Flight Safety Information - July 14, 2023 No. 135 In This Issue : Incident: Qatar A35K near Seoul on Jul 12th 2023, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Qantas B738 near Brisbane on Jul 13th 2023, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Qantas A388 over Germany on Jul 14th 2023, autopilot failure : Judge rules man accused of trying to open jet's door, attacking crew, not competent for trial : Pilot rips into helicopter passenger who reaches for control lever in shocking moment : Broken Part Caused Delta Air Lines 717 Emergency Landing : Pilot asks 20 Canary Islands tourists to deplane ‘too heavy’ aircraft : Unruly passenger reports have been on the rise. Here are the worst airplane incidents so far this year. : Ensuring world-leading aviation safety regulation (Australia) : Amazon partner airline ASL cuts 28 European contract pilots Incident: Qatar A35K near Seoul on Jul 12th 2023, engine shut down in flight A Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000, registration A7-ANE performing flight QR-806 from Doha (Qatar) to Tokyo Narita (Japan), was enroute at FL330 about 60nm east of Seoul (South Korea) when the crew needed to shut one of their engines (Trent XWB) down due to engine chip indication as well as indication suggesting an engine oil leak. The crew drifted the aircraft down to FL180 , turned the aircraft around and diverted to Seoul for a safe landing on runway 34L about 35 minutes after leaving FL330. The aircraft is still on the ground in Seoul about 51 hours after landing. A passenger reported the crew announced they were diverting to Seoul Incheon due to technical reasons. Another aircraft took them to Tokyo. According to information The Aviation Herald received one of the engines had a magnetic chip indication and indications suggesting an engine oil leak prompting the crew to shut the engine down. https://avherald.com/h?article=50bc0ab9&opt=0 Incident: Qantas B738 near Brisbane on Jul 13th 2023, engine shut down in flight A Qantas Boeing 737-800, registration VH-VZP performing flight QF-751 from Townsville,QL to Brisbane,QL (Australia), was descending towards Brisbane when the crew reported they had shut the left hand engine (CFM56) down due to decreasing oil quantity. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Brisbane's runway 32R with emergency services on standby. The aircraft returned to service about 25 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=50bc07d2&opt=0 Incident: Qantas A388 over Germany on Jul 14th 2023, autopilot failure A Qantas Airbus A380-800, registration VH-OQI performing flight QF-1 (dep Jul 13th) from Singapore (Singapore) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was enroute at FL400 about 60nm eastsoutheast of Frankfurt/Main (Germany) when the crew initiated a descent to FL280 due to the failure of their autopilots and thus non-compliance with RVSM criteria. The aircraft continued to London for a safe landing about 80 minutes later. https://avherald.com/h?article=50bc027d&opt=0 Judge rules man accused of trying to open jet's door, attacking crew, not competent for trial A federal magistrate judge has ruled that a man charged with attacking a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon and attempting to open an airliner’s emergency door on a cross-country flight in March is not currently competent to stand trial BOSTON -- A man charged with attacking a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon and attempting to open an airliner’s emergency door on a cross-country flight in March is not currently competent to stand trial, a federal judge ruled. Magistrate Judge Judith Dein, basing her decision on a mental health evaluation of Francisco Severo Torres and her own observations in court, determined Wednesday that further treatment is warranted, according to court records. “The Court hereby finds ... that the defendant is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him mentally incompetent to the extent that he is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense," Dein wrote in her decision. She also wrote that she denied a request by Torres to be freed so he could “further investigate the conspiracy which eventually led to his actions on the plane." Torres, of Leominster, Massachusetts, is charged with a felony related to using a dangerous weapon to interfere with flight crew members in the incident on United Airlines Flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston on March 5. Recent Stories from ABC News The evaluation was conducted at the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts, where he was sent after an initial court appearance days after the attack. He has not entered a plea. Torres' attorney said in court Wednesday that he has no evidence in opposition to the evaluation's findings, but told Dein that his client objects to the finding and asserts he is competent to stand trial, according to court records. The defense attorney requested that his client remain at FMC Devens. Federal public defender Joshua Hanye declined comment on Wednesday's proceedings when reached by email Thursday. U.S. Bureau of Prisons records indicate that Torres remains at FMC Devens. According