NewsAccidents/Incidents
Stewardess sues Southwest Airlines over husband’s death from COVID
A Southwest Airlines (LUV) cabin crew member sued her employer for over $3 million compensation claiming that the airline may have been responsible for her husband's death.
In the lawsuit to the U.S. District Court in Maryland, the flight attendant claims that due to the relaxed Southwest Airlines COVID-19 precaution measures during a mandatory cabin crew training in 2020, the cabin crew member Carol Madden’s (69) husband (73) was infected by the virus and died later.
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Virgin Australia passengers have been forced into 14 days quarantine after Queensland shut its border while the flight was mid-air
All passengers on a delayed flight have been forced into 14 days of hotel quarantine after Queensland shut its border while the flight was mid-air.
Virgin Australia’s flight VA469 from Perth International Airport to Brisbane was scheduled to leave Perth at 1:40 pm on Friday. However, the flight was delayed due to engineering matters.
LinkCommercial
Head of Rostec calls Russian supersonic bizjet „unprofitable”
Russian supersonic business jet project is going to be unprofitable unless it finds investors from the UAE, admits Sergei Chemezov, the head of Rostec. “Currently [the project exists] only on paper. The idea is nice, but, unfortunately, it is not economically feasible. An unprofitable project. An interesting toy for sheikhs,” Chemezov said in an interview to the Russian TV channel Rossiya 24.
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Boeing reports improved finances in Q1, blames loss on 787
Boeing reports a $0.561 billion loss and a 10% fall in revenue for the first quarter of 2021, most of it due to lower 787 deliveries.
Another major cause for the poor performance was the lower volume of commercial services, partially offset by higher 737 deliveries and KC-46A tanker revenue, the report states.
LinkAirlines
Cathay Pacific encourages staff to take voluntary redundancy
While seeing no signs of recovery in the short term, Cathay Pacific offered its Hong Kong-based flight and cabin crew as well as airport staff to take voluntary redundancy to reduce costs.
Cathay Pacific took the urgent measure to further cut its costs as the airline noticed „no discernible improvement“ in its business amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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JetBlue confident in future despite $636M loss in Q1 2021
The US-based low-cost airline JetBlue (JBLU) recorded a pre-tax loss of $636 million for Q1 2021. Having predicted to face a decline in revenue for up to 64%, the airline announced that its revenue dropped by 61% in comparison to pre-pandemic levels. Despite the fall, BlueJet expressed expectations for a significant revenue improvement driven by increased load factors.
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PIA to layoff half of its staff in bid to turn profitable?
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is reportedly planning to slash half of its workforce, replace some of its aircraft and change the network in order to make the flag carrier financially viable.
According to Bloomberg, Pakistan’s government granted final approval for PIA’s restructuring plan, which would permit the airline to slash half of its workforce from the 14,000 people that are currently employed.
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Silk Way West Airlines orders five Boeing 777Fs
On April 28, 2021, Azerbaijan-based cargo carrier Silk Way West Airlines ordered five Boeing 777 freighters, a move that marks the first order of the long-range, high capacity twin-engine freighter in the Caspian region and Central Asia.
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Avelo Airlines takes off with the first flight between Hollywood-Burbank and Santa Rosa
The inaugural flight from America’s first new mainline airline in nearly 15 years — Avelo Airlines — departed Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) this morning for Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS), the gateway to California’s wine country.
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Midwest Express still hopes to launch operations
Midwest Express Airlines (2nd) is still trying to get airborne. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed its plans to bring back the Midwest Express name and experience. As previously report, the upstart had previously announced its first routes to Cincinnati, OH (CVG), Omaha, NE (OMA), and Grand Rapids, MI (GRR) from Milwaukee.
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UPS releases its first quarter 2021 earnings
UPS has announced first-quarter 2021 consolidated revenue of $22.9 billion, a 27% increase over the first quarter of 2020. Consolidated average daily volume increased 14.3% year over year. Consolidated operating profit was $2.8 billion, up 158% compared to the first quarter of 2020, and up 164% on an adjusted basis. Diluted earnings per share were $5.47 for the quarter, 393% above the same period in 2020, and up 141% on an adjusted basis.
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Neos to operate passenger flights to New York JFK
Neos has officially obtained an approval from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate passenger flights to the United States.
The first route will be Milan Malpensa – New York JFK, twice a week and begins in the second half of June and will be “Covid Tested”.
LinkAirports
ACI’s 2020 world airport traffic rankings show dramatic impact of COVID-19
Airports Council International (ACI) World has published its preliminary world airport traffic rankings – covering passenger traffic, cargo volumes and aircraft movements for 2020 – which show the dramatic impact of COVID-19 on what are ordinarily the world’s busiest airports.
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Kansai Airports signs contract for renovation of KIX Terminal 1
Kansai Airports and the Obayashi Corporation have announced that they have signed a contract for the Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 (T1) Renovation Project.
The T1 renovation mainly aims at expanding the capacity of international flights and improving the passenger experience at Kansai Airport. The renovation works are scheduled to commence on a full scale on 28 May 2021, so that the main functions of the airport will be ready for use by the Osaka-Kansai Expo in 2025.
LinkMilitary
Brazilian Air Force and Embraer to study loyal wingman concept
Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force signed a memorandum of understanding that establishes a joint evaluation of the necessary capabilities for the conceptual design and development of an advanced unmanned aircraft system.
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Aviation Quote
What's the hurry? Are you afraid I won't come back?
- Manfred von Richthofen, 'The Red Baron,' last recorded words, in reply to a request for an autograph as he was climbing into the cockpit of his plane.
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Trivia
Space Shuttle
1.
What United States president signed an order that officially began the space shuttle project?
A. John F. Kennedy
B. Richard M. Nixon
C. Jimmy Carter
2. What year was the first space shuttle mission launched?
A. 1977
B. 1979
C. 1981
3. What shuttle was used to repair the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993?
A. Challenger
B. Discovery
C. Endeavour
4. How many successful U.S. shuttle missions had taken place before Challenger disintegrated into a ball of fire in 1986?
A. 9
B. 24
C. 99
5. What was the first shuttle to be launched following the Challenger disaster?
A. Atlantis
B. Discovery
C. Endeavour
6. What was the first shuttle to dock with Russia's Mir space station?
A. Atlantis
B. Columbia
C. Enterprise
