Flight Safety Information - November 24, 2021 No. 236 In This Issue : Incident: S7 B738 at Moscow on Nov 23rd 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine failure : Incident: Red Wings SU95 at Norilsk on Nov 24th 2021, runway excursion on landing : Woman yelling ‘Let’s go Brandon’ wheeled off Las Vegas jet bridge, arrested over mask disturbance : Flying solo: Technology takes aim at co-pilots : Pilots at Miami International Airport Report Increase in Laser Pointer Strikes : Kenya Airways Under Fire From Pilots For Flying 787s Too Fast : Gulf Air Completes EASA Audit Process : An A340 Aircraft Successfully Lands on an Ice Runway in Antarctica, for the First Time : Pilot lands aircraft at wrong airport after duty hours end mid-flight : American Airlines and JetBlue’s Northeast Alliance Will Give Customers Access to the Largest Flight Schedule on the Most Connected Network in 2022 : Southern California Safety Institute Upcoming Courses : Position Available: Analyst, Safety/Flight Operations Quality Assurance : Position Available: Specialist - Flight Safety Investigations Incident: S7 B738 at Moscow on Nov 23rd 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine failure A S7 Sibir Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration VP-BQD performing flight S7-2167 from Moscow Domodedovo to Mineralnye Vody (Russia), was accelerating for takeoff from Domodedovo's runway 32L when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (about 30 knots over ground) due to the failure of the right hand engine (CFM56), the aircraft slowed safely and vacated the runway about 900 meters/2950 feet down the runway. Rosaviatsia reported another aircraft on final approach was instructed to go around, a runway inspection was initiated during which a second aircraft was instructed to go around. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f0a7afb&opt=0 Incident: Red Wings SU95 at Norilsk on Nov 24th 2021, runway excursion on landing A Red Wings Airlines Sukhoi Superjet 100-95, registration RA-89138 performing flight WZ-1279 from Chelyabinsk to Norilsk (Russia) with 81 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Norilsk's runway 19 at 09:44L (02:44Z) but began to veer left off the runway about 1800 meters/5940 feet down the runway and came to a stop off the runway after skidding for about 30 meters. There were no injuries. The aircraft was returned onto the paved surface of the runway about 80 minutes later. The Eastern Interregional Transport Investigation Department is looking into the occurrence. http://avherald.com/h?article=4f0a76e3&opt=0 Woman yelling ‘Let’s go Brandon’ wheeled off Las Vegas jet bridge, arrested over mask disturbance Traveler taken to jail for violating airport rules, Metro police say LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Las Vegas Metro police arrested a woman at McCarran International Airport over the weekend after a disturbance on a plane. Katrina Alspaugh, of Las Vegas, faces one charge of violating airport rules following the incident Sunday, an arrest report said. Officers arrived to a gate in Terminal 1 after a call of a woman refusing to wear her mask onboard an Allegiant Air flight, the report said. The woman, later identified as Alspaugh, had been involved in a prior incident at the security checkpoint, police said. During that incident, Alspaugh reportedly attempted to punch another passenger that pointed out Alspaugh was not wearing her mask, police said. When officers arrived at the Allegiant flight gate, Alspaugh was standing on the jet bridge, they said. An airline representative had removed her from the flight and issued her a trespass notice from the company. According to police, as Alspaugh was being taken off the jet bridge in a wheelchair, she yelled obscenities and “Let’s go Brandon.” Police said this only added to the disturbance and they arrested her. Alspaugh was booked into the Clark County Detention Center. Court records did not indicate any conditions of bail, though the charge is a misdemeanor. Alspaugh was not listed in the jail log as of Tuesday. Federal law requires all passengers on public transportation, including air travel, within the United States, to wear a face mask except when actively eating or drinking. Since November of last year, the FAA has reported nearly 4,000 unruly passenger incidents involving face masks. Since January, the agency has reported 100 incidents involving physical violence. https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/woman-yelling-lets-go-brandon-wheeled-off-las-vegas-jet-bridge-arrested-over-mask-disturbance/ Flying solo: Technology takes aim at co-pilots There are worries that cutting the number of pilots flying commercial airliners could threaten safety on board. • Airbus plans to certify its A350 jets for single-pilot operations Aircraft pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright had to resort to a coin toss to decide who would attempt the first powered flight, but almost all modern aviation relies on at least two pilots in the cockpit. That could soon change, as airlines and planemakers develop new technology that would rely to a greater extent on automation and eliminate the need for a co-pilot. But while manufacturers argue the move could improve flight safety, crews fear it will do the opposite. “Fact of life is that safety on board of an aircraft is highly dependent on the human factor,” said Annette Groeneveld, president of the European Cabin Crew Association. "To detect system failure, to help each other to perform at the highest level, four eyes see more than only one set.” In Europe, the move from two pilots to one is being spearheaded by Airbus, which is working on several projects to increase automation on