#British Airways third daily to London

[networkthoughts]

British Airways joins Virgin Atlantic in adding flights to India, Indian carriers continue to lag

Close on the heels of Virgin Atlantic announcing their second daily to Mumbai starting this winter, British Airways has followed suit and announced its third daily to Delhi which is slated to begin next summer from April 20, 2025. This will increase the airline’s schedule across India to 63 flights a week across five cities. This comes on the back of new Bilateral Air Services which takes the…

[hardynwa]

Airfares rises as foreign airlines settle for N582/$1

For the third time in less than a month, the rate of exchange (RoE) applicable to foreign airlines has ballooned, hitting N582/$1 with attendant spike in the cost of international air travel. At the new RoE, registered by the Global Distribution System (GDS), a six-hour Lagos-London economy class ticket now fluctuates between N1.1 million and N2.97 million – subject to airline of choice, place and time of booking. Its business class variant sells for an average of N3.36 million to N4.8 million. While stakeholders regretted that the development has further pushed international air travel beyond the reach of average Nigerians, they acknowledged the inherent respite on foreign airlines that are patronising the Investors’ and Exporters’ (I&E) FX window for fund repatriation, and reopening of naira inventories to travel agencies in the countries. It will be recalled that the international segment of the aviation sector has been in a stuck fund crisis in the last one year, with knock-on effects on inventories, asking price, and near-collapse of local travel agencies. Earlier intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) did pledge $265 million in August 2022, leaving a balance of $200 million of the fund. But the stranded funds kept piling by daily sales of tickets, to warrant Emirates Airlines quitting the Nigerian route late October 2022. As at the last check, industry sources said the accumulated was well over $800 million. The Guardian learnt that following a negotiation to end the logjam, the authorities recently conceded a shift from the official CBN window to the volatile I&E window for the repatriation of foreign airlines’ funds in Nigeria. The push-pull effect has been evident in the applicable rate of exchange, and attendant cost of travel. At this time last month, the RoE was pegged at N462 to a dollar. About a week later, the rate climbed to N500/$1. Some days afterwards, it reached N551. Last week, the high vicissitude window hit a new high of N582/$1, with airfares tagging along. Inquiries by The Guardian showed a varying price range across international carriers on the Nigerian route. For instance, Qatar and Ethiopian Airways have some of the cheapest airfares en route London destination – being one of the most popular for Nigerian air travellers. A Lagos-London-Lagos economy class ticket seat on Qatar (with stopover in Doha), at the weekend, cost an average of N1.2 million. Its business class was sold for N4.8 million. The flagship African carrier, Ethiopia (via Addis Ababa), offered the two cabins for N1.1 million and N3.36 million, respectively. Legacy carriers like British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic (VA) are on the higher side. Direct Lagos-London-Lagos flight ticket on BA costs an average of N1.8 million in economy cabin and N4.41 million for business class travellers. VA offered the economy class for an average of N2.2 million. American carrier on the Lagos-Atlanta-Lagos route, Delta Air, charged an average of N4.64 million for economy, and N8.36 million per seat in the business cabin. Similar route on Qatar (via Doha) averages N3.24 million for economy and N4.53 for Business Class travellers. Travel operators and experts alike were unanimous that the new rates were inevitable and partly a good omen in the current market realities. Notwithstanding the extra push in the cost of travel that is passed to consumers, President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Susan Akporiaye, said the new dispensation in fare pricing is partly solving the problem of stuck funds, and accessibility of tickets to Nigerians. Akporiaye told reporters that foreign airlines were beginning to repatriate funds from tickets sold in local currency, with a chain reaction in reopening inventories to travel agencies. Chairman of the Airlines and Passengers Joint Committee (APJC) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Bankole Bernard, said foreign airlines accessing the I&E window might be the permanent solution to the perennial problem of stuck funds, and unleashing the commercial viability of the international segment. Bernard reiterated that the stuck fund crisis had regrettably dragged on for too long because the government was indecisive on what to do with the FX liquidity crisis, and its effects on the foreign airlines. “The government has been neither here nor there. If you are telling the airlines not to sell at NAFEX rate, but in Naira, and they are not getting their equivalence for repatriation, then the government is the creator of the problem. “But the airline has started getting their money because they are not waiting for the CBN anymore. They are doing I&E window, though it is higher, but it is good for the airlines, and even the government. The only people that are suffering in all of this are the masses. “But when you do not subsidise airfares, the airlines will become commercially lucrative because they can sell at the RoE and repatriate their monies easily. Instead of doing one flight, they can do three trips, and make more money. In transport, the real income comes from volume and not yield,” Bernard said. He added that with the development, a lot of airlines are beginning to warm up to the travel agencies again, and “we are certainly going to sell more tickets this year than last year”. Travel expert, Sunday Olumegbon, however, said that the approach would further disenfranchise average Nigerians from the aviation industry. Olumegbon noted that the recent surge in both local and international air traffic would be eroded by cut-throat pricing mechanisms. Indeed, a summary of 2022 industry performance by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on the overall, showed a market rebound of over 16.17 million passengers recorded on both the domestic (12.7 million) and international (3.5 million) market segments. The 2022 total traffic figure showed a 13 per cent increase when compared with 2021 figures (14.2 million), and the highest passenger traffic since the COVID-19 post-pandemic era. Olumegbon said: “In a country of over 200 million, that less than seven per cent of the population travels by air is nothing to be proud of in modern aviation. It used to be eight per cent; so we are retrogressing in our numbers. With the new pricing, how many Nigeria residents will be able to afford international travel? That is the issue. “Technically, we have solved a problem by creating another one. Aviation globally is the business of freedom. Here, we have further made it elitist, and only for the rich that can afford routine trips,” he said. Apparently in agreement with Olumegbon, travel analyst, and member of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Olumide Ohunayo, said the solution to the high pricing regime is to build local capacity for fair competition. Ohunayo explained that the upward adjustment in RoE is not the exclusive preserve of foreign airlines, rather, based on agreement with the CBN, and notification of the Civil Aviation Authority. “Even before now, and due to accumulation of funds, the airlines have been selling only premiums to cushion the effect of the trapped funds. Now that they have increased the RoE through I&E window, I think we are gradually getting to the solution. What we need to do is to unify all these different rates like IMF, and the likes have advised. People are making so much money from the different windows, and breaking down the economy. “Really, the fare going up is inevitable, and that is the situation we have found ourselves in. We only need to compete, and throw more capacities into the international segment. It is either you encourage Nigerian airlines to participate or increase frequencies of foreign airlines. “I want to see Nigerian airlines participating in the foreign segment. I am seeing local airlines (Air Peace) going to India, Israel, but what is happening to the core routes like London, Ireland, U.S.? We must throw in the capacity to bring down prices,” Ohunayo said. Read the full article

[travelcenter-uk]

Fully vaccinated travellers to be free of Covid tests from this month!

Booster jabs come into play with the new requirements.

Under the reported government plans to lift all travel restrictions this month in the UK, vaccinated, travellers are free to travel without taking covid tests on their return.

According to The Sunday Times, transport secretary Grant Shapps is set to ditch the testing requirements for people who are fully vaccinated in time for the February half-term break.

It is reportedly scheduled that an announcement of the relaxed testing regime is set for 26 January; plan B restrictions are expected to be lifted by the prime minister Boris Johnson, including working from home and masks on public transport and shops.

Under the current requirements, travellers must take a lateral flow test two days after returning from Britain; if you test positive, you will have to isolate for ten days, but it can be reduced with negative lateral flow tests on days six and seven. It is said that the isolation period will be reduced to five days for people who are fully vaccinated and following an announcement from Sajid Javid this week.

A source close to Mr Shapps told The Sunday Times: “We are looking at removing all Covid tests for vaccinated travellers by the end of January, which is likely to coincide with the review of the plan B measures on 26 January.”

This change will be positive for the travel industry since the testing rules have been complicating the situation. In December, 600,000 passengers cancelled plans to fly from Heathrow due to the rise of Omicron Coronavirus and because of the travel restrictions that were very strict, the airport said.

The decision of stopping pre-departure tests this month led to a 200 per cent rise in easyJet bookings, while British Airways had holiday searches that rose by nearly 40 per cent, with New York, Dubai and Barbados being the most famous destinations.

This spring, ministers are expected to update fully vaccinated status, adding the third jab into the picture, leaving those who ignored the booster reliant on tests if they want to travel.

The lowest daily number of new coronavirus cases in the past month was reported on Friday in the UK. It was a total of 81,713, being the lowest count since 15 December. Experts believe the fall in the Covid cases looks positive and that the spread of the Omicron variant is “stabilising”.

Coronavirus cases appear to be “plateauing” in London, the southeast, and the east of England, says  Susan Hopkins, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) chief medical adviser.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today that programme cases were still high, with almost one in 15 people in England being infected and one in 20 elsewhere in the UK, but as per the count on the hospital admissions, there was a “slow down”.

Prof Julian Hiscox, chairman in infection and global health at the University of Liverpool, told the BBC: “We’re almost there; it is now the beginning of the end, at least in the UK. I think life in 2022 will be almost back to before the pandemic.”

Read More:- Fully vaccinated travellers to be free of Covid tests from this month!

