Aviation

Passenger bites flight attendant on US-bound Flight

In a shocking incident aboard an All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight bound for Seattle, an American airline passenger allegedly bit a female cabin crew member, prompting the aircraft to return to Tokyo.

The flight, ANA 118, took off from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport at 9:47 p.m. local time but made an unexpected turnaround just over an hour into the journey, as reported by the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

The 55-year-old male passenger, described as heavily drunk, reportedly bit the crew member’s arm, causing mild injuries. The incident led the pilots to decide to return to Haneda Airport, where the unruly passenger was handed over to the local police, according to ANA.

Upon landing in Tokyo, the American passenger was detained by authorities, and subsequent investigations revealed that he had no recollection of his behavior, attributing it to the influence of a sleeping pill he had taken. The airline spokesperson reported that the man was fined $81,950, marking one of the largest penalties ever imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) against an individual passenger for disruptive behavior on an aircraft.

The incident, which left the flight attendant injured, garnered attention on social media, with some users drawing parallels in mock horror to the “beginning of a zombie movie.”

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.