INCIDENT Caspian Airlines Boeing 737 suffered main gear collapse in Iran

A Caspian Airlines Boeing 737-400 suffered a left main gear collapse at Isfahan International Airport, Iran, on 5th January 2022.

The aircraft with registration EP-CAP was landing as flight RV-6904 from Mashhad International Airport to Isfahan International Airport when it suffered the main gear collapsed shortly after touch down.

The aircraft came to a stop on soft ground with the nose gear off the paved surface, and the aircraft was evacuated via slides. Five of the 117 passengers were injured during the process. In total, 117 passengers and nine crew members were on board the aircraft.

Three female passengers received minor injuries during the evacuation, whereas two male passengers received serious injuries – leg fractures.

JAMES G. WAWERU

Senior aviation Editor,

James is a navigator/FOM2 currently blogging at airbizafrica. 

He is an aviation ethusiast and has an eye for details that 

often helps him spot the best stories of the day... 

United Airlines offers higher pay to its employees during January

 

United Airlines is offering triple pay to its pilots if they pick up trips in January. Flight attendants have also been offered extra money to pick up trips.

United pilots picking an open trip between December 30 and January 3 have been offered three and a half times their regular pay in a move to avoid disruptions over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Airlines in the United States have cancelled more than 10,000 flights over the last two weeks due to bad weather and an increase in the number of sick calls from crews after testing positive for COVID-19. United cancelled around 200 flights on New Year’s Eve.

In a letter written by the United Airlines Pilot union it said:

“The impact on the operation is clear, and United has experienced a correspondingly large number of cancellations over the past week.”

Along with the Chicago-based carrier, multiple other airlines like American, JetBlue, Southwest, and Spirit are also offering extra pay to their employees. In a statement, Spirit Airlines cabin crew association said:

“All flight attendants, regardless of how you have obtained your pairing, will be receiving 200% pay for any pairing that touches December 28 through January 4.”

JAMES G. WAWERU

Senior aviation Editor,

James is a navigator/FOM2 currently blogging at airbizafrica. 

He is an aviation ethusiast and has an eye for details that 

often helps him spot the best stories of the day... 

Unknown source threatens to shoot down Vietnam Airlines aircraft over Tokyo Bay

 

On Jan. 5, a Vietnam Airlines aircraft, which took off from Japan’s Narita airport for Hanoi International, was threatened that it would be shot down over Tokyo Bay.

Flight VN5311 took off from Narita International Airport with 47 passengers, three pilots, and 12 cabin crew members on board. At 11.10 a.m. local, around 40 minutes after the take-off, the Vietnamese carrier’s office in Tokyo received a call.

The man on the phone, who was claimed to be an American said that Flight VN5311 had better turn back to Narita or it will be shot down when passing Tokyo Bay.

When the airline’s office asked the man to repeat the message,

“I am preparing to shoot VN5311 when it flies above Tokyo Bay. It had better turn around,” the man on the phone said.

After confirming the message, The Tokyo office of Vietnam Airlines informed Vietnamese and Japanese officials immediately. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) told the airline management to divert the aircraft to the Fukuoka Airport after asking permission from the Japanese authorities.

The aircraft landed at Fukuoka safely at 1.02 p.m. local time.

Japanese authorities visited the airport and spoke to the flight crew and passengers to evaluate the situation.

After finding no unusual signs and being convinced that it was safe to proceed, Flight VN5311 was allowed to take off from Fukuoka for Hanoi International Airport. The aircraft landed in Hanoi at 6:12 p.m. local time.

Flight VN5311 was the first scheduled flight between Vietnam and Japan after a two-year flight suspension between two countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

JAMES G. WAWERU

Senior aviation Editor,

James is a navigator/FOM2 currently blogging at airbizafrica. 

He is an aviation ethusiast and has an eye for details that 

often helps him spot the best stories of the day... 

Air Canada suspends operations to select sun destinations due to COVID-19 surge

 

Air Canada (ADH2) has announced that it will be suspending select operations to popular vacation destinations from January 24, 2022 until April 30, 2022 because of continuing uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suspended destinations include: Antigua, Aruba, Samaná, Curaçao, Exuma, Grenada, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo, Bermuda, Grand Cayman, Havana, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

On December 15, 2021, the Canadian government  advised its citizens to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada, regardless of vaccination status. 

