Berlin’s New Airport Can’t Switch Lights Off: Sky News

[Sky News] Billed as one of the most technically advanced airports in the world, the German capital‘s delayed new hub has a fresh glitch.

The airport site has no means to switch the lights off, officials have confessed. Photo: Wikipedia

Berlin’s troubled new airport has been plagued with delays and now has a fresh technical hang-up – no-one can turn the lights off.

While the German capital has experienced one of the bleakest winters on record, there is no lack of light in Schonefeld where the new airport is being built.

The terminal lights burn around the clock because the workers on site have no means to switch them off, officials have confessed.

“It has to do with the fact that we haven’t progressed far enough with our lighting system that we can control it,” Horst Amann, the airport’s technical director, told Spiegel Online.

Planned to replace Tegel and Schonefeld airports in 2011, Berlin Brandenburg Airport – also to be known as Willy Brandt Airport – has been under construction since September 2005.

But a catalogue of technical glitches, design errors and concerns about safety equipment has delayed its opening to the point where officials dare not give a date for its completion for fear of another deadline being broken.

“I will only name a date when I can take responsibility for it,” added Mr Amann.

The cost of the project has also risen from around 2bn euros (£1.7bn) to…..

Read the full story at Sky News…..

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Sky News
1st Mar, 2013

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Major Computer Malfunction at KLM in Schiphol Airport Amsterdam: Der Telegraaf

[Der Telegraaf]  KLM faces running with a major IT failure this morning. The airlines website is down or is running very slowly. Travelers with the airline are having problems booking flights and checking-in at Amsterdam airport and at other sites in the KLM network.

KLM has announced that it is doing all it can to resolve the fault. Picture: Wikipedia

As a result of the systems failure, all domestic, European and international flights operated by KLM are delayed.

KLM has announced that it is doing all it can to resolve the issue and find a solution but can still give no indication when the difficulties will be fixed. Passengers and all those affected are being directed to visit the KLM Facebook or Twitter sites to get an update from the airline.

Schiphol Airport has also indicated that inbound and outbound traffic for all airlines to and from the airport is also being affected, this has resulted in passenger processing delays of around of at least 30 to 35 minutes.

As for KLM flights, a spokesperson indicated that there are minimum delays to its schedule of around 60 to 90 minutes.

Presently it is not known what has caused the failure, but it is possible that the problems at KLM are linked to a large number of inter-connected systems in the Netherlands that have been recently affected by a new and virilant computer virus.

At least 20 institutions, including public concerns and private companies, plus universities are affected.

The virus has entered systems undetected by anti-virus software provided by companies such as McAfee and Symantec. The virus is thought to propagate itself through email files, then spreads to the core systems under attack.

Read the original story (in Dutch) at Der Telegraaf……

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Der Telegraaf
9th August 2012

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Heathrow gagged over queues apology leaflets: Belfast Telegraph

[Belfast Telegraph] Heathrow airport has been ordered by the Border Force to stop handing out  leaflets to passengers acknowledging the “very long delays” at immigration.

Marc Owen, director of UKBA told BAA that leaflets are "inappropriate" and that ministers would take "a very dim view".

Amid increasing anger at the length of queues for travellers arriving at  border control, airport operator BAA has tried to defuse tensions with a leaflet  apologising for the problems.

It said people arriving in the country “deserved a warmer welcome” and  explained how to complain to the Home Office.

But Marc Owen, director of UK Border Agency operations at Heathrow, has told  BAA that the leaflets are “inappropriate” and that ministers would take “a very  dim view”.

In an email obtained by The Daily Telegraph, he said: “The leaflet… is both inflammatory and likely to increase tensions in arrivals halls especially in the current atmosphere. It is inappropriate in that it is not for you to display how to complain on our behalf.

“Please refrain from handing out (the leaflets) or I will escalate (the  matter) with ministers who are likely to take a very dim view. I know there are copies in the hall and your troops are ready with them.”

Mr Owen also told BAA to prevent passengers taking pictures in the arrivals  hall. Pictures of lengthy queues have been posted on……

Read the full story at The Belfast Telegraph…..

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Belfast Telegraph
28th April 2012

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BMI Regional sale talks advance: BBC News

[BBC News] An Aberdeen-based consortium is closing in on a deal to buy the regional division of BMI, following the takeover of the larger BMI airline by British Airways owner IAG.

IAG has indicated it has no plans to keep operating BMI Regional and BMI Baby

Granite Aviation is in advanced talks with IAG over the sale of the division for about £20m.

Aberdeen-based BMI Regional employs more than 300 people and operates 19 aircraft between smaller city airports.

An announcement on a possible deal is expected in the next two weeks.

If the regional deal goes ahead, Granite Aviation could take on the BMI brand when IAG stops using it on BMI’s mainstream services.

