 The jet set a record when it flew between New York City and London in 2 hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds. Designers compensated with powerful afterburners and a uniquely drooped nose to aid visibility on approach.

The supersonic secret of Concorde: Mystery behind grounding of world’s fastest passenger jet explained

A Paris court, on Monday (April 17) acquitted the carrier Air France and plane maker Airbus over the 2009 crash of a Rio-Paris flight which killed 228 people. The two France-based companies had gone on trial back in October to determine their responsibility for the worst aviation disaster in Air France’s history.

2009 Rio-Paris crash: Court acquits Air France, Airbus of involuntary manslaughter

Two France-based aviation giants went on trial last October over the crash of Air France Flight 447 some 13 years ago. On Monday (April 17), a Paris court acquitted the two companies that have been blamed for one of the worst aviation disasters which killed 228 passengers and crew in 2009.&nbsp;

Here is a timeline of the series of events related to the case:

June 2009

On June 1, 2009, Air France flight AF447 took off from Rio in Brazil and was en route to Paris before disappearing off the radar in the middle of a storm. It took a little over four minutes for the plane to fall 11,500 metres out of the sky. &nbsp;Days later, the wreckage was found of the Airbus A330 which was crossing the night sky during a storm over the Atlantic between Brazil and Senegal and vanished without a Mayday sign.&nbsp;

May 2011

After two years and a multi-million-dollar search, the aircraft’s “black boxes” or flight recorders were found nearly 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) below sea level. The search effort involved combing 17,000 square kilometres of the ocean bed at depths of up to 4,000 metres for nearly 22 months.&nbsp;

October 2011&nbsp;

Lawyers and victims’ families were allowed to listen to the in-flight voice recording of the pilots’ final minutes for the first time. “We’ve lost our speeds,” said one pilot, as recorded warning sounds of “stall, stall, stall” were heard and the aircraft began to plunge towards the sea. In the same year, the two aviation giants were being investigated for manslaughter.&nbsp;

Findings and reports from the retrieved black box

Over the next couple of years, sporadic findings and reports emerged about the crash. One of them said the plane had entered what is called an “intertropical convergence zone” which is said to often produce volatile storms with heavy precipitation.&nbsp;

Reports indicated that the plane’s speed sensors had been iced up and errors were made and the pilots were disoriented because of this. The “stall” warning was sounded in the cockpit at least 75 times.&nbsp;

 
Subsequently, the pilot took manual control after the autopilot system shut down and the wrong navigational data set off a catastrophic chain of events due to which the plane went into an “aerodynamic stall,” the nose pitched upward and the plane plunged into the ocean.&nbsp;

French investigators from the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), found that the pilots had mishandled the temporary loss of data from iced-up sensors and pushed the 205-tonne jet into a freefall, without responding to alerts, at speed of around 200 kilometres per hour.

The plane was flying through a storm over South Atlantic ocean when it entered a blackspot between air traffic control towers in Brazil and Senegal. However, it kept sending automatic communication “pings” every 10 minutes. It was four minutes and 23 seconds after its last ping, and it vanished, said the report.&nbsp; 
 
July 2019

In 2019, the prosecutors recommended dropping charges against Airbus and&nbsp; that Air France face trial for manslaughter and negligence over the crash.&nbsp;

The French prosecutors concluded that Air France was aware of technical problems with a key speed-measuring instrument or pilot tubes but failed to inform or train pilots on how to resolve the issue. However, this ruling was overturned two years later.&nbsp;

October 2022

After nearly 13 years the trial for Airbus and Air France over the crash began in Paris. The hearing opened with the judge reading out the names of all 228 victims. The chief executives of both Air France and Airbus who were present pleaded not guilty to the charges of involuntary manslaughter.&nbsp;

Air France claims that it was the complicated alarms that confused the pilots, whereas Airbus argues that it was the pilots’ fault. Air France has been accused of not properly training their pilots in the event of icing of the pilot probes despite knowing the risks.&nbsp;

On the other hand, Airbus has been accused of knowing that pilot tubes on Flight 447 were faulty and not doing enough to inform airlines and their crew about the issue which would help ensure training to mitigate the risk. &nbsp;

The pilot tubes&nbsp;

The case of the pilot tubes, on board the Airbus A330 were at the centre of the recent hearings. The instrument in question is used to measure the flight speed of aircraft. The court heard about how the malfunction with the tubes, which became blocked with ice crystals during a mid-Atlantic storm, was the reason for the alarms blaring in the cockpit and the autopilot system switching off.

April 2023

The Paris court acquitted both companies, maintaining that even though “errors” had been committed, “no certain link of causality” between those shortcomings and the accident “could be proven.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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Two France-based aviation giants went on trial last October over the crash of Air France Flight 447 some 13 years ago. On Monday (April 17), a Paris court acquitted the two companies that have been blamed for one of the worst aviation disasters which killed 228 passengers and crew in 2009.