to prosecutor and witness accounts, Torres went on a midair rant and tried to stab the crewmember with a modified metal spoon. The plane was about 45 minutes from Boston when the crew received an alarm that a side door on the aircraft was disarmed, according to court documents. One flight attendant noticed the door’s locking handle had been moved. Another saw Torres near the door and believed he had moved the handle. Cabin pressure during flight prevents airplane doors from opening. Torres started loudly rambling that his father was Dracula, that he wanted to be shot so he could be reincarnated and that he would kill everyone on board, another passenger said. He punched a male flight attendant, who felt the metal spoon in Torres’ hand hit him on his shirt collar and tie three times, according to court documents. No one was injured. Torres was eventually subdued and restrained by other passengers. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison. Torres has spent time in mental health facilities, according to court records. The police chief in his hometown said officers have dealt with him several times since 2014, mostly over family issues and mental health episodes. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-rules-man-accused-open-jets-door-attacking-101220126 Pilot rips into helicopter passenger who reaches for control lever in shocking moment The man grabbed the passenger's arm and yelled, 'No! That will kill us!" Helicopter pilot rips into passenger who reaches up for control lever A passenger on a recent helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon inexplicably reached up for a control lever during the flight — causing the pilot to begin shouting, "No!" He yelled said that such a move "will kill us." Check this out. A passenger on a recent helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon nearly made a very wrong move, as a video posted on TikTok appears to indicate. In a video obtained by SWNS, the passenger in the front of the helicopter can be seen reaching for a control lever. Cherlin Bijlsma, who recorded the video, was on vacation and traveling to the West Coast when she decided to take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon. The 27-year-old from the Netherlands later posted a TikTok video of the shocking moment during the ride when another passenger — riding up front — reached for the lever, as SWNS reported. Helicopter lever fiasco A passenger in a helicopter that was taking tourists to see the Grand Canyon received a scolding from the pilot after the individual grabbed a lever in the cockpit. (SWNS) The pilot responded by raising his voice at the passenger and saying, "No! No! That will kill us!" Just moments before the passenger seemingly reached to pull the lever, the pilot himself put his hand on the lever — which can clearly be seen in the video. Bijlsma told SWNS that the pilot scolded the passenger — although she said she thought there might have been a language barrier involved. Helicopter lever moment The pilot grabbed the passenger's wrist and yelled, "No! That will kill us!" (SWNS) "When the pilot scolded her, I looked at her in between the seats and I saw that she smiled at the pilot," she said. However, Bijlsma said the smile seemed "awkward," and that the pilot and passenger exchanged words — although Bijlsma couldn’t hear what was said. Bijlsma said the passenger was on the excursion with what appeared to be her daughter, according to SWNS. Helicopter lever issue The pilot is seen scolding the errant passenger who reached for a lever in the cockpit during a tourist excursion. (SWNS) "She was apparently about to yank the lever that controls the rotor brake, which stops the all-important propeller from spinning," The New York Post noted of the incident. "The problem is that it can only be used on the ground — not hundreds of feet in the air." Once the helicopter landed, Bijlsma said she and another passenger thanked the pilot for "saving our lives." "The pilot laughed while shaking his head — he said something like, ‘Oh my, oh my,’" she said. Helicopter Grand Canyon lever moment A helicopter passenger reached for a lever on a recent flight over the Grand Canyon. (SWNS) "Why is she in the co-pilot seat?" one user asked. Another user said, "Straight back to [the] landing pad, no refund." Bijlsma also posted a second video of the helicopter takeoff, where the passengers can be seen enjoying the views — although no foul actions occurred in that video. https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/pilot-rips-helicopter-passenger-reaches-control-lever-shocking-moment Broken Part Caused Delta Air Lines 717 Emergency Landing A fractured part caused the nose landing gear of a Delta Air Lines Boeing 717 to jam in the retracted position, forcing the crew to land without the gear extended, preliminary findings in a probe of the June 28 accident indicate. An NTSB update on the occurrence revealed the nose gear suffered a fractured upper lock link. The problem left the lower lock link “free to swing down to a vertical position” and come in contact with the nose gear assembly. This “restricted” the gear’s movement. The pilots of Delta Flight 1092 discovered