Η πτήση UA125 της United επέστρεψε πίσω στο Ελ. Βενιζέλος

Στο αεροδρόμιο της Αθήνας «Ελευθέριος Βενιζέλος» επέστρεψε η πτήση UA125 της United Airlines με προορισμό τo Νιούαρκ του Νιου Τζέρσει.

Ο πιλότος του αεροσκάφους Β767 που εκτελούσε την πτήση UA125 Αθήνα-Νιούαρκ, λίγα λεπτά μετά την απογείωση και πετώντας νότια της Κέρκυρας, ανέφερε πρόβλημα στον πύργο ελέγχου του «Ελευθέριος Βενιζέλος» και ζήτησε να επιστρέψει και να προσγειωθεί. Μέχρι τώρα δεν έχει γίνει γνωστό τι πρόβλημα παρουσίασε το αεροσκάφος, με τις πρώτες αναφορές να κάνουν λόγο για τεχνικό πρόβλημα.

Στο αεροσκάφος επέβαιναν 209 επιβάτες και 11μελές πλήρωμα.

United Airlines UA296 A319 at Denver, runway excursion during line up

A United Airbus A319-100, registration N840UA performing flight UA-296 from Denver,CO to Reno,NV (USA), was about to line up Denver's runway 25 for departure when the crew did not turn the aircraft onto the runway but radioed they had a brakes failure. The aircraft went straight across the runway and came to a stop with the nose gear on soft ground and the main gear on the runway shoulder opposite to the taxiway. 

Passengers reported they were about to depart when suddenly the engines accelerated as if they were going to depart. Soon after the crew announced they had lost brakes and had used reverse thrust to slow and stop the aircraft. The engines were shut down.

Emergency services responded and inspected the aircraft finding no leaks. Mobile stairs were attached to door R2, passengers disembarked onto the runway and were bussed to the terminal.

A replacement A319-100 registration N827UA reached Reno with a delay of 2:50 hours.

The Aviation Herald (app)

US DOT has finalized Tokyo Haneda slot allocations

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has finalized its allocation of Tokyo Haneda daytime slots awarded to local US carriers in July this year.

In a statement issued Friday, the Department reaffirmed its tentative decision to award the following carriers the following slots:

-American Airlines: one slot pair for its proposed Los Angeles Int'l-Haneda service;
-Hawaiian Airlines: one slot pair for its proposed Honolulu-Haneda service;
-United Airlines: one slot pair for its proposed San Francisco, CA-Haneda service;
-Delta Air Lines: two slot pairs for its proposed Los Angeles-Haneda and Minneapolis/St. Paul-Haneda services.

The DOT awarded Hawaiian Airlines the US's sole Haneda night-time slot in May. Hawaiian was the sole applicant to apply for the slot-pairing and plans to use it to operate a year-round service to Haneda from Honolulu (4x weekly) and Kona (3x weekly).

ch-aviation.com

United continues record-breaking operational performance for summer

United Airlines continued its stretch of record-breaking operational performance by achieving its best on-time results for a summer travel season in company history.

Beginning June 1st through August 31st, more than 76 per cent of mainline and regional flights arrived on time, representing a five percent increase over summer 2015 and a nearly ten per cent increase over summer 2014.

“Our focus on delivering reliable, on-time service to our customers continues to result in record-breaking operational performance across our system,” said Greg Hart, United chief operations officer and executive vice president.

“Thanks to the hard work of our entire team, we flew more customers to their destinations on time this summer, despite encountering more days of challenging weather than in the previous years.”

Key highlights of United’s ongoing operational improvements include a company-best performance for flights arriving at or before their scheduled arrival time during the busy July 4th holiday travel period.

United launched several key initiatives last year to improve reliability and enhance the customer experience, including making scheduling adjustments, increasing its focus on teamwork and equipping more employees with mobile technology to better serve customers.

The airline has equipped its pilots and flight attendants with mobile devices and has begun deploying additional devices to other airport-based employees.

Additionally, United is utilising innovative technology in the company’s state-of-the-art Network Operations Centre in Chicago, enabling the airline to better predict and recover from weather-related operational challenges.

As United stated earlier this year, the airline expects approximately $300 million of value by 2018 from running a more reliable airline.

Breaking Travel News

The US DOT finalizes Havana route allocations

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) says it has now finalized its allocation of Havana Int'l, Cuba traffic rights to local US carriers. The announcement came shortly after jetBlue Airways on Wednesday, August 31, became the first US commercial carrier to operate a scheduled service to Cuba in over fifty years.

