NEWS — HOT STORIES 2
Airlines demand new rules for flights over war zones
Lee Hayhurst
Revised safety protocols for the routeing of airlines over war zones have been demanded following last week’s shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. The downing of the Boeing 777, killing all 298 people onboard including 10 Brits, is widely assumed to have been the result of a missile strike by Russian-backed Ukrainian separatists. The aircraft was flying a route
avoided by some airlines, including British Airways, but at 33,000ft was operating at a higher altitude than officially restricted airspace. All commercial flights have now been barred from eastern Ukraine. The incident prompted a
furious response from Emirates president Tim Clark. He said: “The international airline community needs to respond. It needs to say this is absolutely not acceptable and outrageous, and that it won’t tolerate being targeted in internecine regional conflicts.” Clark suggested Iata and
the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a United
Nations body, should intervene. “I think there will have to be
new protocols and it will be up to ICAO and Iata and the aviation community to sort out what the protocols have to be.” Aviation analyst John Strickland, of JLS Consulting, said if someone as influential as Clark was calling for change, it was likely to happen. “This is going to lead to world bodies like Iata and industry safety groups working to get a clearer and more precise position on any types of risk,” he said. Clark’s call for new
protocols was echoed by Lufthansa. An Iata spokesman said:
“Governments will need to take the lead in reviewing how airspace risk assessments are made. And the industry will do all that it can to support governments, through ICAO, in the difficult work ahead.”
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Flowers outside Schiphol airport this week: 10 Britons, as well as 154 Dutch nationals, were among
the 298 passengers and crew who died when a Malaysia Airlines
flight from Amsterdam was shot down over Ukraine last week
MALAYSIA AIRLINES TRAGEDY: Trade and airlines respond to shooting down of flight MH17
Agents reassure long-haul clients as MA offers refund
Juliet Dennis
The trade responded to the Malaysia Airlines tragedy by offering clients reassurance and alternative flights. The airline offered full refunds, including for tickets classed as
Malaysia
Airlines UK and Ireland chief Weng Chi Lee speaks to
Travel Weekly Analysis,
page 10
non-refundable, up to the end of this year, and waived fees for itinerary changes made by Thursday this week. Agents and operators immediately contacted clients after Thursday’s disaster, when an Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight was apparently shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing 298 passengers and crew. Travel Designers managing director Nick Harding-McKay said some clients had requested not to fly with Malaysia Airlines on new bookings. “This is such a shame,” he added. Derek Moore, chairman of the Association of Independent Tour Operators, said some members had clients who asked to cancel holidays. Abta has taken calls from operators about the cost of changing airline or cancelling accommodation. It said: “Operators can pass on these extra costs to clients.” But Travel 2 managing director Andy Freeth said:
“We’ve had very few calls on this. I think consumers are aware it’s not the airline that has been targeted.” Claire Hunt, operations director of Journeys A La Carte travel agency, had three future bookings for Malaysia Airlines, but clients chose not to switch airline. She added: “It took a morning to sort out, but this is what we’re good at.” David Moon, head of business development at Advantage, was not
aware of any members who had issued refunds. Miles Morgan Travel owner Miles Morgan added: “In reality people know security will now be at its tightest.”
24 July 2014 —
PICTURE: STEPHANIE KRAHN
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