Experts see holes in international flight security rules
Questions about how and when planes are permitted to fly have been raised in the aftermath of the deadly crash of a Ukrainian airliner near Tehran last week that killed all 176 people on board.
Experts say the crash, which happened after the plane was hit by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, points to a glaring gap in rules around flight security, with countries sometimes failing to close their own airspace amid a lack of authority by global agencies.
Transport Canada said last week that Canadian carriers were complying with U.S.-led restrictions on commercial flights in Iraqi, Iranian and some Persian Gulf airspace amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran affecting the region. But not all countries’ aviation agencies instructed their carriers to steer clear, and Iran failed to ban civilian travel even as its military was on high alert.
Countries often hesitate to shut down their airspace due to the economic and political turbulence it can create, says Michael Bociurkiw, who was an observer for Ukraine’s investigation into the downing of a Malaysia Airlines flight in 2014.
“Closing your airspace is quite extreme. It scares people away. It scares away business investment, especially tourism,” Bociurkiw said.
“Sometimes these things can be politically sensitive and they draw too much attention.”
Other problems can result from leaving security alerts in state hands. During the unrest in eastern Ukraine in 2014, the country raised its minimum safe altitude to 32,000 feet as a precautionary measure. Three days later, a missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing all 298 people on board.
States’ civil aviation bodies are responsible for shutting down their airspace and instructing domestic airlines to avoid foreign skies in the event of danger, such as military conflict or natural disasters.
However, the passenger planes that took off from Tehran’s airport shortly after an Iranian missile strike against two military bases in Iraq where U.S. forces are stationed had received no security warnings from Iran.
Aerospace consultant Ross Aimer is calling for a more active role by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a Montreal-based United Nations agency, which he deems “slow to respond” and lacking in teeth.
“We’re doing a terrible job of protecting our passengers and crews worldwide,” Aimer said.
ICAO says it issues advisories only in disputes over airspace control or military conflicts where “the command-and-control structure has been impaired” and the state is unable to send one out.
“ICAO, which just about every country and airline is a signatory to, should take over and do a better job of warning people any time there are hostilities,” Aimer said.
“When there are hostilities, immediately close the airspace to everybody.”
The agency rejected the idea that UN member states would support stricter rules or encroachment on their sovereignty, citing protocols in its founding document.
“It’s the sovereign nation-states…who are very realistically and logically, I think, expected to monitor and assess and publish any risks that they’re aware of that may be occurring in their territories relevant to civil aviation operations,” ICAO chief spokesman Anthony Philbin said.
States are ultimately responsible for notifying other countries and airlines about conflict zones and other flight hazards, with no heads-up to ICAO required, he said.
Elaine Parker, vice-president of the Canadian Society of Air Safety Investigators, sympathizes with state reluctance to wall off airspace.
“You’re shutting down blood flow, basically, into your country,” she said.
Parker supports the hard limits on ICAO’s authority, saying that “it can’t be … an enforcement agency” but acknowledging there may be room for a broader mandate.
“They do have that capability of basically issuing some kind of warning. They normally don’t do that,” she added, “but there’s nothing wrong with ICAO issuing some sort of an advisory that is worldwide.”
Canadian air-crash investigators are being given access to the wreckage of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 and have been tapped to help unlock the contents of the data recorders from the plane.
The Canadian Press has independently confirmed at least 86 victims with ties to Canada, many of the students and professors returning after spending the December break visiting relatives in Iran.
Iran announced several arrests in the wake of the fatal crash.
At least four large passenger jets have been shot down over the past 32 years, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,000 passengers and crew. www.tricitynews.com
2021: 12 Destinations for 12 Months
Dust off those passports! Time to make up for all the hygge hunkering-down: toss the sweatpants, grab the luggage, and explore. 2021 brings travel wishes and international dreams. Here are 12 of the right places to be for every month of the year, along with ways to set the scene, bring the experience home, and restore your travelibrium. Bon Voyage!
January
British Virgin Islands
Say “cheerio!” to 2020 by ringing in 2021 on the sun-drenched beaches of the British Virgin Islands. Recently re-opened for tourism on December 1st, their multiple islands of pure white sand and lush blue water await. Divers love Rhone National Marine Park where the BVI’s only shipwreck is home to an underwater sea life spectacle. Relax and luxuriate in the Virgin Gorda Baths, or sail around the islands and then anchor at White Bay to catch dinner in this fishing paradise while sipping on a Painkiller.
If the party mood strikes, head for the beach bars of Jost Van Dyke, or just chill out at Sebastian’s on Tortola with a bottle of their sought-after house rum. Live a few days by the Caribbean mantra, “It is best to do nothing, then relax.”
Set the Scene: Crank up the thermostat if necessary, don your brightest resort wear, and mix up a Rum Runner. Play some Iyaz music videos on YouTube for added Caribbean flavor and lime the night away.
February
San Sebastian del Oeste, Mexico
Mexico’s allure is multi-layered, but for many it is the juxtaposition of wild nature and ancient culture. For every beautiful beach, there’s a fantastic museum; for every Cancun, there’s a Tulum. And for Puerto Vallarta, there is San Sebastian del Oeste.
Mexico’s Magic Cities (Pueblos Mágicos) are unique villages that offer outstanding cultural, historic, and hospitality experiences to travelers. San Sebastian del Oeste was a 1605 mining town that passed unimaginable riches along to the conquistadors. Today, we enjoy its historic square and laid back, photo-ready, hacienda atmosphere. Micheladas La Barandilla, a bar in the town center, is a true local dive. Aptly named, the skilled bartender will mix up a Michelada to your taste. After one sip, every other Michelada will pale in comparison. A bit outside town but highly recommended is lunch at lovely Jardin Nebulosa, where everything on the menu has been grown, foraged, butchered, distilled, or brewed at the local farm. The cloud forest dining room is magical, just like the city.
Set the Scene: Pour yourself a Cinnamon Tequila Hot Chocolate, then curl up by the fire with Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo. The slim novella packs a punch, with magic realism, ghosts, and colonial history galore.
