After decades of caring for his autistic son, Ryan, Adam Murphy, a 51-year-old father of three from Gloucestershire, England, noticed that Ryan, 27, was becoming a bit more open to trying new things. His son, Mr. Murphy realized, might be able to take his first airplane ride. But traveling would not be without difficulties. “Going to our local supermarket could be a challenge,” said Murphy. “So how do you do that?” Travel, by nature, brings with it changes in routine and environment, unpredictable situations, and oftentimes, sensory overload — all of which can be overwhelming to neurodivergent children and adults, which can include those diagnosed with disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and autism. Some 78% of families with autistic members, as well as people who are themselves autistic, said they were hesitant to travel in a 2022 survey by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, an organization that trains and certifies travel professionals to assist families and individuals with special needs. But 94% of those surveyed said they would travel more if they had access to options that are certified to recognize and understand the needs of people with autism. Those options are increasing. In recent years, the travel industry has worked to become more inclusive of neurodivergent travelers, with airports offering sensory rooms and trained staff, hotels and resorts changing booking processes and accommodating those with special needs, and destinations becoming certified, by autism specialists specifically, to serve autistic visitors. But travelers and families still need to choose itineraries that fit their needs, factoring in details like flights, hotel menus and floor plans, noise and crowds, and proximity to activities.<br/>
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BP Plc has acquired a stake in a Chinese sustainable jet fuel company for 350m yuan ($49m), giving the oil major a foothold in one of the world’s biggest aviation markets. The company purchased a 15% stake in a subsidiary of Zhejiang Jiaao Enprotech Stock Co., according to a statement late Thursday from BP’s China unit. The acquisition is subject to government approvals, it added. The Chinese company is scheduled to complete construction of a sustainable jet fuel plant in the first quarter of 2025, which will have capacity to produce 500,000 tons a year. Biofuel will be made from used cooking oil and animal waste fat, Zhejiang Jiaao said in a separate statement. Earlier this year, Boeing accused the world’s biggest oil companies of doing too little to produce sustainable aviation fuel as industry signaled frustration about the lack of supply. Zhejiang Jiaao said biofuels could help the aviation sector reduce emissions by 65% by 2050.<br/>
When China finally reopened its borders after years of Covid restrictions, Western airlines seemed poised to return to the once bustling market. Last year, foreign carriers scrambled to reinstate direct routes to the world’s second biggest economy, previously known for its export of lavishly spending tourists. Some even touted plans to boost flight schedules. But fast forward a year, the mood looks strikingly different. Several Western airlines are slashing flights they brought back just a year ago, with aviation industry analysts citing lukewarm demand due to China’s slumping economy. Higher operational costs and extended flight times incurred by Moscow’s war on Ukraine — as Western airlines skirt Russian airspace — have also squeezed their margins and made them less competitive than their Chinese rivals, which have benefited from a long-standing preference by domestic travelers for Chinese-speaking crew. Adding to those woes, tense geopolitics have dashed hopes for the full resumption of flights between China and the United States and some close Washington allies, as Western tourists mostly look elsewhere.<br/>
Pakistan has postponed the opening of a nearly $250m airport over security fears, dealing another blow to efforts to boost Chinese investment in its crisis-hit economy. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was due to attend the inauguration of New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), close to a port at the center of the $50b China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). But the planned opening on Aug. 14 -- Pakistan's Independence Day -- was suddenly halted over what local officials said were security concerns after mass protests brought southwestern Gwadar to a near standstill this month. No new opening date has been announced for the $246m China-funded project, which got off the ground following a grant deal with Beijing in 2015. "All the required work and prerequisite arrangements on [the New Gwadar] airport have been completed and it's ready for flight operations," a government official familiar with the situation told Nikkei on condition of anonymity. The delayed opening -- after an initial postponement last year -- comes amid concerns that lower-than-expected demand for flights into the region, beset by deadly militant attacks and a separatist insurgency, would quickly turn it into a white elephant. The single-runway airport, about 45 kilometers from Chinese-controlled Gwadar port, is spread over 4,300 acres (1,740 hectares) and can handle large-body planes like the Airbus A380. That will make it the country's largest airport by size, ahead of Islamabad's gateway.<br/>
