A brief and powerful eruption of the Mount Rinjani on Lombok, Indonesia at noon local time yesterday has thrown doubt over flights to and from Bali.

A return Tigerair Australia flight from Perth to Denpasar was cancelled and Australia's Jetstar has cancelled numerous flights today (Tuesday Aug 2).

According to the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre the eruption was brief and sent ash 10,000m into the air.

The ash has mainly drifted in a southerly direction, although a small amount has moved to the west and was due to impact Denpasar last night. VAAC says it is unsure about the impact on flights and recommends passengers check with their airlines.

Mount Rinjani, Indonesia’s second highest volcano, last erupted in late October 2015 and caused travel chaos.

Virgin Australia’s Bali operations were taken over by its subsidiary Tigerair earlier this year, although the flights are still operated by Virgin.

Tigerair said that the latest advice from its team of meteorologists and the VAAC is that conditions are not suitable for operations into and out of Denpasar Airport. Tigerair will provide another update this morning.

Tigerair said it "sincerely apologises to affected passengers for the inconvenience however weather conditions are outside the airline's control and safety always comes before schedule."

"We continue to monitor the situation closely and will keep customers updated via SMS and email as soon as new information becomes available," a spokesperson said.

Passengers are advised to refer to the Tigerair website for information updates as our call centre is experiencing a higher than usual volume of calls.

The airline added that it is providing hotel accommodation compensation for all affected passengers away from home overnight and will re accommodate them onto other next available services.

Mount Rinjani is one of Indonesia’s most active and erupted in 2009 and that eruption lasted 18 months. Prior to that it erupted in 2004, 1995 and 1966.

Bali airport handles 300 international and domestic flights a day and 40,000 passengers.

And so it has come to this: a survey of Americans concludes that of those initially planning to fly between the Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays—the heart of the summer travel season—21 percent-plus now say they’ll travel by other means, or delay their trips. Enough is enough, they say. Endless Transportation Security Administration screening lines are scaring off a significant slice of the traveling public in the U.S.

This bombshell piece of news comes from a survey of 2,500 Americans by the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), a travel industry trade group. USTA says their reaction stems from “saturation [media] coverage of hours-long waits at airport security checkpoints.”

All told, the peak summer-season slip in airline passengers adds up to a projected U.S.$4.3 billion loss in travel spend. That kind of number prompted USTA President and CEO Roger Dow to contend the shortage of TSA screeners constitutes nothing less than “a national crisis in need of a national solution.”

A down payment on that solution was revealed earlier this week in Washington, D.C. as TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger told a Congressional oversight committee the agency will add 768 new screeners by the middle of June. Sound significant? Consider that a story by the Associated Press says the move will mean only a two percent boost in TSA’s screener ranks.

More context: TSA expects to screen some 740-million flyers this year. That’s a full 15 percent more than 2013. At the same time there are but 42,000 TSA Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) deployed at 440 airports around the country. That number is down significantly from previous years.

Perhaps at the heart of this whole issue is the fact Transportation Security Officers are overstressed, comparatively underpaid and largely unappreciated. This leads to high turnover rates, and lots of attrition.

More flyers, fewer folks to screen them and their belongings. This all could well mean a long, hot summer at U.S. airports.

A Korean Air Boeing 777 has suffered an engine fire just prior to take off from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport according to Reuters.

All 302 passengers and 17 crew were evacuated safely.

World's safest airlines 2016

It is understood that the engine fire developed just as the Boeing 777 was about to start its take-off roll.

According to local news sources 12 occupants received injuries in the evacuation.

And in an extremely worrying trend passengers again ignored crew instructions and took their carry-on baggage with them.

Passengers are risking their lives and those of their fellow passengers taking their baggage with them in an evacutaion.

This Korean Air 777-300 (HL-7534) was delivered to the airline in 1998 and is powered by two Pratt and Whitney  PW PW4098 engines. 

Hawaiian Airlines’ new Premium Cabin promises to catapult the carrier into competition with other transpac players.

Hawaiian welcomed home its first A330-200 fitted with fully lie-flat seats, the anchor element of an all-out remake of the airline’s premium product.  With routes stretching from China to New York, being able to stretch out and sleep soundly is a pre-requisite for some passengers before booking passage. Business travelers are especially keen on this. The truth is, Hawaiian has lagged behind in the lie-flat arena.