As per a July 7 tentative decision, the following airlines have been awarded the following Havana routes and frequencies by the DOT:

- Alaska Airlines: a 1x daily Los Angeles Int'l-Havana service using B737-900(ER) equipment;

- American Airlines: a 4x daily Miami Int'l-Havana service using B737-800 equipment and a 1x daily Charlotte-Havana service using A319-100 equipment;

- Delta Air Lines: a 1x daily New York JFK-Havana service using B757-200 equipment, a 1x daily Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson-Havana service using B757-200 equipment, and a 1x daily Miami Int'l-Havana service using B737-800 equipment;

- Frontier Airlines: a 1x daily Miami Int'l-Havana service using A320ceo and A320neo equipment;

- jetBlue Airways: a 2x daily Fort Lauderdale Int'l-Havana service (except Saturdays) using A320/321 equipment, a 1x daily New York JFK-Havana service using A320/321 equipment, and a 1x daily Orlando Int'l-Havana service using A320/321 equipment;

- Southwest Airlines: a 2x daily Fort Lauderdale Int'l-Havana service using B737-800 equipment and a 1x daily Tampa Int'l-Havana service using B737-800 equipment;

- Spirit Airlines: a 2x daily Fort Lauderdale Int'l-Havana service using A319 equipment; 

- United Airlines: a 1x daily Newark-Havana service using B737-800 equipment (with one additional Saturday-only flight) and a 1x weekly Houston Intc'l-Havana service (Saturdays only) using B737-800 equipment.

Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the US and Cuba in February this year, each country may operate up to twenty daily return flights between the US and Havana and up to ten daily return flights between the US and each of Cuba’s nine international airports - Camagüey, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Manzanillo Sierra Maestra, Santa Clara de Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, and Varadero - for a total of ninety daily return flights.

ch-aviation.com

United opened reservation for Havana flights

United Airlines yesterday (01SEP16) opened reservation for planned service to Cuba, with the opening of 2 routes to Havana. Planned operational routes and schedules as follow, subject to Government Approval.

eff 29NOV16 Newark – Havana 1 daily
UA1502 EWR1018 – 1353HAV 738 D
UA1503 HAV1453 – 1813EWR 738 D

eff 03DEC16 Houston – Havana 1 weekly
UA1506 IAH1300 – 1630HAV 738 6
UA1507 HAV1730 – 1920IAH 738 6

Routesonline

United UA880 B763 diverted to Shannon, turbulence injures 16 people

A United Boeing 767-300, registration N657UA performing flight UA-880 from Houston,TX (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK) with 207 passengers and 13 crew, was enroute at FL340 over the Atlantic Ocean when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing injuries to 14 passengers and 2 cabin crew. The aircraft diverted to Shannon (Ireland) for a safe landing on runway 24. 16 people were taken to hospitals, 15 were discharged after treating minor injuries like bruises and lacerations, one flight attendant is still in hospital care with a fractured wrist.

The airline confirmed 14 passengers and 2 crew were taken to a hospital after the aircraft encountered unexpected severe turbulence enroute. Only one injured is still in hospital care.

A replacement Boeing 767-300 registration N673UA was dispatched from London Heathrow to Shannon, departed Shannon as flight UA-2088 and delivered the passengers to London with a delay of 7 hours.

The Aviation Herald

16 injured on United Airlines flight due severe turbulence - Diverted to Shannon Airport

A United Airlines flight bound for London has made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport in Ireland after severe turbulence that left 16 passengers needing hospital treatment.
Airport officials said on Wednesday that 14 passengers and two members of the flight crew were transferred to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.
Three children were reported to be among those taken to hospital, while others were treated at the airport. Injuries were said to include cuts, bruises and minor head injuries. 
Officials say United Flight 880 arrived at Shannon Airport early on Wednesday morning and was met by ambulances and other emergency services. The flight originated in Houston and was supposed to land at London's Heathrow Airport.
Leslie Chi, a Taiwanese student at Nottingham Trent University, wrote on Facebook that she "really thought I might die" as the plane was hit by the turbulence.
United Airlines said in a statement: "United Airlines is providing care and support to customers and crew of flight UA-880 which experienced severe and unexpected turbulence during a flight from Houston to London Heathrow today.
"The aircraft diverted to Shannon Airport in Ireland where it was met by medical personnel.
"14 customers and two flight attendants have been taken to a local hospital.
"We wish these passengers and crew a quick recovery from their injuries. "

Telegraph

United adds Boeing 777 service to San Juan in Winter 2016/17

United in winter 2016/17 season is adding Boeing 777-200ER operations to Puerto Rico, scheduled on Newark – San Juan route. Initially the 777 operates once a week in November and December, and gradually increasing to up to daily service for peak travel season. Planned operation as follow.

