Tokyo's Narita international airport reopened its main runway Tuesday, freeing up desperately needed capacity at Japan's busiest international airport a day after a FedEx cargo plane crashed in a ball of fire, killing two US pilots. Workers overnight cleared the charred wreckage of the MD-11 from the crash site near the 4,000-metre Runway A, which usually handles more than 350 flights a day. The runway, the longer of two at Narita International Airport was reopened shortly after 9 am (0010 GMT) … [Read more...] about Narita airport reopens main runway
Express
US forwarders say screening hurdles remain
Testifying recently before a US congressional subcommittee, the executive director of the US Airforwarders Association (AFA), Brandon Fried, acknowledged progress had been made on screening cargo in the belly holds of passenger aircraft, but warned three primary challenges still faced the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) aim of 100 per cent screening by the August 2010 deadline. "Serious issues have yet to be resolved, including the lack of approved pallet screening technology, … [Read more...] about US forwarders say screening hurdles remain
Qatar, Saudi up aviation cooperation
Qatar and Saudi Arabia have agreed to improve cooperation between the two countries’ aviation markets with a deal recently signed by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) and the Qatar Authority for Civil Aviation. “By this agreement, we aim to develop rules and regulations and facilitate air transportation procedures between Saudi Arabia and Qatar,†said Ayman Bin Baker Naseef, supervisor of GACA’s central department for … [Read more...] about Qatar, Saudi up aviation cooperation
FedEx MD-11 crashes while landing at Narita
A FedEx cargo aircraft en route from China has crashed this morning while attempting to land at Tokyo’s Narita airport in strong winds, bursting into flames and killing two pilots on board. The FedEx MD-11 was coming from Guangzhou, China, and crashed at 6:49 AM local time, according to the Japanese transport ministry. Television footage showed the three-engine wide-body aircraft tip sideways shortly after touch-down in strong winds and then, as one of its wings clipped the ground at … [Read more...] about FedEx MD-11 crashes while landing at Narita
ASEAN must aim high in market liberalisation
ASEAN has missed the December 2008 deadline to open markets between capital cities on a multilateral basis, said the director general and CEO of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA), Giovanni Bisignani. "Malaysia must be a strong voice encouraging ASEAN member states to fulfill their obligations under the ASEAN Roadmap for the Integration of the Air Travel Sector (RIATS) and to meet the 2010 milestone. "ASEAN must aim high. A single market including ownership liberalisation by … [Read more...] about ASEAN must aim high in market liberalisation
OECD cuts China’s growth figure again
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will cut its 2009 economic growth projection for China to below 6.5 per cent, the Wall Street Journal reported. The OECD's previous forecast, made in November, was 8 per cent, but Richard Herd, the organisation's chief economist, said it was unlikely China will achieve this goal. Last week, the World Bank revised its projection for China's GDP growth to 6.5 per cent from 7.5 per cent. Herd said the OECD's revised figure, which is … [Read more...] about OECD cuts China’s growth figure again