As the A330-200 fleet gets refitted, there will be 18 lie-flats up front, in the pointy end of the airplane. They fold down into 180-degee affairs that are 20.5 inches wide and a full 76 inches long. They’re arrayed in a 2x2x2 configuration.  That means that passengers in the window seats don’t have direct aisle access. 

Hawaiian calls the seat controls “intuitive.” Seats come equipped with multiple power ports, an A/C outlet and a pair of USB connections. The inflight entertainment (IFE) is served up on large-format tablets, which rest on adjustable, telescoping arms. 

For those who appreciate the aesthetics of aircraft interiors Hawaiian, in conjunction with the PaulWylde consultancy of California has, according to the airline, “incorporate[d] flowing curves evocative of the winds and ocean, while marrying organic textures and pops of bright saturated color in its Premium Cabin.”

At the same time Hawaiian’s A330-200 premium product receives a major makeover, it’s adding 28 more Extra Comfort seats, making for total of 68 of the 36-inch seat-pitch seats. The re-work of the cabin layout means the airline’s newly revamped A330-200s will sport 278 seats in all—16 fewer than the previous configuration. 

Hawaiian expects to have twenty-three A330-200s by this summer. The airline plans to start selling new Premium Cabin passage this fall. That’s when the first dedicated routes will be announced—as will “new signature service elements” and amenities. 

Hawaiian air safety rating
 

Perhaps that is the best way of summing up Virgin Australia’s radical upgrade of its international fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs.

Gone forever is the 2-3-2 business class configuration replaced by individual suites that are more at home in most airline’s first class cabins, while premium economy –  now just Premium – has more leg room than most standard domestic business class.

To cap off the good news for economy travellers there is a new Economy Space + product which sits neatly between Economy and Premium. Now the airline can boast it has a world class product for all budgets.

And not only are the products superb but the atmosphere is stunning with excellent use of LED lighting to create a feeling of an opulent nightclub. The new products underscore that the airline really means business and is after a bigger share of the market.

In business class there are 37 individual and private suites that convert into the length of a queen size bed at 80 inches (203cm) and they are set in a reverse herringbone layout, maximising privacy and enabling 100 per cent direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 configuration.

There is loads of space to work, multi task and store personal items.

And when dinner comes around there is no need to put anything away – just put your laptop or iPad aside. I was surprised by the amount of space on my return flights from Sydney to Los Angeles. The suite is essentially an enlarged version of that fitted to the airline’s A330s that ply Australia’s domestic routes. 

Big difference as you would expect on a larger aircraft is the amount of gadget space and just the sense of space. I could easy stow all the “stuff” I would need; iPhone, iPad, laptop, charger, and even my “good” camera for those classic sunset shots. 

Lunch was yet another Luke Mangan special and I chose King Prawns with carrot, daikon and coriander with miso and yuzu dressing. Main course was easy! Barramundi, a much sought after Australian fish, with black bean sauce, snow peas, rice and spring onions.

The menu flowed on with range of magnificent deserts and cheeses but as I am on a health kick I resisted the temptation. And there are 10 choices of tea or coffee!

But the real plus is the bed with its triple-layer seat cushion supported by a hammock sub-frame which guarantees a really good sleep. On my return flight from Los Angeles to Sydney I had eight hours!

I know that compared to economy, business is luxurious but there are some business seats that don’t translate well into a flat bed and thus a good night’s sleep. If you are paying $8000 return from say Sydney to LA you expect to have a good night’s sleep.

Of course if you don’t want to sleep the suite has the largest in-flight entertainment screen flying between Australia and North America, with an 18 inch High Definition touch screen claims the airline.

I passed on the IFE and simply used my iPad loaded with all the classic movies and David Attenborough documentaries that I love.

Virgin Australia has also revamped and expanded its business class bar and lounge and it now rivals Emirates A380 business class bar which I know is a big call. It is an intimate space and would be at home at the top end of Paris or London.

