Friday, March 29, 2024
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Why Was The Japanese Coast Guard Plane On The Runway?

Coast Guard Plane
The DHC8 photographed by Stephen Mason

Examination of videos has revealed that the Japanese Coast Guard Plane, a DHC8 turboprop, was lined up on runway 34L for take-off when it was struck by the landing Japan Airlines A350 on Tuesday evening.

Why the Coast Guard plane was lined up is a mystery but advice from ATC (NOTAM) that critical Stop Bar Lighting were unserviceable for a series of taxiway to runway junctions (C1 to C14) could be a critical factor.

READ: Every airline should show this escape video

Did the Coast Guard pilot assume he could enter the runway as there were no Stop Bar warning lights on (Below Images)? Did the Coast Guard crew read the NOTAM? What instructions did it receive from ATC? These questions will be the key to the investigation.

The Japan Airlines crew wouldn’t have seen anything on their Traffic Collison Avoidance System (TCAS) as this is disabled passing through 900ft on the approach to land. The blame appears to be with either the Coast Guard Pilot or ATC for not knowing where the a/c under their control was.

Five Coast Guard crew died in the tragedy although the pilot survived, while all 379 passengers and crew of the Japan Airlines A350 survived.

READ: World’s Safest Airlines for 2024

JAL crash

The accident mirrors an almost identical collision in Los Angeles at night in 1991 when a USAir Boeing 737, Flight 1493 was cleared to land on runway 24L and at the same time a SkyWest Metro II aircraft, Flight 5569 to Palmdale, was permitted to line up on runway 24L but hold.

The air traffic controller became distracted and confused by another aircraft problem and tragically a collision occurred killing 12 passengers and crew on the MetroLiner and 22 on the 737.

Want to know more? Read about the world’s deadliest runway collisions here

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NEXT: KOREAN AIR RELEASES A NEW SAFETY VIDEO FEATURING VIRTUAL HUMANS BUT WHY?

Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline

Vietjet vs Vietnam Airlines

In this week’s long-haul, low-cost vs full-service airline comparison, we take a look at Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines on a return flight from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh (SGN).

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In perhaps the toughest review yet, the winner of this comparison between the two Vietnamese airlines will come down to seat selection and baggage.

Our flight to Ho Chi Minh will be taking place on August 11th and returning on August 26th, 2023. Both Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines operate direct flights on this route with an A330 and A350 respectively.

Our return flight with Vietjet came to $597 AUD which included seat selection, 40kg of checked baggage, a 10kg carry-on bag, meal, and drink. There is no in-flight entertainment, Wi-Fi or in-seat power and extra snacks and drinks need to be purchased.

Our flight with Vietnam Airlines came in at $666 AUD which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in-flight entertainment through seat back screens, in-seat power, blankets and pillows plus 23kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.

However, and this is where it gets interesting, when we add extra baggage and seat selection to the Vietnam Airlines booking to match Vietjet and compare ‘like with like’ the price jumps up an extra $600 AUD to make the total cost $1523 AUD.

If we take the baggage and seat selection out of the equation, then Vietnam Airlines with its onboard comfort and in-flight entertainment would be a winner. When we add extra baggage and seat selection to match the Vietjet offering then Vietjet becomes the winner with a far cheaper cost.

So, who is the winner? For the first time, we do not have a clear winner. Put simply, if you’re travelling with just 23kg of baggage and don’t mind where you sit then Vietnam Airlines is our choice, however, if you want more luggage and to choose your seat then we would choose Vietjet.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between British Airways and Play check it out here

Are you enjoying our reviews so far? Are there any routes would you like us to evaluate? Place a comment below or get in touch via our social pages

Play vs British Airways Long Haul

British Airways

In this week’s long-haul, low-cost vs full-service airline comparison, we take a look at the ever-popular London to New York route. There are loads of full-service flight options for this route but we have opted to compare the UK’s legacy carrier, British Airways and the new Icelandic low-cost carrier, PLAY Airlines. For the first time yet in this series we had a very clear winner.

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Our return flight with PLAY came to $ 664 USD (£532) which includes an $80 USD allowance for meals, drinks and snacks on board, 20kg of checked luggage, carry-on baggage, seat selection and priority boarding. Amenity kits, blankets and pillows, in-flight entertainment, in-seat power and WiFi are not available.

Flights with Play departed and arrived at London Stansted and New York Stewart respectively. Each flight also stops over in Iceland for roughly 2 hours. The total flight time (including the stopover) from London to New York is 11h 15 and from New York to London 10h 20. New York Stewart is a small airport on the outskirts of New York and passengers need to allow approximately 90 minutes to get into New York Central (bus or train) and allow an additional $ 20-25 USD each way.

Our flight with British Airways came in cheaper at $605 USD (£485) which included meals, snacks, drinks, in-flight entertainment, amenities upon request, 23kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.