board, including an autonomous take-off, taxiing and landing scheme (ATTOL) and a plan to certify its A350 jets for single-pilot operations. Last year it trialed its first ATTOL demonstrator, in which an empty passenger plane took off, taxied and landed using automation and onboard image recognition tech — albeit with two pilots in the cockpit. “Autonomous flight has the potential to deliver increased fuel savings, reduce the operating costs of airlines, and support pilots in their strategic decision-making and mission management,” Airbus says on its website. Increasing onboard automation also frees up pilots to find a “better balance between working and resting time,” according to the company. The European Commission is also getting involved, providing funding for a project that will assess “new crew and team configurations,” including human-machine teaming and a supervisory role for automation. It foresees using artificial intelligence as a "digital assistant" to “earn the trust of the crew and public," with the goal of eventually allowing AI to take over operations, according to a call for tender on the project. Reducing the human role in aviation isn’t exactly a new concept; Airbus already uses auto-piloted commercial aircraft, space launchers, satellites and drones. EU regulators have approved sole-pilot planes for non-commercial use, and aircraft carrying a very small number of passengers are often flown by a single pilot. But the habitual use of a lone pilot on larger commercial jets is an altogether different proposition — and one that comes with a raft of new safety concerns. Safety concerns Getting single-pilot flights off the ground will require the sign-off of the EU's Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is currently evaluating two potential operational models for the flights. The first, known as “extended minimum-crew operations,” would see two pilots on board, but only one at the controls during the cruise phase, during which the second rests. The model is not dissimilar to what currently happens on long-haul flights. The second, known as end-to-end single-pilot operations, would involve the aircraft being flown by a single pilot for the whole flight. EASA has said it will only sign off on the concepts if “an equivalent or better level of safety to today’s two-pilot operations can be assured" and warned that is has spotted a "number of factors" that need to be addressed. In particular, the agency is investigating the scheme's effects on pilot workload and fatigue, as well as error management and situation awareness. Pilot incapacitation is another concern, as is the potential for sleep inertia in a pilot who is returning to the controls after a period of rest. EASA’s Executive Director Patrick Ky suggested earlier this year that he would welcome a move toward the first model if it meets safety requirements. “It makes sense to say, ‘OK, instead of having two in the cockpit, we can have one in the cockpit, the other one taking a rest,’ provided we’re implementing technical solutions which make sure that if the single one falls asleep or has any problem, there won’t be any unsafe conditions,” Ky said in a press briefing. For airlines that have seen their revenues plummet during the pandemic, the draw of moving toward the second scenario is obvious: Save a lot of cash from payroll — captains' pay typically starts at more than €100,000 in Europe — and pilot training costs and hotel bills. The industry is also facing a huge shortage of pilots, as a result of mandatory retirement age, flight training costs and training availability, among other factors. Extra workload But the possibility of cutting aircrew is ringing alarm bells with pilots. “Commercial interest is being put before flight safety,” said European Cockpit Association President Otjan de Bruijn. “Even the most recent history has shown that putting these economical gains before anything else as a primary goal will have a detrimental influence on flight safety." Two Boeing 737 MAX crashes in late 2018 and early 2019 that killed 346 people "were a prime example of such behavior," he added. In both instances, a new anti-stall software feature malfunctioned during the crucial moments after takeoff, overwhelming pilots who couldn’t troubleshoot the problem before plunging to earth. The crashes also raised issues of how well the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration was overseeing safety at Boeing. “It’s extremely important that EASA doesn’t make the same mistake,” de Bruijn continued. “These developments … should not be aimed at reducing the human capacity, but enhancing the flight safety by enhancing the capacity of the two pilots on board.” Pilots aren’t just there to fly the plane, said de Bruijn. They also help cabin crew when passengers become drunk or unruly — or, as has been the case in the pandemic, rebel against new requirements like wearing a face mask throughout the flight. “It is a huge burden, a huge extra workload, where I am very happy that I have a co-pilot in flight deck taking care of the flight while I'm helping the cabin crew trying to assess [the] situation talking to the passenger or passengers or even helping in the restraining an unruly passenger,” he said. “It’s just not possible to do this when you have only one pilot on board because he or she needs to stay in the flight deck.” Pilot incapacitation — because of a medical emergency like a heart attack or food poisoning — is also a real risk and a relatively frequent occurrence, he said. Airbus didn’t directly respond to a question about pilot incapacitation, other than to say that the planemaker would ensure that existing “unprecedented” levels of safety would be secured. Getting on board Whether passengers will be willing to use a single-pilot plane depends largely on cost, according to Ashley Nunes, a research fellow at Harvard Law School. “For the average consumer, cash is king. If the price is low enough, you’re going to catch that flight,” he said. “The saga with the Boeing 737 MAX is a great example of this; in the aftermath of that particular event, large groups of consumers said, ‘We’re not going to fly that plane.’ And guess what? They’re flying it today.” But reducing the number of pilots on board may not in fact drive down airlines' costs and allow them to offer cheaper flights, Nunes warned: “There are numerous industries where you remove the human, your costs actually increase because of the amount of safety oversight that is required for the technology." The upheaval caused by the pandemic has also thrown a spanner in the works. Cathay Pacific, one of the carriers working with Airbus on reduced crew operations, said the project has been put on hold as a result of COVID. The carrier’s spokesperson said that there is “no plan” to reduce the number of pilots. “The appropriateness and effectiveness of any such rollout as well as what the overall cost/benefit analysis would look like in the new, post-COVID environment will ultimately depend on how the pandemic plays out,” the spokesperson said. Still, Groenveld, the cabin crew representative, is worried that cash will trump safety. “Flying is not cheap, a flight from Amsterdam to Malaga for €35 is impossible, yet the flights are being offered to the public,” she said. “Something has got to give and that something is flight safety and security.” https://www.politico.eu/article/flying-solo-technology-takes-aim-at-co-pilots/ Pilots at Miami International Airport Report Increase in Laser Pointer Strikes There has been an alarming increase in reports of laser strikes on airplanes at Miami International Airport, which is now entering a high season of this type of behavior. The Federal Aviation Administration has major concerns about a troubling trend as thousands of people move through Florida airports this holiday season. Pilots are reporting an increase in people pointing laser pointers at commercial plans taking off and landing. Across the nation, pilots say it has happened nearly a thousand times more than last year. The airport with the most reports in the state of Florida is Miami International Airport. MIA has more than double the number of the next closest. This trend worries pilots as they enter a high season for this type of behavior. According to the FAA, as of October 31, 439 pilots reported a laser pointer strike in Florida -- 124 of them were in the area around MIA. Last year, in the same sector, there were 93 reports. Tampa had the second most this year in Florida with 59 reports as of October 31. Florida ranks third for the most strikes after California and Texas. Nationwide pilots reported 7,757 laser pointer strikes up from 6,852 in 2020. In an interview, regional administrator Michael O’Harra tells NBC 6 it puts pilots and passengers in danger. “Pilots are often forced to duck down to avoid having the lasers contact their eyes directly,” O’Harra said. “The impact can be anything from a distraction to incapacitation if the laser has a direct impact on the pilot’s eyesight.” Looking at the data, O’Harra said each airport location has different trends but pilots appear to report more laser-pointer strikes in the months of October through December when holiday travel is at a high and sundown is earlier with daylight savings time. The danger for pilots increases at night and when they’re closer to the ground. “Some who may have no idea that it presents a hazard to pilots in the cockpit and others who may be deliberately targeting an aircraft,” O’Harra said. Rolando Yague goes to trial in March. Earlier this Spring, the Miami-Dade Police aviation unit claimed he waved a green laser pointer into the cockpit of an overhead plane. Through an undercover investigation in the neighborhood airline officials pointed out, an officer claimed he saw Yague flash the laser and then throw it into his driveway as the officer approached. If convicted he could face five years in jail and a $250,000 fine. He pleaded not guilty. His attorney told NBC 6 “we will vigorously defend our client.” “You’re looking for runway lights and the next thing you know you get hit with a green laser that takes out part of your vision. It’s very dangerous. I can’t think of anything worse,” retired airline captain Jay Rollins said when Yegue was arrested. A spokesperson for MIA told NBC 6 there is little they can do because this all happens in the neighborhoods outside airport property. NBC 6 requested an interview with City of Miami police and Miami-Dade police and have not yet heard back. “I don’t see any difference between what a person is doing with a laser pointing at an airplane cockpit any different from firing a rocket. It has the same outcome,” Rollins said. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/pilots-at-mia-report-increase-in-laser-pointer-strikes/2627080/ Kenya Airways Under Fire From Pilots For Flying 787s Too Fast Kenya Airways has come into conflict with its pilots’ union regarding the speed at which it has asked crews to fly the Boeing 787 on a certain route. The measure on the Kenyan flag carrier’s Nairobi-Guangzhou route is designed to cut costs. However, the union has asserted that the plan, which also reduces the number of pilots onboard the flights, is illegal. The route in question Kenya Airways is one of two carriers to fly directly between Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO) and Guangzhou Baiyun International (CAN). The other is China Southern Airlines. Data from RadarBox.com shows that the Kenyan flag carrier plied this route twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) until last week, when it reduced to a weekly (Friday) frequency. Operating the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on this corridor, flight KQ882 to Guangzhou typically departs Nairobi at 17:45 local time. With a scheduled duration of 10 hours and 15 minutes, touchdown in China is scheduled to occur at 09:00 the following morning. However, previous iterations of this flight have departed at 16:30 local time, giving a duration of 11 hours and 30 minutes. This is in line with the current return working, KQ883, which is scheduled to take 11 hours and 45 minutes to return from Guangzhou (22:15) to Nairobi (05:00 the next morning). So why is the outbound leg now so much faster? Why has Kenya Airways come under fire? According to The East African, the expedited flight time between Nairobi and Guangzhou is a result of cost-cutting measures at Kenya Airways. In order to save money when it comes to hotel accommodation and personal, allowances, the airline has reduced the number of pilots working such flights from four to two. However, this didn’t fit with the old schedule. Indeed, the carrier’s Operations Director, Paul Njoroge, explains that “the agreement between [Kenya Airways] and the pilots union allows for flights up to a maximum of 10 hours and 30 minutes flight time with one captain and one first officer.” While the new schedule doesn’t violate this, it has raised concerns at the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA). The union’s Secretary-General, Murithi Nyagah, alleges that the new timings force crews to cruise the 787 at a Cost Index (CI) of 300. According to Skybrary, CI represents “the ratio of fuel costs to all other costs” on a given flight. Such a high CI represents fast cruising with minimal emphasis on fuel saving, and the union claims that the figure is actually illegal. Cutting costs could lead to safety issues KALPA adds that flying in this manner puts the lives of passengers and crew at risk. The smaller crew sizes are also of concern to the union. Indeed, its member pilots have argued that having just two pilots onboard will cause greater fatigue. This is due to the lack of rest opportunities that are otherwise present when a second pair of pilots can take over. Writing in a letter to Kenya Airways CEO, KALPA Secretary-General Murithi Nyagah argued that the Ops Director’s approach to these flights “disregards safety as the principal guidance, but rather [chooses] to prioritize commercial interest as the basis of his decisions.” It will be interesting to see how the national airline responds to this dispute. Simple Flying has reached out to Kenya Airways for a statement and will update this article upon receiving it. https://simpleflying.com/kenya-airways-787-speed-dispute/ Gulf Air Completes EASA Audit Process Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, recently completed an audit process successfully for the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and maintained its ongoing certification to carry out maintenance on Airbus A320 family and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner including their associated engines and various fitted components. This will allow Gulf Air to expand its maintenance capability to include more regional and European airlines that operate to and from Bahrain International Airport. The objective of the audit, which is performed once every year, is to obtain assurance that Gulf Air’s planes, engines, associated systems and component maintenance activities are carried out in conformity with the European Civil Aviation regulations and standards as well as complying with additional requirements specifically drafted for organizations located outside the European Union (EU) or non-member states. The audit also assists to ensure that these activities are performed in accordance with Gulf Air’s internal policy and procedures that are pre-approved by EASA. Focused on Gulf Air’s Technical Division, the EASA audit includes inspections on the airline’s processes and procedures, competencies and workmanship, as well as adequacy of manpower with various expertise including the management team, facilities and environment, availability of equipment and tooling, materials, technical manuals and documentation that are required for the type of aircraft, engines and components to be maintained by Gulf Air. Gulf Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi said at this occasion: “This is a testimony of Gulf Air’s strength and adherence to EASA’s regulations and we are glad to maintain our certification year after year. I would like to thank our Bahraini Chief Technical Officer, Jamal Abdulrahman Hashim, and his team of engineers and technicians for their hard work and continuous commitment in serving the National Carrier.” He also added: “The routine audits are performed twice every 24 months and we welcome EASA every time to assist us in preserving the status of being professional with high standards to maintain not only our fleet but also the equipment of other airlines." Recently, Gulf Air successfully completed the internationally recognized, biennial IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and has been renewed on the IOSA Safety Audit Registry until May 2023. The audit covered approximately 1,000 standards and practices related to the safety of operations and procedures of the airline. That was the ninth IOSA audit successfully completed by Gulf Air since 2005, in-line with IATA’s two-year audit cycles. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/commercial-airline/press-release/21247799/gulf-air-gulf-air-completes-easa-audit-process An A340 Aircraft Successfully Lands on an Ice Runway in Antarctica, for the First Time • Hi Fly successfully landed a widebody aircraft on an ice runway in Antarctica, for the first time Hi Fly, a Portugal-based aircraft wet lease specialist, has successfully landed an Airbus A340 in Antarctica for the first time. The widebody aircraft flew 2,500 nautical miles (2,879 miles/4,633 km), from South Africa to Antarctica and back, for a total of over ten hours. The pioneering flight and landing were conducted in preparation for the upcoming season, when the company will take scientists, plus a small number of passengers and cargo, to the White Continent. The A340 is considered “reliable and comfortable,” with a remarkable safety record and a very long range, which is why it was chosen for this mission. Captain Carlos Mirpuri, his crew, and a small number of passengers departed on November 2 from Cape Town, South Africa. The destination was Wolf’s Fang Runway in Antarctica. This blue glacial ice runway has a depth of 1.4 km (0.8 miles) of solid air-free ice. The runway is 3,000 meters (9,840 feet) long, with grooving carved along its side with the help of special equipment. The Captain reported in his log that the weather was good, and runway friction reports were also looking good. A specific issue when it comes to blue glacial ice runways is the strong reflection – the pilot needs to wear proper eyewear and be extra cautious when landing the airplane. In this particular case, there were also no navigation aids available at the location – which is why the Captain also reported that it was challenging to establish the correct adjustments for landing, with the runway being hard to distinguish from the white surroundings. The first-ever landing of an A340 widebody aircraft on a blue glacial ice runway in Antarctica was definitely exciting for the Captain, his crew, and everybody on board, and luckily things went even better than expected. After this trailblazing flight, the aircraft will fly more frequently to the White Continent in the upcoming summer season. https://www.autoevolution.com/news/an-a340-aircraft-successfully-lands-on-an-ice-runway-in-antarctica-for-the-first-time-174900.html Pilot lands aircraft at wrong airport after duty hours end mid-flight KATHMANDU — A planeload of passengers on a Nepal Airlines flight got the surprise of their lives when they stepped out to find themselves at the wrong airport. Did the flight crew get the latitudes and longitudes mixed up? Had they been given the wrong schedule? The reason was more mundane. The pilot of the Nepal Airlines Twin Otter headed for Salle airport put down the aircraft at Nepalgunj airport after his duty hours ended mid-flight, and he was out of time to fly to Salle and then on to Nepalgunj as per the timetable. The story starts on a hazy Sunday morning. The 17-seater Twin Otter was scheduled to depart for Salle airport in Rukum West from Kathmandu at 6:30 am. Ten passengers had booked seats on the one-hour flight. But fog and high winds delayed takeoff, and at 10:30 am, Nepal Airlines announced that Flight RA181 had been cancelled. The reason was that no alternative airports were open due to the bad weather conditions, although Salle airport was open with perfect visibility and clear skies. Alternative airports are airports that are close enough to the scheduled destination that can be used should an emergency occur. In Nepal, where the weather fluctuates by the minute and flights are operated under visual flight rules, an alternative airport is a must. Visual flight rules are a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. “So we decided to cancel the flight and informed the passengers accordingly,” Deepu Raj Jwarchan, director of the operations department at Nepal Airlines, told the Post. “All passengers then went home.” But after 12 noon, the weather improved and almost all airports across the country opened. “We decided to resume flights to clear the backlog because, during the winter, flight cancellations are normal.” The flight crew and passengers were asked to report to the airport. But they got there late because they were stuck in traffic, and departure was delayed. “The flight eventually took off at 2:58 pm, late by nearly two hours as per the revised schedule,” said Jwarchan, who is also a senior captain. As a result of the delays, the on-duty captain had only an hour left for his duty to end. And it was not possible to fly to Salle airport and then on to Nepalgunj. So the flight captain decided to fly to Nepalgunj where there was better accommodation. “It was, anyway, a planned schedule,” said the captain. But the passengers were not informed about the revised plan. “We were scheduled to land in Rukum, which I thought was a hilly region,” Aayushi Bam, a passenger, told the Post over the phone from Rukum. “We were surprised to see the flat land where we landed,” said Bam, who was on her first visit to Rukum. “As we started to take some photographs at the airport, the airline crew came and informed us that they had arranged a hotel for us in Nepalgunj. Then we knew we were at the wrong airport.” Bam said that they were not informed about the revision. Nepal Airlines officials said that all passengers were put up at a hotel at the airline’s expense. They were flown to Rukum on Monday morning. Online media were quick to pick up the story, accusing the carrier of sheer negligence. An official at the flight safety department of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the regulator, told the Post that special permission was required if a pilot’s duty period ends. “But the pilot cannot fly if his or her flying duty period or flight duty time ends.” Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, joint secretary at the Tourism Ministry who looks after aviation affairs, told the Post that the ministry was not aware of the incident. “It’s not a serious issue that deserves so much attention.” There are two sets of duties: Flying duty period and flight duty time. The flying duty period is the time set when the pilot’s presence, from office attendance to the end of office hours, is accumulated. Flight duty time begins when the pilot starts the aircraft engine and ends when it is shut down. According to the Flight Operations Requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the maximum flight duty period during a 24-hour period for pilots engaged in two pilots operation shall be 11 hours of which not more than 9 hours shall be for operation by aeroplane for non-short take-off and landing (STOL) domestic operation. For domestic STOL operations, the maximum flight duty period in any 24-hour period for pilots engaged in two pilots operation shall be 10 hours of which not more than 8 hours shall be for operation by aeroplane. A senior Nepal Airlines official told the Post that the decision to fly to Nepalgunj was taken for the convenience of the passengers. “In the winter, the weather is unpredictable. If the passengers reach Nepalgunj, they have the option to travel to Rukum overland if the cancellation lasts longer.” He said that the pilot had enough time to land at Salle airport, but the airport had no engineering support, security and refuelling facilities. “A night stop in Rukum would be another problem.” Usually, the period from mid-November to February is considered to be the worst period for airlines due to a pattern of frequent weather fluctuations. The weather may be clear in Kathmandu but bad at other airports. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1519463/pilot-lands-aircraft-at-wrong-airport-after-duty-hours-end-mid-flight#ixzz7D8nmL35G American Airlines and JetBlue’s Northeast Alliance Will Give Customers Access to the Largest Flight Schedule on the Most Connected Network in 2022 FORT WORTH, Texas — In 2022, customers will experience the full benefits of the Northeast Alliance (NEA) between American Airlines and JetBlue, including the most flight choices in dozens of markets from New York and Boston, lie-flat seats on all transcontinental routes and a robust international network. In addition, American will reimagine business travel in 2022 with the launch of Main Select for business travelers. The NEA has increased competition, created the most frequencies in New York and is transforming business travel in high-frequency markets • The NEA has created the largest flight schedule in New York and Boston than any other airline, offering consumers more flight choices in 60 markets from New York and 49 markets from Boston. • In December, American and JetBlue will offer lie-flat seats on all transcontinental routes from New York and Boston, offering the most lie-flat seats of any airlines for a premium travel experience from the Northeast. • In 2022, the NEA has 18 new international routes launched or planned to meet increased travel demand. • American is introducing Main Select, which will provide business customers more flexibility, convenience and comfort starting on flights in the Northeast, and then throughout its network. FORT WORTH, Texas — In 2022, customers will experience the full benefits of the Northeast Alliance (NEA) between American Airlines and JetBlue, including the most flight choices in dozens of markets from New York and Boston, lie-flat seats on all transcontinental routes and a robust international network. In addition, American will reimagine business travel in 2022 with the launch of Main Select for business travelers. “The NEA is open for business, providing customers the most frequencies in New York, the best routes across key business markets and reciprocal status benefits,” American’s Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja said. “With lie-flat seats offered in all transcontinental markets and a robust international network that includes the launch of 10 new routes, the NEA is spurring competition in New York and transforming travel beyond the northeast.” The innovative alliance between American and JetBlue continues to increase competition in the Northeast. "The NEA has already supercharged competition in the Northeast by providing more choices and better service for customers,” said Scott Laurence, head of Revenue and Planning at JetBlue. “We were able to deliver on more consumer benefits, including most recently, more JetBlue flying out of LaGuardia than ever before, and reciprocal elite benefits.” Easiest way to travel the East Coast The NEA has created more frequencies in New York than any other airline, offering consumers access to nearly 60 markets, and more than 48 markets from Boston. And with a retimed 2022 schedule in high-frequency markets such as from Boston (BOS) to Washington, D.C. (DCA) and New York (LGA) to DCA, the NEA will offer customers the most convenient service on key business routes. Recently, JetBlue added its code to several international flights on American’s network and continues to add its code to further domestic and international flights. Customers can now easily connect from an American flight to a JetBlue flight and vice versa through New York (JFK) as the two airlines are now offering codeshare connections to nearly 600 origin and destination markets. Since January, the NEA has brought more service to customers in New York and Boston, including 58 new routes, increased frequencies on more than 130 routes and codeshare on 175 routes. The NEA has also created reciprocal codeshare on the largest connecting markets from JFK. The return of international travel While other