Federal safety regulators are citing recent incidents, at least one of them fatal, in warning airlines to make sure that workers keep their distance from jet engines until they are powered off. The FAA said Friday it issued a safety alert to prevent workers from being injured while towing planes or guiding them to and from terminal gates. The FAA said airlines should review their safety programs to make sure they follow practices including keeping workers clear of planes until they are stopped and chocks are placed under the wheels. The warning was prompted by “multiple events” in which workers were injured or killed during ground operations at airports. The FAA bulletin cited two incidents, including the death of a ramp worker who was pulled into an engine of an American Eagle plane parked at a gate at the airport in Montgomery, Alabama. The Labor Department has proposed $15,625 in penalties against the worker’s employer, Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. Piedmont is contesting the fine. In the other incident, a worker removing landing gear safety pins was struck by a wing when a tow driver moved the plane. The worker was run over by the plane’s wheels. The warning was prompted by “multiple events” in which workers were injured or killed during ground operations at airports. The FAA bulletin cited two incidents, including the death of a ramp worker who was pulled into an engine of an American Eagle plane parked at a gate at the airport in Montgomery, Alabama. The Labor Department has proposed $15,625 in penalties against the worker’s employer, Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. Piedmont is contesting the fine. In the other incident, a worker removing landing gear safety pins was struck by a wing when a tow driver moved the plane. The worker was run over by the plane’s wheels.<br/>
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Federal authorities have been investigating nearly 5,000 pilots suspected of falsifying their medical records to conceal that they were receiving benefits for mental health disorders and other serious conditions that could make them unfit to fly, documents and interviews show. The pilots under scrutiny are military veterans who told the FAA that they are healthy enough to fly, yet failed to report — as required by law — that they were also collecting veterans benefits for disabilities that could bar them from the cockpit. Veterans Affairs investigators discovered the inconsistencies more than two years ago by cross-checking federal databases, but the FAA has kept many details of the case a secret from the public. FAA spokesman Matthew Lehner acknowledged in a statement that the agency has been investigating about 4,800 pilots “who might have submitted incorrect or false information as part of their medical applications.” The FAA has now closed about half of those cases, he said, and has ordered about 60 pilots — who Lehner said “posed a clear danger to aviation safety” — to cease flying on an emergency basis while their records are reviewed. About 600 of the pilots under investigation are licensed to fly for passenger airlines, according to a senior US official familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing case. Most of the rest hold commercial licenses that allow them to fly for hire, including with cargo firms, corporate clients or tour companies. Experts said that the inquiry has exposed long-standing vulnerabilities in the FAA’s medical system for screening pilots and that the sheer number of unreported health problems presents a risk to aviation safety. While pilots must pass regular government-contracted health exams, the tests often are cursory and the FAA relies on aviators to self-report conditions that can otherwise be difficult to detect, such as depression or post-traumatic stress, according to physicians who conduct the exams.<br/>
Airline passengers often end up at odds over many aspects of the in-flight experience — a reclining seat in the knees, groups of travelers asking others to switch rows, and overhead cabin battles, among them. Now on many international air carrier flights there is a more civilized way to compete with fellow passengers: a seat upgrade auction. How it works is fairly simple: a week or so before a flight, passengers receive an email letting them know about potentially available seat upgrades. If they want to participate, they provide their credit card details and enter a bid. If they have the winning bid, their card is charged and their seat is upgraded, often at a steep discount when compared to what the upgraded seat would have cost at the original time of purchase. While the concept has caught on around the globe, the US airlines are for the most part an exception. Spirit Airlines offers upgrades to its Big Front Seat (which is just what it sounds like: a bigger seat near the front of the aircraft) through its SeatBid program. But no other major US carriers offer upgrade auction programs. Major US carriers are at least