March
Ireland
There isn’t a greener, friendlier, more convivial place on the planet. Even if your families’ lineage has missed the Emerald Isle you will feel welcome and part Irish before long. Ireland tempts with mystical castles, centuries of history, and sustainable seed-to-table delights. The Irish do celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, despite rumors to the contrary, making March a pilgrimage for travelers. Watch the famed Dublin parade, or celebrate with locals at a pub listening to enchanting, traditional music. Take a trip to Skerries for saint’s day, an island where legend has it that St. Patrick himself lived for a time, visit the monastery and then enjoy their festive parade and fireworks.
Set the Scene: Let shuffle take over with an eclectic Irish supermix of The Pogues, The Chieftains, The Corrs, and Flogging Molly. Then get out the cocktail shaker and whip up a Midnight Espresso Eggnog Whiskey Cocktail from Shamrock Farms, using triple casked Irish whiskey distilled at 235 year-old Slane Castle.
April
Iguazu Falls, Argentina
As North America beings to thaw, Argentina enjoys its first days of autumn. The summer rains cause the Iguazu River to swell, creating the most spectacular water show on earth. The name Iguazu is Guarani, the local language, for Big Water. In this case, translation really does the phrase justice.
The two miles long falls are the widest on earth, creating a multitude of hike and walk options for viewing. Between the Upper and Lower Falls and the must-see Devil’s Throat, one day is barely enough to experience everything. And then there’s Brazil. Most visitors ask which side of the border has superior views, and the locals will understandably choose their own. The real answer is both: Argentina has more to see and do, while Brazil unleashes the full power of the falls upon your head. A good guide will be able to spirit you back and forth with minimal hassle.
Set the Scene: Order empanadas to go, or slather your steak with chimichurri while uncorking an inexpensive malbec. Then watch The Secret in Their Eyes, an electrifying thriller that also illuminates the crimes of the country’s 1970s dictatorship.
May
Mozambique
Mozambique is a perfect Hollywood set piece – many iconic movies were filmed there (Ali, The Interpreter), yet somehow throngs of tourists haven’t flocked to its breathtaking tableau… yet. Get there before they do! Its exotic influences of African, Arab, Portuguese, and Indian dazzle the senses, and its spicy post-colonial cuisine sizzles. The northern coast invites relaxation, home to some of the longest white sand palm-fringed beaches on the continent. May is the perfect month to visit Southern Africa, with temperatures cool and mosquitos scarce. Spectacular diving spots and luxury resorts beckon–meet Bazaruto and Quirimbas–while Mozambique Island’s northern half is a World Heritage Site worth exploring.
Set the Scene: Peri-peri chicken is Mozambique’s great gift to the culinary world. Get some Nando’s Peri-Peri sauce and sprinkle liberally on prawns, steak, or the traditional chicken.
June
Corfu
“Anything like the splendour of olive-groves and orange-gardens, the blue of the sky, the violet of the mountain, rising from the peacock-wing-hued sea and tipped with lines of silver snow, can hardly be imagined…” – Edward Lear.
Corfu’s beauty lies in its perfect partnership with its surroundings. The comforting, meandering of time and movement, plus Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have captured dreamers for centuries. Sip kumquat liqueur at a cafe while chatting with friendly locals, visit the Church of St. Spyridon, or sail up the coast for that picturesque picnic beach experience and a swim, a la Gerald Durrell. Greece has long been known for its truly sea to farm to table cuisine, and with health and sustainability on our minds, this is an excellent time to devour its culinary treasures.
Set the Scene: Open up the classic cookbook Prospero’s Kitchen: Mediterranean Cooking of the Ionian Islands from Corfu to Kythera by Diane Farr Louis, June Marinos to create some culinary memories or order from your favorite local Greek take out. Gerald Durrell’s Corfu Trilogy will transport you to the far away isle while entertaining and educating.
July
Tokyo
If you crave international crowds as much as we do, the Tokyo Olympics will hopefully offer the world a chance to gather and feel normal again.
Japan is a rich destination with such varied experiences and cultural traditions it can seem like a mash up of fantasy and action movies while walking down the street. From tea ceremonies to colorful kimonos, from anime to martial arts, from golden palaces to bullet trains, Japan has always mesmerized and mystified. This year it’s the much-anticipated 2020 Olympic Games finally underway with over 11,000 athletes expected, and all the patriotic international competitive fanfare the world has been missing.
Set the Scene: Watch Tokyo Olympiad, an epic documentary about the 1964 Tokyo Olympics that is still regarded as one of the greatest sports movies ever made. Order sushi takeout and open a bottle of cold sake, or try your hand at Sukiyaki, either choice goes well with the film.
August
Calgary
North America’s most livable city invites you to see what a well-run metropolis is all about. Take a stroll in the Eau Claire district for high-end shops and eats, or take a self-guided pub crawl through Inglewood, Calgary’s brewery district. Then seek out local artists and designers at Art Central YYC.
After spending a few days enjoying shopping and microbrews along the banks of the Bow River, head for the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Banff and Lake Louise never disappoint, as two of the most stunning outdoor vistas on earth. If you get the chance, drive the Icefields Parkway, known as the most beautiful drive in Canada. August is also the perfect month to take on the famous tea house hikes.
Set the Scene: Seek out the local natural history museum and brush up on your dinosaur trivia! Alberta is known as one of the richest concentrations of dino digs and fossils on earth. The Royal Tyrell Museum will be that much more rewarding when you visit.
September
Egypt
Egypt has forever been an adventurer’s playground. Alluring sepia postcards of camel rides and pyramid climbs from days past are temptation and motivation for budding archeologists. Even in modern times, Egypt continues to amaze and entice. Besides the once in a lifetime favorites like a boat ride on The Nile River, a stroll through the Valley of the Kings, or that first glimpse of the Temple of Isis at Philae, there have been more travel-worthy archeological discoveries just this year to add to the list. In 2020, Egypt unearthed over 100 exquisitely painted wooden coffins, some with mummies still inside, plus 40 funeral statues in the ancient burial ground of Saqqara, just south of Cairo. Egypt’s mysteries continue to be revealed and studied. Throw in the famous street markets, delicious dishes like kushari, and warm, optimistic people who will become dear friends before the day is out make it a top destination on anyone’s list.