they had an issue as they prepared to land at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) following a routine trip from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. At about 2,000 ft. above ground level (AGL) on final approach, the first officer lowered the landing gear. The pilots saw the nose wheel unsafe light illuminate, the NTSB update said. After confirming the indication in the aircraft’s electronic instrument system, the crew initiated a go around. Attempting to lower the gear manually did not work. The crew declared an emergency and lined up for another approach to obtain visual confirmation its gear was not fully extended. Air traffic controllers confirmed the nose gear was not visible. At about 300 ft. AGL, the crew executed a second go-around. “In an effort to lower the nose wheel, multiple normal and manual landing gear extension attempts were made to no avail and the decision was made to proceed with the landing,” the NTSB said. On their third attempt, the pilots touched down 1,400 ft. from CLT’s on Runway 36 Left threshold. At about 80 knots, the nose was lowered onto the runway. After confirming the situation was safe, all 104 passengers and crew evacuated safely via two forward exit doors. No injuries were reported. “The fractured lock link was sent to the NTSB materials laboratory for examination,” the board said. “The airplane’s maintenance records have been quarantined and will be subject to review.” https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/broken-part-caused-delta-air-lines-717-emergency-landing Pilot asks 20 Canary Islands tourists to deplane ‘too heavy’ aircraft A pilot asked 20 passengers on a flight departing from Spain’s Canary Islands to deplane because it was “too heavy” and weather conditions were unfavorable, video circulating on social media shows. “Because there’s so many of you, it’s a pretty heavy aircraft we’ve got today,” the pilot says in the video. The EasyJet flight, a British budget airline, was scheduled to take off at 9:45 p.m. from Arrecife Airport, but ultimately departed at 11:30 p.m. The Canary Islands is a Spanish archipelago off the coast of Africa that draws tourists to its beaches and volcanoes. The flight landed at John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, England, at 3 a.m. July 6, according to the Liverpool Echo. “That heavy aircraft combined with a fairly short runway … the current environmental conditions here in Lanzarote, the aircraft is too heavy at the moment to depart. I’ve been sat with my senior first officer and we’re very experienced with this and have done this before,” the pilot added. “With safety being our number one priority … there is no way, with the current wind conditions, the environmental conditions here in Lanzarote, that we could get this aircraft airborne at the moment,” he said. The pilot requested that 20 passengers volunteer to deplane and said each would receive a €500 incentive, roughly $550, who were willing to stay in the Canary Islands. An EasyJet’s pilot asked 20 passengers to get off a flight due to weather conditions and the plane being too heavy. The flight was leaving the Canary Islands to Liverpool, England. A total of 19 passengers took the deal and deplaned, while video showed other passengers saying they wanted “to go home tonight,” the Liverpool Echo reported. “EasyJet can confirm that 19 passengers on flight EZY3364 from Lanzarote to Liverpool on 5th July volunteered to travel on a later flight as a result of the aircraft being over the weight limits for the weather conditions,” an airline spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. 19 passengers agreed to get off the flight. The airline said that requesting passengers to deplane was a “routine operational decision in these circumstances and weight restrictions are in place for all airlines for safety reasons.” “In the event that a flight would exceed weight limits, we ask for passengers to volunteer to transfer to a later flight free of charge which is what happened on this occasion and volunteers are provided with compensation in line with regulations,” the spokesperson said. https://nypost.com/2023/07/13/pilot-asks-20-passengers-leaving-spanish-vacation-hotspot-to-deplane-over-flight-being-too-heavy/ Unruly passenger reports have been on the rise. Here are the worst airplane incidents so far this year. As flight travel levels slowly return to their pre-pandemic numbers, it hasn't been all fun and relaxation on board. The Federal Aviation Administration has recorded 983 reports of "unruly passengers" as of July 9 this year in the US. Insider also reported, using FAA figures, that incidences of conflict between passengers mid-flight are up nearly 50% from pre-COVID-19 levels in the US. So far this year, the flight industry has seen a range of alarming behavior from passengers, including bomb threats, violence towards other passengers and flight attendants, and adult temper tantrums — and that's not counting other disruptions, such as issues with equipment. With the normal boom in summer travel, these events have only picked up. Here are a few of the wildest episodes on board so far this year. A Delta passenger opened