likely to be weighing the costs and benefits of the practice, says Zack Griff, senior aviation writer for travel site The Points Guy, since upgrades are built into the business model already. But the auction model specifically raises significant tensions with the way upgrades are offered today. “Most major US airlines offer a few ways to upgrade your flight experience, whether you’re looking for extra-legroom, premium economy or business-class seats. Traditionally, that includes three methods: you can redeem miles, cash in on your elite status perks, or simply buy an upgrade like you would a regular ticket,” Griff said. The auction model is different because it offers often steep discounts, and underlying this approach is a truth about supply and demand economics: distressed inventory still available close to flight dates. “In recent years,” Griff says, “the concept of selling distressed inventory — seats that will otherwise go unsold — at a blind auction has risen in popularity.”<br/>
Dutch airport operator Royal Schiphol Group on Friday reported a drop in first-half net profit to E15m from E65m a year earlier, citing higher operational costs. However, the group said passenger numbers rose 22% to 33.2m in the first six months of 2023, helping it to swing to an underlying profit of E44m from a E29m loss a year earlier. The group also said the overall travel experience was better than in 2022, when Europe’s third busiest airport was hit by staff shortages and overcrowding, describing the first half of this year as “a turnaround”.<br/>
Kenya's transport minister apologised on Saturday after a widespread electricity blackout the previous night left passengers at the main airport in Nairobi grappling in darkness. Power went off in many parts of the country at 9.45 p.m. (1845 GMT) on Friday, the electricity distribution company Kenya Power (KPLC.NR) said in a statement, attributing the loss to "a system disturbance". Online footage from local broadcaster NTV showed travellers huddling around the main terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in darkness, while some used mobile phone torches to light their way. The airport operator Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said that one of its stand-by generators, which serves the terminal, did not kick in after the grid went off. Generators serving the flight control tower and the airport runway were functional at all times, Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said in a televised news conference, adding that no passengers or aeroplanes were put in danger by the outage. "I wish to issue an unreserved apology to all travellers and airport users who were affected in one way or another by the power disruption," Murkomen said. National airline Kenya Airways did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Murkomen said KAA's board had terminated the contract of Managing Director Alex Gitari, appointing Henry Ogoye as acting head. It also transferred JKIA's manager, Abel Gogo, to manage a different airport, replacing him with Selina Gor.<br/>
Russian airlines’ passenger traffic was at 11.6m passengers in July, Russian state news agency RIA reported on Friday, up from nearly 11m in the same month last year. <br/>
Dubai predicts air traffic from China will rebound in Q4, raising the need to boost capacity at the world’s busiest international airport. The city’s main air hub increased its forecast for this year to 85m passengers from 83.6m, after a surge in arrivals pushed numbers to pre-Covid levels, its CEO said. About 41.6m passengers traveled through Dubai International Airport (DXB) in the first half of 2023. That was up 49% from a year earlier and exceeded arrivals during the same period in 2019, before the pandemic grounded air lines across the world. “We have to accelerate our efforts to improve the capacity of the existing airport in the short term, which will cover us for the next 10 to 15 years,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports Tuesday last week. “Then, we have to have a real push to develop the big one,” he said, referring to the city’s second airport, Al Maktoum International (DWC), which is designed to accommodate more passengers once it fully opens. The company sees a “very strong” rebound in China, he said. The world’s second biggest economy was mostly closed to international travellers until earlier this year, when strict Covid lockdowns were lifted.<br/>
Kuwait International Airport passenger numbers have reached 15.5m in the year so far, according to statistics from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It is an increase on 14.46m passengers in the same period last year. Director of Air Transports at DGCA Abdullah Al Rajhi, said that the total passenger traffic from Kuwait International Airport in the current summer season is expected to reach 5.75m passengers. The figure represents an increase of 13% over last year. He also expected to operate 45,000 flights this season, an increase of 15% compared to last year.<br/>