IAG has said it has no plans to keep operating……

Read the full story at BBC News…..

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BBC news
27 April 2012

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Minister summoned to explain Heathrow chaos: FT

[FT] Damian Green, the immigration minister, has been summoned to explain a crisis  at border control to MPs after a spate of lengthy queues and increased waiting  times spread to Heathrow’s flagship terminal.

BAA “Immigration waiting times during peak periods at Heathrow recently have been unacceptable and we have called on the Home Office to address the problem as a matter of urgency.”

Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, told the Financial  Times that he had asked Mr Green to appear before the panel of MPs as reports of “chaos” at British airports gathered pace.

The delays are thought to have been caused by staffing cuts at the UK Border  Agency – which kicked in at the beginning of the new financial year – combined  with a Home Office ban on lighter passenger checks after a furore last summer in  which some border  officials relaxed security controls without ministerial permission.

“This is a very, very difficult state of affairs and it needs to be sorted  out quickly,” Mr Vaz said. “Either the [UK Border Force] needs to bring back  risk-based checks or it needs to hire more staff.”

The force is due to lose just under 20 per cent of its personnel by 2015 as  part of the government’s austerity drive.

Mr Green is scheduled to join officials from British Airways, Virgin Atlantic  and the British Airports Authority at a committee hearing in mid-May, where he  will be quizzed on what measures are in place to cut the……

Read the full article at Investors Chronicle….

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By Helen Warrell,
Andrew Parker and George Parker
FT.com – 27th April 2012

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MSP Humphrey terminal evacuated; bomb squad on scene: KARE

[KARE 11] MINNEAPOLIS – Witnesses say the Hubert H. Humphrey terminal at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has been evacuated and the Bloomington Bomb Squad is on the scene Friday morning.

Photo submitted by Kyle Lambert

Witness Bev Aho of Eden Prairie was at the Humphrey terminal when she and other travelers were evacuated by authorities around 5:15 a.m. as she was entering the airport for a flight.

Around 5:30 a.m. Aho and others were asked to go across the street from the terminal because a suspicious package had been found.

Just after 6 a.m. the group was asked to move even further away, to the parking ramp at the Humphrey terminal.

Aho describes the scene is calm and controlled, and says…..

Read the full story at KARE 11 News…..

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KARE 11 News
27th April, 2012

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Last Night – Heathrow Airport descends into fresh immigration chaos: Telegraph

[Telegraph Travel] Passengers returning to Heathrow faced delays of more than two hours last   night as the Border Force struggled once again to struggled to cope.

Image taken by passenger Christian Parkinson last night as passengers queued for passport control at Heathrow Terminal 5

This was the second night in succession that the airport descended into chaos because of a shortage of immigration staff.

Worst hit was Terminal 5, the £4.3 billion showcase and base for British Airways, but severe delays were also reported elsewhere at Heathrow.

Airport and airlines were forced to order taxis to help travellers get home because many were unable to clear immigration before public transport shut  down for night.

The difficulties faced by passengers, some of whom described the chaos as “omni-megashambles”,   were compounded by the failure of some of the automatic gates.

Passengers from the UK and the European Economic Area had to spend at least an hour queuing, nearly three times the target set by the UK Border Agency.

Those from other countries, including the United States, were forced to wait more than two hours.

Among the thousands of arriving travellers were Jamie Murray, the tennis star and brother of British No 1 Andy, and Alastair Campbell, the former Downing Street communications director.

One passenger, who declined to be named, waited more than an hour to get through passport control at Heathrow T5 after returning from Paris on business.

He said the line for “non EU citizens” was even longer as hundreds of frustrated passengers waited to enter the country just after 11pm.

“I was so angry,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“It is terrifying, when you think about the Olympics and the crowds, this was just a regular Thursday night with a bit of rain.

“They were clearly expecting this as they had set up all these extra barriers up and down the corridor. They knew this was……

Read the full story at The Telegrapgh…..

 

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By David Millward and Andrew Hough
27 Apr 2012

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Telegraph: Airline passengers’ sensitive data to be handed to US

Millions of airline customers’ personal data will be handed over to the United States after MEPs voted for new laws that it’s claimed are vital to tackle terrorism.

Airlines will have to provide PNR data to US authorities to store for 15 years Photo: ALAMY

Passenger Name Records, which include names, addresses, credit cards details and phone numbers, as well as religious meal choices and some sensitive health information, will be shared after the European Parliament voted to approve a controversial bill.

The United States will be able to store and actively exploit the data for up to five years to investigate terrorism and “transnational crime”, although names will be removed after six months.

The data will then be retained for a further 10 years, under stricter access rules.

The vote ends two years of wrangling between the European Commission, which proposed the laws, and MEPs who said they would infringe privacy and civil liberties.