airlines try to make old routes new again, American has continued to operate its international schedule during the pandemic. Bolstered by the NEA, American is currently the fastest growing international carrier in New York. The alliance connects the Northeast to almost 150 worldwide destinations, including 10 new international routes from American. These routes include new service from New York’s JFK to Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV), which launched in May; JFK service to Athens, Greece (ATH), which launched in June; and JFK service to Delhi, India (DEL), which launches on Nov. 12. In its January 2022 schedule, American will also upgauge aircraft on its New York routes to Medellin and Cali, Colombia, offering more seats to the popular South American destination. Blue Extra, meet Main Select American is reimagining travel for business customers. In 2022, American will launch Main Select in key business markets, continuing American's decades of premium business service by operating high-frequency routes between LGA to DCA, LGA to Chicago (ORD), BOS to DCA and in additional markets such as Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles. Main Select takes the stress out of business travel with refundable fares, priority boarding, priority check-in, choice of all seats in Main Cabin at time of booking including Main Cabin Extra, and free same-day flight changes. With this new innovative fare product for business customers across the country, American will be retiring the airline’s Shuttle product, which was only available on select routes in the Northeast. “We are revamping the high-frequency travel experience to meet the needs of today’s business customers,” Raja said. “That means creating an easy and seamless travel experience that has the amenities they want, the flexibility they need and a network that offers access to any destination they want to go.” Business customers can purchase a Blue Extra fare when flying on JetBlue high-frequency routes, including LGA to BOS, operated exclusively by JetBlue. Blue Extra conveniently offers same-day flight switches, Even More® Speed at select airports and early boarding, making business travel a breeze. Status perks on both airlines Earlier this fall, American’s AAdvantage status members and JetBlue’s TrueBlue Mosaic members began receiving their benefits when traveling either carrier, including priority boarding, priority security and free checked baggage allowances. For those TrueBlue Mosaic members who want to choose an aisle or a window seat, these preferred seats are now available for selection at the time of purchase. About American Airlines Group American’s purpose is to care for people on life’s journey. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines. About JetBlue Airways JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue carries customers across the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America, and between New York and London. For more information, visit jetblue.com. https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2021/American-Airlines-and-JetBlues-Northeast-Alliance-Will-Give-Customers-Access-to-the-Largest-Flight-Schedule-on-the-Most-Connected-Network-in-2022-NET-RTS-11/default.aspx Analyst, Safety/Flight Operations Quality Assurance Job Locations US-TX-Irving ID 2021-4254 Category Safety/Security Position Type Regular Full-Time Overview Who we are: Would you like to work for a stable, secure, and fast-growing airline where you will be stimulated, challenged, and have the opportunity to develop your career? If so, read on! Come and work with the best of the best at Envoy Air where you will join a team committed to providing outstanding service. We offer: · Amazing employee flight privileges within the American Airlines global network · Training and development programs to take your career to the next level · Comprehensive health and life benefits (subject to location) Responsibilities How will you make an impact? Responsibilities · Assist in the continued development of the FOQA Program · Support Manager of Flight Safety with the daily administration of the FOQA Program · Coordinate FOQA data collection with Maintenance Planning · Manage data processing and storage (including processing by the analysis system) and screen the data for accuracy and integrity · Track external media and aircraft recording conditions to maintain un-interrupted flow of data · Interface with senior management, ALPA and FAA representatives · Work with engineers and vendors to troubleshoot and diagnose problems, evaluating and implementing actions · Assist Manager of Flight Safety with data analysis as assigned · Create monthly preparation of FOQA trend analysis reports for FOQA Monitoring Team (FMT) · Support Manager of Flight Safety with facilitation of FMT meeting · Present FOQA information to various internal and external groups such as senior management, pilots, industry, and government agencies · Contributes to internal newsletters as well as external safety related publications, communicating significant trends to internal and external audiences · Maintain records of FOQA corrective action items · Performs administrative functions as assigned to maintain program efficiency · Others tasks as assigned · Requires planned and unplanned overnight travel Qualifications Who are we looking for? Requirements · Minimum age: 18 · Bachelor Degree or equivalent amount of Commercial Aviation work experience · Ability to effectively use Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, WBAT, Intelex and PowerPoint · Possess the legal right to work in the United States · Ability to read, write, fluently speak and understand the English language · Experience with data analysis and