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IATA’s 6 Priorities for Aviation Security

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified six priority areas to address the security challenges for today’s commercial aviation stakeholders.

    The priorities were the topic of a speech given by IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, at AVSEC World conference in Kuala Lumpur this past Tuesday 25 October.

    “Security, a topic of critical importance—not just to our industry, but to the world,”—Alexandre de Juniac

    New FAA SAFO Highlights Vulnerabilities in Lithium Battery Supply Chain

    The FAA has issued a new SAFO cautioning airlines to confirm Hazardous Materials compliance of lithium battery shipments.

    The SAFO specifically names Braille Battery, which manufactures lithium batteries which power racing cars.

    The FAA warns that Braille have failed to show proof of compliance to Hazardous Materials Regulations for air transport.

    CPH Wants You To GO! Catch-‘Em-All ELSEWHERE

    Due to a recent incident of a Pokémon GO Player interfering with the safety of flyers at the terminal, Copenhagen Airport has issued a special, very bright, very attention-getting Airside Safety Alert. It warns Pokémon GO Players against hunting on airport grounds.

    Flight Safety Australia Shows How to Fly a Drone Without Becoming a Menace

      Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are becoming wildly popular around the world, have many practical applications, and can help produce breathtaking cinematography.

      But concern over safe operations has grown along with their popularity. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia (CASA) has put together this charming animated video with top tips on enjoying your new drone, without becoming a menace.

      On Flydubai’s Empathetic and Effective Response to FZ981 Tragedy

        This Saturday was marked by the tragic crash of flydubai flight FZ981 during a landing attempt at Rostov-on-Don airport in Russia, taking the lives of all of those onboard.

        It is news we never want to cover in aviation, but regrettably we must.

        The proceedings of the accident investigation are ongoing. Blackboxes have been recovered and responsible parties and expert investigators are either already on site or have already been deployed.

        ESA Picks Inmarsat to Develop New ATM Infrastructure in EU, Alitalia First Airline Partner

        Through a joint initiative, Inmarsat and the European Space Agency (ESA) will optimise the airspace and airport capacity in Europe, reducing flight times, aircraft fuel burn, and associated CO2 emissions.

        Dubbed the Iris Service Evolution program, Inmarsat will head a consortium of more than 30 companies across the aviation industry who will collaborate to develop a technical, commercial and operational roadmap for Europe’s long-term air traffic communications demand.

        Alitalia is the official airline partner of the newly created Iris consortium.

        FAA Issues Critical SAFO to Airlines on Lithium Batteries

        “FAA battery fire testing has highlighted the potential risk of a catastrophic aircraft loss due to damage resulting from a lithium battery fire or explosion. Current cargo fire suppression systems cannot effectively control a lithium battery fire. As a result of those tests, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus have advised airlines about the dangers associated with carrying lithium batteries as cargo and also have encouraged them to conduct safety risk assessments,” the agency states.

        Oops! They Did It Again. What to Know About Sharks and Aviation Safety

        Are airline safety videos over, or can a well plotted story-building formula survive a ditching?

        Life Vest

        Back in the day, when I wasn’t busy helping make aircraft interiors beautiful, I persuaded cabin crew that it was important to kick sharks in the nose.

        This was more theory than practice. But it was based on expert survival advice for the unimaginable consequences of an aircraft ditching.

        Discussing preparations for an aircraft ditching involved overcoming the audience objection, “That’s probably never going to happen.”

        This reaction was based on the indisputable fact that landing a large commercial aircraft on the water–without it breaking up into many little pieces–is a difficult operation.

        Still, ditching training is required because it can and has happened. However remote, we must consider all possible emergency conditions in airline safety procedures.

        The company I worked for specifically dealt in water survival devices (lifejackets and life rafts). It was part of my job to help crew focus on what to do on the off-chance that they found themselves caring for passengers in open waters.

        This was even before US Airways 1549, the exception that proved all the rules.

        Though I referenced several other previous aircraft ditching events, it was difficult to persuade airline crew and engineers to pay close attention when they were betting it would never happen to them.

        That’s how “kick the shark” was born.

