Shotgun Shell Delays Delta Flight

A Delta Air Lines flight from Milwaukee to Detroit was delayed on Wednesday after a passenger found a live shotgun shell by his seat and everyone on board had to pass through a security check a second time, a sheriff's official said.

The passenger found the shell at 6:47 am local time in the seat-back pocket in front of him, said Fran McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. The incident occurred at Milwaukee's General Mitchell Airport.

A sheriff's canine unit swept the plane and found no other shell casings, McLaughlin said.

The TSA re-screened all the passengers aboard the flight. After a one-hour delay, the plane took off for its original destination of Detroit, she said.

The man who found the shell was interviewed by investigators, who found nothing suspicious about him, McLaughlin said. It remained unclear how the shell ended up on the flight.

United And American Pilots To Vote On New Deals

Pilots at United Airlines and American Airlines are due to vote in coming weeks on new contracts that in some cases offer the first significant salary increases in almost a decade.

The pay gains reflect better financial times at airlines, and partially offset years of concessions the pilots made as airlines went through bankruptcies and endured huge losses.

But other groups of workers at US airlines are not being treated as generously. The carriers, citing high risks the recovery in their fortunes could stall, are not prepared to improve contracts across the board, industry experts and airline executives say. That means labour relations could remain rocky.

Plane Crashes Off Comoros, All Survive

A plane crashed in the Indian Ocean off the Comoros Islands on Tuesday after suffering mechanical problems, but all 29 people on board survived, officials said.

The Embraer jet went down a few minutes after taking off from Moroni airport at about 1 pm local time, they said. The plane, belonging to Inter-Iles, had been bound for the nearby island of Anjouan.

A senior military official who gave his name only as Zarouk and was on board the plane, said aircraft fuel was leaking "like an open tap" upon take-off.

He alerted the pilot who decided to return to the airport, but was unable to land in time, instead crashed into the sea.

Abu Mohamed Ali, director general of Civil Aviation for the Comoros Islands, said all 29 people on board - 25 passengers and four crew - were safe. The pilot suffered head injuries while the rest were unhurt. Fishermen appeared to have led the search-and-rescue operation.

Man to sue KLM, Delta and Lufthansa for $6 million

THE husband of a sickly, one-legged, obese American woman who died from kidney failure in Hungry after airline officials told her she was too fat to fly home will sue all airlines involved.

Lawyers for Janos Soltesz said he would sue KLM, Delta and Lufthansa for $6 million.

Vilma Soltesz, 56, died in Hungary on October 24. She weighed 193kg, had only one leg and used a wheelchair.

She had travelled with her husband of 33 years to Hungary on Delta and KLM airlines on September 17. 

The couple spent several weeks relaxing at a holiday house they owned in the Hungarian countryside. But when they decided to travel home, Mr Soltesz says Vilma was kicked off three flights and left unable to get home. 

Lufthansa to phase in new budget flights

Details are beginning to emerge of how Lufthansa’s budget brand will evolve.

In September the carrier announced it would create a low-cost offering to operate non-hub domestic and European routes, and it is now confirmed that Cologne-based Germanwings (the low-cost subsidiary of Lufthansa) will take over all its parent’s non-hub routes in stages.

According to a Germanwings spokesman, the phased operation will start in January. It will extend over several months.

It means that all Lufthansa flights which do not serve its twin hubs of either Frankfurt or Munich will be taken over by Germanwings which will provide a budget airline style of service.

Nigeria: Why FG Cancelled Agreement With Lufthansa

Nigerian Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah

Reasons emerged, weekend, why the Federal Government cancelled its agreement with the German airline, Lufthansa, under which the airline enjoyed free royalty payments for flights into the country.

Sources in the Ministry of Aviation disclosed that the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, instigated the cancellation of the four-year agreement upon revelations that the German airline failed to fulfill its side of the agreement signed in November 2008.

Oduah, it was learnt, moved to cancel the agreement following the advice from the Attorney General of the Federation that the country had sufficient reasons to cancel the agreement upon the confirmation that the airline had not fulfilled its pledges.

Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between the government and Deutsche Lufthansa Aktiengesellschaft (LH)Germany, the German airline was expected to provide technical assistance to the country besides creating a hub inAbujain partnership with other international airlines. The German airline was on its part expected to benefit through additional traffic rights on concessionary basis.