The flights with British Airways outbound departed from London Gatwick and arrived at JFK.  Coming back they departed JFK and arrived at London Heathrow. Both flights are direct and fly into more ‘central’ airports.

On the topic of central airports, the centrality of these airports really depends on where you are going/living within each city. Where a city has multiple airports always factor the cost and time of getting to/from the airport into your final decision.

In terms of comfort, both airlines offer 30-31 inches of legroom and some seat recline. The aircraft operated on these flights are however very different with PLAY operating the single-aisle A321 and British Airways the far more comfortable twin-aisle Boeing 777.

In this week’s head-to-head we have a very clear winner in British Airways. British Airways offers not only a cheaper fare but far more comfort on board with included drinks, meals and in-flight entertainment. For the author flying into JFK rather than SWF is also a big factor in the decision and unless you are after a holiday in Iceland, a direct flight is usually preferable.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between Scoot and Singapore Airlines check it out here

Are you enjoying our reviews so far? Are there any routes would you like us to evaluate? Place a comment below or get in touch via our social pages

play vs British Airways

Scoot vs Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines

In this week’s long-haul, low-cost vs full-service airline comparison, we take a look at Scoot and Singapore Airlines on two different flights from Singapore to Europe. Why two different destinations?

Scoot is Singapore Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary and provides passengers with direct flights into Europe via Athens or Berlin.  Singapore Airlines operates direct flights to numerous ports in Europe however excludes those operated by Scoot. For this comparison, we used the direct flight with Scoot into Athens and the Singapore Airlines direct flight into Rome.

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Our return flight with Scoot came to $1830 SGD with the inclusion of a meal, snack and drink on each segment, a standard window seat, 30kg of checked baggage and a 10kg carry-on bag.  Amenity kits such as blankets and pillows are also available for purchase ($24 SGD) on board but given most passengers wouldn’t buy these, we left that off the price for this exercise. I also added an additional $40 SGD to each flight ($80 in total) for the purchase of in-seat power, additional drinks, meals and snacks over the 11-hour flight.

Our flight with Singapore Airlines came in at $2787 SGD which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in-flight entertainment, amenity kits, blankets and pillow plus 30kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.

In terms of comfort, Scoot offers 30-31 inches of legroom and Singapore Airlines 32 inches. Both offer an 18-inch seat width and a 6-inch seat recline.  

Having flown both airlines multiple times the author can vouch for the value Scoot provides and the excellence in dining, inflight entertainment and comfort you receive on Singapore Airlines. Anyone who’s flown Singapore Airlines long haul will know what I mean.

Even though Scoot has no in-flight entertainment, less legroom, a buy-on-board menu and comfort packs that need to be purchased, with a saving of $957 SGD this author would have to choose Scoot over Singapore Airlines. The Rome flight is longer than the Athens flight (60-90 minutes) so you would expect a higher fare however not that high!

If the budget allowed and you aren’t travelling with anyone under 12, I would recommend upgrading your flight to the Scoot In Silence cabin for an additional $200 SGD

If money was no object, it would be Singapore Airlines all the way but looking at the value proposition of getting from Singapore to Europe, Scoot would be the easy choice on this occasion.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between WestJet and Air Canada check it out here

Are you enjoying our reviews so far? Are there any routes would you like us to evaluate? Place a comment below or get in touch via our social pages

WestJet or Air Canada?

This week we compare WestJet and Air Canada on a long-haul return flight from Calgary to London Heathrow. Considering the overall cost, comfort, aircraft and flight time we will see who offers the best value. This review will demonstrate why it is so important to check all prices on a route rather than simply assuming low cost is cheaper.

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Our economy flight to London will be taking place on September 11th and returning on September 23rd 2023. Both WestJet and Air Canada operate direct flights on this route with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Our return flight with Westjet came to $1557 CAD with the inclusion of meals, snacks and drinks, in-flight entertainment through seat back screens, in-seat power, a standard window seat, blankets and pillows, 23kg of checked baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.  Wifi Is also available for a fee.

Our flight with Air Canada came in cheaper at $1507 CAD which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in-flight entertainment through seat back screens, in-seat power, a standard window seat, blankets and pillows plus 23kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag. Wifi Is also available for a fee.

What was particularly interesting about this flight comparison was not only that Air Canada was cheaper than its low-cost competitor Westjet but that Westjet actually offered more legroom and seat width in economy. It is unusual to find the low-cost carrier offering more personal space than a full-service carrier. 

