V AUSTRALIA passengers will be able to mingle at one of two bars then lie down flat on their beds when the Virgin Blue international subsidiary starts trans-Pacific .The lie-flat beds and bars are just two of the attractions offered by the airline’s three-class Boeing 777s on direct flights between Sydney and Los Angeles, scheduled to start in December.Qantas and US-based United are the airline’s only direct competitors on the route.
MANDATORY security measures have forced Darwin International Airport to become one of the highest charging airports in the country, say NT Airports.As one of Australia’s 11 security-designated airports, Darwin Airport has to apply similar security measures to big interstate airports such as Melbourne, and Brisbane. But in 2006/07 Darwin Airport carried only 1.4 million passengers compared with Sydney Airport’s 31 million, Melbourne Airport’s 22.1 million and Brisbane Airport’s 17.3 million.NT Airports chief executive Ian Kew said that meant Darwin Airport’s security costs were dearer than other major airports.”We have far fewer passenger numbers to divide the cost of the security services by,” he said.Darwin International Airport charges airlines $13.76 for combined landing and terminal charges for each arriving and departing international passenger.It also charges $16.27 in security charges for each departing passenger just to provide for the Federal Government’s mandated security measures.Excluding security charges, Mr Kew said Darwin Airport was cheaper than Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide or Cairns.
JETSTAR( Low fares airline of ) is investigating claims a flight attendant and first officer were photographed mid-flight sitting in the captain’s seat of one of the budget airline’s aircraft.Shots leaked to crikey.com.au show the female flight attendant and male first officer apparently taking turns to be photographed in the cockpit.”Jetstar has launched an internal investigation and appropriately alerted aviation authorities following the publication of material alleging a flight attendant was positioned in the pilot’s seat of one of its fleet of A300-200 aircraft whilst in-flight,” Jetstar said today.”Jetstar has and will continue to adhere to the highest safety and operating standards and as such is treating the anonymously sourced material very seriously.”The Civil Aviation Safety Authority said it was sent the pictures by an unknown source and it was awaiting a full report from the airline.”We need a report from them (Jetstar) to confirm the pictures are genuine, that the aircraft was in the air, and the people have been identified,” said CASA spokesman Peter Gibson.”If a cabin crew person was sitting in one of the pilot seats, they may need to explain the circumstances and what they are going to do about it.”There are regulations which do prohibit people apart from the flight deck crew being in the flight deck and occupying the pilot’s seat, unless there is a legitimate reason.”Mr Gibson said if the claims were true, CASA would check that the incident had been dealt with appropriately and determine if further action was needed.