This Article, Information & Images Source (copyright):- Travel Center UK Blog

[orbemnews]

Serial Stowaway Marilyn Hartman Explains How She Repeatedly Got Past Airport Security; 'The Story Is Crazy' By Brad Edwards and Carol Thompson CHICAGO (CBS) — For nearly 20 years, Marilyn Hartman baffled everyone. In a post-9/11 world, she flew the world over, she never had a ticket. She became America’s Serial Stowaway. READ MORE: Chicago Weather: Precipitation Lasts Into Evening Rush For Many The one thing she’s never done, is talk about it – in depth. How? Why? Will she do it again? Never talked about it until right now, exclusively with CBS 2 Investigator Brad Edwards. Marilyn Hartman reflected on the moniker she’s best known for: The Serial Stowaway. “I don’t mind if people say ‘She’s a nut.’“ “… because when I look at it objectively … “ “… that’s how I see it is craziness.” “I purposely remained a mystery, because of the crazy factor.” “This makes it even crazier, you might want to reconsider everything.” “… It was like something out of a movie.” CBS 2, over the years, has covered Hartman’s travels. “So, Bradford, I don’t care at all if someone calls me crazy, I mean the story is crazy,” she said. It started with a phone call from jail on October 29, 2019. Hartman: “Hello is this Brad Edwards?” Edwards: “Yeah. Hi Marilyn. How are you?” Hartman: “I really appreciate you reaching out to me that was a very nice letter and everything, and I like your reporting as well … I’ve given this a lot of thought and I’m willing to do this.” Edwards: “Can I record this call?” Hartman: “You definitely can record it, that’s fine,” Hartman said. And they were off. Like Marilyn Hartman herself: America’s Serial Stowaway. Edwards and Hartman were pen pals since late 2019 — her last attempt to flee for free. Audio recordings, obtained by the CBS 2 Investigators, reveal a Transportation Security Administration agent spotted her once again at O’Hare on October 10, 2019, and called police. “There’s been a Marilyn sighting over here,” said one TSA agent. The dispatcher then asked the agent, “Can you keep an eye on her for me?” From the Cook County jail, she wrote she wanted: “… To apologize … My mea culpa to law enforcement, including the TSA … it was not my intention to make their jobs more difficult.” She told Edwards she thought she had taken at least 30 flights over the years. The CBS 2 Investigators — through a series of sources, public records requests, Ms. Hartman’s recollections, and more — compiled a forensic accounting of her free rides. Jacksonville. Seattle. Phoenix. Philly. Atlanta. Minneapolis. San Fran. London. A real Catch Me If You Can — she says began in 2002. Hartman recalls, “The first time I was able to to get through I flew to Copenhagen” and “The second time I flew into Paris.” It wasn’t until some 12 years later that she popped on the radar of law enforcement. August 14, 2014: Ms. Hartman, sans ticket, flew from San Jose to Los Angeles. A judge then warned her, don’t do it again. Seven months later, in April 2015 in Jacksonville, she appeared in court where her fate was sealed: “Ms. Hartman has been determined by forensic psychologists to be incompetent to proceed.” “I know they keep emphasizing the mental illness … law enforcement … would like to have that in place. but umm … (laughs) no, I’m pretty good,” she said. Good at getting away with it. Per law enforcement documents, as early as January 2015, Hartman was on the “trespass list.” In April 2015, documents show she was known as a “serial stowaway.” In May 2015, she was “… considered a high security risk.” And, in July that year: a “habitual stowaway.” So, how did she get away with taking so many flights for so long, without a ticket or a boarding pass? “The thing I’ve got to tell you. I have never been able to board a plane by myself. I was always let through,” Hartman revealed. “I mean I was able to go through the security line without a boarding pass.” The year prior to her latest arrest, her last success happened in January 2018. READ MORE: Off-Duty CPD Officer Shot Near South Stony Island Reports obtained by the CBS2 Investigators say Hartman, “evaded the security process” “and document / ticket check” and took a $3428 flight to London on a British Airways plane. She had become omnipresent at TSA checkpoints, with her picture at security checkpoints. She described to CBS 2 how she did it. “I got by them, this is the thing that is so crazy, by following someone they would be carrying like a blue bag,” she said. “And the next thing I know, I get into the TSA line and TSA lets me through, and they think I’m with the guy with the blue bag.” “For her to be able to repeat that over and over, that is just mind boggling,” says aviation security expert Jeff Price. The genius of her mode of operation is in its simplicity,” he said and warned, “… It’s the unsophisticated types of plans are often the most successful.” Price, once assistant head of security at Denver International Airport, and a professor at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, has written “Practical Aviation Security: Predicting and Preventing Future Threats” considered the leading textbook on aviation security. “Have we taken Marilyn Hartman did serious enough,” Edwards asked. “I don’t think we have,” answered Price. Is the TSA using Hartman’s tactics as a training tool? We asked and were told to put in a public records request for the information. We did and are still waiting for a response. “They literally should have a curriculum designed around how she’s able to get through security and that should be taught to every Transportation Security Officer out there,” said Price. Marilyn Hartman looks like a grandmother. It makes you wonder would the same type of courtesy be extended to a young man with olive skin or a mother with a hijab? Or do we need to think differently, we asked Price. “We definitely need to think differently,” he said and added, “We can’t constantly be preparing for the last attack. The next attack will not look like that.” “And the next attacker?” Edwards asked. “And the next attacker. Exactly,” Price said. Back to Marilyn Hartman and why she took all those flights. “When I took the plane ride, I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t ‘Oh, I’m going here or there’— I was actually in a depressed state of mind,” she told CBS2. Diagnosed bipolar, it wasn’t a manic episode that set off the flight trigger, it was the opposite. An example, in 2015. Back-to-back days – July 3 and July 4. One Midway, one O’Hare. Similar clothes, same carry-on. So depressed she’d admit, her desperation got her caught, both times. In one phone conversation from jail, Edwards asked Hartman if she felt a fight or flight response and literally took a flight. She answered: “That is literally what happened.” She spoke later about her mental health. “I’m bipolar. And this is something I’ve rejected for years.” She wrote in several letters to Edwards about her life growing up, as a young child. Hartman wrote that she was born in 1951 at Jackson Park Hospital and told Edwards later about her family life. “There was so much violence and mental illness in the household,” she said. Her life alone, ill, not much of note, until she took off. In October 2019 when TSA last stopped her at O’Hare trying to take flight again, she was already on probation for the 2018 flight to London. “I have real tough judge on this case,” she said. “Judge Chiampas is pissed at me for the situation in which I found myself.” She’s already been in custody for 500-plus days on these latest on charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, and probation violation. Details of a plea agreement announced in early March would drop the burglary charge and give Hartman 18 months’ probation, with mental health counseling. A deal the Judge didn’t seem interested in accepting. Judge Chiampas said at that hearing, “I will not be giving her a third probation.” In those several phone calls and letters with Edwards, Ms. Hartman had a warmth about her, was contemplative. She wrote of the inequities, Jim Crow- like in jail. She’s currently out of jail on electronic monitoring and on a steady diet of counseling and daily meds. Edwards noted: “So, you’ve had a hell of a life.” “Yeah, it’s been. It has been,” she answered. Edwards asked, “Would you consider yourself fascinating?” “Yes I would under the circumstances … and I downplay it, Brad, I don’t. Yeah,” she said. Hartman never did an in-depth interview “… Until I was confident that I wouldn’t take an illegal flight again,” she said. And, added one final thought, “I want the opportunity to apologize to the people I’ve hurt.” Hartman’s plea deal will likely be finalized in early April when all parties are back in court. The CBS2 Investigators could not find anyone, from TSA to gate agents, who had ever been disciplined for any Hartman gaffe. We reached out to several major airlines. Southwest told us they had nothing to say on the record on the matter. Delta and United did not respond. American Airlines did send a statement saying they had a rigorous process in place to ensure safety. MORE NEWS: Indian Lakes Hotel In Bloomingdale Will Not Reopen After February Shooting That Left 1 Dead, 4 Other Injured “We are aware of the incidents involving Marilyn Hartman at O’Hare Airport. American’s Corporate Security and Safety teams have rigorous processes in place to ensure the safety of our operation and we continue to work with our partners in law enforcement and at the TSA to maintain a safe and secure airport environment.” –American Airlines Spokesperson Source link Orbem News #airport #crazy #explains #Hartman #Marilyn #marilynhartman #news #o'hareairport #repeatedly #security #serial #Story #Stowaway #syndicatedlocal

[covid19worldnews]

Markets go through the roof as Pfizer unveils vaccine breakthrough

Nov 9, 2020 – 11.18pm

London | Stockmarkets exploded with euphoria after drug companies Pfizer and BioNTech said their COVID-19 vaccine was proving 90 per cent effective, fuelling hopes that an end to the pandemic nightmare is within reach.

The French, German and British markets piled on well over 4 per cent in a frenzied mid-morning surge on Monday, with some stocks in the airline, leisure and hospitality stocks soaring as much as 40 per cent.

Pfizer said its interim analysis of its vaccine candidate, based on a phase-3 trial involving 43,538 participants, had shown the vaccine to be potentially more than 90 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19 in previously uninfected patients.

“Today is a great day for science and humanity,” Pfizer CEO and chairman Albert Bourla said in a statement. “We are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis.”

The company said it would seek an emergency use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration as soon as it reached a safety milestone, probably in the third week of November.

The two companies would then be able to product 50 million doses this year (with each patient requiring two doses, a month apart) and up to 1.3 billion next year.

The vaccine’s innovative “messenger RNA” format uses only the pathogen’s genetic code, rather than using weakened version of the virus, making it quicker and easier to manufacture.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said only last week that his government had secured 10 million doses of the revolutionary Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

Britain has secured 30 million doses and reckons its could produce 10 million by the end of this year. The US has bagged 100 million with an option for another 500 million, while the European Union has spent the past two months negotiating a deal for up to 200 million.

The market’s feverish reaction was echoed by defeated US president Donald Trump, who repeatedly downplayed the pandemic, who took to Twitter in customary CAPS LOCK format to welcome the news.

Mr Trump, who lost the election last week to Joe Biden, had pressured drug companies to fast-track a vaccine for approval before the election, hoping it would boost his chances at the polls after COVID-19 claimed more than 230,000 American lives.

Some market observers worried that markets were overreacting to the news, given that regulatory approval and vaccine distribution are still some way off.

“I suspect the markets, which are already in a bullish mood due to the incoming Biden Administration, are overthinking the positive vaccine news. They are being premature in their buoyancy,” said Nigel Green, CEO of financial advisory firm deVere Group.

In Britain, investors quickly bought into an envisioned ‘new normal’: shares in shuttered cinema chain Cineworld jumped 40.7 per cent in the hours after the announcement, while IAG, the parent company of British Airways, rose 34.4 per cent – a gain reflected in other aviation and travel stocks.

Not everyone was a winner: online groceries home deliverer Ocado shed 13 per cent, and futures on US-listed Zoom were down 16 per cent. The gold price fell 3.9 per cent, but oil prices jumped more than 8 per cent.

Large-scale testing

The vaccine still needs to complete safety trials, secure regulatory approval, roll into production and then be distributed across the world.

“Distribution of this is going to be challenging. … But we’ll solve those things if we need to,” John Bell, of the British government’s Vaccine Taskforce told the BBC.

“It also rolls the pitch for other vaccines, because I can’t see any reason now why we shouldn’t have a handful of good vaccines available.”

The shots made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are among 10 possible vaccine candidates in late-stage testing around the world — four of them so far in huge studies in the US.

Volunteers in the final-stage studies, and the researchers, don’t know who received the real vaccine or a dummy shot. But a week after their second required dose, Pfizer’s study began counting the number who developed COVID-19 symptoms and were confirmed to have the coronavirus.