The only issue is its proximity to the first row in the second business class cabin but Virgin Australia has now installed heavy duty curtains to block the light and any chatter. The bar also doubles as a place to have a continental breakfast before landing.

Virgin Australia Group chief executive John Borghetti is lyrical about the new offering telling AirlineRatings.com that the airline is “committed to product innovation and delivering a superior customer journey on the ground and in the air.”

“With competition increasing from Australia to North America and the Middle East, we believe this will be the best Business Class on the Pacific, with the product also being introduced to Abu Dhabi later this year,” said Mr Borghetti.

Summing up – stunning product which matches the service!

Note: The fleet will be ALL upgraded by the end of the third quarter of 2016. You can easily tell when you go to seat select which aircraft you will be on. 

Premium 
Virgin Australia has done a superb job repositioning its top economy product while adding a new twist that is sure to excite. Perhaps you could say the new and upgraded products are a time machine – back to when economy travel was more humane! 

Firstly it has morphed its premium economy into what it calls Premium. The improvements to the 24-seat cabin are numerous with more legroom than any other Australian airline is offering.

Australian Business Traveller makes an interesting comparison noting that Virgin’s Premium offers 3 inches more legroom that the standard domestic offering in Australia. And the product has 9 inches more than economy – with a 19.5 inch wide seat and nine inches of recline.

While I did not travel in the class I did take a seat and was surprised at what an amazing difference there is from economy. Essentially it is what the original business class was in 1979.

Passengers get a plated meal services served on business class crockery and accompanied by a selection of wines from the business class cellar. There is dedicated check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage, enabling Premium guests to speed through airport formalities.

Virgin’s explains that the number of Premium seats have been reduced and it is in a “smaller, more exclusive cabin which has taken seat comfort to a new level and really the positioning is around business light rather than economy plus.”

But the big news is the new product, called Economy Space +, which is designed to make travel more comfortable and seamless for budget travellers who want a touch of class. This product will be available for flights commencing 30th of August. Its cost between A$135 and A$165 one way.

This new class is located in a dedicated cabin of five rows behind Premium and the exit rows of the main economy cabin. And it’s amazing value!

Passengers get extra legroom, check-in via a dedicated Premium check-in counter; pre-boarding, preferred overhead locker; dedicated crew members throughout the flight; guaranteed first meal choice; and premium noise-cancelling headset.

Virgin Australia’s chief customer officer Mark Hassell told AirlineRatings.com that the airline believed Economy Space + will be very popular with a range of travellers.

“Economy Space + enables you to speed through the airport and enjoy service from dedicated crew members throughout the flight, providing great value for guests,” said Mr Hassell.

Virgin is the first Australian airline to adopt a local version of America’s popular “economy comfort” class, which allows travellers to trade up to a seat with more room without the premium economy price tag.

According to AirlineRatings.com Consumer Editor Clive Dorman Economy Space+ is “big news” and I would have to agree and its “great news” as well for all those over 6ft or 182cms! “There are a total of 67 seats – 47 of them in the one cabin, the rest further down the main cabin and the “pitch” per seat row is 34 inches (86 cms) compared with 32 inches (81 cms) in economy," said Mr Dorman.

That brings economy back to what it used to be in the late 1960s. And it is amazing what a difference that two inches (5cms) makes!

I found that at 193cm I had room to move that the extra sense of space is extraordinary. The feeling of claustrophobia disappears. 

“Instead of paying double or triple the economy rate, for say business the upgrade costs between $135 and $165 per seat one-way between Australia and the USA,” said Mr Dorman. 

Summing up Virgin Australia has this product mix perfectly targeted for all economy budgets and pockets – well done!!

Premium fares from Sydney to Los Angeles is around is A$2200. Economy can be purchased for about A$800 and thus Economy Space + sits just under A$1000 one-way. (Fares sourced Sunday May 22 for travel August 30th) 
 

As search and rescue teams continue look for  debris belonging to Egyptair MS804,   security authorities fear that terrorism is the most likely cause of the crash.

A fireball in the sky, no warning from the crew and its disappearance of all radar including military are tell tale signs.

The plane made "sudden swerves" mid-air and plunged before dropping off radars in the southern Mediterranean, Greece's defence minister said. 

