Flight Safety Information - June 29, 2021 No. 129 In This Issue : Incident: American A321 at Charlotte on Jun 27th 2021, engine shut down in flight : Accident: American A321 near New Orleans on Jun 24th 2021, turbulence injures 11 : FAA suspends examiner who approved pilot in fatal crash into Percy Priest Lake : Jury finds Webster aviation company liable for violating FAA regulations : China Airlines to be back on track soon after pilots cleared protocols : FAA Implements Internal Voluntary Reporting System : AviationManuals Launches Innovative Membership Service Integrating Manuals and SMS for Enhanced Aviation Safety : Boeing’s next airplane likely to be delayed by FAA concerns : ZeroAvia Expands its Hydrogen-Electric Aviation Program to 19-Seat Aircraft and Raises Additional $13 Million in Funding for Large Engine Development : United Airlines unveils 270-jet Boeing and Airbus order, its largest ever : More weekend travel headaches: Southwest Airlines cancels more than 500 flights, delays 2,500 more : Commercial Aviation in Caribbean Still Has Its Hurdles Incident: American A321 at Charlotte on Jun 27th 2021, engine shut down in flight An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N584UW performing flight AA-2275 from Charlotte,NC to Seattle,WA (USA) with 188 people on board, was in the initial climb out of Charlotte's runway 18C when the crew still on tower frequency declared emergency reporting the failure of the #1 engine (V2533, left hand). The aircraft climbed very slowly (average rate of climb less than 300 fpm) to 3000 feet reaching 3000 feet about 12 minutes after departure, positioned for an approach to runway 18C and landed safely about 30 minutes after departure. A replacement A321-200 registration N917UY reached Seattle with a delay of 5:20 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Charlotte about 31 hours after landing back. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4e98fbfc&opt=0 Accident: American A321 near New Orleans on Jun 24th 2021, turbulence injures 11 An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N926UW performing flight AA-2401 from Dallas Fr. Worth,TX to Tampa,FL (USA), was enroute at FL310 about 40nm southwest of New Orleans,LA (USA) when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing altitude deviations of more than 150 feet. The crew continued the flight towards Tampa for about 20 minutes, then about 140nm southeast of New Orleans decided to divert to New Orleans reporting a flight attendant and multiple passengers were injured. The aircraft landed safely in New Orleans about 25 minutes after leaving FL310. The FAA reported one flight attendant received serious injuries and 10 passengers minor injuries when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=4e98cec5&opt=0 FAA suspends examiner who approved pilot in fatal crash into Percy Priest Lake NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended a local pilot from being able to perform checkrides with other pilots while investigators continue to look into the fatal jet crash that killed seven members of a Brentwood church. Keith Chapman, a longtime designated pilot examiner for the FAA, had approved former Tarzan actor Joe Lara's certification to fly the Cessna 501 that he crashed into Percy Priest Lake in late May. Chapman confirmed Monday the FAA had suspended his credentials as a designated pilot examiner pending the outcome of the investigation. Chapman described it as a "normal" follow-up to a fatal crash. "I gave him a checkride 14 months prior to this happening," Chapman told NewsChannel 5 Investigates. "Me giving him a checkride 14 months prior had nothing to do with this." Chapman added, "I'm just letting the investigation run its course because I did nothing wrong." Designated pilot examiners act on behalf of the FAA in assuring that pilots meet the minimum qualifications for certificates to fly various types of aircraft. Chapman said he had been a DPE since 2008 without incident. The FAA confirmed the suspension without additional comment. Since the May crash, questions have arisen about the potential pilot error as being a possible cause of the crash that killed Lara, along with his wife, Christian diet guru Gwen Shamblin Lara, and five other leaders of the Remnant Fellowship in Brentwood. YouTuber Dan Gryder put out a video Friday claiming that Lara had "washed out" of Flight Safety International in Atlanta before going Chapman to get his certification. "Anybody with have a half a brain can recognize this guy's an idiot, he can't fly." Gryder claimed. A spokesperson for Flight Safety International declined to comment on Gryder's claims. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/faa-suspends-examiner-who-approved-pilot-in-fatal-crash-into-percy-priest-lake Jury finds Webster aviation company liable for violating FAA regulations HOUSTON – Ascent Aviation Solutions LLC and its owner have been ordered to pay nearly $240,000 in penalties for violating safety regulations, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. Michael King had been operating the Webster-based company as a direct air carrier without the necessary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. A direct air carrier is one who provides, or offers to provide, air transportation and who maintains control over the operational functions performed in providing the transportation. In order to operate as a direct air carrier, one must hold an FAA-issued certificate after demonstrating they meet the requisite requirements. The jury heard that Ascent used what is known in the industry as a “dry lease” to circumvent the FAA requirements for direct air carriers. Under such lease, the lessee simply leases the equipment and is responsible for all aspects of operational control of the plane. Authorities learned of the illegal charter operation and checked one of the flights. At that time, they found evidence of a sham lease agreement between themselves and an unsuspecting third party. That party did not have operational control of the plane. Testimony revealed he only paid Ascent to fly him from one city to another. The jury heard Ascent retained operational control of the aircraft meaning Ascent, not the passenger, handled all flight logistics including hiring the pilots. Further investigation revealed King and Ascent had operated 14 unregulated charter flights which all had the potential to endanger public safety. The jury ultimately found King and his company liable for violating 14 FAA regulations, including one for the careless and reckless operation of a plane. They were ordered to pay $239,872. The FAA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel N. Wiley, Julie Redlinger and Keith Wyatt represented the United States during the proceedings. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/jury-finds-webster-aviation-company-liable-violating-faa-regulations China Airlines to be back on track soon after pilots cleared protocols Taipei, June 29 (CNA) Taiwan-based China Airlines (CAL) could see its flight schedule return to normal in the near future after all of its pilots have been put in the "safe" COVID-19 category, meaning they can work a regular schedule again after being sidelined by a cluster infection. The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said Tuesday that all 1,258 of the airline's pilots have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, completed a compulsory 14-day quarantine, and tested negative for the disease. By completing the quarantine and negative test protocols, the pilots can once again work regular rotations, allowing CAL to restore a flight schedule that was pared back in May after a cluster infection hit CAL pilots and a Taoyuan airport hotel that houses a CAL dormitory. The airline, however, has yet to comment on the situation or whether or when its flight schedule will change. The other of Taiwan's two major international airlines, EVA Air, also said 95 percent of its 1,267 pilots have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Around 97 percent of EVA Air and CAL flight attendants have also received at least one vaccine shot so far, and roughly 10-20 percent of CAL and EVA Air pilots and flight attendants have been fully vaccinated with two doses, according to the CAA. The CAL cluster infection, which produced 35 cases after surfacing in late April, led the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) to order enhanced pandemic containment measures targeting CAL on May 10. The CECC ordered that all CAL pilots who were then overseas had to fly back to Taiwan to undergo 14-day quarantines, and pilots in Taiwan also had to be quarantined for the same length of time, sharply curtailing the airline's manpower. The CECC also asked CAL to divide all pilots, crew members and flight attendants into a "risk" group and a "safe" group. People in the "risk" group could work together on flights to enable CAL to maintain some of its flight operations, but they were not able to work with crew members in the "safe" group -- those who had completed the quarantine and negative-test protocols. Flight attendants who served on long-haul flights or were in contact with flight crew members in the "risk" group -- those who have not completed 14-day mandatory quarantines or tested negative for COVID-19 at the end of their quarantine -- also had to be isolated. The implementation of those and other COVID-19 protocols forced CAL to cancel some services, mainly passenger flights, which were already limited because of the impact of COVID-19 on international travel. https://focustaiwan.tw/business/202106290015 FAA Implements Internal Voluntary Reporting System The FAA is rolling out its new congressionally mandated Voluntary Safety Reporting Program (VSRP) for the engineers, safety inspectors, system safety specialists, and other employees in its aviation safety organization. The announcement last week follows the release of an order earlier this year that detailed the VSRP. In the sweeping consolidated appropriations and Covid-19 relief bill passed late last year, Congress called on the FAA to establish the program for the agency’s aviation safety organization, as well as implement numerous other whistleblower protections and some certification reforms. These measures were in response to the many reviews of the agency’s certification activities that followed the Boeing Max crashes. The VSRP enables FAA aviation safety workers to