A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The pilot, who is a man from Orlando, Florida, was removed from the cockpit after a Transportation Security Administration agent told the authorities that he looked “impaired” while passing through security, reported the Buffalo News. &nbsp;

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Niagara Frontier TSA spokeswoman Helen Tederous said that the pilot told authorities that he had seven to eight drinks before he got on the plane, which was departing from Buffalo Niagara international airport to Fort Lauderdale.&nbsp;

After his removal, the police performed a breathalyzer test. It was found that his blood-alcohol level was 0.17% in the test. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from drinking within eight hours of a flight or flying with a blood-alcohol level more than 0.04. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Initially, he was taken into police custody, and later handed over to JetBlue security. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-end-ukraines-invasion-us-senator-calls-for-russian-president-vladimir-putins-assassination-458861">US senator calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin's assassination</a>

The pilot has been removed from his duties by JetBlue and&nbsp;may also face federal charges, said Tederous. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a statement, JetBlue officials said they were aware of the incident and cooperating with law enforcement. They were also conducting an internal investigation. &nbsp;

“We adhere to all (Department of Transportation) rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero-tolerance internal alcohol policy,” read the statement. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US.

A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US. The pilot, who is a man from Orlando, Florida, was removed from the cockpit after a Transportation Security Administration agent told the authorities that he looked “impaired” while passing through security, reported the Buffalo News. Also Read: Biden admin offers 'Temporary Protected Status' to Ukrainians in US Niagara Frontier TSA spokeswoman Helen Tederous said that the pilot told authorities that he had seven to eight drinks before he got on the plane, which was departing from Buffalo Niagara international airport to Fort Lauderdale. After his removal, the police performed a breathalyzer test. It was found that his blood-alcohol level was 0.17% in the test. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from drinking within eight hours of a flight or flying with a blood-alcohol level more than 0.04. Initially, he was taken into police custody, and later handed over to JetBlue security. Also Read: US senator calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin's assassination The pilot has been removed from his duties by JetBlue and may also face federal charges, said Tederous. In a statement, JetBlue officials said they were aware of the incident and cooperating with law enforcement. They were also conducting an internal investigation. “We adhere to all (Department of Transportation) rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero-tolerance internal alcohol policy,” read the statement. (With inputs from agencies)

52-year-old drunk airline pilot removed from cockpit of flight in US

People across the world are waiting for 5G networks to go mainstream. After all, the technology promises faster speeds and better connectivity. But the US, which has been at the forefront of the 5G revolution, has raised some serious concerns about the next-generation mobile network. It's said that 5G could pose a threat to airline safety. How true is this claim? And why is it not a problem in other countries? We look at that in this video.

Is 5G a threat to airline safety?

Passengers travelling over the Christmas holiday have been hit with disruption worldwide after airline companies cancelled more than 4,500 flights.

Passengers hit with disruptions worldwide after cancellation of airlines

Passengers hit with disruptions worldwide after airline companies cancel airlines

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute. While Indigo mentioned their efforts in helping transport 67.9cr vaccines across the country, SpiceJet referred to their role in repatriating Indian citizens from abroad, transporting cargo and COVID-19 relief material.&nbsp;

 
“The airline carried 1727 tonnes of COVID vaccine via 4505 flights between January 12th and October 12th 2021, by adhering to all requisite precautionary measures” read the statement from Indigo. Congratulating the Indian Government on the milestone, William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We feel privileged to be able to contribute to the national vaccination program through safe and hassle-free transportation of 67.9cr vaccine doses over the last nine months. It is an honour to be the largest transporter of covid vaccines in the country, carrying almost 190 tonnes of vaccine Cargo across the country every month. We remain committed to supporting the nation and will continue transporting the vaccines seamlessly, till the country is fully vaccinated.”

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-vaccination-in-india-crosses-1-billion-what-about-its-neighbours-422545">COVID-19 vaccination in India crosses 1 billion. What about its neighbours?</a>

SpiceJet unveiled a special livery to honor the contribution of the frontline workers who worked worked tirelessly to achieve the vaccination milestone. The special livery was unveiled at a grand event graced by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet at Delhi’s IGI Airport. The livery which includes an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare workers will adorn three Boeing 737 aircraft of SpiceJet. Congratulating the Prime Minister and the &nbsp;Government, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “The fact that a record 1 billion doses were administered in just 279 days is a testament to the efforts of our health workers and the cooperation of our citizens.”

 
According to SpiceJet, they had played an integral role in the war against COVID-19 by carrying record supplies of relief material, medicines and medical equipment, over the last 18 months. “ The airline has operated around 26,300 cargo flights since March 2020 and transported around 200,000 tonnes of cargo. Besides, the airline also airlifted close to 90,000 oxygen concentrators and relief material” read their statement. It adds that they had brought back 3.63 lakh Indian and foreign nationals stranded in different countries on more than 2100 special flights.&nbsp;

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute.

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute. While Indigo mentioned their efforts in helping transport 67.9cr vaccines across the country, SpiceJet referred to their role in repatriating Indian citizens from abroad, transporting cargo and COVID-19 relief material. “The airline carried 1727 tonnes of COVID vaccine via 4505 flights between January 12th and October 12th 2021, by adhering to all requisite precautionary measures” read the statement from Indigo. Congratulating the Indian Government on the milestone, William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We feel privileged to be able to contribute to the national vaccination program through safe and hassle-free transportation of 67.9cr vaccine doses over the last nine months. It is an honour to be the largest transporter of covid vaccines in the country, carrying almost 190 tonnes of vaccine Cargo across the country every month. We remain committed to supporting the nation and will continue transporting the vaccines seamlessly, till the country is fully vaccinated.” Also Read | COVID-19 vaccination in India crosses 1 billion. What about its neighbours? SpiceJet unveiled a special livery to honor the contribution of the frontline workers who worked worked tirelessly to achieve the vaccination milestone. The special livery was unveiled at a grand event graced by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet at Delhi’s IGI Airport. The livery which includes an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare workers will adorn three Boeing 737 aircraft of SpiceJet. Congratulating the Prime Minister and the Government, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “The fact that a record 1 billion doses were administered in just 279 days is a testament to the efforts of our health workers and the cooperation of our citizens.” According to SpiceJet, they had played an integral role in the war against COVID-19 by carrying record supplies of relief material, medicines and medical equipment, over the last 18 months. “ The airline has operated around 26,300 cargo flights since March 2020 and transported around 200,000 tonnes of cargo. Besides, the airline also airlifted close to 90,000 oxygen concentrators and relief material” read their statement. It adds that they had brought back 3.63 lakh Indian and foreign nationals stranded in different countries on more than 2100 special flights.

India’s Private airlines recall journey to 1billion vaccinations, battle against COVID-19

A former chief technical pilot for Boeing was charged with fraud for deceiving federal regulators evaluating the company's 737 max jet, hindering the ability to protect airline passengers and leaving "Pilots in the lurch," the US Justice department said.

Former chief technical pilot for Boeing charged with fraud

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil. 
 
The creation of another flag carrier would catapult Saudi Arabia into the fifth rank globally in terms of air transit traffic, official state media reported, without giving details on when and how the airline would be created. 
 
Prince Mohammad has been spearheading a push for Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and the largest country in the Gulf geographically, to boost non-oil revenues to about 45 billion riyals ($12.00 bn) by 2030. 
 
Making the kingdom a global logistics hub, which includes the development of ports, rail and road networks, would increase the transport and logistics sector's contribution to gross domestic product to 10% from 6%, state news agency SPA said. 
 
"The comprehensive strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub connecting the three continents," Prince Mohammed was quoted as saying in the SPA report. 
 
"This will help other sectors like tourism, haj and umrah to achieve their national targets." 
 
The addition of another airline would increase the number of international destinations from Saudi Arabia to more than 250 and double air cargo capacity to more than 4.5 million tonnes, the SPA report said. 
 
With current flag bearer Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the kingdom has one of the smallest airline networks in the region relative to its size. Saudia has struggled with losses for years and like global peers, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. 
 
Local media reported earlier this year that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), planned to build a new airport in Riyadh as part of the new airline launch, without giving further details. 
 
The fund is the main vehicle for boosting Saudi Arabian investments at home and abroad as the young prince, known in the West as MbS, seeks to diversify the kingdom’s oil-heavy economy through his Vision 2030 strategy. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil. The creation of another flag carrier would catapult Saudi Arabia into the fifth rank globally in terms of air transit traffic, official state media reported, without giving details on when and how the airline would be created. Prince Mohammad has been spearheading a push for Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and the largest country in the Gulf geographically, to boost non-oil revenues to about 45 billion riyals ($12.00 bn) by 2030. Making the kingdom a global logistics hub, which includes the development of ports, rail and road networks, would increase the transport and logistics sector's contribution to gross domestic product to 10% from 6%, state news agency SPA said. "The comprehensive strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub connecting the three continents," Prince Mohammed was quoted as saying in the SPA report. "This will help other sectors like tourism, haj and umrah to achieve their national targets." The addition of another airline would increase the number of international destinations from Saudi Arabia to more than 250 and double air cargo capacity to more than 4.5 million tonnes, the SPA report said. With current flag bearer Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the kingdom has one of the smallest airline networks in the region relative to its size. Saudia has struggled with losses for years and like global peers, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Local media reported earlier this year that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), planned to build a new airport in Riyadh as part of the new airline launch, without giving further details. The fund is the main vehicle for boosting Saudi Arabian investments at home and abroad as the young prince, known in the West as MbS, seeks to diversify the kingdom’s oil-heavy economy through his Vision 2030 strategy. (With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia plans new national airline as it diversifies from oil

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation watchdog on Monday de-rostered flight crew of SpiceJet plane that was chartered&nbsp;as a wedding destination in the sky. A counple got married in the plane with more than 100 attendees onboard. The images of the 'ceremony' have gone viral on the social media.

