Aviation
These 30 airlines went bankrupt in 2019
In 2019 alone, 30 airways have quit flying, making it a record breaking year for carrier insolvencies
- California Pacific Airlines
Origin: California, U.S.
Founded : April 1, 2009
Commenced operation November 1, 2018
Ceased operations January 17, 2019
Fleet size 4
Destinations 8
- Germania (airline)
Origin: Berlin, Germany
Founded : April 1978
Commenced operation : 5 September 1978
Ceased operations : 5 February 2019
Fleet size : 36
Destinations : 42
- Flybmi
Origin: East Midlands Airport, England
Founded: 14 May 1987
Commenced operation: August 1987
Ceased operations: 16 February 2019
Fleet size: 17
Destinations: 23
- Insel Air
Origin: Willemstad, Curaçao
Founded: 1993
Commenced operation: 2006
Ceased operations: 16 February 2019
Fleet size: 3
Destinations: 5
- Tajik Air
Origin: Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Founded: 1923
Ceased operations: January 2019
Fleet size: 14
Destinations: 3
(Temporary suspension)
Origin: Iceland
Founded: November 2011
Commenced operation: 31 May 2012
Ceased operations: 28 March 2019
Fleet size: 10
Destinations:27
- Aerolínea de Antioquia
Origin: Medellín, Colombia
Founded: 1987
Ceased operations: March 29, 2019
Fleet size: 13
Destinations: 21
Origin: Kingston, Jamaica
Founded: September 2011
Commenced operation: 14 February 2013
Ceased operations: 31 March 2019
Fleet size: 1
Destinations: 4
- Air Philip
Origin: South Korea
Founded: December 2016
Commenced operation: 30 June 2018
Ceased operations: 13 March 2019
Fleet size: 2
Destinations:6
Origin: Maharashtra, India
Founded: 1 April 1992
Commenced operation: 5 May 1993
Ceased operations: 17 April 2019
Fleet size: 124
Destinations: 83
- Wisdom Airways
Origin: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Founded: 2017
Ceased operations: October 1, 2019
- Avianca Brasil S.A.
Origin: São Paulo, Brazil
Founded: 1998 (as OceanAir)
Commenced operation:
Ceased operations: 24 June 2019
Fleet size: 10
- Avianca Argentina
Origin: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Founded: 1995 (as Macair Jet)
Commenced operation: 21 November 2017
Ceased operations: 7 June 2019
Fleet size:2
Destinations: 3
- Al Naser Wings Airlines
Origin: Governorate, Iraq
Founded: 2005
Commenced operation: 2009
Ceased operations: April 16, 2019
Fleet size: 1
Destinations: 12
- Aigle Azur
Origin: Paray-Vieille-Poste, France
Founded: 1946
Ceased operations: 6 September 2019
Fleet size: 11
Destinations: 21
- XL Airways France
Origin: Île-de-France, France
Founded: August 1995
Commenced operation: 22 December 1995
Ceased operations: 23 September 2019
Fleet size: 4
Destinations: 17
- Adria Airways
Origin: Gorenjskem, Slovenia
Founded: 14 March 1961
Commenced operation: December 1961
Ceased operations: 30 September 2019
Fleet size: 20
Destinations: 23
- Peruvian Airlines
Origin: Lima, Perú
Founded: November 2007
Commenced operation: October 29, 2009
Ceased operations: October 2, 2019
Fleet size: 14
Destinations: 10
- New Gen Airways
Origin: Bangkok, Thailand
Founded: July 2012
Commenced operation:
Ceased operations: October 2019
Fleet size: 11
Destinations: 37
- ViaAir
Origin: Maitland, Florida
Founded: 1997
Ceased operations: October 2019
Fleet size: 6
Destinations: 2
- Thomas Cook Group
Origin: Manchester, England
Founded: 1986
Ceased operations: 23 September 2019
Fleet size: 34
Destinations: 82
- TAM – Transporte Aéreo Militar
Origin: La Paz, Bolivia
Founded: 1945
Commenced operation:
Ceased operations: 23 September 2019
Fleet size: 20
Destinations: 4
- Taron Avia
Origin: Yerevan, Armenia
Founded: 2007
Commenced operation: 2017
Ceased operations: 2019
Fleet size: 3
Destinations: 5
- Astra Airlines
Origin: Thessaloniki, Greece
Founded: 2008
Commenced operation: July 5, 2008
Ceased operations: 14 November 2019
Fleet size: 4
Destinations: 37
- Atlas Global
Origin: Istanbul, Turkey
Founded: 2001
Ceased operations: 12 February 2020
Fleet size: 5
Destinations: 24
- Silverstone Air
Origin: Kenya
Founded: 2017
Ceased operations: 2019
Fleet size: 11
Destinations: 8
- Far Eastern Air Transport
Origin: Taipei, Taiwan
Founded: 5 June 1957
Commenced operation:
Ceased operations: 13 December 2019
Fleet size: 12
Destinations: 19
- Ernest Airlines
Origin: Milan, Italy
Founded: October 16, 2015
Commenced operation: 1 July 2016
Ceased operations: 10 January 2020
Fleet size: 4
Destinations: 20
- Fastjet Mozambique
Origin: Maputo, Mozambique
Founded: 2017
Commenced operation: 3 November 2017
Ceased operations: 26 October 2019
Fleet size: 1
Destinations: 4
- Cambodia Bayon Airlines
Origin: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Founded: August 2014
Commenced operation: December 2014
Ceased operations: 2019
Fleet size: 2
Destinations: 4
Aviation
All passengers killed in plane crash, after pilot let his children to control the plane
When boarding a plane, passengers entrust their safety to the skilled hands of the pilot. However, tragedy struck when one of the flight ended in disaster as all passengers lost their lives in a horrific plane crash.
In 1994, during a flight from Moscow to Hong Kong, tragedy struck as an Aeroflot relief pilot made a fateful decision. In a move that would have devastating consequences, the pilot invited his own children into the cockpit to play with the controls. Little did anyone know, this seemingly innocent gesture would lead to the loss of all 75 lives aboard the aircraft.
It was a seemingly innocent act that led to catastrophic results. The relief pilot, Mr. Kudrinsky, invited his two children, Yana, 12, and Eldar, 15, into the cockpit during the late hours of the night. Little did anyone know, this simple gesture would set off a chain of events that would end in tragedy.
Once in the cockpit, the children were allowed to sit in the captain’s chair and play with the controls, unaware that they should have been disabled as the plane was in autopilot mode.
Eldar, perhaps in a moment of curiosity or innocence, held the control column down for a mere 30 seconds. Yet, in those brief moments, the autopilot disengaged, thrusting the aircraft into manual control.
By the time the pilots regained their seats and attempted to regain control, it was too late. Despite their efforts to pull the plane out of a dive, they overcorrected, causing the flight to climb almost vertically, ultimately stalling it.
Final moment Flight 593 crash
In the final moments, as the pilots struggled to stabilize the aircraft, Flight 593 crashed into the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountain range in southern Russia, completely obliterating the plane and claiming the lives of everyone on board.
Investigations revealed a chilling truth: there was no evidence of technical failure. Instead, the crash was attributed to the unthinkable decision to allow inexperienced hands to manipulate the controls of a commercial aircraft.
The black box recording captured the harrowing sequence of events, providing a grim reminder of the human cost of a lapse in judgment. In just over two minutes, the lives of all on board were tragically short, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow and unanswered questions.
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.