Airlink to resume Nampula flights following 'reassurances'
January 10, 2025
South Africa's Airlink will resume flights to Nampula in Mozambique on 9 January, having cancelled them in recent days because of threats to seize its aircraft. The resumption follows "guidance and reassurances" from South African and Mozambican officials that the situation has been "defused sufficiently" without the airline's equipment being at risk, it states. Airlink withdrew services on 7 January after a local court ordered that its aircraft be seized following claims for damages raised by two Mozambican passengers who the airline had forced to disembark at Johannesburg, citing "unruly behaviour". Officials had on 28 December attempted to seize an Airlink aircraft at Nampula airport in connection with the incident. "While an attempt to seize our aircraft remains a possibility as long as the Nampula provincial-court order has not been withdrawn, we have been assured that local officials will not attempt to execute it," states Airlink chief executive Rodger Foster. "We maintain the court order, along with the claim against Airlink by two passengers who were recently offloaded from one of our flights... are flawed and without merit." Airlink argues that Mozambique's courts do not have jurisdiction to seize foreign-registered aircraft as security for civil claims. Furthermore, the incident occurred in South Africa, and the terms and conditions accepted by all customers on purchase of an Airlink ticket are governed by South African law, adds the airline. As part of the dispute, Airlink says it has contacted South Africa's departments of transport and of international relations and co-operation, as well as the country's civil aviation authority and its counterpart in Mozambique, the IACM.
Air Baltic concludes Starlink test flight on A220-300
January 09, 2025
Air Baltic has conducted a certification test flight of SpaceX's Starlink high-speed internet aboard an Airbus A220-300. The flight, departing from its home base in Riga, tested both the Starlink aero terminal and internet connection quality as it progresses towards obtaining certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Latvian carrier says. "This is a game-changer in the future of air travel, and the test flight brings us one step closer to revolutionising the travel experience for our passengers," says Air Baltic president and chief executive Martin Gauss. "We are thrilled to lead the way in Europe and be the first airline in this region to offer for free Starlink's reliable, high-speed internet. By integrating Starlink, we are set to elevate the travel experience for passengers across the airBaltic network throughout Europe and beyond." Air Baltic is working with Starlink to secure the necessary supplemental type certification (STC), which is further to be approved by EASA. The airline expects to begin installing Starlink on its single-type fleet of A220-300s in the first quarter of 2025.
Jeju Air cuts 11% of winter network post-crash
January 08, 2025
Jeju Air has cancelled more than 2,000 flights in the first quarter ending March as it grapples with the aftermath of the Boeing 737-800 crash that killed 179 people on 29 December 2024. The South Korean carrier had previously said it would be cutting 10-15% of its flights during the winter season to "enhance operational stability and punctuality". Schedule snapshot data comparing Jeju Air's flight schedules for the first quarter shows the total number of flights reducing from about 19,500 to 17,200 between 30 December and 6 January, representing a decrease of 11.5%. For the quarter, the carrier will suspend all flights from Muan to Nagasaki, Bangkok, Kota Kinabalu, Taipei and Zhangjiajie, according to a 3 January update on its website. Four-times-weekly flights from Busan to Clark will be cancelled from 22 January to 30 March, while daily flights to Kaohsiung will be suspended between 3 February and 29 March. Reduced domestic services include those from Jeju to Gimpo, Busan and Cheongju. Flights from Jeju to Muan are suspended for the entire quarter. As investigations into the crash continue, authorities have extended the closure of Muan International airport until 14 January, according to a 6 January update from South Korea's ministry of land, infrastructure and transport. The exact cause of the accident remains unclear, though authorities have converted audio files from the cockpit voice recorder into a transcript and the flight data recorder has been sent to the US for data extraction. Investigators are also conducting an in-depth analysis of key parts of the aircraft that have been retrieved, including its engines, cockpit panel and wings.