"Crew members are off rostered. Airline directed to lodge a complaint against those not following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour with relevant authorities," a DGCA official told ANI.

Pictures of a Madurai-based couple’s wedding that took place on board a chartered commercial aircraft that flew between Madurai and Tuticorin, have gone viral on social media.

What’s caught netizens’ attention is the manner in which the family and wedding attendees are seen blatantly violating COVID-19 norms, with very few wearing masks and the others not wearing them at all or wearing it improperly. This comes at a time when Tamil Nadu is witnessing the peak of COVID-19 with nearly 36,000 daily cases and is in the midst of a state government-ordered Lockdown. &nbsp;

It is said that the couple, who are based out of Goripalayam in Madurai, had tied the knot sometime last week, with limited guests as per the 50-attendee cap set by the government.

However, as the state government announced temporary relaxations to lockdown restrictions on Saturday and Sunday, the families seem to have arranged a chartered flight to have a special wedding with more attendees. It is said that the wedding guests were all tested RT-PCR negative. However the claim has not been verified.&nbsp;

Going by the pictures and videos of this wedding, there are over 100 people seated in the flight, with hardly any adherence to prevalent COVID-19 norms in the Indian Aviation sector. Generally, those taking domestic flights in India have to be temperature checked, masked, are provided face shields, sanitizers, etc to ensure safety of all on board.&nbsp;

WION had reached out to the concerned airline for a clarification and has understood that their plane, a Boeing 737 was chartered by a Madurai travel agent for a group that wanted a post-wedding joy ride. “The client was clearly briefed on Covid guidelines to be followed and denied permission or any activity to be performed on board. The approval for this flight was taken as joy ride for the wedding group,” read the statement from SpiceJet.&nbsp;

According to the airline, the agent and passengers were repeatedly briefed in detail on the Covid safety norms at the airport and in-flight, and also about the DGCA protocols restricting photography and videography.

“Despite repeated requests and reminders the passengers did not follow Covid guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per rules,” the airline added.

For one week from Monday, Tamil Nadu is in a total lockdown, where even grocery and vegetable shops would be shut. Vegetables and fruits would be sold on carts and vehicles that are authorised to do so by the civic bodies of respective districts. Only medical shops, fuel stations, ATMs and essential government offices will be open, while banks can function with one-third staff. E-commerce deliveries can operate from 8 am until 6 pm. Hotels will function from 6 am to 10 am, 12 noon to 3 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm and provide only takeaways, during which food delivery services can function.&nbsp;

However, the latest government order issued pertaining to this lockdown does not provide information on whether weddings are permitted and the crowd restrictions, crowd restrictions at funerals, etc. It also does not make a mention on availability of cabs, autos, permissions required for traveling to vaccination centres, etc. There is also confusion over whether customers can visit banks, since the banks themselves can function with 1/3rd staff.&nbsp;

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation watchdog on Monday de-rostered flight crew of SpiceJet plane that was chartered as a wedding destination in the sky.

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation watchdog on Monday de-rostered flight crew of SpiceJet plane that was chartered as a wedding destination in the sky. A counple got married in the plane with more than 100 attendees onboard. The images of the 'ceremony' have gone viral on the social media. "Crew members are off rostered. Airline directed to lodge a complaint against those not following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour with relevant authorities," a DGCA official told ANI. Pictures of a Madurai-based couple’s wedding that took place on board a chartered commercial aircraft that flew between Madurai and Tuticorin, have gone viral on social media. What’s caught netizens’ attention is the manner in which the family and wedding attendees are seen blatantly violating COVID-19 norms, with very few wearing masks and the others not wearing them at all or wearing it improperly. This comes at a time when Tamil Nadu is witnessing the peak of COVID-19 with nearly 36,000 daily cases and is in the midst of a state government-ordered Lockdown. It is said that the couple, who are based out of Goripalayam in Madurai, had tied the knot sometime last week, with limited guests as per the 50-attendee cap set by the government. However, as the state government announced temporary relaxations to lockdown restrictions on Saturday and Sunday, the families seem to have arranged a chartered flight to have a special wedding with more attendees. It is said that the wedding guests were all tested RT-PCR negative. However the claim has not been verified. Going by the pictures and videos of this wedding, there are over 100 people seated in the flight, with hardly any adherence to prevalent COVID-19 norms in the Indian Aviation sector. Generally, those taking domestic flights in India have to be temperature checked, masked, are provided face shields, sanitizers, etc to ensure safety of all on board. WION had reached out to the concerned airline for a clarification and has understood that their plane, a Boeing 737 was chartered by a Madurai travel agent for a group that wanted a post-wedding joy ride. “The client was clearly briefed on Covid guidelines to be followed and denied permission or any activity to be performed on board. The approval for this flight was taken as joy ride for the wedding group,” read the statement from SpiceJet. According to the airline, the agent and passengers were repeatedly briefed in detail on the Covid safety norms at the airport and in-flight, and also about the DGCA protocols restricting photography and videography. “Despite repeated requests and reminders the passengers did not follow Covid guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per rules,” the airline added. For one week from Monday, Tamil Nadu is in a total lockdown, where even grocery and vegetable shops would be shut. Vegetables and fruits would be sold on carts and vehicles that are authorised to do so by the civic bodies of respective districts. Only medical shops, fuel stations, ATMs and essential government offices will be open, while banks can function with one-third staff. E-commerce deliveries can operate from 8 am until 6 pm. Hotels will function from 6 am to 10 am, 12 noon to 3 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm and provide only takeaways, during which food delivery services can function. However, the latest government order issued pertaining to this lockdown does not provide information on whether weddings are permitted and the crowd restrictions, crowd restrictions at funerals, etc. It also does not make a mention on availability of cabs, autos, permissions required for traveling to vaccination centres, etc. There is also confusion over whether customers can visit banks, since the banks themselves can function with 1/3rd staff.

Tamil Nadu: Couple’s sky-high wedding creates problem, DGCA takes flight crew off duty

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States.&nbsp;

In what was described by some EU leaders as a hijacking, the passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet. On its landing, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody.&nbsp;

Protasevich had his head in his hands and was shaking when he realised the flight was headed for Minsk, Lithuania's Delfi news outlet said, quoting a passenger. Later, as he was led away, according to the report, he remarked: "I'll get the death penalty here." The report could not be verified.&nbsp;

The 26-year-old journalist worked for Poland-based online news service NEXTA, which broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year via the Telegram messenger app at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so.&nbsp;

Protasevich, who now works for a different Telegram channel called Belamova, is wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organising mass riots and of inciting social hatred, allegations he denies.&nbsp;

Data from the flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace. After seven hours on the ground, the plane took off and finally landed in Vilnius where Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was waiting to meet the passengers.&nbsp;

As European officials threatened new sanctions on Belarus, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the forced landing and arrest a 'shocking act’, demanded Protasevich's immediate release and said President Joe Biden's administration was 'coordinating with our partners on next steps’.&nbsp;

EU member state Lithuania, where Protasevich is based, urged the European Union and NATO to respond.&nbsp;

Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive European Commission, said Protasevich must be released immediately and that those responsible for 'the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned’, adding EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Monday would discuss what action to take.&nbsp;

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a tweet that the incident was serious and dangerous and required an international investigation.&nbsp;

Simon Coveney, foreign minister of Ireland, where Ryanair is based, said on Twitter: "EU inaction or indecision will be taken as weakness by Belarus."&nbsp;

Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said he discussed the Ryanair plane diversion with US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker, urging a strong response from the West.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Lithuanian prosecutors also launched a criminal investigation into the forced landing of a Ryanair flight to Vilnius in Minsk, the General Prosecutors office said in a statement on Sunday.&nbsp;

The charges under investigation include hijacking of a plane for terrorism purposes and treatment of humans in violation of international treaties, it said in the statement.&nbsp;

The United States along with the EU, Britain and Canada have already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on almost 90 Belarusian officials, including Lukashenko, following an August election that opponents and the West say was a sham.&nbsp;

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez issued a statement with the heads of seven European parliamentary foreign affairs panels denouncing the forced landing as 'an act of piracy’. They called for a ban on all overflights of Belarus, including to and from the country, and for NATO and EU states to impose sanctions and suspend Belarus' 'ability to use Interpol’.&nbsp;

Blinken demanded a 'full investigation' of an action he said endangered the lives of the passengers, including US citizens.&nbsp;

"Given indications the forced landing was based on false pretenses, we support the earliest possible meeting of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review these events," he said in a statement.&nbsp;

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who like Protasevich now operates from Lithuania, called on the UN aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to kick Belarus out.&nbsp;

ICAO said it was 'strongly concerned' over the incident, which might have breached the Chicago Convention underpinning civil aviation. Global airline industry body IATA also called for a full investigation.&nbsp;

The incident is certain to worsen already dire relations between the West and Belarus, which has been tightly controlled since 1994 by Lukashenko.&nbsp;

Opponents accuse him of rigging a presidential election in his own favour last year and of then cracking down violently on the opposition. He denies electoral fraud.&nbsp;

Ryanair said in a statement that the plane`s crew was notified by Belarus of a potential security threat on board and was instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk.&nbsp;

The plane landed safely, passengers were offloaded, security checks were made by local authorities and the aircraft later resumed its journey to Vilnius, Ryanair said.&nbsp;

One of the passengers, speaking to Reuters after arriving at Vilnius airport, said neither the pilot nor the crew gave a full explanation for the sudden diversion to Minsk, but Protasevich reacted quickly to the news, standing up from his seat.&nbsp;

The Lithuanian passenger, who gave his name only as Mantas, said Protasevich opened an overhead locker, pulled out a laptop computer and a phone and gave them to a female companion. On landing, Protasevich was immediately separated, Mantas said.&nbsp;

Belarusian officials with sniffer dogs searched the luggage of each passenger, including Protasevich, but appeared to find nothing. "It looked fake," Mantas said of the bomb-detection operation.&nbsp;

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told a news conference late on Sunday that Protasevich`s female companion had also not re-embarked on the flight from Minsk to Vilnius.&nbsp;

Belarusian news agency BelTA reported that Lukashenko had personally ordered the warplane to escort the Ryanair plane to Minsk. No explosives were found, it said.&nbsp;

Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army forces in Europe, said the air defenses of Belarus were closely integrated with those of Russia. "If you had anything happening in the Belarus airspace, it would be impossible for the Kremlin - or at least Russian military forces - not to know about it," he said.&nbsp;

Nauseda urged "NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarus regime."&nbsp;

Lithuanian presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said the operation to force the plane carrying around 170 people from 12 countries to land seemed to be pre-planned.&nbsp;

The Belarusian department for organised crime control reported that Protasevich had been detained, before deleting the statement from its Telegram channel.&nbsp;

About 35,000 people have been detained in Belarus since August, human rights groups say. Dozens have received jail terms.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States.

