Aviation

The day Concorde flew into the history books

Concord the history of supersonic planes

commercial aviation took a supersonic leap into the future fifty years ago, when Concorde made its maiden flight.

The roar of the engines is deafening as the flight crew push them to maximum power. After a long wait, cheers of encouragement and rippling applause reach fever pitch and Concorde 001 thunders majestically into the skies above Toulouse.

It’s 3.38pm on 2 March 1969 and the first page in the history of supersonic commercial aviation has just been written. As Concorde’s four Olympus 593 turbines carry the aircraft into the distance the joy of the technicians, engineers, employees and onlookers witnessing the moment is plain to see. Six hundred journalists from around the world are at hand to report how ‘old Europe’ has met the challenge of melding speed and technology in service of passenger transport.

https://youtu.be/8um1r34wQkM

The maiden flight, described by captain André Turcat as ‘a trip around the runway’ lasted just 29 minutes and did not exceed 480 kph. Alongside Turcat the crew consisted of flight mechanic Michel Rétif, flight engineer Henri Perrier and co-pilot Jacques Guignard.

On the other side of the Channel captain Brian Trubshaw, co-pilot John Cochrane and flight mechanic Brian Watts coaxed Concorde 002 into the skies between Filton and Fairford for its first flight, even shorter at 22 minutes, on 9 April that same year.

Concorde 001 first broke the sound barrier in October 1969 and reached Mach 2 during its 102^nd test flight, with its English ‘brother’ achieving the same one week later. The Franco-British cooperation programme had been signed by French ambassador Geoffroy de Courcel and British aviation minister Julian Amery on 29 November 1962. It confirmed the industrial agreement between Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation outlined a month earlier. The agreement committed the two countries to a 50:50 share of Concorde’s research and assembly costs.

It took seven years to arrive at the first flight that March afternoon. Many innovations resulted, from electronic flight controls and the first cockpit sidestick to anti-skid braking systems and the movement of fuel around the aircraft in flight to adjust its centre of gravity. The experience the French and British gained during Concorde’s development meant some pitfalls were avoided when Airbus was created – such as the politically-motivated dual assembly lines, one in each country.

A further seven years were necessary before Concorde entered commercial service, in 1976. In all 16 aircraft were built and they were operated by Air France and British Airways alone. The tragic – and the type’s only – crash at Gonesse near Paris in 2000 marked the end of operations, three years later.

For over 30 years, supersonic travel made commercial aviation faster. Today it takes around seven hours to cross the Atlantic by plane; Concorde took half that time.

Aviation

American Airlines Flight Attendant Orders First-Class Traveler to use Economy Restroom

On a recent American Airlines flight from Chicago O’Hare to Phoenix, Pamela Hill-Veal, a retired circuit court judge, found herself at the center of a disturbing incident.

Despite traveling in First Class, she was directed by a flight attendant to use the Economy Class restroom, sparking allegations of racial discrimination. According to Hill-Veal, the ordeal began when she used the dedicated First Class lavatory during the flight. A flight attendant approached her, accusing her of slamming the door and issued a warning.

Despite remaining calm, Hill-Veal faced further confrontation when she attempted to use the First Class restroom again later in the flight. The situation escalated as the flight attendant persisted in berating Hill-Veal, who felt targeted due to her race. She highlighted the disparate treatment, noting that white passengers were not subjected to similar directives.

In a distressing turn, the flight attendant followed Hill-Veal to her seat and allegedly touched her while threatening arrest upon landing. This alarming encounter left Hill-Veal feeling humiliated and traumatized, impacting her ability to rest even after the flight.

American Airlines has responded, expressing a commitment to investigating the matter and addressing discrimination claims seriously. However, the incident underscores ongoing concerns about racial bias in air travel and the need for accountability in ensuring all passengers are treated with dignity and respect.

Aviation

Southwest CEO Signals Major Shift: Farewell to Open Seating

Southwest Airlines is contemplating a significant shift away from its traditional open seating policy, a move that could signal a departure from its long-standing business model.

The potential change, which would introduce assigned seating and premium seat options, is being considered to appeal to a younger demographic of travelers. This adjustment would mark one of the most substantial alterations for the carrier since its inception in 1971.

Unlike its competitors who have embraced premium seating offerings, Southwest has stuck to its open seating approach, albeit providing the option for early boarding at a fee. However, with rivals like United Airlines witnessing revenue growth from premium seating, Southwest is reevaluating its strategy. According to Forbes, the airline industry has seen a shift in customer preferences over time, prompting Southwest to reconsider its seating model designed during an era of lower load factors.

While Southwest CEO, Jordan,told to CNBC that he has neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of premium seating, he acknowledges that the company is exploring various options. He emphasized that while it’s still early in the decision-making process, the initial results are promising, hinting at potential changes in the future.

Southwest currently operates with a single economy class cabin across its all-Boeing 737 fleet, with no assigned seating. However, the airline does offer the option for early boarding for passengers to secure their preferred seats for an additional fee. Over the years, Southwest has maintained a focus on simplicity and user-friendliness in its offerings, striving to minimize costs and complexity.

In contrast, competitors like Delta and United have capitalized on revenue growth from premium seating options such as business class, demonstrating strong upsell rates. Analysts have repeatedly questioned Southwest about the potential for introducing premium seating or additional fees, although the airline has traditionally refrained from charging for the first two checked bags.

For now, the only way Southwest passengers can secure their preferred seats is by paying for an earlier boarding position, as the airline continues to operate without assigned seating, allowing passengers to choose their seats upon boarding in a predetermined order.

Airlines

US DOT says Airlines must now pay automatic refunds for cancelled flights

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released a final regulation requiring airlines to quickly reimburse passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed, according to a statement made by the Biden-Harris Administration.

Under the new regulation, passengers will find it easier to get refunds when airlines dramatically alter or cancel flights, cause severe delays for checked baggage, or don’t supply the additional services they paid for.

According to a statement from the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has published a final rule mandating airlines to promptly compensate customers with automatic cash refunds when they are eligible. The new rule would make it simpler for customers to receive refunds from airlines in cases when they drastically change or cancel flights, cause significant delays for checked luggage, or fail to provide the extra services they charged for.

Under the latest rule from the USDOT, passengers are guaranteed refunds in several scenarios:

Canceled or Significantly Changed Flights: Passengers are entitled to refunds if their flight is canceled or significantly altered, including changes in departure or arrival times exceeding 3 hours domestically or 6 hours internationally, departures or arrivals from different airports, increased connections, downgrades in service class, or changes less accommodating to passengers with disabilities.
Delayed Baggage Return: Passengers filing mishandled baggage reports can claim a refund for checked bag fees if their luggage is not returned within specific timeframes after flight arrival.
Unprovided Extra Services: If airlines fail to deliver paid extra services like Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment, passengers can request refunds for those fees.

The final rule streamlines the refund process, ensuring it is:

Automatic: Refunds are issued automatically without requiring passengers to request them.
Prompt: Airlines must refund credit card purchases within seven business days and other payment methods within 20 calendar days.
In Original Form of Payment: Refunds are provided in the original payment method used for purchase.
Full Amount: Passengers receive full refunds minus the value of any portion of transportation already used, including government and airline fees.

Suggest banning family seating junk fees and ensuring that parents can travel with their kids at no additional cost. No airline promised to ensure fee-free family seating prior to efforts from President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg last year. Family seating is now guaranteed free of charge on four airlines, and the Department is working on a plan to eliminate family seating junk fees.

Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.