Iraqi Airways is inviting bids from European operators to conduct services on its behalf to European destinations. The Baghdad-based flag carrier says it is looking for wet-lease offers, or "viable" alternative proposals, to serve a schedule to European cities under its traffic rights. Iraqi Airways is prohibited from operating within European Union airspace, having been individually blacklisted four years ago. The airline says any candidates must be European-registered and hold a valid European air operator's certificate. "Applications shall only be entertained from airlines operating the most modern aircraft fleets," it states, indicating that the average fleet age should not exceed six years. Aircraft should also have a two-class configuration including a business-class cabin. There must also be "reasonable" time intervals remaining before major maintenance checks, the carrier adds, while training should be provided to qualify Iraqi Airways crews to European Union Aviation Safety Agency standards.

Source: FlightGlobal

British Airways has outlined an ambitious strategy to minimise its carbon emissions, amid a flurry of industry concern that climate change will encourage passengers to reduce the amount they fly. "The responsibility was have is to fly sustainably," BA chief executive Alex Cruz told the Airlines 2050 event in London today. "This is one of the biggest factors affecting our industry. If there is a topic that is clearly here forever, then it's environmental sustainability." As part of its Flightplan Zero programme, the IAG-owned airline has committed itself to being carbon-neutral by 2050, in line with the UK government's target of net-zero emissions by that date. Along the way to that goal, BA is aiming for a net 10% reduction in CO2 emissions per passenger by 2025 and a 20% cuts by 2030, targets it says are tangible, measurable and accountable. The airline has also committed to offsetting the carbon for all UK domestic flights. "It sends the message of the direction we want to go in, and we want to carry on going in that direction," says Cruz. Production of sustainable fuels is one method by which the airline hopes to hit these targets. By 2030, BA believes that around 14 sustainable aviation fuel plants will be in operation in the UK, turning household and industrial waste into jet fuel, contributing around 8% of the country's total requirement. By 2050, that figure should rise to around 30% of UK aviation fuel being sustainable, "a very big chunk of the actual fuel consumption". Planning for the first plant has already begun. BA expects permissions to be received over the next few months and construction to be completed by 2021. Commercial quantities of jet fuel should start flowing around a year-and-a-half later. The project is being run in conjunction with Velocys and Shell. Other measures that BA has been using are bearing fruit already. Single-engine taxiing is, Cruz estimates, saving roughly 3,700 tonnes of CO2 per year; the removal of manuals from cockpits another 2300t; and lighter seats and food trolleys around 9100t and 3000t respectively. More significantly, improved accuracy of weather and wind information in flightplans is saving of around 12,500t of carbon per annum. New aircraft offer a bigger opportunity to cut carbon. BA has committed to spending an additional £6.5 billion ($8.3 billion) on new jets and foresees significantly reduced per-passenger emissions. "As I fly the Airbus 350, it is amazing how much more efficient it is," says Cruz. "We use the measure of 25% more efficient [for the aircraft], but we are seeing that on some routes it will be higher than 25%."

Source: FlightGlobal

A commuter airplane carrying 38 passengers, including a high school swim team, went off the runway while landing Thursday at a small Alaska community on the Bering Sea. The extent of injuries was not known, but a school official said the swim team was fine and eating pizza shortly after the incident about 5 p.m. Thursday at the airport in Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands. Unalaska is home to Dutch Harbor, one of the nation’s busiest fishing ports. A SAAB-Scania 2000 operated by Peninsula Airways, or PenAir, went off the end of the runway under unknown circumstances, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said in an email to The Associated Press. He said local authorities reported three crew members on board in addition to the passengers. PenAir is operated by Ravn Alaska, and the flight was marketed by Alaska Airlines. A post on the Alaska Airlines website said, “We’re still gathering information about the welfare of those onboard and the incident itself.” At least four people were injured, KUCB reported. Interim Police Chief John Lucking said there were no casualties, according to KUCB. City Manager Erin Reinders said all passengers and airline crew on the flight manifest were accounted for, according to a report by first responders, KUCB reported. The airline did not have immediate comment. Messages left with the National Transportation Safety Board were not immediately returned Thursday. However, he told Anchorage television station KTUU that he could not immediately say whether anyone died in the crash, citing the need for better investigation of the crash site hundreds of miles from Anchorage. “We’ve got a major investigation going here, and there’s all sorts of rumors going around,” he said. “We’re trying to get an investigator down, and the rest of the team will be coming from Washington, D.C.”

Source: Anchorage Daily News