Belarusian authorities scrambled a fighter jet and flagged what turned out to be a false bomb alert to force a Ryanair plane to land on Sunday and then, detained an opposition-minded journalist, who was on board, drawing condemnation from Europe and the United States. In what was described by some EU leaders as a hijacking, the passenger plane flying from Athens to Lithuania was suddenly diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet. On its landing, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody. Protasevich had his head in his hands and was shaking when he realised the flight was headed for Minsk, Lithuania's Delfi news outlet said, quoting a passenger. Later, as he was led away, according to the report, he remarked: "I'll get the death penalty here." The report could not be verified. The 26-year-old journalist worked for Poland-based online news service NEXTA, which broadcast footage of mass protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year via the Telegram messenger app at a time when it was hard for foreign media to do so. Protasevich, who now works for a different Telegram channel called Belamova, is wanted in Belarus on extremism charges and stands accused of organising mass riots and of inciting social hatred, allegations he denies. Data from the flightradar24.com website showed the plane was diverted just two minutes before it was due to cross into Lithuanian airspace. After seven hours on the ground, the plane took off and finally landed in Vilnius where Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was waiting to meet the passengers. As European officials threatened new sanctions on Belarus, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the forced landing and arrest a 'shocking act’, demanded Protasevich's immediate release and said President Joe Biden's administration was 'coordinating with our partners on next steps’. EU member state Lithuania, where Protasevich is based, urged the European Union and NATO to respond. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive European Commission, said Protasevich must be released immediately and that those responsible for 'the Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned’, adding EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Monday would discuss what action to take. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a tweet that the incident was serious and dangerous and required an international investigation. Simon Coveney, foreign minister of Ireland, where Ryanair is based, said on Twitter: "EU inaction or indecision will be taken as weakness by Belarus." Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said he discussed the Ryanair plane diversion with US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker, urging a strong response from the West. Meanwhile, Lithuanian prosecutors also launched a criminal investigation into the forced landing of a Ryanair flight to Vilnius in Minsk, the General Prosecutors office said in a statement on Sunday. The charges under investigation include hijacking of a plane for terrorism purposes and treatment of humans in violation of international treaties, it said in the statement. The United States along with the EU, Britain and Canada have already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on almost 90 Belarusian officials, including Lukashenko, following an August election that opponents and the West say was a sham. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez issued a statement with the heads of seven European parliamentary foreign affairs panels denouncing the forced landing as 'an act of piracy’. They called for a ban on all overflights of Belarus, including to and from the country, and for NATO and EU states to impose sanctions and suspend Belarus' 'ability to use Interpol’. Blinken demanded a 'full investigation' of an action he said endangered the lives of the passengers, including US citizens. "Given indications the forced landing was based on false pretenses, we support the earliest possible meeting of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization to review these events," he said in a statement. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who like Protasevich now operates from Lithuania, called on the UN aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to kick Belarus out. ICAO said it was 'strongly concerned' over the incident, which might have breached the Chicago Convention underpinning civil aviation. Global airline industry body IATA also called for a full investigation. The incident is certain to worsen already dire relations between the West and Belarus, which has been tightly controlled since 1994 by Lukashenko. Opponents accuse him of rigging a presidential election in his own favour last year and of then cracking down violently on the opposition. He denies electoral fraud. Ryanair said in a statement that the plane`s crew was notified by Belarus of a potential security threat on board and was instructed to divert to the nearest airport, Minsk. The plane landed safely, passengers were offloaded, security checks were made by local authorities and the aircraft later resumed its journey to Vilnius, Ryanair said. One of the passengers, speaking to Reuters after arriving at Vilnius airport, said neither the pilot nor the crew gave a full explanation for the sudden diversion to Minsk, but Protasevich reacted quickly to the news, standing up from his seat. The Lithuanian passenger, who gave his name only as Mantas, said Protasevich opened an overhead locker, pulled out a laptop computer and a phone and gave them to a female companion. On landing, Protasevich was immediately separated, Mantas said. Belarusian officials with sniffer dogs searched the luggage of each passenger, including Protasevich, but appeared to find nothing. "It looked fake," Mantas said of the bomb-detection operation. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told a news conference late on Sunday that Protasevich`s female companion had also not re-embarked on the flight from Minsk to Vilnius. Belarusian news agency BelTA reported that Lukashenko had personally ordered the warplane to escort the Ryanair plane to Minsk. No explosives were found, it said. Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army forces in Europe, said the air defenses of Belarus were closely integrated with those of Russia. "If you had anything happening in the Belarus airspace, it would be impossible for the Kremlin - or at least Russian military forces - not to know about it," he said. Nauseda urged "NATO and EU allies to immediately react to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarus regime." Lithuanian presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said the operation to force the plane carrying around 170 people from 12 countries to land seemed to be pre-planned. The Belarusian department for organised crime control reported that Protasevich had been detained, before deleting the statement from its Telegram channel. About 35,000 people have been detained in Belarus since August, human rights groups say. Dozens have received jail terms. (With inputs from agencies)

Belarus forces airliner to land and arrests blogger opposed to president, sparking US, European outrage 

Taiwan will quarantine all pilots for its largest carrier China Airlines Ltd for 14 days as it tries to stop an outbreak of COVID-19, the health minister said on Monday, impacting a lifeline for the island's trade-dependent economy. &nbsp;

Taiwan has generally kept the pandemic under control due to early prevention with only sporadic domestic cases, but since last month it has been dealing with an outbreak linked to China Airlines pilots and an airport hotel where many of them stayed. There have been 35 confirmed infections so far in the outbreak.&nbsp;

Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters the only way to break the chain of transmission at the carrier is to quarantine all China Airlines pilots currently in Taiwan and any who return. &nbsp;

"This will have a big impact on China Airlines, on its passenger and freighter flights, and for the crew, too. But for the safety of the whole community we cannot but make this decision," he said. &nbsp;

The pilots will only be allowed out of quarantine once they have tested negative, Chen said. &nbsp;

China Airlines, a major cargo carrier, said it would split the quarantining pilots into groups and try "as much as possible to maintain flight operations; it is not a total grounding." &nbsp;

China Airlines will prioritise cargo flights, but there will be disruption even as they 'go all out' to ensure they can still fly, it said. &nbsp;

"The short-term reduction in Taiwan’s import and export capacity will affect the delivery time of goods," China Airlines said, without elaborating. &nbsp;

Taiwan's health authorities believe some of the pilots got infected overseas, then spread the infection upon returning to Taiwan, and that others could have been infected by pilots from other airlines staying at the same hotel.&nbsp;

Taiwan will quarantine all pilots for its largest carrier China Airlines Ltd for 14 days as it tries to stop an outbreak of COVID-19, the health minister said on Monday, impacting a lifeline for the island's trade-dependent economy.

Taiwan will quarantine all pilots for its largest carrier China Airlines Ltd for 14 days as it tries to stop an outbreak of COVID-19, the health minister said on Monday, impacting a lifeline for the island's trade-dependent economy. Taiwan has generally kept the pandemic under control due to early prevention with only sporadic domestic cases, but since last month it has been dealing with an outbreak linked to China Airlines pilots and an airport hotel where many of them stayed. There have been 35 confirmed infections so far in the outbreak. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters the only way to break the chain of transmission at the carrier is to quarantine all China Airlines pilots currently in Taiwan and any who return. "This will have a big impact on China Airlines, on its passenger and freighter flights, and for the crew, too. But for the safety of the whole community we cannot but make this decision," he said. The pilots will only be allowed out of quarantine once they have tested negative, Chen said. China Airlines, a major cargo carrier, said it would split the quarantining pilots into groups and try "as much as possible to maintain flight operations; it is not a total grounding." China Airlines will prioritise cargo flights, but there will be disruption even as they 'go all out' to ensure they can still fly, it said. "The short-term reduction in Taiwan’s import and export capacity will affect the delivery time of goods," China Airlines said, without elaborating. Taiwan's health authorities believe some of the pilots got infected overseas, then spread the infection upon returning to Taiwan, and that others could have been infected by pilots from other airlines staying at the same hotel.

Taiwan to quarantine pilots of its largest airline amid COVID-19 outbreak 

One of Europe's largest airline Air France- KLM has posted a wider first quarter operating loss. Air France-KLM sales are showing little sign so far of the travel recovery it still hopes to see by summer, with the group also confirming it's intention to raise more capital within months.

World Business Watch: Air France-KLM falls further into red as European recovery lags

Data comprising of details of many airline passengers around the world has been hacked via a attack on the IT systems operator that serves around 90 per cent of the global aviation industry.

Sita, which serves the Star Alliance of airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and United, said on Thursday it had been the victim of a cyber attack.

