Airlines

I’m A British Airways Captain, And These Facts Will Help Cure Your Fear Of Flying

You’ve already had to pass up a lot of wonderful vacation opportunities because you were scared to board a plane. You’ve been visualizing all kinds of disasters leading up to your vacation. Before you board, there are a number of requirements that must be satisfied. Once you’re above the clouds, are you constantly keeping a close eye on everything?

British Airways has developed new form courses to help people who are afraid of flying overcome their fears and to answer any technical questions they may have. The Sun has written stories about everything; you can read a handful of them here.

Now let us introduce you to Steve Allright, British Airlines Captain, who will be your most effective partner in this all-too-common dispute.

The pilot, who is appropriately given a nickname, oversees BA’s Flying with Confidence course for nervous passengers. In this article, he shares some interesting facts about airplanes that will help you relax on your next flight, such as how far you can glide a plane and why turbulence is nothing to be worried about.

1. How worried about turbulence should people be?

The British Airways Flying with Confidence course’s most crucial phrase is “turbulence is uncomfortable but never hazardous.” Captain Steve of British Airlines oversees the Flying with Confidence training for anxious travelers.

“All current commercial aircraft are extremely robust and can survive any amount of turbulence. Since the beginning of aviation, designers have been knowing what is needed, and many safety aspects are higher than in any other mode of transportation.

Further, and most importantly, new aircraft are put through rigorous testing before they are approved to transport people. In our course, “Flying with Confidence,” we demonstrate a Boeing 787 on a test platform with the wings being pushed far harder than they would be in even severe turbulence. This is also quite comforting to our clients, who agree with the aforementioned statement.

2. How far can a plane drop in turbulence?

Hardly the thousands of feet you hear about or see in certain movies, for sure. Normally only 10 to 20 feet in turbulence, though this can be greater in extreme turbulence. It is critical to emphasize that their pilots have received turbulence management training and that severe turbulence is quite uncommon. In my 32 years of flying, I have only ever encountered extremely severe turbulence.

3. What is the main purpose of wearing seat belts during turbulence?

People falling amid turbulence shouldn’t cause injury. Customers are required to constantly follow the crew’s instructions and suggestions.

4. As the jet has pulled out of the gate, what is that loud squeaking sound you hear?

This sound is referred to as the “airbus barking dog.” That is essentially the sound of the aircraft’s hydraulic power system functioning, but we fully explain the course and speak with clients about any and every in-flight sound to provide further assurance. Most significantly, it’s completely natural, just as all the noise on airplanes can frighten nervous passengers.

5. Some people fear that a plane is simply ‘too heavy to take off’… any reassuring words on this?

To guarantee that the plane is properly weighed, pilots use highly advanced equipment to calculate the speed at which takeoff is safe. This is consistently confirmed, and it holds true for every element of our security procedures and checks.

6. Some get scared after takeoff because the engines seem to shut down once a certain altitude is reached

We took a lot of time in the training to discuss this because it is a hard topic. As we reduce our power after takeoff, we are essentially tricking your inner ear’s balance mechanism since the reduced drag that results from raising the landing gear means that we no longer require as much power. Absolutely normal.

7. Is there a danger that the plane will run out of fuel?

On the Flying with Confidence course, we consistently reassure participants that the aviation sector always considers the highest margins of safety. Even after a go-around and a diversion, aircraft always require enough time to land, or at least an additional 30 minutes of flight time. This is governed by law, and each flight is carefully planned, including selecting alternate airports in the event that they become essential. Every detail is carefully laid out in advance.

8. What if the engines fail?

Instead of engines, wings provide aircraft flight. Even if all engines fail, a modern airplane flying at 30,000 feet can glide 100 miles.

9. Can a plane land with all the wheels break?

Yes. Although such a scenario is extremely unusual, safety is always our top priority, which is why pilots put in a lot of practice for a variety of potential emergency circumstances.

10. Any additional advice for people if they still feel nervous?

Everyone who experiences flight anxiety is welcome to enroll in the British Airways Flying with Confidence course with us. “During the course of our decades of experience with anxious fliers, we have assisted more than 50,000 people in overcoming their phobia.

“It’s also crucial to keep in mind that all of our crew members have received training in supporting apprehensive passengers, enabling them to assist clients who might be experiencing fear while traveling. Every British Airways long-haul trip has a reassuring Flying with Confidence movie available on the in-flight entertainment system.

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Airlines

U.S. airlines lose 2 million suitcases a year. Where do they end up?

The holidays are expected to be extremely busy, according to the Transportation Security Administration. A fortunate few will be among the millions of people returning home without their bags as they head back from their Thanksgiving vacations.

Where do all those misplaced bags wind up, next? Journalist Melanie Peeples set out to investigate. All suitcases that are misplaced by US airlines and are not picked up by their owners ultimately arrive at Unclaimed Baggage.

In Scottsboro, Alabama, it occupies an entire city block and is a massive store. Every day, 7,000 new things are added to the inventory. And all of it is offered at a steep discount.

It is set up like a department store, with bookshelves filled with books and clothing and shoes around because, let’s face it, who hasn’t misplaced a book on a plane? But the jackpot is just up these stairs.

The mezzanine is the most crowded part of the store. Thus, this is where our electronics division is located. However, things up here are even more fascinating. It functions as follows: Up to three months are spent by the airline attempting to return a misplaced suitcase or pole-vaulting shipping container to its owner. However, the airline gives up after three months and compensates the owner back up to $3,800.

Statistically speaking, 99.5% of checked luggage on airlines does not disappear. All of it just adds up to a lot—the 0.5% that does.