A deal between Brussels and Washington to share PNR data was originally struck in 2007 following the discovery of plots to blow up airliners, including the 2006 “liquid bomb plot”, for which the three British ringleaders were sentenced to life imprisonment.

t expired in 2010, however, and European Commission has been under pressure to push through a permanent deal since. Last year the US Senate passed a resolution calling for action, with Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee saying the US “simply cannot accept” cutting off the data, “an important part of our layered defences against terrorism”.

MEPs remain divided on the issue; the bill passed on Thursday by 409 votes to 226…..

Read the full story from The Telegraph…..

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By Christopher Williams, Technology Correspondent
19 Apr 2012

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JetBlue Announces Codeshare with Emirates – Dubai Chronicle

Emirates Announces Codeshare with JetBlue offering seamless connections available at JFK to a dozen U.S. cities.

Seamless connections to a dozen U.S. cities

Emirates customers travelling to the United States will soon enjoy seamless connections to a dozen U.S. cities, after the airline announced the start of a one-way codeshare with JetBlue.

The codeshare  will further strengthen the relationship between Emirates and JetBlue. The two airlines have been interline partners since 2010,  enabling customers to enjoy the convenience of a single combined ticket for Emirates and JetBlue-operated flights, plus other  benefits including one-stop check-in and baggage transfer.

“Emirates’ network within the United States will soon extend to almost 20 cities through our partner JetBlue, making flying to the U.S. from the Gulf, Middle East, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and the Far East smoother and more convenient than ever before,” said

Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President of Passenger Sales Worldwide. “JetBlue shares our passion for innovation and best-in-class services, and we look forward to continuing to grow the relationship as we seek new ways to build our presence within the United States,” continued Mr Antinori.“We are pleased to expand upon our successful relationship with Emirates through this new codeshare at JFK, where JetBlue is the number one airline,” said Scott Laurence, JetBlue’s Vice President of Network Planning and Partnerships. “Emirates has been a terrific travel partner for JetBlue, affording our customers easy access to all corners of the globe in comfort and style.”

Emirates customers can connect to JetBlue services at New York’s JFK Airport. As a one-way codeshare, an Emirates’ flight number will be placed on JetBlue services to the following cities:

Boston (BOS), Burlington (BTV), Buffalo (BUF), Charlotte (CLT), Chicago (ORD), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Jacksonville (JAX), Orlando (MCO), Portland Maine (PWM), Raleigh/Durham (RDU), Tampa (TPA) and Washington Dulles (IAD).

At JFK Airport, Emirates operates from Terminal 4 while JetBlue operates from the adjacent, 26-gate Terminal 5, allowing for easy connections between flights.

In addition, the Quick Connect service available at JFK makes transfers even more hassle-free. Available to all customers with a confirmed onward flight departing within three hours of their Emirates’ flight arrival, Quick Connect enables customers to advance to the head of a specially designated passenger security checkpoint lane at their connecting terminals. The service also extends to baggage, with Emirates arranging the transfer of baggage on to the connecting flights.

Read the original story at the Dubai Chronicle….

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Dubai Chronicle
19th April 2012

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Foreign airlines shunning UK due to lack of space at Heathrow airport: Telegraph

[Telegraph] Foreign airlines are “voting with their feet” and building networks outside of   the UK due to the Government’s paralysis on aviation policy, ministers will   be warned on Wednesday.

A survey by the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK shows that 86pc of airlines would introduce more flights to the UK if a greater number of take-off and landing slots were made available at Heathrow Photo: Getty Images

BAA boss Colin Matthews will unveil new research at a conference in London,   showing 53pc of airlines are increasing their flights out of other countries   due to the severe capacity restraints at Heathrow.

The airports boss will renew his warning that the UK is losing out on vital   investment and jobs due to the Government’s lack of support for expanding   capacity at Britain’s only hub airport.

A survey by the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK – an organisation   that represents 84 global airlines – shows that 86pc would introduce more   flights to the UK if a greater number of take-off and landing slots were   made available at Heathrow.

Publication of the Government’s much-anticipated aviation White Paper, due by   the end of March, has been delayed until the summer, frustrating airline and   airport bosses who warn ministers need to urgently address the crippling   “capacity crunch” in the South East of England.

Speaking at the Transport Times conference in London, Mr Matthews will say:   “These figures show that it is a mistake to believe that flights displaced   from Heathrow will automatically fly to Stansted, Gatwick or Birmingham   instead.

“The message I hear from airlines is clear: if there’s no room at Heathrow   then flights will move out of the UK altogether.

“Instead of Britain taking the lead in forging new links with growing   economies like China, we are handing economic growth to our competitors by   turning away airlines who want to bring jobs, growth and trade to the UK.”

Read the full Daily Telegraphg story…..

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By Nathalie Thomas
18 Apr 2012

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