Oman Air Sees 30 Percent Revenue Growth

Oman Air, the sultanate's national carrier, expects its revenue to grow 30 percent in 2012 because of expanded operations, its chief executive said on Monday.

"I am pleased to say we are expecting a 30 percent revenue rise this year due to increased flights to Europe, the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and other destinations because of higher demand," CEO Wayne Pearce said.

The company said in its 2011 financial report that it generated revenue of OMR311.3 million rials last year.

"Part of our growth strategy is to extend our destinations to 50 from the current 42. We will be announcing a few new routes next week," Pearce said. Oman Air's latest destination is Tehran, to which it started flying in September

Muamba For Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

Fabrice Muamba, the footballer who suffered a heart attack on the pitch during an FA Cup match, is to crown his comeback nearly dying by transferring his nifty footwork to Strictly Come Dancing.

The former Bolton Wanderers midfielder will be among the guest stars on the one-off Christmas edition of the BBC ONE show.

Muamba's addition to the show comes just weeks after he spoke of his desire to strut his stuff on the dance floor.

He said in a recent interview that he turned down ITV's Dancing On Ice, but added: "I'd do Strictly Come Dancing. I love my salsa, so I'd be well up for that."

The 24-year-old collapsed in front of 35,000 fans in a match against Spurs earlier this year when he suffered his heart problem.

The Zaire-born player, who recently married Shauna Magunda, was technically dead for 78 minutes but was brought back after repeated shocks from a defibrillator, which made his heart beat again.

China Eastern Seals $5.4B Airbus Deal

China Eastern Airlines, one of the country's top three carriers, said it has agreed to buy 60 Airbus A320 aircraft for about USD$5.4 billion, expected to be delivered in stages from 2014 to 2017.

In a filing to the Hong Kong Exchange filed after markets closed on Friday, China Eastern also said it plans to fund the purchase with the company's working capital, commercial bank loans and other sources it didn't specify.

The new aircraft will help the airline satisfy rising demand for domestic medium- and short-haul passenger routes, it said in the statement. The deal is subject to approval by China Eastern's shareholders and regulators.

GOL To Cut Jobs And Fleet Size

Gol, Brazil's second-largest airline, will cut 850 jobs and reduce its fleet size next year as a result of the closure of its Webjet subsidiary, the company said in a securities filing on Friday.

Gol Linhas Aéreas will book an unspecified charge this quarter, according to the filing, adding that the size of that charge will be disclosed soon.

Gol also plans to cut seats available for domestic flights by between 5 percent and 8 percent in the first half of next year "in a show of Gol's commitment towards the recovery of its operational margins and business sustainability," the filing said.

Boeing Engineers Closer To Strike

Engineers at Boeing have moved closer to a strike after the US aircraft manufacturer's latest offer on two contracts that expire on Sunday.

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) said the new offer still represents a cut in salary and other benefits for the 23,000 members of its two bargaining units, professional and technical workers.

"We're closer to calling a strike authorisation," SPEEA executive director Ray Goforth said. "We don't have a date or plans" to call a vote, he added.

Boeing said the offer is much improved over its opening proposal, and reflects the tough competition with Airbus and the needs of price-sensitive airlines.

United Airlines Not Liable For 9/11 Security Lapse

United Airlines bears no responsibility for suspected security lapses at Portland Jetport, Maine, which allowed hijackers to board the American Airlines plane that crashed on September 11, 2001, a US federal judge ruled.

US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein granted a request by United and its parent United Continental Holdings on Wednesday to dismiss negligence claims brought by Larry Silverstein, the leaseholder of the World Trade Centre property.

The decision concerned the destruction of 7 World Trade Centre, which collapsed hours after being pierced by debris from the crash of American Airlines flight 11 into 1 World Trade Centre.

Passenger Lands Plane After Pilot Falls Sick

A passenger has been hailed a hero after taking over the controls of a plane and helping it land at Dublin Airport after the first officer fell ill.

The German man, an off-duty pilot, offered his services when the cabin crew announced the plane, carrying 264 passengers, was being diverted to Dublin.