So far, Pfizer has recorded 94 cases of COVID-19 from its trial, of whom 90 per cent had not received the vaccine. The FDA has said the company needs to record 164 infections among all the volunteers to demonstrate how well the vaccine is working.

Participants were tested only if they developed symptoms, leaving unanswered whether vaccinated people could get infected but show no symptoms and unknowingly spread the virus.

The FDA has required that US vaccine candidates be studied in at least 30,000 people. In addition to adequate numbers of older adults, those studies must also include other groups at high risk, including minorities and people with chronic health problems.

And it told companies they must track half their participants for side effects for at least two months, the time period when problems typically crop up. Pfizer expects to reach that milestone later this month, but said Monday no serious safety concerns have been reported.

Because the pandemic is still raging, manufacturers hope to seek permission from governments around the world for emergency use of their vaccines while additional testing continues — allowing them to get to market faster than normal but raising concerns about how much scientists will know about the shots.

The FDA’s scientific advisers last month said they worry that allowing emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine could damage confidence in the shots and make it harder to ever find out how well they really work. Those advisers said it’s critical these massive studies are allowed to run to completion.

The other vaccine that’s on the verge of a breakthrough is being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University.

Oxford scientist Andrew Pollard told a British parliamentary committee that their initial analysis, similar to that which Pfizer released on Monday, would be released before Christmas.

Another US company, Moderna, also has said it hopes to be able to file an application with the FDA later this month.

With Associated Press

How the coronavirus is changing markets, business and politics.

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Hans van Leeuwen covers British and European politics, economics and business from London. He has worked as a reporter, editor and policy adviser in Sydney, Canberra, Hanoi and London. Connect with Hans on Twitter. Email Hans at hans.vanleeuwen@afr.com

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https://www.covid19snews.com/2020/11/09/markets-go-through-the-roof-as-pfizer-unveils-vaccine-breakthrough/

[bigyack-com]

Royal Orchid Plus Launches Triple Miles Promotion

Thai Airways celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, and as part of the celebrations is offering Royal Orchid Plus (ROP) members the chance to earn triple miles. The promotion is available to all members who make reservations and issue tickets via Thai Airways' website between 1 and 2 May 2020 for travel between 1 December 2020 and 31 March 2021.

The triple mileage promotion is available for on both international and domestic Thai Airways and Thai Smile flights. Thai Airways and Thai Smile are not currently operating any scheduled services. Thai Airways is expected to resume international flights on 30 June / 1 July while Thai Smile is hoping to resume domestic flights on 1 June 2020. See also: Thai AirAsia to Resume Domestic Flights on 1 May, Thai Lion Air to Resume Domestic Flights on 1 May and Bangkok Airways to Resume Samui Flights on 15 May. See latest Travel News, Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: COVID19, FFP, Thai Airways, Thai Smile, ROP, Royal Orchid Plus. Headlines: IHG Signs Resort in Saipan  Airbus Develops A330 and A350 Cargo Solution for Airlines  Air Canada Launches CleanCare+  Second Boeing 777X Begins Flight Tests  Bombardier to Resume Aircraft Manufacturing in Canada  Hamad Int. Airport Reports Q1 2020 Increase in Cargo  Universal Postal Union Warns of Air Capacity Shortage  Australia's Loyal Wingman Prototype Begins Ground Tests  Aviation: Global Passenger Volumes Return to Levels Last Seen in 2006  Passenger Numbers of Asia Pacific Airlines Down 72.9% in March  AirAsia Resumes Domestic Flights in Malaysia; Philippines and Thailand Next  Royal Orchid Plus Launches Triple Miles Promotion  Etihad Airways' Special Flights to Include Dublin and New York JFK  Virgin Atlantic to Deliver Over 43 Million PPE Items to UK in Next Three Months  ICAO Establishes COVID19 Aviation Recovery Task Force  Martin Nüsseler Joins Deutsche Regional Aircraft as CTO  Bangkok Airways to Resume Samui Flights  Not Enough Air Cargo Capacity to Meet Demand  Virgin Atlantic to Operate 90+ Cargo-Only Flights Per Week in May  Singapore Hotel Association Partners STR  IATA's 76th AGM to Take Place in Amsterdam 23-24 November  Air Astana to Resume Flights Between Almaty and Nur-Sultan  British Airways CEO Warns of Significant Changes to Come  Hong Kong Airport Employs Latest Technology in Fight Against COVID19  COVID19: Airlines in Asia Pacific to See Largest Drop in Revenue  Philippine Airlines to Operate Two Repatriation Flights from New York  Boeing South Carolina to Resume 787 Operations  Simone Broekhaar Joins Patina Maldives Fari Islands as DOSM  American Airlines to Offer Wipes / Gels and Face Masks to Passengers  Domestic Travel to Lead Recovery Followed by Regional and Long-Haul Services  Sebastian Mikosz to Join IATA as SVP - Member and External Relations  Thai AirAsia to Resume Domestic Flights 1 May  Marco Den Ouden Joins Patina Maldives Fari Islands as GM  Thai Airways Operates Repatriation Flights from Sydney and Auckland  Air Canada to Operate Modified Dash 8-400 Aircraft for Cargo  Virgin Atlantic to Launch Cargo-Only Flights to Tel Aviv, Israel  British Airways Increases Cargo-Only Flights from China  WTTC Estimates 100+ Million Job Losses in Travel & Tourism Sector  Thai Lion Air to Resume Domestic Flights on 1 May  Air New Zealand Delays New York Launch to Late-2021  Etihad to Provide Air Freight Assistance to Australian Exporters  Austrian Airlines Predicts Demand of Pre-COVID19 Levels in 2023  Anantara Launches Stay With Peace of Mind Programme  Executive Leadership Team Changes at CWT  CAE Signs Deal for 10,000 COVID19 Ventilators; Recalls Staff in Canada  Delta to Use Overhead Bins of Widebody Aircraft for Cargo  Marriott Establishes Global Cleanliness Council  Hong Kong's Daily Visitor Arrivals Below 100 at Beginning of April  1.2 Billion Fewer International Air Travellers by September 2020  PAL to Operate Special Flight to London on 24 April  CWT Awarded Platinum Status by EcoVadis  Emirates Increases Inflight and Airport Safety Measures  SAS Extends Status Level of EuroBonus Members for 12 Months  Delta Looking to Raise US$ 3 Billion  Vietnam Airlines Repatriates 300 People from Japan  IATA: Airlines Around the World Struggling to Survive  Air Canada to Suspend Scheduled Flights to USA  Qatar Airways Staff to Defer Portion of Basic Salary  United Airlines Looking to Raise Over US$1 Billion Through Public Offering  Korean Air Providing Protective Gowns and Goggles to Cabin Crew  Crown Group Unveils Plans for Mixed-Use Development in Los Angeles  Airbus Achieves Fully Automatic Refuelling Contacts  Vietnam Airlines Upgrades Flight Pass with Optiontown  Cathay Pacific to Operate 3% of Normal Capacity in April and May  Passengers Numbers at Hong Kong Int. Airport Down 91% in March  Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific Increase Flights Between Hanoi and Saigon  IATA and ICS Call on Governments to Facilitate Ship Crew Changes  Hahn Air Restructures Departments  Etihad Hoping to Resume Scheduled Passenger Flights from 1 May  Vietjet to Increase Passenger and Cargo Flights in Vietnam  United Airlines Expects Demand to Remain Suppressed in 2020 and Likely 2021  MTCO Launches Mekong Heroes  Finnair Using Airbus A350s for Cargo-Only Flights to Asia  Deliveroo Launches Rider Academy in Hong Kong  IATA Offering Free Access to Online Training Courses  Vietnam Airlines Operates UK Repatriation Flight  IHG to Take Over Four Seasons Hotel in Shanghai, China  IATA: Airline Industry's Outlook Grows Darker by the Day  Finnair and Juneyao Air to Strengthen Partnership  Qatar Airways Signs US$ 850m Financing Deal with Standard Chartered  Flight Centre Secures AU$900 Million in Additional Funding  F-15QA Fighter Jet Completes Maiden Flight  Philippine Airlines to Operate Melbourne - Manila Flight on 19 April  Number of Flights Operated by Asia Pacific Airlines Down 93%  American Airlines Extends AAdvantage Status  Air New Zealand Extends Significantly Reduced Network to 30 June  SunExpress Launches Cargo-Only Flights  Etihad to Operate Special Flights to Brussels, Dublin, London, Tokyo and Zurich  Malaysia Airlines Operates Repatriation Flights to Egypt, Indonesia and NZ  Thai Airways Extends Validity of ROP Mileage  Farah C. 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[asfeedin]

Amid COVID-19 Travel Bans Airlines Resume Europe Flights-How Is It?

Despite Europe’s COVID-19 travel bans on all international tourists, airlines are selling flights to … [+] a host of European destinations. Wizz Air, Ryanair and British Airways are from May 1 starting flights to places including Lisbon, Budapest, Nimes and Bologna, all of which are still in lockdown. (Photo by Hristo Rusev/NurPhoto)

NurPhoto via Getty Images

If you want to fly London to Lisbon from today, May 1, several airlines are promising to take you there. This despite Europe’s ongoing COVID-19 travel bans on all international tourists. Budget operator Wizz Air is resuming flights to a host of Europe destinations this week. So too are Ryanair and British Airways. Wizz Air and BA are selling tickets to Lisbon from Saturday and throughout the week. Wizz Air from Luton, BA from Heathrow.

BA’s “Book With Confidence” jingle seems a little out of place. How can a consumer book with confidence when an airline is selling flights to places that are in lockdown? Portugal’s borders as for those of 30 European countries are currently closed to all tourists and most foreigners until at least May 15. At that point the EU will again reassess its coronavirus travel ban, which could easily be renewed.

The maze of apparent flights vs. lockdown reality is creating consumer havoc, and not all potential passengers are getting replies to social media calls for clarity.

Likewise for Wizz Air’s “Worry Free Booking, Now Cheaper” slogan on its Facebook Page, as it entices people to “Book a flight now”. Following the airline’s promise last week to offer “very low fares” to rekindle the market, a London-Lisbon ticket will cost as little as £12.99 one-way over coming weeks, though up to a not-so-cheap £69.99.

Screenshot of Wizz Air showing London Gatwick to Budapest flights all this week, starting May 1, … [+] despite Europe’s continuing lockdown, and travel ban on all tourists.

Tamara Thiessen

But again, Portugal is in lockdown and no tourists are allowed, as the country’s daily Publico reports. Even movement between Portugal and Spain is strictly controlled it says, excluding any tourism between the neighbors.