confidentially report safety concerns without fear of punitive action. Information submitted to the system will be used to validate or verify concerns, identify root causes, and seek corrective actions, the agency said, maintaining that “an open, non-punitive, and confidential reporting system allows the agency to address safety-sensitive issues that may otherwise have gone unnoticed due to fear of repercussion.” About 7,400 professionals work for the aviation safety organization, providing oversight for air carriers, manufacturers, maintenance providers, aviation medical practitioners, and flight crews. “We can never be satisfied with the status quo when it comes to safety, and the free exchange of vital information is a cornerstone of safety and continual improvement,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “We want our employees to know that when they speak up, they can be sure someone is listening.” Noting that the risk of fatal accidents has decreased 94 percent since 1998, the FAA credits voluntary reporting programs with playing an integral role in that improvement. The agency worked alongside union leaders in helping to structure the program to encourage safety sharing, it said. “The more we can continue to encourage people to report, the more we can influence the safety in the system,” said Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, which represents engineers and other aviation safety employees. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-06-28/faa-implements-internal-voluntary-reporting-system AviationManuals Launches Innovative Membership Service Integrating Manuals and SMS for Enhanced Aviation Safety WASHINGTON, D.C., June 28, 2021 – AviationManuals, the leading provider of manual development services and Safety Management System (SMS) software, announces the launch of an entirely new and unique membership experience www.aviationmanuals.com. The exciting new offering pairs AviationManuals’ valuable operations manual development and update services with an online tool that includes document hosting, verification, distribution, industry news, and ready access to safety metrics data. The combination of ARC, AviationManuals’ SMS Software, with its coveted manuals provides a more wholistic approach to managing operational improvement and safety. Moving forward, all manuals and LOA services will be paired with software, enabling the company to provide regular content updates as well as valuable industry and regulatory information, helping its 4,000-strong and growing customer base continually become better and safer. The goal is to create a central platform for business aviation operators and FBOs to manage the resources they need to operate safely. The new package includes: o A single online location to manage all manuals, updates and distribution o Unlimited storage and file formats o Read and Initial Tracking o News, resources, updates, and member only content and expert topics o Real time safety metrics Operators can save time and money by replacing paid document hosting and management tools with this all-in-one content and software solution. Operators can read and initial documents, automate notifications, develop customized file structures, get news and updates, and easily see the latest global safety metrics. The company believes this improved approach helps bring together all the tools and information that aircraft operators and FBOs need to operate better and safer. “This isn’t just a tweak – but a fundamental change in how we will be delivering our content, our expertise, and software access to our customers moving forward.” said Mark Baier, CEO of AviationManuals. “We now offer the most holistic continual improvement and safety system available anywhere on the market.” says Baier. “I’m truly excited about this, because SMS combined with continual operational improvement is the future of our industry, so the more we can help to get users to participate the better. As a company, we care about making it easy for every aviation operator to be better and safer. This really is a one-of-a-kind offering.” https://www.aviationpros.com/tools-equipment/maintenance-it/manuals-documents/press-release/21228433/aviationmanuals-aviationmanuals-launches-innovative-membership-service-integrating-manuals-and-sms-for-enhanced-aviation-safety Boeing’s next airplane likely to be delayed by FAA concerns Federal regulators have indicated they likely won’t certify Boeing’s next airliner until 2023 because of questions about changes the aircraft manufacturer is making in software and hardware on a new version of the two-aisle 777 jet. The Federal Aviation Administration’s concerns are just the latest setback for Boeing, which originally predicted that the plane would enter airline service in 2020. An FAA official listed 11 concerns in a May 13 letter to Boeing that surfaced over the weekend. Among them: a Dec. 8 flight in which the plane’s nose turned up or down without pilots directing it to do so. Another Boeing plane, the 737 Max, suffered two fatal crashes after an automated system on the plane pushed the nose down, and pilots were unable to regain control. Boeing had to overhaul the system. [Most read] After losing battle over renaming Lake