Qatar Airways announced that it will resume Guangzhou scheduled passenger services with an initial one weekly flight starting 26 July. The Southern China economic and commercial centre becomes the latest destination to join the global network the airline is gradually rebuilding, in addition to the recently announced flight resumptions to Bali, Maldives, Beirut, Belgrade, Berlin, Edinburgh, Larnaca, Prague, Zagreb, Ankara, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Bucharest, Sofia and Venice.

The much-anticipated resumption of Guangzhou passenger flights will further enhance the airline’s commitment to the Chinese market by providing passengers access between Doha, China and beyond via the airline’s award-winning hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), which was recently voted ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the sixth year in a row  by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “The resumption of Guangzhou passenger services is one of the significant steps taken by Qatar Airways to demonstrate our confidence in the gradual recovery of the regional travel market and global connectivity. Since the COVID-19 crisis started, we have challenged ourselves to be at the forefront and combat the effects of this global pandemic, by volunteering our services to deliver worldwide medical supplies coordinated by Chinese Embassies and Consulates.

“Qatar Airways been closely working with the local authorities to secure regulatory approval and ensure we are staying up to date with the latest in airport procedures and the most advanced safety and hygiene measures onboard. The return of Guangzhou in our international network will help to re-establish the connection between Doha and China that directly benefits our customers and trade partners. We continue to uphold our core mission of being the trusted airline that gets people home safely and look forward to further strengthening our schedule to China by increasing frequencies and destinations as operating environment permits.”

The airline’s share of the passenger and air cargo market has grown significantly over the past three months. Qatar Airways has remained in operation throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and has operated a significant schedule of over 17,000 flights, including over 300 special charters to more than two million people home globally. The airline has also been running a robust cargo operation globally, with up to 180 dedicated cargo flights daily, and has transported over 580,000 tonnes of cargo all around the world.

Qatar Airways has further enhanced its onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew, including the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits for cabin crew while onboard, as well as a modified service that reduces interactions between the passengers and the crew inflight. Cabin Crew have already been wearing PPE during flights, including gloves and facemasks. Recently, Qatar Airways has also introduced new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits for passengers that include a facemask, disposable gloves and hand sanitiser. In addition, passengers will be provided a face shield visor, available in adult and children size, for their use in conjunction with facemask during flights.

“In addition to scheduled freighter services, we have also operated a large number of charters and freight-only passenger aircraft to meet China’s surging demand for imports and exports. With the resumption of passenger flights, we will have 52 flights in total, comprising of passenger freighters, belly-hold cargo flights and freighters in and out of Mainland China each week, providing more than 2500 tons of weekly cargo capacity each way.” The airline recently announced plans to gradually rebuild its network in line with the evolution of passenger demand and the expected relaxation of entry restrictions around the world. By the end of July, the airline plans to expand its network to over 70 destinations.

Following the news that Spain aims to open up to overseas holidaymakers by late June, travel industry experts offered their view on the current situation:

Spain was the third most visited country in the world last year, welcoming 83.7 million international tourists. According to the experts, that number will drop dramatically to 50.2 million tourists in 2020. This decrease highlights the devastating impact that COVID-19 is having on Spanish tourism and the wider Spanish economy.

There are many factors Spain cannot control. For example, UK officials have suggested potential measures such as all nationals who have been abroad must self-isolate for two weeks on their return. These measures will significantly impact how British tourists travel abroad, which will have a knock-on effect on how quickly the Spanish tourism industry can recover – as 23.7% of Spain’s visitors in 2019 were from the UK, which is Spain’s biggest inbound market.

Spanish transport minister Jose Luis Abalos has stated that the country is planning on welcoming back tourism in late July, however, there are a number of obstacles that stand in the country’s way.

Firstly, holidaymakers thinking of going to Spain will need to be convinced that it is safe. Spain has had the fifth highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide, a number that could deter potential visitors. Officials need to put stringent measures in place to reassure visitors that their health is the upmost priority.

Secondly, Spain needs to be affordable. Businesses need to avoid the temptation to raise prices to make up for lost time as holidaymakers will be looking for cheap deals. Offering discounts may just convince sceptical visitors of going on holiday – a similar strategy was successfully adopted post-9/11.

