American, Southwest Airlines improve finances, but travel prospects still dim
New York---US airlines’ continued efforts to rein in costs and step up safety measures so travelers will return to the skies paid off in results reported Thursday that showed carriers paring losses in the latest quarter......»»
Hong Kong, Philippines work to enhance relations
Filipinos are slowly beginning to travel back to Hong Kong following continued efforts by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office to woo tourists from the Philippines, as well as renew and improve trade and economic ties between the two nations following the COVID-19 pandemic......»»
PAL stops elderly Fil-Am with COPD from flying sans oxygen tank
MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines stopped an elderly Filipino-American woman from flying back to the United States due to her medical condition, a US media report said. Jovita Domingo, 86, was not allowed to board a PAL flight despite showing a doctor’s certificatioon saying she was “fit to travel by air” and that.....»»
BI bars entry of three American sex offenders at NAIA and Cebu airports
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that three sex offenders were turned away by BI officers in the international airports of Manila and Cebu. Excluded last January 10 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal 1 was American national Rolando Camama, 73, who arrived on board a China Airlines flight from Taipei. […].....»»
PAL partners with American Airlines for codesharing
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines has added seven new US states, including Las Vegas and Washington D.C., to its flight network through a codeshare agreement with American Airlines......»»
Pilot who tried to shut flying plane’s engine on magic mushrooms
The off-duty American pilot who tried to shut down the engines of a plane mid-flight on Sunday had taken magic mushrooms and had not slept for 40 hours, court documents showed Tuesday. Magic mushrooms contain hallucinogenic chemical called psilocybin according to Medical News Today. After being cuffed with wrist restraints and seated at the rear of the aircraft, Joseph Emerson also tried to open an emergency exit “because I thought I was dreaming and I just want to wake up,” he told police, according to a criminal complaint. Emerson told the investigating officer it was his first time taking mushrooms. The 44-year-old was arrested on Sunday evening after the Alaska Airlines flight he disrupted made an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon. Emerson had boarded the flight — which was operated by Horizon Air — between Everett, Washington and San Francisco, sitting in the jump seat of the cockpit, in line with airline policy for non-working staff. A short way into the journey, after chatting with the pilots “Emerson attempted to grab and pull two red fire handles that would have activated the plane’s emergency fire suppression system and cut off fuel to its engines,” the United States Department of Justice said. “After a brief physical struggle with the pilots, Emerson exited the cockpit.” Alaska Airlines said Monday that pilots had reacted quickly to reverse the handles, and the aircraft with 80 passengers had landed safely. The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon said Emerson faces a federal charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants. He has also been charged in Oregon with 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft. US media reported that he pleaded not guilty to these charges during a brief court appearance in Portland on Tuesday. The post Pilot who tried to shut flying plane’s engine on magic mushrooms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Major airlines cancel dozens of flights to Tel Aviv
Major airlines have canceled dozens of flights to Tel Aviv this weekend after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale attack against Israel. American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates and Ryanair are among those pulling flights to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport. However, airport authorities did not stop commercial air links with Israel's second international airport at Eilat, a tourist destination on the Red Sea. And Israeli flag carrier El Al said Sunday that it was maintaining its Tel Aviv flights for now, though some flights operated by foreign partners had been cancelled. "We might cancel flights to places where we don't have a lot of Israelis to help other Israelis in other places," a spokeswoman told AFP. In a statement, El Al added that it was operating "in accordance with the instructions of the Israeli security forces", with all flights now departing only from Terminal Three at Ben Gurion airport. Like most other airlines, it said clients could change their tickets without charge. After Saturday saw a list of major carriers cancelling flights Spain's AENA airports operator told AFP four of nine flights scheduled to Tel Aviv on Sunday had been cancelled, two from Madrid and two from Barcelona. Another nine flights, from Tel Aviv to airports in Spain, have so far been unaffected, the operator said. Spain's Air Europa said it had cancelled its two flights scheduled between Madrid and Tel Aviv, while Iberia Express, the low-cost arm of national carrier Iberia, went ahead with a Madrid-Tel Aviv flight after suspending two on Saturday. Vueling, the