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UK Snow: Passengers Face Further Misery As More Snow Sweeps Britain
Ttimes News Entertainment
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After days of disruption with travellers sleeping at airport terminals and railway stations, most services are expected to get moving again.
However, although Heathrow Airport’s second runway reopened last night, only two-thirds of flights are expected to run today.
Eurostar services are also subject to long delays due to speed restrictions on the French high speed network and nine trains have been cancelled.
With heavy snow falling in many parts of the country again this morning, the Met Office has also issued severe weather warnings for the midlands, north Wales and south west England.
Forecasters also warned that a thaw is unlikely any time soon with temperatures struggling to rise above freezing for the rest of the week.
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Andy Ratcliffe, forecaster at MeteoGroup, said: "The cold spell will keep its grip on the country at least until the weekend."
Prime Minister David Cameron expressed his "frustration" at the length of the disruption at Heathrow, while airlines accused BAA of failing to have enough de-icers to cope with the situation.
Speaking at a Downing Street news conference yesterday, Mr Cameron said: "If it's understandable that Heathrow had to close briefly, I'm frustrated on behalf of all those affected that it's taking so long for the situation to improve."
Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, chief executive of airline BMI, told The Times the Heathrow situation was "completely unacceptable".
"BAA was not prepared," he said. "It did not have enough de-icing fluid.
"The Prime Minister has stepped in and de-icing fluid has been released from other sources.
"This should have been possible without this kind of intervention."
The EU Commission also slammed Europe's air travel disruption as unacceptable and urged airports to "get serious" about better planning for bad weather.
Heathrow's second runway finally reopened at 5pm yesterday but BAA chief executive Colin Matthews warned people not to expect normal services immediately and urged them to check before going to the airport.
"It is good news to see aircraft taking off and landing from two runways but it's really important that passengers understand that doesn't mean the full schedule is going to be restored instantly," he told Sky News.
"It's not just two runways we need – we need every other link in the chain to be fully up to speed and it's going to take some time to do that."
Mr Matthews also pledged to investigate how the situation was dealt with and why it took so long to clear snow from aircraft – but only after the "short-term" aim of getting passengers to where they needed to be had been achieved.
Asked about the plight of the thousands of passengers affected by the shutdown, he said: "It is heartbreaking – the stories which we hear of people who are missing holidays, weddings, important family events and looking at whether or not they can get home for Christmas.
"That's why we are focused as hard as we can be on building up the rate at which aircraft come and go to get passengers where they want to be.
"When that's done, we will trawl all over this to find out what we need to do differently.
Big Freeze Cancels City Flights
Ttimes News
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All British Airways flights departing from London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports have been cancelled between 10am and 5pm on Saturday, said the airline.
A spokesman said: "Severe disruption is expected at all London airports. As a result all flights departing from London Heathrow will be cancelled between 1000 and 1700 UK time. Please do not travel to the airport if you are due to depart between these times."
Passengers were advised not to go to the airport unless they had a confirmed booking on a new flight.
A fleet of 47 snow ploughs, tractors and other vehicles were deployed in a frantic effort to clear the snow from the runway at Gatwick as it continued to fall.
Some 150 staff were drafted in to carry out the operation in an attempt to clear the ground and create safe conditions for take-offs.
But as soon as a patch was cleared, it was almost instantly covered again by another coating.
Regulations require the airport to suspend flights if snow lies thicker than 3cm on the ground.
And the heavy snowfall was expected to continue for at least another hour.
Extra ground staff were working in the terminal to deal with frustrated and disappointed passengers facing long waits.
Free internet access was provided to help would-be travellers book alternative flights and attempt to rescue their holiday plans.
Woman Slumps, Dies After Drinking at Lagos Airport .
Nigerian Compass Reporting
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An intending IRS Airline passenger to Abuja, Mrs Chinyere Njebu, who slumped while drinking at a restaurant at the Domestic Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, is dead.
The woman was pronounced dead on Monday night in a Lagos hospital.
Eye witness accounts told the Nigerian Compass that the late Njebu, who came in company with a friend had arrived at the Barcelors Restaurant, located on the second floor of the domestic terminal where they ordered for two cans of Guinness stout.
The eyewitness accounts said the woman suddenly slumped while drinking from the can of the alcoholic drink.
Confirming the story, a supervisor at the eatery, Mr. Taofeek Atowobi, said all efforts by some medical personnel who were also eating in the restaurant at the same time the incident happened, failed to resuscitate the woman who was confirmed dead in the hospital.
Atoyebi said: “The woman in question came in here in company of a man, sat down here (pointing to a chair) and ordered for two cans of Guinness stout which were served. That was about 8.30 a.m. waiting till the time their flight would be called. But suddenly, the woman slumped on the floor and people rushed to her aid. A medical doctor who was also having his breakfast in the restaurant came in and gave her first aid.
