October 21th

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October 21th

Switzerland halves value-free limit: New customs regulations from 2025

From January 1, 2025, the Swiss government will reduce the customs duty-free limit by half. Instead of the previous 300 francs, travelers who import goods worth more than 150 francs into Switzerland from abroad must declare them and pay the 8,1 percent VAT. This new regulation not only affects shopping tourism, but also has far-reaching effects on the travel industry and travelers' habits. The move to reduce the duty-free limit was initiated by the Swiss government to counteract ongoing shopping tourism. Many Swiss people take the opportunity to shop cheaply in countries near their borders, which puts pressure on local retailers. The reduction in the duty-free limit is an attempt to curb this trend and support the domestic economy. Especially in times of economic uncertainty, it is important that local retailers are strengthened in order to secure jobs and keep purchasing power in the region. The measure will also have a significant impact on the travel industry. Business travellers and holidaymakers who purchase souvenirs or other goods must now ensure that they comply with the new regulations in order to avoid fines. Many travellers have already failed to declare their purchases correctly at customs, which undermines customs regulations. Travellers' shopping behaviour Recent reports show that many travellers are bypassing customs controls by simply smuggling their purchases past customs. According to an article in Blick, it is assumed that around three out of four people returning across the border are importing goods illegally. This shows that it is not only a lack of controls, but also a lack of

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Air Astana equips entire Airbus A321LR fleet with additional fuel tank

Air Astana, Kazakhstan's largest airline, has announced that it will equip its entire fleet of eleven Airbus A321LRs with a third additional fuel tank. Originally, only five of the aircraft were to be upgraded, but after the successful launch of the Almaty-London route, the modification will now be extended to all aircraft. Airline boss Peter Foster announced this in Almaty, as reported by Flight Global magazine. The third fuel tank will enable the aircraft to cover longer distances without stopping, which is particularly important for the airline's growing number of long-haul flights.

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Near-collision in the sky over Austin

On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, a disturbing incident occurred at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport that put aviation safety to the test. An American Airlines flight and a Cessna 182 came within nearly 350 feet of each other during approach, leading to a potential collision. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by aviation authorities and air traffic control services in ensuring safety in an increasingly complex airspace. The incident in detail American Airlines flight AA2587 was en route from Chicago O'Hare to Austin when the dangerous proximity occurred at 10:45 a.m. local time. According to reports from Flightradar24, the Cessna 182, which was on a descent, unexpectedly approached the path of the Boeing 737-800. At a critical moment, a Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) warning signal was activated, alerting American Airlines pilots to the proximity of the smaller aircraft. Thanks to this warning, the pilot of the American Airlines flight was able to abort his descent rate and initiate a go-around. The Boeing 737 finally landed safely at 10:56 a.m. The Cessna 182, with registration N738PG, continued its journey and landed about an hour later at Roger M. Dreyer Memorial Airport in Gonzales, Texas. There were 122 passengers and six crew members on board the American Airlines flight, who fortunately were not endangered during the incident. Causes and Responsibility The question of who is responsible for the incident, however, remains complex. While some might be quick to blame the Cessna pilot for the unexpected course change, air traffic control is

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Preliminary agreement in Boeing strike: Union vote imminent

Boeing and the International Association of Machinists have reached a tentative agreement to end the five-week-long strike. The deal includes a 35% wage increase over four years and an increase in 401(k) contributions, but does not restore previously lost pension benefits. About 33.000 union members must now vote on the agreement. The strike, which hit Boeing hard, cost the company about $1 billion a month and brought jet production to a halt. The company's financial problems have deepened since the 737 MAX crashes and a loss of over $33 billion. The union vote is expected on Wednesday, while the union acknowledged improvements in the offer but did not support it unconditionally.

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Russia negotiates with partner countries about cabotage flights

The Russian Transport Ministry is currently holding talks with friendly countries on the introduction of cabotage flights within Russia, Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt confirmed this on October 16. Under these agreements, foreign airlines would be able to operate flights between domestic Russian destinations. The measure is aimed at promoting the growth of Russian air traffic, as domestic airlines lack the necessary aircraft. Among the countries considering the offer is Kazakhstan, reports suggest.