Set the Scene: It’s hard to avoid the murderously, delectable Death on The Nile by Agatha Christie whether in print or on-screen. For something more culturally legit, Nobel prize winner Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy represents the pinnacle of 20th century Egyptian literature.
October
Moldova
For travelers looking for true immersion, consider Moldova. Moldova is so off the beaten path that it’s been honored with the title “Least Touristy Country in Europe,” with 323 locals for every visitor. Yes, please! Picture sitting at a cafe table, sipping award-winning wine only available in Moldova, admiring stunning Russian and Eastern European architecture, all with no tourists around. A charming capital city, edgy nightlife for those seeking a thrill, vast unspoiled countryside, and award-winning wine tours make 2021 the year to go. October welcomes National Wine Day, which is more like a three-day festival. “Splurge” at Chisinau’s Berd’s Design Hotel, it is sleek and chic for only $150 a night.
Set the Scene: Sip the Washington Post’s recommended Cricova Alb de Onitcani Reserve, a sparkling blanc de blancs from Moldova available in the States, while reading Playing the Moldovans at Tennis by Tony Hawk.
November
Grenada
Warm up for the winter season at the Platonic ideal of a Caribbean island. While tourism is important to Grenada, even more so are the island’s aromatic spices: nutmeg, cocoa, mace, vanilla, cinnamon, and more. Grand Anse is its leisure-perfect main beach, a vast crescent of white sand and warm water, with St. George’s, the tiny, colorful capital, at the far end.
Mount Cinnamon at the southern tip, is a gypset, boho chic experience and known for its inclusive beach bonfire parties every Friday night. Step into luxury, at Spice Islands Resort, the five-star property founded by the late legendary Sir Royston Hopkin, the only Caribbean hotelier ever knighted by the Queen. The staff at Spice Island are friendly and flawless plus local spices are infused into its cuisine making every meal magnificent.
Then give Edwin Frank a ring—a top guide and local legend who will tell you all about Grenada’s war-entwined past with the U.S., and any other aspect of Grenadian culture or history. His tours include the best nutmeg, coffee, and rum spots, and the best swimming holes to jump into. Rum—and steampunk—aficionados shouldn’t miss River Antoine Distillery and divers will marvel and swim amidst art at the world’s first underwater sculpture park, the Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park. Grenada will soon become that island you fantasize about moving to. Be careful not to stop into a real estate office after too much rum!
Set the Scene: Play some calypso music while sipping fine Grenadian rum. Sprinkle fresh ground nutmeg and add the “leftover” rum to hot water for a toddy, or coffee, or hot chocolate. Stir, sip, repeat.
December
Germany Christmas Markets
Even the pre-Whoville Grinch’s heart will warm to the Striezelmarkt in Dresden, Germany. Striezelmarkt dates back to 1434 and is the world’s oldest Christmas market, filled with amazing (read: quirky) traditions and wares. To open the holiday season, Dresden citizens parade a four-ton fruitcake through winding streets guided by a Fruitcake Maiden, before being proudly displayed in the famous market amidst lighted craft stalls and a 46-foot Christmas pyramid. Christmas pyramid you say? It’s a thing, and a very old one at that.
Visiting any of the many German Christmas markets is a true cultural touchstone–their holiday traditions have long influenced other countries. Prince Albert brought the German custom of decorating the Christmas tree to England, and now much of the world does the same with baubles and tinsel. December is filled with glitter, warm drinks, and snow, so whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the joy of the winter season has been perfected in Deutschland.
Set the Scene: Decorate your home with lots and LOTS of lights. The more the merrier. Play the Nutcracker Suite and warm up Glühwein, Germany’s après-ski mulled wine to wash down that very large piece of fruitcake.
Flybe on the brink of potential collapse
The future of Europe’s largest regional airline Flybe appears uncertain as reports suggest the airline is facing collapse.
Sky News has reported that Flybe has been trying to secure additional financing to stave off a potential collapse.
This news comes a year after the carrier was brought by Connect Airways, a consortium including Virgin Atlantic and Stobart Group. On the purchase of the airline, Connect Airways announced it would make a bridge loan facility available to support Flybe’s ongoing operations with further investment to support growth for the regional carrier that is set to be rebranded this year under the name ‘Virgin Connect’.
The airline has previously struggled under industry challenges. The airline launched a sale process in 2018 with the then-CEO Christine Ourmieres-Widener pointing to high fuel costs, currency fluctuations and Brexit uncertainties as having a significant impact.
The Sky News report suggested the accountancy firm EY has been “put on standby” while the government is reportedly assessing whether it could help.
The airline has not commented on the reports, instead tweeting: “Flybe continues to focus on providing great service and connectivity for our customers, to ensure that they can continue to travel as planned. We don’t comment on rumour or speculation.”
Cardiff Airport shared a comment from Spencer Birns, Chief Commercial Officer on twitter: “Flybe operations into and out of Cardiff are operating as normal – we understand that there are no disruptions to scheduled services across any of their UK network. Our customers are our primary focus, we will endeavour to keep them fully updated.”
The airline announced the first phase of its 2020 Summer schedule in November featuring 104 routes including seven new routes – six from London Southend and one between Manchester and Stuttgart.
Last week local media Devon Live reported that Flybe could “potentially” be making redundancies at its headquarters in Exeter through a restructuring as part of the rebranding to Virgin Connect, with reports suggesting the job losses would be in support and management positions.
The airline is the largest independent airline in Europe, carrying 8 million passengers a year between 71 airports across the UK and Europe and also flying from more UK airports than “any other airline.”
AnadoluJet to go international
AnadoluJet, the regional operator of Turkish Airlines is to launch international flight operations from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport from 29 March 2020.
The airline is expanding its flight network with the introduction of international routes which will see 26 additional destinations in 16 countries added to the network.
