A passenger believed to be having “a mental health emergency” exited a Southwest plane through the emergency door on Sunday at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, according to officials. The incident took place right before 8 p.m. when airport police were called to one of the concourses because “a passenger utilized an emergency exit door to exit a plane,” according to a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office news release shared with USA TODAY. The plane was not moving and still at the gate. The unidentified 38-year-old man climbed onto the plane’s wing and jumped onto the ground. He was captured by ground personnel. No one was injured in the incident. “When deputies made contact with the man, they found he was incoherent and not fully aware of his surroundings,” the news release said. He was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and remains hospitalized for possibly “suffering from a mental health emergency.” The sheriff’s office said the man will likely not face any criminal charges. The investigation has been handed over to federal authorities. “We commend our flight and ground crews for their swift action and apologize to our Customers for their inconvenience,” Southwest Airlines said.<br/>
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More than 2,000 flight attendants at Air Transat voted to authorize a strike mandate following negotiations since April, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said on Monday. In the event of a strike, which would become legal as of Jan. 3, 2024 under the Canadian Labour Code, it should be anticipated that all flights will be canceled, the union said in a statement. "We are confident we have enough time until then to find an agreement," Transat told Reuters. "So far, the tone at the bargaining table remains cordial and respectful and discussions are progressing well on both parties' respective demands," Transat said. Canada-listed tour operator Transat AT Inc offers air travel under the Air Transat brand. The strike mandate, approved by a nearly unanimous vote of 99.8%, comes after 33 negotiation sessions. It reflects the flight attendants' exceptionally high level of dissatisfaction with their working conditions, particularly with wages and purchasing power, according to CUPE's statement. "More than 50% of them (the members) have been forced to take on a second or even a third job to make ends meet, and their starting salary is only C$26,577 per year," said Dominic Levasseur, president of the Air Transat Component of CUPE. Air Canada pilots also staged a protest in September, negotiating for better pay and working conditions after US counterparts such as United Airlines and Delta made historic gains in new labor deals over the last few months.<br/>
Brazilian carrier Azul is exploring potential electrification of its Cessna Grand Caravans through a collaboration with US start-up Surf Air Mobility. Los Angeles-based Surf Air said on 27 November that Azul will help develop its proprietary electric powertrain technology and accelerate its progress toward certification, while Azul hopes the agreement will lead it toward net-zero operations. ”We’re very excited to work with Azul to help us design our technology and define how our electric powertrains can best be deployed within an existing regional network in order for passengers to gain as much benefit from the technology as possible,” says Stan Little, Surf Air’s CE. Surf Air has two business units. Its Surf Air Global division sells seats on small chartered aircraft that are owned and operated by partner companies. The company’s other business is developing hybrid-electric and all-electric Cessna Caravans, including through partnerships with aircraft maker Textron Aviation and certification specialist AeroTec. “The powertrain technology the company plans to develop does not yet exist,” Surf Air said in its most-recent earnings report. Surf Air says it will work toward the “commercial deployment of electric Cessna Caravan within Azul’s existing fleet”, emphasising its intention to certificate its electric powertrain in 2026. “In doing so, Azul and Surf Air Mobility hope to be a catalyst for change within South America and global leaders in regional air mobility,” the company says. Surf Air and Azul will work on the technical and regulatory specifications of Surf Air’s electric propulsion system with the goal of upgrading Azul’s aircraft with the technology. The carrier operates 27 Caravans across an 80-city network in Brazil through regional subsidiary Azul Conecta. Surf Air claims that its electric powertrain technology could potentially reduce operating costs 50% and eliminate “100% of direct carbon emissions”, which could have “profound impacts on how Azul operates its Cessna Caravan network”. <br/>
A Virgin Atlantic passenger jet flying from London to New York powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will take off on Tuesday, as the aviation world seeks to showcase the potential of low carbon options to secure its future. As the world de-carbonises, airlines are banking on fuel made from waste to reduce their emissions by up to 70%, enabling them to keep operating before electric and hydrogen-powered air travel becomes a reality in the decades to come. The flight operated by a Virgin Boeing 787 powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, will be the first time a commercial airline has flown long haul on 100% SAF. It follows the successful transatlantic crossing by a Gulfstream G600 business jet using the same fuel last week. Virgin Atlantic's billionaire founder Richard Branson, the airline's CE Shai Weiss, and Britain's transport minister Mark Harper will all be on board the flight scheduled to leave London Heathrow at 1130 GMT and arrive at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at 1440 EST. There will be no paying passengers on board or cargo on what Virgin has dubbed Flight100, which comes days before the start of COP28 climate talks in Dubai on Thursday. SAF is already used in jet engines as part of a blend with traditional kerosene, but after successful ground tests, Virgin and its partners Rolls-Royce, Boeing, BP and others won permission to fly using only SAF.<br/>