Two France-based aviation giants went on trial last October over the crash of Air France Flight 447 some 13 years ago. On Monday (April 17), a Paris court acquitted the two companies that have been blamed for one of the worst aviation disasters which killed 228 passengers and crew in 2009. Here is a timeline of the series of events related to the case: June 2009 On June 1, 2009, Air France flight AF447 took off from Rio in Brazil and was en route to Paris before disappearing off the radar in the middle of a storm. It took a little over four minutes for the plane to fall 11,500 metres out of the sky. Days later, the wreckage was found of the Airbus A330 which was crossing the night sky during a storm over the Atlantic between Brazil and Senegal and vanished without a Mayday sign. May 2011 After two years and a multi-million-dollar search, the aircraft’s “black boxes” or flight recorders were found nearly 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) below sea level. The search effort involved combing 17,000 square kilometres of the ocean bed at depths of up to 4,000 metres for nearly 22 months. October 2011 Lawyers and victims’ families were allowed to listen to the in-flight voice recording of the pilots’ final minutes for the first time. “We’ve lost our speeds,” said one pilot, as recorded warning sounds of “stall, stall, stall” were heard and the aircraft began to plunge towards the sea. In the same year, the two aviation giants were being investigated for manslaughter. Findings and reports from the retrieved black box Over the next couple of years, sporadic findings and reports emerged about the crash. One of them said the plane had entered what is called an “intertropical convergence zone” which is said to often produce volatile storms with heavy precipitation. Reports indicated that the plane’s speed sensors had been iced up and errors were made and the pilots were disoriented because of this. The “stall” warning was sounded in the cockpit at least 75 times. Subsequently, the pilot took manual control after the autopilot system shut down and the wrong navigational data set off a catastrophic chain of events due to which the plane went into an “aerodynamic stall,” the nose pitched upward and the plane plunged into the ocean. French investigators from the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), found that the pilots had mishandled the temporary loss of data from iced-up sensors and pushed the 205-tonne jet into a freefall, without responding to alerts, at speed of around 200 kilometres per hour. The plane was flying through a storm over South Atlantic ocean when it entered a blackspot between air traffic control towers in Brazil and Senegal. However, it kept sending automatic communication “pings” every 10 minutes. It was four minutes and 23 seconds after its last ping, and it vanished, said the report. July 2019 In 2019, the prosecutors recommended dropping charges against Airbus and that Air France face trial for manslaughter and negligence over the crash. The French prosecutors concluded that Air France was aware of technical problems with a key speed-measuring instrument or pilot tubes but failed to inform or train pilots on how to resolve the issue. However, this ruling was overturned two years later. October 2022 After nearly 13 years the trial for Airbus and Air France over the crash began in Paris. The hearing opened with the judge reading out the names of all 228 victims. The chief executives of both Air France and Airbus who were present pleaded not guilty to the charges of involuntary manslaughter. Air France claims that it was the complicated alarms that confused the pilots, whereas Airbus argues that it was the pilots’ fault. Air France has been accused of not properly training their pilots in the event of icing of the pilot probes despite knowing the risks. On the other hand, Airbus has been accused of knowing that pilot tubes on Flight 447 were faulty and not doing enough to inform airlines and their crew about the issue which would help ensure training to mitigate the risk. The pilot tubes The case of the pilot tubes, on board the Airbus A330 were at the centre of the recent hearings. The instrument in question is used to measure the flight speed of aircraft. The court heard about how the malfunction with the tubes, which became blocked with ice crystals during a mid-Atlantic storm, was the reason for the alarms blaring in the cockpit and the autopilot system switching off. April 2023 The Paris court acquitted both companies, maintaining that even though “errors” had been committed, “no certain link of causality” between those shortcomings and the accident “could be proven.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Air France, Airbus trial over the 2009 Rio-Paris crash. Here's what happened

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On Monday, two biggest companies in France went on trial over the crash of Air France flight 447 in Paris. The historic trial began more than 13 years after the plane en route from Paris (France) to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) plunged into the Atlantic Ocean killing 228 passengers and crew. It was the airline’s worst-ever accident, according to reports.&nbsp;

The hearing opened with the judge reading out the names of all 228 victims that died due to this accident. Following this, the chief executives of both Air France and Airbus pleaded not guilty to the charges of involuntary manslaughter and offered condolences in a French criminal court, on October 10.&nbsp;

The courtroom was silent when the names were being read out but quickly erupted into anger as the victims’ families present for the trial yelled in protest after the submission of the plea said media reports. Additionally, when the company’s chief executives Anne Rigail and Guillaume Faury gave their opening statement and offered condolences, “too little, too late,” said the relatives present. According to reports, the trial will go on for nine weeks.&nbsp; 
 
ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sole-survivor-of-catastrophic-2009-yemeni-flight-recalls-the-horror-of-the-tragedy-which-killed-152-people-481756">Sole survivor of catastrophic 2009 Yemeni crash recalls the horror of the tragedy, which killed 152 people</a>

On June 1, 2009, Air France flight AF447 was en route to Rio but disappeared off the radar in the middle of a storm. It took a little over four minutes for the plane to fall 11,500 metres out of the sky. The plane had entered what is called an “intertropical convergence zone” which is said to often produce volatile storms with heavy precipitation.

