Taiwan says Qantas has misinterpreted Australia's “One-China” policy and should reverse its “wrong decision” to ditch references to it as a separate country to the Chinese mainland. Qantas CE Alan Joyce has defended his decision to bow to the Chinese govt's demands to remove any material from the airline's website and booking systems that refers to Taiwan as an independent country. Joyce pointed out at a major airline conference in Sydney this week that the Australian govt does not recognise Taiwan either, and that it had a One-China policy like many other countries. But the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office said Australia had only “acknowledged” – instead of actually recognising – the position of the Chinese govt that Taiwan was a province of the mainland. <br/>
oneworld
British Airways has disclosed that Qatar Airways aircraft will replace the carrier's regular services on routes to Kuwait, Muscat and New Delhi. The airline is wet-leasing a batch of Qatar Airbus A330s temporarily while its Boeing 787-9s undergo inspections on their Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 powerplants. "To facilitate the additional engine inspections and any associated maintenance we have made some minor adjustments to our long-haul flight schedules this summer," says BA. It has advised customers that Qatar will operate services from London Heathrow to Kuwait over the course of June, and to Muscat and New Delhi from June to mid-August. Qatar's aircraft will operate with a 2-class configuration, business and economy. <br/>
A Sri Lankan man who threatened to detonate a bomb on a Malaysia Airlines plane has been jailed in Australia. Manodh Marks, 26, forced Kuala Lumpur-bound jet MH128 to turn back to Melbourne in May last year after he tried to access the cockpit. He was later found not to be carrying explosives and in a drug-induced psychosis, a court heard. It is the first time Australia has jailed a person for attempting to take control of an aircraft. Marks will be deported after serving a maximum sentence of 12 years, a judge said Thursday. The flight, carrying more than 200 people, landed safely about 15 minutes after Marks was tackled to the ground by passengers. Marks, who was in Australia on a student visa, had been released from a psychiatric facility on the day of the incident. <br/>