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February 26, 2025

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February 26, 2025

Bus driver collective bargaining dispute: Negotiations will resume in early March 2025

Belinda Borg 26. February 2025 07:09

After the Austria-wide warning strikes in February, the situation in the Austrian bus industry is coming to a head. On March 5, 2025, the Vida union will resume negotiations with the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) for the approximately 12.000 employees in the collective agreement for private bus companies. The union is demanding noticeably better working conditions, but sees little willingness on the part of the employers. Markus Petritsch, head of the Vida road department, regrets that the employers were not prepared to negotiate earlier. The union is currently working on the strike action of February 20 with the employees and works councils. The union is receiving support from climate activists from the organizations Fridays For Future and System Change, Not Climate Change!, who believe that a climate-friendly mobility transition is not feasible without more attractive working conditions for bus drivers. Petritsch criticizes the employers' previous offer as a "mockery of the employees". 50 cents more for an hour of night work is completely inadequate given the sometimes precarious working conditions, such as the lack of toilets during work. The union members also accuse the employers of wanting to offset the relief measures demanded, such as shortening the long shifts of up to 15 hours, with deteriorations in other areas. If no substantially improved offer is made in the next round of negotiations, there is a risk that the strike action will be expanded.

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MH370: New search operation in the Indian Ocean

Jan Gruber 26. February 2025 06:34

Eleven years after the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, a new search for the wreckage in the Indian Ocean has begun. The specialist company Ocean Infinity from the USA and Great Britain is using the latest technology and unmanned submersibles to solve the mystery of the missing Boeing 777-200ER. The search is focused on a narrowly defined area and four "hotspots" where researchers believe the wreckage is most likely to be found. The new search is a glimmer of hope for the relatives of the 239 passengers who have been waiting for answers for years. The disappearance of MH370 in March 2014 on the way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in aviation history. Despite numerous searches, only a few pieces of wreckage have been found, washed up on various coasts. The main fuselage of the aircraft, the black box and the passengers are still missing today. Ocean Infinity has agreed a "no find, no pay" deal with the Malaysian government. This means that the company will only be paid if it finds the aircraft. Ocean Infinity was already involved in an unsuccessful search in 2018. However, the current search is intended to cover areas that have not been searched before. The underwater vehicles will operate at a depth of around four kilometers in total darkness, which makes the search challenging and could take several weeks. The new search operation is based on the latest research and state-of-the-art technology. Ocean Infinity is an experienced company that has already been successful in searching for other missing objects, such as the

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ÖAMTC summer tire test 2025: Big differences in braking distance and driving behavior

Belinda Borg 26. February 2025 06:03

This year's summer tire test by the ÖAMTC and its partner organizations shows clear differences in the quality of tires in the dimension 225/40 R18. Of the 18 brands tested, eleven received a rating of "good," four "satisfactory," two "sufficient," and one even "unsatisfactory." There were enormous differences of up to 17 meters in braking distance on wet roads. "The differences were most dramatic in the braking test on wet roads at 80 km/h," reports the ÖAMTC technician. While the "Continental SportContact 7" was convincing as the test winner, the "Doublecoin DC-100" received an "unsatisfactory" rating due to its poor braking behavior on wet roads. "At the point where the vehicle with the Continental tire comes to a stop, the same car with the Doublecoin still has a residual speed of around 49 km/h on the speedometer - collisions at this impact speed can have fatal consequences," says the expert. Other tire models such as the "Norauto Prevensys 4" and the "Syron Premium Performance" also only achieved "adequate" results in the test. They showed weaknesses in steering precision and driving behavior in curves. Fortunately, there were also two tires, the "Continental SportContact 7" and the "Bridgestone Potenza Sport", that received a "very good" rating in the "driving safety" category. They impressed with a high level of grip and safe driving behavior on dry and wet roads. ÖAMTC tire expert Steffan Kerbl advises drivers to pay attention not only to the appearance when buying tires, but above all to the safety properties: "If you value a sporty look for your wheels, you shouldn't spend everything on beautiful rims, but also plan enough buffer for good tires."

