Divers

🌩 Cyclone Garance hit Réunion Island, a French enclave in the Indian Ocean, last weekend, causing significant damage, particularly in the east and north. Red alert lifted, airport resumed operations, but full recovery will take years. Four fatalities occurred despite strong winds. Power outages affected 37% of homes (120,000 residents), 310,000 people left without water, one-third without internet or landline, and mobile coverage reduced to two-thirds. Unusually high wind gusts reached 230 km/h. Infrastructure, including roads and vehicles, severely damaged. Firefighters from mainland France called in for assistance. Beaches closed, hiking banned, impacting tourists during French school holidays.

✈ Qatar Airways faced criticism for making passengers fly for four hours with a deceased person seated beside them. The airline responded, saying the crew acted "quickly, appropriately, and professionally," following their manual. The complaining couple was moved to different seats, and a crew member sat next to the deceased until landing in Doha. Compensation was offered to the deceased's family and affected passengers. Jennifer Ring, a witness, expressed her dismay on Australian TV, stating that passengers were not allowed to disembark before the body was moved.

🚑 In Barcelona, two buses collided on Avenida de la Diagonal at noon on a Monday, leaving over 50 injured, including four critically, with a minor among them. One bus, from the Juliá group carrying cruise passengers, was parked at Diagonal's official coach stop near Roger de Llúria and Rosselló streets. The other, an Autocares Canals coach with around 50 Italian students, crashed into it. The Juliá bus hit a tree and a lamppost, while the students, staying at a Lloret hotel and visiting Barcelona, all had non-life-threatening injuries. The group's guide remains hospitalized.

💸 An ex-cabin crew member detailed a negative experience after working nearly a year at Ryanair. Promised an annual salary of €27,000, actual pay fell short. Based in Dublin, the employee paid for housing without company coverage. Interpersonal issues were frequent, with tensions among staff and supervisors. Workers from the crew member's training lost over a month of flying due to un-renewed airport ID cards, costing them €70 per non-flying day. Ryanair's low-cost focus was criticized for neglecting employee welfare.

🌏 In Paris, a new attraction at the Eiffel Tower named “Le vertige de la tour” features a 40-meter-long suspension bridge, 60 meters above ground, connecting two pillars of the structure. It opened on February 19 and will only be available until March 9. This urban bridge, the tallest in France, is on the level of the tower's first floor. Visitors must register via a free QR code to cross the bridge within a reserved time slot. The bridge, equipped with double-layered safety nets, can support up to 30,000 kilograms per square meter, ensuring no risk of accidents or dropped possessions.

🛫 In 2024, IATA reported 19 airline closures, the lowest in a decade, while 28 new airlines started operations. Traditional airlines suffered the most with 11 closures, followed by seven low-cost and one cargo airline. The peak of airline bankruptcies was in 2020 during the pandemic, with 53 companies folding. Europe and Asia-Pacific saw the most new airlines, while North America showed few entrants. Economic uncertainty, high operational costs, supply chain difficulties, and geopolitical tensions hindered new competitors in 2024.

🚀 In a tragic incident, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight to Grozny was struck by air-to-ground missiles, mistaking it for a Ukrainian drone, resulting in the aircraft being severely damaged and denied landing in Grozny and a second local airport. The plane was forced to divert to Aktau, Kazakhstan, where it crash-landed, killing 38 of the 67 passengers on board. Survivors Zulfugar Asadov and Aidan Rahimli received medals for merit from Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov for their courage and professionalism during the incident. Kadyrov, a former terrorist, plans to build a memorial in Grozny for the victims. Chechnya has offered financial aid, but Azerbaijan demands an apology and admission of guilt from Russia, which has not happened. Investigations suggest the aircraft, an Embraer, was likely hit by a Pantsir S1 missile, typically used for air defense.

🛫 In Iberia Express, the UPPA union is pursuing legal action over a dispute with management regarding pilot collective agreement updates, prompting IAG to consider a new low-cost airline for Barajas. Luis Gallego's group, unwilling to match the salary conditions of Iberia pilots as demanded by unions, explores either freezing Iberia Express or launching a new low-cost carrier with its AOC or intensifying collaboration with Air Nostrum. Iberia Express CEO Carlos Gómez communicated to staff the uncertain outcomes this could lead to for the airline's business model.

🚧 Booking.com faces a reduced €413 million fine, initially €486 million, from Spain's CNMC for anti-competitive practices as of July 2024. The OTA hired Clifford Chance to appeal the ruling, arguing disproportionality. The Spanish hotel sector, represented by Eskariam and AEDH, may seek over €3 billion in damages based on a September 2024 TJUE judgment. The legal battle could extend for years, potentially reaching the Supreme Court.

🎮 Donald Trump shared a controversial AI-generated video on TruthSocial and Instagram envisioning a rebuilt, tourist-friendly future Gaza. The video transitions from destroyed Gaza scenes to potential future prosperity, featuring Elon Musk throwing money and Trump lounging with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.