Shore Drive, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says she will still move ahead with plans to honor DuSable that include $40 million park » The FAA official, Ian Won, the acting manager for safety at the agency’s Boeing oversight office, said FAA is also concerned that late changes Boeing proposes to software and hardware on the 777X could introduce new, inadvertent problems. “Based on our assessment, the FAA considers that the aircraft is not yet ready” for a key step in the process, he told the company. Won said the FAA might have to increase the number of test flights. The letter to Boeing was first reported by the Seattle Times. https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-faa-boeing-plane-ap-20210629-bin3wr63bzcetby54drmriou74-story.html ZeroAvia Expands its Hydrogen-Electric Aviation Program to 19-Seat Aircraft and Raises Additional $13 Million in Funding for Large Engine Development • ZeroAvia secures two Dornier 228 aircraft for the next phase of its research and development for clean hydrogen-electric aviation. • The 19-seat program will take place at the company's newest facility in Kemble, UK, with additional support from its Hollister, CA location. • This 600kW hydrogen-electric powerplant initiative builds on the company's technological achievements and flight testing of its hydrogen propulsion powertrain in its 6-seat aircraft prototype. KEMBLE, United Kingdom and HOLLISTER, Calif., June 29, 2021 /CNW/ -- To continue the company's trajectory toward zero-emission flight, ZeroAvia is ramping up its 19-seat aircraft program to decarbonize and revolutionize regional air travel. The company will utilize two twin-engine 19-seat Dornier 228 aircraft - one in the UK and one in the US, provided respectively by Aurigny and AMC Aviation. Both aircraft were previously in service for regional flights in the US and UK, demonstrating the opportunity for carbon reduction on existing routes. ZeroAvia's 19-seat R&D is part of HyFlyer II, the second ZeroAvia-led project backed by the UK Government to target the development of a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. As part of HyFlyer I, ZeroAvia successfully demonstrated a 250kW powerplant in a 6-seat aircraft across three flight test campaigns, achieving all the project's technical goals, including fuel-cell only cruise flight. All the learnings of HyFlyer I will be fully utilized in the development of a 600kW 19-seater powerplant in HyFlyer II. ZeroAvia has also secured an additional $13 million for its 50+ seat engine development program from AP Ventures, a significant investor in breakthrough technologies across the hydrogen value chain, Alumni Ventures Group, SGH Capital, Agartha Fund LP, and existing investors Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Summa Equity, Shell Ventures, SYSTEMIQ, and Horizons Ventures. This new funding complements the initial investment of $24 million the company announced a few weeks ago, bringing the total private investment into ZeroAvia large engine development for 50+ seat aircraft to $37 million. "We are eager and ready to begin testing our hydrogen-electric powertrain technology on a larger commercial-size aircraft and grateful to our investors and grant funders for their continued support of our vision for sustainable aviation," said Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO at ZeroAvia. "Various projections indicate that aviation may account for over 25 percent of human-induced climate effects by 2050. We are on the path to helping reverse that trend, first with our successful 6-seater testing and now with the R&D for our 19-seater, and the kick-off of our 50+ seat program. Hydrogen is the only practical solution for true climate-neutral flight, and it will become a commercial reality much sooner than many predict." "We are delighted to welcome ZeroAvia to our existing portfolio of hydrogen-related technologies," said Kevin Eggers, Partner at AP Ventures. "We have been impressed with the progress that ZeroAvia has made over the last 24 months – technically, operationally, and commercially. Furthermore, we have become increasingly confident about the significant role of hydrogen in decarbonising aviation. We believe that ZeroAvia will pioneer the development of hydrogen-electric powertrains for the aviation space." For the 19-seat aircraft, two 600KW units of the company's hydrogen-electric powertrain will replace the aircraft's twin engines, along with hydrogen fuel tanks eventually holding 100kg of compressed gaseous hydrogen to support the 500-mile range of the commercial offering in 2024. Additionally, ZeroAvia is progressing the software, hardware, mechanical integration, and fuel cell balance-of-plant to the certifiable state. The 6-ton aircraft will have a range of 500 nautical miles. "As air travel begins to increase again, political and public pressure is mounting to incorporate more sustainable technology," said Nico Bezuidenhout, CEO of Aurigny. "ZeroAvia's 19-seat initiative will not only seek to decarbonize existing regional services but also expand the reach of regional aviation by ultimately reducing seat mile cost, making smaller planes competitive with larger aircraft. In turn, smaller airports