A Eurocopter AS350 helicopter owned and operated by Safari Helicopters went missing last night over the island of Kauai in Hawaii. This morning, the helicopter was found in Kokee near Nualolo.

The search for survivors, however, is ongoing. “First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these passengers,” said Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami. “Operations continue and we are doing everything we can at this time.”

The Coast Guard established a command post on Kauai as they collaborated with multiple agencies in the ongoing search for a missing tour helicopter carrying 7 people – a pilot and 6 tourists. The Coast Guard said 2 minors are among the passengers aboard the chopper.

Safari Helicopters was conducting a tour over the Na Pali Coast and was scheduled to return to Lihue Airport at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

According to preliminary report, the pilot’s last contact was made at about 4:40 p.m. when the pilot indicated they were leaving the Waimea Canyon area. Although the aircraft had an electronic locator, no signals were received after that time.

The Coast Guard’s Dolphin helicopter crew conducted 3 search patterns throughout the night along the northwest portion of Kauai while the HSM-37 Seahawk crew scanned the northwest shoreline area for several hours. Also deployed was the Coast Guard’s HC-130 airplane, MH-65 helicopter, 45-foot Response Boat Medium, and William Hart (WPC 1134) today to resume the search for the chopper.

The U.S. Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 MH-60R Seahawk helicopter crew and Civil Air Patrol also assisted in air and ground searches along with the Kauai Fire Department, Kauai Police Department, state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Air National Guard, and private helicopter companies.

Curt Lofstedt, president of Island Helicopters Kauai, said they have three helicopters assisting in the search. Private helicopters are searching areas outside of Waimea Canyon, Lofstedt said.

Safari Helicopters has been conducting sight-seeing tours on Kauai since 1987. According to its website, the company operates AStar 350 B2-7 helicopters.

According to Russian aviation officials, yet another SSJ100 Sukhoi Superjet-100 passenger aircraft, with 80 passengers and six crew on board. was forced to return to departure airport and make an emergency landing, after one of its portside engine went dead. Russian SSJ100 passenger jet emergency landing.

Shortly after the aircraft belonging to Russian Yamal Airlines took off from Tyumen airport for St. Petersburg, its portside engine went shut down. The crew made a decision to burn off fuel and return to Tyumen.
Collision with a bird was to blame for the forced emergency landing of the passenger liner, the press service of the air carrier Yamal Airlines said. “It was a bird strike [that killed the portside engine],” the source reported. According to a source, the plane was built in April 2017.

“The Superjet landed at departure airport. The landing was normal. Nobody was hurt,” the regional Emergencies Ministry office said, adding that emergency services were on duty on the runway just in case.

२७ भदौ, काठमाडौं : भाद्र शुक्ल चतुर्दशीका दिन उपत्यकामा इन्द्रजात्रा मनाइँदैछ । वर्षा र सहकालका देवता देवराज इन्द्रको पूजा–आरधना गरी आज इन्द्रजात्रा पर्व मनाइँदैछ ।
भाद्र शुक्ल द्वादशीका दिन हनुमानढोका अगाडि धार्मिक विधिपूर्वक इन्द्रध्वजासहितको लिङ्गो ठड्याइएपछि प्रारम्भ हुने जात्रा विभिन्न प्रकारका नाचगान, रथयात्रा र देवीदेवताको पूजाआजा गरी आठ दिनसम्म मनाउने प्रचलन छ । प्रत्येक वर्ष पर्ने यो पर्व काठमाडौँ, ललितपुर, भक्तपुर, धुलिखेल, दोलखालगायत स्थानमा मनाइन्छ ।

इन्द्रजात्राको अवसरमा सरकारले आज काठमाडौँ उपत्यकामा सार्वजनिक बिदा दिएको छ ।

काठमाडौँ : यस वर्ष मनसुन शुरु हुने समयमा पनि मनसुन सक्रिय हुन् नसक्दा देशभर अत्यधिक गर्मी भएको छ । मौसमी प्रणाली विकसित हुन नसकेको र मौसम खुला भई प्रचण्ड घाम लाग्दा तथा प्रि–मनसुन क्रमशः कमजोर हुँदै जाँदा मुलुकभर तापक्रम वृद्धिसँगै गर्मी महसुस भएको
छ । उपत्यकासहित देशभर गर्मी बढेको छ । केही दिनदेखि वर्षा नहुँदा तापक्रम वृद्धि भई गर्मी बढेको जल तथा मौसम पूर्वानुमान महाशाखाले जनाएको छ ।