UA1523/1173 (From 02MAR17 to 24MAR17, Day x67 operates as UA1994 from SJU)

05NOV16 – 10DEC16 Day 6
16DEC16 – 09JAN17 Day x2
10JAN17 – 27JAN17 Day x67
28JAN17 – 11MAR17 Daily
12MAR17 – 26MAR17 Day x2

Routesonline

Two United Airlines pilots arrested at Glasgow airport for allegedly being drunk

• Concerns were reportedly raised over the two United Airlines pilots 
• Their plane was due to depart from Glasgow airport to New Jersey at 9am 
• Police said the two men - aged 35 and 45 - were arrested and detained 
• The flight, carrying 141 passengers, eventually took off on Saturday  

Two pilots were arrested for allegedly being too drunk to fly passengers from Scotland to the US.  

Concerns were raised over the pilots before the 9am United Airlines UA162 flight to Newark, New Jersey, was due to depart from Glasgow Airport on Saturday.

Police said the two men - aged 35 and 45 - were arrested and detained in police custody.

Passengers complained they were left in the dark for hours with little information from United Airlines before the plane finally took off with new crew.

The arrests come little more than a month after two Canadian pilots were charged with being drunk as they prepared to fly a passenger jet from Scotland to Toronto. 

In the more recent incident, the flight, carrying 141 passengers, eventually took off on Saturday evening.

The men are expected to appear at Paisley Sheriff Court on Monday.

A source told the Daily Record: 'Concerns were raised and police were called.

'There was a fair police presence as it's a sensitive and highly secure part of airport.

'Staff are subject to intensive and thorough security procedures in just the same way as passengers. No chances are taken nowadays.' 

The pilots were due to part of a three-man crew onboard. But it's thought the plane's captain was not involved.   

A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'Police Scotland can confirm that two men aged 35 and 45 have been arrested and are presently detained in police custody in connection with alleged offences under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, Section 93.'

A spokesman for United Airlines said: 'The two pilots have been removed from service and their flying duties.

'We are cooperating with the authorities and will conduct our own investigation as well. The safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority.'

The section of the Act relates to carrying out pilot function or activity while exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol.

A spokesman for Glasgow Airport added: 'We are aware of the police incident yesterday involving two pilots.'

The incident follows the appearance in court last month of two Canadian pilots charged with being drunk as they prepared to fly a passenger jet from Scotland to Toronto.

Jean-Francois Perreault, 39, and Imran Zafar Syed, 37, were arrested on July 18, before they were due to take off on the Air Transat flight from Glasgow Airport.

The men were remanded in custody when they first appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court, also charged under section 93 of the same Act.

At a second hearing at the same court they were granted bail on condition they surrender their passports. 

For pilots, the limit of alcohol in the case of breath is nine microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres, according to the Act. 

United Airlines, which has 87,500 employees, charged up to £600 for seats on the 3,200-mile flight.    

dailymail

Four major U.S airlines fined for giving inaccurate compensation information

Four of the nation’s largest airlines were fined by the Federal Aviation Administration for giving passengers inaccurate information about how much compensation they should get for being kicked off an overbooked flight or having their luggage lost or damaged.

Alaska Airlines was fined $40,000; American Airlines was fined $45,000; Southwest Airlines was fined $40,000; and United Airlines was fined $35,000. All four were ordered to stop such violations.

Under Department of Transportation rules, passengers who are involuntarily bumped off an overbooked domestic flight must be offered an alternative flight that arrives no later than an hour after the original flight.

If the airline puts a bumped passenger on a flight that arrives between one and two hours after the original flight’s scheduled landing, the carrier must compensate the passenger 200% of the cost of the original fare, up to $675.

If the airline puts the bumped traveler on a flight that arrives more than two hours after the original arrival time, the airline must pay 400% of the cost of the ticket, up to $1,350.

Those dollar amounts were increased slightly last year, but DOT investigators said the airlines still were handing out pamphlets to passengers showing lower compensation amounts. In some cases, the airlines couldn’t produce information telling passengers how much they were entitled to collect.

