Singapore Airlines Ltd. has offered $10,000 in compensation to passengers who sustained minor injuries during a flight that hit extreme turbulence last month. The airline has also offered to individually discuss compensation for those who sustained more serious injuries, according to a Facebook post on Tuesday. Those recovering from serious injury have been offered an advance payment of $25,000 to address their immediate needs. The airline also apologized for what it called the “traumatic experience” on board flight SQ321. A 73-year-old British man died in the event and several dozen of the 229 passengers and crew on board were severely hurt, ranging from spinal to skull injuries. The Boeing 777 jet took off from London Heathrow on May 20 bound for Singapore when it encountered extreme turbulence near Myanmar, forcing it to divert to Bangkok. All passengers aboard the ill-fated flight will receive a refund for their airfare as well as a payouts of up to to £520 or 600 euros for the delay to their journey in line with European Union or United Kingdom rules. The payments are in addition to the $1,000 the airline already paid out to passengers to cover initial expenses after the incident. Early investigations found that the aircraft was caught in an updraft before suddenly dropping almost 180 feet, causing most of the injuries during a calamitous 4.6 second period, according to a preliminary report on May 29 from Singaporean investigators.<br/>
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Plans for the re-organisation of SAS AB, the parent company of Scandinavian carrier SAS, have been distributed to the affected parties. SAS applied for Swedish re-organisation in late March, and a court approved the measure. The company intends to ask the court to open plan proceedings. It expects a plan hearing – during which affected parties will be able to vote on the re-organisation plan – to take place about three to five weeks after the court decides on opening proceedings. SAS believes this plan hearing will be held around 15 July, but states: “The exact date of the plan hearing will…be decided by the court.” The re-organisation plan includes a description of the company’s debt-settlement proposal. SAS says this is “materially consistent” with that contained in SAS’s restructuring plan under US Chapter 11. General unsecured creditors would receive a modest recovery. Subordinated unsecured creditors would receive no recovery, and there would be no value for existing shareholders. The SAS AB re-organisation plan also features proposed resolutions on issuing new unlisted shares to SAS’s new investors – including Castlelake, Air France-KLM, Lind Invest, and the Danish government – plus certain general unsecured creditors.<br/>
India is a big aviation market and a stronger partnership between Air India and Lufthansa is good, as efforts of the Star Alliance are to bring the partners together to provide a unique value proposition for the passengers, the airline grouping's CEO Theo Panagiotoulias has said. Air India and Lufthansa are part of the Star Alliance, whose 26 member airlines come together at more than 50 global hubs to offer smooth connections across a global network. A management company, based in Frankfurt and Singapore, coordinates Star Alliance projects and activities. It includes airport co-location, digital infrastructure, frequent flyer integration and joint business lounge projects to improve the travel experience. On the sidelines of IATA annual general meeting in Dubai this week, Panagiotoulias was bullish about the prospects in the Indian market that offers "so much of opportunities". "The alliance is to bring the partners together to provide a unique value proposition... It is all about more choices, options and for a market size of India that is the very best thing," he said. When asked about the enhanced partnership between Air India and Lufthansa, Panagiotoulias said it is good to have stronger partnerships within the alliance.<br/>
To meet the ever-expanding demand for passenger travel between India and the UK, Air India will soon add another route between Bengaluru in South India and London Gatwick Airport. The flight will be one of many that the carrier currently operates to Gatwick on top of its busy Heathrow schedule out of India. Air India will start flying between Bengaluru (BLR) and London Gatwick (LGW) from August 18. The airline will operate five weekly services between the two destinations using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the route, featuring 18 lie-flat seats in business class and 238 seats in economy. Campbell Wilson, CEO & Managing Director, Air India, commented, “We are delighted to offer our guests convenient, nonstop flights between Bengaluru and London Gatwick. This new route caters to the growing demand for travel between these two important business and leisure destinations, and strengthens our commitment to expanding our global network.”<br/>
All Nippon Airways has delayed its planned takeover of fellow Japanese carrier Nippon Cargo Airlines for a fourth time. At last confirmation, the deal was due to be completed on July 1, but this has now been pushed back to March 31 next year. The delay is because of the approvals process that is currently being carried out by competition regulators, says ANA Group. “As announced in the Disclosed Notice, the Share Exchange will be implemented subject to the approvals of the relevant authorities,” explained the Group. “Taking into consideration the time to complete the review of the business combination that will result from the Share Exchange by the relevant authorities in Japan and China, etc., the Company decided to change the effective date of the Share Exchange from July 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.” The decision by ANA to delay its takeover of NYK-owned NCA may not come as a surprise to the air cargo community, given this is the fourth such announcement. ANA had originally anticipated to complete the deal on October 1 last year, but this was later pushed back until February 1 this year, then April 1 and finally July 1. Shipping group NYK decided to sell NCA to ANA due to the ongoing costs of running the cargo airline.<br/>