The doctor asked the man if the lady was hypertensive which the man confirmed. On arrival, the medical team of Bi- Courtney Aviation Services Limited, the operators of the airport terminal, took her away in their ambulance to an undisclosed hospital. They were checking her pulse beats as they were taking her away in a stretcher to the ambulance but it was unfortunate to hear this morning after we resumed that the woman is dead.”
Also confirming the story, a police source claimed that the incident actually happened and the woman died on the way to the hospital but the family of the deceased had come to identify and claim the body. The family, according to the police source, confirmed that the deceased had been suffering from hypertension and asthma.
A statement issued by the Media Relations & Brand Management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited and signed by Chukwudum Ofomata, says: “About 12 noon yesterday, an intending IRS passenger to Abuja named Chinyere Njebu, slumped while having a drink at Barcellos Restaurant in the terminal. The security personnel at the food court immediately alerted BASL and Zenith Medical within the terminal, and she was rushed to Eko Hospital with an ambulance.
“A medical doctor who was around the area attended to her, prior to the
arrival of Zenith Medical Team. She was pronounced dead yesterday evening at the hospital.”
Fake Committee Approved N5.6bn Aviation Contract, Witness Insists
EFCC Counsel Objected To The Reservations
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A principal prosecution witness, Reuben Omosigho in the on-going trial of former Aviation minister, Prof Babalola Borishade and four others on Wednesday September 22, 2010 insisted that a former Personal Assistant to the ex-minister, Mr T.A Dairo made oral and written confessions during his interrogation that the committee that approved the N5.6 billion aviation contract was a phantom one.
The former minister is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 15 count amended charge along with Rowland Iyayi, T. A. Dairo, George Eider and Avsatel Communications Limited before Justice Umar Sadiq of the FCT high court, Maitama Abuja.
At the resumed hearing of the case today, the principal prosecution witness, Omosigho, stressed that in the course of his interview with third accused person, T.A. Dairo, voluntarily wrote in his statement that he served as the secretary to the phantom committee that awarded the N5.6 billion aviation contract on the instructions of Prof Borisade.
He told the court that the third accused person was not under any duress when he was writing his statement as claimed by the Counsel to the 3rd accused Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN.
Counsel to the 3rd accused person Awomolo had in his effort to discredit the witness said the witness was being evasive in his responses, but the prosecution Counsel Serbastine Hon objected, saying that the prosecution was only trying to contradict the witness, prolongs the trial within trial in a bid to delay the substantive case.
The EFCC counsel thereafter prayed the court to discountenance the submission of the defence counsel, and grant the witness avenue to tell the court what transpired during the investigation.
The prosecution had on Tuesday equally accused the defence of employing deliberate antics aimed at delaying the trial.
In the course of cross examining the principal prosecution witness, counsel to the former minister, Keyinde Ogunwumiju, faulted the admissibility of “exhibit N” saying that the exhibit was desperately
procured to discredit Borishade. He expressed reservations about the genuineness of the exhibit. However, EFCC counsel, Hon, SAN, objected to the reservations made by the defence counsel saying it was a deliberate trick to delay the trial of all the accused persons. He submitted that trial within trial was very narrow and must be within the confines of the law.
He reminded defence counsel that admissibility of exhibits was the bone of contention that led to trial within trial in the substantive case and should be avoided in order to accelerate the trial. Earlier, Omosigho had told the court that the statement of T. A. Dairo, was given voluntarily, adding that the issue of duress did not arise in the course of investigation. “Dairo personally wrote that Borishade did not constitute a committee, there was no bidding for the contract, all the people that signed as members of the committee were clerks in the minister’s office while Dairo signed as secretary of the committee”, the witness disclosed.
The matter has been adjourned till October 19 and 20 for further hearing.
Airlines Risk Ash Filled Skies Flight
Thousands of Flight Still Cancelled
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Airlines make test flights amid wait for clear skies
Flight restrictions: thousands of flights were cancelled for a third day in most of central and northern Europe (AFP: Mehdi Fedouach)
Video: Qantas flights affected by volcano ash (ABC News Breakfast) Video: Iceland volcano grounds flights (7pm TV News NSW) Video: Airport meltdown after Iceland volcano eruption (Lateline) Audio: Volcanic ash continues to cause air travel chaos (AM) Audio: Ash cloud slices into European economy (AM) Related Story: Chaos continues as ash drifts across Europe Related Story: Ash clouds global economy Related Story: Travellers fed up with flight nightmare Related Story: Ash cloud to blanket Europe for days Photo Gallery: Volcano erupts in Iceland Dutch and German airlines have carried out test flights over Europe and say their planes appeared undamaged by a volcanic ash cloud that has forced airports to close across the continent.