The American company said the incident occurred on&nbsp;February 24, and might have led to a breach of passenger data held on its servers.

Sita took “immediate action” to contact affected customers and all related organisations, it said in a statement.

It added, "This was a highly sophisticated attack. Sita acted swiftly and initiated targetted containment measures. The matter remains under continued investigation by Sita’s security incident response team with the support of leading external experts in cyber-security."

Sita had informed Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Finnair and a South Korean carrier called Jeju Air that their passengers had been affected by the breach of its passenger service system (PSS) servers.

Star Alliance, which also includes Air China, Swiss and Air Canada, shares data between carriers to ensure benefits can be spread among each member airline.

The breach was linked to frequent flyer data but was limited to “your name, tier status and membership number”, an email said. The data breach did not include any member passwords, credit card information or other personal customer data.

Data comprising of details of many airline passengers around the world has been hacked via a attack on the IT systems operator that serves around 90 per cent of the global aviation industry.

Data comprising of details of many airline passengers around the world has been hacked via a attack on the IT systems operator that serves around 90 per cent of the global aviation industry. Sita, which serves the Star Alliance of airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and United, said on Thursday it had been the victim of a cyber attack. The American company said the incident occurred on February 24, and might have led to a breach of passenger data held on its servers. Sita took “immediate action” to contact affected customers and all related organisations, it said in a statement. It added, "This was a highly sophisticated attack. Sita acted swiftly and initiated targetted containment measures. The matter remains under continued investigation by Sita’s security incident response team with the support of leading external experts in cyber-security." Sita had informed Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Finnair and a South Korean carrier called Jeju Air that their passengers had been affected by the breach of its passenger service system (PSS) servers. Star Alliance, which also includes Air China, Swiss and Air Canada, shares data between carriers to ensure benefits can be spread among each member airline. The breach was linked to frequent flyer data but was limited to “your name, tier status and membership number”, an email said. The data breach did not include any member passwords, credit card information or other personal customer data.

Thousands of Star Alliance passengers' details stolen in cyber attack

People are now paying to eat airline meals, but on the ground! We truly live in uncanny times.&nbsp;

Singapore Airlines, whose fleet has been rendered inoperable owing to the COVID-19 pandemic has capitalised on a food fetish for economic reprieve.

Hundreds of passengers are now paying Singapore Airlines the equivalent of a budget ticket to eat a meal inside grounded planes: A380 jumbos in specific.

World's biggest passenger jet

People are paying upto $470 for a taste of travelling! The “passengers” can dine on the world’s biggest passenger jet for SG $642.

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the aviation industry into a crisis, with many being laid off, and the number of flights in air decreasing in the face of the pressure.

In Pics:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/photos/worlds-10-safest-airlines-to-travel-in-2020-283019" hreflang="en">World's 10 safest airlines to travel in 2020</a>

Due to this, companies are looking for other means to resuscitate the industry. Many are offering tours of aircraft, or a flying experience without the flight.

Thousands of jobs have been cut by Singapore Airlines in the aftermath of the pandemic, and almost all of its aircraft are grounded. To find some reprieve, the airlines has turned one of its A380s into a pop-up restaurant, serving customers a taste of airline meals.

Mission successful&nbsp;

According to the Straits Times, this proved successful. All 900 seats for October 24 and 25 sold out within half an hour.

Owing to “overwhelming demand”, the carrier has decided to keep the restaurant open for two extra days. Customers can now have lunch and dinner on all four dates.

In Pics:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/photos/how-tourism-is-making-a-return-in-times-of-coronavirus-310236" hreflang="en">How tourism is making a return in times of coronavirus</a>

The Airlines is offering a variety of meals, with the most expensive being a four-course meal in a first-class suite. The cheapest meal costs SG$53 and consists of a three-course meal in economy class.

However, social distancing norms are being followed, with about half of the seats being left empty on the jets, which are parked at Changi Airport.

It gets better! Singapore Airlines is now also delivering plane meals to people’s homes.

People are now paying to eat airline meals, but on the ground! We truly live in uncanny times. Singapore Airlines, whose fleet has been rendered inoperable owing to the COVID-19 pandemic has capitalised on a food fetish for economic reprieve.

People are now paying to eat airline meals, but on the ground! We truly live in uncanny times. Singapore Airlines, whose fleet has been rendered inoperable owing to the COVID-19 pandemic has capitalised on a food fetish for economic reprieve. Hundreds of passengers are now paying Singapore Airlines the equivalent of a budget ticket to eat a meal inside grounded planes: A380 jumbos in specific. World's biggest passenger jet People are paying upto $470 for a taste of travelling! The “passengers” can dine on the world’s biggest passenger jet for SG $642. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the aviation industry into a crisis, with many being laid off, and the number of flights in air decreasing in the face of the pressure. In Pics: World's 10 safest airlines to travel in 2020 Due to this, companies are looking for other means to resuscitate the industry. Many are offering tours of aircraft, or a flying experience without the flight. Thousands of jobs have been cut by Singapore Airlines in the aftermath of the pandemic, and almost all of its aircraft are grounded. To find some reprieve, the airlines has turned one of its A380s into a pop-up restaurant, serving customers a taste of airline meals. Mission successful According to the Straits Times, this proved successful. All 900 seats for October 24 and 25 sold out within half an hour. Owing to “overwhelming demand”, the carrier has decided to keep the restaurant open for two extra days. Customers can now have lunch and dinner on all four dates. In Pics: How tourism is making a return in times of coronavirus The Airlines is offering a variety of meals, with the most expensive being a four-course meal in a first-class suite. The cheapest meal costs SG$53 and consists of a three-course meal in economy class. However, social distancing norms are being followed, with about half of the seats being left empty on the jets, which are parked at Changi Airport. It gets better! Singapore Airlines is now also delivering plane meals to people’s homes.

People are paying a hefty amount to eat on board a grounded Singapore Airlines' jumbo jet

Workers from the beleaguered US airline industry were making a last-ditch public appeal this week to coax more money from Capitol Hill power brokers to save their jobs.

The first day of October concludes the period when US carriers that received billions in aid from Congress promised to refrain from laying off workers.&nbsp;

American and United airlines were the first to announce cuts, saying they would begin furloughing 19,000 and 13,000 workers respectively as US officials have failed to reach a deal on fresh aid to the pandemic-hit air travel sector.

A package of loans totaling up to $25 billion to seven US carriers announced Tuesday night by the Treasury Department provides funds for airlines to ride out a prolonged downturn amid the coronavirus, but won't affect plans for furloughs, airline sources said.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday on CNBC he was hopeful airlines would postpone layoffs if congressional leaders can reach a framework for a deal, saying it was "critical" for Congress to act.

While the stalemate in Washington over stimulus has pinched unemployed workers and put public sector employees on notice, vulnerable airline workers have in some ways been the poster children for the impasse.

"Tomorrow, tens of thousands of essential aviation workers will wake up without a job or healthcare and tens of thousands more will be without a paycheck," Sara Nelson, president of the AFA-CWA flight attendant union, said in a statement.&nbsp;

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mnuchin held talks again Tuesday and agreed to keep negotiating. But a deal is still far from assured.

Voluntary exit

Since the coronavirus intensified in March, US airlines have been grounding planes and delaying jet deliveries to limit their cash-burn as air travel remains at about only one-third of its level a year ago.

Carriers have struck agreements with unions to spread out work among employees. Tens of thousands of employees have also accepted unpaid leave or early retirement packages to avert the need for involuntary terminations.&nbsp;

Still, the decisions will not be enough to avert all job cuts. Airlines have said they do not expect a full recovery until a vaccine is widely available, which company executives have said may not be until late 2021.

Unions have said 100,000 people or more could be laid off without additional federal aid, but analysts expect a smaller number than that as airlines and unions seek ways to avoid layoffs.

In one such deal, United Airlines on Monday reached an agreement with its pilots union to avert furloughs of 2,850 employees.

Flight attendants and staff in other airport operations are among the 13,000 being laid off.

Southwest Airlines has said it does not plan involuntary job cuts.

The Delta Air Lines pilot union last week said it reached an agreement with the company to avoid furloughs until at least November 1 to give congressional talks more time.

Delta has said earlier voluntary staff departures and union agreements averted the need for involuntary job cuts for flight attendants and other frontline employees.

Peter McNally, an analyst at research firm Third Bridge, predicted there would be significant downsizing throughout the industry.

"The businesses cannot support the cost structure as it is," McNally said in an interview. "They worked around it through furloughs and early retirement and voluntary departures, but there are still going to be a lot of layoffs.

"The recovery has just not come as quickly as people had hoped," he said.

Public sector faces crunch

Airline workers are hardly the only losers from Washington's inability to enact fiscal stimulus.

Laid-off workers had been receiving $600 in weekly supplemental unemployment benefits under a provision of the CARES Act that expired at the end of July.

President Donald Trump authorized an additional $300 in weekly spending by tapping federal emergency funds, but those funds are also running out and expected to be gone in October, said Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics.

"Households got quite a boost from these benefits, so we're going to see a pretty big drop-off," she said in an interview.

Another vulnerable group is public sector workers, who face an uncertain future as governments struggle with lower tax revenues and, in many cases, balanced budget rules.

The most recent version of House Democrats' "Heroes Act" includes more than $400 billion in funding for state and local governments, a provision Republicans oppose.

The Economic Policy Institute has estimated that failure to provide support to local government could cost 5.3 million jobs through 2021.

Workers from the beleaguered US airline industry were making a last-ditch public appeal this week to coax more money from Capitol Hill power brokers to save their jobs.