“While all the details from ground services to technical maintenance are assured by Turkish Airlines, security and comfort are also given priority in international flights as well,” the airline said in a statement. The airline will continue to provide free catering services prepared by Turkish DO&CO on its flights.
The airline is also increasing the number of aircraft in its fleet, aiming to provide more affordable services for more passengers – with a 22% increase in seat capacity with its all economy-class aircraft.
The families of victims of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 crash have lost an appeal
The families of victims of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 crash have lost an appeal against a court ruling that lawsuits against Malaysia Airlines, insurer Allianz and manufacturer Boeing do not belong in the US.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board and is believed to have crashed in the Southern Indian Ocean.
Extensive searches failed to find the wreckage and a final report on the disappearance was unable to determine a cause for the crash, although a widely held belief is that it was a murder-suicide involving the plane’s captain.
Lawyers for the families had appealed a 2018 ruling by a US District Court judge that 40 wrongful death and product liability lawsuits should be heard in Malaysia.
New Boeing CEO takes reins amid the renewed public firestorm.
A three-judge panel with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found that a lower court did not abuse its discretion when it decided the case should be tried in Malaysia.
The ruling is a setback the families of more than 100 MH370 victims from countries such as Australia, China, India and Malaysia.
The district court found Malaysia’s public interest in hearing claims arising from the MH370 disappearance “far outweighed” that of the United States, even when it came to claims made against Boeing.
It also found that private interest factors tilted strongly in favor of trying the cases in Malaysia, given the overwhelming amount of evidence located in the South-East Asian nation and the “potentially insurmountable challenges” of making that evidence available in a US court.
Lawyers for the victims’ families had argued the court refused to afford any deference to the decision to sue in the US or to specify the precise degree of deference it had applied.
The Court of Appeals backed the lower court’s decision, describing it as a well-reasoned opinion and noting it had did not abuse its discretion that the balance of public and private interests weighed heavily in favor of trying the case in Malaysia.
It said the district court’s analysis reflected a careful consideration of the foreign families’ interests and a thoughtful balancing of the public and private interest factors” with respect to individuals.
The lower court also correctly recognized that Thomas Wood, a US citizen and resident suing on behalf of his dead brother, was entitled to the greatest degree of deference.
“We find no reversible error in the district court’s reasoning regarding the appropriate levels of deference afforded to appellants’ claims,” it said.
The issue was further complicated when Malaysia decided to renationalize the airline in late 2014 and restructure it by creating a new, separate entity, Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB).
The assets of Malaysia Airlines System were transferred to MAB and the original company was placed under administration. MAB did not assume the liabilities related to MH370.
Lawyers for the families were critical of the district court’s analysis of issues related to the MAS/MAB restructure and its immunity claims.
The panel found it was entirely proper for the district court to recognize that serious jurisdictional questions existed and weigh that as a factor in favor of dismissal.
Explore the city in your own exotic rental car
The Enterprise Exotic Car Collection features one of the largest selections of exotic sports cars to luxury sedans and SUVs from manufacturers around the world including Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, Bentley, Range Rover and more. With more than 50 years of experience as a leader in car rental, Enterprise is an internationally recognized brand with neighborhood and airport locations around the world.
All our Brands:
Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Bentley, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, GMC, Infinity, Jaguar, Jeep, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Tesla, Toyota.
For the list of locations and more, visit: exoticcars.enterprise.com
Ukrainian air disaster highlights Iran’s troubling air safety record
The Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) disaster on January 8, when flight PS-752 crashed soon after takeoff from Tehran with the loss of all 176 passengers and crew on board, reinforces Iran’s poor record when it comes to aviation safety.
The cause of the tragic episode remains in doubt for now. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport, heading for the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Initial reports from Iran stated the plane had crashed after an engine caught fire, but suspicions of something even more concerning soon emerged.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said the following day that intelligence from Canadian and other sources pointed to the plane being hit by a missile, albeit perhaps unintentionally. Later that day, aviation safety experts at OppsGroup changed their view on whether the plane was shot down from “possible” to “very probable”.
Iranian officials maintain the plane was not hit by a missile. The head of the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran has urged the world to wait until investigators have completed their work.
Nonetheless, the working assumption for most in the industry is that the plane was shot out of the sky by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) while climbing away from Tehran – not least because of apparent video footage of the incident emerging and the discovery of anti-aircraft missile debris allegedly found near the crash site.
Just who might have fired the missile and why remain matters of conjecture, however. Justin Bronk, a research fellow at the UK defense think-tank the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), points out that “Iran has no reason to want to make its own airspace seem unsafe for civil air traffic”. He suggests the most likely culprit is “a badly trained or inexperienced crew” of the Russian-made SA-15 Tor M-1 SAM system based near Mehrabad Airbase on the outskirts of Tehran who “made a series of tragic and incorrect assumptions.”
The incident draws fresh attention to Iran’s poor safety record which, by most measures, is the worst in the Middle East region.
There have now been 22 fatal air accidents in the country since 2000, according to the Aviation Safety Network (ASN). In records that go back to 1919, the ASN has recorded 152 air accidents in Iran, far ahead of the second-worst country Egypt which has suffered 126 incidents over that time.
Including the UIA disaster, there have now been 63 incidents involving fatalities in Iran, with a total loss of life of 2,152. Only two other countries in the region have seen more than 1,000 deaths from air accidents, with Saudi Arabia suffering 1,019 deaths and Morocco 1,016.
The countries with the best air safety record in the Middle East include Qatar which has had the fewest incidents at just six. It and Kuwait have both had just one incident involving a fatality and Kuwait has the lowest aviation death toll in the region with just four fatalities.
The UIA crash is the worst in Iran since February 2003, when 275 people died when a Russian-built Ilyushin Il-76MD carrying Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp personnel crashed into a mountain near the city of Kerman during strong winds.