the plane door and used the emergency slide as the plane prepared for takeoff. Just minutes before his flight was set to take off from Los Angeles International Airport a passenger on Delta Flight 1714 opened the plane's door and activated its emergency slide before using it to exit the plane. After jumping on a baggage cart, airport crew detained the man until police could arrive, according to Fox News. The man was taken for a mental evaluation at a nearby hospital, and the FBI was notified of the incident. Other passengers aboard the plane were delayed as they were forced to deplane and board another aircraft to go to Seattle, their original destination, per Fox News. In a statement seen by CBS News, Delta called the man an "unruly passenger" and outlined the incident. "Customers are being reaccommodated on a new aircraft and we apologize for the inconvenience and delay in their travel plans," the statement said. A United passenger punched a crew member and tried to jump off the plane. During boarding at San Francisco International Airport, United passengers were shocked when a man took multiple swings at other passengers and a flight attendant when asked to move out of someone else's assigned seat. Despite attempts to restrain him, the man was able to run to and open the emergency exit. Before he could jump — from a height equal to two stories — the man was restrained and law enforcement was called to the scene. Videos captured by those on board show the chaotic scene, during which the man is blocking the plane's main exit and other passengers shout for him to stop. The passenger who had originally asked the man to move, Naya Jimenez, told ABC7 the man was slurring his speech. "This customer's behavior was unacceptable," a representative from United told Insider. "He has been banned from future United flights and we are working with local law enforcement in their investigation." In a statement to ABC7, a United representative said the company was "grateful" to their team in San Francisco and applauded their "professionalism." A man opened an emergency exit door at 700 feet on an Asiana Airlines flight. As a 194-passenger plane attempted to land in South Korea, a man apparently opened an emergency exit while the aircraft was still about 700 feet in the air. Video of the event from other passengers shows the door partially opened and the wind roaring through the plane, as others scream in the background. The man suspected of opening the door did not appear to be intoxicated, local officials said to Yonhap, a South Korean press outlet. Though the plane landed safely, according to local officials, 12 people — including eight children — were transported to hospitals with minor breathing problems. The plane reportedly had nearly 50 school-aged children on board, who were going to a sporting event. Passengers on a Southwest Flight received an AirDropped photo saying there was a bomb on board. Passengers were terrified when they received an AirDropped photo on a flight from Las Vegas to Hawaii that implied there was a bomb on board. The plane was forced to land at Oakland International Airport just under two hours into the flight, where a member of the Alameda County Sheriff's Office informed passengers they would have to deplane while law enforcement investigated the incident, according to reporting from Mercury News. Deplaned passengers waited in the airport while the plane, luggage, and various personal belongings were searched thoroughly. No explosives were found, but the incident was one of multiple frightening incidences this year that have included apparent jokes about bombs and plane crashes AirDropped to other passengers on planes. Valerie Maluchnik, a passenger aboard the flight with her two children, told Insider she was worried she and her children were going to die because of the threat. Maluchnik and the other passengers were delayed for hours due to the incident and given flight credits from Southwest. "Safety is our guiding focus and we're grateful for patience and understanding during this delayed journey to Hawaii," said Southwest in a statement to Insider, deferring additional questions to Alameda County authorities. A man threatened to detonate a bomb if his plane landed in its planned destination, Seattle. Onboard an Alaska Airlines flight, Brandon Scott handed a flight attendant a note that threatened a bomb detonation if the plane was not diverted from Seattle. "Many innocent lives are in your hands, do as I demand and everyone will live," the note read, according to an FBI affidavit. "If this plane lands in Seattle, I will kill everyone onboard. Change our destination and I will refrain from detonating the bomb. I repeat, if I see us land in Seattle, I will kill every soul on this plane." After the plane landed in Spokane, Washington, Scott was detained and interviewed. He claimed that he was being targeted by the Sinaloa Cartel, who were apparently waiting for him at the Seattle airport. No bombs or explosive materials were found on the plane. Scott could face up to five years in prison if convicted of hoax charges, according to The Spokesman-Review. In a statement to Insider, Alaska Airlines said it appreciated the