Despite Portuguese government announcements Thursday that the country’s State of Emergency will from May 3 become a “State of Calamity”, the travel ban stays in place. There is no indication that the gradual lightening of Portugal’s lockdown measures over coming weeks yet extends to tourism.

According to the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Portugal, current travel restrictions mean “only Portuguese nationals or returning foreign residents may enter Portugal through May 18, 2020 … Travelers should be prepared for additional travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.”

Additionally, Portugal also falls within the countries which the British Foreign Office advises its citizens not to visit. So would you try flying into Portugal right now for tourism? I certainly wouldn’t. And where on earth will you stay? Given nearly 95% of the country’s hotels are currently closed according to The New York Times.

Charade Or Cash Grab?

Indeed, how can any of these airlines be re-entering the European skies so vigorously in May when European lockdowns are still in place? Wizz Air is restarting flights from Luton to 15 destinations this month. Others available on its booking page are Budapest in Hungary, Bratislava in Slovakia, and Belgrade in Serbia. From May 2 there are flights to Tenerife, in lockdowned Spain’s Canary Islands. Yet local officials say the islands may be shut to all international tourists possibly until October, and no earlier than July.

So is Wizz Air counting on these flights being filled by Europe travel ban exempt-only passengers such as citizens, residents, and medical staff? This is a question I put to the airline via its Facebook page. So far no reply.

From mid-May, Ryanair too is selling seats to numerous European destinations from London Luton, including Barcelona, Athens (at a fulsome £332 one-way), Bologna and Nimes, despite travel bans on domestic and international tourists in all these countries. Even as Italy, Greece, Spain and France start to unfurl easing of quarantine measures, none of the relaxation for now extends to foreign tourism.

Starting this weekend, Ryanair is also offering regular flights from London Stansted to Budapest. That despite the fact that Hungary’s borders are closed. The airline seems to be enjoying see customers run around in circles on an endless cancellation-refund treadmill.

Wizz Air too is offering daily flights from Luton to Budapest, and apparently selling them. “Only 3 seats left at this price” says its booking page for Saturday’s flight.

The contradiction is causing huge confusion, and no doubt more refund heartache, among passengers.

It just seems like more and more booking traps are being set everywhere by airlines eager to make a buck quick. Unless, as I mention above, the ticket sales are targeting only passengers exempt from European travel bans.

If that were the case, surely this would be mentioned in the booking process? Yet there is no hint, for those tempted by the ticket bonanza, that travel is not open to anyone. None of the airlines currently selling tickets to Europe clarify the travel restrictions in place in the countries for which fares are available.

In an article in The Telegraph Wizz does suggest the flights “are to provide an essential service to those who need to travel”. But it fails to spell this out to potential customers, online.

This as thousands of consumers battle already for refunds for cancelled flights booked weeks ago. Now airlines are now ramping up ticket sales to places no tourist can visit. As The Telegraph article warns “Many customers now won’t be entitled to a refund for cancelling their booking”, given the FCO advises against travel.

The move by Wizz Air is raising eyebrows from many quarters. “There may be a need for some essential travel, but not giving the option to cancel without penalty looks like a cash grab,” judges Which?Travel Magazine in the U.K.

“Which? Travel claimed the decision had been made so Wizz Air does not have to cancel flights meaning it will not be legally obliged to refund passengers booked on them who decide not to travel,” notes Travel Weekly.

For former BBC news presenter and travel consultant, Paul Charles, Wizz is “possibly the most irresponsible airline in the sector right now.”

Curiously the airline makes no bones in a press statement about routes to and from Romania being suspended again “with the prolonging of existing travel restrictions”. “Thus, the routes to France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, The United Kingdom and The Netherlands remain suspended until May 14 inclusive,” it states. But travel restrictions in several other destinations it’s selling have not been lifted yet either.

Sanitary Measures And Social Distancing Onboard Sweetener

Wizz Air says COVID-19 health precautions are a priority as it sets to take off again. All cabin crew will wear masks and gloves–disinfectant wipes will be handed out to passengers. Aircraft will be disinfected overnight, it said in a statement.

Wizz Air also says it may allow more space between passengers, as travel restrictions ease up. Chief Executive Jozsef Varadi told Reuters the middle seat of single-aisle planes may be left vacant to allow “a degree of social distancing aboard”. “We would basically be blocking a third of the airplanes,” he said. “A 180-seater would become a 120-seater.”

Stepped up sanitary measures aside, be sure to be aware of your rights before you press on the booking button. Don’t by any means think you can go off on holiday in Europe yet, just because there is suddenly an abundance of flights on offer from airlines.

While there are murmurings at an EU level of a special kind of COVID-19 passport to allow Europeans to holiday in Europe once the pandemic is under control, such a plan is far from seeing the light of day. Even if it eventuates, it’s not aimed at British travelers, or other non-European foreigners. All of whom may have to wait many months longer to get a green light for European travel.

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Tags: airline, Airlines, ban, Bans, british airways, Consumer, coronavirus, covid-19, COVID19, Customer, Europe, European, fares, flights, FlightsHow, Fly, flying, Hungary, lisbon, lockdown, passengers, Portugal, Refunds, resume, ryanair, Selling, social-distancing, tickets, Travel, travel ban, UK, US, wizz air

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[topiom]

British tourist in Thailand is feared to be first western victim of new Chinese coronavirus | Daily Mail Online

A British tourist fighting for his life in Thailand is feared to be the first Western victim of the coronavirus sweeping across China.

Ash Shorley, 32, is in critical condition in a hospital in Phuket after being struck down with a lung infection while visiting Koh Phi Phi island. 

Mr Shorley had to be transported to hospital by a specialised seaplane because his lung had collapsed and he could not cope with high altitude travel. 

Doctors revealed his symptoms were consistent with the Chinese coronavirus – but this has not yet been confirmed.

The unnamed SARS-like virus has killed three people and has infected an estimated 1,700 in Wuhan city since December, researchers fear. 

Some 222 cases have been confirmed. Authorities today said the virus has spread across China, with five cases in Beijing, 14 in Shenzhen and one in Shanghai.

South Korea has also recorded a case today, making it the third country to diagnose the virus following Thailand and Japan last week. 

The spike in cases comes just days before millions of Chinese nationals travel abroad for the Lunar New Year holidays, with airports across Asia and the US to screen travellers. 

Mr Shorley's parents Chris and Julie, from Thornton, Lancashire, have flown out to be by their son's bedside as tests are carried out. 

Ash Shorley, 32, is fighting for his life in Thailand and is feared to be the first Western victim of the coronavirus sweeping across China

Mr Shorley is in critical condition in a hospital in Phuket after being struck down with the pneumonia-like lung infection while visiting Koh Phi Phi island

The unnamed novel virus has infected an estimated 1,700 in Wuhan, China. Authorities said the virus had spread to other cities in China. The total confirmed cases has tipped 200 and three have died. Four confirmed cases are outside China in Thailand, Japan, and South Korea

His father, 55, told The Sun: 'He was two days from death. If he wasn’t so fit, he wouldn’t be with us now. We are now waiting on tests. It is very serious.' 

The coronavirus – which has never been seen before – was first discovered in the city of Wuhan in December.

There were 48 confirmed cases on Friday, but hundreds of infections were reported over the weekend because screening is now possible.

Now, 222 cases have been confirmed including three deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

However, there are growing fears that Chinese authorities are hiding the true scale of the outbreak, which has links to the deadly SARS virus.  

An analysis from Imperial College London last week estimated the number of cases in Wuhan was probably around 1,700 – but could even be as high as 4,500.

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today the country had 'stuck to a serious, earnest and professional attitude' to prevent and control the outbreak.

It is not confirmed if Mr Shorley has the novel coronavirus. But doctors say his pneumonia-like lung infection has symptoms similar 

Mr Shorley's parents Chris and Julie, from Thornton, Lancashire, have flown out to be by their son's bedside. He is pictured in hospital 

Airports in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and the US have stepped up surveillance. Pictured, an airport in Tokyo, Japan, where one case was identified 

WHAT IS THE NEW CORONAVIRUS SPREADING FROM CHINA?

An outbreak of pneumonia-like illnesses began in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019. 

Its symptoms are typically a fever, cough and trouble breathing, but some patients have developed pneumonia, a potentially life-threatening infection that causes inflammation of the small air sacs in the lungs. 

Scientists in China recognized its similarity to two viruses that turned into global killers: SARS and MERS. 

SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome is caused by the SARS coronavirus, known as SARS Co, and first emerged in China in 2002. 

By the end of the outbreak, the virus had spread to several other Asian countries as well as the UK and Canada, killing 774. 

MERS, or Middle East respirator syndrome originated in the region for which it's named, ultimately killed 787 people and belongs to the same family of coronaviruses as SARS. 

The new virus wasn't a match for either of those two, but it did belong to the same coronavirus family. 

Coronaviruses are a large family of pathogens, and most cause mild respiratory infections - i.e. the common cold. 

But because the SARS and MERS proved deadly, the emergence of another new coronavirus has health officials on edge around the world. 

Like its two dangerous cousins, the new coronavirus appears to have originated with animals - particularly seafood, chickens, bats, marmots - found at a Wuhan market that's been identified as the epicenter of the outbreak.  

The symptoms of SARS, which may be similar to those of the new coronavirus, include:

After these symptoms, the infection will begin to affect your lungs and airways (respiratory system), leading to additional symptoms, such as:

 So far, there isn't a treatment for the new virus or SARS, though the new virus has been sequenced, allowing for rapid diagnostics. 

They said they had 'carried out in-depth epidemiological investigation, released the information related to the control and treatment of the outbreak in time and actively spread related educational knowledge'.

South Korea confirmed its first case on January 20 after a 35-year-old woman arriving at Seoul’s Incheon airport tested positive for the virus. She had been in Wuhan last week. 

Last week, one case was confirmed in Japan and two in Thailand, meaning the total number of confirmed cases outside of China now sits at four.

All of the Chinese nationals had recently visited Wuhan, but it is not clear if Mr Shorley visited the city – home to 11million people – on his travels.   

China reported on January 20 the mysterious virus had spread across the country from Wuhan.

Health authorities in Beijing's Daxing district said two people who had travelled to Wuhan were treated for pneumonia linked to the virus and are in stable condition. 

In southern Guangdong province, a 66-year-old Shenzhen man was quarantined on January 11 after contracting a fever and showing other symptoms.

He had visited relatives in Wuhan, the provincial health commission said. He is also in stable condition.

Shenzhen officials said another eight people were under medical observation.

