USA: extra checkpoint screening of airline passengers from 14 countries

Due to a new directive of the Transportation Security Administration airline passengers flying to the U.S. from 14 countries with terrorism problems will face extra checkpoint screening at overseas airports. The countries include Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudia Arabia, Somalia and Yemen as well as Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria.

The new directive will be in place indefinitely and replaces an emergency order the TSA imposed after a Nigerian passenger tried to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight near Detroit on Dec. 25.

Source: USA Today; find article here>> and TSA statement here>>.

France: passenger demonstrations following Yemenia crash

In France potential passengers –mostly from the Comores community - are refusing to fly again with Yemen flag carrier, denouncing the poor quality. They ask French authorities to ban the airline from French and even EU skies. It is an unprecedented move against an airline with serious potential consequences for the airline industry: Passengers forcing an airline to out of a market could create a precedent open a new era in the relations between airlines and their customers.

Following demonstrations Yemenia announced to “temporarily” suspend its flights to and from Marseille-Provence airport and finally announced to also suspend its flights from Paris until conditions are improving. Anyway, Yemenia will be forced to dramatically improve its safety.

Source: eTurboNews; find Article here>>.