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January 3, 2025

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January 3, 2025

Bed bugs on Turkish Airlines flights: Travelers report unpleasant encounters

Jan Gruber 3 January 2025 10:19

In recent weeks, there have been increasing reports of bed bugs on Turkish Airlines flights. Passengers on various international flights have described how they were confronted with the uninvited fellow travelers during the flight. Some travelers have even posted photos of insect bites they suffered during the flight. These reports shed a critical light on the hygiene practices of one of the largest airlines in the world, which, with its extensive international network and numerous connections to major cities worldwide, is one of the leading airlines on the east-west route. Unpleasant discoveries during the flight One of the first incidents to attract public interest occurred in March 2024, when a passenger named Patience Titcombe encountered a bed bug on her flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul. While getting up to use the toilet, she discovered the insect on her seat. When she went to remove the insect, her friend pointed out to her that it was a bed bug. Despite pointing out the problem, her concerns were dismissed by the flight attendant, who removed the insect but denied the possibility of a bed bug. Titcombe later said she was concerned about possibly taking the insect home with her and causing a bed bug infestation in her home. In October, another passenger, Matthew Myers, reported that he also came into contact with bed bugs during a flight from Istanbul to San Francisco. A fellow passenger pointed out the insects on his seat, which were also falling from the ceiling. On this

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Tallink Grupp publishes passenger and freight statistics for 2024: A year of challenges

Amely Mizzi 3 January 2025 10:14

Tallink Grupp, one of the leading providers of passenger and freight transport on the Baltic Sea routes, has taken stock of its results for 2024. In total, the company transported 5.580.016 passengers, a decrease of 2,2 percent compared to the previous year. However, the company has proven to be stable in the face of the difficult economic conditions. The decline particularly affects the route between Finland and Sweden, while the other routes have seen positive developments. The freight sector was also not spared from the difficult economic circumstances, with the number of freight units transported experiencing a significant decline. Decline in passenger numbers, but positive developments on individual routes With a total of 5.580.016 passengers transported in 2024, Tallink Grupp recorded a slight decrease of 2,2 percent compared to the previous year. In 2023, there were still 5.705.600 passengers using the company's ferries. A closer look at the different routes shows that the decline was mainly seen on the route between Finland and Sweden. This route saw a dramatic decline of 15,4 percent, which could be due to overall weak demand and cautious consumer behavior in this market. On the route between Estonia and Finland, however, Tallink was able to record an increase of 2,5 percent. This indicates that transit between these two countries in particular showed more stable demand. The situation is even more positive on the Estonia-Sweden route: here the number of passengers even increased by 8,0 percent compared to the previous year. This could be due to the growing popularity of this

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Stuttgart Airport will record 2024 million passengers in 9,1

Jan Gruber 3 January 2025 10:11

Stuttgart Airport has drawn a positive balance in 2024: Over nine million passengers used the transport hub in southwest Germany, an increase of more than eight percent compared to the previous year. With a total of 9,1 million passengers, Stuttgart Airport became one of the busiest air traffic centers in the country. The airport's management is also confident that this trend will continue in the coming years. In 2023, the airport still counted 8,4 million passengers, which was already a strong performance. However, the significant increase in 2024 reflects an increasing recovery in air traffic after the difficult years of the corona pandemic. Despite the ongoing global challenges, including uncertain economic conditions and geopolitical tensions, Stuttgart Airport is robust and optimistic. "Demand remains strong, especially for private travel," explained Ulrich Heppe, spokesman for the management of Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH (FSG). People are traveling more than ever to visit family and friends, and vacation flights also remain in high demand. This development is reflected in the daily flight movements and the increasing number of passengers, which make the airport operations a stable basis for the region's economy. Reasons for growth The growth of over eight percent is a remarkable success and can be explained by various factors. One of the key reasons for the increase in passenger numbers is certainly the continued high demand in the area of ​​private travel. People are increasingly willing to travel to distant countries, both for vacation and for private occasions.