So which one would we pick to fly? With both airlines offering almost identical onboard service, having similar departure and arrival times plus the same aircraft, the choice has to come down to price. For this reason, the author would choose Air Canada but I would encourage anyone doing this route to compare the prices for both airlines for your specific dates and take your pick from there as both offer comfort and value so you can’t lose.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines check it out here

Are you enjoying our reviews so far? Are there any routes would you like us to evaluate? Place a comment below or get in touch via our social pages

Jetstar vs Qantas: Who offers the best value long haul?

travel chaos

In this week’s long-haul, low-cost vs full-service airline comparison, we take a look at Jetstar vs Qantas on a flight from Sydney to Honolulu. Looking at cost, comfort, aircraft and flight time we will see who offers the best value.

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Our Jetstar vs Qantas fly-off to Honolulu will be taking place on August 28 to September 11th, 2023. Both Jetstar and Qantas operate direct flights on this route with a 787 and A330 respectively.

Our return flight with Jetstar came to $1192 AUD with the inclusion of a meal, snack and four bottles of water on each segment, a standard window seat, access to the in-flight entertainment, 20kg of checked baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.  Amenity kits such as blankets and pillows are also available for $25 but given most passengers wouldn’t buy these, we left that off the price for this exercise.

Our flight with Qantas came in at $1494 which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in-flight entertainment, amenities, 23kg of baggage and a 7kg carry-on bag.

In terms of comfort, the leg room is only one inch (or 2.5 cm) more on Qantas than Jetstar however the seat recline is roughly double.  The actual seat width is virtually the same.

The Qantas A330 offers a comfortable 2-4-2 seating configuration across the plane where as the 787 is fitted out as 3-3-3.

Despite the layout of the A330 being one of my favourites, with a $302 AUD difference in the fare and a comparable level of comfort and flight time, in this example the author would opt to save that $302 for the destination and take Jetstar.

If you missed last week’s long-haul comparison between AirAsiaX and Malaysia Airlines check it out here

Are you enjoying our reviews so far? Are there any routes would you like us to evaluate? Place a comment below or get in touch via our social pages

REVIEW: Are low cost airlines really worth it for long haul flights?

low cost

In the year post COVID we have seen the demand for travel rise like never before. There’s friends and family to catch up with, bucket lists to tick off and savings to be spent. However, the rise in demand has also resulted in an expected but significant rise in the price of airfares, accommodation, and experiences.

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Travellers are looking for ways to cut costs where they can and one of these is to consider a low-cost airline for their long-haul travel.  On the surface, the low-cost airline fare is attractive and affordable but what is the real cost of travelling long haul by the time you add food, water, bags and seats? Let’s not forget the comfort factor too – on a long-haul flight every extra inch of space makes a difference.

To answer this question, we are compiling a series of low cost vs full service airline comparisons on certain routes around the world. We will look at cost and comfort to determine if long haul low cost is really worth it.

Our first comparison looks at the total cost and on board experience flying low cost AirAsiaX or full service legacy carrier Malaysia Airlines. Our trip from Kuala Lumpur to Auckland will depart on August 28 and return on September 15th 2023.

Our flight with AirAsiaX came to 3854 MYR ($1305 AUD) with the inclusion of a meal and one small bottle of water on each flight leg, a standard window seat, 20kg of checked baggage and a 7kg carry on bag. Admittedly you would likely need to spend at least another 120 MYR ($40 AUD) to purchase extra drinks and snacks, but for this exercise we left that out. This airline offers no in flight entertainment or seat back power to recharge your device.

Our flight with Malaysia Airlines came in at 5174 MYR ($1753) which included meals, snacks, unlimited drinks, in flight entertainment, amenities, 20kg baggage and a 7kg carry on bag.

With a 1320 MYR ($448 AUD) difference in the fares the question of ‘which is better’ really comes down to where the traveller places value.

For the author (who is admittedly a tired mother to two babies), the thought of a direct flight with a little extra seat width, more seat recline, unlimited beverages, meals and snacks, a seat back screen for in-flight entertainment and a cosy blanket and pillow makes the extra cost worthwhile. 

However, when discussing this with my 18 year old niece, the value for her is placed on the saving she can make flying long haul, low cost. For her, she can easily go without the comforts and endure the longer flight time to have that extra money in her pocket to spend at the destination.

Get ready for some Friday fun with the Vietjet $0 international flight sale

Vietjet

Calling all adventurers and holiday makers to the Vietjet sale!

Ready to turn your dream journeys into reality? Well, get out your diary because the Vietjet sale is here to make it happen with extra discounted sales prices every Friday!

📅 When? From now until December 31, 2024.

💸 How much? Starting from just USD0*! Yep, that’s not a typo!

🌍 Where? Explore destinations like Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, China, and more!

👉 How? Simply head to www.vietjetair.com or fire up the Vietjet Air mobile app.

With convenient flight times and attractive savings, it’s time to jet-set to your favorite spots! Whether you’re craving the pristine beaches of Phu Quoc or Nha Trang, the urban buzz of Sydney or Tokyo, or the cultural wonders of Siam Reap or Vientiane, Vietjet has you covered!