The top payout a carrier must give each passenger whose luggage has been lost or damaged was raised last year to $3,500 from $3,400, but DOT investigators said the carriers were giving passengers notices that said the payout was less than $3,500.

In consent agreement documents provided by the DOT, all four airlines said they take passenger compensation rules seriously but agreed to pay the fines to settle the allegations.

“We are committed to ensuring that air travelers know the rules and have accurate information about compensation when they are bumped from flights and for lost, damaged or delayed baggage,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.

Los Angeles Times

United adds daily flights from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to San Francisco in June 2017

DETROIT — For the first time in 25 years, United Airlines will offer nonstop flights from Detroit to San Francisco starting in June 2017.

Detroit Metropolitan Airport officials made the announcement in a Tuesday, Aug. 23 news release. The move ends San Francisco's time as the largest market to not have at least two carriers offer a nonstop flight from Detroit, according to the release and data from the International Air Transport Association.

The airport states that more than 350,000 passengers travel between the two cities each year.

United will start competing with Delta Air Lines as the only two to offer daily, nonstop flights to San Francisco starting June 8, 2017.

"Ensuring our community has excellent access to air service in our top markets has been a priority for our team," Airport Authority CEO Thomas Naughton said in the release. "The addition of United's new service to San Francisco is a tribute to the rising strength of our economy, and our team's hard work and diligence in addressing the growing demand for air service here in our region."

The flights will depart from Detroit daily at 5:30 p.m. with an arrival time of 7:50 p.m.; and from San Francisco at 8:30 a.m. with a Detroit arrival of 4:20 p.m. 

"We are seeing increased development of autonomous vehicle applications expanding ties between Detroit's automotive engineering base and the technology centers around San Francisco," Joe Cambron, the director of the airport's service development said in the release.

"This trend towards greater integration of technology and manufacturing is increasing the need for additional service between the Motor City and Silicon Valley."

mlive

United UA153 B752 returned to Dublin, smoke in cabin

A United Boeing 757-200, registration N33132 performing flight UA-153 from Dublin (Ireland) to Chicago,IL (USA), was enroute at FL320 about 350nm northwest of Dublin when the crew decided to return to Dublin reporting smoke in the cabin. The aircraft descended to FL180 for the return and landed safely back on Dublin's runway 28 about 2 hours after departure.

The flight was cancelled.

A passenger reported there was an electrical burning smell originating from one of the aft lavatories. The passenger overheard cabin crew discussing a relay in that lavatory was sparking/short-circuiting.

The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Dublin 27.5 hours, then departed and reached Chicago as flight UA-2119.

The Aviation Herald

United UA1958 B737 at New York LGA, wing tip strike on go around

A United Boeing 737-700, registration N13716 performing flight UA-1958 from Houston Intercontinental,TX to New York La Guardia,NY (USA), was on final approach to La Guardia's runway 13 following a localizer approach runway 22 circling 13 at about 19:57L (23:57Z), when the aircraft went around from low height, tower observed a wing of the aircraft touch the runway surface. The aircraft climbed to 3000 feet and joined another approach to runway 22 circle runway 13, tower advised a runway inspection was in progress. The runway inspection reported (illegible), tower queried the aircraft whether they copied the transmission, the crew acknowledged but advised "they wanted to get this thing onto the ground" and declared emergency. The aircraft circled to runway 13 and landed without further incident. After landing tower advised the crew that the runway inspection had picked up some debris from the runway.

The FAA rated the occurrence an incident and reported on a go around the winglet struck the runway resulting in "unknown damage".

The occurrence aircraft resumed service after about 15 hours on the ground.

The Aviation Herald

United A320 flight UA460 diverted to Santa Barbara, smoke in cabin

A United Airbus A320-200, registration N427UA performing flight UA-460 from Los Angeles,CA to San Francisco,CA (USA) with 140 people on board, was climbing out of Los Angeles when the crew stopped the climb at FL270 reporting smoke in the cabin, turned around and diverted to Santa Barbara,CA (USA) for a safe landing about 20 minutes later.

The airline reported smoke in the cabin as result of a mechanical problem. The passengers were rebooked onto other flights.

