Airlines

Cabin crew sex ring is busted by cops after ‘bedding clients for £2,000-a-night’

An illegal sex ring reportedly operated by aircraft cabin employees who also worked as sex workers was discovered by Vietnamese police.

Following a raid where reportedly illegal sexual activities were taking place, several men and women were spotted being frogmarched out of an expensive hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday night. According to reports, the ring’s participants were billing passengers up to $3,000 (£2,362) per night.

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The raid also resulted in the arrest of a 26-year-old woman who is suspected of being the ring’s leader. It is alleged that Vo Thi My Hanh, a member of the flight crew for Vietnam Airlines, gave prospective customers images of the women.

Ms. My Hanh was detained on suspicion of brokering sex services and prostitution, both of which are prohibited in Vietnam. Four individuals were discovered indulging in illegal activity in the room during the raid, according to a statement from the police department in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday.

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Officers carried out an investigation of the hotel on Le Thi Rieng Street in the Ben Thanh district of District 1, where they discovered four prostitution-related subjects in four separate rooms. All four were in their twenties: three were flight attendants and one was a model.

The four women asserted to being engaged by the suspect at the police station who sold them for sex at the hotel for $1,000–$3,000 USD. Currently, the situation is being investigated by the Investigative Police Department, City Public Security, and Criminal Police Department, who are strictly addressing it in accordance with the law.

“The Investigation Police Agency invites the suspect’s accomplices to come to the Criminal Police Department’s headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City to surrender and be granted leniency.”

Source

Airlines

Sanctions & Engine Issues Ground Half of Russia’s A320neo fleet

Russia’s aviation sector, already strained by Western sanctions, faces another setback as nearly half of its Airbus A320neo family aircraft are grounded due to unresolved engine issues.

This development highlights the growing challenges for russia commercial aircraft in maintaining their fleets under the weight of global restrictions and limited access to spare parts.

Out of the 66 Airbus A320neo and A321neo jets in Russia, 34 are now out of service, according to the Kommersant business newspaper. These planes are powered by engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation.

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The engines are affected by a previously identified defect in the metal used for certain parts, prompting accelerated inspections and maintenance.

Sanctions have compounded the issue, blocking the supply of essential components from major manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus. Without proper maintenance, experts warn that these aircraft may face decommissioning as early as 2026.

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Airlines like S7, which operates a significant portion of these grounded jets, plan to conserve the engines for future use during peak travel seasons. However, reports suggest that over 20 of S7’s Airbus planes have engines that have already reached the end of their operational lifespan. Recently, russia seeks assistance from kazakhstan’s airlines to bolster its domestic flights.

While some A320neo and A321neo planes in Russia are equipped with French-made LEAP engines, which are seen as less problematic, the challenges remain daunting.

The situation underscores the long-term impact of sanctions on Russia’s aviation sector and the increasing difficulties in keeping its modern fleets operational.