U.S. officials say an Aero Mexico flight from Paris to Mexico City was diverted to Montreal when the U.S. denied the flight access to its airspace after a person named in an outstanding warrant was reported aboard.
The person, whom officials did not identify, was removed from the plane by authorities on Sunday and arrested at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
A spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration in Washington, Lauren Gaches, says other passengers on Aero Mexico Flight 006 from Charles De Gaulle Airport to Mexico City International Airport were re-screened and allowed to reboard the flight.
As a matter of policy, the TSA does not confirm or deny whether an individual appears on a government watch list.
Source: Washingtonpost.com
Man arrested on warrant after flight is diverted
Shannon and Dublin Airport to Stay Closed
5 May: The Irish Aviation Authority has said that Shannon Airport will close at 5.30pm today as the Icelandic volcano causes fresh travel misery.
Dublin Airport will remain closed until at least 4am tomorrow morning, with restrictions also still in place at Waterford, Knock and Donegal until 6am while Galway airport will be closed until 9am tomorrow morning.
Cork and Kerry airports are still open to limited air traffic - mostly flights being diverted from other airports - until midnight, when restrictions will apply.
The IAA anticipates, subject to confirmation at 8.30pm tonight, lifting restrictions on Irish airports at the following times tomorrow Thursday 6th May 2010:
Cork airport - 11 AM
Shannon airport - 1 PM
Kerry airport - 3 Pm.
The CAA and NATS have confirmed the closure of Belfast, Derry, Edinburgh and Glasgow Prestwick until at least midnight.
Overflights of Irish airspace between North America and Europe will continue as normal.
Airline passengers should continue to contact their airline websites to establish the up-to-date position on flight schedules.
Irish Ferries has said that there is plenty of space still available on its 8.55pm sailing from Dublin to Holyhead this evening and on its 8.05am and 8.45am sailings from Dublin to Holyhead tomorrow morning and on all returning sailings from Holyhead to Dublin.
Plenty of space is also available on all of their outward and inward bound sailings between Rosslare and Pembroke and on their service between Ireland and France.
Source: breakingnews.ie
LaHood: Tarmac delay rule to be strongly enforced
"There will be strong enforcement," LaHood told reporters in a conference call. "I just think that has to part of our plan to make sure that passengers understand and that airlines understand we're serious about this."
LaHood sidestepped a question about whether he will seek the maximum fine against airlines that break the rule — $27,500 per passenger. But he pointed to his department's recent $16.4 million fine against Toyota for its slow res
ponse to sticking gas pedals as an indication of his inclination."I don't think anybody thinks that Ray LaHood is not going to have strong enforcement," he said.
The rule limiting to three hours the amount of time airlines can keep passengers waiting in planes on tarmacs goes into effect on Thursday. After three hours, planes must return to a gate unless the flight's captain decides its unsafe to do so or it would interfere with airport operations. The rule also requires airlines to provide passengers with working toilets and, after two hours, food and water.
Airlines have complained that they may be forced to cancel flights, causing passengers to rebook flights and creating greater inconvenience than if they had continued to wait onboard for clearance to take off.
Last week, LaHood turned down requests from five airlines for temporary exemptions to the three-hour limit at congested New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia airports.
LaHood said Tuesday that it's important the new rule be applied consistently. He noted that the rule applies only to domestic flights and will not affect international flights.
Airlines that violate the three-hour rule are supposed to report their violations to the Transportation Department, LaHood said. If they don't, their passengers probably will, he said.
Airlines intend to comply with the three-hour limit, said Elizabeth Merida, a spokeswoman for the Air Transport Association, which represents major airlines.
"We're just not going to violate it, plain and simple," Merida said. "We do think it will lead to unintended consequences."
LaHood announced the new rule in December. Once it became clear that the Transportation Department was determined to follow through on the three-hour limit, airlines began making adjustments to their operations, Merida said.