He asked a member of staff the reason for the diversion, and found out the first officer of the Lufthansa Boeing 747 had been taken ill while flying over the Atlantic on Monday.

The off-duty pilot had been travelling as a passenger on a Lufthansa 747 flying from Newark to Frankfurt when the crew member suffered a severe migraine and was incapacitated.

---

A source involved in the incident told the Independent.ie: "It was a miracle. It had all the elements of a Hollywood movie but thankfully one with a happy ending."

The man highlighted the fact he was a qualified pilot, and helped the plane safely complete an emergency landing in Dublin at around 6am.

A Lufthansa spokeswoman said the man who stepped in to help was fully licensed to operate and fly the 747, telling the Guardian: "In such circumstances it's absolutely normal procedure for the pilot, the flight captain, to continue to operate the aircraft.

"Also, where necessary, the cabin crew are fully trained and can be called upon to read checklists back to the pilot. The procedures are in place for such an eventuality. "

According to the Irish Examiner, the Lufthansa spokeswoman added: "Whenever you have any sort of medical issue on board, whether it's a doctor or appropriately qualified person, that's always appreciated. The flight would have been operated as per procedures and safely even if the off-duty pilot had not been there."

Ireland's Air Accident Investigations Unit is looking into the incident.

Source: travel.aol

Four in ten pilots fall asleep in the cockpit

Four in 10 British pilots have fallen asleep at the controls of an aircraft, a survey has suggested, fuelling concerns over safety regulations.

Recent research also revealed that a third of these pilots admitted waking up to find their co-pilot asleep as well.

In a 2012 survey for the European Cockpit Association (ECA), more than half of around 6,000 pilots from all over Europe said tiredness had hampered their ability to fly.

Of those who felt unfit, 79 per cent said that this was “sometimes” or “often” the case.

The research also suggested the issue is under-reported. Fearing the reaction of employers, 70 to 80 per cent of tired pilots said they would not file a fatigue report or declare they were unfit to fly

Air France diverts Rio-Paris flight over faulty engine

An Air France airliner heading from Rio to Paris was forced to make an emergency landing Friday in Casablanca due to damage to one of its two engines, the company said.

A spokeswoman said the aircraft, which had left Brazil's southern city of Rio Thursday and was carrying 201 passengers and 12 crew members including three pilots, had been diverted according to guidelines.

She said a technical investigation was under way to determine what happened, and added that passengers had been transferred to other flights headed for Paris.

The aircraft, an Airbus A330, was the same model as the Air France airliner that plunged into the Atlantic in 2009 and killed all 228 people aboard during a Rio to Paris flight.

In a July report, French accident investigators concluded that technical faults led an ill-prepared crew to lose control, resulting in the airliner's crash.

Jetlink Grounds Fleet Over Currency

Kenyan airline Jetlink has grounded its fleet after a shortage of dollars in one of its main markets, South Sudan, left it starved of cash, its chief executive said on Friday.

South Sudan, Africa's newest nation which broke away from Sudan last year, has suffered a severe shortage of hard currency since it stopped oil exports earlier this year due to a dispute with Sudan, which controls the export pipeline.

The South Sudanese oil minister has said the country could resume producing up to 230,000 barrels per day of oil by the end of November.

Rihanna Pilots a Jumbo Jet

Rihanna kicked off her incredibly ambitious '777' tour wednesday and it seems that Rihanna was eager to get things going by taking charge of the controls in her private jet.

Chocks away! Rihanna was eager to get her jumbo jet off the runway. [Rex/Getty]

Well, not exactly.The singer posed by the jet's controls wearing a pilot's cap before take-off.However, it seems that the singer quickly knew her place and returned to the passenger area of the jumbo jet to kick start the tour in true Rihanna style- by having a party.

We just hope she did her research; drinking at a high altitude means that a person will be affected three times as much by one drink drank at sea level.

In short, the bottle of champagne Rihanna was posing with doesn't bode well.

Talking to the press before embarking on the tour, which sees the singer play seven gigs in seven countries over seven days, Rihanna explained that the jumbo jet would be the ultimate tour bus.

Rihanna kick started the tour with a party on her jet. Like you do. [Rex]

She said: "I am so excited about the 777 tour. We are turning this jumbo jet into our tour bus.