How is it flying Vietjet? Well, we can tell you in our AirlineRatings Vietjet in-flight review.

Are Vietjet safe? Yes! We recently awarded them a spot in our top safest low cost airlines for 2024.

Start your Friday right with a flight search on Vietjet for your next holiday 🌟✈️

(*) $0 fare excludes taxes and fees

(**) Except for holidays, peak seasons

About Vietjet

The new-age carrier Vietjet has not only revolutionized the aviation industry in Vietnam but also been a pioneering airline across the region and around the world. With a focus on cost management ability, effective operations, and performance, applying the latest technology to all activities and leading the trend, Vietjet offers flying opportunities with cost-saving and flexible fares as well as diversified services to meet customers’ demands.

Vietjet is a fully-fledged member of International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate. As Vietnam’s largest private carrier, the airline has been awarded the highest ranking for safety with 7 stars by the world’s only safety and product rating website airlineratings.com and listed as one of the world’s 50 best airlines for healthy financing and operations by Airfinance Journal in many consecutive years. The airline has also been named as Best Low-Cost Carrier by renowned organizations such as Skytrax, CAPA, Airline Ratings, and many others.

Facilities At Velana International Airport In Maldives

Maldives

Velana International Airport is the main airport that serves over 99% of tourist arrivals to the county. It is located on a separate island that is connected to the capital Male’ with a 1.3 km long bridge.

If you have booked a hotel in Male’ it takes only 10 minutes to get there by taxi, there are no metros at present. A scheduled bus is not frequent enough and a taxi is easier as it would drive up to the hotel. Velana airport is also connected to the newly developed city called Hulhumale’ which takes a 10-minute drive.

Male’ is the capital and the economic hub of the country, Hulhumale’ is far less congested and small hotels (3-star) welcome most of the tourists who want to stay overnight near the airport.

In Velana International Airport there are 4 main terminals. Most of the tourists are family with the international arrival and departure terminal. The airport was opened on 12 April 1966 and it has been over 30 years old for the current international terminals. Despite being small in size there are usual facilities in each. Since tourism is the dominant economic activity in the country the airport is tourist friendly and different services are organised to blend with tourist services.

The airport was initially called Male’ International Airport. The name is still synonymous among the locals as well as tourists. Maldives still uses old-style staircases instead of extendable gates to connect with aircraft. This means there is a bus to transfer passengers between the aircraft and the terminal.

If you have taken the fast track service from Priority Maldives there will be a separate vehicle (shared with other VIPs) to take you to one of the designated lounges where passport processing takes place in comfort. At the same time, you enjoy food and drinks included in the package.

Otherwise, the regular bus takes all passengers to the arrival terminal upon landing. While the passengers of CIP or VIP packages enjoy the comfort of the lounge the regular tourists have to queue up at the immigration for passport processing. After passing through the Customs they manage to reach the exit in about 45 – 90 minutes.

At the exit, there would be representatives from travel agents and resorts to display name boards to receive guests. Most of the resorts have small counters in case you can’t find an official from your chosen resort. The Help Desk is located in between the 2 terminals, that is where you could go if you still need help and they would always call the agent or resort without any fees.

There are some food and beverage outlets such as Burger King, The Coffee Club, KFC, Secret Recipe and more. If you are arriving at the airport for departure and you would like to have some food you should do so before doing the check-in. After proceeding through the immigration there are very few dining options.

If you want to relax there is Leeli Lounge, but there is no way to do fast-tracking if you plan to stay there. There is an adequate number of Duty-Free shops for a small airport. You can buy watches, perfumes, and souvenirs. If you require any medication there is a small outlet outside the terminal. If you want to withdraw USD cash from an ATM there is one near the Domestic Terminal.  

Seaplane flies only in the daytime. Tourists arriving after 16:00 would have to stay overnight at the capital Male’ or nearby Hulhumale’. The latter is more popular as many affordable hotels offer clean rooms and local restaurants serve international cuisine as well as Maldivian. You can book a room with airport shuttle and pass on the flight details during the reservation.

Most of the hotels would receive you and quickly drive off to the hotel. If you have not booked a private transfer it would always be combined with other guests, sometimes with guests from multiple hotels. The seaplane terminal is located far from other terminals and access is restricted. To get there you need to visit the seaplane counter at the international terminal from where a bus or private vehicle is arranged as per your reservation.

The seaplane terminal is closer to Hulhumale’ than the international terminal. However, hotels do not have permits to directly drive to the seaplane terminal. There are 2 seaplane operators in the Maldives. TMA is the most popular company as it is the world’s largest seaplane operator. The local company called Maldivian operates both seaplane as well as domestic flights, it also manages some of the airports such as Maafaru International Airport and Dharavandhoo Airport.