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EU regulation burdens aviation industry: demand for relief

Belinda Borg 3 January 2025 10:06

On January 1, 2025, the new EU requirement came into force, according to which airlines at European airports must replace two percent of their fuel with sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). However, these more environmentally friendly fuels are significantly more expensive than conventional kerosene. The aviation industry expects additional costs of 300 to 400 million euros per year for flights from Germany alone. The German Aviation Association (BDL) is therefore calling for the aviation tax to be abolished in order to alleviate the additional financial burden. The costs of SAF are up to five times higher than those of conventional kerosene, which could further exacerbate the already tense situation of the German aviation industry. BDL President Joachim Lang criticizes the fact that European airlines have to meet the SAF quota, while competitors from non-EU countries, such as Istanbul, Dubai or Doha, benefit from lower fuel prices because they only use the expensive fuel on short EU routes. Lang warns that this could divert passengers to these hubs, causing European airlines to lose further market share. In view of these challenges, the German aviation industry is calling for appropriate relief to reduce the international competitive disadvantage and ensure the competitiveness of European airlines.

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Airbus narrowly misses annual target: A final spurt with strong December figures

Jan Gruber 3 January 2025 09:33

Airbus, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer, is closing 2024 with a remarkable final spurt, but narrowly missed its revised annual target of 770 deliveries. According to insiders, the group delivered an impressive number of over 120 commercial aircraft in December, reducing its inventory levels. Nevertheless, just under 760 units remain at the end of the year - ten fewer than targeted. The cautious start to the year, due to bottlenecks in the supply chain, could not be fully compensated for by the strong performance in the final quarter. Despite this slight shortfall, the company's development shows that Airbus continues to play a leading role in the aviation industry. Successful final spurt despite difficult circumstances In the fourth quarter of 2024, Airbus delivered 13 more aircraft than in the same period last year, according to estimates by Bank of America analyst Benhamin Heelan. Over 110 aircraft are believed to have been delivered in December alone, with the popular A320 model playing a decisive role. Analyst Chloe Lemarie of Jefferies highlighted that the December figures could represent a 13 percent increase year-on-year, and Bloomberg reported nearly 120 deliveries. Inventories, a long-term indicator of the efficiency of the production chain, have also decreased, according to Lemarie. This is a positive sign, as Airbus has repeatedly struggled with delivery problems from its suppliers in recent years. Challenges in the supply chain The disruptions in the supply chain that have continued since the Corona pandemic have had a major impact on Airbus throughout 2024. Difficulties at engine manufacturers in particular caused delays. Company boss Guillaume Faury was already forced in the summer to raise the originally set target.

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Record year for ÖAMTC air rescue: More missions than ever before

Amely Mizzi 3 January 2025 09:30

The year 2024 will go down in the history of Austrian air rescue. With 22.203 missions, the Christophorus emergency medical helicopters of the ÖAMTC Air Rescue reached a new record, significantly exceeding the previous record from 2022 (21.934 missions). These figures underline the central role of air rescue in the Austrian rescue service. The expansion of the infrastructure, the high efficiency of the crews and the increased need for air rescue in emergency situations made the past year a turning point. Marco Trefanitz, Managing Director of ÖAMTC Air Rescue, explained: "Our fleet has once again proven how indispensable it is. Our efforts were particularly crucial during the flood disaster in autumn 2024." The new Christophorus 18 base, which has been in operation since April 2024, played a key role in this and complemented the dense air rescue network that stretches across the whole of Austria. Diverse range of operations The range of alerts included internal medical emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes as well as accidents in the alpine area, in traffic or in the home. Around 46,5 percent of the operations were acute medical emergencies. Leisure and household accidents accounted for 12,7 percent, while alpine sports and leisure accidents accounted for 10,9 percent. Traffic accidents were comparatively low at 6,7 percent. According to Trefanitz, a key advantage of air rescue is speed: "Especially in the case of heart attacks or strokes, the rapid availability of emergency medicine can make the difference between life and death." Top of the list among the bases The bases with the highest number of alerts in 2024 were Christophorus 6 in Salzburg with 1.867 alerts, Christophorus 9 in Vienna (1.692) and Christophorus Europa 3 in Suben (1.543). Especially in difficult-to-access areas, such as alpine regions,

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Turkish Airlines uses Boeing 777 on flights to Stuttgart

Belinda Borg 3 January 2025 09:03

Turkish Airlines plans to use the long-haul Boeing 4 model for flights to Stuttgart on January 6 and 2025, 777. The aircraft, which are equipped with 349 seats, will be used on flights TK1705 and TK1706, temporarily replacing smaller aircraft types. According to the Aero Routes portal, this measure is being implemented as part of a test operation to increase capacity on the Istanbul-Stuttgart route. In addition to the Boeing 777, the Airbus A4 and the Airbus A6 will also be used on the route between January 330 and 350. These aircraft also offer a higher seat capacity compared to the aircraft originally planned for this route. The decision to use different aircraft types on this route is likely related to demand during the travel season and the availability of aircraft. With this measure, Turkish Airlines wants to ensure that passengers find enough space on flights between Istanbul and Stuttgart during peak travel times.