India's aviation ministry may soon call an industry meeting over concerns about rising airfares, broadcaster ET Now reported on Friday citing sources. The government is also not in favour of capping fares at the moment, the report said.<br/>
An ombudsman will police how airlines treat customers and enforce a passenger rights charter to ensure timely refunds and possibly cash compensation for delayed and cancelled flights under landmark Australian aviation reforms. The Albanese government will release its much-anticipated aviation white paper on Monday which will also boost protection for passengers with disabilities who have historically been mistreated by airlines. Carriers will have to adhere to new standards and accommodate a broader range of wheelchairs. It is not clear how the federal government will address concerns about competition, which has been the most pressing issue for the industry after the collapse of Bonza and Rex’s financial turmoil that led to the regional airline entering administration and axing jet flights between capital cities. Industry experts and the competition watchdog have warned that the duopoly held by Qantas Group, including budget carrier Jetstar, and Virgin Australia could now increase air fares and feel little pressure to improve the customer experience. Qantas and Virgin control more than 90% of the Australian market. Heeding calls from consumer advocates, the government will establish an aviation industry ombudsman to replace the existing airline customer advocate. The existing body is funded and run by the airlines and critics have labelled it toothless due to its inability to order refunds or compensation. The new ombudsman scheme will involve an external dispute resolution service for passengers to lodge complaints about airline and airport misconduct – and will have the power to direct companies to pay remedies to customers if they have failed in their obligations. The scheme will publish reports on airline and airport conduct, make recommendations to the government and refer instances of misconduct to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for investigation, enforcement and potential legal action.<br/>
The operational impact of Pratt & Whitney’s (P&W) PW1000G engine recall appears to have remained relatively steady in recent months, with one-third of all jets with the powerplants still parked, roughly the same as in April. That is according to fleet-data provider Cirium, which tracks the number of aircraft that have been removed from service, providing a rough indication about the extent to which P&W’s recall has forced the grounding of passenger jets. The Connecticut-based engine maker began recalling the geared turbofans (GTFs) last year due powder-metal manufacturing errors that left some engines with defective metallic components. That problem and other supply chain snags have left the world’s airlines with significantly fewer operational jets than planned. It has also reportedly eased what had been an acute pilot shortage. On 23 August, 647 aircraft with PW1000G-series turbofans were in storage, equating to 30% of the entire GTF-powered fleet, according to Cirium. The balance of the fleet – another 1,475 jets – were in service. Affected aircraft include PW1100G-powered Airbus A320neo-family jets, PW1500G-powered A220s and PW1900G-powered Embraer E-Jet E2s. The latest figures show that the number of grounded jets has remained relatively even compared to April, when 637 GTF-powered aircraft – 32% of the fleet at the time – were parked.<br/>
NASA’s announcement Saturday that it won’t use a troubled Boeing capsule to return two stranded astronauts to Earth is a yet another setback for the struggling company, although the financial damage is likely to be less than the reputational harm. Once a symbol of American engineering and technological prowess, Boeing has seen its reputation battered since two 737 Max airliners crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people. The safety of its products came under renewed scrutiny after a panel blew out of a Max during a flight this January. And now NASA has decided that it is safer to keep the astronauts in space until February rather than risk using the Boeing Starliner capsule that delivered them to the international space station. The capsule has been plagued by problems with its propulsion system. NASA administrator Bill Nelson said the decision to send the Boeing capsule back to Earth empty “is a result of a commitment to safety.” Boeing had insisted Starliner was safe based on recent tests of thrusters both in space and on the ground.The space capsule program represents a tiny fraction of Boeing’s revenue, but carrying astronauts is a high-profile job — like Boeing’s work building Air Force One presidential jets. “The whole thing is another black eye” for Boeing, aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia said. “It’s going to sting a little longer, but nothing they haven’t dealt with before.” Boeing has lost more than $25b since 2018 as its aircraft-manufacturing business cratered after those crashes. For a time, the defense and space side of the company provided a partial cushion, posting strong profits and steady revenue through 2021.<br/>