Kenya Airways plans new economy plus class

Kenya Airways is planning to target high-level premium customers, as part of restructuring efforts aimed at returning the airline to operational profitability, new reports.

Chief executive officer of the airline, Sebastian Mikosz, said the airline is planning to roll out a new economy plus class by the end of the year.

Mikosz said the new class is targeted at business travellers, including American tourists and business executives on its new Nairobi-New York service.

SITAONAIR and DTN launches weather alerting to AIRCOM FlightTracker

Airline dispatchers using AIRCOM FlightTracker will now be equipped to help aircraft avoid inclement weather –including aircraft-specific turbulence, icing, and thunderstorm forecasts – supporting the smoothest and safest possible flight experience for those onboard, and maximizing fuel efficiency. 

Already adopted by airlines operating more than 250,000 flights every month, the FlightTracker is a ground-based software system delivering vital global real-time aircraft position alerting to airline operations teams. 

Paul Rainford, Senior Product Manager, FlightTracker, at SITAONAIR, said: "The responsibility of tracking aircraft is reliant on intensive manpower from an airline's operations and dispatch teams. But armed with FlightTracker's aircraft tracking alerting, and new, weather-based Flight Route Alerting capabilities, operations and dispatchers can focus their attentions on those flights that call for more detailed consideration. This in turn provides improved support to the pilots in the air, contributing to a better passenger experience."

Jon Reifschneider, senior vice president of weather at DTN, added: "We are excited to partner with SITAONAIR to provide additional layers of safety to all flights. The system allows you to take charge of your flight plan, planning routes up to 36 hours in advance, giving operators the confidence to schedule flights that keep passengers and crew safe, avoid turbulence, and use less fuel. DTN's insights also shed light on weather events that exceed the parameters for any planned routes, enabling flight planners to select the route that offers the best cost and the least chance of weather-related disruptions."

Kenya: JKIA Named Best Improved Airport in Africa

Nairobi — The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has been awarded the best-improved airport in Africa by the Airports Council International (ACI).

The world Airports body has singled out JKIA's improved customer service based on the responses from passengers captured by the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey.

Kenya Airports Authority's Managing Director, Jonny Andersen says JKIA is currently undergoing major reorganisation and modernisation works set to stamp its position as a regional hub.

"Today's recognition shows that the measures we have put in place to improve services are beginning to bear fruit. The benefits of all agencies working as a team are clear to see. We still have a lot to do but I believe that we are on the right track." Mr. Andersen added.

JKIA recognition comes four weeks after the airport rolled out a service charter signed by all Government agencies committing to provide consistent and high-quality service.

Casablanca Airport was named the best airport in Africa with over 2 million passengers per year, followed by Mauritius and Durban.

In the Asia-pacific region, Mumbai scooped first place serving over 40 million passengers a year. In North America, this top spot goes to Toronto Pearson and in Europe to Rome Fiumicino.

Five dead as Helicopter crashes in New York river

A helicopter carrying six people crashed in New York City’s East River on Sunday, killing all passengers, while the pilot escaped, police said.

Two of the five passengers died at the scene and three were taken to two area hospitals where they later died, a spokesman for the New York City Police spokesman confirmed early Monday.

The pilot freed himself and was treated and released in good condition from a hospital, police said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Eurocopter AS350 went down near the northern end of Roosevelt Island at about 7 p.m. and was investigating. The National Transportation Safety Board said its investigative team would arrive on Monday.

“It’s a great tragedy,” said New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro at a press conference late Sunday. “It took a while for the divers to get these people out.”

Nigro said when the divers reached the helicopter it was inverted and in 50 feet of water with below 40-degree Fahrenheit water temperatures and four-mile-an hour currents.

the passengers were tightly harnessed and the harnesses had to be cut and removed to free the passengers in the helicopter, he added.

A Reuters photographer witnessed three people recovered by rescue divers being wheeled on stretchers onto a midtown pier shortly before 9 p.m.

New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill said the aircraft was registered to Liberty Helicopters, a sightseeing and charter service in New York, and was on a private charter “photo shoot.”

The U.S. Coast Guard launched three boats to aid in the response, joining New York City emergency responders.
“It kind of hit sideways and just flipped over,” Brianna Jesme, 22, an Upper East Side resident who witnessed the crash, told Reuters TV.

Video of the incident filmed by an onlooker and posted on Twitter showed a red helicopter descending toward the water at dusk, then landing with a large splash before tipping onto its right side, its tail lights still flashing.

Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the footage.

The NYC Ferry said late Sunday on Twitter that service on the Astoria and East River routes was currently suspended until further notice because of the helicopter crash.