will become more accessible for aviation service, increasing traveller convenience, and the corresponding demand for point-to-point regional air travel." ZeroAvia's new 30,000-square foot Kemble facility will act as the dedicated base for developing ZeroAvia's 600kW engine class and marks a significant investment in and expansion of its UK-based R&D program. The company's Hollister, California location will assist the UK team with testing and will be responsible for building the second demonstration aircraft for commercialization of technology in North America. The company currently employs about 50 people, expanding to over 100 in the next 12 months across both the US and UK. ZeroAvia has also made several key additions to its team, including its new CTO of Propulsion Dr. Youcef Abdelli, formerly Head of Electrical System and Power Electronics at magniX and Principal Electrical & Propulsion System Chief Engineer for Amazon Prime Air. Also joining the team is new Regulatory & Safety Advisor Sir Tim Anderson, a former Senior Royal Air Force Officer, inaugural Director-General of the UK Military Aviation Authority, Chief Operating Officer of Flybe Group, and Chairman of the UK Airspace Change Organising Group Steering Committee. Finally, Kenneth Braithwaite, the 77th Secretary of the Navy, a retired US Navy Admiral and a Senior Advisor to Summa Equity and Silicon Valley Bank, will be signing on as a board observer. About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting 500 mile range in 9-19 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and more. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Minister's Jet Zero Council. For more information, please visit ZeroAvia.com and follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. SOURCE ZeroAvia For further information: Lisa Ann Pinkerton, lisaann@technicacommunications.com, 408-806-9626 ext 9626, https://www.zeroavia.com/ Related Links https://www.zeroavia.com/ https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/zeroavia-expands-its-hydrogen-electric-aviation-program-to-19-seat-aircraft-and-raises-additional-13-million-in-funding-for-large-engine-development-864027390.html United Airlines unveils 270-jet Boeing and Airbus order, its largest ever • United’s 270 plane order is made up of 200 Boeing Max planes and 70 Airbus 320neos. • The airline is making seat-back screens central to its new aircraft interiors and adding higher numbers of roomier seats in coach. • The carrier expects to add 25,000 union jobs, including pilots and flight attendants, for the new jets. United Airlines unveiled Tuesday its largest-ever aircraft order: 270 narrow-body jetliners from Boeing and Airbus as the carrier charts its post-pandemic growth. The fleet plan is central to United’s goal of capturing more travelers, particularly high-paying ones in major coastal hubs like San Francisco and Newark. In a wide-ranging strategy plan, the airline said it plans to add more roomier seats and seat-back entertainment, a departure from a previous strategy. The airline also announced a hiring spree of 25,000 employees for the new planes, including pilots, flight attendants and mechanics. Boeing shares were up 0.9% in premarket trading after the announcement. United’s were down about 0.2%. The order includes 200 Boeing Max jets. Of those planes, 150 are Max 10 models. Boeing’s largest. The first Max 10 test flight was completed earlier this month. The remaining 50 Boeing planes are the of manufacturer’s most-popular model, the Max 8. The large order on top of United’s existing order book for Max planes is another vote of confidence in the airplane maker, which has struggled to regain its footing after two Max crashes and a several production problems. United also plans to order 70 Airbus 321neos, adding to an order for dozens of long-range versions of the plane. The carrier now has about 500 narrow-body aircraft arriving starting next year. About 200 of the planes will be used to grow the airline’s fleet of 500 planes, while 300 will go to replace older jets such as its Boeing 757-200 planes, which it will retire, said Andrew Nocella, United’s chief commercial officer. Premium travelers Some of those planes will replace older single-class regional jets. That’s part of United’s push for higher-paying travelers. United executives said flying the larger mainline jets means it will be able to add more first-class and economy-plus seats, or coach seats with more legroom. It also unveiled new interiors for the planes that include seat-back screens and larger overhead bins. That focus on higher-priced seats — and the customers who will pay more for them — is a shot at rival Delta Air Lines. Before the pandemic, Delta was heavily focused on those travelers — particularly in coastal hubs — adding more legroom and roomier jets between business hubs. Business travel demand was decimated in the pandemic but has recently crept back, according to analysts’ reports. United CEO Scott Kirby told reporters that he expects business-travel demand to fully recover. Seat-back screen comeback Another shift in United’s strategy is that it will outfit its planes with seat-back entertainment, something United had moved away from. Rival American Airlines — where United’s CEO Kirby worked before joining his current carrier five years ago as president — had taken seat-back screens out of older planes while also taking in new narrow-body planes without them. Executives had argued that many travelers would use their personal electronic devices instead to stream movies. Other airlines like Delta and JetBlue Airways still offer seat-back entertainment systems. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/29/united-airlines-unveils-270-jet-boeing-and-airbus-order-its-largest-ever.html More weekend travel headaches: Southwest Airlines cancels more than 500 flights, delays 2,500 more Southwest Airlines has canceled more than 500 weekend flights and delayed more than 2,500 others, the continuation of a rough month for the nation's largest domestic carrier and its passengers. The operational woes come amid a spike in flight attendant sick calls, but the airline says bad weather across the country is to blame. Southwest canceled 287 Saturday flights, or 8% of its flights, as of 5:30 p.m. ET, after canceling 254 Friday flights, or 6% percent of its flights, according to flight tracker FlightAware. It had the most cancellations of any U.S. carrier, in total and as a percentage of flights, each day. Tardy flights are a big issue, too: Southwest delayed nearly 1,600 Friday flights, or 43% of its flights, more than any U.S. airline, and so far Saturday has delayed 960 flights, or 28% of its flights, according to FlightAware. The cancellations and delays come a week after Southwest canceled or delayed hundreds of flights due to two separate technology issues and a week after American Airlines struggled with operational woes during the busy Father's Day travel weekend and said it would proactively cancel nearly 1,000 July flights to give it more breathing room when weather and other issues crop up. Why are Southwest flights canceled today Southwest spokeswoman Alyssa Foster told USA TODAY on Saturday that the airline proactively canceled 150 flights "due to widespread thunderstorms expect across parts of the nation.'' She cited cities including Denver, Orlando, Chicago and St. Louis. "These proactive cancellations will allow us to minimize delays and diversions due to the storms and probable ATC (air traffic control) initiatives,'' she said in a statement. On Friday, Southwest spokesman Dan Landson attributed Friday's cancellations to summer storms. "To proactively manage our operation, we implemented a scheduled reduction ahead of expected storms and probable air traffic control initiatives,'' he said in a statement. "Excessive'' flight attendant sick calls a factor? On Friday, Southwest implemented its emergency sick call procedures for the second time in a week due to a spike in flight attendants calling in sick, a level the airline deems "excessive.'' "We simply cannot manage the operation with the number of sick calls we are taking and quickly using reserves,'' Sonya Lacore, Southwest's vice president of inflight operations, said in a memo to flight attendants viewed by USA TODAY. Lacore apologized to employees for the extra steps the emergency call in procedure require for those who are ill but said it is required to "keep the operation running.'' "I also recognize many of you are tired and our intent in moving in this direction is not to make this a punishment,'' Lacore said. "We are simply doing what is required to keep our planes flying and protect both our operation and flight attendants already at work.'' Asked about the implementation of the emergency sick call procedures, Southwest's Foster attributed it to the airline's "irregular operations'' caused by "large, summer thunderstorms.'' "It is not uncommon for Southwest to proactively implement this policy in peak travel and/or holiday timeframes to protect the operation and our working crews to ensure appropriate staffing,'' Foster said via email. What happens if Southwest cancels my flight? Travelers whose flights are canceled are being rebooked on other flights. But some travelers are finding the next flight isn't always the same day given the busy summer travel season. And plenty of travelers are finding it hard to reach the airline, a universal problem for passengers this summer. Can I get a refund if an airline cancels my flight? Passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed are eligible for a refund per U.S. Department of Transportation rules, even if the airline has already rebooked them. The problem with opting for a refund during peak travel times if your trip is a must and you're on a budget: Finding a last-minute flight on another airline won't be easy or cheap. https://www.yahoo.com/news/more-weekend-travel-headaches-southwest-182238036.html Commercial Aviation in Caribbean Still Has Its Hurdles Speaking at the 5th annual Caribavia conference earlier this month, InterCaribbean Airways CEO Trevor Sadler described the challenges faced by commercial aviation in the Caribbean in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic. (Photo: AIN/Curt Epstein) For a region highly dependent upon tourism as the Caribbean, air connectivity between islands can still be very difficult, according to Trevor Sadler, CEO of Turks & Caicos-based