Suspected cases have also cropped up in Sichuan, Yunnan, Shanghai, Guangxi and Shandong. Tests have yet to confirm the patients have the coronavirus.

'Experts believe that the current epidemic situation is still preventable and controllable,' the Guangdong health commission said.

Five other people have been put in isolation and tested in eastern Zhejiang province. 

Since cases have been identified outside the country, the WHO has warned hospitals worldwide to prepare for a potential global spread. 

Though the known cases of the outbreak so far involve only individuals who have travelled to or live in Wuhan, the WHO has warned that a wider outbreak is possible. 

Fears are growing ahead of Lunar New Year, on January 25, which will see millions of Chinese citizens travelling abroad.

Wuhan authorities said they have installed infrared thermometers at airports, railway stations and coach stations across the city. 

Passengers with fevers were being registered, given masks and taken to medical institutions. 

Airports in Singapore, Hong Kong – where there have been suspected but no confirmed cases – Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and the US have also stepped up surveillance.

Temperature checks are being used for inbound travellers from the Chinese mainland, especially Wuhan. This is how the two cases in Thailand were discovered. 

Over the weekend, 136 fresh infections were reported in Wuhan, bringing the total number of cases China has confirmed to more than 200 

Chinese residents wear masks while waiting at a bus station near the closed Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, which has been linked to the outbreak which started in December 

A seafood market is believed to be the centre of the outbreak in the city, but health officials have reported that some patients had no history of contact with the facility

The majority of patients have been traced to the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market (pictured)

The coronavirus, which causes cold-like symptoms including a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat and a fever, has never been seen before and has not yet been named. 

Officials have described the virus in China, a tourist hotspot for some 595,000 British tourists each year, as 'novel'.  

Tests have so far shown it is a new type of coronavirus from the same family as the deadly SARS pathogen which killed hundreds of people in China and Hong Kong in the early 2000s.     

The first patient diagnosed with the novel strain, a 61-year-old man, died on January 9. The second death, a man known only as Xiong, died on January 15.

Both suffered other health problems, the former from abdominal tumours and chronic liver disease and the latter of severe cardiomyopathy – a heart condition, abnormal kidney function, and seriously damaged organs.

Pictured, Bangkok airport staff performing thermal scans on a traveller

But it is not clear if these were complications of the virus or underlying conditions. 

Details of the third death have not yet been revealed by officials. 

The majority of the infected patients in Wuhan have been traced to the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, which has been shut down since January 1.

The WHO said on Twitter on January 20 that 'an animal source seems the most likely primary source' with 'some limited human-to-human transmission occurring between close contacts'.

Although the genetic sequence of the strain has now been released, scientists are still questioning how deadly it is, and whether it can be spread between humans. 

Scientists with the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College in London warned in a paper published Friday that the number of cases identified in Wuhan may be the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Researchers calculated cases could be as high as 4,500 in Wuhan city, and if this is the case, substantial human to human transmission can't be ruled out. 

Chinese state media moved to calm the mood as discussion about the coronavirus spreading to other Chinese cities swelled on social media.

Nationalist tabloid Global Times called for better handling of the new virus than that of the 2003 SARS outbreak.

THE NEW CORONAVIRUS IN CHINA TIMELINE 

December 31 2019: The WHO China Country Office was informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. Around 44 suspected cases were reported in the month of December.

January 1 2020: A seafood market was closed for environmental sanitation and disinfection after being closely linked with the patients.

January 5 2020: Doctors ruled out severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) as being the cause of the virus, as well as bird flu, Middle East respiratory syndrome and adenovirus. Meanwhile, Hong Kong reported 

January 9 2020: A preliminary investigation identified the respiratory disease as a new type of coronavirus, Chinese state media reported.

Officials at Wuhan Municipal Health Commission reported the outbreak's first death on January 9, a 61-year-old man.  

January 13 2020: A Chinese woman in Thailand was the first confirmed case of the mystery virus outside of China. The 61-year-old was quarantined on January 8, but has since returned home in a stable condition after having treatment, the Thai Health Ministry said. 

January 14 2020: The WHO told hospitals around the globe to prepare, in the 'possible' event of the infection spreading.

It said there is some 'limited' human-to-human transmission of the virus. Two days previously, the UN agency said there was 'no clear evidence of human to human transmission'.

January 16 2020: A man in Tokyo is confirmed to have tested positive for the disease after travelling to the Chinese city of Wuhan.

A second death, a 69-year-old man, was reported by officials at Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. He died in the early hours of January 15 at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan city having first been admitted to hospital on December 31.

January 17 2020: Thailand announces it has detected a second case. The 74-year-old woman had been quarantined since her arrival on Monday. She lived in Wuhan.

Scientists at Imperial College London fear up to 4,500 patients in Wuhan may have caught the virus. A report said if cases are this high, substantial human to human transmission can't be ruled out.

John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), San Francisco International Airport and Los Angles International Airport (LAX) will start screening passengers arriving from Wuhan, US officials said.   

January 20 2020: China reported a sharp rise in the number of people infected with a new coronavirus over the weekend, including 136 more cases in Wuhan city.

The outbreak spread across China, as authorities in Shenzhen in southern China reported one case, and Chinese state media said Beijing had reported two cases. 

South Korea confirmed its first case - a 35-year-old woman arriving at Seoul’s Incheon airport tested positive for the virus. She had been in Wuhan the week prior.

The total number of confirmed cases reached 205, including three deaths and four confirmed cases outside China.   

Details were not revealed about the third death. 

This content was originally published here.

[travelonlinetips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/why-british-airways-could-be-the-airbus-a380s-saviour/

Why British Airways could be the Airbus A380's saviour

“The A380 is on its last legs,” one media outlet reported after this week’s news that Airbus is to stop making the double-decker plane. Well, even though the last A380 will roll off the production line in 2021, reports of its imminent extinction are premature. There is plenty more life in the old plane yet.

Agreed, the very first editions of the plane – delivered to Singapore Airlines and flying in 2007 and 2008 – are now being broken up for parts. That lack of secondhand demand for what was a very expensive aircraft and has been scrupulously well looked after is, no doubt, one reason production is stopping. Any buyer of a machine that costs £200m is going to be interested in what they might reasonably expect to sell it on for after a decade. But another ex-Singapore Airlines A380 is now with Hi Fly, the Portuguese charter specialist. And others may well be snapped up – perhaps by existing A380 owners. 

British Airways is no stranger to large, long-in-the-tooth aircraft. It has a fleet of 34 Boeing 747s, all of which were built in the 20th century. Some of them will still be flying five years from now. They are superbly maintained and endlessly refreshed internally. Equally important, they cost virtually nothing to own. If the price is right for the cast-offs from Qantas or Singapore Airlines, British Airways could be interested in buying some decade-old big jets to replace its dwindling 747s.

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BA looks to me a potential buyer for four reasons. First, its home base is the most slot-constricted airport in the world: London Heathrow. (One reason Emirates has so many A380s is that it can extract maximum value from its slots at LHR.) With the 747s on the way out, it is possible the average passenger load per BA flight could actually start to fall. Expanding the current fleet of 12 A380s would counter this trend.

Next, it has plenty of experience of the aircraft type, from maintenance to galley operations to filling the things with passengers and cargo.

Third, assuming continued rise in passenger numbers, the plane looks just right for some BA routes where traffic is outgrowing the single daily 777 – Buenos Aires is a prime example.

The final reason is passenger preference. While the refrain from many aviation professionals has been that the A380 has “too many engines, not enough seats”, BA does not have a problem with either of these facets. Indeed, some of its 747s are configured with just 275 seats. Lots of space is devoted to premium cabins to keep travellers happy.

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Since there is clear preference (though not necessary abject loyalty) for the Superjumbo, British Airways may steal a march on its rivals by offering the plane against the 777 or A330, which are both 1990s designs.

BA may even find that Gatwick is a good home for some A380s. Its long-haul fleet at the Sussex airport is all-Boeing 777, which does not give it much flexibility. And with Virgin Atlantic a constant thorn in the side on many routes, the A380 could help British Airways get an edge – as well as make the most of its slots at an airport that is ever-more crowded.

Don’t expect to be boarding a Superjumbo from Gatwick to Orlando just yet, but don’t be surprised if BA starts to dabble in the secondhand market soon. Yes, the costs of reconfiguring an A380 to a British Airways spec will be prodigious, but the sums could still add up – which would be good news for long-haul BA passengers in the long run.

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[ericfruits]

The disappearance of Norwegian would be bad news for consumers

IN THE 1960S long-haul air travel was a glamorous but expensive proposition. Then in the 1970s Sir Freddie Laker, a British entrepreneur, set about trying to open it up to the masses. In 1977 he launched Skytrain, the first low-cost, long-haul service between London and New York. Within only five years Laker Airways went bust. Recently another European entrepreneur, Bjorn Kjos of Norwegian, hoped to succeed where Laker failed and in 2013 he relaunched low-cost flights across the Atlantic. It looks as if Norwegian may suffer the same fate as Laker Airways.

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Norwegian’s finances have been in a bad way since it embarked on its new project. As an airline mainly flying domestic and short-haul routes in Scandinavia, in 2013 it made an annual operating profit of NKr970m ($166m). On February 7th Norwegian said it had made operating losses of NKr3.85bn in 2018, during which almost half of its flights were on long-haul routes.

The firm had been limping on hoping for a takeover from IAG or Lufthansa, two big European airline groups. But in late January its shares fell by a third after its potential suitors walked away due to worries over the pricing of a deal and about losing flying rights in the event of a no-deal Brexit. To avoid bankruptcy through breaching agreements with bondholders, Norwegian was obliged to raise 3bn krone—over half its market capitalisation—in a rights issue.

Analysts are sceptical about whether it can continue operating. Mr Kjos plans to rein in growth ambitions and cut costs to keep the airline aloft in 2019. An ongoing fare war in Europe and rising fuel prices are likely to make losses worse. The company hopes that shifting planes from loss-making European holiday routes to South America, where countries are opening up to foreign airlines, will reduce its losses. But political and financial instability in some markets mean that returns could prove volatile.

If Norwegian disappears, will the long-haul, low-cost model survive? The idea was to apply the low-cost model as successfully mastered by Ryanair, to longer routes. Norwegian and its imitators, such as Primera of Denmark and WOW of Iceland, have offered loss-making fares on routes, hoping to make the money back by filling planes to capacity and by selling extras on-board rather than with tickets.

