Aviation

Singapore Airshow 2024: What to Expect?

With the highly anticipated Singapore Airshow 2024 (SA2024) opening its doors to trade
visitors in a little more than a week, most of the itinerary for the airshow has been released.
As public access to the previous two airshows was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
it is anticipated that there would be a strong public interest, especially amongst the aviation
enthusiasts in the region.
Notable Differences
One of the most notable differences would be the absence of Boeing’s Commercial Arm,
Boeing Commercial Airplanes from the Airshow. According to a news release by Boeing,
Boeing Commercial Airplanes would only be ‘presenting an immersive display of the 777X
cabin experience highlighting its spacious and flexible architecture’. This comes as no
surprise, especially given the recent unfortunate incidents involving their airplanes. Instead,
Boeing seems to be focusing on showcasing its defense technology, with the manufacturer
displaying a wide variety of jets, such as the B-52 Stratofortress, F-15, and AH-64E, just to
name a few.
8 Aerial Displays
SA2024 is set to have the largest number of foreign flying teams in its history! Consisting of
6 Air Force displays and 2 Commercial displays, SA2024 would be the first time where the
Chinese Aircraft manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) will
be making its international airshow debut. This is one of the steps COMAC would be taking
to compete with Airbus and Boeing, namely in the narrowbody market with the C919. Indian
Air Force’s (IAF) Sarang Aerobatic Team would be performing with their indigenously
manufactured HAL Dhruv at the Airshow for the first time. For Military Aviation
Photographers, the United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress would also be making a
flypast on 22nd February!
Static Displays
Consisting of a plethora of Business, Commercial and Military Aircraft on display, there are a
few airframes that stand out to us. COMAC will be displaying the ARJ21 for the first time at
SA2024 for the first time, alongside the C919. The indigenously developed ARJ21 has been
in service for approximately 7 years, not only serving airlines in Mainland China but also
TransNusa in Indonesia. Embraer, a Brazilian Airplane Manufacturer is also sending their
C390 Millennium to SA2024 for the first time. The C390 has in recent years scored orders
from Air Forces of multiple countries as a replacement for their aging C130. Marketed as a
jet-powered alternative to Lockheed’s Iconic C130 Hercules, multiple Air Forces such as
South Korea, Netherlands, and Austria have placed orders for the C390.

Looking at the list of participating aircraft for the Singapore Airshow 2024, we can’t help but
be excited for both the flying and static display. With the airshow poised to return back to its
pre-pandemic turnout, we would be expecting some pretty lively moments at the airshow.
See you at the Singapore Airshow 2024!

Aviation

DOT Penalizes Lufthansa $4 Million for Stopping Jewish Passengers From Boarding

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has imposed a $4 million penalty on Lufthansa for discriminating against Jewish passengers traveling from New York City to Budapest via Frankfurt in May 2022. The incident marked the largest civil rights fine ever levied by the DOT against an airline.

The case stems from an incident where Lufthansa denied 128 Jewish passengers — most of whom were wearing traditional Orthodox Jewish attire — from boarding their connecting flight in Germany.

China Airlines eyes new aircraft order for 777X and A350-1000

The airline’s actions were based on the alleged misconduct of a few individuals during the first leg of the journey from John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA). However, many of those passengers did not know each other or travel as a group. DOT investigators found that Lufthansa treated them as a single entity, barring them from their connecting flight to Budapest (BUD) for the actions of a few.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the department’s commitment to protecting passengers’ rights. “No one should face discrimination when they travel, and today’s action sends a clear message to the airline industry that we are prepared to investigate and take action whenever passengers’ civil rights are violated,” he said. Buttigieg added that DOT’s increased enforcement efforts aim to ensure airlines treat all passengers with fairness and dignity.

This aircraft won’t need a runway

The investigation began after DOT received over 40 complaints from Jewish passengers affected by the incident. Despite some passengers failing to follow crew instructions on the first flight, lufthansa business lounge newark did not specifically identify any noncompliant individuals.

Instead, the airline placed a blanket hold on the tickets of over 100 passengers, preventing them from continuing their journey. lufthansa airways acknowledged that this approach could lead to excluding compliant passengers but deemed it impractical to address each case individually.