According to the recordings from the black box that was recovered two years after the crash, the “stall” warning was sounded in the cockpit at least 75 times at the time. Reports indicated that the plane’s speed sensors had been iced up and errors were made when the pilots were disoriented because of this.&nbsp;

Subsequently, the pilot took manual control and turned off the autopilot but had the wrong navigational data that set off a catastrophic chain of events due to which the plane went into an “aerodynamic stall”, its nose pitched upward and the plane plunged into the ocean, said the reports.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, both Air France and Airbus have denied the accusations that their negligence had led to the crash and started pointing fingers at each other. The former claims that it was the complicated alarms that confused the pilots, whereas the latter argues that it was the pilots' fault. The debris of the plane was found floating on the ocean, the day after it disappeared, but it took two years to recover the black box flight data and voice recorders from the seabed.&nbsp; 
 
ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/aviation-deaths-rise-worldwide-in-2020-even-as-fatal-incidents-flights-fall-354023">Aviation deaths rise worldwide in 2020 even as fatal incidents, flights fall</a>

In 2019, a court decided to abandon the case because the investigators were unable to establish who was to blame, however, this ruling was overturned two years later. Therefore, this was the first time the two companies have been directly held accountable for the crash.&nbsp;

“It’s a trial where the victims must remain at the centre of the debate. We don’t want Airbus or Air France to turn this trial into a conference of engineers,” said Sébastien Busy, a lawyer who is representing the victims in the court to the press.&nbsp;

Furthermore, the trial will be around one key question, why did the three-person crew with more than 20,000 hours of flying experience between them, could not understand that the plane had lost flight or “stalled” and was not rising but falling? If convicted, each company faces a maximum fine of $220,000.&nbsp;

According to sources, Air France has been accused of not properly training their pilots in the event of icing of the pilot probes despite knowing the risks. On the other hand, Airbus has been accused of knowing the model that pitot tubes on Flight 447 were faulty and not doing enough to inform airlines and their crew about the issue which would help ensure training to mitigate the risk.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

On Monday, two biggest companies in France went on trial over the crash of Air France flight 447 in Paris. The historic trial began more than 13 years after the plane en route from Paris (France) to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) plunged into the Atlantic Ocean killing 228 passengers and crew.

On Monday, two biggest companies in France went on trial over the crash of Air France flight 447 in Paris. The historic trial began more than 13 years after the plane en route from Paris (France) to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) plunged into the Atlantic Ocean killing 228 passengers and crew. It was the airline’s worst-ever accident, according to reports. The hearing opened with the judge reading out the names of all 228 victims that died due to this accident. Following this, the chief executives of both Air France and Airbus pleaded not guilty to the charges of involuntary manslaughter and offered condolences in a French criminal court, on October 10. The courtroom was silent when the names were being read out but quickly erupted into anger as the victims’ families present for the trial yelled in protest after the submission of the plea said media reports. Additionally, when the company’s chief executives Anne Rigail and Guillaume Faury gave their opening statement and offered condolences, “too little, too late,” said the relatives present. According to reports, the trial will go on for nine weeks. ALSO READ: Sole survivor of catastrophic 2009 Yemeni crash recalls the horror of the tragedy, which killed 152 people On June 1, 2009, Air France flight AF447 was en route to Rio but disappeared off the radar in the middle of a storm. It took a little over four minutes for the plane to fall 11,500 metres out of the sky. The plane had entered what is called an “intertropical convergence zone” which is said to often produce volatile storms with heavy precipitation. According to the recordings from the black box that was recovered two years after the crash, the “stall” warning was sounded in the cockpit at least 75 times at the time. Reports indicated that the plane’s speed sensors had been iced up and errors were made when the pilots were disoriented because of this. Subsequently, the pilot took manual control and turned off the autopilot but had the wrong navigational data that set off a catastrophic chain of events due to which the plane went into an “aerodynamic stall”, its nose pitched upward and the plane plunged into the ocean, said the reports. Meanwhile, both Air France and Airbus have denied the accusations that their negligence had led to the crash and started pointing fingers at each other. The former claims that it was the complicated alarms that confused the pilots, whereas the latter argues that it was the pilots' fault. The debris of the plane was found floating on the ocean, the day after it disappeared, but it took two years to recover the black box flight data and voice recorders from the seabed. ALSO READ: Aviation deaths rise worldwide in 2020 even as fatal incidents, flights fall In 2019, a court decided to abandon the case because the investigators were unable to establish who was to blame, however, this ruling was overturned two years later. Therefore, this was the first time the two companies have been directly held accountable for the crash. “It’s a trial where the victims must remain at the centre of the debate. We don’t want Airbus or Air France to turn this trial into a conference of engineers,” said Sébastien Busy, a lawyer who is representing the victims in the court to the press. Furthermore, the trial will be around one key question, why did the three-person crew with more than 20,000 hours of flying experience between them, could not understand that the plane had lost flight or “stalled” and was not rising but falling? If convicted, each company faces a maximum fine of $220,000. According to sources, Air France has been accused of not properly training their pilots in the event of icing of the pilot probes despite knowing the risks. On the other hand, Airbus has been accused of knowing the model that pitot tubes on Flight 447 were faulty and not doing enough to inform airlines and their crew about the issue which would help ensure training to mitigate the risk. (With inputs from agencies)

Air France, Airbus go on trial for involuntary manslaughter over 2009 Rio-Paris crash

Two Air France pilots were suspended after physically fighting in the cockpit on a Geneva-Paris flight in June, an Air France official said Sunday.

Two Air France pilots suspended for cockpit brawl during Geneva-Paris flight

Fighting in the cockpit, flying over Africa with a leaking engine running—Air France pilots are under investigation following recent incidents that have prompted French authorities to demand for stricter safety procedures.

Following a physical altercation in the cockpit on a flight from Geneva to Paris in June, two Air France pilots were suspended, an Air France spokesperson revealed on Sunday. The official emphasised the airline's dedication to safety and stated that the flight continued and landed safely with no impact from the incident on the remainder of the voyage.