Workers from the beleaguered US airline industry were making a last-ditch public appeal this week to coax more money from Capitol Hill power brokers to save their jobs. The first day of October concludes the period when US carriers that received billions in aid from Congress promised to refrain from laying off workers. American and United airlines were the first to announce cuts, saying they would begin furloughing 19,000 and 13,000 workers respectively as US officials have failed to reach a deal on fresh aid to the pandemic-hit air travel sector. A package of loans totaling up to $25 billion to seven US carriers announced Tuesday night by the Treasury Department provides funds for airlines to ride out a prolonged downturn amid the coronavirus, but won't affect plans for furloughs, airline sources said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday on CNBC he was hopeful airlines would postpone layoffs if congressional leaders can reach a framework for a deal, saying it was "critical" for Congress to act. While the stalemate in Washington over stimulus has pinched unemployed workers and put public sector employees on notice, vulnerable airline workers have in some ways been the poster children for the impasse. "Tomorrow, tens of thousands of essential aviation workers will wake up without a job or healthcare and tens of thousands more will be without a paycheck," Sara Nelson, president of the AFA-CWA flight attendant union, said in a statement. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mnuchin held talks again Tuesday and agreed to keep negotiating. But a deal is still far from assured. Voluntary exit Since the coronavirus intensified in March, US airlines have been grounding planes and delaying jet deliveries to limit their cash-burn as air travel remains at about only one-third of its level a year ago. Carriers have struck agreements with unions to spread out work among employees. Tens of thousands of employees have also accepted unpaid leave or early retirement packages to avert the need for involuntary terminations. Still, the decisions will not be enough to avert all job cuts. Airlines have said they do not expect a full recovery until a vaccine is widely available, which company executives have said may not be until late 2021. Unions have said 100,000 people or more could be laid off without additional federal aid, but analysts expect a smaller number than that as airlines and unions seek ways to avoid layoffs. In one such deal, United Airlines on Monday reached an agreement with its pilots union to avert furloughs of 2,850 employees. Flight attendants and staff in other airport operations are among the 13,000 being laid off. Southwest Airlines has said it does not plan involuntary job cuts. The Delta Air Lines pilot union last week said it reached an agreement with the company to avoid furloughs until at least November 1 to give congressional talks more time. Delta has said earlier voluntary staff departures and union agreements averted the need for involuntary job cuts for flight attendants and other frontline employees. Peter McNally, an analyst at research firm Third Bridge, predicted there would be significant downsizing throughout the industry. "The businesses cannot support the cost structure as it is," McNally said in an interview. "They worked around it through furloughs and early retirement and voluntary departures, but there are still going to be a lot of layoffs. "The recovery has just not come as quickly as people had hoped," he said. Public sector faces crunch Airline workers are hardly the only losers from Washington's inability to enact fiscal stimulus. Laid-off workers had been receiving $600 in weekly supplemental unemployment benefits under a provision of the CARES Act that expired at the end of July. President Donald Trump authorized an additional $300 in weekly spending by tapping federal emergency funds, but those funds are also running out and expected to be gone in October, said Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics. "Households got quite a boost from these benefits, so we're going to see a pretty big drop-off," she said in an interview. Another vulnerable group is public sector workers, who face an uncertain future as governments struggle with lower tax revenues and, in many cases, balanced budget rules. The most recent version of House Democrats' "Heroes Act" includes more than $400 billion in funding for state and local governments, a provision Republicans oppose. The Economic Policy Institute has estimated that failure to provide support to local government could cost 5.3 million jobs through 2021.

Layoffs loom for beleaguered US airline industry

Supreme Court of India on Thursday directed airlines to either provide refund of tickets purchased by travellers for flights cancelled during coronavirus lockdown or provide a credit shell. The decision is applicable to domestic as well as international flight.

Supreme Court accepted the Centre's proposal. The court said that if the tickets were booked through an agent for travel during the lockdown period, a full refund will be given to the agent and he will pass on the amount to the passengers.

Supreme Court also said that if the airlines were not able to make a refund due to financial distress, they can provide a credit shell to the passenger that can be utilised upto March 31, 2021.&nbsp;

It is open to passengers either to utilise such credit shell up to March 31, 2021 on any route of choice or transfer the credit shell to any person including the travel agent concerned, and the airlines shall honour such a transfer, the top court said.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah said the suggestions and formulations arrived at the meeting held by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA), Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which are acceptable to the majority of stakeholders have to be implemented in letter and spirit.

"We also feel that such formulations are workable solutions in these peculiar circumstances which are prevailing in the country," the bench said, while passing a slew of directions for refund of air tickets to the hassled passengers, whose flights were cancelled due to the pandemic induced lockdown.

The top court's verdict came on a batch of petitions, including by NGOs and passengers associations, seeking complete refund of ticket fare for the flights cancelled.

It said that the court cannot lose sight of the present situation prevailing in the country and across the globe with regard to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and any strict enforcement action of Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) (aviation norms) against the airlines would further restrict their operations.

"It cannot be disputed that the civil aviation sector, which is one of the important sectors, is seriously affected in view of the ban imposed for operating flights. Added to the same, air passenger traffic has come down heavily and which is gradually being restored," the top court said.

It added that any such enforcement action may further jeopardise the possibilities of generation of cash by airlines which can further adversely affect/delay the refund cycle.

"Strict enforcement of Civil Aviation Requirements at this moment may not yield any meaningful result for any stakeholder," the bench said.

It said that the passengers who booked tickets at any period of time but for travel after May 24, then the refund of fares to the passengers covered under this category shall be governed by the provisions of CAR.

"Even for international travel, when the tickets have been booked on an Indian carrier and the booking is ex-India (flights originating from India), if the tickets have been booked during the lockdown period for travel within the lockdown period, immediate refund shall be made," the bench said in its order.

If the tickets are booked for international travel on a foreign carrier and the booking is ex-India during the lockdown period for travel within the lockdown period, full refund shall be given by the airlines and said amount shall be passed on immediately by the agent to the passengers, wherever such tickets are booked through agents, it added.

"In all other cases airline shall refund the collected amount to the passenger within a period of three weeks," the bench emphasised and added that the credit shell issued in the name of the passenger shall be transferable which can be utilized up to March 31, 2021 and the concerned airline shall honour such a transfer by devising a mechanism to facilitate such a transfer.

"It is also made clear that such a credit shell can be utilized by the concerned agent through whom the ticket is booked, for third party use. It is also made clear that even in cases where the credit shell is transferred to a third party; same is to be utilized only through the agent who has booked the ticket at the first instance," it directed.

Justice Reddy, who penned the verdict on behalf of the bench, said that in cases where passengers have purchased the ticket through an agent, and credit shell is issued in the name of passenger, such credit shell is to be utilized only through the agent who has booked the ticket.

It said that in cases where tickets are booked through agent and credit shell is issued in the name of the passenger remains unutilized till March 31, 2021, then the "refund of the fare collected shall be made to the same account from which account amount was received by the airline".

The bench said that in all cases where credit shell is issued there shall be an incentive to compensate the passenger from the date of cancellation up to June 30, 2020 in which event the credit shell shall be enhanced by 0.5 per cent of the face value (the amount of fare collected) for every month or part thereof between the date of cancellation and June 30, 2020.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Supreme Court of India on Thursday directed airlines to either provide refund of tickets purchased by travellers for flights cancelled during coronavirus lockdown or provide a credit shell.

Supreme Court of India on Thursday directed airlines to either provide refund of tickets purchased by travellers for flights cancelled during coronavirus lockdown or provide a credit shell. The decision is applicable to domestic as well as international flight. Supreme Court accepted the Centre's proposal. The court said that if the tickets were booked through an agent for travel during the lockdown period, a full refund will be given to the agent and he will pass on the amount to the passengers. Supreme Court also said that if the airlines were not able to make a refund due to financial distress, they can provide a credit shell to the passenger that can be utilised upto March 31, 2021. It is open to passengers either to utilise such credit shell up to March 31, 2021 on any route of choice or transfer the credit shell to any person including the travel agent concerned, and the airlines shall honour such a transfer, the top court said. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah said the suggestions and formulations arrived at the meeting held by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA), Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which are acceptable to the majority of stakeholders have to be implemented in letter and spirit. "We also feel that such formulations are workable solutions in these peculiar circumstances which are prevailing in the country," the bench said, while passing a slew of directions for refund of air tickets to the hassled passengers, whose flights were cancelled due to the pandemic induced lockdown. The top court's verdict came on a batch of petitions, including by NGOs and passengers associations, seeking complete refund of ticket fare for the flights cancelled. It said that the court cannot lose sight of the present situation prevailing in the country and across the globe with regard to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and any strict enforcement action of Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) (aviation norms) against the airlines would further restrict their operations. "It cannot be disputed that the civil aviation sector, which is one of the important sectors, is seriously affected in view of the ban imposed for operating flights. Added to the same, air passenger traffic has come down heavily and which is gradually being restored," the top court said. It added that any such enforcement action may further jeopardise the possibilities of generation of cash by airlines which can further adversely affect/delay the refund cycle. "Strict enforcement of Civil Aviation Requirements at this moment may not yield any meaningful result for any stakeholder," the bench said. It said that the passengers who booked tickets at any period of time but for travel after May 24, then the refund of fares to the passengers covered under this category shall be governed by the provisions of CAR. "Even for international travel, when the tickets have been booked on an Indian carrier and the booking is ex-India (flights originating from India), if the tickets have been booked during the lockdown period for travel within the lockdown period, immediate refund shall be made," the bench said in its order. If the tickets are booked for international travel on a foreign carrier and the booking is ex-India during the lockdown period for travel within the lockdown period, full refund shall be given by the airlines and said amount shall be passed on immediately by the agent to the passengers, wherever such tickets are booked through agents, it added. "In all other cases airline shall refund the collected amount to the passenger within a period of three weeks," the bench emphasised and added that the credit shell issued in the name of the passenger shall be transferable which can be utilized up to March 31, 2021 and the concerned airline shall honour such a transfer by devising a mechanism to facilitate such a transfer. "It is also made clear that such a credit shell can be utilized by the concerned agent through whom the ticket is booked, for third party use. It is also made clear that even in cases where the credit shell is transferred to a third party; same is to be utilized only through the agent who has booked the ticket at the first instance," it directed. Justice Reddy, who penned the verdict on behalf of the bench, said that in cases where passengers have purchased the ticket through an agent, and credit shell is issued in the name of passenger, such credit shell is to be utilized only through the agent who has booked the ticket. It said that in cases where tickets are booked through agent and credit shell is issued in the name of the passenger remains unutilized till March 31, 2021, then the "refund of the fare collected shall be made to the same account from which account amount was received by the airline". The bench said that in all cases where credit shell is issued there shall be an incentive to compensate the passenger from the date of cancellation up to June 30, 2020 in which event the credit shell shall be enhanced by 0.5 per cent of the face value (the amount of fare collected) for every month or part thereof between the date of cancellation and June 30, 2020.