Barcelona-based low-cost airline, said given the situation in Israel, "flights to/from Tel Aviv are affected and experiencing delays". A spokesman for Germany's Lufthansa on Saturday cited "the current security situation" to say it was cancelling all flights to and from Tel Aviv "up until and including Monday", adding it was monitoring the situation. Brussels Airlines, part of the Lufthansa group, also cancelled its Tel Aviv flights. Air France said it had halted Tel Aviv flights "until further notice", and the Air France-KLM group's low-cost carrier Transavia said it was cancelling all flights from Paris and Lyon to Tel Aviv up to and including Monday. Spanish airline Iberia announced that its budget subsidiary Iberia Express was cancelling its Tel Aviv flights. Italy's flag-carrier ITA airways cancelled its flight until Sunday morning at the earliest "to protect the safety of passengers and crew", while Polish carrier LOT also cancelled its flights from the Polish capital on Saturday. Other airlines suspending flights included Aegean, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Wizz Air and Air Canada. The post Major airlines cancel dozens of flights to Tel Aviv appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hawaiian child porn convict denied entry
The Bureau of Immigration reported that an American national who was previously convicted for crimes against children in his country was denied entry to the country. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the passenger as Ronald Huy Young, a 54-year-old male, who was excluded on Sunday (1 October) after arriving at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on board a Philippine Airlines flight PR101 from Honolulu, Hawaii. Tansingco said that Young was denied entry by the BI officer at NAIA for a violation of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. Under the said law, foreign nationals who have been previously convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude are inadmissible in the country. According to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center records, Young pleaded guilty to first-degree electronic enticing of a child. He was listed on the state’s sex registry and given a 10-year prison sentence by Hawaii’s first circuit court in 2008. The BI chief reiterated that aliens with records of sexual crimes are not welcome to the country. Tansingco said that the law is very clear in its intent to protect Filipinos from foreigners who might be engaged in sex tourism and may prey upon the vulnerable. Any aliens with such criminal records are barred from entering the country. The post Hawaiian child porn convict denied entry appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
United Airlines launch of Manila-SFO flights a boost to Philippines tourism
American carrier United Airlines expects its launch of flights between Manila and San Francisco to contribute to the recovery of tourist arrivals from the US......»»
Biggest-ever airliner order marks first day of Paris Air Show
European aircraft maker Airbus got the Paris Air Show off to a soaring start on Monday with the announcement of the biggest-ever order for civil aircraft, as the French president joined a big crowd for the event's return after a four-year Covid hiatus. The 500-plane deal with low-cost Indian carrier IndiGo kicked off what organizers have billed as the "recovery airshow" after the coronavirus ravaged the sector and the biennial trade fair was canceled in 2021. Fighter jets and civilian aircraft streaked across the sky while suited and uniformed delegations, including Ukrainian military officials and President Emmanuel Macron, toured the stands. This year's airshow has a new focus on defence following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as the industry's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, with French President Emmanuel Macron arriving in a helicopter partly using sustainable aviation fuel. Macron called for "restraint" to protect the environment but said measures for aviation should be "reasonable" rather than "punitive", adding that the world shouldn't "give up on growth". Huge traffic jams around Le Bourget airport outside Paris were a testament to the interest in this year's show, as aircraft makers field hundreds of orders and airlines brace for a near-record number of passengers this year. The Ukraine conflict has also prompted countries to boost military spending, which could benefit aerospace defense firms. While Russia has been excluded from the event, Ukrainian military officials toured the huge exhibition space at Paris-Le Bourget airport, some taking photos of missiles on display. Passion for air hasn't disappeared Macron announced that Belgium is to be admitted as an observer to the French-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System program, which is seeking to develop the next generation of air combat technology. Macron, closing a ministerial conference on European air defense, called it a " major development". The FCAS is due to come into service by 2040 but has already suffered numerous delays. Also on the military front, Macron said that France, Estonia, Hungary, Belgium, and Cyprus are to jointly purchase Mistral short-range surface-to-air missiles. "This is a very fine example of sovereign cooperation between Europeans on a range that is entirely relevant and that was not sufficiently covered", the French