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A former American Airlines flight attendant has pleaded guilty to secretly recording video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom and having recordings of four other girls using the lavatories. Estes Carter Thompson III, 37, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of images of child sexual abuse depicting a prepubescent minor. According to investigators, the girl got up to use the main cabin lavatory nearest to her seat during a Sept. 2, 2023, flight from Charlotte to Boston but found it was occupied. Thompson told her the first-class lavatory was unoccupied and escorted her there, investigators said. She told investigators that before she entered the bathroom, Thompson told her he needed to wash his hands and that the toilet seat was broken. After he left, the teen entered the bathroom and saw red stickers on the underside of the toilet seat lid, which was in the open position, officials said, with the words written in black ink and all caps, “inoperative catering equipment,” “remove from service,” and “seat broken.” Beneath the stickers, Thompson had concealed his iPhone to record a video, investigators said. The girl used her phone to take a picture of the stickers and concealed iPhone before leaving.<br/>

Qatar Airways will end a period of breakneck growth after one more large aircraft order, its CE has said, claiming the service offered by competitors has gone downhill because they have expanded too fast. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said Qatar Airways Group, which includes the airline and Doha airport, was in talks with Airbus and Boeing over aircraft orders that will help it to increase passenger numbers from its current 50mn a year to 80mn annually over the next five to six years. But after that, “we will slow down,” he told the Financial Times in an interview. “We will reach capacity at [Doha’s Hamad international airport], and that’s it,” he said. “If we want to continue growing at the same speed, we can . . . But can I guarantee you that . . . I can provide the same level of service? No, nobody can do this,” he said, adding that at “many competitors inside the region and outside . . . the quality of the service has deteriorated and people are not getting what they’re paying for”. His comments hint at the fierce regional rivalry in the industry, where deep-pocketed sovereign owners use airlines as engines of growth and connectivity and to project soft power. Qatar Airways competes with Dubai’s Emirates and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad, which is expected to become the first regional airline to launch an IPO in two decades this year. Saudi Arabia has also outlined plans to expand its airlines and airports as part of efforts to diversify its economy. Etihad declined to comment, Emirates did not respond to a request for comment. Dubai has the world’s busiest international airport: Dubai International had a record of more than 92mn travellers in 2024. Last year the emirate announced plans to further develop one of its other airports, Dubai World Central, into a five-runway behemoth that will accommodate 150mn passengers annually within 10 years. Meer, who trained as an engineer, dismissed the idea that Dubai’s expanding capacity would affect Doha airport. “Would you rather have dinner at McDonald’s or go to a Michelin star restaurant?” he said. Qatar wants to attract more tourists and international business. Previously “we were not marketing it properly”, Meer said, but added that a “stop over” offering from Qatar Airways should help boost visitor numbers.<br/>

Saturday marks 11 years since the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and Malaysia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to continue the search based on credible leads, striving to provide long-awaited answers to the families of the victims. The Transport Ministry stated that in line with the Cabinet’s decision on Dec 13 last year, the government has approved a proposal by Ocean Infinity (United Kingdom) to recommence the search operation. The new search will cover approximately 15,000 square kilometres in the Southern Indian Ocean. This operation will be conducted on a ‘no find, no fee’ basis, meaning payment will only be made if the aircraft wreckage is discovered. "It remains our responsibility to pursue all credible leads in locating MH370’s final resting place, bringing much-needed closure to the families of those on board,” read the statement on Saturday (March 8). According to the ministry, it was aware of the high public interest in the search effort and was actively finalising a new search agreement, in line with the Malaysian Government's procedures. It also said that the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) have appointed accredited representatives to provide technical support to the mission.<br/>

Relatives of Chinese passengers lost on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 gathered in Beijing on Saturday (March 8) seeking answers from authorities 11 years after the plane disappeared in one of aviation's greatest enduring mysteries. The Boeing 777 carrying 239 people disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Two-thirds of the passengers were Chinese, while the others were from Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, and elsewhere. Despite the largest search in aviation history, the plane has never been found. But Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke last month announced that maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity had resumed the hunt for the missing plane. Family members said they had been in the dark about the new search. "It was promised that we would be informed immediately (but) we can only find out about this kind of news online," 68-year-old Li Eryou told AFP before meeting representatives from China's transport and foreign ministries. "Many families don't even know how to access this information, so they are completely unaware," said Li, who lost his 29-year-old son on the plane. "We all feel extremely angry and frustrated," Li said. Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the plane, said that he was still in the dark about the new search. "When will it start? Where will the search take place? How long will it last? What discoveries have been made? What theories led to the decision to restart the search?" Jiang told reporters. He hoped the search will "bring an end to the 11 years of suffering". The grieving families also gathered Saturday at an intersection in front of the Malaysian embassy in Beijing, the road to which was sealed off by at least 20 police officers.<br/>

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will launch direct flights to Urumqi in the country’s far west in April, expanding its mainland Chinese destinations to 20. The airline said on Friday that the 5½-hour flight between Hong Kong and Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, would commence on April 28 and run four times a week. “Urumqi is an exciting new addition to our network, directly connecting our home city with an important belt and road hub in northwestern China,” Lavinia Lau, Cathay’s chief customer and commercial officer, said. The Belt and Road Initiative was spearheaded by the Chinese government and endorsed by President Xi Jinping in late 2013, with an aim to improve trade and economic integration across Asia, Europe and Africa. The new route will be operated by Airbus A330-300 aircraft with business and economy classes. Cathay said the airline and its budget arm HK Express would operate more than 290 return flights every week between Hong Kong and mainland cities during the summer.<br/>

Japan Airlines and Garuda Indonesia are to launch their joint business partnership in April, which will see the two operators cooperate commercially on flights between Japan and Indonesia. The wide-ranging partnership, first announced in October 2024, covers an expanded codeshare arrangement on flights between the two countries, including on domestic flights operated by both carriers. The partnership also extends to the operators’ frequent flyer programmes. Garuda and JAL are already codeshare partners on services between the two countries, as well as on some domestic routes. Both carriers state: “[We are] committed to provide enhanced flight services to passengers through extensive integrated flight schedules, featuring seamless connections between Indonesia and Japan.” JAL operates 11 weekly flights between Tokyo Narita and Jakarta, with frequencies growing to twice daily from 30 March. Garuda operates daily flights from the Indonesian capital to Tokyo Haneda, as well as from Denpasar Bali to Tokyo Narita. Says Garuda’s commercial director Ade R. Susardi: “Through [this joint business partnership] with Japan Airlines, Garuda Indonesia plans to strengthen its market share, especially in East Asia. It aligns with our efforts to attract the international tourists [visiting] from Japan to explore Indonesia’s destinations ranging from Medan, Makassar, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and other must-visit cities to support Indonesia’s sustainable tourism development.” <br/>