A plume of ash spreading from Iceland has led to massive air travel disruptions in recent days, and problems are getting worse as the cloud spreads south-east across Europe.
The volcanic ash contains tiny particles of glass and pulverised rock, which can melt in plane engines, causing a loss of power.
Dutch airline KLM says if further examinations show its test flight to have been successful, it hopes to fly seven planes back from Germany to Amsterdam on Sunday (local time) and get permission to partially restart its operations.
KLM says it flew a two-engine Boeing 737-800 over the Netherlands at the regular altitude of 10 kilometres, at the maximum 13 kilometres, and at other levels.
"We have found nothing unusual, neither during the flight, nor during the first inspection on the ground," KLM chief executive Peter Hartman, who took part in the test flight, said.
"If the technical examination confirms this image, we are ready tomorrow to fly back our seven planes from Duesseldorf to Amsterdam.
"We then hope to get permission as soon as possible to partially restart our operations and get our passengers to their destinations."
Germany's Lufthansa says it flew 10 planes to Frankfurt from Munich, mostly flying at a 'visual level' of 3,000 metres while also testing conditions through to a height of 8,000 metres.
"All airplanes have been inspected on arrival in Frankfurt but there was no damage to the cockpit windows or fuselage and no impact on the engines," company spokesman Aage Duenhaupt said.
The situation for people booked on flights to Europe is getting worse, with flights in and out of Britain and much of Europe still grounded and more destinations becoming off-limits to planes.
Thousands of flights have been cancelled for a third day in most central and northern regions of the continent, and the lifting of flight restrictions is creeping further and further away as the plume of ash continues to spread, shutting down more airports.
Singapore Airlines spokeswoman Susan Bredow says it normally flies 1,000 passengers a day to Europe from Australia, so there is a huge backlog.
"[The situation] has deteriorated. Some ports that were still open yesterday are now closed today," she said.
Ms Bredow says Europe-bound passengers flying out of Australia are being urged to stay at home.
The airline does not know when it will be able to fly into Europe again but is rebooking people on flights later this week.
Qantas has cancelled all inbound and outbound services to Europe. Its passengers are being transferred to the next available scheduled flight or offered a refund.
In the UK, all flights to and from London's airports are suspended until at least 10pm on Sunday (local time).
Some airlines have already said they are not flying into northern Europe until Monday at the earliest.
But industry insiders worry the situation is a little more dire. They predict movement is four or five days away at best.
Airlines are losing more than $200 million a day and are watching their share prices fall.
Iceland's volcano continues to belch out ash and grit and scientists warn this could be the case for weeks and even months.
Imports like fruit and pharmaceutical supplies are expected to start dwindling and some airlines have foreshadowed staff layoffs.
The only silver lining is the roaring trade being enjoyed by ferry, train and taxi services.
Airspace is partially or completely closed in at least 23 countries.
- Reuters/ABC
Nigerian Would Be Terrorist Attempts To Bomb A US Flight
The Delta Flight To Detroit Landed Safely With All Passengers
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A Nigerian passenger attempted to ignite device aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Friday as the plane began its approach for landing, the plane however landed safely about twelve noon Detroit time.
The suspected bomber suffered burns as the result of his attempt, and two other on the flight reported minor injuries, authorities said. The White House believe this to be a terrorist act and the FBI is investigating the event. The suspect is in US Custoday and all passengers are currently been investigated in US custody.
"He was trying to ignite some kind of incendiary device," said a federal anti-terrorism official. "He lit himself on fire and he's suffered some burns." The nature of the explosive device is not released at this time and it was too early to say how potent or sophisticated it was. The passenger has been identified as a Nigerian who began traveling from Nigeria and caught the flight in Amsterdam, the anti-terrorism official said. A Passenger Syed Jafri, a U.S. citizen who had flown from the United Arab Emirates, said the incident occurred during the plane's descent. Jafri said he was seated three rows behind the passenger and saw a glow and smelled smoke. Then, he said, there was a lot of panic.
The focus on whether the Nigerian acted alone or had training from Al Qaeda or another network. There will be great interest also in the nature and destructive capacity of the explosive device and on how it got past airport security screeners. Nigerians have not figured in many cases involving Al Qaeda, but the rise of violent Islamic extremism in that country, and in sub-Saharan Africa overall, concerns Western anti-terrorism officials.
Reports on recent investigation revealed that the ingenious technology in plots have been developed in Pakistan by Abu Ubaida al Masri, terrorist groups linked to Al Queda, revealed to involved teams of two or three attackers smuggling aboard explosives and separate ignition devices to blow up planes bound for North America.
Arik Air of Nigeria To Start Abuja London Newyork Flights
By Innocent Asah
LAGOS - Arik Air said yesterday it had concluded plans to commence direct flight from Abuja to London Heathrow with effect from next Thursday.