InterCaribbean Airways. Speaking earlier this month at the 5th annual Caribavia Conference, Sadler noted that a trip on a legacy airline from Turks & Caicos to St. Maarten, such as he took to reach the conference, involved flying from Providenciales to Miami, and then on to Charlotte, in order to reach to St. Maarten. While airlines such as Jet Blue, Frontier, and Air Belgium have begun expanding their service into the region, small regional carriers such as InterCaribbean and Winnair are working to bridge those gaps and eliminate the need for U.S. connections through interline agreements with major airlines. Sadler noted that when the airline began nearly three decades ago, it carried mainly Caribbean residents, but now given his company’s exposure worldwide, tourists from as far away as Australia can account for half the passengers on a given flight. Another hurdle faced by the region is in the patchwork of regulations and taxes imposed by the various island governments. A short connecting flight from the Dominican Republic to Jamaica via Turks and Caicos can add nearly $300 to the price of the trip in taxes and tariffs alone, aside from the cost of the ticket. Sadler noted that the distance of that trip was comparable to a flight from Miami to Orlando, which would result in approximately one-tenth of the tax add-ons. “How do we develop greater airlift?” asked Sadler. “You make it affordable; but what is affordable if the customer sees only the bottom line of the price on the ticket?” Those increases over the base ticket price have served to inhibit the growth of interisland air travel in a region that is overwhelmingly reliant on leisure travel, as the Covid pandemic starkly underlined. He added that discussions over reducing departure taxes across the region have gone on for years, ebbing and flowing with the change of local governments. However, only a few countries including St. Vincent have followed through with meaningful reductions. Sadler is currently attempting to negotiate what he describes as “stop-over fares” with several countries to share the taxation between them on a multi-island itinerary and encourage interisland trips without having to pass along onerous taxes to the passengers. Meanwhile, having certain countries agree to “no visa in transit” policies allows for increased routing through connecting flights. Sadler also addressed the economics of aircraft operations in the Caribbean. “With a few exceptions, we don’t have populations of millions across most of these islands, so it is that your available base of potential travelers is quite small, so the aircraft you operate across the region simply has to be able to meet the particular demand,” he said. With that in mind, InterCaribbean flies a mixed fleet of EMB-120s (which will soon be supplanted by larger ATR-42s) and ERJ145s, along with Twin Otter turboprops. “As we hear people trying to compare the aircraft we operate with how much the operating cost of a 737 or an A320 is, that’s nonsense because we can’t fill up 737s and A320s between most island points,” insisted Sadler. The upheaval in the commercial air passenger industry caused by the pandemic has been well documented, and Sadler told the audience that despite not having a single revenue flight between March 28 and July 22 last year, which forced a 50 percent reduction in the company’s payroll, the airline “has not received one penny of support from any government.” He said that in the company’s home of Turks & Caicos, hotel workers laid off due to the tourism downturn received some short-term benefits, “but if you were an airline or airport worker, nothing for you.” In terms of staffing, Sadler explained that pre-Covid, the airline engaged in perpetual hiring because pilots were constantly looking for their next opportunity. That changed after the pandemic, however, as mainline airliner pilots continue to search for jobs. The company also has an onboarding first officer program with a major airline, which gives them what he called vital, hands-on flying experience. One new development that could aid aviation travel in the area is the "homeporting" of cruise ships at certain islands for the first time. While such ships typically had departed on their Caribbean circuits from Miami and other ports in Florida, due to the Covid pandemic and its resulting travel restrictions and regulations several cruise lines have decided to base ships at Antigua, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and St. Maarten instead. While the cruise lines intend for the measure to last until the end of the summer vacation season, aviation stakeholders such as Sadler hope it will stick. “For the first time, the Caribbean has the possibility of embarking cruise passengers without having to go to the U.S.,” he told the audience, adding that will enable further long-haul flying into those markets, where passengers could choose to extend their on-island stays around the cruise, and even take short flights to visit other nearby islands. “I really see that’s the most wonderful thing Covid has delivered for our region,” Sadler said. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2021-06-28/commercial-aviation-caribbean-still-has-its-hurdles Curt Lewis