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Spirit Airlines faces major challenges: debt restructuring and financial turbulence

Spirit Airlines, one of the leading low-cost carriers in the United States, is once again facing an important deadline. Together with its credit card processor, the airline was able to extend the deadline for restructuring its debt until December 23rd. This is the second time in a matter of months that the company has had to postpone this deadline, indicating the airline's ongoing financial difficulties. Spirit Airlines is struggling to refinance bonds worth $1,1 billion that mature in 2025. This debt restructuring is necessary to ensure the airline's long-term financial stability. The agreement with US Bank National Association provides Spirit with much-needed flexibility for now, but it remains unclear whether the airline will be able to successfully restructure its debt in the coming months. In addition, Spirit Airlines announced that it has drawn down its entire available credit line of $300 million. Despite these measures, the company expects to end the year with liquidity of over $XNUMX billion. These reserves could be vital to the airline's survival in the coming months as the economic environment worsens. Spirit Airlines' problems Spirit Airlines' financial problems are manifold. On the one hand, the airline is suffering from high debt and repeated losses in recent quarters. According to company information, Spirit has been in the red in five of the last six quarters. These persistent losses raise questions about the airline's long-term viability. To make matters worse, the airline is affected by the contamination saga surrounding the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engines. A

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Play Airlines considers flights to Slovenia and changes strategic direction

Icelandic low-cost airline Play has held talks with the Slovenian government about the possible launch of flights to Slovenia. This follows a strategic re-orientation of the airline, which plans to reduce operations to North America and instead focus on leisure traffic in Europe. Slovenia's Ministry of Infrastructure said that measures to improve Slovenia's air connections, including subsidies for new routes, have been unveiled. Play already serves Split in Croatia and will add Pula to its route network from next year. Ljubljana Airport currently offers charter flights to Reykjavik and over 2.600 passengers used this connection last year. The Slovenian government has published a public tender to promote new air connections to the country, with a deadline of October 27. Play CEO Einar Orn Olafsson explained that the strategic change was due to disappointing returns in transatlantic traffic. The company plans to focus on profitable leisure destinations in southern Europe and reduce capacity on North Atlantic routes by 2025.

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Construction work at the Deutsches Eck: Restrictions on rail traffic between Austria and Germany

From October 25 to November 4, 2024, Deutsche Bahn will be carrying out extensive construction work on the important route via the so-called "Deutsches Eck". This route connects the south of Germany with Austria and Switzerland and is used intensively by long-distance trains operated by ÖBB and Westbahn. The closure has a massive impact on train traffic, especially for travelers between Vienna, Munich, Zurich and Bregenz. The corridor route is completely closed during this time, which means that trains have to be diverted via alternative routes or replaced by rail replacement services. ÖBB informed that travelers must be prepared for travel times to be extended by up to two hours. Connections between Vienna and Munich and Vienna and Zurich are particularly affected. The stop in Salzburg will be completely eliminated on the diverted trains; instead, a change will be offered via Passau or Bischofshofen. For long-distance traffic between Vienna and Bregenz, rail replacement services with buses will be set up on the route between Salzburg and Wörgl. Travelers to and from Kufstein must be particularly careful, as this stop will be eliminated due to the diversions. Instead, a bus service will be set up between Salzburg and Kufstein. Connections towards Tyrol and Vorarlberg are also affected: Westbahn has announced that it will set up rail replacement services between Salzburg and Innsbruck and between Salzburg and Munich. In the direction of Bregenz, the Westbahn connection will largely remain intact, but the connection to the replacement buses will be carefully coordinated. It is not just the route between Austria and Germany that is affected: connections to Switzerland are also being diverted, particularly those between Vienna and Zurich. Here, the alternative route goes via Bischofshofen and Schwarzach-St.

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Iberia postpones first flight of the Airbus A321XLR to November 2024

The Spanish airline Iberia has again postponed the planned first flight of its new Airbus A321XLR. The first flight was originally planned for October 28, 2024, but the aircraft is now scheduled to be used for the first time on the route between Madrid and Paris-Charles de Gaulle on November 1, 2024. The introduction of the Airbus A321XLR is intended to help Iberia expand its network, especially on long-haul routes. With the A321XLR, Iberia plans to operate more efficiently on medium and long-haul routes, as the aircraft offers a greater range than conventional models in the A321 family.

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