The co-pilot and pilot got into a fight immediately after takeoff, according to Switzerland's La Tribune, and grabbed each other by the collars after one of them appeared to have hit the other. A member of the cabin staff stepped in and spent the whole of the flight in the cockpit with the pilots, according to the report.

News of the altercation spread after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/first-time-signs-of-carbon-dioxide-in-atmosphere-of-a-planet-outside-solar-system-detected-by-webb-telescope-510236">France's</a> BEA, which conducts aviation investigations, published a report on Wednesday alleging that certain Air France pilots lack rigor in following protocol in the event of a safety incident.

It was centered on a fuel leak that occurred on an Air France<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-turbulence-for-akasa-air-as-it-reports-a-major-data-breach-510894"> flight</a> in December 2020 from Brazzaville, in the Republic of Congo, to Paris when pilots redirected the aircraft but did not cut power to the engine or land the aircraft as quickly as feasible, as the leak procedure required. Despite the BEA report's warning that the engine might have caught fire, the plane made a safe landing in Chad.

It stated that some pilots are acting based on their own analysis of the circumstance rather than following safety rules and highlighted three instances between 2017 and 2022 that were comparable.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AirFrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AirFrance</a> suspends pilots. 
 
You two are not going to crash this jet arguing over petty bunk. <a href="https://t.co/lFr4wqyLap">pic.twitter.com/lFr4wqyLap</a>
— Lynn Schore (@LynnSchore) <a href="https://twitter.com/LynnSchore/status/1564140866369101825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AirFrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AirFrance</a> pilots fighting. Scared of flying with them after what happened with Rio flight, now this!
— Fernando Ferreira (@fernyfeet78) <a href="https://twitter.com/fernyfeet78/status/1564184151095496704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In response, Air France stated that it is conducting a safety audit. It vowed to abide by the BEA's recommendations, which include enabling pilots to review their flights afterwards and tightening up the instruction manuals' adherence requirements.

The airline pointed out that although it operates thousands of flights every day, only four such safety events are included in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/extreme-climate-change-in-france-forces-early-harvest-for-wine-industry-510848">study</a>.

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The unions representing Air France pilots have emphasised that safety is everyone's top priority and supported pilot responses to emergencies.

The BEA also looked into an incident that occurred in April involving an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/indian-army-inducts-swarm-drones-how-it-will-impact-balance-with-china-along-lac-510780#india-armys-swarm-drones-driven-by-artificial-intelligence-510776">Air</a> France flight out of JFK in New York that experienced issues with flight control as it approached its landing in Paris.

(With inputs from agencies)

Also WATCH |&nbsp;All eyes on NASA's moon rocket launch; Artemis 1 mission to launch on an uncrewed test flight

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/all-eyes-on-nasas-moon-rocket-launch-artemis-1-mission-to-launch-on-an-uncrewed-test-flight-510900/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

Fighting in the cockpit, flying over Africa with a leaking engine running—Air France pilots are under investigation following recent incidents that have prompted French authorities to demand for stricter safety procedures.

Fighting in the cockpit, flying over Africa with a leaking engine running—Air France pilots are under investigation following recent incidents that have prompted French authorities to demand for stricter safety procedures. Following a physical altercation in the cockpit on a flight from Geneva to Paris in June, two Air France pilots were suspended, an Air France spokesperson revealed on Sunday. The official emphasised the airline's dedication to safety and stated that the flight continued and landed safely with no impact from the incident on the remainder of the voyage. The co-pilot and pilot got into a fight immediately after takeoff, according to Switzerland's La Tribune, and grabbed each other by the collars after one of them appeared to have hit the other. A member of the cabin staff stepped in and spent the whole of the flight in the cockpit with the pilots, according to the report. News of the altercation spread after France's BEA, which conducts aviation investigations, published a report on Wednesday alleging that certain Air France pilots lack rigor in following protocol in the event of a safety incident. It was centered on a fuel leak that occurred on an Air France flight in December 2020 from Brazzaville, in the Republic of Congo, to Paris when pilots redirected the aircraft but did not cut power to the engine or land the aircraft as quickly as feasible, as the leak procedure required. Despite the BEA report's warning that the engine might have caught fire, the plane made a safe landing in Chad. It stated that some pilots are acting based on their own analysis of the circumstance rather than following safety rules and highlighted three instances between 2017 and 2022 that were comparable. #AirFrance suspends pilots. You two are not going to crash this jet arguing over petty bunk. pic.twitter.com/lFr4wqyLap — Lynn Schore (@LynnSchore) August 29, 2022 × #AirFrance pilots fighting. Scared of flying with them after what happened with Rio flight, now this! — Fernando Ferreira (@fernyfeet78) August 29, 2022 × In response, Air France stated that it is conducting a safety audit. It vowed to abide by the BEA's recommendations, which include enabling pilots to review their flights afterwards and tightening up the instruction manuals' adherence requirements. The airline pointed out that although it operates thousands of flights every day, only four such safety events are included in the study. Also read | US suspends 26 Chinese flights in tit-for-tat move over Covid cases action The unions representing Air France pilots have emphasised that safety is everyone's top priority and supported pilot responses to emergencies. The BEA also looked into an incident that occurred in April involving an Air France flight out of JFK in New York that experienced issues with flight control as it approached its landing in Paris. (With inputs from agencies) Also WATCH | All eyes on NASA's moon rocket launch; Artemis 1 mission to launch on an uncrewed test flight

Two Air France pilots suspended after mid-flight fight in cockpit; Twitterati react

An Air France passenger plane flying from N'Djamena in Chad to Paris received an anonymous mid-air bomb threat as French authorities scrambled a fighter jet to escort it to Charles de Gaulle airport, reports said.

