6) Traveller Rules With people able to travel now, there are still new and at times, complex rules they must follow. The rules are still highly changeable and airlines must react in accordance to the nations they serve. Some countries have given the green light to trav el to some countries, but those nations may still have their borders closed to all travellers. Vaccinated and non -vaccinated… that is the question. Plus the Passenger Locator Form and the pre-fight PCR test all make travel more complex these days and these restrictions look set to last. Travel restrictions are ultimately designed to slow down the spread of the virus or any mutations. Considering that all four corners of the world live with the virus (the Delta variant), it begs the question that restrictions are in fact n ow meaningless. Next we get to the make of vaccine; WHO approved or not, nation approved or not? If you had a vaccine not recognised by your destination, you won’t be going! Surely this proves that travel restrictions should be universal, transparent and global; where the rules apply to all and we do not have this infighting and squabbling between nations.
FRANCE END TO SHORT DOMESTIC FLIGHTS France is to abolish domestic flights between destinations that also have good train links with a journey time of less than 2.5 hours in a bid to become more sustainable. This means that short flights from Orly Airport in the south of Paris to destinations such as Bordeaux and Nantes will no longer be an option. France is not the only EU nation that has tried this measure. Both Holland and Austria have similar policies.
BY 2050 USA AIRLINES GOAL FOR FLYING WITH RENEWABLE FUELS The US has set 2050 as the goal for airlines to fly with 100% renewable fuels, as one way to tackle climate change in the country. Incentives may be given to support private-sector production of sustainable aviation fuels, as it aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Many big aviation nations are looking for ways to encourage the production of sustainable aviation fuels, which are 2-5 times more expensive than conventional aircraft fuels. Sustainable fuels are made from animal feed or cooking oils and are only account for a very small percentage of total aviation fuel use. Battery operated flights are a long way off due to the weight of the batteries.
CHINA EXCELERATES PRODUCTION OF ROBOCAR Chinese internet search giant Baidu Inc has unveiled a self-driving robocar with no steering wheel, and an upgraded autonomous driving service platform named Luobo Kuaipao, in a bid to make autonomous driving technology commercially feasible. The robocars will have, features like: L5autonomous driving ability; voice and facial recognition capacity, which can analyse the potential needs of users and proactively offer related services; selflearning and continuous self-improvement abilities. Automated gull-wing doors and a transparent glass roof, all with external sensors, the robocar challenges the traditional car design concept. The interior features zero-gravity seats and a large curved intelligent display and control pad, with no steering wheel and pedals.
GERMANY TO SELL STATES SHARE IN LUFTHANSA The German government is to sell a quarter of its 20% stake in Lufthansa, earning a good profit and with plans to sell the re st of its stake by the end of 2023. Its total stake is currently valued at over UK£728 million. The stake was bought for UK£258 million in 2020 as part of a recovery fund to help recovery during the health crisis. Lufthansa has received US$7 billion in bailout funds due to the pandemic. Its latest financial statement saw better than expected results for the Q2 of 2021. With a loss still of UK£801 million, the overall picture is more positive.