"We are practically living on this thing for a week: sleeping, partying all together. Me, my fans, the press... it's going to be a wild ride."

We don't doubt that.

Talking about her motivation to do the tour, Rihanna revealed that her main reason was to do something 'rock 'n' roll'.

She explained: "I wanted it to be a rock 'n' roll adventure, and I think when it's over it will be the coolest thing I've ever done. I'm that excited about it."

Rihanna is currently en route to her second destination, Canada, after a successful first gig in Mexico.

She tweeted: "thank you Mexico, I love u! #1 down, 6 more to go!!! Country number 2, Canada! Toronto here we come #777tour #HTC".

OMG

End Of An Era: Airbus Sells Last Two A340s

Airbus announced the sale of two A340 passenger jets to a UK services company on Thursday, marking the final deliveries of its longest-range model.

The two A340-500s will be the last examples of the four-engined jet to be delivered brand-new from the French factory and had previously been earmarked for struggling Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines, industry sources say.

Airbus has already halted production of the A340, which came out in 1993 just before changes in engine design and regulations allowed Boeing to develop its rival 777 with two engines instead of four, allowing airlines to fly many routes at a lower cost.

Plane crashes in Jackson, Mississippi

A small plane with three people aboard crashed into a home near an airport in Jackson Tuesday evening and authorities did not have immediate information on casualties.

One patient from the scene was in good condition at University of Mississippi Medical Center, said spokesman Jack Mazurak. He wouldn't give the person's name or gender or the extent of the injuries, citing privacy laws.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergendid not immediately have information about the condition of the people aboard the Piper PA-32 single-engine plane. A single home was hit, said Jackson Fire Department Assistant Chief R.D. Simpson and a coroner was on the scene. The fire appeared to be extinguished.

The plane had just departed Hawkins Field Airport headed for Raymond, Miss., the FAA said.

The plane took off at 5:10 p.m. and shortly after, the pilot asked for permission to return to the airport, according to a news release from the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority. The plane was unable to return and crashed.

Source:yahoo

127 Escape Death as Plane Aborts Take-off

At least 127 passengers on board an aircraft narrowly escaped death in South Africa on Tuesday.

The chartered aircraft had to abort take-off when one of its wheels caught fire Tuesday at South Africa’s main O.R. Tambo international airport on Tuesday, an airport official said.

“Global Aviation which was en route to Lilongwe, Malawi aborted take-off because one of its tyres apparently got alight,” airport spokeswoman Unathi Batyashe- Fillis told AFP.

The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported among the 120 passengers and seven crew.

The flight was scheduled to take off at 7:30am (0530 GMT) from the airport’s cargo section.

The accident which involved a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 caused slight delays in flight take-offs and landings at one of Africa's busiest airports.

"We have had around five minutes delays on all our departing flights and arrivals as a result," said Batyashe-Fillis.

Lufthansa October passenger volume rises 2.7%

German airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG Monday said the group's October passenger volume rose 2.7% on the year with all units contributing to successful capacity management and improved load factors.

MAIN FACTS:

-Lufthansa group's October passenger volume amounted to 9.38 million.

-The group's passenger load factor increased 1.3 percentage points to 79.0% in October.

-German carrier Lufthansa Passenger Airlines' passenger volume rose by 3.8% to 6.86 million in October, while its load factor increased by 1.0 percentage points to 77.9%.

Pay Conflict: Lufthansa and Trade Union Agree

German airline Lufthansa and a trade union have agreed to a mediator's proposal to end a long-running conflict over pay and work conditions, a source familiar with the negotiations told Reuters late on Monday.

While both sides have refrained from officially saying whether the arbitration was a failure or a success, a statement from mediator Bert Ruerup said late on Monday he was holding a news conference on Tuesday along with negotiating partners.

The statement said the conference would announce the mediation results.

Another source, from Lufthansa, told Reuters the company would not stand in the way of a deal.

SWISS Air to cut Administrative Jobs

Switzerland's flag carrier, SWISS, plans job cuts in Switzerland in the double digits as part of parent company Lufthansa's cost-cutting measures, a spokeswoman for the Swiss carrier said on Sunday.