One particular problem for the Iranian aviation sector – although not relevant in the case of the UIA crash – is the impact of U.S. sanctions on the country. This has prevented local airlines from buying newer aircraft or even accessing spare parts. As a result, airlines have had to strip some planes for parts and many of the aircraft flying in Iran today are relatively old. According to Airfleets.net, the average age of aircraft used by leading airlines such as Iran Air and Mahan Air is often well over 20 years and in some cases more than 30 years. www.forbes.com/
Iranian missile accidentally brought down Ukrainian Boeing 737
Western intelligence showed that Iran was responsible for the plane crash, suggesting that the deaths of those aboard were a consequence of the heightened tensions between Washington and Iran.
American and allied officials said that they had intelligence that missiles fired by Iranian military forces were responsible for the downing of a Ukrainian jetliner and the deaths of all aboard this week in Iran, most likely by accident.
The disclosures suggested that the deaths were a consequence of the heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran that have played out since an American drone strike killed a top Iranian general last week.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, citing a preliminary review of the evidence, called for a full investigation “to be convinced beyond all doubt.” The jetliner was carrying 63 Canadians among its some 176 passengers and crew.
“We recognize that this may have been done accidentally,” Mr. Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa. “The evidence suggests very clearly a possible and probable cause for the crash.”
President Trump, speaking earlier at the White House, said only that he suspected that the downing of the plane was the result of “a mistake on the other side.” Senior American officials were more forthcoming, saying that they had a high level of confidence in their findings. American intelligence agencies determined that a Russian-made Iranian air defense system fired two surface-to-air missiles at the plane, one official said.
And video verified by The New York Times appeared to show an Iranian missile exploding near a plane above Parand, near Tehran’s airport, the area where the jetliner, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, stopped transmitting its signal before it crashed.
Those aboard the plane most likely faced horrifying final moments, starting with an explosion as the missiles detonated just outside it, sending shrapnel and debris spiraling through the fuselage. The plane turned back toward the airport, then began its uncontrolled descent toward the ground.
American satellites, designed to track missile launches, detected the firing of the Iranian short-range interceptor. United States intelligence agencies later picked up Iranian communications confirming that the system brought down the Ukrainian airliner, officials said.
An initial Iranian report released on Thursday said that the plane, bound for the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, was in flames before it hit the ground but sent no distress signal. A security camera captured its impact: first the predawn darkness, then a series of blinding bursts of light in the distance, followed by a storm of burning debris in the foreground.
Even before world leaders and American officials confirmed the intelligence assessment, the mysterious circumstances of the disaster had raised suspicions that a missile brought down the airliner. The crash occurred hours after Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at American military targets in Iraq, and Tehran, bracing for possible American retaliation, readied its ample air defense system.
After Iran began firing missiles early on Wednesday in retaliation for the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, international airlines rerouted flights away from Iran, and the Federal Aviation Administration barred American carriers from the airspace in the region. The new information about the tragic mistake with its air defense systems raised questions about why Iranian authorities had not stopped flights in and out of Tehran.
Iran denied that its military was responsible for the crash of the plane, a Boeing 737. Ali Rabiei, an Iranian government spokesman, called it “a big lie” and blamed the accusations on “psychological warfare” against Tehran.
“The United States is making the pain of the families worse,” Mr. Rabiei said in a statement.
Iranian officials questioned the Western account, saying the plane would have exploded if hit by a missile. The air defense system used Wednesday, however, is designed to explode near aircraft, creating shrapnel that takes a plane out of the sky, rather than directly hit it.
In addition to denying responsibility, Iran invited the National Transportation Safety Board of the United States to assist in the investigation despite previous reports that the Americans would not be involved, according to correspondence reviewed by The Times. The board assigned an investigator to the crash, a spokesman said on Thursday evening.
Iranian authorities recovered the plane’s “black box” flight data recorders, but they were damaged by the crash and fire, the Iranian report said. That raised the possibility that some of the information stored in them electronically had been destroyed, but investigators can retrieve useful data even from damaged recorders.
Iran also invited Boeing, the jet’s manufacturer, to help investigate the black box, a government spokesman said, according to Iran’s official news agency, IRNA. Boeing is “supporting the N.T.S.B. in the investigation,” said a spokesman, Gordon Johndroe.
Sanctions against Iran prevent Boeing from contacting its government without an export license, the people said, and Mr. Johndroe said the company is applying for one.
Canadian investigators were also arranging to visit the crash site, a senior government official said.
Ukraine was negotiating with Iran to allow investigators to search the site for possible rocket fragments, Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, told Censor.net, a Ukrainian news outlet. Ukrainian officials want “to find out the causes of the tragedy,” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said in a videotaped address released on Thursday. “We will definitely find out the truth. We will conduct a detailed and independent investigation.”
Mr. Zelensky also sought to pre-empt criticism of the Ukrainian authorities for allowing the flight to take off soon after the Iranian attacks on American targets in Iraq. He said that Tehran’s airport had been operating as usual at the time, noting that other European airlines were taking off and landing.
Evidence gathered by American and allied intelligence contradicted Iran’s denials.
The American military’s Space-Based Infrared System, which relies on satellites in various orbits to track the launch and flight path of ballistic missiles, detected the missile launch. While American missile defense sensors are primarily meant to defend against long-range launches, they can often detect launches of air defense systems, including those designed to work at low altitudes, officials have said.
On Wednesday, American officials combined the information from the satellites with intelligence from intercepted calls to determine what brought down the plane.
The infrared system had also detected the antiaircraft missile fired by Russia-supported separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine in 2014 that brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, officials said at the time. All 298 people aboard were killed.
Russia first sold Iran the air defense system – which NATO calls SA-15 and Russia refers to as Tor – in 2005, prompting American protest. The Iranian military could have positioned the system, which is designed to operate at medium to low altitudes and intercept both aircraft and guided weapons, to defend the airport if officials believed the United States military was intending to counterattack after Iran’s ballistic missile strikes.
Three to four people operate the system, tracking nearby aircraft by radar. But determining friendly civilian aircraft takes skill, and mistakes are possible, particularly in charged situations.
Echoing Mr. Trudeau, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain confirmed that intelligence pinned the shoot-down on the Iranian government and that it “may well have been unintentional.”
