One of the most influential figures in global aviation has swung behind the Telegraph’s Test4Travel campaign as Boris Johnson is bombarded with calls to implement a Covid testing regime. Alexandre de Juniac, the DG and CE of IATA, today warns Johnson that the UK’s quarantine policies endanger “vaporising” jobs that will not come back. The PM is facing a backlash from members of his own party after refusing to drop travel quarantines in favour of a sophisticated testing regime at airports. Last week he said testing gave a “false sense of security” and labelled travel restrictions “vital”. While the Prime Minister remains sceptical of the merits of a testing regime, travel industry sources said Downing Street had indicated a bespoke package of financial support - which could include an extension of the bankrolling of jobs - is being considered. Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, has rejected airport testing, instead saying the “best solution” was to test travellers shortly after their arrival in the UK - a move that would still require passengers to quarantine. De Juniac said: “The stop-start closing of Britain to the world is not a successful survival tactic for Covid-19. Jobs are being vaporised by quarantine and they may never come back. The answer is a Covid-19 testing regime that manages the risk to keep people safe from the virus. And it will avoid apocalyptic unemployment that is sure to devastate society and the economy.”<br/>
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The US aviation authority is investigating manufacturing flaws in the Boeing 787 after the company reported that certain plane parts did not conform to its production standards. Boeing determined that eight planes affected by the issue needed to be inspected and repaired before they could be returned to service. "We immediately contacted the airlines that operate the eight affected planes to notify them of the situation, and the airplanes have been temporarily removed from service until they can be repaired," the US aviation giant said Monday. "The rest of the in-service fleet has been determined to meet limit load capability, and we are inspecting production airplanes to ensure any issues are addressed prior to delivery," Boeing added. According to an internal FAA memo, the regulator could be looking at quality control errors that may have potentially lasted for 10 years. The investigation could lead to enhanced inspections of hundreds of planes, the WSJ reported Monday. "It is too early to speculate about the nature or extent of any proposed Airworthiness Directives that might arise from the agency's investigation," the FAA said. Boeing identified two issues with the manufacture of the join in a portion of the fuselage in some 787s that, "in combination, result in a condition that does not meet our design standards. "We notified the FAA and are conducting a thorough review into the root cause," Boeing said.<br/>
London’s airport bosses say they would have passenger testing facilities in place “within days” once the Government has given them the all-clear to introduce them. Five out of six of the capital’s airports said they were in advanced talks with specialist providers about setting up optional coronavirus testing centres for arriving passengers that could slash the amount of time needed to spend in quarantine from the current 14 days. However, none will activate the plans until they have been given clear guidelines by ministers. Stansted, the third biggest, is the most advanced and said it is “ready to go as soon as the Government puts a policy in place”. It has been trialling testing centres in car parks. Heathrow said it needed about a fortnight “in order for IT integration with airlines to happen” for testing to be operational. The test would cost about GBP150. Heathrow has one facility near the immigration hall in Terminal Two and a second being prepared in Terminal Five. Under the Heathrow plan passengers would have one test on arrival and a second a few days later to confirm the reading. Heathrow CE John Holland-Kaye said: “We are ready to go — we just need the Government to give us the green light." Southend airport also said it could have testing operational in a fortnight. <br/>
Seven Greek islands have been added to the list of countries from which travellers must quarantine when entering England to try to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, British transport minister Grant Shapps said on Monday. Shapps told parliament that improved access to data meant he could now decide rules on an island-by-island basis depending on COVID-19 infection rates. Passengers arriving from Lesbos, Tinos, Serifos, Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and Zakynthos will from 0300 GMT on Wednesday have to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in England, he said. The announcement was part of a new policy allowing different rules to be applied to different islands within states. "For the first time, we have the data and the capacity to add and remove specific islands from quarantine while still providing maximum protection to the UK public," he said. Britain's constituent nations have different quarantine policies. Last week, Wales added six Greek islands to its list, and Scotland put arrivals from all Greece under restrictions. Airlines and tour companies have sought a change in the rules. <br/>
Looking to travel from Beijing to Hangzhou in eastern China? A flight can be had for as low as 180 yuan ($26) - one of a slew of deals fuelling a robust recovery in Chinese passenger levels and which could provide a model for a beleaguered industry globally. Led by China Eastern Airlines' June offer of unlimited weekend flights until Dec. 31 for 3,322 yuan ($485), domestic carriers have fallen over themselves to woo passengers back with bargain-basement fares. At the same time, China’s success in mitigating the spread of the coronavirus has helped consumers regain the confidence to travel. Although the airlines are still loss-making and analysts say the recovery for China’s aviation market is fragile and subject to setbacks, the cheap airfare strategy is far more cost-effective than having planes grounded. It also provides a model for other countries to borrow from or even top. “We may have reached the point where some airlines begin to pay for some people to travel, offering free seats and then seeking to generate ancillary revenues that support the service whilst at the same time rebuilding traveller confidence,” John Grant, OAG chief analyst said on his firm’s website. Vietnamese budget carrier VietJet Aviation has come close to doing that, offering fares for next year’s Lunar New Year holiday from 2,021 dong (9 US cents) on all flights from north and central Vietnam to the country’s south. Story has more.<br/>