India's air safety watchdog has launched a review of pilot fatigue data to see if any policy changes are needed after the sudden death of an IndiGo pilot, a senior aviation ministry official told Reuters. The rare review, which has not previously been reported, comes after an IndiGo pilot collapsed and died before his flight last week. That has sparked complaints from some Indian pilots that they are being stretched to the brink by airlines, even though they comply with duty time regulations. After the death, hundreds of airline pilots plan to form an association to challenge flying duty regulations they say cause fatigue and jeopardise safety, Reuters reported this week. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now decided to conduct a review of pilot fatigue data it has collected during spot checks and surveillance of airlines to see if regulations related to flight duty times or fatigue need to be changed, said the official. The regulator could go a step further by approaching Indian airlines to submit details of pilot complaints related to fatigue. "The regulator will go to a granular level," said the official, declining to be named in line with government rules. While pilot fatigue is a global problem, India is at the heart of the matter as the world's fastest-growing aviation market, with hundreds of new planes on order by IndiGo and Tata group-owned Air India.<br/>
After years of pent-up demand for leisure and business travel due to the ravages of Covid-19, millions of Chinese are taking to the skies again as the nation leads an aviation boom across Asia. China’s return is thought to be the final missing piece in global air travel recovery. Domestic travel has led the rebound in Asia’s top aviation market, and now international travel is set to take off after the lifting of a ban on group tours to popular destinations. Yet the resurgence comes with a drawback: It’s likely to lift jet fuel consumption amid tight supplies, potentially super-charging prices. In recent months, the availability of aviation fuel has slipped, with stockpiles at hubs such as Singapore and Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp below seasonal averages. That’s due to a series of unplanned refinery outages, as well as increased diesel production at the expense of jet fuel. While aviation fuel prices are nowhere near the highs of last year, they’ve jumped about 30% this month compared with the start of July, trading above US$116 a barrel in Singapore, according to Bloomberg Fair Value data. Higher jet fuel prices may weigh on airlines currently enjoying bumper profits, while travellers could see higher fares if companies pass along those steeper costs. Global oil prices have risen more than 15% in the past two months, due to Opec+ output curbs, as well as higher run rates by refiners looking to cash in on good fuel-making profits. Banks such as UBS AG have adjusted their oil price forecasts upward, citing a market deficit. A big question mark for the outlook on oil and the global economy has been China’s uneven recovery. While overall growth in the nation has been weaker than expected, various data on flight bookings are an encouraging sign.<br/>
South Korean startup Toff Mobility announced it will offer passenger and logistics services in Asia via electric flight in 2024, with an expansion of its services to Ulleung Island, Jeju Island, and local airports in 2026. The newly founded company claims to have launched “Asia’s first electric aircraft company” in aid of achieving South Korea’s mission of zero carbon emissions. Toff Mobility intends to use EASA-certified electric aircraft and will form a team of professionals with real-life expertise with both electric and fossil-fuel aircraft to ensure safety and stability. Chanyoung Jung, CEO highlighted that it wants to prepare for commercialization through a series of “in-depth investigations.” South Korea’s parliament enacted a measure allowing government funding for urban air mobility (UAM) transportation infrastructure, which is set to assist potential operators. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) announced the start of the Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Demonstration Project, with the objective of commercializing UAM, by 2025.<br/>
