Delta and United said Friday they do not plan any changes to their South Africa-US routes after the White House said it plans to impose new travel curbs on southern Africa starting Monday amid concerns about a new COVID-19 variant. Delta and United are the only US passenger carriers that have direct flights to southern Africa. Delta currently operates service between Johannesburg and Atlanta three times weekly and the US airline said "there are no planned adjustments to service at this time." The White House said it plans to bar entry to most non-US citizens who have been in South Africa and seven other African countries within the last 14 days. Airlines for America, a trade group representing major US passenger and cargo carriers, said Friday it remains "in communication with the US government as specifics remain unknown at this time and there are many unanswered questions. Amid this rapidly evolving situation, it is critical that US government decisions regarding international travel restrictions and requirements be rooted in science." United said it "remains committed to maintaining a safe and vital link for essential supplies and personnel to transit between the African continent and the United States as feasible. We don’t have any adjustments to our schedule at this time."<br/>
star
South Africa expects to conclude the sale of a majority stake in its state-owned airline to private investors early next year, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said. The sale of 51% of South African Airways to the Takatso consortium is “certainly moving in the right direction,” Gordhan, who oversees state-owned companies, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Friday. “There are a few more regulatory hoops that we have to jump through, so early in the new year that process should be completed.” The group acquiring the stake comprises Johannesburg-based Global Airways, which owns new domestic airline Lift, and private-equity firm Harith General Partners. The emergence of a new coronavirus variant, which has prompted several countries to temporarily ban flights to the country, is unlikely to affect the price they pay, Gordhan said. The minister also expressed his unequivocal backing for Andre de Ruyter, the chief executive officer of state power company Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., who has faced calls from some labor unions and business groups to resign. The country has seen record blackouts this year, with Eskom failing to meet demand from its old and poorly maintained plants. More information is expected to become available next week about the new virus variant, its transmissibility and how it should be responded to, according to Gordhan. “Those are matters that over the next few days government will apply its mind to,” he said. “We have learned a few lessons from the first few waves, so to speak. The balance between lives and livelihoods needs to be carefully managed.”<br/>
Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore broader partnership opportunities, namely additional codeshares. The agreement coincides with the launch of Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights on between Indonesia and Singapore, say the two carriers in a joint statement. Under Singapore’s VTL scheme, fully-vaccinated travellers arriving in Singapore need not serve quarantine. “The scope of the collaboration includes the potential alignment of frequent flyer programmes, joint marketing activities, and initiatives to promote inbound tourism into Indonesia, subject to regulatory approval,” say the pair. “Both partners are also committed to finding new growth opportunities in the air freight segment, as well as cooperation in maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities.” The two carriers already have a limited codesharing arrangement, which was reactivated on 1 October. The carriers codeshare on services from Singapore to Jakarta, Bali, and Surabaya. Cirium schedules data suggests that for the time being Garuda is placing its code on SIA services.<br/>
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has discontinued a probe into a 2019 serious incident in which a Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400F damaged an engine while landing at Sydney. The aircraft was operating a service on the Singapore-Sydney route. On approach to runway 34L during the night of 28 November 2019, the crew encountered a crosswind and gusts – conditions on which they had been briefed. “As the aircraft entered the flare it drifted right of centreline, followed by a sudden un-commanded roll to the left,” says ATSB. “In response, the flight crew initiated a rejected landing manoeuvre, during which the number 1 engine pod struck the ground. After a second approach, the aircraft landed without further incident.” The crew subsequently reported experiencing undershoot sheer below 300ft. The crew of a 737 landing 4min later on runway 34R also reported undershoot shear. Ultimately, the damage to engine number 1 – a Pratt & Whitney PW4000 - was significant enough to see it removed from service. ATSB investigations revealed that both the crew and the aircraft responded correctly to the situation. Wake turbulence was determined not to be a factor. The ATSB goes on, however, to note that wind shear below 1,000ft poses a “significant hazard.” In the past, dedicated radar systems to detect wind shear at Sydney Airport had been explored, but the cost was deemed too high and the environmental cost prohibitive. Story has more.<br/>