The seaplane flies only in the daytime. If your departure flight from Maldives is at night you will arrive at the airport before sunset, depending on flight movements you may have to arrive even earlier in the afternoon.

If you are on SQ or EK then there is plenty of time to spend at the airport before check-in starts. For such a situation, you can either take a day-use room in Hulhumale’ or Male’. If you have taken fast track service from Priority Maldives they would often advise you and help you reserve the room, receive and escort you to the hotel.

If you are on QR or UL then the wait is not as long. Still, it may be tiring to stay in the airport for 3 hours. To spend a few hours, one of the best ways is to leave your luggage in the airport luggage storage service and visit Male’ for sightseeing or shopping to buy souvenirs.

The luggage storage service charges something like $12 per piece and there are taxis available to drive off to Male’ for $10 each way. Alternatively, you can visit Hulhumale’, stroll at the beachside and try local cafeterias and tea-time snacks.

If you need basic pharmaceuticals there is a pharmacy in the airport. If you need to withdraw cash the Bank Of Maldives ATM allows a maximum of US$1600. Most of the ATMs serve local MVR currency. There is only 1 ATM in Velana International Airport that dispenses USD, it is located near the domestic terminal. You should be looking for a “BML” signboard in a red colour.

The latest addition the Maldives Airport (MLE) is the fleet of air ambulances. Since Maldives has small islands that are dispersed over a large area it becomes a challenge for the government to provide advanced healthcare. So, in every atoll, there is a bigger hospital with more facilities. However, most of the major healthcare services are centrally located in the capital Male’ and every day there are locals arriving at the capital island for medical services.

The introduction of an airport ambulance is an advancement brought to the existing Sea Ambulance fleet. Now the islands that have airports or are located near can use Air Ambulances to transfer risky patients, the National Health Insurance scheme covers it. Remote islands can use the Seaplane Ambulance. The Island Aviation Services Ltd operates both. It is also available for tourists who require urgent medical assistance, depending on availability.

Does Travel Insurance Cover Cancelled Flights?

travel insurance

Travel insurance has seen a surge in popularity over the years, but along with this popularity comes increased complexity. While offering numerous benefits tailored to individual needs, the intricacies of travel insurance can sometimes be daunting. Understanding how your insurance safeguards you in various scenarios, such as flight cancellations, is crucial for informed decision-making when faced with such situations.

AirAdvisor is a claims management company who fight for air passenger rights. As experts in the area they have shared their help with AirlinRatings.

Joanna Teljeur, senior Editor and Writer at AirAdvisor shares the following.

When purchasing travel insurance, specific coverage for cancelled flights may not always be explicitly stated. However, most insurance packages include benefits that encompass such situations. The activation of these benefits depends on whether the flight disruption leads to trip delays, interruptions, or cancellations.

When Does Travel Insurance Cover a Cancelled Flight

In the event of a flight cancellation, regardless of the destination—whether within the EU, UK, US, or Canada—passengers are entitled to rebooking on the next available flight or a full ticket refund if they opt not to travel.

Opting for a flight refund from the airline due to cancellation may result in financial losses for pre-arranged travel plans like hotel bookings or car rentals. However, with the right travel insurance coverage, such losses can be mitigated, as the insurance typically covers prepaid expenses in the event of a cancelled flight, provided the reason falls within the policy’s coverage.

How Travel Delay Insurance Can Help

Travel delay insurance can unexpectedly offer protection for cancelled flights in certain scenarios. For instance, if a cancelled flight necessitates an overnight stay, this insurance can cover expenses such as hotel accommodations and meals, particularly in regions like the UK, EU, or Canada where regulations mandate such compensations.

In contrast, passengers travelling within the United States might not receive mandated care and assistance from airlines in such situations. Nevertheless, having insurance can alleviate the financial burden of out-of-pocket expenses incurred due to flight cancellations.

How Travel Interruption or Travel Cancellation Can Help

Travel interruption or cancellation insurance can address more complex situations, such as rebooking on alternate flights that do not align with original travel plans. In such cases, this insurance may cover the price difference for last-minute tickets and reimburse prepaid expenses affected by the cancelled flight.

Do You Need Cover for Cancelled Flights?

The necessity of insurance for cancelled flights ultimately depends on individual travel plans and financial considerations. While regulations in certain regions may offer some coverage, having additional protection through travel insurance is advisable for comprehensive coverage.

AirAdvisor suggests utilizing their flight cancellation calculator to determine eligibility for compensation in the event of flight cancellations. This tool can help travellers assess potential claims, ensuring they do not overlook compensation they are entitled to.

SUGGESTED READ: School Holiday Chao Downunder

Emirates President calls for engineering focus at Boeing 

Emirates president on Boeing

As the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 and with over 200 orders for the 777X in the pipeline, Emirates is one of many airlines that needs and wants the situation at Boeing resolved quickly.