leader said. There was star turns for the Rafale fighter made by France's Dassault and the American F-35 jet, with hundreds of visitors turning their phone cameras skyward and some plugging their ears against the deafening flypasts. Le Bourget offers a forum to announce deals with some 2,500 firms lining up to show off their latest planes, drones, helicopters and prototypes such as flying taxis. With 125,000 square meters (1,350,000 square feet) of exhibition space -- the equivalent of nearly 18 football pitches -- around 320,000 visitors are expected during the week-long event. "Passion for the air hasn't disappeared, that's good news," said Bertrand Godinot, easyJet's Netherlands and France director. Big deals Along with the Farnborough airshow in England, which takes place in even-numbered years, Le Bourget is a key sales event for the civil and defence industries. Airbus and rival Boeing compete fiercely in announcing orders for aircraft running into the billions of dollars. Monday's IndiGo-Airbus deal covers A320 family planes at a list price of $55 billion. Although closely held actual sale prices are usually lower, it marks the largest ever civil aviation order by volume, hailed by Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury as "an enormous milestone". Airbus and Boeing are also battling to solidify supply chains as they increase production to meet growing demand. The United States has a strong presence with 425 exhibitors, while firms from 46 other nations are present. China, which lifted Covid restrictions only at the beginning of this year, is also represented. However, Beijing is not displaying its first homegrown medium-haul passenger jet, the C919, built to compete with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. Flying taxis The airshow also hopes to open a window into the future as projects for flying taxis and other vertical take-off aircraft abound. Several prototypes will be on display as part of a "Paris Air Mobility" exhibition to showcase the latest innovations that developers hope will change how people travel. Macron arrived aboard Airbus' latest helicopter, the H160, in a flight fuelled with 30 percent sustainable aviation fuel before visiting the European group's stand where it laid out its net-zero-by-2050 plan. Macron had on Friday announced $2.2 billion to help develop technologies to reduce aircraft emissions. Air travel accounts for nearly three percent of global CO2 emissions but serves only a small minority of the world's population. With the industry targeting net zero emissions by mid-century, firms are turbocharging efforts to achieve it. The initial focus is on SAF, made from sources such as municipal waste and agricultural waste. But companies are also working to develop battery- and hydrogen-powered aircraft. The post Biggest-ever airliner order marks first day of Paris Air Show appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malaysia tapping Interpol to track down ‘lost flight’ joker
An American stand-up comedian is unperturbed by reports that Malaysia will ask the Interpol to help arrest her for joking about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. “Would love to see the face of the Interpol officer who received this request (to track me down),” a defiant Jocelyn Chia tweeted Wednesday. Chia is being sought over her joke during a set at the Comedy Cellar in New York City in April. Chia, who has roots in Singapore, said in her routine that it had since become a “first-world country” and that Malaysian “airplanes cannot fly.” “Malaysian Airlines going missing not funny, huh,” she continued. “Some jokes don’t land.” It caused an uproar on social media, followed by condemnations by top Malaysian officials including the foreign minister. Chia, however, has stood by her joke despite the intense backlash. The US-born former lawyer told CNN that she had performed that set “more than a hundred times” for more than a year without any problems. “I do stand by my joke but with some caveat — I stand by it in its entirety, when viewed in a comedy club,” she told the broadcaster in comments published Sunday. MH370 went missing in March 2014, and is one of Malaysia’s deadliest aviation incidents, with all 239 people on board presumed dead. The post Malaysia tapping Interpol to track down ‘lost flight’ joker appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Iran court jails missile crew behind jet downing
Ten members of an Iranian missile battery crew involved in the downing of a Ukrainian airliner in 2020 have been sentenced to prison, Iran’s judiciary has said on its website. The commander of the crew received the heaviest penalty of 10 years imprisonment while nine others were sentenced to between one and three years, Mizan Online reported on Sunday. The 10 members of the Iranian armed forces were not named. The commander of a Tor M-1 surface-to-air missile system “fired two missiles,” “contrary to orders” and without obtaining authorization, at the Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 shortly after its takeoff from Tehran on 8 January 2020, killing all 176 people on board, according to Mizan. Ukraine lost 11 citizens in the airline disaster. At the time, Iranian air defenses were on high alert for a United States counterattack after Tehran fired missiles at a military base in Iraq that was used by American forces. Those missiles came in response to the killing in a US drone