An airline in Nigeria is under investigation after one of its planes landed in the wrong airport, more than 300km away from its intended destination. The United Nigeria Airlines flight from Lagos was meant to land in the capital, Abuja. However, once on the ground, it was revealed the plane was actually now in Asaba, 318km in the wrong direction. Confused passengers onboard took to social media with one saying: “We departed Lagos about an hour ago to Abuja, and upon arrival, the cabin crew confidently announced that we've arrived Abuja, only for us to realize that we landed in Asaba. Apparently, our pilot was given wrong flight plan from Lagos.” But the airline denies it is in the wrong, saying that the pilot had been told there was bad weather in Abuja so needed to fly to Asaba and that “a wrong announcement was made by cabin crew upon landing safely in Asaba, creating confusion among the passengers”. The plane eventually flew on to Abuja. It appears Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) isn’t convinced by the airline’s explanation. The weather was reportedly fine in Abuja, according to aviation site One Mile At A Time and the NCAA has decided to suspend United Nigeria Airlines while an investigation is launched. “The Authority wishes to reassure the travelling public that it will leave no stone unturned as it has always done in the past to ensure continued safety of the aviation industry,” it said in a statement posted online. United Nigeria Airlines is a wet lease operator, meaning they use crew and aircraft from other airlines.<br/>
flynas, the national air carrier, has joined the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as an affiliate member, becoming the first Saudi airline in the Middle East to join the organization, and enhancing the leading LCC role to contribute to sustainable global tourism, which alignes with flynas' sustainability strategy and the Kingdom's vision and commitment to shaping the future of the global travel sector. This new membership comes as Saudi Arabia was selected to host the 26th UNWTO General Assembly in 2025, the first time the Kingdom will host the general assembly of a UN organization, underscoring the country's growing prominence in global tourism. flynas' membership in the UNWTO further strengthens the airline's position as one of the top five LCCs in the world, adding value in visibility, networking, participation, knowledge, support and cooperation with Tier 1 organizations in the field of tourism. Affiliate members are an integral part of UNWTO membership, bringing together over 500 companies, educational and research institutions and NGOs to engage in dialogue, share information, and take action with the objective of contributing to sustainable global tourism in which knowledge and innovation are harnessed to promote responsible and competitive tourism, in line with the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the UN principles and objectives. CEO and Managing Director Bander Almohanna said: "flynas' joining the organization as the first Saudi airline and the first low-cost carrier in the Middle East will reinforce its position as the 4th best low-cost airline in the world."<br/>
Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, announced the launch of a new route to the enchanting island of Phuket, Thailand from Sharjah. The non-stop flights will connect Sharjah International Airport with Phuket International Airport with a frequency of four weekly flights starting from December 15, 2023, providing travellers with even more convenient and affordable options to explore one of the most famous destinations in Southeast Asia. Effective December 15, 2023, Air Arabia will fly from Sharjah to Phuket on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and from Phuket to Sharjah on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Adel Al Ali, Group CEO of Air Arabia, stated: "We are glad to introduce Phuket as the latest addition to our growing network which will further expand our footprint in the Thai market. This new route reflects our commitment to provide our customers with diverse travel options, connecting them to marvelous destinations around the world while continuously offering seamless connectivity, convenience, and an unparalleled air travel experience.”<br/>
AirAsia today announced a major expansion of its services covering China, India and Malaysia, totalling an astounding 230 weekly flights for Q1 2024 with up to 5.2m seats per year. The significant increase in capacity via AirAsia Malaysia and AirAsia X Malaysia comes in response to the anticipated surge in travel demand following the announcement of a 30-day visa-free entry for travellers from the two countries to Malaysia starting Dec 1, 2023, Capital A Bhd CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said. The announcement also coincides with the recent announcement of the easing of travel restrictions for Malaysians to China, from Dec 1, 2023. "The 30-day visa-free entry for the citizens of China and India will surely provide a welcome boost for Malaysia’s tourism and its economy ahead of the upcoming peak travel season while boosting economic bonds between these great nations,” Fernandes said. "As a vital player in the aviation sector, we stand ready to add capacity to support the demand for affordable and accessible air travel in the region.” AirAsia Aviation Ltd Group CEO Bo Lingam said the group see this as an opportunity not only to enhance regional connectivity in two of their largest markets, but also to act as a catalyst for significant economic growth.<br/>
Australian charter operator Alliance Aviation continues to enjoy a strong charter market, particularly with fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) operations for the country’s resources sector. Speaking at the company’s annual meeting, managing director Scott McMillan observes that the company retained “all material contracts” in the year to 30 June, and that it has subsequently signed up new FIFO operations. In addition, Alliance has started international wet lease services to Honiara and Wellington. In January, however, it dropped tourism charters owing to low utilisation. “Our contract book is the strongest it has been since we listed in 2011 and our growing fleet will ensure we have the capacity to take on additional contract business,” says McMillan. “Our wet lease operations continue to expand in volume and scale and individual aircraft utilisation will rise progressively over the next eighteen months. This ‘industrial leverage’ results in lower unit costs and either stable or growing margin.” McMillan also touched on the carrier’s environmental efforts. The Fokker fleet, which is powered by Rolls-Royce Tay powerplants, records just 3% of its take-offs at full power in an effort to reduce fuel consumption and extend engine life. Similarly, the thrust ratings for the GE Aerospace CF34 engines that power Alliance’s Embraer E190s have been set to their lowest level. He adds that Alliance is likely to part out up to 11 E-190s to provide spares and engines for the operational fleet. Spares may also be sold to third parties. As of 30 June, Alliance’s fleet stood at 33 E190s, 24 Fokker 100s, and 13 Fokker 70s.<br/>