The strategy has not worked well on longer routes. Norwegian filled only 76% of its seats in January compared with 91% for Ryanair. One reason is that flyers will more readily choose a no-frills flight for an hour-long flight than for eight hours. Other long-haul budget rivals are doing worse: Primera went bust last October and WOW is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

Yet Norwegian also made mistakes that could be avoided by other airlines, argues Ross Harvey of Davy, a stockbroking firm. First, it grew too quickly with too weak a balance-sheet. The losses that Norwegian racked up in order to stimulate demand were not steep enough to trouble a big airline group with deep pockets. But Norwegian, which is heavily indebted, cannot easily absorb them.

Second, unlike Ryanair and easyJet, the airline did not control its costs tightly. “It is not a long-haul, low-cost airline, but a long-haul, low-fare one”, says Daniel Roeska of Bernstein, a research firm. Its weak balance-sheet also means it has to pay high interest to finance aircraft.

The rise of low-fare startups such as Norwegian has reduced the share of seats across the Atlantic carried by the big three European airlines and their joint-venture partners from 80% in 2015 to 72%, according to CAPA, an aviation consultancy. Their success has prompted larger airline groups to copy the model. IAG has responded to Norwegian, for example, by launching its own budget long-haul operation, called LEVEL. It is converting Aer Lingus, its Irish airline, into another. Lufthansa has done the same with Eurowings’ long-haul routes. For a while, low-cost long-haul carriers will live on as part of larger airline groups. But the bad news for flyers is that if Norwegian goes bust, the big airlines would have free rein to raise fares, presumably while keeping no-frills service.

A takeover by a low-cost rival with money to spare, such as Ryanair, is another possible outcome. The Irish firm has been looking for opportunities to expand outside its western European territories, where the market for air travel is saturated. But its boss, Michael O’Leary, is wary about a bid. He has looked at buying Norwegian but thinks that Europe’s three big airline groups will do everything they can to destroy low-cost rivals competing with the long-haul flights which earn their corn. That seems a reasonable conclusion.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Laker Airways 2.0"

https://econ.st/2DYce7o

[bigyack-com]

Air Canada to Operate Modified Dash 8-400 Aircraft for Cargo

Air Canada Cargo has signed an agreement with Jazz Aviation to operate the recently approved Dash 8-400 Simplified Package Freighter, developed by De Havilland Canada, on short and medium haul markets under the Air Canada Express banner. The reconfigured aircraft will carry a total of 17,960 lbs (8,147 kg) of cargo in the passenger cabin and belly. “The reconfiguration of Dash 8-400 aircraft into Simplified Package Freighters can be quickly achieved by the removal of seats and seat track covers in the passenger cabin,” said Todd Young, Chief Operating Officer, De Havilland Canada. “The reconfiguration, which includes the use of up to 17 nets will provide a potential total payload of up to 17,960 lb. and a total cargo volume of up to 1,150 cubic feet per aircraft.”

Under an agreement with De Havilland Canada, Jazz Aviation has ordered a Service Bulletin and conversion kit that will be applied to the first of 13 select Dash 8-400 aircraft. De Havilland Canada will be the exclusive supplier of all future Dash 8-400 aircraft Simplified Package Freighter modifications for Jazz's fleet. "This aircraft will allow us to provide critical cargo lift on short and medium-haul routes that have been impacted by the reduction of passenger flights," said Tim Strauss, Vice-President Air Canada Cargo. "The converted cabin, which can accommodate a cargo volume of 1,150 cubic feet is perfectly suited to loose load cargo like medical supplies, PPE and other goods needed to support the ongoing fight against COVID19." To promote the cargo-only flights, Air Canada Cargo has created five, segment-specific sales teams. See latest Travel News, Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Jazz, Air Canada, Cargo, Dash 8-400, Canada, De Havilland Canada, COVID19. Headlines: Thai AirAsia to Resume Domestic Flights 1 May  Marco Den Ouden Joins Patina Maldives Fari Islands as GM  Thai Airways Operates Repatriation Flights from Sydney and Auckland  Air Canada to Operate Modified Dash 8-400 Aircraft for Cargo  Virgin Atlantic to Launch Cargo-Only Flights to Tel Aviv, Israel  British Airways Increases Cargo-Only Flights from China  WTTC Estimates 100+ Million Job Losses in Travel & Tourism Sector  Thai Lion Air to Resume Domestic Flights on 1 May  Air New Zealand Delays New York Launch to Late-2021  Etihad to Provide Air Freight Assistance to Australian Exporters  Austrian Airlines Predicts Demand of Pre-COVID19 Levels in 2023  Anantara Launches Stay With Peace of Mind Programme  Executive Leadership Team Changes at CWT  CAE Signs Deal for 10,000 COVID19 Ventilators; Recalls Staff in Canada  Delta to Use Overhead Bins of Widebody Aircraft for Cargo  Marriott Establishes Global Cleanliness Council  Hong Kong's Daily Visitor Arrivals Below 100 at Beginning of April  1.2 Billion Fewer International Air Travellers by September 2020  PAL to Operate Special Flight to London on 24 April  CWT Awarded Platinum Status by EcoVadis  Emirates Increases Inflight and Airport Safety Measures  SAS Extends Status Level of EuroBonus Members for 12 Months  Delta Looking to Raise US$ 3 Billion  Vietnam Airlines Repatriates 300 People from Japan  IATA: Airlines Around the World Struggling to Survive  Air Canada to Suspend Scheduled Flights to USA  Qatar Airways Staff to Defer Portion of Basic Salary  United Airlines Looking to Raise Over US$1 Billion Through Public Offering  Korean Air Providing Protective Gowns and Goggles to Cabin Crew  Crown Group Unveils Plans for Mixed-Use Development in Los Angeles  Airbus Achieves Fully Automatic Refuelling Contacts  Vietnam Airlines Upgrades Flight Pass with Optiontown  Cathay Pacific to Operate 3% of Normal Capacity in April and May  Passengers Numbers at Hong Kong Int. Airport Down 91% in March  Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific Increase Flights Between Hanoi and Saigon  IATA and ICS Call on Governments to Facilitate Ship Crew Changes  Hahn Air Restructures Departments  Etihad Hoping to Resume Scheduled Passenger Flights from 1 May  Vietjet to Increase Passenger and Cargo Flights in Vietnam  United Airlines Expects Demand to Remain Suppressed in 2020 and Likely 2021  MTCO Launches Mekong Heroes  Finnair Using Airbus A350s for Cargo-Only Flights to Asia  Deliveroo Launches Rider Academy in Hong Kong  IATA Offering Free Access to Online Training Courses  Vietnam Airlines Operates UK Repatriation Flight  IHG to Take Over Four Seasons Hotel in Shanghai, China  IATA: Airline Industry's Outlook Grows Darker by the Day  Finnair and Juneyao Air to Strengthen Partnership  Qatar Airways Signs US$ 850m Financing Deal with Standard Chartered  Flight Centre Secures AU$900 Million in Additional Funding  F-15QA Fighter Jet Completes Maiden Flight  Philippine Airlines to Operate Melbourne - Manila Flight on 19 April  Number of Flights Operated by Asia Pacific Airlines Down 93%  American Airlines Extends AAdvantage Status  Air New Zealand Extends Significantly Reduced Network to 30 June  SunExpress Launches Cargo-Only Flights  Etihad to Operate Special Flights to Brussels, Dublin, London, Tokyo and Zurich  Malaysia Airlines Operates Repatriation Flights to Egypt, Indonesia and NZ  Thai Airways Extends Validity of ROP Mileage  Farah C. Jaber Appointed Cluster GM of Two Avani Resorts in Thailand  China Airlines Postpones Launch of Flights to Cebu and Chiang Mai  Ten Accor Hotels in Bangkok Renting Rooms as Offices  Delta Blocks Middle Seats; Pauses Automatic Advance Upgrades  Boeing Delivers First Set of Reusable 3D-Printed Face Shields  Air Canada Reconfigures Cabins of B777s for Additional Cargo Capacity  Japan and Singapore Retain Top Two Spots in Henley Passport Index  Elbit Systems to Upgrade Hermes 900 UAS for Two Latin American Customers  SKYE Suites Fast Tracks Opening of Third Hotel in Australia  Thailand Grants Automatic Visa Extensions to Foreign Tourists  American Airlines Expanding Cargo Operations  Sunway Resort Donates Amenity Kits to COVID19 Hospital in Malaysia  Delta Cargo Adds Large Shipments to DASH Door-to-Door Service  Etihad Cargo to Expand Network with Five New Routes  Airbnb Expands Frontline Stays Initiative to Thailand  Airbus to Cut Aircraft Production by a Third  Vietnam Airlines Reduces Danang Flights  AirAsia Philippines Cancels All Flights Until 30 April  Avani+ Khao Lak Appoints GM and DOSM  COVID19: Marriott Launches Rooms for Responders Initiative in USA  Etihad to Operate Special COVID19 Flights to Melbourne and Amsterdam  Philippines Eases Immigration Requirements for Foreigners  Changi Airport in Singapore to Suspend T2 Operations for 18 Months  Hong Kong Extends Ban on Non-Resident Arrivals and Transit Indefinitely  Etihad to Trial Technology That Identifies Passengers with Symptoms of Illness  Air Canada Extends Status of All Altitude FFP Members  Japan Coast Guard Orders Two More Airbus H225 Helicopters  Owner to Rebrand Four Seasons Hotel and Residence in Shanghai  Marlon Abeyakoon Appointed GM of New Resort in Maldives  Boeing to Suspend 787 Operations in South Carolina  ITE Hong Kong Postponed Until August 2020  IATA Postpones 76th AGM and World Air Transport Summit  InterContinental Bali Distributing 'Homemade' Face Masks  Etihad Encourages FFP Members to Donate Miles  Avani Seminyak Bali Appoints I Made Subrata as GM  Two Dassault Falcon Business Jets to Assist Operation Resilience in France  Delta Extends SkyMiles FFP Benefits and Status  Airbus Uses Test Aircraft to Fly 4 Million More Face Masks to Europe  Royal Netherlands Air Force Takes Delivery of First of 20 CH-47F Chinooks  IATA: This is Aviation's Darkest Hour  Accor to Close More Hotels; Cut Costs  Airlines in Asia Pacific Need Urgent Financial Support  Thai Airways Staff on Temporary Leave From 4 April - 31 May  American Airlines Makes Further Changes to Flight Schedule  Air Canada to Operate More Repatriation Flights  Boeing to Suspend Production in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania  Oakwood Opens Third Property in Jakarta, Indonesia  Increasing ORs Hint at Early Signs of Recovery for Hotels in China  Air Cargo Demand Slumps in February  Vietnam Airlines to Operate Just Three Return Flights Per Day  Qatar Airways Suspends JFK Flights; Madrid and Barcelona Next  Airbus Sites in Germany and Spain Producing 3D Printed Visor Frames  EU Waives Airport Slots Use Rule for Summer Season  CapitaLand Appoints Kevin Goh as CEO - Lodging  Relais & Châteaux Adds First Hotel in Bangkok to Collection  Airlines Could Burn Through US$61 Billion of Cash Reserves in Q2  Marriott Warns Millions of Guests About Security Breach  Airbnb to Support Hosts During COVID19 Crisis  Vietnam Airlines Launches Cargo-Only Flights  HD Videos and Interviews  Podcasts from HD Video Interviews  Travel Trade Shows in 2019, 2020 and 2021  High-Res Picture Galleries  Travel News Asia - Latest Travel Industry News  Read the full article

[biofunmy]

What You Need to Know About the Hong Kong Airport Cancellations

For the second consecutive day, Hong Kong International Airport grounded flights on Tuesday after thousands of protesters filled its terminals, stranding air passengers at one of the world’s most important transportation hubs.

