Aviation

Airport worker ‘punches passenger in the FACE

An airport worker has punched an easyJet passenger who was holding his baby at the terminal following a grueling 13-hour delay, witnesses have said.

A photo circulating online appears to show the man, believed to be a special assistance provider at Nice Airport, attacking the father in full view of other passengers.

Witness Arabella Ark, who was with her children at the time, told MailOnline of the chaos that unfolded as families waited to board flight EZY2122 from Nice to London Luton.
She said: “Everyone was having the most appalling day and then, all of a sudden, a man holding a baby gets whacked.”

An easyJet spokesperson said the airport employee does not work for the airline.
He is believed to work for French company Samsic which is contracted by Nice Airport to provide employees who help disabled passengers, including those in wheelchairs.
The flight was delayed due to a “technical issue with the aircraft”, the spokesman said.
They added: “A replacement aircraft was sourced to operate the flight and a replacement crew were sent from London Gatwick.”
“We are urgently taking this up with Nice Airport and their special assistance provider Samsic who we understand the person photographed works for.”

The airline’s spokesperson said: “EasyJet is very concerned to see this picture and can confirm the person in the photo is not an easyJet member of staff nor do they work for easyJet’s ground handling agents in Nice.”

Courtesy : mail online

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.