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Investigators found that two key navigation parts failed on a United Airlines flight from Lagos to Washington on January 24, causing the plane to lurch suddenly and injure several passengers. The National Transportation Safety Board said the left and then right inertial reference units failed on the Boeing 787 jetliner, which was followed by the autopilot disconnecting automatically and sudden altitude changes. There were 16 injuries, including one serious injury. The flight returned to Nigeria. United declined to comment. Boeing did not immediately comment. The safety board said the flight movements lasted for 12 minutes at 36,000 feet (11,000 meters) over Côte d'Ivoire. At the time, flight attendants were serving meals in the cabin. Investigators removed the flight recorders and other equipment from the aircraft in Lagos and sent them to Washington for the safety board to inspect.<br/>

EULEN Aviation (EULEN) has announced a new partnership with Avianca Airlines (Avianca), Colombia's largest carrier and a member of the Star Alliance. Avianca, which has been the country's flag carrier since 1919, continues to grow its international presence across Central and South America, Europe, and the United States. As part of its ongoing expansion, Avianca will launch a new route from Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Bogotá, Colombia (BOG), beginning March 30, 2025. The service will operate four times per week using Airbus A320 narrow-body aircraft, improving connectivity and offering more convenient travel options between the two destinations. EULEN Aviation has been awarded a three-year contract to provide a full suite of ground handling services for Avianca at TPA. These services include passenger service and baggage acceptance at ticket counters and boarding gates, wheelchair assistance, ramp services such as marshalling aircraft and baggage handling, lavatory and water servicing and secure cabin cleaning.<br/>

Examination of a Swiss Airbus A220-300 engine following a fatal smoke and diversion event over Austria has revealed damage to the fan drive gear system as well as bearings. But investigators probing the occurrence, on 23 December last year, have yet to draw specific conclusions over the circumstanes and the reasons why one of the three cabin crew succumbed after being hospitalised. Pilots of the aircraft, bound for Zurich from Bucharest on 23 December last year, were alerted to problems with the left-hand Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engine during cruise at 40,000ft. Smoke entered the passenger cabin and cockpit. Both pilots donned oxygen masks while the cabin crew put on smoke hoods. The crew shut down the engine and diverted to Graz, where the aircraft landed and was subsequently evacuated. Several of the 74 passengers and all the crew members were taken to hospital for medical treatment. One of the cabin crew members succumbed to their condition six days later, on 30 December. The affected engine was initially delivered as a spare powerplant to the carrier, before being installed on the aircraft (HB-JCD) in July 2024, less than six months before the occurrence. Servicing records confirm that all scheduled maintenance was performed in accordance with applicable procedures and timelines, says Austrian federal investigation authority SUB-Zivilluftfahrt, and work from all mandatory airworthiness directives had been completed. Following a borescope inspection by the engine manufacturer and Swiss technical personnel, the powerplant was transferred from Graz to the USA for analysis.<br/>

Ethiopian Airlines has added a Boeing 737-800 aircraft to its fleet, specifically designed for VIP and smaller group charter flights. This move reflects Ethiopian Airlines' commitment to providing a premium charter experience with world-class service. The business jet aircraft is designed to offer a spacious and luxurious cabin with premium seating and elegant interiors. Its customised seating arrangement accommodates 19 for commercial operation and 32 for private operation, ensuring an exclusive atmosphere. The aircraft prioritises privacy and security, making it an ideal choice for business executives, government officials, and high-profile travelers. Passengers can enjoy advanced in-flight amenities, including an advanced entertainment system, Wi-Fi connectivity, and premium onboard dining. The Boeing 737-800 VIP offers a seamless and reliable journey for short- and medium-haul charter operations.<br/>

In a hard-hitting and wide-ranging final speech to the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (the representative body for international, regional and local airlines and ground handlers operating to, from and within South Africa), outgoing local and regional carrier Airlink CEO and MD Rodger Foster gave particular attention to the state of South Africa’s State-owned air traffic management and control agency, Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS). “ATNS has created a serious safety risk,” he warned. “We are still denied the use of almost 300 instrument flight procedures that were perfectly fine to use until mid-July 2024 when ATNS missed its deadline to submit the revalidation paperwork to the [South African Civil Aviation Authority] for re-approval,” he highlighted. “Instrument flight procedures are fundamental to operational safety. By withdrawing them, as a fig leaf for its administrative failure, ATNS is obliging pilots to operate aircraft with far narrower margins than any of us would like.” All airlines operating in South Africa had invested in modern airliners, fitted with the latest-technology flight and navigation management systems. They had also, through the fees they paid to ATNS, invested in ground-based safety systems, including instrument landing systems, which allowed aircraft to operate safely in all weather conditions. “But when instrument flight procedures are withdrawn, we are prohibited from using those operational safety aids and equipment,” he pointed out. “How can this possibly be ‘safe’?” Further, it has been revealed that the Alternative Means of Compliance employed to allow the use of some procedures at key airports will expire early in April. This had huge implications for Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA), Cape Town International Airport, Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, Port Elizabeth’s Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport, and George Airport. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy had stated that the restoration of the procedures at the main airports, such as ORTIA and Cape Town, would be prioritised. But that implied that all the smaller airports would suffer.<br/>