The impetus for the new rule was a Continental Express flight that was diverted to Rochester, Minn., last August due to thunderstorms. Forty-seven passengers were kept overnight in a cramped plane because employees of another airline refused to open a gate so that they could enter the closed airport terminal.
Source: News.yahoo.com
Free air ticket for ex-drug user to perform Umrah
An airfare ticket to Saudi Arabia was given to a subject in the Orang Yang Dibawah Pengawasan (OYPD) or Persons Under Surveillance programme of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), to perform the Umrah, at a presentation ceremony yesterday morning.
A travel agency, Titian Travel and Tours, sponsored the airfare ticket for Safri Hj Abd Kahar, the candidate selected from the OYDP.
Asked if this was a one-off contribution, Mohd Jaffari Hj Mahadi, Assistant Director and Head of Supervision Division at Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), told The Brunei Times that “there is no indication if it is a one-off contribution, but the NCB is hoping that it will continue”.
Occasionally we ask the private sector for their help in any form of aid for the NCB to fight against drug use, he added.
He said: “This contribution shows that the private sector is ready to assist the government in its efforts to curb drug abuse in the country.”
Safri was chosen from five short-listed candidates, among several nominees from all four districts.
The NCB statement said there was a selection committee to evaluate candidates. The initial requirement is a sound recovery in the drug rehabilitation programme, provided by the NCB.
From the five candidates short-listed, inspections and judgements were made, including visits to their homes, and family feedback. Due to certain requirements not being met, two candidates fell short of the mark.
The selection committee then conducted personal interviews to choose one from the three remaining candidates.
Among the prevailing conditions in Phase one (the first 8-12 months) of the programme — which focuses on spirituality — an individual must display a positive attitude; a consciousness of responsibility to self, family and the community at large; discipline and a good conduct throughout the programme; and to have goals in life with the confidence that their recovery will be permanent. “I would like to extend my appreciation to Titian Travel and Tours for their offer to help a person under the OYDP,” Mohd Jaffari told The Brunei Times.
Mohd Jaffari said: “The NCB is looking for private companies to employ persons under the OYDP to help their re-integration into society”.
The NCB appreciated Titian Travel and Tours as “the first private company to provide a very valuable contribution to one of our subjects under the OYDP, as an incentive to help ensure the success of our drug rehabilitation programmes”.
Source: www.bt.com.bn
Flight delay will soon entitle you to 'cash & care''
would soon be entitled for cash and care in case their flights are cancelled, delayed or they are denied boarding even when they are holding a confirmed ticket.
The aviation industry regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has come out with the draft guidelines on obligations of airlines towards passengers if they are inconvenienced.
Once finalised, the obligations on airlines would be incorporated in the existing civil aviation requirements (CAR), the aviation industry rule book for operation. DGCA head Nasim Zaidi said the economic regulation is within the purview of the government and the regulator is developing a system for compensation.
As per the draft rules, air carriers would have to pay up to Rs 4,000 to passengers if they are denied boarding despite confirmed booking. The airlines would have to offer either alternative flight or refund of air ticket in case flight is cancelled. The passengers would be entitled for meals, refreshment and accommodation in case a flight is delayed.
“Had these rules been implemented, the Air India episode, a report last week claimed that aviation minister Praful Patel’s daughter forced national carrier to convert a scheduled flight into charter flight inconveniencing passengers, may not have happened,” a DGCA official said on condition of anonymity.
While most of the European countries have empowered passengers by implementing compensation rules broadly stated under the Montreal Convention, India is yet to implement it. The private airlines are not happy with the proposal.
“Almost all the airlines have appropriate reservation and cancellation rules in place. There are already sufficient rules,” a private airline official said on condition of anonymity.
The proposed guidelines would be applicable for both scheduled and non-scheduled airlines. The new rules will require airlines to inform passengers as much in advance as possible about change of aircraft during journey, stops en route and transfer between the airports during the journey. All the information would be required to be provided in the form of a computer print-out.
Source: Economictimes.indiatimes.com