Guinea’s government has confirmed two fatalities after a motorcycle was hit by a TAP Air Portugal aircraft as it landed at Conakry, the West African state’s capital airport. According to the Guinean civil aviation authority, the accident occurred on 2 September at around 23:40. The aircraft – an Airbus A320neo – landed in darkness. Meteorological data from the airport indicates that visibility at the time was good. Civil aviation authority director general Mohamed Kobele Keita says the organisation will undertake an inquiry to determine the circumstances and cause of the event. He states that the aircraft “struck a motorcycle” after landing at Ahmed Sekou Toure airport, and that both fatalities were occupants of the vehicle. Conakry has a single runway, designated 06/24, but the location of the collision has not been specified. Preliminary information indicates the aircraft involved was CS-TVI, which had been in service with TAP for less than 18 months following delivery last year. Images purportedly from the scene of the accident show damage to the lower section of the aircraft’s right-hand CFM International Leap-1A engine inlet.<br/>
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Two Airbus A350-900s and three A330-300s are among 10 additional aircraft that SAS is seeking to shed from its fleet, as part of a restructuring under US Chapter 11 protection. The company has submitted a 3 September court filing aiming to reject 10 leased aircraft – including five twin-aisle and five single-aisle airframes – and four CFM International CFM56 engines. It has identified the two A350s as MSN378 and MSN391, and the A330s as MSNs 1665, 1697 and 1715. All five aircraft are fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent engines. The five single-aisle jets comprise three A320neos – powered by CFM Leap-1A engines – plus an A321 and Boeing 737-700. SAS has been pushing through a restructuring programme designated ‘SAS Forward’, of which resizing the fleet is a crucial part. The company and its associates under Chapter 11 state in the filing that they “do not need the excess leased equipment for their business operations”, and that the aircraft and engines are “no longer part of the…fleet or business plan”. At the time it entered Chapter 11 the carrier had 100 aircraft, of which 20 were owned. SAS’s filing says the reshaped fleet is a “cornerstone” of its restructuring, and that it is party to a number of aircraft lease agreements that are “significantly above market” or “no longer fit” in its plans. <br/>
In light of the upcoming COP27 UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egyptair - the state-owned flag carrier for Egypt, and the official airline for the event - will be offering discounted flights for all countries participating in the conference. Along with the discount, the airline is creating an advertising campaign for COP27 to be aired on board. The flagship flight will carry the conference’s logo on headrest covers of its seats, and will be increasing flights between Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh. They will also operate direct flights from London, Frankfurt, Munich, Istanbul, Paris, Dubai, Lagos and Nairobi to Sharm El Sheikh International Airport on November 5th.<br/>
Changi Airport Terminal 2 will resume operations for departure flights on Oct 11, starting with Singapore Airlines (SIA) flights to Malaysia and Thailand. SIA flights to other Southeast Asian destinations - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam - will depart from the southern wing of Terminal 2 from Oct 13. Changi Airport Group (CAG) announced this on Monday as part of the terminal's phased reopening. Arrival operations had resumed in May after a two-year closure due to upgrading works and the COVID-19 pandemic. "The commencement of departure operations at T2 will add to Changi’s capacity and spread out passenger operations more evenly across the airport’s terminals as travel demand continues to grow in the lead-up to the year-end travel peak," said CAG. Two other airlines – Air India and Air India Express – will move to Terminal 2 on Oct 18, said CAG, adding that the list of other airlines using the terminal will be announced later. As for SIA flights arriving at Changi Airport, they will continue to be assigned gates at Terminals 1, 2 or 3.<br/>
Air New Zealand has unveiled its latest Airbus A321neo sporting a jet black Star Alliance livery. The new aircraft, which can seat up to 217 passengers, is the world's first black Star Alliance aircraft and one of three A321neos to join the airline's fleet in the coming months. Siu Ling Fock, Star Alliance Vice President - Development and Communications, said, "As the largest and longest-running airline alliance in the world, Star Alliance honours each of our 26 member airlines' distinct heritage, character and style. We know the significance of the colour black to New Zealanders, so when Air New Zealand proposed to launch the first-ever all-black aircraft with Star Alliance livery, we were happy to agree. This launch also comes at a special time for Star Alliance, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year." The aircraft, which will fly on the airline's domestic network, is expected to touch down in November, after making the 17,825km journey from the Airbus factory in Hamburg in Germany, through Muscat, Kuala Lumpur and Cairns, before arriving in Auckland. Another A321neo, which will be painted in the Air New Zealand's classic black and white livery, is expected to arrive in September.<br/>
Emirates' new ad campaign has some people crying fowl due to its similarity to an ad released by Air New Zealand more than four years ago. In the new promotion, 'Gerry the Goose' experiences all the luxuries of flying on Emirates including the service, food and comfort. It's a trip much like the one experienced by 'Dave the Goose' on Air NZ back in 2018. The similarities have even prompted Air NZ to release a special video on social media, clarifying that it was the original airline for long-haul travelling geese. "What are you doing on Emirates, Gerry?" Dave asks of his feathered friend. Air NZ's video ends with the claim it has provided "a better way to fly for geese since 2016".Dave the Goose was the face - or beak - of Air NZ's 'Better Way to Fly' campaign. Gerry the Goose flies alongside Emirates similar message 'Fly Better'. Both ads feature the star geese looking out the window observing fellow geese flying the hard way to the same destination.In the Emirates commercial, a young bird asks "are we there yet?"; while in the Air NZ ad, one bird asks another: "When do we land, mate?" An Air NZ spokesperson told Newshub the airline is very proud to be the original carriers of geese. "We love the goose, that's why we did it six years ago. Imitation is the sincerest form of flappery after, all," they said. Emirates is yet to respond to questions from Newshub.<br/>