trending preferred · Experience in working effectively under extreme deadline pressure preferred · Knowledge and proficiency in the Austin Digital EMS software, Google Earth, and CEFA flight animation preferred · Possession of a Commercial Pilot, Dispatcher or A&P Certificate is preferred Please note: The description is intended to provide a brief overview of the position. It’s not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, expectations, and skills required of those in this position. Duties and expectations may be subject to change at any time. Envoy Air is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled. Envoy Air Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, provides regional flight service to American Airlines under the American Eagle brand and ground handling services for many American Airlines Group flights. The company was founded in 1998 as American Eagle Airlines, Inc., following the merger of several smaller regional carriers to create one of the largest regional airlines in the world. Envoy is headquartered in Irving, Texas, with hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago and Miami, with a large ground handling operation in Los Angeles. Connect with Envoy on Twitter @EnvoyAirCareers, on Instagram @EnvoyAirCareers, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/envoyaircareers and Facebook.com/EnvoyPilotRecruitment. APPLY HERE Specialist - Flight Safety Investigations UNITED STATES, GEORGIA, ATLANTA CORP. SAFETY, SECURITY & COMPLIANCE 10-NOV-2021 REF #: 10815 HOW YOU'LL HELP US KEEP CLIMBING (OVERVIEW & KEY RESPONSIBILITIES) The Specialist - Flight Safety Investigations reports to the Manager - Safety Investigations and functions as a member of the Flight Safety Accident/Incident Investigation Team. In that capacity, the Specialist will be the primary safety investigator on-call for Delta Air Lines with an on-call rotation every three to four weeks. As the investigator on-call, the Specialist will generally lead all Flight Safety investigations and NTSB coordination efforts during their on-call period. In addition to acting as an investigator, the Specialist will be a primary point of contact in Flight Safety for safety-related issues. The Specialist practices safety-conscious behaviors in all operational processes and procedures. Job Responsibilities: · Acts as a primary investigator for operational accidents, incidents, irregularities, and trends. · Acts as investigator or assisting investigator, on an as-needed basis, for other operational accidents, incidents, irregularities, and trends. · Acts as ICAO Annex 13 airline representative, or assisting representative, for accident, incident, and irregularity investigations. · Develops and publishes Flight Safety investigation reports. · Regularly reviews operational reports and data to identify incidents and irregularities for follow-up investigation. · Develops safety recommendations in conjunction with all operational divisions. · Interfaces with Line Safety Coordinators during applicable safety investigations. · Reviews, develops, and coordinates the publication of safety articles. · Reviews and evaluates applicable research material and results of industry seminars of interest to Flight Safety and Corporate Safety, Security, and Compliance. · Acts as an alternate Investigation Team Coordinator and assists the Manager - Safety Investigations with coordinating Investigation Team activities. · Provides assistance to the NTSB during non-Delta Air Lines local or national investigations. · Provides technical assistance to Delta Air Lines partners and personnel regarding investigation procedures and techniques. · Practices safety-conscious behaviors in all operational processes and procedures. · Develops both strategic & tactical plans that create a safety-conscious environment resulting in employee safety & well-being. WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED (MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS) · Must possess a Bachelor’s degree, or higher, or have compatible work experience. · Should have a general understanding of the operational divisions of a Part 121 major air carrier, including Flight Operations, Technical Operations, In-Flight Service, Airport Customer Service, and Cargo Operations. · Should have an understanding of the role of a Flight Safety department at a Part 121 major air carrier. · Must have a detailed understanding of NTSB accident/incident investigation procedures and techniques. · Must be able to efficiently and effectively investigate major air carrier accidents and incidents. · Should be able to write clear, concise, technical reports, and articles. · Should be able to speak effectively to diverse audiences. · Should be able to work effectively with fellow employees as well as outside agencies and organizations. · Should have PC-based computer skills, including the use of common database and Microsoft Office software. · Must be able to travel worldwide at short notice. · (If applying Internally) Must be performing satisfactorily in present position. · Where permitted by applicable law, must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by date of hire to be considered for U.S.-based job, if not currently employed by Delta Air Lines, Inc. · WHAT WILL GIVE YOU A COMPETITIVE EDGE (PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS) · Should have successfully completed an accredited training course in safety, or compatible work experience, that includes accident investigation procedures and techniques. · Hands-on experience during NTSB, ICAO Annex 13, or military accident investigations is desired. · FAA pilot certificate, maintenance certifications, or equivalent military experience are desired. Curt Lewis