Trivia 2015 (miscellaneous news)

[Passenger]

The SkyTeam airlines have agreed to release slots for flights between New York and Amsterdam, Rome, and Paris:

Press release Antitrust Commission of the EU:

European Commission accepts commitments by SkyTeam members Air France/KLM, Alitalia and Delta on three transatlantic routes

The European Commission has adopted a decision that renders legally binding commitments offered by Air France/KLM, Alitalia and Delta, members of the SkyTeam airline alliance, to lower barriers to entry or expansion on three transatlantic routes. The Commission had concerns that the cooperation between these airlines may harm competition for all passengers on the Amsterdam-New York and Rome-New York routes and for premium passengers on the Paris-New York route, in breach of EU antitrust rules. After market testing commitments offered by Air France/KLM, Alitalia and Delta, the Commission is satisfied that in their final form they address its concerns. It has therefore decided to make them legally binding on these airlines for a period of ten years.

Commissioner in charge of competition policy, Margrethe Vestager said: "Airlines can cooperate to enlarge their network if it makes them more efficient and allows them to better serve their passengers. With today's decision I want to ensure that passengers flying from Paris, Amsterdam or Rome to New York continue to benefit from competitive prices and choice. We have now concluded our reviews of the three major worldwide airline alliances – and are one step closer to a genuine level playing field in transatlantic aviation markets."

In 2009 and 2010, Air France/KLM, Alitalia and Delta – members of the SkyTeam airline alliance - signed agreements establishing a transatlantic joint venture. The Commission had concerns that the extensive cooperation between the parties, involving profit-sharing and the joint management of schedules, pricing and capacity, might result in higher prices on the Paris-New York route (for premium passengers), Amsterdam-New York and Rome-New York routes (for premium and non-premium passengers). In addition, due to considerable barriers to entry and expansion, new and existing competitors would have been unable to challenge the ability of the joint venture to set and maintain prices above the level that would exist in a competitive market (i.e. their 'market power').

To address these concerns, the companies have jointly offered a set of commitments aimed at enabling competing airlines to start operating or extend existing operations on the routes in question, by lowering barriers to entry or expansion. In October 2014, the Commission consulted stakeholders on these commitments. In light of the results of the market test, the parties proposed some modifications and clarifications to the initial commitments.

Under the final commitments, the parties will:

- make available landing and take-off slots at Amsterdam, Rome and/or New York airports on the Amsterdam-New York and Rome-New York routes;

- enter into agreements which would enable competitors to offer tickets on the parties’ flights on the three routes ("fare combinability agreements");

- enter into agreements which would facilitate access to the parties' connecting traffic on the three routes ("special prorate agreements");

- provide access to their frequent flyer programmes on all three routes;

- allow passengers of competitors who have no equivalent frequent flyer programme to accrue and redeem miles on the parties' frequent flyer programmes; and

- submit data concerning their cooperation, which will facilitate an evaluation of the alliance's impact on the markets over time.

The Commission found that the final commitments adequately address the competition concerns identified and has made them legally binding on Air France/KLM, Alitalia and Delta. An independent trustee will monitor the parties' compliance with these commitments.

End of press release. Source and more info, including links to other EU documents:
EN:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4966_en.htm
FR:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4966_fr.htm
NL:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4966_nl.htm
ITA:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-4966_it.htm

[sn26567]

Due to insecurity in Burundi, RwandAir flights to Bujumbura are cancelled until further notice.

The International airport in Burundi's capital is operating again, as forces loyal to president reassert control.

[FLYAIR10]

Eastern Air Lines (Miami Int'l) has officially received its Part 121 Air Operators Certificate (AOC) from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at a ceremony on Wednesday, May 13th . With this certificate Eastern can undertake commercial passenger charters using large aircraft.

First commercial charter flight is planned on May 30th when Eastern will fly groups of War veterans from Miami Int'l to Washinton National with its only aircraft ,a B737-800 (Previously with Kenya Airways)

Later on it plans to operate charters from Miami to South-America and the Caribbean , and even Cuba.
They also made a 'strategic' partnership with Surinam airways.

Eastern has a further 10firm +10 B737-800 on order with Boeing.

Grtz.

Source: Social Media

[Passenger]

Glider OO-YZM took off from Oostmalle and flew (glided) towards Mol, but was unable to return home.
The glider therefore decided to land on a field near Turnhout.

No injuries, no damage, so the photographer from local newspaper GVA saw only smiling faces:
http://www.gva.be/cnt/blhot_01684870/zw ... g-op-akker

[jan_olieslagers]

Nothing to do with an emergency landing ("noodlanding"), of course - one more stupid witless journo.

The pilot, on the other hand, made a flawless outlanding, as far as we can see from a nitwit's reporting. Congrats!

[Passenger]

Nothing to do with an emergency landing ("noodlanding"), of course - one more stupid witless journo.

The pilot, on the other hand, made a flawless outlanding, as far as we can see from a nitwit's reporting. Congrats!

Are we going to blame newspapers because they don't have a licenced pilot on their payroll? Hope not. The article is very neutral and correct: it is a factual report of what happened, clearly based upon what the pilot told the journalist.

The only thing you can blame this journalist, is that he used the word "noodlanding" (emergency landing) and not "buitenlanding" (outlanding). But apart from gliders and pilots, I don't think that there are many people who know that a forced glider landing on a patato field is called an "outlanding", not "emergency landing".

