EasyJet's Egypt deal remains up in the air

The deal is up in the air and it will be so for almost forever unless the mentality of the current bureaucrats controlling Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority will be exposed to a thorough brainwash.

Egypt is fully supporting its spoiled child EgyptAir and it will not allow any foreign or even Egyptian carrier to compete with it. Egypt does not have any foreseeable intention to change its protectionist policy despite the current flaccid status of EgyptAir.
Date: 25 May 2013 commenting on http://www.aljazeera.com/

Want your new route to make headlines? Bring Richard Branson onboard

Irrespective of the deal between Tony Fernandes and Richard Branson, It would be better for Sir Richard Branson to be himself while performing the duties of an air hostess.
I have a big doubt that the idea of cross-dressing added anything valuable to the event or to Branson himself. Passengers, who know Richard Branson beforehand, would be really honored to have him around, and would be starstruck to be served by him. On the other hand, passengers, who do not know him, would prefer a real air hostess than an ugly buffoon.
Date: 14 May 2013 commenting on http://simpliflying.com/

Aeroflot transfers some flights from Moscow Sheremetyevo to Vnukovo

It is quite strange to start talking about infrastructure limitations after only 4 years of operations. Terminal D of Sheremetyevo was inaugurated in 2009 exclusively for Aeroflot.
It is just 4 years into the life of the terminal and the passenger traffic is already more than 45% of its maximum capacity. It is totally safe to conclude that the forecast of passenger traffic was inaccurate.
Moving some of Aeroflot flights, which are serving leisure destinations, to Vnukovo would negatively affect the passengers of those flights. The idea that those flights are not connected with other flights is definitely a wrong assumption.
Date: 09 May 2013 commenting on http://atwonline.com/
&
http://www.ch-aviation.ch/

Man who pointed laser at aircraft lands a 30-month prison sentence

It is too funny for the lawyer to argue that the teenager had no intention to put anyone at risk.
This is a solid proof of the distorted mentality of both the lawyer and the defendant.
I would say that the sentence is not strong enough to deter those careless individuals. Those actions are supposed to be treated like sabotaging an aircraft and risking the lives of innocent passengers.
Date: 07 May 2013 commenting on http://edition.cnn.com/

Cargo plane crashes in Afghanistan, killing 7 Americans

It is a big irony for Glen Joerger, the president of National Airlines to say "Safety is always our top priority at National Airlines” just immediately before adding "This is a devastating loss."
It seems that top priority is not enough anymore.
Away from that, my sincere thoughts and condolences are with the crew members and their families.
Date: 01 May 2013 commenting on http://edition.cnn.com/

Southwest sets implementation date for no-show policy

Simply, either use it or lose it.
This is an example of forcing the passengers to respect the business of any airline company.
Actually, it is not only respecting the airline business, but also making the product available for other passenger to possibly use it.
Personally, I strongly support the new no-show policy. However, cases like death of immediate family members should be considered as valid reason for exemption.
Date: 29 April 2013 commenting on http://www.travelweekly.com/

FAA pegs cost of 787 battery fix at $465,000 per plane

The amount of 464,678 US$ will not be the cost of fixing the batteries of B787, but it would be the cost of carelessness and wrong technical assumptions.
Boeing should compensate B787 operators for their financial losses incurred during the period of grounding the aircraft.
For example, Air India was having high hopes for using the advantage of B787’s fuel efficiency in its long-haul flights. However, the carrier has invited bids for the sale and leaseback of all its newly acquired Boeing 787 aircraft from prospective lessors by the first week of February. 
Date: 28 April 2013 commenting on http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/

Gulf Air at a crossroads

The dilemma of Gulf Air is a recurring issue facing the corrupted airline for a quite long time.
I, myself, witnessed a case about 25 years ago which clearly indicated that the airline has started to go down the tubes.
Who can imagine that Gulf Air was the national carrier of Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Sultanate of Oman?
Who can imagine that the mediocre Gulf Air is the stepfather of the award winners Qatar Airways, Etihad, Emirates Airlines, and Oman Air?

Date: 28 October 2012 commenting on http://oussamastake.blogspot.com/

Airlines go back to boarding school to move fliers onto planes faster

Why trying to invent the wheel? It is almost there.
What about following a sequence which is already in place? It is something fair for everyone. Who check-in first will board first. There is a sequence number assigned automatically by the departure control system when the passenger checks in. That number could be used as a basis for boarding the passengers.
Regarding the congestion in the aisle, restrictions should be in place to prevent those who have bulky or overweight carry on items.

Date: 27 July 2011 commenting on http://online.wsj.com/

Airlines granted more time on defective seats

How transparent!
The seats manufactured by Koito Industries are either complying with the mandatory safety standards or not. If they are unsafe, what could be the meaning as well as the potential effect of such long grace period?
It is strange that the airline industry has been worried about confronting a potential multibillion dollar price tag. Why is that? Who is supposed to pay that amount of money, Koito or the airlines victimized by the defrauding Koito?
What could possibly be the expected regulatory steps of both FAA and EASA? They know almost everything about the issue but they are not addressing the only culprit.
There was a marriage between dishonest polygamous Koito and innocent airlines. Why are we asking the innocent airlines to take care of the deformed children resulted from that marriage?

Date: 10 June 2011 commenting on http://online.wsj.com/

U.S. probe into GDSs could last months

Airlines and other providers associated with travel and hospitality depend on Global Distribution Systems for delivering their products to travel agencies and other travel sales outlets. Those clients pay GDS providers rather high for making their products available through nonbiased environment. For question marks to start wrapping that trust simply means that those clients have to think of someone else to handle the task for them, maybe a new Global Distribution System.

Date: 08 June 2011 commenting on http://www.travelweekly.com/

With deadline up, Sabre says it will not immediately bias American Airlines flights

As a rule of thumb, display biasing issue of flights and fares is not supposed to be there.
Did we forget that the whole idea of GDS is avoiding the unintended bias of its old counterpart CRS?

Date: 02 June 2011 commenting on http://www.tnooz.com/

Aeroflot renames Kaliningrad into Königsberg

This is quite unusual. The discrepancy between in-flight announcements and Aeroflot’s own website does not make any sense.
Did the cockpit crew manage, in cooperation with cabin crew, to form a contemporary fifth column?
Are they planning to re-annex the city to Germany?
Are flights between Moscow and Kaliningrad still domestic flights? or international flights between Russian Federation and Germany?
By switching to the old name of the city, do Russian passengers need entry visa to travel to Königsberg?

Date: 15 May 2011 commenting on http://www.russia-ic.com/

Deadly blast comes at sensitive time for Russia

The airport is claiming that it was the first passenger airport terminal in Russia to be certified under ISO 9001:2000.
ISO for what? For sloppy security standards?
Ironically, Domodedovo Airport spokeswoman rejected the words of President Medvedev about the responsibility of the airport management toward that serious security breach.

Date: 25 January 2011 commenting on http://www.nytimes.com/