According to French interior minister Gerald Darmanin no explosive device was found.&nbsp;

The pilot had reported to the air traffic control that a bomb threat had been made over the radio. French authorities scrambled Rafale fighter jet to guide the plane to the airport.

The Air France Flight AF865 was parked and searched as security officials swarmed the area.&nbsp;The passengers were disembarked and at the end of the intervention, no explosive device was found onboard the Air France Ndjamena-Paris plane, the French minister said.

The government has launched an investigation into the incident.

(With inputs from Agencies)

An Air France passenger plane flying from N'Djamena in Chad to Paris received an anonymous mid-air bomb threat as French authorities scrambled a fighter jet to escort it to Charles de Gaulle airport, reports said.

An Air France passenger plane flying from N'Djamena in Chad to Paris received an anonymous mid-air bomb threat as French authorities scrambled a fighter jet to escort it to Charles de Gaulle airport, reports said. According to French interior minister Gerald Darmanin no explosive device was found. The pilot had reported to the air traffic control that a bomb threat had been made over the radio. French authorities scrambled Rafale fighter jet to guide the plane to the airport. The Air France Flight AF865 was parked and searched as security officials swarmed the area. The passengers were disembarked and at the end of the intervention, no explosive device was found onboard the Air France Ndjamena-Paris plane, the French minister said. The government has launched an investigation into the incident. (With inputs from Agencies)

French authorities scramble Rafale jet after bomb threat in Air France plane

An&nbsp;Air&nbsp;France&nbsp;plane flying to Paris on Thursday received a mid-air&nbsp;bomb threat, causing a security scare that saw a fighter jet scrambled to escort it to Charles de Gaulle airport.

The plane, travelling from N'Djamena in Chad, was searched after landing in the French capital and no device was found, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced on Twitter.&nbsp;

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Fin d’intervention, aucun engin explosif n’a été trouvé à bord de l’avion Air France Ndjamena-Paris. 
Merci à l’ensemble des services mobilisés. <a href="https://t.co/UU72nC3Hv1">https://t.co/UU72nC3Hv1</a>
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) <a href="https://twitter.com/GDarmanin/status/1400492232277381124?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A spokesman for the&nbsp;air&nbsp;force told AFP that the pilot of the plane had informed&nbsp;air&nbsp;traffic control that he had received a bomb threat over the radio during the flight.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-authorities-scramble-rafale-jet-after-bomb-threat-in-air-france-plane-389300">French authorities scramble Rafale jet after bomb threat in Air France plane</a>

"This type of threat is unusual and will lead to an investigation," the spokesperson said.&nbsp;

A Rafale fighter jet was scrambled to escort the plane to Charles to Gaulle airport where all of the passengers were disembarked safely.

An airport source said that the plane parked in a special area reserved for security operations, and searches of the seating area and the baggage bays took place.

Elite fast-response security forces were on the scene briefly, but departed, the source said.&nbsp;

An Air France plane flying to Paris on Thursday received a mid-air bomb threat, causing a security scare that saw a fighter jet scrambled to escort it to Charles de Gaulle airport.

An Air France plane flying to Paris on Thursday received a mid-air bomb threat, causing a security scare that saw a fighter jet scrambled to escort it to Charles de Gaulle airport. The plane, travelling from N'Djamena in Chad, was searched after landing in the French capital and no device was found, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced on Twitter. Fin d’intervention, aucun engin explosif n’a été trouvé à bord de l’avion Air France Ndjamena-Paris. Merci à l’ensemble des services mobilisés. https://t.co/UU72nC3Hv1 — Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) June 3, 2021 × A spokesman for the air force told AFP that the pilot of the plane had informed air traffic control that he had received a bomb threat over the radio during the flight. Also Read | French authorities scramble Rafale jet after bomb threat in Air France plane "This type of threat is unusual and will lead to an investigation," the spokesperson said. A Rafale fighter jet was scrambled to escort the plane to Charles to Gaulle airport where all of the passengers were disembarked safely. An airport source said that the plane parked in a special area reserved for security operations, and searches of the seating area and the baggage bays took place. Elite fast-response security forces were on the scene briefly, but departed, the source said.

Bomb threat on Air France flight causes security scare

Russia approved flight plans of Air France and Lufthansa to the country that avoid Belarus. After Belarus forced landing of a Ryanair passenger plane in Minsk and arrested a dissident journalist on May 23, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had advised airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace.

Air France said its new flight path to Moscow started on Saturday and had been authorised for this weekend.

"We ... are awaiting a green light from Russian authorities for our flights after this weekend," a spokesman said.

Air France, part of the Air France-KLM group, operates one or two flights a day between Paris and Moscow.

A spokeswoman for Lufthansa, Germany's biggest airline, said it had been given approval for the new routes on its flights from Frankfurt to Moscow and St Petersburg for the foreseeable future.

Lufthansa currently operates seven return flights from Frankfurt to Moscow and three return flights from Frankfurt to St Petersburg per week.

(With inputs from agenies)

Russia approved flight plans of Air France and Lufthansa to the country that avoid Belarus. After Belarus forced landing of a Ryanair passenger plane in Minsk and arrested a dissident journalist on May 23, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had advised airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace.