This comes as the airline had earlier finalised plans to fly direct into New York, USA from November 29, 2009.
Managing Director of Arik Air, Mr. Jason Holt, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the airline had always looked forward to fly from Abuja to London because of the historical ties between Nigeria and Britain. Holt said: "Arik Air is extremely proud to connect Nigeria's federal capital directly with London. The introduction of direct flights between Abuja and Nigerian state capitals has been at the forefront of Arik Air's domestic expansion strategy. "London has always been of great importance for Nigerians and the airline first launched non-stop flights between Lagos and London Heathrow on December 15, 2008.
Air Bus Airplane Order Dropped By African Country
Price have Skyrocketed
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South Africa canceled a multibillion-dollar order for the Airbus A400M troop transport plane Thursday, dealing a painful blow to the program just weeks before the aircraft was expected to make its long-delayed first flight. The price had swollen to $5.2 billion, since the order was placed in 2004. The cost escalation represented an “unaffordable burden” on the country’s taxpayers during the current economic downturn, Mr. Maseko told reporters in Cape Town.
Airbus is left with just one export customer for the A400M: Malaysia, which placed a firm order in 2005 for four planes, originally due to be delivered in 2013. Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Turkey jointly ordered 180 of the planes in 2003 — a €20 billion, or $30 billion, deal that remains the largest ever European military contract. South Africa’s decision, while costly for EADS, could make those negotiations “slightly easier,” said Sash Tusa, an aerospace consultant in London. “Assuming the program survives, it will be a lot easier to rearrange deliveries for the European customers.”
Saudi Arabia Lauches New Pilgrimage Airline
More Pilgrims Can Fly To Haj
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Saudi-based pilgrimage airline Alwafeer Air has obtained an operating license and is expected to start flying during the haj season in November, an official said Sunday.
The Jeddah-based airline is the kingdom's fourth after state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines and low budget carriers Nas Air and Sama.
"Today they received their Air Operation Certificate (AOC) but they will not start yet," said Abdulhalim Felemban, supervisor of economic planning at the General Authority of Civil Aviation.
"It will take time but it will definitely operate in haj," he said.
The charter airline will focus on flying pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Madina, starting with three Boeing 747 aircraft, and may expand its fleet to eight planes within three years.
More than two million pilgrims from around the world flock to Mecca to perform the annual haj. Umra, the minor pilgrimage, can be done throughout the year.
Alwafeer aims to attract "the largest share of the haj and umra transportation", the carrier said on its website without giving details
Cameroons Red Tape Blame for Crash Poor Recovery
TTimes World Report Africa
Kenyan investigators at the site of kenyan Airlines crash in Cameroons, who include military and aviation specialists, admit they have been ruffling feathers in dealing with their hosts, who they find inflexible.
"There is too much red tape here. Even when we are faced with a deadline to recover the body parts before they totally decompose," an investigator who sought anonymity told me.
Kenya Airways Chief Executive Titus Naikuni, however, told a press conference in Douala that they respect Cameroon's authority as the main investigators. Joshua Osih, an aviation consultant in Douala, concedes that the local crisis team has been, to a large extent, a let down.
"The professionals have been pushed aside in favour of politicians and this has resulted in the mission delays," says Mr Osih.
Despite the urgency of the task, the crisis committee has failed to assemble the appropriate equipment for search operations - even though air force helicopters are readily available in Cameroon, he said
Bodies
Observers have also questioned the initial use of unqualified personnel to search for the bodies at the wreckage.
Before the Cameroon Red Cross took charge, local villagers who had volunteered were being supervised at a distance by the police, as they combed the mangrove swamp for visible bodies or body parts.
"We appreciate the goodwill of the local people but in this case close professional supervision would have improved the pace," a Kenyan official lamented.
By Wednesday evening, human parts that can make up 76 bodies had been recovered from the wreckage.
Kenya Airways has flown forensic experts in from the United Kingdom to help with the identification of the bodies; earlier reports said France will also assist in the process.
Dozens of relatives of the victims have flown or driven into Douala to assist in the process.
The airline is providing counselling services at a crisis centre set up at the centre of the city. Several religious leaders have also been hosting prayer sessions for them as they mourn.
"We lack a sizeable mortuary that will accommodate the forensic process and matching of the body parts that will reconstruct the victims," Mr Osih said.
The ideal situation is for the Cameroon authorities to begin the process of perhaps setting up refrigerated cargo containers to serve as makeshift morgues, but nothing is being implemented, observed Mr Osih.
He conceded that the plane crash has been a wake-up call for Cameroon's authorities to set up a proper and professional disaster preparedness team.
"Going by what happened to the plane it's clear that however rapid the authorities were no lives would have been saved, but we should learn from these mistakes and improve for the future."
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