Qantas jet hit by lightning… again

Qantas Airbus operating the QF72 Singapore to Perth flight was struck by lightning soon after departure from Changi Airport, the airline confirmed.

A spokesman for the airline said the incident had not presented any safety issue to the aircraft or passengers.               

The plane landed safely in Perth at its scheduled arrival time of 2.20pm, where it will now be inspected.

“The A330-300 aircraft will be inspected by engineers after landing,” the spokesman said.

“It is too soon to say if any maintenance will be required.”

To allow the necessary checks to be undertaken, the return QF71 flight to Singapore will be delayed by about two-and-a-half hours.

It will now depart Perth at 6pm.

Qantas said passengers booked on QF71 would be provided with refreshment vouchers.

“We will be keeping them informed of developments in the lead up to the departure,” the spokesman said.

Source  :  www.watoday.com.au

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New animal-friendly airline Pet Airways a hit

PEOPLE love their pets, sometimes more than they love other people.

So it is not a surprise that a start-up company, Pet Airways, has had a massive response since offering to transport dogs and cats in a much more caring way.

Precious pets won’t be left to fend for themselves in cages in a freezing cargo hold – an experience that so scared a Jack Russell terrier owned by husband-and-wife team Alysa Binder and Dan Wiesel that they decided to launch Pet Airways.

All of the passengers using the new airline’s cargo plane get to travel in the front of the plane in special carriers installed instead of seats.

They are escorted to the plane by pet-loving attendants who check on their precious cargo every 15 minutes.

The pets are given pre-boarding walks and bathroom breaks and also have access to a “Pet Lounge” where future fliers can wait and sniff the furniture before flights.

The demand for the service has been staggering, with flights rapidly booked out for the first two months.

Operating between regional airports in New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles, Pet Airways charges about $315 per trip, which is comparable with charges on less pet-friendly airlines.

The company is already looking to add more flights and cities soon, and hopes to fly to 25 destinations within three years.

Betsy Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com which ranks the pet-friendliness of various airlines, said she was excited about the expected impact Pet Airways would have on pet travel across major airlines.

”The entire industry will stretch because of Pet Airways,” Betsy told the Associated Press.

Source : www.news.com.au

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Relief for stranded Rotto travellers

Relief is on the way for stranded holidaymakers on Rottnest Island after a major ferry service decided to brave dubious weather conditions this weekend.

Rottnest Express had cancelled services until Monday, after forecasts of gale-force winds. It left up to 200 people stranded on the island until at least Monday, after the other operator, Oceanic Express, also decided against taking to the sea this weekend.

But Rottnest Express today decided to run skeleton services this weekend, with four trips to the island, and two back, tomorrow and Sunday.

Chief executive Tim Crosland said the company believed it had an obligation to always provide services “if safe”.

Each scheduled journey would be assessed on the prevailing weather conditions, he said.

Oceanic Express is running a service today for pre-booked passengers.

Source www.watoday.com.au

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Storms force cancellation of Rottnest ferry services

Gale force winds tipped to hit Perth this weekend have forced two ferry operators to cancel all trips to Rottnest Island.                                                                        

The popular Rottnest Express confirmed it has cancelled all bookings from Friday to Sunday inclusive while Oceanic Cruises will not operate on Saturday or Sunday.

The third company which operates ferry trips to the island, Rottnest Fast Ferries, was already closed until July 3 for its regular winter break.

A Rottnest Express spokesman confirmed there had been “a few” bookings and all passengers would be issued refunds, while Oceanic Cruises did not have any bookings for this weekend.

Bureau of Meteorology public weather services manager Neil Bennett said waters from Yanchep to Mandurah and offshore to Rottnest Island could expect winds reaching between 30 to 40 knots on Friday and Saturday.

Mr Bennett said it was likely the Bureau would issue at least a strong wind warning but likely a gale force wind warning for the area.

