Latest news with #pilots
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Over 50,000 people have booked flight to nowhere tickets worth hundreds
More than 50,000 people have paid for a flight to nowhere. It might sound unusual but this flight - which takes off from Heathrow and lands back there around 40 minutes later - has been especially designed to help people with a fear of flying. The flight, which is operated by British Airways, is part of the airline's 'Flying with Confidence' scheme. BA says that its 'life-changing, one-day course gives you the knowledge and techniques' needed to 'overcome a fear of flying'. In a TikTok video, travel experts at the @thepointsguy, explain that the course utilises the experience of pilots and psychologists to help attendees overcome their phobia. They reveals that the course starts at an airport hotel conference space with a presentation by senior British Airways pilots. The Points Guy says the pilots will 'explain how safely planes fly, how pilots operate them and the rigorous selection and regular training pilots must undertake to take to the skies'. Attendees will then be joined by a clinical psychologist who will 'explain how fears of flying develop and can be managed'. @thepointsguy Tag someone who is scared of flying 👀 #turbulence #airplane #travel #anxiety ♬ Epic Music(863502) - Draganov89 There will then be a 'guided meditation' and 'relaxation exercise' to 'soothe course attendees into a deep calm'. Trained staff will then guide course members through security and help them 'board a special British Airways charter flight', explains The Points Guy. On the flight, experts will explain what every noise and 'bump' is to help attendees keep calm. BA says: 'During the flight, an extra pilot on the flight deck gives a running commentary explaining all the various phases of the flight and just what is happening. 'This aspect of the course has been found to be very reassuring and valuable, helping people overcome their fear of flying.' Does it work? According to British Airways, more than 50,000 people have taken the course over the last 30 years and it has a 98 per cent success rate. The airline's primary course costs £399 and passengers will take a short flight from Heathrow at the end of the day. LEFT: The Points Guy says the pilots will 'explain how safely planes fly, how pilots operate them and the rigorous selection and regular training pilots must undertake to take to the skies'. RIGHT: On the flight, experts will explain what every noise and 'bump' is to help attendees keep calm Its premium course costs £1,899 and includes two flights on British Airways' domestic services. BA explains: 'Normally the "turnaround" time on the ground at the destination is less than an hour, with an opportunity for a flight deck visit.' Who is the course for? BA says that the course will help those with a fear of flying whether that's due to a lack of control, claustrophobia, a fear of heights or of falling.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
There's A Serious Reason Why You Should Be Extra Careful If You Have The Window Seat On A Plane, And I Truly Never Would've Guessed This
Earlier this year, TikTok user FindingFiona uploaded a travel video that got serious attention, garnering more than 2 million views and 1,000 comments. In the post, she emphasized the importance of wearing sunscreen on flights, citing reports of people incurring more sun damage when they're at higher altitudes. 'Even though you're inside the aircraft, because of the high altitudes, you're actually experiencing stronger UV radiation, especially if you're in the window seat,' she says in the video. According to dermatologists, the TikToker's claim is partially correct — but it's also a little wrong. 'The good news is that the true risk from one flight, or somebody who flies occasionally, is probably low,' said Dr. Elizabeth Jones, an assistant professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. But Jones noted that for flight crew members and pilots, the risk is higher. 'People who are flying occupationally, they're going to be exposed much more to ultraviolet light given — especially if they're in the cockpit — the size of the windshield,' and given all the time they spend at a higher altitude, she said. Jones pointed to a 2015 study that found pilots and cabin crew have roughly twice the incidence of melanoma, a less common but more serious form of skin cancer, when compared to the general population. So, there is a connection between flying and sun damage. Below, dermatologists explain what you should know about your sun damage risk when you're at cruising altitude. Airplane windows block out most UVB rays, but not all UVA rays. 'Airplane windows effectively block out most of the UVB rays,' Jones said, referring to the rays that can cause sunburn and skin cancer. So even if you're sitting in the window seat, you likely won't end up with sunburn after a flight. But that doesn't mean other damage can't occur. This is also true for non-airplane windows, said Dr. Jennifer Holman, a dermatologist with U.S. Dermatology Partners Tyler in Texas. 'Most typical windows in a house or a car are going to filter out ... like 97%, 98% of the UVB radiation, which is typically the wavelength that people think of that causes sunburns,' she said. While windows block these rays, they don't block all rays. According to Jones, airplane windows don't fully keep out UVA rays, which can 'cause premature aging, wrinkles and ultimately can contribute to skin cancer as well.' (Jones did note, however, that 'some of the older windows block out about 50% of UVA rays' and 'some of the newer models are more effective at even blocking out UVA.') Again, this goes beyond airplanes: Holman said most glass windows, including your car windows and the windows at your local coffee shop, also don't offer UVA protection. In general, 'most glass does not filter out UVA,' she noted. Wearing sunscreen on a plane can protect you from these harmful rays, which Holman said penetrate 'more deeply into the skin' and put you 'at risk for different types of skin cancer, including the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma.' So, who needs sunscreen on an airplane? The short answer: everyone. Sunscreen is important for folks to wear daily, whether or not you're taking a flight. 'As a dermatologist, of course, I'm encouraging all of my patients to wear their sunscreen as a daily habit every day, just for the exposures that we face and the free radicals that are out in the world from UV radiation,' Holman said. While it is important for everyone to wear sunscreen on a plane, Jones said certain people should take particular caution. 'Who should consider wearing sunscreen on a plane?' she said. 'Certainly, someone with a personal or family history of skin cancer may want to get that added protection by using a sunscreen.' Folks with fair skin who are more sensitive to the sun should consider that added protection, too. The same goes for people with medical conditions that make them susceptible to sun damage, and people who are on medication that increases sun sensitivity, Jones noted. Holman said that when shopping for sunscreen, you should find one that's labeled 'broad-spectrum,' meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. This is always necessary, including on a plane when you aren't protected from that UVA light. Beyond sunscreen, Holman stressed that other protections are also helpful. 'The importance of physical protection, too ― wearing hats, sun protective clothing, sunglasses ― all those things continue to be important as we're protecting ourselves from ultraviolet exposure,' she said. This article originally appeared in HuffPost.
