by Lufthansa Flyer | Oct 19, 2016 | Austrian, Corporate, Featured, Industry News, Lufthansa, Swiss |
Expanding on their initial ban of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 aboard flights between the US and Europe, Lufthansa has now banned this ‘Smart Tinderbox’ from all flights on their timetable worldwide. The Lufthansa bans cover the phone being brought into the cabin and as well as being place in checked luggage.
The expansion of the ban comes after the FAA has made it a Federal crime to bring the phone aboard any flight operating to, from, or within the USA. Offenders are subject to civil penalties of up to approximately $180,000. Don’t even try to ship it via Air Mail, that’s been made a crime as well!
The ban applies to all Lufthansa Group Airlines and is effective immediately.
Related: Air Sickness Bags Coming For Your Electronics
by Lufthansa Flyer | Oct 16, 2016 | A330, A340, Featured, On Board Experience, Passenger Experience, Swiss |
SWISS has announced that over the next 2 years, it will roll out upgrades and enhancements to the long haul fleet, focusing on their A330 and A340 aircraft.
WiFi!
Beginning in December, SWISS will begin to retrofit their 14 Airbus A330 aircraft with Wifi connectivity. Obviously this will not happen overnight, but SWISS anticipates that all of their A330s will have the retrofit complete by the end of 2017. Math suggests that approximately one aircraft per month will be taken out of circulation for a few days to complete the work. WiFi is currently available only on SWISS 777 aircraft.
The A340….
SWISS has also stated that their A340s will receive the same First Class cabin as the Airbus A330. The big advantage of the newer F product is the increased size of the television screen and an enhanced IFE system. The fact that the seats will be brand new will also go a long way to refresh the cabins and give them a brand new look and feel. WiFi is also planned during this upgrade. SWISS expects that it will take through 2018 to complete this retrofit on their 10 A340 aircraft.
Related: First Class Aboard SWISS A330
by Lufthansa Flyer | Oct 15, 2016 | FAA, Featured, On Board Experience, Passenger Experience |
In light of recent events concerning smart devices that decide to spontaneously combust through normal usage, airlines have begun bringing aboard bags designed specifically to hold electronics that have caught fire, or may be at risk of igniting.
Alaska Airlines and Virgin America have already been carrying these $1600 fire proof bags that can withstand temperatures in excess of 3500 degrees Fahrenheit. Now it appears that Delta and other US-based airlines will have at least one bag aboard each aircraft as part of their safety equipment. Delta stated that all aircraft will have the bag by the end of 2017. Not sure why it takes 14 months to outfit a fleet but at least they’re taking the initiative. I also wonder who foots the bill when a bag has to be used……
No word yet from Lufthansa or other Euro and Asian carriers, but I suspect this will become a new industry standard over the coming weeks and months.
Baker is an industry leader in fireproof bags for aviation and an example of the bags is shown below, but I use this only as an example and not a suggestion that Baker is necessarily the supplier.