Russia approved flight plans of Air France and Lufthansa to the country that avoid Belarus. After Belarus forced landing of a Ryanair passenger plane in Minsk and arrested a dissident journalist on May 23, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had advised airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace. Air France said its new flight path to Moscow started on Saturday and had been authorised for this weekend. "We ... are awaiting a green light from Russian authorities for our flights after this weekend," a spokesman said. Air France, part of the Air France-KLM group, operates one or two flights a day between Paris and Moscow. A spokeswoman for Lufthansa, Germany's biggest airline, said it had been given approval for the new routes on its flights from Frankfurt to Moscow and St Petersburg for the foreseeable future. Lufthansa currently operates seven return flights from Frankfurt to Moscow and three return flights from Frankfurt to St Petersburg per week. (With inputs from agenies)

Russia approves Air France, Lufthansa routes which avoid Belarus airspace

Shifting to alternative Aviation fuels could be key to sustainable air travel and could contribute hugely to the industry's emissions reduction strategy and taking a step towards this transition Air France KLM operated its first long-haul flight with sustainable aviation fuel.

Air France-KLM's long haul flight with sustainable fuel

The French government has reached the outline of a deal with the European Commission on a state-backed refinancing package to help strengthen Air France-KLM’s balance sheet.

World Business Watch:  Reports say France, Brussels agree on Air France-KLM refinancing

We've all had co-passengers from hell at least once. The types are varied and the ruckus they cause can be endless. While we may want to exclude crying infants from this list to be a bit sensitive, grown-ups present their own tantrums. All is fine till such a behaviour remains an annoying oddity. But taking this to an extreme may prove to be problematic for the person involved.

A Delhi-bound Air France flight had to make an emergency landing in Bulgaria because of a 'disruptive' Indian passenger.

The passenger, an Indian citizen, began to act up soon after take-off, quarrelling with other passengers, assaulting a flight attendant and pummelling the cockpit's door, said Ivailo Angelov, an official at the National Investigation Agency. He was quoted by Reuters.

The person's behaviour was so aggressive that captain of the plane had to request for an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria. The man was taken off the aircraft and now he has been charged with endangering flight safety.

If convicted, the man can face up to 10 years in prison.

The Air France flight resumed its journey to New Delhi.

"We are investigating both his actions and his motives," Angelov told reporters. "There is no reasonable explanation for his behaviour," Angelov said

(With Reuters inputs)

We've all had co-passengers from hell at least once. The types are varied and the ruckus they cause can be endless. While we may want to exclude crying infants from this list to be a bit sensitive, grown-ups present their own tantrums.

We've all had co-passengers from hell at least once. The types are varied and the ruckus they cause can be endless. While we may want to exclude crying infants from this list to be a bit sensitive, grown-ups present their own tantrums. All is fine till such a behaviour remains an annoying oddity. But taking this to an extreme may prove to be problematic for the person involved. A Delhi-bound Air France flight had to make an emergency landing in Bulgaria because of a 'disruptive' Indian passenger. The passenger, an Indian citizen, began to act up soon after take-off, quarrelling with other passengers, assaulting a flight attendant and pummelling the cockpit's door, said Ivailo Angelov, an official at the National Investigation Agency. He was quoted by Reuters. The person's behaviour was so aggressive that captain of the plane had to request for an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria. The man was taken off the aircraft and now he has been charged with endangering flight safety. If convicted, the man can face up to 10 years in prison. The Air France flight resumed its journey to New Delhi. "We are investigating both his actions and his motives," Angelov told reporters. "There is no reasonable explanation for his behaviour," Angelov said (With Reuters inputs)

Air France flight makes emergency landing due to 'disruptive' Indian passenger

Air France aims to present a plan to trade unions to cut just over 6,500 jobs over the next two years.

Air France plans to cut 6,500 jobs by 2022

As KLM plans to partially resume its flights, the aviation company has made face masks compulsory for all the passengers.

However, instead of providing the face masks, KLM has asked passengers to bring the masks from home.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/german-national-stranded-at-indira-gandhi-international-airport-for-54-days-due-to-nationwide-lockdown-297956">Also read:&nbsp;German national stranded at Indira Gandhi International airport for 54 days due to nationwide lockdown</a>

"Wearing facial protection during boarding and on board is mandatory for KLM passengers. Passengers must ensure that they carry the required facial protection with them," KLM said.

Any passenger who will not have the adequate face protection gears will not be allowed to board the plane.

The rule has been set till August 31, 2020, and will be reviewed later depending on the number of coronavirus cases.&nbsp;

The airlines has also assured that all precautions regarding social distancing will be taken care of.

Lufthansa and Wizz Air, too, made face masks compulsory for all passengers.&nbsp;

As KLM plans to partially resume its flights, the aviation company has made face masks compulsory for all the passengers. However, instead of providing the face masks, KLM has asked passengers to bring the masks from home.

As KLM plans to partially resume its flights, the aviation company has made face masks compulsory for all the passengers. However, instead of providing the face masks, KLM has asked passengers to bring the masks from home. Also read: German national stranded at Indira Gandhi International airport for 54 days due to nationwide lockdown "Wearing facial protection during boarding and on board is mandatory for KLM passengers. Passengers must ensure that they carry the required facial protection with them," KLM said. Any passenger who will not have the adequate face protection gears will not be allowed to board the plane. The rule has been set till August 31, 2020, and will be reviewed later depending on the number of coronavirus cases. The airlines has also assured that all precautions regarding social distancing will be taken care of. Lufthansa and Wizz Air, too, made face masks compulsory for all passengers.