Arab News
5 days ago
- General
- Arab News
What We Are Reading Today: Red Bandit by Mike Guardia
Mike Guardia's "Red Bandit" pulls you into the cockpit of this legendary jet, delivering a visceral, no-holds-barred chronicle of its battlefield legacy, stripping away the myths to reveal the true capabilities — and limits — of Russia's iconic warbird. Based on declassified reports, first-hand pilot accounts, and meticulous combat analysis, Red Bandit is more than just a parochial history — it's a high-stakes, sky-scorching narrative of power, politics, and heart-pounding dogfights.
Arabian Business
6 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
FlyDubai
flydubai has built a strong workforce of more than 6,400 employees representing 144 nationalities, more than 1,330 of whom are pilots
CBC
27-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Frustrated Air Canada pilot slams air traffic controller shortage to passengers on flight
Social Sharing An Air Canada pilot vented his frustrations over air traffic controller shortages on a recent flight, telling passengers to write their MPs to address ongoing delays at the country's airports. The pilot on a Vancouver-Montreal flight on Saturday vented over the intercom, with a CBC reporter capturing a portion of his message announcing a 50-minute delay. In the message, he says that the air traffic controller sector — which is operated by private company Nav Canada — was understaffed, and sick calls had meant there was a holdup at the airport that day. "It's very annoying," the pilot told the passengers. "It's cost the company a lot of money. It costs business people a lot of money, and it would be great to have this addressed." WATCH | Air Canada pilot sounds off about air traffic controller shortages: Air Canada pilot vents about delays, blaming air traffic controller shortage 9 hours ago Duration 2:04 Air Canada says it's been hit by unexpected delays at Vancouver International Airport in recent weeks. The airport confirms a shortage of air traffic controllers has caused delays and cancellations. As Jon Hernandez reports, a pilot expressed his frustrations to a plane full of passengers on Saturday. The pilot goes on to accuse Nav Canada of keeping the number of new trainees low in order to keep overtime numbers high and asks passengers to tell their representatives about it. "Please write your MP and let them know what's going on and how it's affecting your business or your leisure plans," he urged. The frustration expressed by the pilot comes a little over a month after Nav Canada said that "resource constraints" had led to dozens of flights being cancelled or delayed. An Air Canada spokesperson confirmed in a statement that Nav Canada restrictions had affected airline schedules at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) for several weeks. A spokesperson for the company denied that trainees were being intentionally rejected as unsuitable to protect overtime, and said it is scaling up training operations in response to the shortage of air traffic controllers. An airline CEO and the pilots' union both say that the labour crunch is a nationwide challenge that requires a wholesale effort to solve. Small airlines affected Tim Perry, the president of the Air Line Pilots Association, says that if a passenger gets frustrated with delays, it's natural that pilots would too. He said that, however, delays were not the fault of individual air traffic controllers but rather a systemic issue. "If we need more people at work, let's direct our collective attention to doing that," he said. "We really need to look to the future, work collaboratively with all the stakeholders," Perry added. "That means government. That means labour representatives, and it means employers, to make sure that the entire system is staffed appropriately." Teara Fraser, the CEO of Indigenous-owned airline Iskwew Air, operates short flights between YVR and Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. While the flights are very short — usually clocking in just under half an hour — Fraser says there have been delays every day on most flights, and the shortage of air traffic controllers wasn't "a new problem, but it's certainly worsening." "We're getting delays of anywhere between 20 minutes and two hours," she told CBC News. "When you are operating a 20-25 minute flight, that's significant." Fraser urged the federal government to properly fund airports, airlines and service providers. Nav Canada cites training efforts In a statement, a Nav Canada spokesperson confirmed that "resource constraints" necessitated a temporary traffic management initiative on Saturday, which led to delays. The spokesperson said the company is in the process of significantly expanding its training capacity across the country to meet growing demand. "We currently have close to 500 students within our training programs today," they said. "By 2028, we expect the total number of students who will have entered [Nav Canada's] training program to be approximately 1,500." The spokesperson denied the Air Canada pilot's allegation that air traffic controller trainees were being intentionally rejected in order to protect overtime. "Prior to any decision being made to cease training for an individual, a multidisciplined panel evaluates opportunities to further support the candidate or to restream them to another program," the spokesperson said. "We leave no stone unturned in supporting a candidate's success." The spokesperson said that close to 40 licences for air traffic controllers had been issued in Vancouver over the last year, something they called a clear sign of progress. "Certain specialties in Vancouver present some of the most complex training environments in the country, due to the intricate airspace structure and high traffic volumes," they added.