Boeing is preparing to restart delivery of 737 Max jets to China for the first time in four years, according to people familiar with the matter, a long-awaited breakthrough that would bolster the planemaker’s comeback from one of the worst crises in its history. The initial handovers are expected to take place within weeks, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing confidential matters. This month, Boeing moved two of the single-aisle jets originally built for Chinese airlines out of storage. However, it wasn’t clear until now if those planes were destined for their original buyers, since Boeing has diverted some planes from inventory to alternate customers. China Southern, the country’s largest carrier, is poised to take the first 737 Max from Boeing, according to one of the people. Officials for China Southern didn’t response to requests for comment. The carrier led the way in resuming commercial Max flights earlier this year after Chinese officials lifted flying restrictions in place since March 2019 in the wake of two fatal Max crashes. Since then, nearly all of the Max jets imported by China prior to the tragedies have been returned to service. Boeing declined to comment on its interactions with China Southern. Shares of the US planemaker reversed earlier losses following Bloomberg’s report, rising as much as 3% in New York trading. “We continue to support our customers in China, with more than 95% of their current 737 MAX fleet in service,” the company said. “For deliveries, we will be ready to deliver for our customers when that time comes.” The 737 Max has been caught in a trade stalemate between the US and China, with the grounding extending in Boeing’s biggest overseas market long after much of the world cleared it for flight. The narrowbody jet is not only one of the largest US exports but Boeing’s main source of revenue and a critical component of CEO Dave Calhoun’s effort to restore profitability. The people cautioned that a diplomatic snag could still derail the resumption of 737 Max deliveries. <br/>
Embraer is considering establishing multiple assembly lines in India to build its small narrow-body jets and military transport aircraft as the Brazilian planemaker tries to win orders in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets. The planemaker is in early discussions with potential partners to assemble its E2 regional aircraft and C-390 Millennium troop transporter, Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto said in an interview in New Delhi at the B20 summit. Neto also said the company was having similar talks with potential partners in China. “We see India as a very good opportunity for collaboration,” Neto said. “India has very competitive labor costs. India has availability of engineering. India has design and technical expertise. We can put together something good for both sides.” Embraer has been trying to break into the global aviation duopoly with its E2 range of jets that seat between 80 and 130 people, depending on the variant, and compete with Airbus SE’s A220 model. With India looking to improve domestic connections, the planemaker sees an opportunity for smaller aircraft that might be easier for airlines to use on underserved routes. Regional carrier Star Air is the sole commercial airline that operates Embraer jets in India. Bloomberg News in March reported India is looking to partner with Embraer and Russia’s Sukhoi to make small planes locally in a bid to link tiny towns and far-flung areas. Embraer shut down its Chinese assembly operation — where it built ERJ 145 regional jets and Legacy 650 business aircraft — in 2016 owing to a lack of demand. Neto said he was optimistic about Chinese carriers being interested in his products, and cited the recent certification of its E195-E2 and E190-E2 models. <br/>
Brazil’s Embraer just toppled Textron’s Cessna as the producer of the most-flown private jet in the US after a 15-year reign. The Embraer Phenom 300, a medium-sized jet that seats as many as nine passengers, had more than 360,000 takeoffs and landings at US airports during the trailing 12 months through August, about 1,400 more than the Cessna Citation Excel family of jets. The Excel had been the most operated private jet for about 15 years, according to the FAA’s monthly report of business jet operations. The Phenom 300 has grown in popularity because it burns less fuel, costs about one-third less and boasts more speed and range than the Citation Excel, said Brian Foley, a private aviation consultant. Those features more than offset the Phenom 300’s smaller cabin space, he said in an e-mail. “It has become a favorite of charter and fractional providers, who fly them much more than the average aircraft operator,” Foley said. There’s a “perception of being purpose-built for high utilization as a result of Embraer’s long airliner heritage.” In May, Berkshire Hathaway’s NetJets, the largest private-jet operator, announced a deal valued at $5b to buy up to 250 Embraer Praetor 500s, a larger craft than the Phenom 300, that includes a service agreement. Last year, the private-jets unit made up about 27% of Embraer’s $4.2b of sales. Except for the span when the now-discontinued Hawker 800 jet was the top private aircraft in the US in 2007 and 2008, a Cessna has held that title in FAA data that goes back to 2001. Even though Embraer now has bragging rights to the most-flown private jet in the US, Textron still dominates on overall aircraft flight hours because of the planemaker’s extensive lineup from very light jets to the super mid-size Longitude. Cessna is also revamping the Excel family with the Citation Ascend that’s expected to begin service in 2025, the company said. <br/>