Aviation

Jet Airways grounds two pilots for fighting mid-air on Mumbai-London flight

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NEW DELHI: Jet Airways has grounded two of its senior pilots for fighting inside the cockpit of a London-Mumbai flight on January 1. The commander allegedly slapped the lady co-pilot mid-flight after which she left the cockpit in tears. After great persuasion she went back to the cockpit but is learnt to have come out again in a huff. This time, the frightened cabin crew requested her to go back and safely operate the flight to its destination.

The incident took place this Monday, when the aircraft was over the Iran-Pakistan airspace, and was 2.45 hours away from its destination, an airline source told PTI When contacted,

a Jet Airways spokesperson said there was a “misunderstanding” between the cockpit crew and the same was “resolved amicably” and “quickly”. According to reports, the first time the commander also left the cockpit to persuade the co-pilot to return to the cockpit. Leaving the cockpit unmanned is a gross violation of air safety rules. They had another fight after which she left the cockpit for the second time..

Luckily the plane landed safely. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the co-pilot’s flying licence and ordered a probe into the entire episode.

This unprecedented cockpit fight happened on 9W 119 soon after the Boeing 777 took off for its 9-hour journey to Mumbai with 324 passengers and 14 crew members on board on New Year Day at 10 am (UK time). “Some time after the plane took off, the two had a fight. The captain slapped the co-pilot and she left the cockpit in tears. She stood in the galley sobbing. The cabin crew tried to comfort her and send her back to the cockpit. Meanwhile, the captain also kept buzzing (calling from the telecom in the cockpit) to the crew, asking them to send the second pilot back,” said sources.

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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.