Canada to lift all Covid-19 travel restrictions in October
September 27, 2022
Canada starting 1 October will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against Covid-19 upon entering Canada, wear masks on aircraft, or to be placed in quarantine if they test positive for the virus, ending more than two years of government restrictions. Federal and provincial travel restrictions imposed within Canada since 2020 were stricter compared with the USA. The rate of new infections was consistently lower compared with the USA, World Health Organization data shows. The pandemic is still a threat in Canada, the nation’s health minister Jean-Yves Duclos states, adding that travellers should exercise caution but the vaccination rate combined with vigilant travel rules helped reduce the spread of the virus. “Thanks to Canadians who rolled up their sleeves and got vaccinated, we are able to take this great step towards easing measures and returning to normal,” Duclos says.
JetBlue to buy 25 million gallons of SAF from Air Company
September 26, 2022
JetBlue Airways has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Air Company to buy 25 million gallons of the carbon technology company's Airmade sustainable aviation fuel. New York-based Air Company has developed and deployed a single-step process for CO2-derived fuel production using renewable electricity to create its SAF product, JetBlue notes. The Airmade SAF will be delivered to JetBlue over five years, with a targeted start in 2027. The MoU comes on the heels of a direct capital investment into Air Company's Series A funding round from JetBlue Ventures, the New York-based airline says.
Boeing makes $200 million settlement with SEC over Max statements
September 26, 2022
Boeing and its former chief executive Dennis Muilenburg have consented to cease-and-desist orders that include penalties of $200 million and $1 million respectively, related to charges, disclosed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission on 22 September, over public statements following crashes of Boeing 737 Max aircraft in 2018 and 2019.
The SEC's order against Boeing states that the airframer failed to exercise reasonable care to ensure that statements in a November 2018 press release and April 2019 statements were not materially misleading, a process which would have involved ensuring that all facts necessary to make the statements not misleading under the circumstances were disclosed to investors. Boeing thus violated Sections 17(a)(2) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act, the SEC states. It makes similar claims against Muilenburg in its order against the former Boeing chief. Boeing and Muilenburg have consented to paying the penalties without admitting to or denying the SEC's findings, the commission states. The SEC notes that the two fatal crashes "involved" the Max jets' Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) flight-control function. One of the commission's accusations is that after the first crash, of Lion Air flight 610 on 29 October 2018, Boeing and Muilenburg assured the public that the Max was safe to fly despite knowing that the MCAS posed an ongoing airplane safety issue. Another SEC accusation is that after Ethiopian Airlines' flight 302 crashed on 10 March 2019, "Boeing and Muilenburg assured the public that there were no slips or gaps in the certification process with respect to MCAS, despite being aware of contrary information". Boeing says that it "will never forget those lost on Lion Air flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines flight 302, and we have made broad and deep changes across our company in response to those accidents – fundamental changes that have strengthened our safety processes and oversight of safety issues, and have enhanced our culture of safety, quality, and transparency". The airframer adds: "The settlement announced [on 22 September] fully resolves the SEC's previously disclosed inquiry into matters relating to the 737 Max accidents. The settlement specifies that Boeing does not admit or deny the findings in the SEC's statement of facts... [The] settlement is part of the company's broader effort to responsibly resolve outstanding legal matters related to the 737 Max accidents in a manner that serves the best interests of our shareholders, employees and other stakeholders." Muilenburg left his chief executive and board posts at Boeing in December 2019.. On 18 November 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration's administrator at the time, Steve Dickson, signed an order enabling the grounded Max fleet to return to commercial service.