Emirates President Sir Tim Clark has spoken exclusively to AirlineRatings.com CEO, Geoffrey Thomas to share his views on the situation at Boeing.

He states:

“To fix Boeing’s issues the company needs a strong engineering lead as its head coupled to a governance model which prioritizes safety and quality. 

“It is little wonder that the Machinists Union wants a seat on the board, simply to ensure that the voice of the factory floor is part and parcel of the decision process and is fully integrated into the governance model’s risk management strategies.

“Whether, yet again, this changing of the guard will resolve Boeing’s issues only time will tell, but time, unfortunately, is not on their side. I would suggest that some serious lateral thinking kicks in as soon as possible.”

This comment comes as Boeing announces a huge shake-up as a result of the problems with production glitches and quality control.

As Airlineratings.com shared last week, aircraft incidents happen every day. We did a survey of major incidents for 2023 and up to March 23rd 2024. We found that there were 515 significant incidents involving Airbus aircraft and 545 involving Boeing aircraft which is not surprising as there are slightly more Boeing aircraft flying than Airbus types.

In almost all cases the incidents had nothing to do with Airbus or Boeing but were airline or weather-related.

Despite this, the severity of the incidents such as an exit door blowing off coupled with the fuel of social media has turned the focus on Boeing’s and highlighted concerns in their production system.

READ: Why I Would Happily Fly Boeing

Virgin Australia Wins Best Cabin Crew For The Sixth Time In A Row

Best Cabin Crew

Virgin Australia has been awarded the Airlineratings.com Best Cabin Crew award for 2024 for the sixth time in a row.

AirlineRatings.com is the world’s only airline safety, product, and rating website that promotes excellence and innovation in the airline industry, and the pinnacle of these efforts is its Airline Excellence Awards which this year are being rolled out over six weeks.

AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas said, “Virgin Australia’s cabin crew treat every passenger as a special.”

“Their commitment to passengers is quite outstanding and is a benchmark of what cabin service should be across the industry. This service extends to the ground staff, where the standards are just as high.

“Virgin Australia cabin crew are always being mentioned positively in passenger feedback,” Mr Thomas said.

READ: WHY I USED TO HATE VIRGIN AUSTRALIA, BUT NOT ANYMORE

Virgin Australia CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka said she was thrilled to see the Virgin Australia cabin crew team recognised once again in the awards, which take into consideration airlines around the world.

“One of the joys of working for an airline is hearing the extraordinary stories right across our network of our crew going the extra mile in their service, and it is that signature flair that each individual brings that makes flying with Virgin Australia so special,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

“This award comes as no surprise as it is a true reflection of our incredible cabin crew who work hard every day to consistently deliver the service we are known and loved for, and winning this award for an incredible sixth time in a row is a wonderful recognition of our team.”

For rankings, the editors of AirlineRatings.com, some of the most experienced and awarded, combine international industry and government audits, with another 11 key criteria that include: fleet age, passenger review ratings, investment rating, and key product offerings to arrive at a ranking.

Added to that the editors monitor passenger feedback as well as personal experience.

Best Cabin Crew
Virgin Australia Regional Airline flight attendants, Credit Sandie West

Last week we announced Qatar Airways as the winner of Best Catering and Emirates Bst IFE for 2024 and next week on April 9 we will announce Best Cabin Classes – First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy.

The other dates are:

April 9: Best Geographical Winners – Long Haul & Regional Airlines

April 16: Best Environmental Airline

April 23: Best Low-Cost Airlines & Top Twenty LCCs

April 30: Airline Of The Year & Top Twenty

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Massive Shakeup at Boeing

Boeing

The President & CEO of Boeing Dave Calhoun, and the President of Boeing Commercial Airplanes will both leave the company as the embattled plane maker struggles to regain public confidence after a series of mishaps.

Board Chair Larry Kellner has also told the company he doesn’t plan to stand for re-election.

Mr Calhoun (below) will step down at the end of 2024 and will continue to lead Boeing through the year to complete the critical work underway to stabilize and position the company for the future.

Mr Deal will retire from the company immediately and Stephanie Pope (below) has been appointed to lead BCA, effective today.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve Boeing,” said Calhoun in a letter to employees. “The eyes of the world are on us, and I know that we will come through this moment a better company. We will remain squarely focused on completing the work we have done together to return our company to stability after the extraordinary challenges of the past five years, with safety and quality at the forefront of everything that we do.”

Pope (below) has been serving as chief operating officer of Boeing since January of this year. Previously, she was president and chief executive officer of Boeing Global Services, where she was responsible for leading the company’s aerospace services for commercial, government and aviation industry customers worldwide. Prior, she was chief financial officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and has held positions in every Boeing business unit.  She begins her role as President and CEO of Commercial Airplanes immediately.

