Divers

✈ An Iberia Express A320 aircraft declared an emergency on the Madrid to Palma de Mallorca route due to a crew member's medical problems. Air traffic controllers facilitated a direct approach to runway 06L and coordinated on-ground medical attention. This incident highlights the debate on the safety of potentially having only one pilot in the cockpit aided by technology and artificial intelligence, a concept currently pushed by some manufacturers and airlines but considered hazardous by pilots' collectives.

🚨 Sud Rail union announced a potential strike from April 17 to June 2 in France. The strike notice doesn't guarantee action but is required for any stoppages to occur. Railway controllers criticize poor wages and unpredictable work schedules due to new software implementations. SNCF is in dialogue, with no progress reported. French citizens are tired of strikes, recalling disruption from a similar event last February. France's Labour Minister insists on letting citizens live their lives without the burden of another railway strike.

✈ Global Airlines begins flights on May 15 from Glasgow to JFK New York, returning May 19; a second flight from Manchester to New York is scheduled for May 21, returning May 25. Operations are handled by Portuguese sub-charter company Hi Fly, with only one aircraft in Global's fleet. Despite plans for four A380s, only one is visible. Owner James Asquith aims to recreate the "golden age of aviation" with enhanced onboard experience. The single plane was purchased over a year ago, and the continuity of operations remains a mystery.

✈ Ryanair launches "Ryanair Prime" for £79 (about €85), a 12-month program offering benefits like 12 exclusive seats purchase per year, unlimited free seat reservations, and free travel insurance. The program aims to increase loyalty and is limited to 250,000 customers to test its commercial impact. If flown 12 times a year, it can save a passenger 420 pounds. The entire process is online-only.

🚧 Heathrow Airport in London experienced a complete power outage on a Friday, with no functioning contingency plans. This event raised concerns over the adequacy of emergency protocols. Journalists debated the objectivity of the press in covering the incident, highlighting biases in media reporting and questioning the effectiveness of the plans in place during such crises.

🚀 A Ryanair 737 flying from Szczecin, Poland to London Stansted invaded helicopter airspace after dropping 167 meters due to pilot distraction. The incident, investigated by Britain’s AAIB, revealed the pilot lost brief control during approach to Stansted, risking a potential collision with a helicopter. The report, which also noted an air traffic control oversight, has been shared to refine pilot training. Passengers were unaware of the high-risk situation as the plane landed without incident.

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🏦 On March 21, a group of 55 pensioners traveling with Imserso faced delays returning to Mallorca from Málaga-Costa del Sol due to a Vueling airplane engine failure. They spent the night at the airport, with only some accessing a hotel in Benalmádena for a short time. The next day, they encountered additional issues due to limited seating, forcing many to layover in Barcelona. Passengers reported receiving no food or water from Turismo Social during the ordeal.

📌 Heathrow Airport in London closed due to a substation fire causing a power outage on Friday morning, with closure until 23:59 GMT, March 21. Aena reports 20 flight cancellations to/from Madrid (10) and Barcelona (10), plus 5 diversions to Madrid-Barajas from South Africa, Rio de Janeiro, Bermuda, Miami, and Sao Paulo. In total, 54 flights from five Spanish airports to Heathrow affected: Madrid (29), Barcelona (19), Malaga (2), Tenerife South (2), and Valencia (2).

✈️ Japan Airlines (JAL) announced the purchase of 17 Boeing 737 Max aircraft to refresh its short-haul fleet, adding to a previous order of 21 of the same model, which has experienced significant delays. Furthermore, JAL has decided to buy 11 Airbus A321neo to replace the older 767s at Haneda Airport, Tokyo. This marks a shift away from being an exclusive Boeing customer, as JAL now also has 10 Boeing 787s and had purchased 20 Airbus A350-900s, one of which was destroyed in a fire after colliding with a rescue service vehicle at Haneda Airport.