The Aviation Herald

United A320 flight UA1618 returned to Denver, bird strike

A United Airbus A320-200, registration N431UA performing flight UA-1618 from Denver, CO to Washington Dulles,DC (USA) with 153 people on board, was in the initial climb out of Denver's runway 08 when the left hand engine (V2527) ingested a number of birds prompting the crew to stop the climb at 11,000 feet and return to Denver for a safe landing on runway 17R about 20 minutes after departure.

The flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto other flights.

The FAA reported the #1 engine ingested birds on departure, the damage is being assessed.

The Aviation Herald

United Airlines ends Newcastle flights from September 6

United Airlines has announced it will terminate its 6x weekly Newark-Newcastle return service with effect from September 6.

In a statement, the carrier said the route, launched in 2014, was no longer profitable adding that it expected an "impact of the weaker pound in UK outbound travel".

Following the United Kingdom's vote in favour of leaving the European Union (EU) in June, the pound has lost more than 13% of its value against the US dollar.

ch-aviation.com

United Airlines starts new flights from San Jose

United Airlines is beefing up its presence in the Bay Area, adding new routes from San Jose.
United will add nonstop service from the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport to its hubs at Newark Liberty and Chicago O’Hare. The new routes begin March 9, with United offering two daily round-trip flights to Chicago and one to Newark. United will use Boeing 737-800 aircraft for both routes.
United already flies from San Jose to its hubs in Denver and Houston.
“Our customers have told us that service between Chicago, New York/Newark and San Jose is important to them,” Anthony Toth, United’s managing director of sales in California, says in a statement. “This new service, combined with new service from our joint venture partners, enables unmatched access to United’s domestic and international networks.”
The new San Jose routes also come as United has bolstered its presence in nearby San Francisco, the airline's main West Coast hub.
Last month, United said it would start two new routes to Florida from San Francisco. Nonstop service to Miami begins Dec. 16 while Tampa flights start Feb. 16. United will use Boeing 737 aircraft to fly one daily round-trip flight on both of the routes.
The Florida routes come amid a broader effort by United to strengthen its hub at San Francisco, which also functions as the carrier's top gateway to Asia.

usatoday

United B739 flight UA1275 at Los Angeles, flaps problems

A United Boeing 737-900, registration N69833 performing flight UA-1275 from Cancun (Mexico) to Los Angeles,CA (USA), was on approach to Los Angeles when the crew upon contacting final approach reported they needed to work on a "flaps situation". The aircraft entered a hold at 7000, later 6000 feet while the crew was working the related checklists without success however. The aircraft subsequently positioned for an approach to runway 25R and landed safely at a higher than normal speed (about 175 knots over ground).

The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for 11 hours before resuming service.

The Aviation Herald

DOT gave approval to American, Delta, Hawaiian & United for daytime slots service to Tokyo Haneda

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has outlined its provisional allocation of Tokyo Haneda daytime slots to local carriers following submissions in April this year.

During bilateral talks in February this year, the DOT and the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLITT) agreed to increase the number of slot-pairings allocated to US carriers from the current four (all night-time), to six constituting five daytime slots (i.e. limited to use between 06h00L and 22h55L) and one night-time slot (i.e. limited to use between 22h00L and 06h55L), with effect from late-October of this year.

The DOT awarded Hawaiian Airlines the US's sole Haneda night-time slot in May. Hawaiian was the sole applicant to apply for the slot-pairing and plans to use it to operate a year-round service to Haneda from Honolulu (4x weekly) and Kona (3x weekly).

As it stands, the DOT has provisionally awarded the five daytime slots as follows:

-American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth): one slot pair for its proposed Los Angeles Int'l-Haneda service;

-Hawaiian Airlines (HA, Honolulu): one slot pair for its proposed Honolulu-Haneda service; 

-United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare): one slot pair for its proposed San Francisco, CA-Haneda service;

-Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson): two slot pairs for its proposed Los Angeles-Haneda and Minneapolis/St. Paul-Haneda services.

Given its recent stand-off with Delta concerning its underexploitation of Haneda slots for its seasonal Seattle Tacoma Int'l service, the DOT has proposed to add a condition to Delta's Minneapolis award. 

The Department says that should Delta significantly deviate from its original proposal (daily service using B767-300(ER) and/or B777-200(ER) equipment), its Minneapolis authority will automatically terminate with that of the backup carrier’s automatically instating.

The DOT has selected American's daily Dallas/Fort Worth-Tokyo Haneda proposal as a backup to Delta’s primary award for Minneapolis-Haneda service. 

Parties have until July 30 to submit their objections.

ch-aviation.com