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Weekly UpdatesMay 3, 2009
Alarmed by the spread of a new swine flu virus, airports around the world have rushed to install temperature scanners to identify the sick, but the microbe is proving too clever for modern technology. Experts say an infected person can easily pass through these heat sensors without detection as the incubation period for influenza ranges anywhere between one and three days. "The scanners won't pick up everyone (with flu), especially if they are too early in the infection... People who have been infected very, very recently wouldn't show up on the scanner," Mark von Itzstein, director of the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia said. "You can imagine somebody who is just infected boards the plane in Singapore and heads toward Hong Kong. There would not be enough time for the apparatus to pick it up because he would not have developed significant fever." The new H1N1 swine flu virus, which has killed 159 people in Mexico, has been found in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Britain, Israel and Spain. Apr 30, 2009
Latest reports on the new swine flu said that Spain and Britain also have confirmed cases of the new swine flu, and many other countries have suspected infections. Mexico City is at the centre of the outbreak and many residents are staying in their homes while schools, churches, movie theaters and restaurants have all been shut down. Airline share prices declined again on Tuesday on fears that they could see a sharp drop in traffic. European and Asian stock markets retreated, but better-than-expected US consumer confidence data provided some relief and US shares made gains. Oil edged below USD$50 a barrel and investors cut their exposure to riskier currencies. The virus is not caught from eating pig meat products but several countries, led by Russia and China, banned US pork imports. The EU said it has no plans to restrict pig meat products from the United States. "Markets are doing what they tend to do, taking fright," said Howard Wheeldon, strategist at BGC Partners in London. "But in my view, it's totally unnecessary." Apr 29, 2009
Dassault
Dassault's Falcon 2000LX business jet received certification from the FAA yesterday and it received EASA certification last month. The first delivery of the aircraft is set for early May. The 2000LX programme involved the joint efforts of Dassault Falcon and Aviation Partners Inc. in Seattle, Washington. Dassault is responsible for new production aircraft while Aviation Partners, the owner of the FAA Supplemental Type Certificate, is responsible for the retrofit of "in service" Falcon 2000 aircraft. May 1, 2009
Embraer
Embraer's Phenom 100 has clinched European validation, four months after the very light jet received Brazilian and US certification. The Brazilian airframer introduced the six-seat aircraft in 2005 and has delivered 12 to date. The first Phenom 100 is earmarked for delivery to the first European customer shortly. Meanwhile, its larger light jet stablemate, the Phenom 300, is undergoing natural ice and lightning tests in the USA. Cold-soak tests are expected to begin before the of the second quarter at Eglin AFB in Florida. The Phenom 300 is earmarked for Brazilian and US approval by year-end and European approval in around 12 months. Apr 27, 2009
France
France has said it will ask EU health ministers to suspend all flights to Mexico because of the virus, which has killed up to 176 people in Mexico and is spreading around the world. A European Commission official said Wednesday EU countries can impose individual travel restrictions but the EU's executive cannot impose an EU-wide ban. Noting that many governments have already issued travel warnings, the Association of European Airlines said such measures could do more harm than good unless coordinated. And global airlines body IATA said the World Health Organization had advised against closing borders. Most airlines have so far maintained flights as normal, but Spanish carrier Air Europa reduced links with Mexico, saying it would cut charter flights to one from five a week. Among other major European airlines, Spanish carrier Iberia operates 12 flights a week to Mexico, and Lufthansa flies there once a day. Neither company has so far indicated plans to change that schedule. As SARS spread, Asian air travel collapsed, driving down monthly passenger numbers around the world by up 21 percent, according to IATA. The flu has spread from Mexico to countries including the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and New Zealand. The World Health Organization has raised its alert level and said a swine flu pandemic was imminent. May 1, 2009
IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) emphasized that airlines are prepared for the heightened level of alert following the World Health OrganizationOs (WHO) decision to move to Phase 5 of its pandemic preparedness plan. IATA has worked with WHO to prepare guidance materials for front-line staff at airlines, including cabin crew, maintenance workers, cleaners, passenger agents and cargo/baggage handlers. WHO advises there should be no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities. Some governments, however, are adjusting immigration procedures, which can create confusion for travelers. IATA is collecting new requirements through the IATA Travel Centre. Passengers can get the most up-to-date information on travel documentation requirements at www.iatatravelcentre.com. May 1, 2009
IATA
Recent IATA analysis shows a degree of optimism that emerged in financial markets in April has been dampened by the outbreak of the swine flu. IATA says that although the Bloomberg Airlines Index in April was still trending lower than yearend 2008 levels; it was up by 15 percent during the month. "In the past couple of days fears over swine flu took 5 percent-10 percent points off that increase," says the association. As the full effects of swine flu have yet to be realized, capacity cuts instituted by carriers in response to the global economic downturn appear to be lagging the slump in passenger demand. May 1, 2009
IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Thursday airlines were prepared to deal with the swine flu outbreak and noted the World Health Organization was not calling for restriction of regular travel. The industry body warned earlier this week that swine flu will compound financial problems for airlines, already hard hit by the global economic crisis, which pushed passenger numbers down 11.1 percent in March compared with a year ago. It said passengers should be reassured that the environment in plane cabins was safe due to air filtration systems similar to those in hospitals, regular disinfecting and crew trained in handling those who might become ill on board. It noted the WHO had advised there should be no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders, although people who are ill should delay international travel. "WHO is the global expert," said IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani in a statement. IATA, which represents 230 airlines has said airlines would lose USD4.7 billion this year as a result of the economic downturn that has kept people and cargo from flying. May 1, 2009
Lufthansa
Lufthansa announced contingency plans to cut flights and drop routes amid a crisis worsened by swine flu, but global airlines warned governments against overreacting to the outbreak. Lufthansa, which has been slower than other carriers to reduce capacity because of the economic downturn, said it could cut seats on long-haul flights by up to 8 percent this year if demand continued to deteriorate. Thursday's comments came as European Union health ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, prepared to discuss coordination of possible restrictions on travel to and from Mexico following the outbreak of swine flu there. Lufthansa's Chief Financial Officer Stephan Gemkow said he expected the impact of swine flu on his own company to be less severe than that of the 2003 SARS epidemic, in the worst case. Lufthansa said late Wednesday it would place doctors on its flights to Mexico who would be able to detect an infection with swine flu early and treat affected passengers. For now, Lufthansa plans to cut the number of seats it offers on its planes by 1.1 percent this year. May 1, 2009
Mexico
Health ministers from EU countries were yesterday (April 30) meeting in Luxembourg to discuss a co-ordinated response to the outbreak of swine flu. The minister ere expected to discuss a call by the French health minister Roselyne Bachelot to ban on air travel between Europe and Mexico where the disease first broke out. But it was unclear whether the EU has the power to order airlines not to fly to Mexico. A spokesman for the UK Department for Transport said it was a matter for individual airlines. BA, Air France KLM, Iberia and Lufthansa were all operating normal services to the Central American country. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said airlines were "prepared for the heightened level of alert" after the World Health Organisation (WHO) had upgraded to Level 5 its assessment of the risk of a pandemic from the flu.www.iata.org www.fco.gov.uk www.who.int http://ec.europa.eu Apr 30, 2009
Rega
Swiss air ambulance and mountain rescue operator Rega flew more than 14,000 missions in 2008, a 5 percent hike on its 2007 tally. The Zurich-headquartered company, which operates a fleet of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, is flying an average of 39 daily missions. Of the 14,215 flights, 10,425 of these were undertaken by helicopters, the first time the number of rotary-wing missions has topped the 10,000-mark. Rega is set to take delivery over the next two years of its 11 AgustaWestland AW109 Da Vincis, which have been developed for Rega by the Anglo Italian airframer. The aircraft will replace ageing A109K2s. Apr 27, 2009
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