until April 10 as it worked out the deals. <br/>