Indian investigators probing the fatal Boeing 737-800 overrun at Kozhikode are likely to examine whether tailwinds might have further complicated a night landing in wet conditions, at an airport classified by the country’s regulator as ‘critical’ owing to its table-top design. At least 18 occupants of the Air India Express flight, including both pilots, did not survive after the jet broke up after overrunning runway 10 on arrival from Dubai. Meteorological data from Kozhikode airport indicates wind from 260° at the time which would have generated an 11kt tailwind component in the landing direction. Investigators have yet to clarify whether the aircraft initially intended to land on the opposite direction runway 28. It had approached from the west, aligned with runway 10, before breaking left and circling round, descending along the centreline of 28. The aircraft then climbed away and re-established itself on the runway 10 approach. Western India is currently immersed in the June-September monsoon season. Rain showers and mist at Kozhikode had reduced visibility at the time of the landing to 2,000m, and thunderstorm activity had been present in the vicinity. Critical airports require special operational qualifications for the crew as they pose particularly challenging conditions, such as their runway length, terrain, or prevailing weather conditions. Kozhikode had featured in a list of 11 airports designated ‘critical’ by Indian regulators after another Air India Express 737-800 overran at Mangalore in May 2010 – having also, coincidentally, arrived from Dubai. While the table-top runway at Mangalore was dry, and winds calm, the aircraft had landed long and the captain tried belatedly to abort. Table-top runways are positioned on elevated terrain with steep slopes outside of the runway boundary, posing the risk of serious structural damage in the event of an overrun. Kozhikode’s runway 10 is 2860m (9,380ft) long and is equipped with landing aids including ILS. It features a runway end safety area around 90m in length. The runway’s slope is slightly positive – although only 0.12% upwards. India’s aeronautical information publication states that operators must ensure captains and flight crew operating to the airport at night have “sufficient experience in terms of flying hours” as well as daylight operating experience at Kozhikode. All approaches at night must be initiated only with an instrument procedure, it adds. The airline’s standard procedures required the captain to carry out approach and landings to critical airports. Air India Express says the captain of the ill-fated Kozhikode flight, an ex-air force pilot, was “experienced” on the 737-800 and had previously flown Airbus A310s, adding that he was an “accomplished” fighter pilot.

Source: Cirium

British Airways has begun informing thousands of staff whether they will be made redundant, as part of its plan to cut 12,000 positions. Around half of these planned redundancies will be voluntary, the IAG-owned carrier says, with staff who are being given forced redundancies being informed today. “Our half year results, published last week, clearly show the enormous financial impact of Covid-19 on our business. We are having to make difficult decisions and take every possible action now to protect as many jobs as possible.”, the carrier says. "And, while we never could have anticipated being in a position of making redundancies, more than 6,000 of our colleagues have now indicated that they wish to take voluntary redundancy from BA." Of the 6,000 staff who have opted for voluntary redundancy, around 4,500 are cabin crew working out of Heathrow and Gatwick. Staff who are being retained are also being informed whether they will continue on the same employment conditions or will be required to sign contracts. Non-retained staff will have the option to join the company’s Priority Return Talent Pool, that will fast track former staff into new roles that become available. British Airways says the cuts are necessary because it is currently flying less than 20% of its expected schedule and is burning through £20 per day, while its largest markets, the USA and India, remain closed. The carrier posted a second quarter loss of £711m on 31 July.

Source: Cirium

The US State Department has lifted its blanket global travel advisory warning citizens not to travel overseas after determining that the situation around the spread of the coronavirus has improved enough globally to be able to differentiate between potential travel destinations. But the advisories do not change the fact that US citizens remain unwelcome guests in other parts of the world. The USA is currently classified as a “high-risk” country in the eyes of other nations due to widespread coronavirus infections. “With health and safety conditions improving in some countries and potentially deteriorating in others, the department is returning to our previous system of country-specific levels of travel advice,” it says on 6 August. “We continue to recommend US citizens exercise caution when travelling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic.” The State Department has a system of designating a danger level between one (“exercise normal precautions”) and four (“do not travel”) for overseas travel. Each country is given a rating according to several risk factors including health, terrorist, crime, national disaster and others. The blanket “do not travel” advisory had been in effect since 19 March. The agency says that it continues to closely monitor health and safety conditions around the world, working in partnership with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and will continue to advise citizens of any changes in status.
“We, in concert with CDC, identified over time that the global [level] four was no longer accurate,” says US deputy assistant secretary for overseas citizen services Karen King. “It was very clear that a number of countries were coming down in terms of the risk posed. CDC led and we followed in making this adjustment so we can be more accurate.” But the State Department’s advisories are merely suggestions for US citizens, who, throughout the global pandemic, were never forbidden by US law or regulations from travelling overseas. Nonetheless, the USA was and remains “high risk” in the eyes of other countries due to the rising number of cases and the decentralised response to the pandemic.
Therefore, numerous other nations continue to limit US citizens’ ability to travel even if they wanted to
This easing of the advisory levels is just a first step to get international air travel back and running again. Airlines for America, a trade group representing many major US carriers, says on 6 August that it “appreciates” the announcement, and remains “committed to restoring international service in a manner that prioritizes the well-being of our passengers and employees”.

Source: Cirium