Supreme Court orders refund of tickets of flights cancelled due to lockdown

Lufthansa said it had reached an agreement with pilots on Wednesday over a package of short-term measures to cut costs as the German airline battles to reduce losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Cost-saving deal: Lufthansa's agreement with Pilots to cut costs

A cyber attack on British airline easyJet was able to access the email and travel details of around 9 million customers, as well as the credit card details of more than 2,000 of them.

The attacked happened in late January.

The budget airline currently has grounded most of its flights due to the coronavirus pandemic and is locked in a long-running battle with its founder and biggest shareholder.

British Airways, which was hit in 2018 with the theft of hundreds of thousands of credit card details, is still appealing a fine from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) of 183.4 million pounds ($225 million).

The new revelation hence can invite a similar hefty fine for easyJet.

EasyJet, however, said it did not look like any personal information had been misused. It has engaged leading forensic experts to investigate the issue and has also notified the National Cyber Security Centre.

 
&nbsp;

A cyber attack on British airline easyJet was able to access the email and travel details of around 9 million customers, as well as the credit card details of more than 2,000 of them.

A cyber attack on British airline easyJet was able to access the email and travel details of around 9 million customers, as well as the credit card details of more than 2,000 of them. The attacked happened in late January. The budget airline currently has grounded most of its flights due to the coronavirus pandemic and is locked in a long-running battle with its founder and biggest shareholder. British Airways, which was hit in 2018 with the theft of hundreds of thousands of credit card details, is still appealing a fine from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) of 183.4 million pounds ($225 million). The new revelation hence can invite a similar hefty fine for easyJet. EasyJet, however, said it did not look like any personal information had been misused. It has engaged leading forensic experts to investigate the issue and has also notified the National Cyber Security Centre.

Cyber attack on a British airline gets details of 9 million customers

College students from Texas who tested positive for the novel coronavirus after spring break in Los Cabos travelled to the Mexican beach resort on Viva Aerobus, the airline said, and were there a week later than reported by the local tourist board.

At least part of the Texas group stayed at the luxury Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos hotel, two people familiar with the arrangements told Reuters.

So far 49 students among the group from University of Texas at Austin have tested positive for the coronavirus upon their return to the United States, according to the university.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-can-lead-to-brain-impairment-say-neurologists-290477">Coronavirus can lead to brain impairment, say neurologists</a>

Austin city officials initially confirmed 28 cases from the group on March 31.

While the outbreak has led to speculation that coronavirus may be more prevalent in Mexico than official numbers reveal, it is still not clear where the students became infected.

The Los Cabos Tourism Board has suggested the timeline of the visit by the students means they would have presented symptoms earlier if they had caught the virus in Mexico.

The tourism board said it was informed by the Los Cabos airport that the last spring break charter flight to Austin departed on March 11.

However, Mexican airline Viva Aerobus told Reuters the students departed Austin on March 14 and returned on March 19, the same dates the University of Austin said 211 students went to Los Cabos.

In a statement, Viva Aerobus said the university notified them that some students had tested positive 12 days after the return flight. COVID-19 has an incubation period of up to 14 days, and there is evidence it can be spread asymptomatically.

Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the tourism board, acknowledged the board may not have complete information.

"The university has not reached out to us... in order to provide us with information and really know about a specific group. Without that, it has been difficult," he said in an interview.

Esponda said 15 cases of coroanvirus have been registered in Los Cabos, none of them hotel workers. The state overall has registered 21 cases, with the country's total reaching 1,688.

Viva Aerobus said it has followed strict sanitary measures to prevent infection on its routes.

No passengers showed symptoms during the flights to and from Los Cabos, Viva Aerobus added. After the notification from the University of Texas, the airline said it pulled its crew from duty and put them under observation.

None of them have thus far presented symptoms of the coronavirus.

'Slight concern'

At least some of the University of Texas group stayed at the Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos resort, according to a guest who was at the hotel with them, and another student who had planned to travel but pulled out before the trip.

In response to a question from Reuters, Pueblo Bonito said it did not have information on the matter. JusCollege, a company that organized the trip for most of the University of Texas students, as well as its parent firm Pollen, did not respond to requests for comment.

The University of Texas said 178 students participated in the trip with JusCollege, while another 33 students made arrangements separately.

Jack McColl, a traveler who used to work for JusCollege and was in Los Cabos at the time of the University of Texas trip, said some participants showed "a slight concern" over the coronavirus.

"Many knew it was a serious threat but since cases in Mexico were minimal at the time, the party still continued," he told Reuters. "Social distancing was not practiced, but as little human contact as possible was."

He added that JusCollege made hand sanitizer mandatory before entering one of the main dining areas, and that JusCollege posted signs telling students to wash their hands.

"They were proactive about it for sure," he said.

Andres Ramon, a bartender at Pueblo Bonito said his bar attended to about 100 U.S. students at a time, said he did not think the Texas group picked up the virus in Mexico, noting hotel employees are still healthy.

"I feel like something would have happened to me, and I don't even have a cold," he said.

Still, he noted attitudes has since changed at the hotel, which now has no guests and has sent employees in shifts to do cleaning and maintenance.

"We weren't scared until now, with cases are appearing in other states," Ramon said. "Now we're really taking precautions."

College students from Texas who tested positive for the novel coronavirus after spring break in Los Cabos travelled to the Mexican beach resort on Viva Aerobus, the airline said, and were there a week later than reported by the local tourist board.

College students from Texas who tested positive for the novel coronavirus after spring break in Los Cabos travelled to the Mexican beach resort on Viva Aerobus, the airline said, and were there a week later than reported by the local tourist board. At least part of the Texas group stayed at the luxury Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos hotel, two people familiar with the arrangements told Reuters. So far 49 students among the group from University of Texas at Austin have tested positive for the coronavirus upon their return to the United States, according to the university. Also read: Coronavirus can lead to brain impairment, say neurologists Austin city officials initially confirmed 28 cases from the group on March 31. While the outbreak has led to speculation that coronavirus may be more prevalent in Mexico than official numbers reveal, it is still not clear where the students became infected. The Los Cabos Tourism Board has suggested the timeline of the visit by the students means they would have presented symptoms earlier if they had caught the virus in Mexico. The tourism board said it was informed by the Los Cabos airport that the last spring break charter flight to Austin departed on March 11. However, Mexican airline Viva Aerobus told Reuters the students departed Austin on March 14 and returned on March 19, the same dates the University of Austin said 211 students went to Los Cabos. In a statement, Viva Aerobus said the university notified them that some students had tested positive 12 days after the return flight. COVID-19 has an incubation period of up to 14 days, and there is evidence it can be spread asymptomatically. Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the tourism board, acknowledged the board may not have complete information. "The university has not reached out to us... in order to provide us with information and really know about a specific group. Without that, it has been difficult," he said in an interview. Esponda said 15 cases of coroanvirus have been registered in Los Cabos, none of them hotel workers. The state overall has registered 21 cases, with the country's total reaching 1,688. Viva Aerobus said it has followed strict sanitary measures to prevent infection on its routes. No passengers showed symptoms during the flights to and from Los Cabos, Viva Aerobus added. After the notification from the University of Texas, the airline said it pulled its crew from duty and put them under observation. None of them have thus far presented symptoms of the coronavirus. 'Slight concern' At least some of the University of Texas group stayed at the Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos resort, according to a guest who was at the hotel with them, and another student who had planned to travel but pulled out before the trip. In response to a question from Reuters, Pueblo Bonito said it did not have information on the matter. JusCollege, a company that organized the trip for most of the University of Texas students, as well as its parent firm Pollen, did not respond to requests for comment. The University of Texas said 178 students participated in the trip with JusCollege, while another 33 students made arrangements separately. Jack McColl, a traveler who used to work for JusCollege and was in Los Cabos at the time of the University of Texas trip, said some participants showed "a slight concern" over the coronavirus. "Many knew it was a serious threat but since cases in Mexico were minimal at the time, the party still continued," he told Reuters. "Social distancing was not practiced, but as little human contact as possible was." He added that JusCollege made hand sanitizer mandatory before entering one of the main dining areas, and that JusCollege posted signs telling students to wash their hands. "They were proactive about it for sure," he said. Andres Ramon, a bartender at Pueblo Bonito said his bar attended to about 100 U.S. students at a time, said he did not think the Texas group picked up the virus in Mexico, noting hotel employees are still healthy. "I feel like something would have happened to me, and I don't even have a cold," he said. Still, he noted attitudes has since changed at the hotel, which now has no guests and has sent employees in shifts to do cleaning and maintenance. "We weren't scared until now, with cases are appearing in other states," Ramon said. "Now we're really taking precautions."

Airline refutes Mexican authority's account of spring break coronavirus outbreak

Airlines bore the brunt of a dramatic expansion of the coronavirus crisis on Thursday, as U.S. travel curbs on much of continental Europe deepened the sector's misery and piled more pressure on governments to offer emergency support.