Sherif Fathi, Egypt's aviation minister, said the possibility of a terror attack was "stronger" than a technical failure. 

Mechanical failure is a extremely remote possibility but only a catastrophic disintegration of the engine with parts flying into the fuselage and wing could result in the loss of this aircraft in this way.

While no group has claimed responsibility it could be the work of a lone suicide bomber.

Another possibility is that a bomb, with timer, was smuggled on in Paris or possibly in other airports that the aircraft plane operated in the 24 hours before the doomed flight.

Prior to the Paris to Cairo flight the aircraft had operated from Asmara in Eritera to Cairo and then two return flights to Tunis in Tunisia from Cairo before heading Paris.

While security at the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport is tough the security at some airports in North Africa is under a cloud.

The aviation industry fears an “inside job” with baggage handlers and catering staff having the ability to load devices onto aircraft.

Egypt assured the world that it had beefed up security after the Metrojet crash in October last year that killed 224 when a bomb was smuggled on board possibly be caterers.

However this year a passenger with mental illness was able to get a fake bomb jacket through security despite being frisked.

He then went on to hijack an Egyptair flight to Cyprus and later surrendered.

Whilst debris continues to be collected form the Mediterranean sea, in news just in, CBS news has reported that the black box flight data recorder from Egyptair MS804 has been found. The report states 'Egyption government sources' however they themselves have not yet released an offical statement. 

In fact another Egyptian source says the black boxes have not been found leading to confusion.

The military says it has recovered personal belongings and aircraft parts. 

Smoke warning in the cockpit

The Egyptian authorities are also reporting that the aircraft's ACARS system transmitted a fire alert on board from its electronics bay and possibly toilet.

ACARS also recorded various system failures.

Terrorism or catastrophic mechanical failure have been the main focus of investigators looking into the disappearance of the jet, which had 66 passengers and crew aboard but one analysts says pilot error cannot be ruled out.

Terrorism likely cause

The EgyptAir 180-seat Airbus A320, registration SU-GCC, was flying from Paris to Cairo when it disappeared off radar screens yesterday.

EgyptAir Flight MS804 left the French capital at midnight (6am WA time) and its transponder signal stopped at 2.33am about 240km north-west of the Egyptian port city of Alexandria while flying at 37,000ft.

It was reported last night that the crew of a Greek merchant ship in the area saw an explosion that lit up the sky.

A Greek minister claimed the plane suddenly spun sharply and swerved several times before vanishing.

This may indicate that a bomb took out the tail of the plane rendering it uncontrollable.

However John Goglia, former member of the NTSB board told AirlineRatings.com that pilot error could not be ruled out.

“Given the fly-by-wire [control system] of the Airbus, we’ve had pilots that thought they knew better in flight and popped circuit breakers and did things they shouldn’t have done and messed up the computers and led to bad outcomes,” said Mr Goglia.

“You can’t rule out a pilot doing something he shouldn’t have done. We can’t rule out a structural failure to the airplane, like losing a tail, for whatever reason. If you lose the tail on an airplane…you could end up in a stall and end up in a flat spin, which is what I read this airplane was doing.”

The 10 crew and 56 passengers aboard were made up of 30 Egyptians, 15 French, 2 Iraqis, a Briton, Belgian, Canadian, Sudanese, Chadian, Portuguese, Algerian, Kuwaiti and Saudi.

A search was launched Thursday by units of the Egyptian and Greek navy and air force. The French Government said it was also sending teams to help in the search.

EgyptAir said authorities had picked up an emergency locator transmitter signal from the aircraft.

Ihab Raslan, a spokesman for the Egyptian civil aviation agency, said the aircraft was about to enter Egyptian airspace when it disappeared but the airline and flight-tracking websites suggest it vanished just after entering the airspace boundary.

EgyptAir said the plane’s captain had 6275 flight hours behind him. The co-pilot had 2675 flight hours. The aircraft was manufactured in 2003 and Airbus said that it had accumulated about 48,000 flight hours and was powered by IAE engines.

The A320 aircraft is a 180-passenger twin engine jet boasting state of the art technology. It has a good safety record. In October, a bomb brought down a Metrojet Airbus A320 in the Sinai, killing the 224 people aboard. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that bombing.