Stephanie Pope (Photo: Boeing)

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Airlineratings.com has information on over 30 types of aircraft from the latest Boeing 787 to the A380 and smaller jets.

Best of all, there are simple answers to many of the quirky questions including:

  • “What are all those noises after takeoff and before landing?”
  • “Why do you have to put the window shades up for landing and takeoff?”
  • “What is a winglet and what is it for?
  • “Why is it so costly to fly short distances?”
  • “How often is an aircraft maintained?
  • “How strong is a wing?”
  • “How do they test aircraft”
  • “How often do plane tires need to be replaced?”

Air NZ ‘s Incredible Transformation To World’s Best Practice

Air NZ

Air NZ ‘s incredible transformation to the world’s best practice has been documented in an article in NZ’s The Post by Kevin Norquay based on an interview with Airlineratings.com’s Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas.

The Air NZ feature starts thus:

Air New Zealand is dwarfed by global aviation giants in fleet size, passengers carried and sheer economic muscle, yet consistently defies power and location to soar onto the best airline podium.

It wasn’t always that way, AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas tells the Sunday Star-Times from Perth. Air New Zealand was last year rated top airline by his website.

Air New Zealand was a “worst practice” airline until transformed by Sir Ralph Norris after it all but failed in 2001, says Thomas, who has written about aviation for 45 years, winning more than 40 awards.

After Air New Zealand was propped up by an $885-million government bailout for an 82% stake, new chief executive Norris flipped attitudes.

He started building a culture that remains, says Thomas.

Air New Zealand went from industry worst practice under Brierley Investments, to industry best practice under Norris, and “outstanding people” around him, he says.

“His mantra was very simple: ‘I don’t care about my shareholders, I care about my staff, my staff will care about my passengers, and my passengers will look after my shareholders.’”

“He said to his staff ‘read the manual and throw it away’. That culture has stayed all the way through the last 23 years,” Thomas says.

“Staff think for themselves, they are well acquainted with the rules, but look to tailor them to a situation and get an outcome… That doesn’t matter as long as the outcome is the right outcome.”

READ the rest of the Air NZ article here

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Stunning Northern Lights Photo From A 747

Northern lights

Boeing 747 captain Christiaan van Heijst has captured this spectacular image of the Northern Lights on a flight over the North Atlantic.

Christiaan takes up the story of his Northern Lights picture…

“A few hundred miles south of Iceland, somewhere over the North Atlantic Ocean. A turquoise aerial fire in the form of aurora borealis while the city lights of Reykjavik illuminate the horizon in a contrasting, orange glow, far away.

“Artificial lights on the horizon: a beacon of civilisation and connectedness to the world after many hours of isolation: no communication in my headset except for the bare minimums in regard to procedures, nor any personal interaction from my Icelandic captain, who’s been mute ever since the landing gear went up on the other side of the planet. A character known for his absolute approach to colleagues and deliberate lack of conversational depth during flight.

“Hours later, the lights of Reykjavik are abundantly visible and without need, heed or warning, he opens up the intercom and takes his time to start his declaration for a single-person audience: me. Staring out of his window, eyes set on the distant orange glow from his left-hand window, he solemnly proclaims a few seconds later:

Northern lights

“… the centre of the universe…”, allowing some moments of quiet contemplation and thought on my side, before switching his intercom off again, as if to underline this statement and retreating back in his cone of silence. Stoic minimalism at it’s best and I can’t help but silently chuckle at this unexpected and utterly dry sense of humour.

“We touch down four hours later, finding ground in a typical cargo airport somewhere in central Europe, not having shared a single word since besides his solemn proclamation of Iceland’s true worth.

“You’re a fun guy, looking forward to flying with you next time.” he confided to me, before leaving me with a solid handshake and sincere smile before disappearing into the night to find his car.

“Indeed, speaking is silver, but silence is golden.”

Christiaan is one of the world’s leading aviation photographers and more of his work and more close encounter (s) can be found here.

You can follow Christiaan on Instagram here: @jpcvanheijst

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Airlineratings.com has information on over 30 types of aircraft from the latest Boeing 787 to the A380 and smaller jets.

Best of all, there are simple answers to many of the quirky questions including:

  • “What are all those noises after takeoff and before landing?”
  • “Why do you have to put the window shades up for landing and takeoff?”
  • “What is a winglet and what is it for?
  • “Why is it so costly to fly short distances?”
  • “How often is an aircraft maintained?
  • “How strong is a wing?”
  • “How do they test aircraft”
  • “How often do plane tires need to be replaced?”

I would Very Happily Fly Boeing

Boeing
Passengers and crew of the record breaking Boeing 777-200LR which set a world distance record in 2005.

I would happily fly on a Boeing jet despite the supposed rash of incidents in the past few months because incidents happen all the time in aviation and just as many happen to Airbus aircraft as Boeing.