patience and understanding of the nearly 200 passengers and six crew members aboard the flight. "We worked to get them to Seattle, their original destination, as quickly as possible," the statement reads. "We are grateful for the professionalism and care of our flight attendants and pilots throughout this incident." The airline directed further questions to the FBI, which is now investigating the case. An Air France passenger found the floor in front of his seat had blood and feces on the carpet. When journalist and Air France passenger Habib Battah smelled something "gross" on his flight from Paris to Toronto, he was shocked to find a soaking patch of blood and feces on the floor in front of his seat, according to reporting from CNN. After reporting it to the Air France attendants, Battah was given wipes and told he could not move from his seats, since the plane was full, per CNN, and his belongings and his two cats' carriers had absorbed some of the fluid. According to Battah, airplane staff said another passenger had "hemorrhaged" on the plane the day before. Battah said he did not receive a refund for his flight — just an offer of a $500 voucher and a cat wash, he said, per CNN. In a statement to CNN, Air France confirmed that a passenger was unwell on a previous flight, and that Battah reported blood on the floor but could not be moved. The airline continued, saying it "understands and regrets the inconvenience caused by this situation." "The crew immediately assisted him in cleaning his belongings, providing him with suitable equipment such as sterile gloves and disinfectant wipes," the statement said. "The risk of exposure to residual traces of blood on the carpet is low, if not non-existent." Battah said to CNN he was contacting lawyers about the incident. A United passenger forced a plane diversion to Chicago after he didn't get his first choice meal. On a flight from Houston to Amsterdam, a United plane was forced to dump fuel and land in Chicago after an "unruly passenger" was upset the flight meal he wanted was unavailable. The passenger was apparently intoxicated and classed as a "threat level 1," which the FAA defines as a passenger exhibiting "disruptive" actions that others find "suspicious or threatening." The passenger was taken off the plane by law enforcement, after which the flight was able to continue to Amsterdam, according to a statement given to Insider from United. "United flight 20 from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Amsterdam diverted to O'Hare International Airport and landed safely following a passenger disturbance," the statement said. An unaccompanied minor's ticket on American Airlines was canceled when a gate agent suspected him of 'skiplagging.' Finally, a teenager aboard an American Airlines flight had his ticket canceled when a gate agent suspected he would not fly to his ticket's New York City destination — instead, the boy had planned to disembark in Charlotte, North Carolina, and miss his connecting flight, according to reporting by Queen City News. The boy's father, Hunter Parsons, told Queen City News the family had used the site Skiplagged for the ticket, which shows flights where leaving on a layover is less expensive than taking a direct route to a location. Though Parsons said per Queen City News the family had been using Skiplagged for five to eight years, this was apparently the first time one of their tickets was canceled because of it. Skiplagging is prohibited by most airlines, including American, which Parsons said he was unaware of, per Queen City News. "Purchasing a ticket without intending to fly all flights to gain lower fares (hidden city ticketing) is a violation of American Airlines terms and conditions and is outlined in our Conditions of Carriage online," said American Airlines in a statement to Queen City News. Though Parsons had accused the airline of questioning his son, American said in a statement to Insider that the boy was not. "Our records indicate the customer was questioned only at the ticket counter about their travel while attempting to check-in for their flight," said the statement. "A member of our Customer Relations team has been in touch with them to address their concerns." https://www.insider.com/unruly-passenger-airplane-incident-bomb-threat-crew-punched-2023 Ensuring world-leading aviation safety regulation (Australia) Dept of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications The Australian Government has issued a new Statement of Expectations for Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), setting the strategic direction for the next two years. I have also re-appointed Ms Elizabeth Hallett to the CASA Board for a three-year term. The new statement and board re-appointment will both underpin CASA’s vital aviation safety role, so they continue to be a world-leading aviation safety regulator. From licensing pilots and registering aircraft, to overseeing aviation safety and awareness, CASA help ensure we share the skies safely – whether for travel, freight or recreation. Ensuring aviation safety remains the highest priority is strongly reflected in the new statement, which also outlines expectations surrounding