[jan_olieslagers]

What I so resent is the media spreading a notion that recreational aviation should be dangerous - an emergency landing sounds ominous, doesn't it? Whereas an outlanding is actually a non-event, certainly for gliders and equally for the original ultralights, like trikes and parapentes.

So no, the article is not neutral and not correct. A shame that this is not obvious to all.

And it is exactly because the difference may indeed not be clear to all that the media should help clarify things, instead of spreading or feeding false sentiments.

[airazurxtror]

Le salon du Bourget is this year, from 15 to 21 June :
http://www.siae.fr/EN.htm

[SpottairBRU]

Le salon du Bourget is this year, from 15 to 21 July :
http://www.siae.fr/EN.htm

I'm sure you wanted to write from 15 to 21 JUNE, not July

[airazurxtror]

I'm sure you wanted to write from 15 to 21 JUNE, not July

Yes - my mistake. I'll correct it at once. Tks.

[Passenger]

Air New Zealand has a new Safety Video - once again a very nice one:

[Passenger]

Nothing to do with an emergency landing ("noodlanding"), of course - one more stupid witless journo. The pilot, on the other hand, made a flawless outlanding, as far as we can see from a nitwit's reporting. Congrats!

What I so resent is the media spreading a notion that recreational aviation should be dangerous - an emergency landing sounds ominous, doesn't it? Whereas an outlanding is actually a non-event, certainly for gliders and equally for the original ultralights, like trikes and parapentes.
So no, the article is not neutral and not correct.

Comon jan, keep calm please. The journalist from Gazet Van Antwerpen reported in an extreme positive way about this unforeseen landing in a patato field. In no ways he intented to “spread a notion that recreational aviation is dangerous”. He spoke to the pilot, and he reported what he told him, without adding whatever untrue facts.

The only thing you could eventually blame him, is that he used the word “noodlanding” (emergency landing) and not “buitenlanding” (outlanding). But once again: 99,99% of all Belgian newspaper readers don’t know the vocabulary that gliders use. If you blame them (or even blame the journalist) for not knowing this vocabulary, you actually blame them for not having a PPL or other aviation licence.

So no, the article is not neutral and not correct. A shame that this is not obvious to all.

Poor reaction.

[Passenger]

"...The General Court of the European Union has dismissed the actions brought by Niki Luftfahrt against Lufthansa’s acquisition of Austrian Airlines and the restructuring aid granted by Austria to Austrian in that regard.... None of the arguments put forward by Niki is capable of casting doubt on the Commission’s authorisation of that concentration and that aid, which it granted subject to conditions...."

Source - more info:
EN:
http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/P_157302/
FR:
http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/P_157301/
DE:
http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/P_157303/
NL:
sorry, er is hierover geen NL persbericht beschikbaar

Full text: see link in the above press release.

[Passenger]

RIP Paul Vandermoere (60).

Former sales manager Lufthansa Brussels, PRO for LH Benelux, director communications within the LH Group and PRO for the Association European Airlines.

http://www.travel-magazine.be/nl-be/Pag ... emID/16574

[Passenger]

A textbook nose gear up landing for this Partenavia AP68TP (reg ZS-OYN) in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 21st May 2015, 10 a.m. (airport is Lanseria Airport, not Johannesburg International)

[Passenger]

Lagos (Nigeria) had a fuel shortage today, due to a strike.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/25/world ... index.html


(photo Twitter)

[sn26567]

The two finalists of the Europa League, Dnipro Dniepropetrovsk and FC Sevilla, have arrived at Warsaw Chopin Airport. The game is scheduled to take place tomorrow at the National Stadium of Warsaw.

Here are the two planes on the WAW tarmac:

The coloured Windrose A320 of Dnipro Dniepropetrovsk


The Boeing 767-300 of FC Sevilla (with the name of the club on the airplane)

[Passenger]

The three hijackers of PIA-554 on 25th May 1998 (F-27), all three sentenced to death in October 1998, have been executed in a Karachi prison today.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32911257

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIA_Flight_544

[sn26567]

"Transaero" receives a new Boeing 737-800 aircraft in a new livery

On May 22, 2015, a new Boeing 737-800 aircraft joined Transaero Airlines’ fleet. The aircraft arrived from the aircraft manufacturer. It was delivered to the airline in accordance with the operating leasing agreement concluded in 2013 with Sberbank Leasing.

This is Transaero’s first narrow-body aircraft, which provides not only for the access to high speed broadband Internet onboard, but also mobile communications (this service used to be only provided on the airline’s widebody aircraft earlier). These services have become available due to the installation of the latest Panasonic GCS satellite system. All seats have power outlets and USB-ports for charging portable electronic devices. The aircraft features a Sky Interior cabin.



Source: Russian Aviation

[Passenger]

On Friday 29th May, the Flemish Government has debated on the future of Kortrijk-Wevelgem Airport (KJK - EBKT). The government voted in favour of the foundation act and the business plan of the "n.v. Internationale Luchthaven Kortrijk-Wevelgem". The file is now proceeded to a notaris/notaire.

website Kortrijk-Wevelgem:
http://www.kortrijkairport.be

edited : EBKJ -> EBKT