At Airlineratings.com we did a survey of major incidents for 2023 and up to March 23rd 2024 and the results were fascinating.

We found that there were 515 significant incidents involving Airbus aircraft and 545 involving Boeing aircraft which is not surprising as there are slightly more Boeing aircraft flying than Airbus types. In almost all cases the incidents had nothing to do with Airbus or Boeing but were airline or weather-related.

Balance those numbers against the total number of commercial flights per year of over 40 million or 110,000 a day!

READ: Last year was the safest for flying

READ: Which are the safest aircraft?

Airbus A320s are being readied for delivery.

Certainly, the short to medium-range Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 are more in the news because there are so many in service and they typically perform about four sectors a day. These two 180-220-seat aircraft operate over 50% of the world’s commercial flights and are the backbone of commercial aviation. Boeing and Airbus have both delivered over 11,000 of their respective models to airlines and corporate customers. Boeing has orders for almost 5,000 more 737s and Airbus has over 7,000 A320 family models.

Boeing

Boeing 737 MAX 9

Most of the incidents that are not weather or airline-related don’t involve Airbus or Boeing directly but are caused by malfunctions in components supplied by hundreds of suppliers. For instance, Airbus and Boeing don’t make engines, undercarriages, wheels, cockpit avionics, seatback video systems, galleys and seats. And the list goes on and on. So quite often if there is a problem with a component on a Boeing aircraft then it is likely the same issue impacts Airbus.

The Boeing supplier network includes more than 20,000 suppliers and partners. The company has 11 research & development centres, 16 consortia and 22 joint research centres as well as relationships with more than 50 international universities. Airbus has similar numbers.

Naturally, the media is focused on Boeing after the Alaska Airlines 737 door incident in January so any incident involving Boeing planes grabs the headlines or gains social media traction, while Airbus incidents, unless a crash is involved, go largely ignored.

Boeing has an incredible history in aviation and gave us the 707 and 747, helped put a man on the moon, and was the lead integrator of the International Space Station. It built the GPS satellites and the rockets that put those satellites into space. It has through its merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, built most of the free world’s fighter jets as well as the magnificent C-17 transport aircraft that brings humanitarian aid and disaster relief to millions and the list goes on. And to that list the magnificent Boeing 777-300ER which is the backbone of international travel and is the most reliable wide-body aircraft in service.

There is no question however that Boeing has production problems which are being addressed and experts suggest the company is on top of the issues with permanent fixes.

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

Airlineratings.com has information on over 30 types of aircraft from the latest Boeing 787 to the A380 and smaller jets.

Best of all, there are simple answers to many of the quirky questions including:

  • “What are all those noises after takeoff and before landing?”
  • “Why do you have to put the window shades up for landing and takeoff?”
  • “What is a winglet and what is it for?
  • “Why is it so costly to fly short distances?”
  • “How often is an aircraft maintained?
  • “How strong is a wing?”
  • “How do they test aircraft”
  • “How often do plane tires need to be replaced?”

Ryanair Chief On Boeing Crisis: “Stupid France Minister Talks Rubbish Like Trump”

Ryanair

Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary has slammed a French Minister as “stupid” after he said that he would not travel on a Boeing jet.

According to the website POLITICO French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire’s attack on Boeing’s safety record earned him a scorching response from Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, who on Wednesday referred to him as a “stupid politician” and called his comments “silly and ill-advised.”

In an interview with POLITICO on the sidelines of an Airlines for Europe summit in Brussels, O’Leary also denounced the way that Boeing has been regulated by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), saying the agency was “rubber-stamping” the U.S. plane-maker.

O’Leary was responding to Le Maire saying on Tuesday: “I’d rather fly Airbus than Boeing. My family too: they care about me.” 

ryanair
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary. Photo: Andreas Spaeth

To “some stupid politician going: ‘My family don’t feel safe on a [Boeing] 737,’ I say: ‘Well, then try flying on an Airbus with a problem with the engine that hasn’t been repaired,’” O’Leary said, referring to the defects in the Pratt & Whitney engines that have grounded hundreds of Airbus planes for inspections.

The Ryanair Group operates 578 Boeing 737s of different models.

Mr O’Leary also noted that about “20% of the Airbus fleet” is going to be grounded to repair an engine problem.

However, Mr O’Leary added in the POLITICO interview that airlines expect perfection in new aircraft they buy. “Every day when Airbus and Boeing produce or deliver a new aircraft, the quality of that has to be second to none. We’re paying $100 million for every one of these aircraft. We need to know that the standards of safety and that quality control is top notch in both in Toulouse and in Seattle,” O’Leary said.

Read the full story here

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Airlineratings.com is packed with information about air travel and answers questions that many of us may have thought of, but didn’t know who to ask. Well, now you do!

Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world with a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations as well as the airline’s own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate.

Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.

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