Mr. Trump was more evasive earlier in the day.
“Somebody could have made a mistake on the other side,” Mr. Trump said. “It was flying in a pretty rough neighborhood and somebody could have made a mistake.” www.nytimes.com
Drunk Passenger Arrested After Locking Himself in Airport Bathroom to Drink and Smoke
A drunk passenger caused quite the stir at Illinois’ General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport last weekend.
According to The State Journal-Register, a 50-year-old man described as “visibly intoxicated” locked himself inside of a bathroom stall on Saturday night, drinking and smoking before eventually asking police to take him to jail.
The unidentified man was first alerted to authorities around 6:10 p.m. on Saturday after a cafe waitress refused to serve him a coffee with whiskey. “The waitress stated that the passenger’s manner made her very uncomfortable,” a Peoria County sheriff’s report stated. “The waitress further advised that the passenger had stated he had several knives on or about his person, one of which was lying on the bar in front of him.”
American Airlines Doing More to Combat Human Trafficking
American Airlines is partnering with Dallas-based nonprofit New Friends New Life in the fight against human trafficking, the carrier announced Thursday.
New Friends New Life provides access to education, job training, interim financial assistance, mental health and spiritual support to formerly trafficked teenage girls and sexually exploited women and their children.
As part of the partnership, American team members will take part in human trafficking awareness training sessions and volunteer activities.
Airline passenger jailed following ‘inappropriate’ mid-flight rant: ‘She is thoroughly ashamed’
A woman has been sentenced to six months in prison after going on an allegedly intoxicated rant in the middle of her flight.
Demi Burton was on an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi to Manchester, England, in May when the incident occurred, the Telegraph reported. The 20-year-old, who is from the U.K., reportedly went on an “aggressive,” sexually-explicit rant after being told she would no longer be served alcohol.
“You may as well just land the plane now then!” Burton said after being denied alcohol, according to court documents. After that confrontation, she allegedly began to harass both passengers and flight attendants for nearly four hours.
From there, Burton then proceeded to ask at least two men if they wanted to join the “mile-high club,” an “increasingly impropriate” request she reportedly reiterated despite their attempts to ignore her.
“Both tried to end the conversation with her but she carried on,” Claire Brocklebank, the prosecutor in Burton’s case, said. “One said he felt quite shocked by her comments and people around her started to ask her to be quiet as others could hear.”
Ultimately, several staff members tried to calm Burton down, but she reportedly became violent and headbutted a flight attendant. Court documents state that it took as many as six people to restrain the 20-year-old, after which an anesthesiologist was brought in to help sedate her.
The anesthesiologist told the court that the struggle was “worse than anything he’d seen,” adding that he was bitten during the confrontation.
Martin Callery, Burton’s defense lawyer, said her client was drinking due to her fear of flying and anxiety about seeing her family, who she described as “very controlling” and “very abusive.”
“[Burton] is thoroughly ashamed of herself and because she is remorseful,” Callery said. “She is utterly embarrassed at the way she behaved. It is completely out of character as far as she is concerned.”
However, Circuit Judge John Edwards was stern in his sentencing, saying that Burton had to be “dealt with in a way that might deter others.”
“Your behavior was unpleasant, violent and persistent over a lengthy period,” the judge said. “So that a doctor, an anesthetist by profession remarks in all his dealings in A&E had not witnessed such aggressive behavior before.”
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/airline-passenger-jailed-following-inappropriate-150557810.html
Fun things for foodies to do in Brussels
Brussels is a stunning city from all points of view. If you want to see a part of Europe that you are not going to forget, you need to come to Brussels. Even if the city is packed with historic and cultural vestiges, there is something else that will make you stay here pleasant, especially if you are a foodie. Why is that? There are numerous places in Brussels where you can learn about food and where you can try different dishes, some of them extremely pleasant and surprising. To avoid losing time while searching for the best places of this kind, you may want to take a look at the following list, a must-see for every foodie that ends up visiting Brussels.
1. Learn how to make chocolates with Belgium’s chocolate maker Laurent Gerbaud
When you say Belgium, you also say fine and delicious chocolate. This country is famous for its exquisite chocolate assortments, so where else can you find out more about this appreciated dessert than in Brussels? So, if you are a chocolate fan, you need to visit Laurent Gerbaud Chocolatier in Brussels. Here, you will be able to indulge in a wide variety of chocolate types and recipes, trying some of them for the first time even. But, if you really want to enjoy a real incursion in the world of chocolate, do know that you can participate at a workshop organized here, where you can learn how to make chocolate. Still, do have in mind that the workshop is rather sought after, so booking your place is a great idea, to make sure that you won’t miss this incredible experience. You will also be able to take home the chocolate you made, as a gift for your loved ones.
2. Discover the top-notch Brussels beers at the Brussels Beer Project
Besides incredible chocolate, Brussels has something else that makes this region famous. Beer is something that attracts many foodies into the area, but not just any kind of beer. A group of innovative and enthusiastic beer fans started the Brussels Beer Project, producing unique beer assortments that can’t be found anywhere else. Everything starting with the brewery, bottles, and distribution of the beer was accomplished through crowdfunding. It all started in 2013 and, today, the makers of the project are proud to distribute beer outside Belgium as well, in 20 countries. But, of course, this beer can also be tasted here, as the Brussels Beer Project supplies 150 restaurants and bars around Belgium. Even if you didn’t contribute with funds to this project, you can still enjoy this one-a-kind-beer, if you visit the brewery located in Brussels. It is will definitely something you will remember for years to come because such beer can be found only here. They have seasonal beers and luxury ones like the one made in cognac barrels.
3. Gramm fusion food at the highest level
Great food doesn’t have to be served in sophisticated dishes. With only a few ingredients, is picked right so that their flavors complement each other, you can reach success in the food industry. In fact, one restaurant in Brussels marched on dishes with a very simple appearance, only a few ingredients merging on a plate while providing an unforgettable taste and experience to its customers. Gramm is the restaurant we are talking about, a small and cozy place to eat, with simple but modern décor. Once to come to eat here, your visual senses will not know what to think about the simple plate in front of you. Once you will take a bite, your taste buds will experience a burst of flavors, each matching perfectly the other, offering an experience like no other. It is no wonder that people want to come back here, charmed by a minimalist cuisine that uses outstanding ingredients, in surprising recipes.
