Aviation

Victims of 1990 Kuwait Hostage Incident Sue UK Government and British Airways

In a legal development stemming from a harrowing chapter of history, passengers and crew of a British Airways flight seized during the 1990 Kuwait hostage crisis have launched a significant legal action against both the UK government and the airline.

McCue Jury & Partners, a prominent law firm, disclosed on Monday that 94 individuals, out of the 367 held captive, have filed a civil claim at London’s High Court. Their grievance accuses the British government and British Airways of recklessly endangering civilians by allowing the flight to land in Kuwait despite knowledge of the ongoing invasion by Iraqi forces.

Hostages suffered severe physical & psychiatric harm

The ordeal endured by these passengers and crew, who were used as human shields during the first Gulf War, left profound physical and psychological scars that continue to affect their lives today.

The lawsuit alleges that both the government and the airline were aware of the invasion before the flight departed, yet proceeded with the landing to facilitate the covert insertion of a special operations team into occupied Kuwait.

Controversially, there are assertions, disputed by the government, that London deliberately put the passengers at risk by using the flight for undercover operations and delayed its departure to allow operatives to board.

Newly released British government documents from November 2021 revealed that warnings about the Iraqi incursion were received by UK officials in Kuwait, but this critical information was not relayed to British Airways.

Lawsuit seeks damages averaging £170,000 ($213,000)

In response to the legal action, the UK government has declined to comment, citing the ongoing nature of the case. British Airways, on the other hand, has steadfastly denied allegations of negligence, conspiracy, and cover-up concerning their actions during the crisis.

McCue Jury & Partners previously announced intentions to pursue damages on behalf of the hostages, estimating potential claims averaging £170,000 ($213,000) per individual.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.