attack in Baghdad of Major General Qassem Soleimani who headed the foreign operations arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Three days after the Kyiv-bound plane was shot down, the Iranian armed forces admitted there had been a “mistake.” “Given the extent of the effects and consequences of this action, the main defendant was sentenced to the maximum penalty,” Mizan Online added without giving further details. Compensation Iran’s judiciary said in November 2021 that a trial had opened in Tehran for 10 military members “of various ranks” in connection with the jet’s downing. In January last year, Iran said it had begun paying compensation to families of those killed. Arash Khodaei, a vice president of the country’s Civil Aviation Organization, said that “the sum of $150,000 has been transferred” to some families, while “the process has begun” for others. The payment “does not infringe upon (their) right to take legal action,” state news agency IRNA quoted him as saying. In 2020, Iran offered to pay “$150,000 or the equivalent in euros” to each of the victims’ families. Ukrainian and Canadian officials strongly criticized the announcement, saying compensation should not be settled through unilateral declarations. A Canadian court awarded more than $80 million in compensation to the families of six of the victims in a decision made public in January 2022. That same month, an Iranian couple filed a rare lawsuit against three senior Iranian officials over the deaths of their children in the incident, an Iranian newspaper reported at the time. A group of countries led by Canada called in December for an arbitrator to settle claims against Iran, a first step in possibly bringing a case at the International Court of Justice, which victims’ families have long demanded. Iran offered to pay ‘$150,000 or the equivalent in euros’ to each of the victims’ families. The association of families of the victims reiterated Sunday after the verdict that “an impartial, international court” should try the crime. The post Iran court jails missile crew behind jet downing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UFC 277: Amanda Nunes blasts Julianna Pena to reclaim bantamweight title
DALLAS, Texas – Amanda Nunes put on a mixed martial arts clinic to beat Julianna Pena by unanimous decision after a thrilling five-round battle in front of a crowd of 19,442 at the American Airlines Centre in Dallas on Saturday, reclaiming the bantamweight title. Nunes’ five-year reign as bantamweight champ came to an end when […] The post UFC 277: Amanda Nunes blasts Julianna Pena to reclaim bantamweight title appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Amanda Nunes aims for revenge against Julianna Pena at UFC 277
A pair of title fight rematches headline Saturday night’s UFC 277 in Dallas. The main event at American Airlines Center is a runback of one of the most shocking results in UFC history, as bantamweight champion Julianna Pena (11-4) of Spokane, Washington puts her newly won crown on the line against featherweight titleholder Amanda Nunes […] The post Amanda Nunes aims for revenge against Julianna Pena at UFC 277 appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
The US tests 1.63 million people a day at airports, the highest since March 2020
File photo of American Airlines Airbus A321-200 flying from Los Angeles International Airport on March 28, 2018. REUTERS / Mike Blake / By David Shepperson.....»»
Boeing 737 MAX returns to US skies with American Airlines flight
American Airlines on Tuesday launched the first commercial flight of a Boeing 737 MAX in the United States since the plane was grounded worldwide following two deadly crashes that killed hundreds and plunged the airplane manufacturer into crisis......»»
Boeing 737 MAX returns to US skies
MIAMI, United States — American Airlines on Tuesday launched the first commercial flight of a Boeing 737 MAX in the United States since the plane was grounded worldwide following two deadly crashes that killed hundreds and plunged the airplane manufacturer into crisis. The MAX was Boeing’s top-selling aircraft, and the company struggled through the nearly two […] The post Boeing 737 MAX returns to US skies appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
American, Southwest Airlines improve finances, but travel prospects still dim
New York---US airlines’ continued efforts to rein in costs and step up safety measures so travelers will return to the skies paid off in results reported Thursday that showed carriers paring losses in the latest quarter......»»
American Airlines to restart 737 MAX flights in December
American Airlines says it plans to begin flying the Boeing 737 MAX again in December, assuming the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) allows the plan to resume service, the carrier confirmed on Monday......»»
Major US firms roll out parade of layoffs over pandemic woes
New York---Hit hard by the coronavirus crisis and with new government stimulus funding in limbo, Disney, American Airlines and United Airlines announced 60,000 layoffs in just 24 hours---leading a barrage of job losses a month before US elections......»»
American, United to furlough 32,000 as time runs out
American Airlines and United Airlines will begin to furlough 32,000 employees after lawmakers and the White House failed to agree on a broad pandemic relief package that includes more federal aid for airlines......»»