Source  :   www.thewest.com.au

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$3billion proposal to upgrade Perth Airport

Perth Airport is set for a $3 billion upgrade over the next 10 years to transform it into a transportation showpiece.    
The capital works program, from private and government sources, is the biggest ever for the airport.

In line there is  a $1 billion in terminal facilities, $525 million for road upgrades and $1.4 billion in hotels and multi-storey carparks. 
   
Terminal WA is set to be opened in 2011, and an integrated international and domestic terminal on the site of the existing international terminal to be phased in over the next seven years. 
  

 Perth Airport chief executive Brad Geatches said yesterday that the airport would become one of the best in the Asia-Pacific region. 
  

The master plan, which is available for public comment until August 10, outlines the airport’s plans through to 2019 and brings development forward 10 years.  
   
The  terminal upgrades, a new ring road and improvements to key intersections will be started over the next 12 months.

The escalators will be on the left of the building and will take departing passengers and the public upstairs. The existing facilities will be for arrivals only. 
   
Major funding has also been committed to upgrade the road network around the airport.

The Budget included more than $115 million in projected major intersection works along the Tonkin Highway interfacing with Perth Airport.

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About Perth Airport

Strategically located in relation to South East Asia, Europe and Africa, Perth Airport is Australia’s fourth largest airport in terms of passenger traffic and is the winner of the (AAAustralian Airports Association A) award for Australian Major Airport of the Year for 2003 and 2004.

Only 12 kilometres from the heart of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, the airport is part of a 2,105 hectare estate with sufficient capacity to expand and meet the projected commercial aviation demand of the 21st century.

Of the 2,105 hectares, over 700 hectares is available for a wide range of non-aviation property development, providing the potential for the airport to become a major commercial and industrial centre.

Westralia Airports Corporation (WAC) also works closely with the tourism industry to develop tourism in Western Australia and is a member of the Perth Convention Bureau, the Pacific Asia Travel Association and is a gold member of the Tourism Council of Western Australia.

WAC is closely involved with Tourism WA in promoting the State as an attractive destination for overseas visitors, with a strong focus on working with airlines to increase the number of passengers travelling to Western Australia.

Perth Airport is the premier international, domestic and regional gateway to this exciting State for commercial aircraft, freight and passengers, and plays an important role in Western Australia’s economy.

Economic Benefits of Perth Airport

In 2003, Economic Research Associates Pty Ltd studied the economic significance of Perth Airport to Western Australia’s economy. The report estimated that all airport associated activities generated approximately $2.2 billion a year, or 3% of the Gross State Product
(GSP) for Western Australia.

Direct employment is estimated at 5,960 jobs, with $342 million in direct salaries and wages. In total, Perth Airport provides around 16,800 jobs for Western Australians, generating approximately $850 million in wages.

Perth Airport Facilities

Perth Airport’s primary aviation facilities include:

•A two building with nine operational aircraft barunway system able to handle both existing and planned intercontinental commercial aircraft
•An International Terminal ys, five of which have aerobridges
•A with three freighter positionMulti-User Domestic Terminal complexs and a total of 22 operational aircraft bays, five of which have aerobridges
•Air freight, aviation fuel and in-flight catering facilities
•Air traffic control facilities
•24-hour rescue and fire fighting facilities.
Terminals at Perth Airport

Terminal 1 (International) is located on the eastern side of the main runway and is positioned between this runway and a future wide-spaced parallel runway.

The Domestic Terminals are located on the western side of the airfield. Qantas operates Terminal 2, where Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar domestic services arrive and depart.

Adjacent to Terminal 2 is the Westralia Airports Corporation (WAC) operated Terminal 3. The airlines operating from Terminal 3 are Alliance Airlines, OzJet, Skywest Airlines, Virgin Blue.

Perth Airport also encompasses several smaller terminal operations, which provide charter services and services to specific regional areas in Western Australia.

http://www.perthairport.com

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