Even as US and European regulators jointly pursue ways to fend off cyberattacks against aviation, they are increasingly focused on devising standards to ensure that any successful hackers will be detected and neutralised. Those twin goals are being widely discussed at an international safety conference here this week, while new details emerge about proposed safeguards being developed by a FAA-created panel of govt and industry officials. These experts envision that future aircraft systems will be designed with the assumption that some hacking efforts eventually are likely to succeed. But the long-term solution, they said, is to create robust safeguards able to identify, track and isolate hostile intrusions while maintaining the integrity of critical safety functions. <br/>
general
The EC has allowed all Zambian airlines, African carrier Air Madagascar, 3 Indonesian airlines (Citilink, Lion Air and Batik Air), and most of Iran Air’s aircraft to fly to Europe in its latest EU air safety list update. EU commissioner for transport Violeta Bulc said the Zambian clearance followed “7 years of work and extensive European technical assistance.” The Iranian relaxation came after Bulc’s visit in April and a technical assessment in May, which has resulted in “most aircraft from Iran Air” being allowed to return to Europe. Following the June 16 update, 214 airlines certified in 19 states remain banned from Europe because of weak safety oversight, along with a further 2—Iraqi Airways and Suriname carrier Blue Wing Airlines—which are blocked on safety concerns. <br/>
Abu Dhabi is introducing taxes on airline passengers and hotel guests as it seeks to compensate for a downturn in govt revenues from low oil prices. Airline passengers departing from or transiting through Abu Dhabi Airport will be charged an airport tax of US$9.53 from June 30. "Airlines will be responsible for collecting the fee and shall transfer the proceeds to Abu Dhabi Airports Company," it said. Dubai and Sharjah, also part of the UAE, have announced similar airport taxes effective from June 30, as they try to compensate for the impact of an economic slowdown in the region. Abu Dhabi has also imposed a 4% municipality tax on hotel bills, as well as a $4 charge per night per room, from the beginning of this month. <br/>
Nigeria will allow its currency, the naira, to trade freely against the US dollar from June 20, following a move by several international airlines to stop flights into the country. In March, IATA estimated Nigeria owed foreign airlines some NGN113.3b (US$575m), principally because of govt-imposed currency controls. IATA regional manager Samson Fatokun said Nigeria is in the top two countries with the biggest airline debts worldwide. “The inability of airlines to access forex [foreign exchange] in Africa’s largest economy, if not solved, will affect air transport services to, from and within Nigeria and undermine the country’s position as West Africa’s aviation hub,” IATA said. <br/>
Airports of Thailand plans to spend THB194b (US$5.5b) over the next 15 years to expand its 6 airports to handle a boom in visitor numbers. AOT's budget was higher than a previous plan of THB140b, mainly due to a revision to the expansion at Bangkok's Don Muang airport following a surge in passenger numbers and budget airline flights, president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said. Under the new plan, the budget for Don Muang will increase to THB28.7b from THB7b as it needs to construct new facilities, including a building linked to a new mass transit line, Nitinai said. By 2030, Thailand's 6 main airports will be able to serve 150m passengers a year up from 71.5m now, the operator said. The construction of second-phase expansion at Suvarnabhumi is expected to begin in August. <br/>
Chinese police have detained a man over an attack on an airline check-in clerk that left her lying in a pool of blood and arrested 2 others who charged the cockpit as their flight was taxiing for take-off, the latest in a growing tally of dangerous acts involving Chinese airline travellers. Two men aboard a Hainan Airlines flight Sunday from Datong to Chongqing demanded to be upgraded to business class as their flight was taxiing. When told to remain seated, they fought with a member of the cabin crew and a passenger who tried to help, then pounded on the cockpit door. Meanwhile, Tuesday a passenger at the airport in Shenzhen smashed the head of a Juneyao Airlines clerk with a brass plaque. The man had apparently been enraged after the clerk told him she couldn't print out his friend's travel itinerary without the man's ID card. <br/>