US govt officials in 2014 revealed an alarming safety issue: Passengers' mobile phones and other types of radio signals could pose a crash threat to some models of Boeing 737 and 777 airplanes. More than 1300 jets registered in the US were equipped with cockpit screens vulnerable to interference from Wi-Fi, mobile phones and even outside frequencies such as weather radar, according to the FAA, which gave airlines until Nov 2019 to replace the units made by Honeywell International. Today, potentially hundreds of planes worldwide are still flying with the unsafe systems cited in the FAA report. When airlines and Honeywell argued that radio signals were unlikely to cause safety problems during flight, though, the FAA countered that it had run tests on in-service planes -- and the jets flunked. <br/>
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Airlines in the Middle East are used to avoiding trouble spots, but airspace closures spurred by mounting tension between Iran and the US mean they now face diversions whether flying north, south, east or west. Conflicts in the region had left a legacy of no-fly zones long before the latest flare-up between Washington and Tehran. Restrictions imposed by the US FAA and followed by most carriers worldwide after Iran’s destruction of an American drone, mean airspace above the Strait of Hormuz is also out of bounds. While better known as a shipping route, the corridor also provides the fastest aerial link between the Persian Gulf to parts of south Asia. The restrictions are more than just an irritation. Diversions can add thousands of miles and several hours to journeys, deterring passengers and swelling fuel bills. <br/>
This summer, European vacationers are being brought down to earth. A campaign, marked by hashtags such as #stayontheground and #flightshame, is pressuring travellers to think twice about the carbon impact of their air travel. Even airlines are joining in the public shaming. None of this well-meaning effort will amount to much, however, unless the industry grapples with the environmental impact of its fastest-growing market: Asia. Aviation industry estimates suggest that global passenger numbers will double by 2037, led primarily by new middle-class consumers in China, India and Southeast Asia. Sometime in the next decade, China will surpass the US as the world's biggest aviation market. Neither the airline industry, passengers, nor local govts have any intention of slowing this growth. <br/>
Vietnam’s Phu Cat airport will be ready for international flights come September after recently completing upgrades to the tarmac, domestic terminal and radar system. The airport has drawn upon VND10b (US$429,000) funding from Airports Corporation of Vietnam for terminal repairs and upgrades, and all work will be completed by the end of August. Phu Cat airport has secured commitments from Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways, and VietJet Air to launch international flights once the airport upgrades are complete and certified. Together, the airport and carriers are also working with tour operators to attract tourists. Vietnam Airlines will launch international flights to China, 4 times weekly, while Bamboo has plans for direct flights to Seoul, starting September. <br/>