Three deadly air crashes that have killed 170 passengers in the past 4 1/2 weeks may indicate that 2017, the safest-ever year for aviation, represented a statistical blip. A total of five fare-paying customers lost their lives in just two crashes on planes of 14 seats or more in the whole of last year, and there were no passenger fatalities at all involving jet-powered aircraft. With 2018 only 2 1/2 months old, that death toll has already jumped exponentially, including the first fatal jet crash since the end of 2016. The trend highlights the relatively higher risk associated with flying on smaller aircraft, especially turboprops, in locations with challenging terrain and less developed airport infrastructure lacking the most modern navigational aids. <br/>
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The industry's chief executive officers are divided when it comes to Brexit. At one extreme are dire flight-cancellation warnings by Ryanair's Michael O'Leary, and at the other is nonchalance by his counterpart at British Airways, Willie Walsh. "It's about jockeying for position in the market and potentially gaining an advantage over competitors as the future relationship between the UK and the EU is worked out," said an analyst. O'Leary said a stalemate in the Brexit negotiations points to serious disruptions for airlines. He cited two particular challenges: keeping planes flying between the UK. and the EU and preventing the bloc's 49% limit on foreign ownership of carriers from affecting operators in Europe. <br/>
Corporate travel providers say that many of their clients are asking them to block airlines' basic economy airfares. With these fares, passengers often cannot select a seat ahead of time, upgrade, make changes or get a refund. For businesses that haven't blocked these fares, a wrong decision could mean both an unhappy employee and getting stuck with a big bill if the traveler's plans change. Egencia, the corporate travel platform of Expedia, said none of its clients display basic economy fares to their employees. "For now our conclusion is that basic economy is, by design, not business traveler friendly," said Egencia's COO. "We know plans often change so flexibility on business is key." <br/>
Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi said in a decree Tuesday he would lift a ban on international air traffic to the Kurdistan Region and flights could resume within one week. International flights to and from the semi-autonomous region's two main airports in Erbil and Sulaimaniyah were halted in September as part of sanctions imposed on the Kurds after they held an independence referendum four days earlier in defiance of Baghdad and voted overwhelmingly in favour of separation. Kurdish authorities have agreed that the airports should come under federal control and report to Baghdad's interior ministry, the decree said. <br/>
Boeing rolled out the 10,000th 737 at its Renton assembly plant in Washington state Tuesday, a MAX 8 for Southwest. Boeing's Kevin McAllister said the milestone "represents more than 50 years of success and achievement on the part of thousands of Boeing employees past and present, our supplier partners, and our airline customers around the globe who put their confidence in the 737." The 737 first flew in April 1967 and entered commercial service with Lufthansa in February 1968. Boeing introduced the Next Generation 737s during the 1990s, and the MAX series in 2017. With the 10,000th aircraft, the 737 has taken the Guinness World Records title for the most produced commercial jet aircraft model. <br/>