Aviation

Unruly passenger ordered to pay airline nearly $100K

A man whose unruly behavior forced the pilot of a nonstop flight to New York to return to Honoluluowes Hawaiian Airlines $97,817, according to a new report.

James August, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty to interfering with flight crew members and attendants in February and was ordered to pay the hefty sum by a federal judge Monday, the Honolulu Star Adviser reported.

Officials said the man, who had been vacationing in Hawaii with his girlfriend and her children, acted out before the November 2016 flight even left the ground.

August, who was drinking before the flight, tried to order more alcohol on the plane and drank some he personally brought aboard.

During the meal service, his girlfriend’s son told a flight attendant he had insulted the children and threatened their lives.

When the attendant asked him to go to another part of the plane, he whacked her on the shoulder with the back of his hand and other passengers had to help restrain him.

Authorities said August then yelled, swore and threatened to punch his girlfriend in the face.

US District Senior Judge Oki Molloway ordered August to repay the airline the costs it incurred for turning the plane around, including fuel, maintenance, ground crew and costs associated with finding the passengers other flights.

The sum does not include the $46,900 of meal vouchers Hawaiian Airlines handed out to delayed New York-bound passengers.

Interfering with flight crew members and attendants is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. The judge sentenced August to three years of probation in June.

Two women who caused a Cuba-bound flight to return to Toronto in 2016 were ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution to the airline.

courtesy : New York Times

Aviation

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Worldwide Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing, one of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturers, is facing a severe crisis. The company announced on Friday that it will lay off 17,000 employees—roughly 10% of its workforce.

This decision comes amid a prolonged strike, production delays, and ongoing safety concerns with its aircraft. Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s CEO since August, delivered the news, stating, “Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together.

Beyond navigating our current environment, restoring our company requires tough decisions, and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term.”

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Boeing has been struggling financially, with the last reported profit in 2018. The company’s largest union, with 33,000 members, has been on strike for nearly a month after rejecting a labor deal. The ongoing walkout is reportedly costing Boeing around a billion dollars each month as negotiations remain at a standstill.

Compounding these issues, Boeing’s much-anticipated boeing 777x wide-body plane is now six years behind schedule, with deliveries postponed until 2026. This follows the discovery of structural damage during flight tests. Boeing also announced it will stop manufacturing its commercial 767 freighters after fulfilling its remaining orders by 2027.

Financially, the company expects to report a significant third-quarter loss—nearly $10 per share—and a total cash outflow of $1.3 billion. boeing new aircraft commercial airplane unit faces a $3 billion pretax charge, while its defense business will absorb an additional $2 billion hit.

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The strike has severely impacted production at key boeing facilities, particularly in Seattle, where half of the company’s nearly 150,000 employees work. Since 2019, Boeing has lost approximately $25 billion.

Ortberg was brought in over the summer to help the company regain public trust following safety concerns, especially surrounding the 737 Max line, which was involved in two deadly crashes. Earlier this year, a separate incident involving a panel popping off a 737 Max mid-flight reignited concerns. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation following the event found that Boeing had failed 33 out of 89 product audits.