Travel between Asia and Europe usually means a layover or at least a flight connection; sometimes two if Australia or New Zealand are on the itinerary. Cities such as Bangkok (Thailand), Doha (Qatar), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Istanbul (Turkiye), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Singapore, all of which host some of the world’s busiest airports, have long been among the go-to transit hubs for passengers. Air India is aiming to add Delhi and Mumbai to the list as part of its new “Via India” marketing drive and “long-term vision” of India becoming a “global transit hub”. “India’s geographical advantage and impressive airport infrastructure, combined with Air India’s robust route network, offer convenient one-stop access for travellers from the West to East and vice-versa,” says Nipun Aggarwal, the airline’s CCO, talking up the carrier’s hopes to see the cities added to the list of layovers for intercontinental travellers. “Air India has optimised its international network to offer faster connections to travellers from Britain and rest of Europe to Australia, and South-East Asia via India and vice versa, reducing connection times to around 2.5 hours,” the carrier said recently. The announcement followed India and China agreeing to reopen aviation five years after the two giant nations nearly went to war, a relaxation that will see around 3b people regain air travel access to each other’s countries. Air India also recently announced expanded codeshares with Lufthansa Group and All Nippon Airways or ANA.<br/>

EVA Air has boosted its Airbus orderbook, after exercising options for six more A350-1000s and three A321neos. The deal, disclosed in a stock exchange filing on 12 March, is valued at around $3.1b in list prices. It adds to EVA Air’s existing orderbook of 18 A350s and 15 A321neos, which it first announced in November 2023 and confirmed in January 2024. The new aircraft are expected to replace the Taiwanese carrier’s fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs and A321ceos. The order means all of Taiwan’s major carriers are A350 operators: China Airlines and Starlux operate the smaller -900, with the latter also holding orders for the -1000.In the filing, EVA Air did not provide a delivery timeline for the new aircraft. The fleet update comes as EVA Air disclosed its full-year results for 2024, where it recorded a 31% increase in its operating profit to NT$38.7b ($1.17b). This came on the back of a 10.3% increase in revenue to NT$221b, outpacing a 6% rise in costs to NT$167b. Separately, the airline has signed a codeshare agreement with Air Macau, covering flights between Taiwan and Macau. EVA Air operates 21 weekly flights from Taipei and Kaohsiung to Macau, while Air Macau has more than 40 weekly flights from Macau to Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung. <br/>

Eva Air and Air Macau on Monday announced a codeshare agreement to collaborate on flights between the two regions slated to take effect from 30 March. Currently, the Taiwan based international airline offers 21 flights weekly between Taoyuan, Kaohsiung and Macau while Air Macau offers 42 flights with the added destination of Taichung. In total, the two partnering airlines account for 70% of flights between Macau and Taiwan. EVA Air is part of the Star Alliance tapping into a network of 1165 destinations in 196 countries. As a subsidiary of Air China, Air Macau is also affiliated with the global alliance and currently has codeshare agreements with many other member airlines mainly serving the nearby Asian market. EVA Air, the first airline to offer “premium economy” seats has recently disclosed its full-year results for 2024, when it recorded a 31% increase in its operating profit to NT$38.7b (US$1.2b).<br/>

Travellers who ignore a new aviation industry ban may face warnings, fines, or have their devices confiscated, experts tell The Straits Times. From April 1, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its low-cost arm Scoot will prohibit passengers from using or charging power banks in-flight. This comes after a series of cabin fire incidents in the last three months on carriers such as Batik Air and Air Busan. Other Asian carriers, such as Thai Airways, Eva Air and China Airlines, have implemented similar rules. Asked how the ban will be enforced, an SIA spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers and crew is a top priority for the SIA Group. Our crew are trained to remain vigilant and ensure customers comply with in-flight safety procedures.” While SIA has not specified consequences, experts such as John Tan, lead professional officer teaching the air transport management degree programme at Singapore Institute of Technology, believe airlines will first issue warnings to passengers who do not comply. Tan says: “If the problem continues, penalties could include fines or confiscation of the device. In extreme cases, passengers might be removed from the flight once it lands, and repeat offenders could be banned from future flights.” Sim says national and international civil aviation authorities need to rally behind airlines so they can be empowered to enforce stricter consequences. He adds: “Asian airlines tend to be more ‘polite’ or service-oriented, and usually aim to create a positive travel experience for their passengers. So, I suspect they will not be too harsh in enforcing the consequences of using power banks in-flight until national or international aviation authorities step in with regulations.” Since 2016, International Air Transport Association regulations have required lithium-ion batteries to be carried in the cabin, instead of the cargo hold. Under the current rules, power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh are permitted in the cabin. Those between 100Wh and 160Wh require approval, and those above 160Wh are not allowed on board.<br/>