The 30-day restrictions will badly disrupt transatlantic traffic key to the earnings of major European carriers and their U.S. airline partners, analysts warned, as the move hit travel stocks already battered by the virus outbreak.

Those routes account for 20-30% of large European operators' revenue and a majority of profit, Credit Suisse analyst Neil Glynn warned, "highlighting the damage to revenue lines for the coming weeks and potentially well into the summer."

Glynn added: "A ban on travel to the U.S. will likely mean heavier cuts" than the drastic capacity reductions already ordered as airlines scrapped flights - first to China and then to other destinations including Italy as the virus spread.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/qatar-bans-arrivals-from-14-countries-including-india-over-coronavirus-fears-285153">Qatar bans arrivals from 14 countries including India over coronavirus fears</a>

Shares in European and U.S. airlines slumped in turn to new lows, with Delta and United Airlines down more than 13% and American Airlines 7.2% lower.

Air France-KLM was down 9.1% at 1506 GMT, with British Airways parent IAG down 10.7% and Lufthansa 11.5% lower. Troubled Norwegian Air and U.S.-dependent Icelandair both plunged more than 20%.

The U.S. curbs on travel from the 26-country Schengen Area - which excludes Britain and Ireland - are similar to restrictions on China that took effect on Feb. 1 and do not apply to U.S. residents or their immediate family.

"The ban effectively stops travel from the Schengen Area to the USA," said Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska - predicting a "more substantial" earnings impact than European carriers had suffered from the earlier China flight suspensions.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-suspends-travel-from-europe-to-us-in-coronavirus-crisis-285714">Trump suspends travel from Europe to US in coronavirus crisis</a>

U.S. airlines had already cut flight schedules to Italy and will take another hit from lower demand for flights from major destinations such as France and Germany.

Among them, American Airlines could be relatively spared by its alliance with British Airways (BA) and a higher share of UK traffic, while Air France-KLM partner Delta and Lufthansa ally United Airlines are likely to suffer more, analysts say.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence defended the travel curbs on Thursday after the European Union complained they had been imposed "unilaterally and without consultation".

The virus has taken root in the United States after spreading from China to Italy, South Korea, Iran and elsewhere.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whole-of-italy-under-coronavirus-lockdown-public-gatherings-banned-285372">Whole of Italy under coronavirus lockdown, public gatherings banned</a>

TOTAL MELTDOWN

Airlines had already been scrambling to respond to a global travel slump that looks increasingly likely to require government aid to avoid widespread insolvencies. The EU will publish new state-aid guidelines on Friday.

Germany may extend loans and other support to airlines, a government official said on Thursday. The French government also stands ready to help Air France-KLM, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said.

"There is a need for measures from many governments," said Norwegian pilots' union president Yngve Carlsen. "This could lead to a total meltdown."

Scandinavian carrier SAS is in talks with the Swedish and Danish governments about potential support measures, a company spokeswoman said.

Also see:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-outbreak-could-get-bigger-in-winters-study-285720">&nbsp;Coronavirus outbreak could get bigger in winters: Study</a>

EU airlines have seized on the crisis to push back on green taxes designed to help the bloc meet climate goals - including proposals to end current tax exemptions on jet fuel.

"New fiscal burdens should be postponed until the industry is back on a sound operational and financial footing," lobby group Airlines for Europe said.

CRITICAL TIME

The latest travel clampdown could make coronavirus worse than previous aviation crises including the 9/11 attacks of 2001, UK-based consultant John Strickland said.

"It's coming at the end of the northern hemisphere winter, which is a weak period for airline finances (when) they should be sowing seeds of a strong summer season by getting the bookings in," he said.

Air France-KLM and Lufthansa said they were still studying the implications of the U.S. move for flight schedules. IAG is potentially less impacted thanks to BA's Heathrow base.

There were panicky European airport scenes as travellers scrambled to fly to the United States before the restrictions take effect late on March 13.

The fallout is also spreading fast from travel and tourism to the aerospace and other industries.

Safran, the world's third-biggest aerospace group, sees a growing threat&nbsp;

Airlines bore the brunt of a dramatic expansion of the coronavirus crisis on Thursday, as U.S. travel curbs on much of continental Europe deepened the sector's misery and piled more pressure on governments to offer emergency support.

Airlines bore the brunt of a dramatic expansion of the coronavirus crisis on Thursday, as U.S. travel curbs on much of continental Europe deepened the sector's misery and piled more pressure on governments to offer emergency support. The 30-day restrictions will badly disrupt transatlantic traffic key to the earnings of major European carriers and their U.S. airline partners, analysts warned, as the move hit travel stocks already battered by the virus outbreak. Those routes account for 20-30% of large European operators' revenue and a majority of profit, Credit Suisse analyst Neil Glynn warned, "highlighting the damage to revenue lines for the coming weeks and potentially well into the summer." Glynn added: "A ban on travel to the U.S. will likely mean heavier cuts" than the drastic capacity reductions already ordered as airlines scrapped flights - first to China and then to other destinations including Italy as the virus spread. Also read: Qatar bans arrivals from 14 countries including India over coronavirus fears Shares in European and U.S. airlines slumped in turn to new lows, with Delta and United Airlines down more than 13% and American Airlines 7.2% lower. Air France-KLM was down 9.1% at 1506 GMT, with British Airways parent IAG down 10.7% and Lufthansa 11.5% lower. Troubled Norwegian Air and U.S.-dependent Icelandair both plunged more than 20%. The U.S. curbs on travel from the 26-country Schengen Area - which excludes Britain and Ireland - are similar to restrictions on China that took effect on Feb. 1 and do not apply to U.S. residents or their immediate family. "The ban effectively stops travel from the Schengen Area to the USA," said Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska - predicting a "more substantial" earnings impact than European carriers had suffered from the earlier China flight suspensions. Also see: Trump suspends travel from Europe to US in coronavirus crisis U.S. airlines had already cut flight schedules to Italy and will take another hit from lower demand for flights from major destinations such as France and Germany. Among them, American Airlines could be relatively spared by its alliance with British Airways (BA) and a higher share of UK traffic, while Air France-KLM partner Delta and Lufthansa ally United Airlines are likely to suffer more, analysts say. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence defended the travel curbs on Thursday after the European Union complained they had been imposed "unilaterally and without consultation". The virus has taken root in the United States after spreading from China to Italy, South Korea, Iran and elsewhere. Also read: Whole of Italy under coronavirus lockdown, public gatherings banned TOTAL MELTDOWN Airlines had already been scrambling to respond to a global travel slump that looks increasingly likely to require government aid to avoid widespread insolvencies. The EU will publish new state-aid guidelines on Friday. Germany may extend loans and other support to airlines, a government official said on Thursday. The French government also stands ready to help Air France-KLM, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said. "There is a need for measures from many governments," said Norwegian pilots' union president Yngve Carlsen. "This could lead to a total meltdown." Scandinavian carrier SAS is in talks with the Swedish and Danish governments about potential support measures, a company spokeswoman said. Also see: Coronavirus outbreak could get bigger in winters: Study EU airlines have seized on the crisis to push back on green taxes designed to help the bloc meet climate goals - including proposals to end current tax exemptions on jet fuel. "New fiscal burdens should be postponed until the industry is back on a sound operational and financial footing," lobby group Airlines for Europe said. CRITICAL TIME The latest travel clampdown could make coronavirus worse than previous aviation crises including the 9/11 attacks of 2001, UK-based consultant John Strickland said. "It's coming at the end of the northern hemisphere winter, which is a weak period for airline finances (when) they should be sowing seeds of a strong summer season by getting the bookings in," he said. Air France-KLM and Lufthansa said they were still studying the implications of the U.S. move for flight schedules. IAG is potentially less impacted thanks to BA's Heathrow base. There were panicky European airport scenes as travellers scrambled to fly to the United States before the restrictions take effect late on March 13. The fallout is also spreading fast from travel and tourism to the aerospace and other industries. Safran, the world's third-biggest aerospace group, sees a growing threat

Airline crisis worsens as US puts Europeans in coronavirus quarantine

Consequences of the Coronavirus - Air travel is restricted, international business close down

Global&nbsp;airlines reduced a forecast for industry-wide&nbsp;profits&nbsp;in&nbsp;2019&nbsp;under the weight of trade tensions but predicted a modest recovery next year on the assumption that tariff wars will recede in the run-up to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-2020-us-presidential-election-trump-accused-google-of-very-illegal-acts-241344">US&nbsp;presidential election</a>.

Airline&nbsp;net&nbsp;profits&nbsp;are now expected to fall to $25.9 billion from $27.3 billion last year, before recovering to $29.3 billion in&nbsp;2020, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-expected-to-become-third-largest-aviation-market-by-2037-173276">International Air Transport Association </a>said. In June it had forecast $28 billion in profit for&nbsp;2019.

The starkest deterioration is being felt in&nbsp;airlines' cargo businesses&nbsp;where a 3.3 per cent&nbsp;drop in freight demand marked the sharpest decline since the 2009 financial crisis, with revenue&nbsp;down&nbsp;8&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;year-on-year.

Growth in world trade has all but evaporated to an expected 0.9 per cent&nbsp;this year, sharply&nbsp;down&nbsp;from the 2.5&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;forecast in June and the 4.1 per cent&nbsp;expansion predicted a year ago,&nbsp;IATA&nbsp;said.

Underpinning the partial recovery predicted next year,&nbsp;IATA&nbsp;forecast more robust trade growth of 3.3&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;as "election-year pressures in the US&nbsp;contribute to reduced trade tensions".

Global airlines reduced a forecast for industry-wide profits in 2019 under the weight of trade tensions but predicted a modest recovery next year on the assumption that tariff wars will recede in the run-up to the US presidential election.