transparency, engaging stakeholders and communities, and supporting the delivery of 18 important initiatives. These aviation safety-bolstering initiatives include measures to modernise airspace management, implement satellite-based augmentation systems in the aviation environment, share safety information, and advance Australia’s space policies and industries. Ms Hallett’s legal expertise and strategic leadership experience will continue to be an asset to the Board, ensuring strong leadership that supports CASA as they strive to meet these expectations. I look forward to continuing to work with CASA as we keep Australia’s skies safe. https://www.nationaltribune.com.au/ensuring-world-leading-aviation-safety-regulation/ Amazon partner airline ASL cuts 28 European contract pilots Online retailer trims flight activity in Europe to improve efficiency ASL Aviation Holdings, a Dublin-based contract air transport provider for Amazon and other companies, has eliminated positions for 28 pilots. The move appears connected to the online retailer scaling back the number of flights it operates in Europe. The company confirmed that it released the pilots, who were provided by recruitment firm CAE Parc Aviation, because they were no longer needed. ASL has airline subsidiaries in Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as joint ventures in India and Thailand. The company operates 160 aircraft, according to its website. “Unlike scheduled passenger carriers, ASL Airlines does not operate fixed summer and winter networks. Our operations can change from time to time in accordance with the requirements of our cargo customers and our pilot numbers can fluctuate accordingly. We currently have a surplus of 28 pilots who are of various nationalities and are based in Germany. These pilots are employed by a third party contractor and it is a matter of deep regret that these contracts are being terminated and we are very much aware of the impact on the pilots involved,” the company said in a statement provided by email. “However, we are very hopeful that the contractor will be able to reassign the pilots, and we will also prioritize these pilots for positions in ASL Airlines when we are recruiting.” Irish national radio station RTE first reported the pilot reductions at ASL. ASL Airlines Ireland operates nine Boeing 737-800 converted freighters for Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), according to fleet database Planespotters. The planes operate through several regional hubs, including one at Leipzig/Halle airport in central Germany. The company declined to identify the customer that scaled back business, but the personnel reductions coincide with Amazon’s acknowledgement that it is streamlining its European air parcel network. “At Amazon we are constantly evaluating and refining our network to ensure we can provide customers fast, reliable delivery. We are reducing some Amazon Air flights in Europe, which won’t have any impact on the existing delivery experience that customers can expect from Amazon in the region,” the company said in a statement. The moves follow Amazon’s recent decision to terminate its contract with Silver Airways, a small regional carrier that flew five ATR72-500 turboprops for Amazon from a Texas base. Amazon uses its air logistics network to meet one- and two-day delivery promises for eligible Prime members. The U.S. and European cuts are a response to Amazon reconfiguring its logistics network along regional lines rather than distributing inventory from distribution centers across the country, resulting in shorter travel distances and reducing the need for some air routes. Slower e-commerce sales are likely also part of the calculation. For example, Amazon has built up its European fulfillment network and can now use its larger footprint to place inventory closer to customers, a company representative explained. Research by DePaul University’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development in March revealed that Amazon is also relying less on point-to-point routes in favor of a hub-and-spoke system. European takeoffs and landings had increased to 48 per day as of February versus 17 two years earlier. The DePaul study said Amazon Air also utilizes planes operated by ASL Airlines that aren’t branded as Amazon. The in-house airline’s frantic pace of growth has slowed from recent years, but the retail platform has not engaged in the same kind of air downsizing — at least domestically — taking place at express carriers FedEx, UPS and DHL, where many planes have been parked or retired early because of soft market conditions. Amazon Air flew 3% less month over month in April, but flight activity increased 7% in May and was flat in June. It is up 13% year over year, according to analysis by Morgan Stanley. In February, Air Transport Services Group said its flying for Amazon had diminished slightly. Amazon disputed that characterization, saying air cargo volumes have remained consistent and that flight schedules are typically lighter in the first part of the year to allow for regular aircraft maintenance. https://www.freightwaves.com/news/amazon-partner-airline-asl-cuts-28-european-contract-pilots Curt Lewis