Hundreds of incoming and outgoing flights were canceled on Tuesday. There has been no violence at the airport, as rumors of a police crackdown on Monday never materialized, but the unusual scene has rattled and confused travelers. In a statement, the authority advised all passengers to leave the terminals, saying that operations have been “seriously disrupted.”

Here’s what travelers to and from Hong Kong need to know.

What’s happening in Hong Kong?

Sparked by proposed legislation that would have changed extradition policies between Hong Kong and other places, including mainland China, antigovernment protests in Hong Kong are currently in their third month. Previous protests have occurred mainly downtown, in popular shopping areas and near government buildings.

[Here’s a guide to what prompted the Hong Kong protests and how they evolved.]

Is it safe to travel to Hong Kong?

Hong Kong’s tourism commission has said that the city is safe and open for tourists. Many popular attractions, including the Ladies’ Market and the Peak Tram, have not been affected by the protests.

Several governments have increased their safety alerts for Hong Kong in recent weeks.

Five days ago, the U.S. State Department issued a level two travel advisory for Hong Kong, warning travelers to “exercise increased caution in Hong Kong due to civil unrest.”

On its Smart Traveller website, the Australian government says that it recommends that travelers “exercise a high degree of caution in Hong Kong” and mentions that the protests at the airport have intensified and caused “significant disruption.” The Australian Consulate in Hong Kong has sent officials to the airport to help Australians travelers.

Canadian authorities are encouraging travelers to also “exercise a high degree of caution in Hong Kong because of ongoing large-scale demonstrations.”

[How has your travel been affected? We want to hear from travelers whose plans have been disrupted.]

Why are protests happening at the airport?

Hong Kong International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, with 220 destinations worldwide and about 1,100 flights daily. It is a crucial connection point for regional air travel and last year handled nearly 75 million passengers. A small group of protesters had been at the airport on Monday morning and the crowds grew throughout the day, eventually filling the arrival hall before more protesters went to the departure hall. Many returned on Tuesday, believing Monday’s demonstration had succeeded in drawing international attention to their plight.

“Interrupting air travel is one of the best ways to galvanize attention of elites, opinion-makers and the type of people that take flights, especially international flights,” said Scott Keyes, co-founder and chief executive of Scott’s Cheap Flights.

Which airlines are affected and what are they doing?

More than 120 airlines fly in and out of Hong Kong International Airport, including most major world carriers, like British Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways.

Among the carriers based in the United States, United Airlines’ Monday flight from Hong Kong to Guam and its flight from Guam to Hong Kong were canceled. Flights from San Francisco, Chicago and New York City landed in Hong Kong as scheduled. The canceled United flights had travel waivers in place so customers could rebook.

American Airlines has two daily flights to Hong Kong, one from Dallas and another from Los Angeles. The flight from Dallas departed as scheduled, but the flight from Los Angeles was canceled. A spokeswoman for the airline said that travelers would be rebooked on the next available flight on American or a partner airline.

Two British Airways flights from Hong Kong to Heathrow were canceled. The airline offered customers affected by the grounding the option to rebook or to take a full refund. Virgin Atlantic canceled its Hong Kong to London Heathrow flight. The airline advised travelers to check its website for updates. Both airlines still had flights from London to Hong Kong.

One Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Hong Kong was diverted back to Doha on Monday. Qatar runs two flights a day between Doha and Hong Kong — both were canceled.

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways canceled several flights to and from Hong Kong on Monday and Tuesday.

Lufthansa, the German airline, canceled two flights from Hong Kong to Germany, and two flights from Munich and Frankfurt to Hong Kong.

I’m on an arriving flight. What should I expect when my plane lands?

One traveler told CNN that after getting off his flight from Cebu in the Philippines, it took almost an hour to exit the arrivals area. The airport’s taxi stand was closed and the airport train did not arrive, so he left the terminal, walked to the highway and got a taxi there.

Other travelers slept at the ticket counters.

“Groups of tourists are just sleeping and charging their phones around the check-in counter,” Katy Wong said in a Twitter post. “Can’t go home,” one traveler posted on Instagram, and another posted a video of people sleeping in the airport with the caption, “Will I be able to go back tomorrow?”

How long will flights be grounded?

The best way to find out if your flight is canceled or delayed is to get in touch with the airline you’re traveling on. Some airlines, like Air Canada, have put in place a flexible rebooking policy for customers who want to change their travel plans to or from Hong Kong. Others, like British Airways, are offering the option to rebook on another date or to receive a full refund.

If you have travel insurance, it’s important to determine if it covers delays or interruptions of this nature.

“Say you live in New York and you’re heading to Hong Kong, but now you’re delayed because the airport is closed, or you’re in Hong Kong and looking to come home, or you’re traveling through Hong Kong, but now you’re delayed,” said Michael Grossman, who runs Starr Insurance Companies’ travel insurance business. Any of those scenarios, he said, might be covered under the trip delay benefit.

I’m traveling soon. What can I do and where can I get information?

Check with your airline about the status of your flight, or, if you booked your trip through a travel agent, you should get in touch with the agent if they have not reached out to you.

“As soon as we got word on the situation, we ran a list to identify our impacted passengers and began alerting them regarding flight cancellations and alternatives,” said Peter Vlitas, senior vice president of airline relations for Travel Leaders Group, a travel agency organization.

If you must travel to or from Hong Kong and have a China visa, you can go through Shenzhen or Guangzhou and travel by train to Hong Kong, Mr. Vlitas said. There is also a ferry that runs from Hong Kong to Shenzhen; it takes about an hour.

“Given the situation, airlines are offering full refunds for travel up to Aug. 15, however that date may be extended as events continue to develop.”

Daniel Victor contributed reporting from Hong Kong.

52 PLACES AND MUCH, MUCH MORE Follow our 52 Places traveler, Sebastian Modak, on Instagram as he travels the world, and discover more Travel coverage by following us on Twitter and Facebook. And sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter: Each week you’ll receive tips on traveling smarter, stories on hot destinations and access to photos from all over the world.

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[joannrochaus]

British Airways jet lands in wrong country on purpose

Listen to The Daily Article Podcast, then subscribe.

When you’re in London, Düsseldorf, Germany, is 357 miles to the east. Edinburgh, Scotland, is 403 miles to the north. If you’re flying to Düsseldorf, you’d not expect your airplane to land in Edinburgh.

But that’s just what happened Monday.

The aviation company operating British Airways Flight 3271 filed the wrong flight plan, sending the jet to Edinburgh. The pilots, cabin crew, and air traffic controllers thus assumed the plane was supposed to go to Scotland.

When they landed, confusion ensued. Flight attendants asked for a show of hands of passengers who thought they were traveling to Düsseldorf. When every hand went up, they realized that every passenger was now in the wrong place.

We can be both sincere and wrong

There are many ways to be sincerely wrong today.

Same-sex marriage supporters are convinced that biblical, moral, or religious liberty objections are irrelevant or wrong. The same is true with abortion advocates. Their claims seem simple and persuasive: “Everyone should be able to love who they love,” “A woman is the best person to decide what to do with her own body,” and so on.

It is easy to be sincerely wrong. In The Daily Article today, “British Airways jet lands in wrong country on purpose,” I explore some examples that affect our souls and culture, inviting us to engage our world with redemptive love. https://t.co/XGs9GUKpZl pic.twitter.com/pPal3vwiJp

— Jim Denison (@JimDenison) March 28, 2019

But as British Airways proved, it’s possible to be both sincere and wrong. Another topic making today’s news illustrates the same point.

Underwater hotels and restaurants are being built for the ultra-wealthy. One submerged hotel offers an underwater villa for $50,000 a night. “Billionaire bunkers” are being constructed around the world, enabling the wealthy to survive nuclear attacks and other catastrophes.

But all is not well on the wealth frontier.

As Bloomberg reports, deceptive billing for private and corporate jet users is escalating. The Department of Education has opened a probe into the $25 million college admissions cheating scandal in which fifty people were criminally charged. And the ex-wife of a man who won a $273 million jackpot does not want him back, telling reporters: “I have morals.”

Another story on our theme is being reported by the New York Times: “Human Contact Is Now a Luxury Good.” The wealthy are discovering that human engagement is vital to their well-being. They are spending on experiences such as luxury travel and dining rather than technology and other goods.

Clearly, possessions cannot produce happiness, even when we sincerely think they will.

Three dead ends to avoid

No one thinks in a vacuum.

You and I inherited our Western culture from the Greeks and Romans. Centuries before Christ, their worldview divided the soul from the body, determining that the former is positive while the latter is evil. This belief led centuries of Christians to venerate monastic withdrawal from the world as the highest form of spirituality.

A second version of cultural engagement we inherited from our cultural ancestors splits religion from the “real world.” As we noted yesterday, transactional religion teaches us to placate the gods so they will do what we want. “Go to church on Sunday so God will bless you on Monday” is the formula today. We are therefore told to live in two worlds: the religious and the secular, valuing each as we wish.

A third view is rising quickly in our culture: there is no soul or supernatural reality, so we are free to focus on the material. According to a new survey, 23.1 percent of the American population has “no religion,” slightly more than Catholics (23 percent) and evangelicals (22.5 percent).

Withdrawing from the culture, separating faith from life, or ignoring the supernatural—none of these is the way God intends us to relate to our world.

“The righteous will flourish like a green leaf”

I am studying Proverbs these days and found chapter 11 especially relevant to today’s conversation. Solomon, one of the wealthiest men of all time, warned us: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (v. 4). He added: “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf” (v. 28).