        Read More »Oops! They Did It Again. What to Know About Sharks and Aviation Safety

        Someone’s Created a ‘Crew Shame’ Twitter Feed Which Is–Well–a Terrible Idea

        Do you enjoy having someone look over your shoulder at work and, what’s more, publish all of you perceived peccadilloes for the world to see? You’re in luck!

        You could now get a job as cabin crew or flight crew to ensure that happens.

        Someone has now created a Twitter feed expressly intended to shame airline crew who “misbehave.”

        https://twitter.com/michellelazzaro/status/687647157868990464

        To this ‘outrageous’ reaction, the mystery account in question replied:

        “If passengers can be shamed then ✈️ flight crews are fair game! Level playing fields are a good thing. ????“

        And yeah..no. 

        Read More »Someone’s Created a ‘Crew Shame’ Twitter Feed Which Is–Well–a Terrible Idea

        Internet Killed the Safety Video Star..or Did It?

        Years from now, anthropologists will debate the exact moment that the genre of the entertainment safety video crossed over from the sublime to the ridiculous. To save them time, I’m positing that the meme finally killed it off, and it was the incredible success of Delta’s Internetest Safety Video on the Internet that done it in.

        How can over 9 Million views on YouTube be a bad thing, you ask? 

        UPDATE Delta has taken its most popular safety video of all time private. A story in itself, which I am investigating with the airline. However, the internet never forgets so for the purpose of posterity, here is the original.

        Read More »Internet Killed the Safety Video Star..or Did It?

        After Another Smartphone Fire Causes Flight Diversion, CASA Raises Concerns Over Lithium-Ion Once Again

        The risks of runaway Lithium-Ion batteries continue to plague aviation, prompting the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), Australia, to caution readers of its Flight Safety magazine on the proper handling of these electronics once again.

        The Flight Safety article specifically mentions a recent incident the flight diversion of a British Airways Boeing 787-800, operating flight BA18 from Seoul to London Heathrow, with 205 passengers onboard, which diverted to Irkutsk, Russia, after the battery of a passenger’s smartphone “suffered an obvious thermal runaway and emitted smoke,” according to a report by the Aviation Herald.

        Read More »After Another Smartphone Fire Causes Flight Diversion, CASA Raises Concerns Over Lithium-Ion Once Again

        Learn to Speak Hawaiian with Airline’s Latest Safety Video

        Hawaiian Airlines has produced a beautiful destination safety video that will get you dreaming of warm days on the beach and cool treks through verdant mountains. As an added twist, the video comes with subtitles in Hawaiian, so you can catch up on the lingo before you land.

        If anything, that should get passengers to pay close attention, but the locations are gorgeous! Hawaiian made this a true ‘ohana project by featuring cabin crew and their family in the video demonstrating the safety instructions while enjoying fun outdoor activities.

        Read More »Learn to Speak Hawaiian with Airline’s Latest Safety Video

        Dear Anonymous Passenger: You Don’t Deserve that Exit Row Seat

        Nik Loukas at InFlight Feed shared this image of an irresponsible fool onboard an Iberia flight. Whoever you are: You don’t deserve that seat.

        This image highlights how little some passengers understand about the responsibilities that go along with the coveted extra legroom in the exit row.

        We’ve all seen passengers treat the cabin badly, sit in ways they’d never sit at home, do damage to interiors which cost a fortune to develop and install. That’s really bad. But this is worse:

        Read More »Dear Anonymous Passenger: You Don’t Deserve that Exit Row Seat

        Let’s Not Waste an Opportunity to Carry-On after IATA Carry-On Controversy

        I spent a bit of time this month writing about IATA’s proposed ‘Cabin OK’ program: introducing it, clearing up misconceptions, and, finally, reporting on its demise, er, “pause.”

        This is the second of two posts today, which review the Cabin OK aftermath. I promise to let the matter drop after that.

        IATA Cabin OK Bag, IATA Flickr

        IATA Cabin OK Bag, IATA Flickr

        I must say I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a general uproar brought about by a single proposal by IATA, or airlines in general.

        Now that the hullabaloo has all but subsided, I’d like to highlight the positive side of all of this–power to the people–and some opportunities to get really riled up, which we should not let pass us by.

        Read More »Let’s Not Waste an Opportunity to Carry-On after IATA Carry-On Controversy