A social media video shows objects flying and passengers screaming as they bounced in their seats when a Scandinavian Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence over Greenland on Thursday. SAS flight SK957 was en route from Stockholm to Miami when the incident occurred. The airline said the plane returned to Europe to undergo inspection in Copenhagen rather than continuing to Miami, citing a lack of staffing stateside for the necessary protocol. "We confirm that flight SK957 from ARN to MIA yesterday encountered severe turbulence over Greenland. Following such turbulence, standard safety procedures require a thorough inspection of the aircraft," an airline spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement. "Since SAS do not have the necessary facilities and staff for this level of inspection in MIA, we decided to reroute the aircraft to Copenhagen (CPH), where both hangar space and qualified technicians were available. Flying the aircraft to MIA would have resulted in it being grounded for an extended period, leading to multiple cancellations." No severe injuries were reported as a result of the turbulence, and SAS said all passengers were accommodated overnight in Copenhagen and rebooked on other flights.<br/>
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Garuda Indonesia appointed Wamildan Tsani Panjaitan, a top manager at PT Lion Mentari Airlines, as its next CEO as the Southeast Asian nation’s flagship carrier looks to turn a profit and expand its international network. Panjaitan was appointed to the post following Garuda’s extraordinary general meeting on Friday afternoon, according to a company statement. It’s the second time in four years that Garuda has switched its CEO. Panjaitan takes over from Irfan Setiaputra, a former telecoms executive who was appointed to the post in 2020 after his predecessor was fired for allegedly smuggling a classic Harley-Davidson motorcycle on a flight to Jakarta. Bloomberg News previously reported that Panjaitan, a former air force pilot who joined Lion Air in 2023, was a leading candidate for the role. The changes at the top come as people familiar with the matter say new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto wants to make Garuda, which has long struggled financially and had a chequered safety record, more profitable and deepen its international presence. Panjaitan also conveyed the mandate from the president. “He gave directions so that we can continue the process to bring this national airline back to being the pride of all of us,” the new CEO said. That would involve adding more overseas routes and expanding Garuda’s fleet to some 150 aircraft. Garuda currently has about 100 jets, including its low cost unit Citilink. <br/>