The SonntagsZeitung newspaper reported on Sunday that the carrier could cut up to 100 jobs in Switzerland.

German airline Lufthansa, in its third-quarter results announcement last month, said it would widen its cost-cutting drive to counter rising fuel prices and sluggish growth in its core market.

Nigerian Pastor Gets Private Jet as Birthday Gift

It was a joyous moment at the World of Life Bible Church yesterday as the Founder and President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor, Ayodele Oritsejafor was presented with a private jet.

The gift was presented to him at the church headquarters in Warri on the occasion of his 40th years of ministration.

The 10-seater Bombadier/Challenger jet, marked N431CB, is an updated version of 194 series, and it is said to cost about 4.9million dollars.The aircraft which has a range of 3,900 nautical miles, is also said to have a full enclosed lavatory and a flight attendant for additional comfort.

The luxurious and spacious cabin of the Challenger 601 is perfect to conduct meetings or simply relax. With this gift, the charismatic pastor has joined the league of men of God who have acquired a private yet.

JetBlue Pilot To Be Released From Prison

The JetBlue Airways pilot whose 'midair meltdown' on a flight forced the plane to make an emergency landing in Texas was ordered conditionally released by a federal judge in Amarillo, Texas, on Friday.

US District Judge Mary Lou Robinson ruled Clayton Osbon, 49, "would not create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to the property of another" if released.

Osbon pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in July to a criminal charge of interference with a flight crew and was ordered examined by psychiatrists for the US Bureau of Prisons. A judge ruled him not guilty by reason of insanity and Osbon was sent to the Federal Medical Centre in Butner, North Carolina.

On a March 27 flight from New York to Las Vegas, Osbon ran through the aisles of the plane screaming about Iraq, Iran and al Qaeda, yelling, "We're not going to Vegas" and "You'd better start praying now!" An FBI report says the first officer on the flight managed to lock Osbon out of the cabin while passengers subdued him and another pilot made the decision to land in Amarillo.

Boeing On Course To Sell More Planes Than Airbus

Boeing reported more than 1,000 net new orders so far this year, putting it on course to sell more aircraft than Airbus for the first time since 2006.

Boeing recorded 1009 net orders by November 6, primarily driven by demand for 737 narrow-body jets. The company has received 990 net orders for 737s this year.

Boeing sales are running at more than double those of Airbus. Airbus had logged 382 orders on a net basis to September 30 this year, according to data available on its website.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing has also moved a step closer to selling a larger version of its new 787 Dreamliner, holding detailed discussions with potential customers.

Mass Job Losses Feared At Iberia

A restructuring plan that could see up to 7,000 job losses will be revealed by Spanish airline Iberia at a meeting with unions on Friday, union sources said on Wednesday.

Business at Iberia, part of International Airlines Group together with British Airways, has been hit by recession and high unemployment in Spain, which remains at the centre of the euro zone sovereign debt crisis.

"We have been summoned for Friday and the only thing we know is that they want to announce a massive staff layoff plan," said a spokesman at CTA, the union for land-staff personnel for Iberia, which has some 20,000 employees.

Unions have been expecting layoffs for months of between 4,000 and 7,000 workers due to the continuing effects of Spain's recession and the progressive shifting of its short to medium distance flight routes to its low cost carrier Iberia Express.

Nearly 800 New York Flights Cancelled

New York and New Jersey ordered the evacuation of nursing homes and low-lying coastal areas already devastated by deadly storm Sandy as a smaller but still powerful Nor'easter approached from the Atlantic Ocean.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg closed parks and beaches and temporarily halted outdoor construction ahead of the storm, which was pelting the Washington area with ice pellets on Wednesday and whipping up seas as high as 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) about 20 miles (30 km) off New York's JFK airport, AccuWeather reported.

Airlines cancelled 770 flights into and out of the New York area, FlightAware said.

(Reuters)

Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines edge closer together

Media reports claim cooperation between German flagship carrier Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines is set to become much closer than originally planned. The two companies are even considering a cross-shareholding plan.

The strategic partnership between Germany's Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines is about to become much closer than originally envisaged, the "Financial Times Deutschland" (FTD) claimed in its Tuesday edition.