Passengers should carry their own face masks: KLM

French airline XL Airways has called on Air France to discuss a rescue deal to avert the collapse of the budget carrier that halted ticket sales and payments last week.

WION Wallet: XL Airways seeks rescue deal with Air France

Air France, Emirates and Etihad Airways are continuing to operate flights to Cairo after British Airways and Lufthansa suspended services to Egypt's capital.

International Airlines Group's British Airways suspended flights on Saturday for seven days "as a security precaution" as it reviews security at Cairo airport.

Germany's Lufthansa later said it cancelled services from Munich and Frankfurt to Cairo and would resume flights on Sunday.

"In liaison with the French authorities and the local authorities in Egypt, Air France has decided to maintain its service to Cairo," a spokesman said in a statement sent to Reuters.

An Emirates spokeswoman said its flights were operating to schedule.

"We are closely assessing the situation and are in contact with the relevant aviation authorities with regards to our flight operations to Egypt," the spokeswoman said.

The website for Abu Dhabi's Etihad showed its services were also operating.

"Etihad Airways is monitoring the security situation in Cairo," an airline spokesman said.

Air France, Emirates and Etihad Airways are continuing to operate flights to Cairo after British Airways and Lufthansa suspended services to Egypt's capital. International Airlines Group's British Airways suspended flights on Saturday for seven days "as a security precaution" as it reviews security at Cairo airport.

Air France, Emirates and Etihad Airways are continuing to operate flights to Cairo after British Airways and Lufthansa suspended services to Egypt's capital. International Airlines Group's British Airways suspended flights on Saturday for seven days "as a security precaution" as it reviews security at Cairo airport. Germany's Lufthansa later said it cancelled services from Munich and Frankfurt to Cairo and would resume flights on Sunday. "In liaison with the French authorities and the local authorities in Egypt, Air France has decided to maintain its service to Cairo," a spokesman said in a statement sent to Reuters. An Emirates spokeswoman said its flights were operating to schedule. "We are closely assessing the situation and are in contact with the relevant aviation authorities with regards to our flight operations to Egypt," the spokeswoman said. The website for Abu Dhabi's Etihad showed its services were also operating. "Etihad Airways is monitoring the security situation in Cairo," an airline spokesman said.

Air France, Emirates maintain Cairo flights after British Air suspension

A mid-flight engine failure forced an Air France A380 jet with more than 500 passengers on board to turn back to the Ivory Coast capital Abidjan where it landed without further incident early Sunday.

"We were flying over Niger (to Paris)... I saw a ball of flame for a few seconds and then a large bang on the left side of the aircraft," Baudelaire Mieu, a journalist with Bloomberg News, told AFP.

"The plane began to roll, everything was shaking and people started to panic. The&nbsp;pilot&nbsp;came on and said 'We have just lost a left side engine. We are returning to Abidjan," Mieu said.

The Air France-KLM manager for West Africa Jean-Luc Mevellec confirmed the incident.

"Technically, it is what is called an engine blow-out. It is a well-known problem," Mevellec told AFP.

"It happens from time to time. It is a well-known phenomenon, well understood and crew are well trained on simulators all year long to deal with this type of fault," he added.

Mieu said the giant four-engined aircraft, the world's biggest passenger jet, "continued to vibrate all the way back to Abidjan. People were praying."

"It was a close call. I have never been so frightened!"

A mid-flight engine failure forced an Air France A380 jet with more than 500 passengers on board to turn back to the Ivory Coast capital Abidjan where it landed without further incident early Sunday.

A mid-flight engine failure forced an Air France A380 jet with more than 500 passengers on board to turn back to the Ivory Coast capital Abidjan where it landed without further incident early Sunday. "We were flying over Niger (to Paris)... I saw a ball of flame for a few seconds and then a large bang on the left side of the aircraft," Baudelaire Mieu, a journalist with Bloomberg News, told AFP. "The plane began to roll, everything was shaking and people started to panic. The pilot came on and said 'We have just lost a left side engine. We are returning to Abidjan," Mieu said. The Air France-KLM manager for West Africa Jean-Luc Mevellec confirmed the incident. "Technically, it is what is called an engine blow-out. It is a well-known problem," Mevellec told AFP. "It happens from time to time. It is a well-known phenomenon, well understood and crew are well trained on simulators all year long to deal with this type of fault," he added. Mieu said the giant four-engined aircraft, the world's biggest passenger jet, "continued to vibrate all the way back to Abidjan. People were praying." "It was a close call. I have never been so frightened!"

Engine failure forces Air France A380 back to Abidjan

As pilots, cabin crew and ground staff pursued a fifth day of strikes aimed at securing higher pay, Air France said on Saturday that hundreds of its flights have been cancelled.

A quarter of long-haul flights have been cancelled, impacting international and domestic travel.

Around a third of medium-haul flights to and from Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport have not taken off.

Thirty percent of short-haul flights have been cancelled to and from Paris's Orly airport and French regions.

Saturday saw the highest cancellation rate since unions called for the daylong work stoppages in February in pursuit of a six per cent pay raise.

The management estimated that 34 per cent of pilots walked out, as did 26 per cent of the crew and 19 per cent of the ground staff.

