Airlines

Pilot Makes 360-Degree Turn Mid-Flight to Let Passengers View Northern Lights

A 360-degree spin was made by an EasyJet flight so that its passengers could view an “incredible show” of the northern lights as it passed over the northernmost point of the UK.

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Following the pilot’s decision to make the circular turn on Monday night’s flight U21806 from Iceland’s Reykjavik to Manchester Airport, passengers had the opportunity to take photos of the celestial display.

An @easyJet flight just made a 360 turn over the North Sea. The Northern Lights are very strong tonight as well, so the reason was probably to allow passengers on both sides of the aircraft to see the fantastic #AuroraBorealis
https://t.co/IVJ81cqRKM pic.twitter.com/5cY8Hr2tPZ
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) February 27, 2023
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After less than ten minutes, the controlled detour to the west of the Faroe Islands took place. According to flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, the Airbus A320 was travelling at just under 500 mph and at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,000 metres) around 8:30 p.m.

The amazing pictures were shared on social media by several passengers.

Big thanks to the @easyJet pilot of EZY1806 from Reykjavik to Manchester who did a 360 fly by mid flight to make sure all passengers could see the incredible Northern Lights ? pic.twitter.com/A4CHi9Hqgo
— Adam Groves (@APTGroves) February 27, 2023
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Amazing flight home last night with @easyJet EZY1806 @easyJet_press from Reykjavik to @manairport @manairportPRESS Northern Lights spectacular and a full 360 circle round from the pilots to show everyone onboard Thank You!@BBCNWT @itvnews @BBCScotlandNews pic.twitter.com/UZ6TYezrV2
— Sarah Hitchen (@sarahhitchen2) February 28, 2023
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EasyJet stated in a statement that it was “pleased that the captain on our flight from Reykjavik to Manchester yesterday evening was able to perform a controlled [manoeuvre] to allow passengers to enjoy a magnificent show from the air of one of nature’s finest sights, the Aurora Borealis.”

In addition to always going above and above for our customers, our staff is overjoyed to have been able to provide them with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the northern lights.

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Airlines

Federal Court Imposes $100M Fine on Qantas for “Ghost Flights” Scandal

In a major ruling, the Federal Court has confirmed a hefty A$100 million penalty against Qantas for its involvement in the “ghost flights” scandal. As reported by FlightGlobal.

The court found that Qantas misled consumers by offering and selling tickets for flights that the airline had already decided to cancel. Adding to the controversy, Qantas failed to promptly notify ticket holders about these cancellations.

The penalty follows Qantas’ admission of violating the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The airline agreed with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the penalty amount, aiming to deter Qantas and other businesses from similar breaches in the future.

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The ACCC emphasized that this substantial fine sends a clear message: misleading customers will lead to serious consequences, regardless of a company’s size. In addition to the penalty, Qantas has committed to paying approximately A$20 million to affected passengers who unknowingly purchased tickets for canceled flights.

This compensation comes on top of any refunds or alternative flight arrangements already provided. ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb praised the penalty, underscoring the importance of robust compliance programs red energy qantas in large corporations like Qantas.

She pointed out that Qantas has since made changes to its operating and scheduling procedures to prevent similar issues in the future.