According to the report, the two carriers are to engage in a joint venture to share profits on certain core routes. This would make it easier for the two sides to stand their ground in the face of growing competition with airlines from the Gulf region.

Castrated men live longer - Study

Castrated men tend to live much longer than fully endowed men, according to a new study published in Current Biology, that could offer clues on how to extend the male lifespan.

Experts say possible negative consequences of castration include “decreased libido,depression and loss of physical strength.

Researchers say eunuchs lived 14 to 19 years longer than other men did. Three even lived to 100 or more, a feat of longevity that remains relatively rare among men even today.

Castration allegedly extends lifespan by reducing male sex hormones - testosterone is known to increase the incidence of coronary heart disease and reduce immune function in males.

Due to this immune function suppression, eunuchs could be better able to resist infections and are less prone to physically dangerous situations that could put them at risk.

The researchers plan to examine the lifespan of eunuchs in other cultures, but few expect young men to willingly undergo castration in order to have lengthier lives.

Source: nigerianeye

United Begins First 787 Dreamliner Flight

United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) ushered in a new era for composite-plastic aircraft with its inaugural flight using Boeing Co. (BA)’s 787 Dreamliner jet.

Flight 1116 to Chicago from Houston was the first by a U.S. airline with the plane whose fuselage is made chiefly from composite materials instead of the traditional aluminum, and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smisek hailed it as “the best airplane in the world.”

“It doesn’t get any cooler than this,” Smisek said today as he posed for photos and signed autographs at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport before a takeoff that industry data tracker FlightAware reported at 8:29 a.m. New York time. “We’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

The Dreamliner symbolically punctuates the 2010 merger creating the world’s largest carrier from former United parent UAL Corp. and Continental Airlines Inc. Continental committed in 2004 to buy the first U.S. 787s, and the new United is due to get 48 more of the jets under purchases by its predecessors, following the delivery of the second plane on Oct. 31. Smisek said he expects two more jets this month.

Arik And Lufthansa To Establish Aircraft Maintenance Facility

Arik Air, West Africa’s largest carrier,  in conjunction with Lufthansa Technik plans to establish an international Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility that would attract businesses from different parts of the world.

As disclosed by the Arik’s Chairman, Joseph Arumemi Ikhide, at the airline’s 6th year celebration, when completed, the MRO will be one of Lufthansa Technik’s major business outside Hamburg, Germany.

According to the Arik boss, the airline would be built in Nigeria to meet international standards, including that of the International Aviation Safety Assessment Program (IASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States.

“The MRO we are setting up with Lufthansa is global. It is not strictly for Arik alone. I just want to make that one very clear. Lufthansa sent us to Malta; the base of Lufthansa is Hamburg, but they have this type of facility they want to build for us in Malta; they have in Budapest; they have in Asia.

Dana Air Signs $1m Contract With Canadian Firm

Dana Airlines said on Friday that it has signed a five-year contract with FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Limited for its flagship automated information reporting system (AFIRS) 228.

The contract is worth a million dollars, said Tony Usidamen, Dana Air Communications manager.

“The contract requires FLYHT to install the AFIRS 228 on all the five Boeing MD-83 aircraft in Dana Air’s fleet to provide real-time flight data monitoring and to assist in achieving maintenance and operational efficiencies,” Usidamen said.

He said the airline will benefit from all AFIRS 228 features including automated Out, Off, On and In times, engine trending, airframe and engine exceedances, flight tracking and satellite voice communications.

Boeing Delivers ‘Smiling Faces’ 777 to Air China

Boeing on Thursday delivered a 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplane to Air China, the flag carrier of the People’s Republic of China. The airplane livery features a distinctive blended paint design of 40 smiling faces of Chinese people, to represent the critical role that the Chinese aviation industry has played in bringing China to the world.

The 40 people portrayed were selected from a social media campaign organized by Air China and Boeing in July 2012. People were invited through the most widely used social media platform in China to submit a smiling face with an inspiring message.

“We hope this special-livery airplane will bridge the connection to bring a smiling, confident and friendly China to the world,” said Feng Run E, vice president of Air China. “With the airplane flying around the world, we hope more business travelers will experience the super flight comfort offered by Air China’s 777-300ER.”