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FAA with new safety recommendations for B757 freighters

Amely Mizzi 26. February 2025 05:32

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) relating to certain converted cargo versions of the Boeing 757-200. This recommendation follows an incident in 2021 in which the main cargo door of a DHL Boeing 757 Freighter opened during flight. On February 13, 2021, a DHL Boeing 757-200 PCF (Precision Conversions Freighter) took off from Leipzig/Halle Airport at 05:31 local time, bound for Frankfurt. Shortly after takeoff, at an altitude of approximately 1.530 meters, the crew noticed problems with the pressurized cabin and decided to return to the departure airport. After a safe landing, it was discovered that the front cargo door had opened during climb. DHL later confirmed that “light parts of the cargo door frame” were torn off during the flight. The aircraft in question, originally delivered as a passenger aircraft in 1992 and converted to a freighter in 2011, was taken out of service after the incident. Similar incidents in the past A similar incident occurred in Russia in 2014. A Boeing 757-200 PCF operated by Yakutia Airlines took off from Magadan in extremely cold temperatures of up to -25 degrees Celsius. After takeoff, the cargo door opened due to icing on the locking mechanisms, which led to a drop in pressure in the cabin. The aircraft returned safely to the departure airport. Investigations revealed that snow and ice had impaired the proper functioning of the door sensors. The conversion of Boeing 757-200 passenger aircraft to cargo aircraft includes the installation of a hydraulically operated main cargo door and mechanical locks to secure the door during the flight. In addition, proximity sensors are installed,

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Warning strikes paralyze Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf airports

Amely Mizzi 26. February 2025 05:08

On Monday, February 24, 2025, warning strikes by the Verdi union led to significant disruptions to air traffic at Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf airports. In Cologne/Bonn, the strike began on Sunday evening, resulting in the cancellation of a total of 106 passenger flights. The terminals were largely empty, as most travelers canceled their trip to the airport based on prior information from the airlines. In Düsseldorf, the strike started in the early hours of Monday. Here, too, there were numerous flight cancellations and delays. Verdi had called on public sector employees and ground service employees to go on strike in order to exert pressure in the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations. The union is demanding a salary increase of eight percent or at least 350 euros more per month, increased bonuses for stressful work, 200 euros more for trainees and interns, and three additional days off. The next round of negotiations is planned for March 14-16 in Potsdam. The airports recommended that passengers check the status of their flights in advance and consider alternative travel plans if necessary. Despite the disruption, the situation at the terminals was largely calm, as many passengers were informed of the cancellations in advance. Regular operations are expected to resume at both airports today, Tuesday, February 25.

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Cathay Pacific: New partnership with Kai Tak Sports Park

Belinda Borg 26. February 2025 04:36

The long-established airline Cathay Pacific has announced a new strategic partnership that symbolically returns the company to its original location. The former site of the legendary Kai Tak International Airport, once home to the airline, is now used as the site for the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP). Cathay Pacific has now been named the exclusive "Founding Travel Partner" of this new sports and events center. The partnership underlines the company's connection to its home city of Hong Kong and its ambitions to set new standards as a global travel and lifestyle brand. Kai Tak International Airport was the heart of air traffic in Hong Kong for almost 75 years before it was closed in 1998 and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok). With its spectacular location between the skyscrapers of Kowloon, Kai Tak was famous for its challenging approaches and hustle and bustle. Cathay Pacific was based there and operated worldwide air traffic from this airport. Today, the Kai Tak Sports Park is being built on the historic site, a 28-hectare, state-of-the-art centre for sports, culture and entertainment. With a capacity of up to 50.000 seats, the new stadium will be the largest venue of its kind in Hong Kong. The partnership with Cathay Pacific will not only position the stadium internationally, but will also build a bridge between the site's traditional past and the city's modern development. Cathay Pacific's involvement in the new complex As part of the cooperation, Cathay Pacific is planning a number of initiatives to showcase the history and influence of the stadium.

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Vienna: Tourism year 2024 breaks records

Amely Mizzi 26. February 2025 04:05

The Vienna tourism industry looks back on a successful year in 2024. With net overnight turnover of around 1,4 billion euros, the Danube metropolis exceeded the previous year's result by 12%. The start to 2025 is also optimistic: In January, Vienna recorded over 1,1 million overnight stays, an increase of 10% compared to the same month last year. This positive trend is also reflected in the figures for December 2024. With net overnight turnover of 174.973.000 euros, an increase of 12% was achieved compared to 2023. The average occupancy rate of hotel rooms in January was around 49%, and that of beds was 37,5%. "Vienna is and remains a magnet for tourists from all over the world," says Tourism Director Norbert Kettner happily. "The positive development of overnight stays and turnover shows that our city is perceived as an attractive travel destination." The strong demand from abroad is particularly pleasing. In January 2025, Vienna welcomed guests from over 100 countries. The top 10 markets in January were led by Austria with 197.000 overnight stays, followed by Germany (153.000), Italy (87.000) and the USA (48.000). The markets of Ukraine (+43%) and Romania (+43%) recorded strong growth.

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