Latest news with #BernardLavelle
Metro
31-07-2025
- Metro
Dozens injured on flight to Amsterdam after plane its severe turbulence
At least 25 people were hurt after a passenger plane to Amsterdam was caught in turbulence. A routine flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam turned into a nightmare when the Airbus plane suddenly plunged due to turbulence. The Delta Air Lines flight DL56 had departed Utah at about 10.30pm yesterday when it got caught in severe conditions over Minnesota. The Airbus A330-900 plane with 288 people on board was forced to make an emergency landing at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport after the sudden fall caused multiple injuries. At least 25 people were taken to local hospitals for assessment and treatment. The plane dropped around 1,000ft within seconds, which must have been 'scary for passengers,' aviation consultant Bernard Lavelle said. Pilots will try to steer clear of turbulence if they see active weather belts, Mr Lavelle told Metro. However, turbulence can sometimes be invisible on the radars, known as clear turbulence. He said: 'Sometimes turbulence is just there, and the most difficult one is clear air turbulence – you are going through a clear sky and suddenly you hit turbulence and you don't see it, so that can be challenging. 'If the pilots can see the turbulence, they will put the seatbelt sign on and get people to return to their seats, and if it is severe, get the crew to sit down as well. But pilots don't always pick it up on radar or haven't had that information.' Delta Air Lines said: 'Delta flight DL56 – flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam – diverted to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport on Wednesday after the flight encountered significant turbulence while en route. 'The aircraft, an Airbus A330-900, landed safely at MSP, and medical personnel met the flight upon arrival to evaluate customers and crew. 'Twenty-five of those on board were transported to local hospitals for evaluation and care. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved. Safety is our number one value at Delta, and our Delta Care Team is working directly with customers to support their immediate needs.' Mr Lavelle said the biggest risk from turbulence is for people who don't have their seatbelts on and from flying debris. 'Airlines recommend keeping your seatbelt on unless you are stretching your legs or going to the toilet,' he said. More Trending The expert said that there has been 'an increase in turbulence, especially in Asia.' Mr Lavelle said: 'There is an increasing number of flights around the world that are subject to turbulence of some kind because of climate change. 'There is a lot of impact on flights. It is becoming more usual than unusual, which is frustrating, but it is still a very small number of flights to put it into context,' he added. Last year, an Air Europa flight hit turbulence so bad that one of the passengers was catapulted into the overhead lockers. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'I felt like a millionaire': Travellers share their business class upgrade stories MORE: Radioactive wasp nest is found at former US nuclear bomb site MORE: Trump ally running for office representing Georgia spells it wrong in ad campaign
Metro
16-06-2025
- Business
- Metro
Could cost of flights go up after Air India crash and Middle East escalation?
The cost of flights could go up soon as the aviation industry reels from the Air India crash and the escalation between Iran and Israel. The Air India crash last week left a wake of devastation, wiping out entire families after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner fell shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport. Families are demanding answers after 270 people were killed, most of them passengers. Investigators have now recovered the cockpit voice recorder, which can reveal the final moments inside the plane. The so-called black box will aid in the investigation, which will be closely monitored not just by the grieving families but also the aviation industry. There were concerns that the crash could impact the cost of insurance for some airlines using Boeing 787 plane, which could trickle down on consumers ahead of the summer holidays. Some experts have forecast an increase of 2% up to 5% on tickets, according to NDTV. With a 5% increase, a one-way £61 flight from London Heathrow to Barcelona could cost around £64. However, some experts have said the crash could result in a temporary drop in demand as flyers are spooked, which would see a price drop. Bernard Lavelle, the principal aviation consultant at BL Aviation, told Metro: 'After the Washington DC crash between the jet and helicopter, there was a fall in domestic demand for air travel and for using Washington airport. Because people get worried, and that's just human nature.' 'Some people say 'we've had that incident in the US, and now this in India, I'll take a different kind of holiday.'' 'Demand due to fear of flying could have an impact on prices,' he added. Bernard argued that the Air India crash is likely to have only a negligible impact on the massive insurance industry and consumer ticket prices. He told Metro that a bigger impact is likely to come from the volatile situation between feuding Iran and Israel as oil prices feel the brunt of the uncertainty, which has led to civilian deaths. All eyes are on the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, which sees around a fifth of the world's oil consumption pass through it. More Trending If oil exports through the key route are disrupted, prices could surge. He said: 'If the situation gets worse, let's say Iran shuts the Strait of Hormuz, that's going to have a much bigger impact, and the price of oil would go up further.' When a barrel of oil hits $100, 'weaker airlines will get into trouble and can't pay their bills,' Bernard said. Currently, Brent crude oil costs around $73 per barrel. The two biggest factors affecting the price of flying are fuel and labour costs. Seasonality also plays a major role – this means the difference between flying during the holiday season versus off-peak. To avoid season surge pricing, try catching a mid-week flight and opting for early morning departures. Plenty of airline competition on a route usually means lower fares for passengers. Airlines will try to attract flyers with lower prices on a popular route, while a rare route with just a couple of operators holding the monopoly is likely to be more expensive. Fuel costs account for around 25-35% of airline's expenses, and price levels have been steadily increasing since the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Fuel prices are sensitive to global upheaval and conflicts, especially if they put oil production facilities or transportation routes at risk. The time of booking your flight can impact ticket prices, so it is worth booking your trip as soon as possible. Airlines use special algorithms that will hike up ticket prices as the date gets closer and depending on demand, called dynamic pricing. Some airlines, like Ryanair, use a price-to-load model, Bernard said. It means that if they are far from the 80% load target for filled seats, prices could drop until this is achieved. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Second miracle of 11A after another Brit was booked onto Air India plane but had to change flights MORE: Air India pilot hailed a 'hero' after saving 'hundreds of people' in last moments of his life MORE: Mum-of-two is first British Air India crash victim released to family