If we are not to trust in material wealth, how are we to relate to the material world?

We are to be righteous so that God can bless the fallen culture through us: “By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown” (v. 11).

We are to offer biblical wisdom to others: “Where there is no guidance, a people falls” (v. 14).

We are to be generous with all: “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want” (v. 24).

In short, we are to use the material for the spiritual, the temporal for the eternal.

We are to use the material for the spiritual, the temporal for the eternal.

Those we know who do not know Jesus may well be sincere in their unbiblical beliefs, from denying God’s existence to rejecting Jesus’ divinity to questioning the truth or relevance of Scripture. The fact that they are sincerely wrong means they don’t know how wrong they are.

And it means they need our witness and ministry much more than they think they do.

Torn up Bibles and lost souls

Ben Malcolmson played on the 2006 University of Southern California football team that won the Rose Bowl. He told Fox News yesterday, “From the moment I made the team, I knew God had a purpose for me there. I started pressing into that mission from day one.”

But he didn’t know how hard it would be to help his teammates meet his Lord.

He started a Bible study, but no one came. He began a prayer group, but no one joined him. He then placed Bibles at each of his teammates’ lockers on Christmas Eve, days before the team was to play in the Rose Bowl. When he returned to the locker room two days later, he found the Bibles torn up and shredded.

“It was the culmination of a season full of discouragement,” he said.

Nearly four years later, working as an assistant to Coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks, an old friend connected with Malcolmson. He told him that one of the Bibles he gave his fellow players had been picked up and read by a teammate who accepted Christ three days before passing away.

Malcolmson concluded, “Even when I couldn’t see [God’s] hand in the moment, he truly was at work all along.”

How will you follow his example today?

The post British Airways jet lands in wrong country on purpose appeared first on Denison Forum.

source https://www.denisonforum.org/columns/daily-article/british-airways-jet-lands-in-wrong-country-on-purpose/ source https://denisonforum.tumblr.com/post/183768842337

[ericfruits]

European companies will struggle to defy America on Iran

WHATEVER YOU do if you are a European company pulling out of Iran, do not mention the sanctions. On November 5th America re-imposed an embargo on Iran, aimed at blocking its supposed nuclear ambitions. Its restrictions to trade do not apply directly to European companies but bosses fear being banned from the American market if they keep doing business in Iran. Yet obeying America’s sanctions is itself illegal under rules devised by Europe, whose leaders want to keep Iran in the global trade fold.

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Firms opting to bow to America have thus devised a ruse: blame unspecified issues of “commercial viability” for their decision to leave Iran. This is what British Airways and Air France both did when they recently stopped flying to Tehran. Most big firms have announced that they are leaving, including Total, a French energy group, and Siemens, a German engineering giant. (American firms were banned even before, though with occasional exemptions, such as Boeing selling Iran aircraft.)

The exodus is perhaps inevitable. “Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States,” President Donald Trump blasted on Twitter when the sanctions were further ratcheted up in August. Few think America will act on the threat of imposing “secondary sanctions” on defiant firms, but even fewer care to find out whether Mr Trump is bluffing. BNP Paribas, a French bank, was fined nearly $9bn in 2015 for doing business with embargoed countries, including Iran.

European policymakers think this unfair. They have alighted on two potential solutions. The first is to threaten European firms with being liable for any costs incurred by other companies as a result of their compliance with the sanctions. But this seems, by all accounts, to be a political statement, not a genuine policy: in practice no firm pulling out of Iran is going to get punished, officials admit.

The second is a mechanism that would act as a state-owned buffer between Iranian firms and European ones. The finance ministries of Britain, France and Germany—the European parties to the Iran nuclear trade deal that America is pulling out of—want to set up a “special purpose vehicle” (SPV) to intermediate trade. The idea is that European companies buying from and selling to Iranian counterparts would not have to send or receive money from Iran, but would pay each other instead.

Under the mechanism an Italian importer of Iranian pistachios, for example, would settle the tab of an Iranian firm buying German machinery through a ledger organised by European governments (these payments would be mirrored in Iran). No money would enter or leave Iran, many of whose banks are being cut off from the international financial system (on November 5th SWIFT, the Brussels-based international financial messaging system, said it would comply with American sanctions and suspend some Iranian banks’ access). Firms from third countries might be able to participate in the SPV, too.

As a plan it has two big flaws. One is that, despite America announcing sanctions six months ago, the SPV is still on the drawing board. No country has volunteered to host it. Officials vaguely recall a similar system of formalised barter allowing access to the Soviet Union, but can offer no firmer blueprint for now.

The second defect is that the proposed SPV only resolves the issue of payments. Companies trading with Iran could still be designated as societas non grata by America. “At the end of the day, you are still engaging in trade with Iran,” points out Maya Lester, a sanctions expert at Brick Court Chambers in London, and so still potentially liable for secondary sanctions.

Michael Tockuss, head of the German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce, says that some smaller German firms will continue exporting to Iran if they have no business in America. Workarounds of sanctions devised for an embargo imposed by Europe and the United Nations in 2012-2015 are still fresh in the minds of compliance departments. Some big firms might find ways of keeping a presence there, he suggests, but in a far more discreet manner.

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Risky business"

[denisonforum]

British Airways jet lands in wrong country on purpose

Listen to The Daily Article Podcast, then subscribe.

When you’re in London, Düsseldorf, Germany, is 357 miles to the east. Edinburgh, Scotland, is 403 miles to the north. If you’re flying to Düsseldorf, you’d not expect your airplane to land in Edinburgh.

But that’s just what happened Monday.

The aviation company operating British Airways Flight 3271 filed the wrong flight plan, sending the jet to Edinburgh. The pilots, cabin crew, and air traffic controllers thus assumed the plane was supposed to go to Scotland.

When they landed, confusion ensued. Flight attendants asked for a show of hands of passengers who thought they were traveling to Düsseldorf. When every hand went up, they realized that every passenger was now in the wrong place.

We can be both sincere and wrong

There are many ways to be sincerely wrong today.

Same-sex marriage supporters are convinced that biblical, moral, or religious liberty objections are irrelevant or wrong. The same is true with abortion advocates. Their claims seem simple and persuasive: “Everyone should be able to love who they love,” “A woman is the best person to decide what to do with her own body,” and so on.

It is easy to be sincerely wrong. In The Daily Article today, "British Airways jet lands in wrong country on purpose," I explore some examples that affect our souls and culture, inviting us to engage our world with redemptive love. https://t.co/XGs9GUKpZl pic.twitter.com/pPal3vwiJp

— Jim Denison (@JimDenison) March 28, 2019

But as British Airways proved, it’s possible to be both sincere and wrong. Another topic making today’s news illustrates the same point.

Underwater hotels and restaurants are being built for the ultra-wealthy. One submerged hotel offers an underwater villa for $50,000 a night. “Billionaire bunkers” are being constructed around the world, enabling the wealthy to survive nuclear attacks and other catastrophes.

But all is not well on the wealth frontier.

As Bloomberg reports, deceptive billing for private and corporate jet users is escalating. The Department of Education has opened a probe into the $25 million college admissions cheating scandal in which fifty people were criminally charged. And the ex-wife of a man who won a $273 million jackpot does not want him back, telling reporters: “I have morals.”

Another story on our theme is being reported by the New York Times: “Human Contact Is Now a Luxury Good.” The wealthy are discovering that human engagement is vital to their well-being. They are spending on experiences such as luxury travel and dining rather than technology and other goods.

Clearly, possessions cannot produce happiness, even when we sincerely think they will.

Three dead ends to avoid

No one thinks in a vacuum.

You and I inherited our Western culture from the Greeks and Romans. Centuries before Christ, their worldview divided the soul from the body, determining that the former is positive while the latter is evil. This belief led centuries of Christians to venerate monastic withdrawal from the world as the highest form of spirituality.

A second version of cultural engagement we inherited from our cultural ancestors splits religion from the “real world.” As we noted yesterday, transactional religion teaches us to placate the gods so they will do what we want. “Go to church on Sunday so God will bless you on Monday” is the formula today. We are therefore told to live in two worlds: the religious and the secular, valuing each as we wish.

A third view is rising quickly in our culture: there is no soul or supernatural reality, so we are free to focus on the material. According to a new survey, 23.1 percent of the American population has “no religion,” slightly more than Catholics (23 percent) and evangelicals (22.5 percent).

Withdrawing from the culture, separating faith from life, or ignoring the supernatural—none of these is the way God intends us to relate to our world.

“The righteous will flourish like a green leaf”

I am studying Proverbs these days and found chapter 11 especially relevant to today’s conversation. Solomon, one of the wealthiest men of all time, warned us: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (v. 4). He added: “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf” (v. 28).

If we are not to trust in material wealth, how are we to relate to the material world?

We are to be righteous so that God can bless the fallen culture through us: “By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown” (v. 11).

We are to offer biblical wisdom to others: “Where there is no guidance, a people falls” (v. 14).

We are to be generous with all: “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want” (v. 24).

In short, we are to use the material for the spiritual, the temporal for the eternal.

We are to use the material for the spiritual, the temporal for the eternal.

Those we know who do not know Jesus may well be sincere in their unbiblical beliefs, from denying God’s existence to rejecting Jesus’ divinity to questioning the truth or relevance of Scripture. The fact that they are sincerely wrong means they don’t know how wrong they are.

And it means they need our witness and ministry much more than they think they do.

Torn up Bibles and lost souls

Ben Malcolmson played on the 2006 University of Southern California football team that won the Rose Bowl. He told Fox News yesterday, “From the moment I made the team, I knew God had a purpose for me there. I started pressing into that mission from day one.”

But he didn’t know how hard it would be to help his teammates meet his Lord.

He started a Bible study, but no one came. He began a prayer group, but no one joined him. He then placed Bibles at each of his teammates’ lockers on Christmas Eve, days before the team was to play in the Rose Bowl. When he returned to the locker room two days later, he found the Bibles torn up and shredded.

“It was the culmination of a season full of discouragement,” he said.

Nearly four years later, working as an assistant to Coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks, an old friend connected with Malcolmson. He told him that one of the Bibles he gave his fellow players had been picked up and read by a teammate who accepted Christ three days before passing away.

Malcolmson concluded, “Even when I couldn’t see [God’s] hand in the moment, he truly was at work all along.”

How will you follow his example today?

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source https://www.denisonforum.org/columns/daily-article/british-airways-jet-lands-in-wrong-country-on-purpose/