To help ensure that no Canadians are stranded abroad, the airline said it plans to operate a number of one-way commercial flights from affected destinations in order to return customers from suspended destinations back to Canada.

This Air Canada (ADH2) announcement came as news emerged separately of a group of ‘partying’ passengers from Canada becoming stranded in Mexico.  The group’s Sunwing Airlines charter flight was canceled due to what the airline described as theirdisruptive behavior onboard.” No other airlines, including Air Canada (ADH2), are willing to fly the group back to Canada, reported CNN.

With regards to the suspended sun destination flights, Air Canada (ADH2) said that travelers affected by the temporary suspension of the listed destinations will be issued a full refund.

"At first glance, 2022 can be mistaken for its predecessor. Omicron ushered in a wave of renewed uncertainty that coincided with the holidays and impacted our industry yet again,” VP Air Canada Vacations Nino Montagnese said. 

“But unlike the heavy restrictions that kicked off 2021, this setback is a molehill, not a mountain. And this year is nothing like the last. We’re stronger, wiser and well-prepared to manage the potential effects of COVID-19.”

It’s been a rocky start to the year for many North American airlines, with rising COVID cases hitting staffing levels and weather adding to already stretched operations. Many have been canceling flights in January and over the Christmas period as a result.

Kenya Airways and South African Airways to partner to form a new airline

 

A new African airline will grace the skies soon. In his New Year’s speech, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that Kenya Airways and South African Airways will partner to form a new Pan-African airline.

“To boost tourism, trade, and social engagement; and to bolster continental integration; our national carrier Kenya Airways will join hands with our partners in South Africa to establish a Pan-African Airline with unmatched continental reach and global coverage,” President Kenyatta said in his December 31, 2021 speech. 

According to local news, the new airline is expected to launch in 2023. 

London Gatwick flights disrupted after IT problem hits ATC tower

 

Flights have been disrupted at London Gatwick Airport (LGW), one of the UK’s busiest airports, after an IT issue in the Air Traffic Control tower on January 6, 2022.  

Three flights were diverted during the issues, which were resolved fairly quickly during the morning arrivals period. Other planes also had to hold near the airport while the problem was tackled.  

“Earlier IT issues in the Air Traffic Control tower this morning have been resolved and flights are arriving and departing the airport as normal,” Gatwick Airport said via social media.  

However, it cautioned that passengers may still experience delays as a result of the earlier outage, which caused delays to both arriving and departing aircraft. 

LGW tower had to shut down a troublesome IT system at 7:25 local time (7:25 UTC), with the system returning to normal at 9:10 local time.  

The disruption is minimal compared to a massive computer meltdown that hit British Airways in May 2017. A computer system failure after a power supply issue left 75,000 passengers stranded. 

CDB Aviation hands over 15 new Boeing jets to United Airlines

 Lessor CDB Aviation has completed its sale and leaseback agreement by delivering 15 new Boeing aircraft to United Airlines.  

The deliveries consisted of thirteen Boeing 737 MAX 8s and two Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which were handed to the US-based carrier between 2020 and 2021.  

“The onset of COVID-19 ushered in the most challenging period in the history of the aviation industry,” said Pam Hendry, United’s Vice President and Treasurer. “We are thankful for the partnership we established with CDB Aviation and appreciate their willingness and ability to support United in a meaningful way during this global pandemic.” 

The additional 13 737 MAXs will increase United’s existing fleet of 46 Boeing 737 Max jets to 59 and will “further entrench domestic operations”. Newly delivered CFM-powered MAXs have the capability to accommodate 166 passengers in a two-class configuration.  

The two 787-9s are powered by General Electric GEnx engines and configured in a 257-seat layout with the new cabins. The 787-9s will contribute to United’s already hefty fleet of 63 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.  

The airline’s current number of aircraft stands at 857 with an average age of 16.6 years old, according to Planespotters.net.  

“Our commercial team remains focused on identifying ways to deliver wide-ranging and innovative solutions to top-tier airlines, such as United, as they navigate their pathways through the air travel sector’s nascent recovery and position their fleets for post-pandemic realities, with operating economics and sustainability top of mind,” Patrick Hannigan, CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer, added.