Global airlines reduced a forecast for industry-wide profits in 2019 under the weight of trade tensions but predicted a modest recovery next year on the assumption that tariff wars will recede in the run-up to the US presidential election. Airline net profits are now expected to fall to $25.9 billion from $27.3 billion last year, before recovering to $29.3 billion in 2020, the International Air Transport Association said. In June it had forecast $28 billion in profit for 2019. The starkest deterioration is being felt in airlines' cargo businesses where a 3.3 per cent drop in freight demand marked the sharpest decline since the 2009 financial crisis, with revenue down 8 per cent year-on-year. Growth in world trade has all but evaporated to an expected 0.9 per cent this year, sharply down from the 2.5 per cent forecast in June and the 4.1 per cent expansion predicted a year ago, IATA said. Underpinning the partial recovery predicted next year, IATA forecast more robust trade growth of 3.3 per cent as "election-year pressures in the US contribute to reduced trade tensions".

IATA revises down 2019 airline profits, sees stability in 2020

Emirates, one of the world's biggest international airlines, said on Thursday profit nearly quadrupled in the first half of the year, bouncing back from a decade low half-year profit a year ago.

The dubai-based Emirates, which is owned by the state, benefited from a decline in global fuel prices although it said it was hit by unfavourable currency movements.

The airline, which said last month its profits would be considerably better, made 862 million dirhams&nbsp;in the six months to September 30, compared to the 226 million dirhams it made a year ago.

Revenue fell 3 per cent&nbsp;to 47.3 billion dirhams with operating costs cut by 8 per cent, helped by the decline in fuel costs.

Emirates carried 29.6 million passengers, a 2 per cent&nbsp;decline after the airline reduced the number of seats it offered by 5% in part due to a 45-day closure of a runway at its Dubai hub.

The amount of cargo it carried declined by 8 per cent&nbsp;to 1.2 million tonnes.

"The global outlook is difficult to predict, but we expect the airline and travel industry to continue facing headwinds over the next six months with stiff competition adding downward pressure on margins," said Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum.

Emirates Group, which includes the airline and airport services unit dnta, made 1.2 billion dirhams, up 8 per cent. Revenue shrank 2 per cent&nbsp;to 53.3 billion.

Sheikh Ahmed said the fuel bill was 2 billion dirhams cheaper than a year ago but said unfavourable currency fluctuations cost it 1.2 billion in profit.

Dnata, which operates at airports around the world, suffered a 64% fall in profit to 311 million dirhams. It booked an 84 million dirhams impairment on amounts it was owed following the collapse of Thomas Cook in September.

Thomas Cook's bankruptcy has had a broad impact, affecting hotel owners across Europe, holiday booking sites in Asia and airline support services around the world.

Emirates, one of the world's biggest international airlines, said on Thursday profit nearly quadrupled in the first half of the year, bouncing back from a decade low half-year profit a year ago.

Emirates, one of the world's biggest international airlines, said on Thursday profit nearly quadrupled in the first half of the year, bouncing back from a decade low half-year profit a year ago. The dubai-based Emirates, which is owned by the state, benefited from a decline in global fuel prices although it said it was hit by unfavourable currency movements. The airline, which said last month its profits would be considerably better, made 862 million dirhams in the six months to September 30, compared to the 226 million dirhams it made a year ago. Revenue fell 3 per cent to 47.3 billion dirhams with operating costs cut by 8 per cent, helped by the decline in fuel costs. Emirates carried 29.6 million passengers, a 2 per cent decline after the airline reduced the number of seats it offered by 5% in part due to a 45-day closure of a runway at its Dubai hub. The amount of cargo it carried declined by 8 per cent to 1.2 million tonnes. "The global outlook is difficult to predict, but we expect the airline and travel industry to continue facing headwinds over the next six months with stiff competition adding downward pressure on margins," said Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum. Emirates Group, which includes the airline and airport services unit dnta, made 1.2 billion dirhams, up 8 per cent. Revenue shrank 2 per cent to 53.3 billion. Sheikh Ahmed said the fuel bill was 2 billion dirhams cheaper than a year ago but said unfavourable currency fluctuations cost it 1.2 billion in profit. Dnata, which operates at airports around the world, suffered a 64% fall in profit to 311 million dirhams. It booked an 84 million dirhams impairment on amounts it was owed following the collapse of Thomas Cook in September. Thomas Cook's bankruptcy has had a broad impact, affecting hotel owners across Europe, holiday booking sites in Asia and airline support services around the world.

Emirates airlines first half profit surges on cheaper fuel, cost cuts

IndiGo Has Had A Torrid Start To The Week. The Airlines' Servers Went Down Hurting Passengers.

Gravitas: IndiGo: Server Down, Flights Delayed, Passengers Hassled!

Cathay Pacific announced Wednesday its chairman John Slosar is stepping down to retire, the latest high-profile executive to leave the troubled airline after it drew Beijing's ire over pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

The flagship carrier has had a torrid few weeks after Chinese state media and authorities blasted the company because some of its 27,000 employees had taken part in -- or were sympathetic to -- anti-government protests currently rocking Hong Kong.

In a statement posted on the Hong Kong stock exchange, Cathay said Slosar, 63, had stepped down and will be replaced as chairman by Patrick Healy, a veteran from the Swire Group conglomerate, the airline's majority shareholder.&nbsp;

"His resignation is due to his retirement," the statement said, adding that the changes would take effect from November 6 at the conclusion of the company's board meeting.

Slosar's departure ends a nearly four-decade career with Swire and Cathay and caps a tumultuous month of sudden management changes at the airline as it tries to claw its way out of Beijing's bad books.

In August, CEO Rupert Hogg and another senior executive stepped down after China's aviation regulator banned airline staff who had supported the demonstrations from working on flights through its airspace and after state media encouraged a boycott in the crucial mainland market.

Cathay's sin was to be perceived as being sympathetic to protesters, especially after some flight attendants and pilots joined a city-wide strike and protests.

In July, Slosar had said he would not want to tell his tens of thousands of employees what to think or which political views to hold.

But China's public castigation and the threat of being blacklisted from the vital mainland market led to a sudden u-turn by the airline.

Executives issued a series of statements supporting Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leaders, fired at least four staff and ordered employees not to take part in any strikes or illegal protests.&nbsp;

A flight attendant who was a union organiser also said she was dismissed without explanation.

The staff inside Cathay have since told AFP they believe a witchhunt is underway, with employees frantically deleting social media posts and gutting their friend's lists fearing disciplinary action if they are found to have any links with the protests.

Cathay's statement on Wednesday included a short quote from Slosar thanking his colleagues and expressing confidence in his successor&nbsp;but there was no reference to the recent political woes faced by the airline.

That contrasted with Hogg's resignation last month where he said he was stepping down "to take responsibility as a leader of the Company in view of recent events".

Analysts say the political purge inside Cathay may halt further sanctioning by China.&nbsp;

But by toeing Beijing's line, critics say Cathay has trashed its reputation as a totemic Hong Kong company, which has grown over 72 years in parallel with the city's status as a gateway to Asia.

Since Cathay's woes with Beijing, major businesses with interests in the mainland have swiftly moved to issue statements condemning protesters and supporting the crackdown by Hong Kong's police.

Cathay Pacific announced Wednesday its chairman John Slosar is stepping down to retire, the latest high-profile executive to leave the troubled airline after it drew Beijing's ire over pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific announced Wednesday its chairman John Slosar is stepping down to retire, the latest high-profile executive to leave the troubled airline after it drew Beijing's ire over pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. The flagship carrier has had a torrid few weeks after Chinese state media and authorities blasted the company because some of its 27,000 employees had taken part in -- or were sympathetic to -- anti-government protests currently rocking Hong Kong. In a statement posted on the Hong Kong stock exchange, Cathay said Slosar, 63, had stepped down and will be replaced as chairman by Patrick Healy, a veteran from the Swire Group conglomerate, the airline's majority shareholder. "His resignation is due to his retirement," the statement said, adding that the changes would take effect from November 6 at the conclusion of the company's board meeting. Slosar's departure ends a nearly four-decade career with Swire and Cathay and caps a tumultuous month of sudden management changes at the airline as it tries to claw its way out of Beijing's bad books. In August, CEO Rupert Hogg and another senior executive stepped down after China's aviation regulator banned airline staff who had supported the demonstrations from working on flights through its airspace and after state media encouraged a boycott in the crucial mainland market. Cathay's sin was to be perceived as being sympathetic to protesters, especially after some flight attendants and pilots joined a city-wide strike and protests. In July, Slosar had said he would not want to tell his tens of thousands of employees what to think or which political views to hold. But China's public castigation and the threat of being blacklisted from the vital mainland market led to a sudden u-turn by the airline. Executives issued a series of statements supporting Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leaders, fired at least four staff and ordered employees not to take part in any strikes or illegal protests. A flight attendant who was a union organiser also said she was dismissed without explanation. The staff inside Cathay have since told AFP they believe a witchhunt is underway, with employees frantically deleting social media posts and gutting their friend's lists fearing disciplinary action if they are found to have any links with the protests. Cathay's statement on Wednesday included a short quote from Slosar thanking his colleagues and expressing confidence in his successor but there was no reference to the recent political woes faced by the airline. That contrasted with Hogg's resignation last month where he said he was stepping down "to take responsibility as a leader of the Company in view of recent events". Analysts say the political purge inside Cathay may halt further sanctioning by China. But by toeing Beijing's line, critics say Cathay has trashed its reputation as a totemic Hong Kong company, which has grown over 72 years in parallel with the city's status as a gateway to Asia. Since Cathay's woes with Beijing, major businesses with interests in the mainland have swiftly moved to issue statements condemning protesters and supporting the crackdown by Hong Kong's police.

Cathay Pacific chairman John Slosar to step down

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