Unions say workers deserve to benefit from years of belt-tightening that have brought the carrier back to operating profitability, after seeing their wages effectively frozen since 2011.

Workers have rejected Air France management's offer of a one per cent&nbsphike this year.

Unions have already warned of more strikes to come, with six more days of walkouts planned including two next week, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The airline has warned that the strikes are costing Air France 25 million euros ($30 million) each day, money the airline should be investing in buying planes and creating jobs.

The Air France industrial action coincides with rolling strikes by workers at the state rail operator SNCF, as well as protests by students, public servants, energy workers and rubbish collectors.

Although the various protests have different aims, they have created a general atmosphere of social discontent as President Emmanuel Macron pursues his ambitious reform drive.

(With inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp

As pilots, cabin crew and ground staff pursued a fifth day of strikes aimed at securing higher pay, Air France said on Saturday that hundreds of its flights have been cancelled

As pilots, cabin crew and ground staff pursued a fifth day of strikes aimed at securing higher pay, Air France said on Saturday that hundreds of its flights have been cancelled. A quarter of long-haul flights have been cancelled, impacting international and domestic travel. Around a third of medium-haul flights to and from Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport have not taken off. Thirty percent of short-haul flights have been cancelled to and from Paris's Orly airport and French regions. Saturday saw the highest cancellation rate since unions called for the daylong work stoppages in February in pursuit of a six per cent pay raise. The management estimated that 34 per cent of pilots walked out, as did 26 per cent of the crew and 19 per cent of the ground staff. Unions say workers deserve to benefit from years of belt-tightening that have brought the carrier back to operating profitability, after seeing their wages effectively frozen since 2011. Workers have rejected Air France management's offer of a one per cent&nbsphike this year. Unions have already warned of more strikes to come, with six more days of walkouts planned including two next week, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The airline has warned that the strikes are costing Air France 25 million euros ($30 million) each day, money the airline should be investing in buying planes and creating jobs. The Air France industrial action coincides with rolling strikes by workers at the state rail operator SNCF, as well as protests by students, public servants, energy workers and rubbish collectors. Although the various protests have different aims, they have created a general atmosphere of social discontent as President Emmanuel Macron pursues his ambitious reform drive. (With inputs from AFP)

Air France cancels 30% of flights due to strikes

A suspected radioactive leak today occurred from a medical shipment at cargo terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport here, following which authorities have cordoned off the area.

The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has rushed its team to the spot.

&quot;A call was received from the airport around 10.45 am regarding suspected radioactive leak from medical equipment,&quot; said Atul Garg, chief fire officer.

He said the equipment has come from Air France plane and was kept at the cargo terminal.

The entire area has been cordoned off and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also been informed about the incident, Garg said.

There was no immediate response from Delhi airport authorities and Air France.&nbsp;

(PTI) 
&nbsp;

The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has rushed to the spot and the area has been cordoned off

A suspected radioactive leak today occurred from a medical shipment at cargo terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport here, following which authorities have cordoned off the area. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has rushed its team to the spot. "A call was received from the airport around 10.45 am regarding suspected radioactive leak from medical equipment," said Atul Garg, chief fire officer. He said the equipment has come from Air France plane and was kept at the cargo terminal. The entire area has been cordoned off and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also been informed about the incident, Garg said. There was no immediate response from Delhi airport authorities and Air France. (PTI)

India: Suspected radioactive leak at Delhi airport terminal

A court in Sierra Leone heard a case on Tuesday regarding a severe breach of security at the country&#39;s biggest airport. A man tried to set fire to an Air France plane after gaining access to the aircraft withour a passport or a boarding card.&nbsp; 
 
Airport officials promised security would be stepped up after Ibrahim Kanu attempted to board the flight armed with petrol, matches and a cigarette lighter on June 24 at Lungi International Airport, close to the capital of Freetown. 
 
The prosecution said Kanu had entered the restricted area reserved for staff and took a bus connecting to the plane, which is believed to have been an Airbus A330-200 headed for Paris. 
 
A British firm, Westminster Group, is contracted to provide security at the airport but has yet to comment publicly. 
 
Kanu&#39;s bail application was rejected on Tuesday on the grounds that he was a flight risk. He was accused of &quot;a very serious criminal offence&quot;. 
 
General Manager of the Airport Authority Idrissa Fofanah told journalists that security surveillance had been stepped up following the incident. 
 
(AFP)

A man without a passport or a boarding pass tried to get on the flight while carrying petrol, matches and a cigarette lighter

A court in Sierra Leone heard a case on Tuesday regarding a severe breach of security at the country's biggest airport. A man tried to set fire to an Air France plane after gaining access to the aircraft withour a passport or a boarding card. Airport officials promised security would be stepped up after Ibrahim Kanu attempted to board the flight armed with petrol, matches and a cigarette lighter on June 24 at Lungi International Airport, close to the capital of Freetown. The prosecution said Kanu had entered the restricted area reserved for staff and took a bus connecting to the plane, which is believed to have been an Airbus A330-200 headed for Paris. A British firm, Westminster Group, is contracted to provide security at the airport but has yet to comment publicly. Kanu's bail application was rejected on Tuesday on the grounds that he was a flight risk. He was accused of "a very serious criminal offence". General Manager of the Airport Authority Idrissa Fofanah told journalists that security surveillance had been stepped up following the incident. (AFP)

Sierra Leone man tries setting plane on fire

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