Thomas Cook Airlines' Scandinavian division has resumed flights, restoring services a day after the collapse of the main UK tour operator. The Scandinavian arm, based in Copenhagen, had initially been forced to ground its fleet – about a dozen Airbus A330s and A321s – after Thomas Cook Group filed for insolvency. But it says it received clearance 24h later and flights were restored on 24 September. The carrier operates on behalf of the Danish tour operator Spies, which states that it is "not part" of the Thomas Cook Group insolvency and is continuing as an independent company. Spies has been associated with Thomas Cook Group since 2007, and says the failure led to "serious consequences" including the necessity to conduct a "complete overview" of the company's operations – which forced the Scandinavian arm to "keep aircraft on the ground". "We are aware that [this suspension] created unrest and uncertainty," says Spies chief executive Jan Vendelbo. But he says that Spies and its sister companies, along with Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia, are healthy Nordic travel firms. "We are an independent and profitable entity, which is why we have already been able to secure our continued operations, with the support of our banks and creditors," he adds. Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia is operating several services on 25 September to destinations including resorts in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.

Source: FlightGlobal

The US Federal Aviation Administration is set to urge ICAO to address pilot training deficiencies that may leave some of the world's airline pilots unprepared to manually fly aircraft when automated systems fail. Representatives from the agency will bring up their concerns about training shortcomings and a related concept called "automation dependency" during ICAO's 40th assembly, occurring now in Montreal. The meeting kicks off as the aviation industry continues grappling with pilot training and automation questions that have simmered for years but became salient following several accidents, including but not limited to recent crashes of two Boeing 737 Max. Those particular crashes spurred criticism of a Boeing flight control system that contributed to the accidents, but also raised questions about the pilots' response. The FAA's concerns turn on the theory that many pilots lost or never attained adequate manual flying skills because they have come to rely on increasingly complex automated systems designed largely to prevent pilot error in the first place, according to a paper outlining the FAA's recommendations. But technological reliance has left some pilots unprepared for emergencies, it says. "When automation systems do not work as intended or do not work well in the operational situation, pilots without sufficient manual flight control experience and proper training may be reluctant or may not be adequately skilled to take control of the aircraft," says the paper, available from ICAO. "As the use of automation increases in aircraft design, it is important to consider how ICAO standards and guidance should evolve to ensure that pilot training programmes align with technological advancements," it adds. The paper's key points will be presented to ICAO's technical commission by the FAA and representatives of Canada, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago, the paper says. The FAA has not said the date its representatives will present their concerns. The agency will ask ICAO to "identify the scope of automation dependency", identify standards related to manual flying, assess airlines' training programmes and review the need for new standards, says the paper. The FAA and its partners will also urge ICAO to recommend that states take steps themselves to ensure their pilots have adequate manual flight training.

Source: FlightGlobal

Over 1,000 flights are being planned for the two-week 'Operation Matterhorn' repatriation programme following leisure giant Thomas Cook Group's collapse. The first day of the programme, 23 September, involved 64 flights and the transport of more than 14,700 passengers – over 95% of those due to return from holiday on that date, says the UK Civil Aviation Authority. It states that another 74 flights carrying 16,500 customers are scheduled to operate on 24 September, and that more than 1,000 flights will be carried out by the time the repatriation ends on 6 October. "We will do everything we can to minimise [disruption to passengers] as the operation continues," says chief executive Richard Moriarty. It has not identified specific carriers involved in the repatriation but various operators – from flag carriers and budget airlines to wet-lease specialists and leisure airlines – were recruited to conduct a similar effort when Monarch Airlines ceased flying two years ago. Thomas Cook Airlines, ironically, had been among the carriers assisting with that programme, and the airline subsequently picked up several ex-Monarch aircraft to add to its own fleet.

Source: FlightGlobal