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Airlines

Comac unveils new smaller and larger variants of the C919

China’s leading aircraft manufacturer, Comac, has announced that two new C919 narrowbody aircraft variants are being developed to meet a variety of operational needs both inside and outside of China.

The C919 Stretched Variant and the C919 Shortened/Plateau Variant are the names of these variants that were on display at the Shanghai International Commercial Aviation & Aerospace Industry Exhibition. Comac seeks to emulate Airbus’ A320 series and Boeing’s 737 MAX models by providing a range of sizes for its standard narrowbody model.

With 210 seats in a two-class arrangement, the C919 Stretched Variant, according to Comac, “conforms to the trend of large-scale development of single-aisle aircraft market.”

The Shortened/Plateau configuration can accommodate 140 passengers and has takeoff and landing performance suitable for all high-altitude airports in China. It has “good potential,” according to Comac, for more derivatives.

With over 10 million passengers flown, Comac’s regional jet, the ARJ21, has achieved a noteworthy milestone. A China Southern Airlines ARJ21 aircraft on the Guangzhou-Jieyang route served as a symbol of this accomplishment. As a result of its increasing presence in regional aviation, the ARJ21 is currently estimated to operate 1,800 weekly flights throughout China and Indonesia.

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Airlines

Exclusive: Boeing 747 Private Jet Hosts Lavish In-Flight Indian Wedding

An Indian businessman living in the United Arab Emirates took extra efforts to celebrate his daughter’s wedding. On a private Jetex Boeing 747, Dilip Popley hosted his daughter’s wedding.

The first scene in the video is of people dancing to Tune Maari Entriyaan inside an aircraft. A space set aside for ceremonies is also shown as the video goes on.

The groom thanks his father and his father-in-law at the end of the video. The bride joins in as well, saying that she never imagined experiencing something like it. He also thanked Jetex, a private charter flight operator, for making the experience memorable.

VIDEO | UAE-based Indian businessman Dilip Popley hosted his daughter's wedding aboard a private Jetex Boeing 747 aircraft on November 24, in Dubai.

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/lciNdxrmzz— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 25, 2023

On November 24, the wedding ceremony was held inside a customized 747 aircraft, according to reports. The wedding ceremony took place after the party—which included the bride and groom—traveled from Dubai to Oman for three hours.

With 350 esteemed guests from all over the globe will be arriving by plane. On board, guests joyfully celebrated the day with a dinner of vegetable jhalfrazi, mushroom pulao, palak paneer, and dal masala.

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Airlines

IndiGo launches AI chatbot for ticket booking and customer queries

On Monday, IndiGo unveiled 6Eskai, a chatbot driven by GPT-4 technology and utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). Numerous tasks can be completed by the chatbot, such as making reservations for tickets, applying promo codes, and checking in online.

IndiGo claims that its digital team, working closely with Microsoft, developed the chatbot entirely in-house. The chatbot provides a unique platform for ticket booking across the network and responds to customer inquiries in ten different languages.

6Eskai can handle a wide range of tasks, from booking tickets and applying promotional discounts to facilitating web check-ins and helping with seat selection, according to IndiGo, which highlighted the platform’s 1.7 trillion parameters. According to the report, the AI chatbot can comprehend spoken instructions using speech-to-text models in addition to written or typed exchanges.

The airline added that its data scientists studied Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT) and used extensive prompt engineering to programme the bot to mimic human behaviour, react to emotions, and even inject humour into interactions.

Airlines

British Airways Unlocks Avios Collection for World Duty Free Shoppers

British Airways Executive Club Avios can now be redeemed by members who spend money at London Heathrow’s World Duty Free shops.

Across all Heathrow terminals, customers can now earn one Avios for every £1 spent in any World Duty Free shop, covering everything from skincare and sunglasses to fashion and fragrances.

Before beginning to accrue points, Members must confirm that they have enrolled in Red by Dufry, the World Duty Free loyalty programme, and have input their Executive Club information into the Red by Dufry application.

After every eligible purchase, Avios will be awarded within 72 hours, with the first transaction offering a bonus of 250 Avios. In order to accrue even more ba avios, savvy consumers can also pay with their British Airways american express avios.

The British Airways Executive Club is always changing to improve the value of earning and using Avios. The airline launched its first avios points routes earlier this year, and it was revealed that avios british airways could be used to buy British Airways Vacation packages. eBay was added to the list of more than 1,500 retailers on shopping.ba.com in September, and new retailers are still joining them.

Shoppers at World Duty-Free stores in Spain can also earn one Avios for every €1 spent if they are members of the Iberia Plus loyalty programme. For more information, including details on eligible purchases and terms and conditions, please visit: www.ba.com/executive-club/collecting-avios/shopping/dufry

Airlines

Air France-KLM and Etihad Airways Elevate Travel Rewards in New Partnership

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September 2023, the Air France-KLM Group and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, today announced a new partnership between their respective loyalty programmes.

Members of Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, and Flying Blue, the loyalty programme of Air France and KLM, will now be able to earn and redeem Miles in either loyalty programme when flying on Air France, KLM, or Etihad as part of this new partnership. Elite members will soon receive reciprocal benefits.

After Air France began flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Abu Dhabi International Airport in October of last year, the partnership will officially launch today.

Redeeming Flying Blue Miles can be used to book flights, accommodations across the globe, vehicle rentals, and merchandise from the Flying Blue Store, among many other experiences. Etihad Guest Miles can be redeemed for merchandise from the Etihad Guest Reward Shop, international hotel stays, and travel.

Currently, Etihad and Air France both run daily flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol. Air France flies daily between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Abu Dhabi International Airport.