Aviation

EasyJet plane to Spain’s Menorca escorted by fighter jet after bomb hoax.

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A Spanish Air Force fighter jet was dispatched to intercept an EasyJet flight from London to the Spanish vacation island of Menorca after a teen passenger on board posted a false bomb threat on social media. On July 3, the Airbus A319 departed from Gatwick Airport in London, United Kingdom, at one o’clock in the afternoon, and touched down without incident at Mahon Menorca Airport (MAH), in Spain, at about five o’clock in the evening. After that, an escorted route to a secure area was taken by the aircraft.

In the video, an F-18 fighter jet can be seen flying near the EasyJet A319, which was carrying 120 to 150 passengers. The fighter plane can be seen gesturing with its wings, telling the other pilot to follow him.

An EasyJet Airbus A319-100 aircraft (G-EZAO) bound to the island of Menorca (LEMH) was intercepted by Spanish F/A-18 fighter jet on 3rd July due to security concerns.

It is being said that a false bomb alarm was received on easyJet flight EZY-8303 from Gatwick (LGW),London. pic.twitter.com/fuORai9ZwV

— FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 4, 2022

When a civilian aircraft loses contact with ground air traffic control, receives a warning about a potential bomb threat, or comes across a suspicious object, military jets are more likely to intercept the aircraft. The teenager passenger was detained as soon as the plane touched down, and the other passengers were ordered to have their luggage examined by sniffer dogs and bomb-disposal experts.

Other flights out of Menorca were disrupted by the incident.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.