4. San Sablon, Belgium stared chef experience
If you want to have a surreal culinary experience, you need to visit the San Sablon restaurant in Brussels. Why San Sablon? What makes this restaurant so special? Well, first of all, it is the casual restaurant of famous 2-Michelin stars Belgian chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre. Only by holding this piece of information, you can tell that there is something outstanding about this restaurant. Fine cuisine will be served in a beautiful location, decorated in soft pastel colors, making you feel like serving your meal in a gorgeous spring garden. Perhaps the environment was designed to be as fresh as the dishes served here, all of them containing fresh and organic ingredients picked from the chef’s own garden. So you see, everything is high end here and prepared with the best care for the delight of every foodie. Be prepared to have your senses amazed at this restaurant, where dishes are taken to another standard level.
5. Bocconi, the fine Italian restaurant of Amigo Hotel by Rocco Forte
There is nothing like fine dining with dishes belonging to Italian cuisine. There is something magical about those Mediterranean flavors, especially if they are served in excellent dishes. If you love Italian food and want to have a beautiful experience, visit the Bocconi restaurant, found at the Amigo Hotel. The décor of the restaurant will make you think of Italy with a Belgium touch if you ever had the chance to visit it, and the flavors of the dishes will capture your attention even more. Seafood, fish, olive oil, assortments of sweet cheese, they are all part of the dishes that can be served here, together with many other ingredients specific for this cuisine.
6. Posh and top-notch gastronomic experience at Villa Emilly
There are places in Brussels that seem to be frozen in time, reminding visitors of the times where there was no technology, people gathering together in various places to socialize and keep up with the news. Villa Emilly reminds us of such times, its glamorous décor being more suited for the aristocrats and members of the high society back in the days. In such an exquisite environment, you would expect the served dishes to be up to the standards. Well, they are, with a young high profile chef focusing on outstanding taste and quality here. So you can easily stop by and enjoy a top dinner, regardless of what you deciding to serve from their diverse menu., of course, you need to book for a table or ask the concierge of your hotel to book a table for you.
By Olivier Templar-James
Frontier Suspends Flights at Mobile Airport
Frontier Airlines is suspending flights from the Mobile (Ala.) Downtown Airport, a facility that opened a new $8 million terminal just eight months ago.
The Denver-based carrier made the announcement on Monday. Flights will end on April 22 based “on a lack of sufficient demand to support the service,” a company spokeswoman told Al.com.
“We greatly appreciate and support the partnership we have received from the airport and community in bringing service to Mobile and will continue to evaluate the potential for future opportunities,” Frontier spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said.
American Airlines First Airline to Test Google Assistant’s Interpreter Mode
American Airlines has become the first airline to utilize Google Assistant’s interpreter mode in its airport lounges, the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier announced Tuesday.
American began testing the new technology—which offers real-time translation in 29 different languages—at Admirals Club lounges at Los Angeles International Airport last week.
Moving forward, American’s premium customer service representatives will be able to provide more personalized service to foreign language-speaking customers even when a multilingual team member is unavailable to assist.
Southwest, JetBlue Offering Flight Deals From $29 One-Way
JetBlue and Southwest Airlines are offering big discounts on winter and spring flights this week but travelers will have to act fast to capitalize.
JetBlue’s two-day “The Big Winter Sale” features one-way flights from as low as $44 but only runs through 11:59 p.m. ET Wednesday. The discounted Blue Basic or Blue seats are valid for travel between January 21 and March 31, 2020. However, blackout dates apply February 18-19.
Sample fares include Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale for under $60 one-way and New York City (JFK) to Los Angeles for less than $150 one-way.
United Airlines Updates Flight Delay Compensation Policy
United Airlines has updated its flight delay compensation policies to include not proactively awarding customers refunds for delays of less than six hours.
The changes were announced through an internal memo sent to United employees and obtained by Skift, which read, “When situations arise, and they warrant compensation outside of this guideline, do the right thing to take care of the customer.”
“With the ongoing enhancements within the In-the-Moment Care app, you can issue compensation on the spot, recover service disruptions, and avoid sending the customer to a website or service desk,” the memo continued.
Woman Jailed for Drunken Rampage, Asking Passengers to Join Mile High Club
A British woman has been sentenced to six months in prison after getting drunk, soliciting sex and attacking crew members and fellow passengers during an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi to Manchester, England last year.
According to The Telegraph, 20-year-old Demi Burton asked multiple male passengers to go to the bathroom and join the “mile-high club” with her before a violent outburst shortly after takeoff.
Burton was allegedly already intoxicated when she boarded the plane but continued to drink red wine. “It appears she was drunk before getting on the flight and she started making a number of inappropriate sexual comments to a number of male passengers on the flight,” said Prosecutor Claire Brocklebank per The Telegraph.
Spirit airlines to add fewer destinations in 2020
Spirit Airlines will add fewer new destinations in 2020, as the Florida-based ULCC focuses on using the new capacity to “connect the dots” across its existing 75-destination network, company officials told reporters at Spirit’s hangar in Detroit recently.
Spirit, which views itself as “predominantly [a US] East Coast company,” is currently represented in 23 of the 25 largest metro markets in the US, says Lania Rittenhouse, Spirit’s VP of inflight experience.
“Moving forward, we want to continue growing those large leisure destinations, the Las Vegases and Orlandos of the world, while also continuing to grow in the large originator market and international markets,” Rittenhouse said. “As we take delivery of our aircraft, we’re connecting the dots and adding more frequency. While we will continue adding more destinations in 2020, we will likely add fewer destinations next year than this year.”