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British Airways reforms frequent flyer program: Loyalty becomes more expensive

Jan Gruber 3 January 2025 08:39

British Airways' announcement that it is fundamentally redesigning its frequent flyer program is causing heated debate among customers and employees. From April 1, 2025, the current Executive Club will be renamed "The British Airways Club" and a revenue-based system will replace the previous model. With this step, the airline is aligning itself with international standards, but many regular customers find the changes a burden and do not feel that their previous loyalty is adequately rewarded. The revised system no longer rewards frequent flyers on the basis of distances traveled or cabin classes booked, but solely on the basis of financial expenditure with British Airways and its partners. For every pound spent, members receive a so-called Tier point. The thresholds for the various status levels are therefore increasing significantly: These amounts exclude taxes and fees, which further increases the threshold for many customers. By comparison, in the previous model, only 1.500 points were needed for Gold status, which could be achieved by combining flight distance and cabin class. Additional options for earning points British Airways has announced that in future points will not only be awarded for flights, but also for additional services such as seat selection, excess baggage and package holidays with British Airways Holidays. In addition, users of the American Express Premium Plus credit card can collect points, although there is a cap of 2.500 points per year. While these changes may suit some customers, many frequent flyers criticise the sheer height of the thresholds. Access to the coveted club lounges or benefits such as additional baggage will be out of reach for many former regular customers. Reactions from customers and employees The reaction to the reform is predominantly critical.

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Condor expands city connections for the 2025 summer flight schedule

Jan Gruber 3 January 2025 08:02

The German holiday airline Condor has announced that it is making changes to its city routes for the 2025 summer flight schedule. The airline plans to increase capacity on several routes in order to meet increasing demand. For example, Condor will be using the larger Airbus A320 between Frankfurt and Hamburg and on the Frankfurt-Munich and Frankfurt-Vienna routes instead of the previous Airbus A321. This will lead to an increase in seat capacity on these routes. In addition to the changes in the aircraft type, Condor has also adjusted its aircraft stationing. In summer 2025, the airline will withdraw five jets from Germany and instead station new aircraft in Zurich, Vienna, Prague, Milan and Rome. This will not only expand Condor's range of popular beach destinations, but also city break destinations. With this restructuring, Condor is responding to the growing demand for city breaks and offering its passengers a wider network of flight destinations. Especially with regard to the upcoming summer flight schedule, the airline is relying on greater flexibility in order to be able to optimally serve both classic holiday destinations and city trips. The portal Aeroroutes.com, which specializes in flight schedule data, was the first to report on the upcoming changes.

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Jeju Air Flight 2216 Tragedy: Progress in Investigation of Muan Crash

Belinda Borg 3 January 2025 07:36

The investigation into the crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216, which crashed in Muan, South Korea on November 27, 2024, and claimed 179 lives, is progressing. The focus is currently on the evaluation of the flight recorders, which could provide crucial clues to the cause of the accident. While the analysis of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) is already showing progress, the damaged flight data recorder (FDR) is causing considerable problems. It has been handed over to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States for further investigation. The flight data recorder, which stores essential technical information on the course of the flight, was badly damaged in the impact. In addition, an important connector necessary for data transmission is missing. Korean technicians made several attempts to repair the device on site, but had to accept that an analysis in South Korea is not possible. Ju Jong-wan, director of aviation policy at the South Korean Ministry of Transport, explained that the repair and data extraction must be carried out with the utmost caution in order not to jeopardize remaining information. The decision to send the FDR to the NTSB by plane was made to speed up the process. At the same time, the Ministry of Transport emphasized that South Korean investigators will remain closely involved in the analyses to ensure a comprehensive and balanced investigation. Initial findings from the cockpit voice recorder The evaluation of the cockpit voice recorder has shown that the pilots were in contact with air traffic control and decided to land on the opposite runway. A technical problem apparently prevented the landing gear from extending, which is why the Boeing 737-800 made a belly landing. This took place at high speed and without the flaps normally used for landing. Initial indications suggest that

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