A bilateral safety agreement between European and Chinese aviation regulators came into effect on 1 September, paving the way for simpler evaluation and certification processes for airframers of the two regions. The EASA says it held a joint meeting with its Chinese counterparts on 3 September, where both parties adopted technical implementation procedures, which are meant to support the safety agreement. “These administrative and technical procedures describe in detail how EASA and [Civil Aviation Administration of China] will conduct the validation and reciprocal acceptance of civil aeronautical product approvals,” the agency adds. In May last year, both the EU and China signed the agreement, which aims to “support worldwide trade in aircraft and related products” by removing “unnecessary duplication” of evaluation and certification activities by respective authorities. The deal will also promote co-operation between the EU and China towards a “high level” of civil aviation safety and environmental compatibility.<br/>
Oman will restart international flights on Oct. 1, state news agency ONA said on Twitter, after they were suspended in March as part of coronavirus precautions. “Flights will be scheduled according to health data for specific destinations and according to bilateral agreements with other airlines,” ONA said.<br/>
Construction of a passenger terminal at Sydney's new $5.3b international airport is expected to start by the end of next year after several large contractors were shortlisted for the work. The federal government has also released further concept designs for Western Sydney Airport's terminal at Badgerys Creek, which is about 50 kilometres west of Sydney's CBD. Western Sydney Airport, a wholly government-owned company, declined to put an estimate on the cost of building the terminal, arguing it would compromise competitive tender processes. The terminal is, however, included in the overall $5.3b cost estimate for the airport. The airport company has shortlisted Multiplex, Watpac and a Lendlease-CPB Contractors joint venture to tender for construction of the terminal. Its design will be finalised when the winning contractor is appointed in the middle of next year. The terminal will include a public plaza, shops, restaurants and cafes, and will be connected to the local transport network by the $1.8b M12 motorway – construction of which is due to start in 2022 – and a metro rail line to St Marys via two new stations at Luddenham and Orchard Hills. Major construction of the $8b Western Sydney Airport metro line is scheduled to start next year, allowing for the rail link to be operational in time for the airport's opening in 2026. The terminal is expected to be completed by 2025, the same time as the runway is finished, allowing for about a year to bed down operations before the first passengers pass through its gates.<br/>
Forecasting the future is fraught right now, especially if you've tried making travel plans recently. Consumers face confusion at every turn. Re-book those cancelled Europe flights for next year, or wait until 2022? Will you be able to travel interstate for a holiday this summer? The crippling uncertainty of closed borders and an indefinite pandemic makes booking anything almost impossible. This week a CAPA summit featured top airline and tourism bosses grappling with how and when they can revive their floundering industries. They shared their fears, forecasts and suggestions about what comes next. On international travel: Aviation's immediate future hangs on the global community's appetite for risk until a vaccine is developed. In Australia, Qantas has given up on international travel until at least July next year as it operates at just 20% of pre-COVID capacity and most staff are stood down or laid off. Qantas CE Alan Joyce sees positive signs on the horizon. "We see the international business to be smaller for sometime," he said. "But things could change." Akbar Al Baker, chief executive Qatar Airways, says the biggest challenge airlines face is lack of uniformity because "each country is forming their own rules and regulations". On domestic travel, Qantas and Virgin are itching for state borders to reopen so they can get planes in the air and stem the bleeding of cash. While Virgin survived its administration process, the airline emerged smaller and less willing to compete with Qantas on marginal routes. The demise of Tigerair may also reduce pressure on Jetstar airfares. One thing that's unlikely to survive the pandemic is any generosity towards flexible bookings. Both Qantas and Virgin have waived change fees during COVID-19 as they seek to restore confidence in the market. But once demand bounces back, don't expect flexibility to remain. Story has more.<br/>
Airbus A220 operators are being instructed to modify drain tubing after an incident in which rainwater dripped into the avionics bay and tripped a circuit breaker during taxi, causing an engine to shut down. Rain had entered the aircraft through the main cabin entry door while it was open, according to Transport Canada. This caused drains to overflow and led to dripping on the forward avionics bay below. “Water ingress into the forward avionics bay could short-circuit the equipment in the area and lead to a loss of air-data sources,” says the regulator. This might result in a reduction in function and an increase in the crew’s workload, it adds. A220 operators are being ordered to modify the aircraft, within 12 months, by removing forward galley slotted drain covers, fitting solid blanking plates, and blocking drain tubing to prevent water travelling from the forward galley into the avionics bay.<br/>