Spirit has been expanding annual capacity at a 15-20% clip over the last several years, as it expanded to new international markets in Latin America and the Caribbean, growing to more than 600 daily systemwide departures. In its most recent investor update in October, Spirit estimated fourth-quarter 2019 capacity growth would be above 16%, while full-year 2020 levels would range between 17% and 19%.
“Our growth trajectory has been amazing. We’ll end the year with 144 aircraft in our fleet, and they just keep coming every two weeks or so,” said Rittenhouse. The company plans to take delivery of 21 Airbus A320neos in 2020 and 27 more the following year, eventually doubling the size of its fleet to over 300 aircraft by 2025.
Spirit recently filed a petition with the District Court for the District of Columbia objecting to the US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) decision to withhold 16 peak-hour slots at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) that previously belonged to Southwest Airlines. In the petition, the carrier called the DOT’s decision “arbitrary and capricious,” and accused the department of helping United Airlines “operate more than 90 monopoly” routes at EWR, its main gateway to Europe.
“We like to enter markets and give guests the ability to access low fares, and we believe those rights should still exist and we should be able to come in and compete in Newark,” said Rittenhouse. “We don’t think it should be a monopoly. It doesn’t serve anybody to have one carrier there that has all the routes,” she added in an apparent reference to United.
World’s Best Airlines for In-Flight Entertainment
World’s Most Entertaining Airlines
With more and more travelers taking to the skies, airlines are under more pressure than ever to deliver awesome entertainment at an affordable price in order to stay competitive. Globehunters.com recently analyzed the top airlines offering long-haul flights to determine which are the best at keeping passengers entertained during their trip. Here are the top 10.
Frustrated Passengers Threaten Pilot, Flight Crew During Delay
A group of airline passengers frustrated after being stuck inside a plane during an extended delay reportedly began banging on the cockpit door and harassing crew members.
According to the India Times, Air India Flight AI865 from Delhi to Mumbai endured a delay of around eight hours after the plane reportedly suffered a technical issue that needed to be repaired before it could take off.
The passengers grew more and more frustrated and began mistreating flight attendants trying to keep the situation calm. Eventually, several people onboard started knocking on the cockpit door and began taunting the pilots to come out.
Delta CEO Confident Airline Will Provide Free WiFi
Delta Air Lines Chief Executive delivered the keynote speech at Tuesday’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, introducing an array of technical marvels that the carrier is working on for the future.
But what caught most people’s attention was the discussion of free Wi-Fi, and who will get there first.
“Wi-Fi should be free on all flights,” Bastian said at the annual highly regarded convention. “I’m confident we will reach that goal within the next couple of years at speeds as fast as on the ground.”
Southwest CEO: We’ll Never Go Basic Economy During My Tenure
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly definitively and defiantly swept aside any speculation that his airline was adding a basic economy fare.
After reports emerged suggesting the airline was considering the move, Kelly told employees on Monday that it’s not happening.
And never will.
JetBlue to power some flights with “sustainable” jet fuel
JetBlue plans to use what it calls sustainably sourced jet fuel on some of its flights and buy carbon offsets to cancel out emissions from its domestic flights.
The discount carrier will offset carbon emissions from its U.S. flights starting in July, it announced Monday. JetBlue will do this by investing in environmental projects including forest conservation; capturing and reusing methane gas emitted from landfills; and developing solar and wind farms in areas that would otherwise rely on fossil fuels for energy.
The airline also said it will power flights departing San Francisco International Airport with a form of jet fuel that emits less carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and other planet-heating gasses than regular fuel. Sustainable fuel from Finnish company Neste, which is created from waste and emits 80% less climate pollution than conventional fossil fuels, will make up part of the fuel for JetBlue’s 17 daily flights from San Francisco. They will be the first commercial flights to use sustainable fuel, a spokesperson for JetBlue said.
The airline will not raise ticket prices to pay for these changes, the spokesperson said.
“This is the cost of doing business,” she said in an email. “We’ve always anticipated customer’s need and expectations – from TV to leg room. From a business perspective this is similar. The difference is that in addition to answering our customers’ needs, it also addresses an urgent societal issue, growing emissions.”
Globally, JetBlue emitted about 8.4 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2018, the most recent year for which data are available, according to records submitted to the nonprofit CDP.
The airline industry has faced criticism in recent years over its contribution to climate change. Commercial flights were responsible for 2.4% of global carbon emissions last year; airplanes also heat the planet through trails left in the sky.
Offsets are intended to let companies or people “balance out” the carbon emissions they create by investing money into carbon-capturing projects elsewhere, such as re-foresting denuded forest areas or capturing gas emitted from landfills.
However, many offset programs have come under criticism for overstating their impact, and studies have shown that much of the clean energy projects funded this way would have received funding anyway. A leading climate-change researcher, Kevin Anderson, has written that “offsetting is worse than doing nothing” because it allows people to continue climate-heating activities without feeling the need to change their behavior.
Other experts say offsetting carbon emissions is effective when done right. “If you’re burning any fossil fuels … the only way you offset that is by capturing carbon from the atmosphere and injecting it back into the earth’s crust,” said Mark Jaccard, a longtime climate policy researcher and author of “The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Success.”
Although the technology exists to do that, such efforts are expensive, he said, costing between $100 and $200 per metric ton of carbon instead of the $10-per-ton price more typical of offset programs. But Jaccard praised JetBlue’s attempt to grapple with its carbon footprint, as well as the company’s nod toward more sustainable jet fuel, which he hopes will grow beyond one city.
“We need more airlines talking like this, and that is really nice,” he said.
JetBlue follows European discount airline EasyJet, which announced last November that it would offset its carbon emissions. U.K.-based airline Virgin is also moving toward lessening its carbon footprint, powering a transatlantic flight back in 2018 with captured factory emissions.
Rough Turbulence Causes Broken Ankle for Flight Attendant
Turbulence is a fact of an airline flight that is practically unavoidable.
For the most part, it’s easily navigated and barely noticeable. At other times, well, it’s the opposite.
For flight attendant Eden Garrity, a bout with turbulence last year has had some dramatic consequences as she continues to rehabilitate what turned out to be a broken ankle.