सपना श्रेष्ठ, काठमाडौ ः धादिङ्ग जिल्लाको ज्वालामुखी गाँउपालीकामा जन्मीयका शर्मा हाल पर्यटन क्षेत्रमा सँलग्न भएका नाम हो । हाइकअन ट्रेकका संँचालका रुपमा रवीन शर्मा परिचीत नाम हो । १७ वर्षको उमेर देखि पर्यटन क्षेत्रमा लागेका शर्मा हाल हाइकअन ट्रेकका संँचालनक छन । धादिङ्गको सामान्य परिवारमा जन्मीयका भएपनि पर्यटन क्षेत्रमा रुचि राख्दै आएका रवीन शर्माले हाइकअन ट्रेक मार्फत नेपाल भारत यात्रुबस सेवा, हवाइ सेवा,होटेल बुकिङ्ग सेवा सँचालन गर्दै आएका छन । नेपालमा पर्यटन क्षेत्रको बिकाश गर्न नेपाल हुदै भारत र भारत हुदै नेपालमा दोहोरो पर्यटक ओसार प्रसार गर्दै आएका छन ।
पर्यटकलाई पथ पर्यटन गराउने उदेश्यले काठमाण्डौँ उपत्येकामा शिवपुरी, नागरजुन, ककनी, नगरकोट, चँन्द्रागिरी, लगाएतका पर्यटकीय स्थानहरुमा पर्यटक प्रर्बदन गरउिदै आएका छन ।
व्यवसाय बढाउने उदेश्यमात्र नभै पर्यटनको बिकाश बिस्तारमा सहयोग गर्न नेपाली तथा बिदेशी पर्यटकहरुलाई मध्येनजर गर्दै नागीगुम्बा ट्रेक एन टा«भल, हाइकअन रानीकाट टुर (सिन्धुपालचोक) आदी क्षेत्रमा पर्यटकहरुलाइ पदयात्रा गराउने कार्य गदैआएका छन ।

बिगत केहिदशमा टे«किङ एजेन्सी एसोशीयसन अफ नेपालको सदस्य रहेको हाइकअन ट्रेक प्रा.ली.ले बिभिन्न सम्मान र पुरस्कार प्राप्त गरेको छ ।

दिपक न्यौपाने, काठमाडौ :  बेलायतको केन्ट निवासी किसान बेन फ्लेचले गरेको एक सर्भेक्षणमा अघिल्लो हप्ता जब सखरखण्ड खनेर निकाले तब त्यो सखरखण्डको अश्लील आकार देखेर  लाजमर्नु भएको घटनालाई आश्चार्य जनक रुपमा लिईएको छ । ।  निर्वस्त्र महिलाले आफ्नो नितम्ब देखाएर निहुरिएको जस्तो आकारको सखरखण्ड आफ्नो बारीमा फलेपछि एकजना किसान तीनछक परेका थिए । सुरुमा त त्यो आकार देख्दा उनलाई विश्वासै लागेन । ‘त्यो निकै अचम्मको थियो, कुनै केटी नांगै निहुरिएको जस्तो’।  त्यो सखरखण्ड घर लगेर परिवारलाई देखाउँदा सबै तिनछक परेका र धेरै बेरसम्म हाँसोको फोहोरा छुटेको किसान बेन फ्लेचले  बताउँछन् ।

२७ मंसिर, काठमाडौं : त्रिभुवन  बिमानस्थल आकर्षक बनाउने उदेश्यले ९० लाख रुपैयाँ खर्चिएर  त्रिभुवन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थलमा विभिन्न सुधारका प्रयास सुरु भएका छन् । विमानस्थल अस्तब्यस्त र फोहोर भएको भएको गुनासो चर्को भएपछि नेपाल नागरिक उड्डयन प्राधिकरण अन्तरगतको विमानस्थल कार्यालयले सुधारको काम तीव्र बनाएको  छ । विमानस्थलले यात्रु र विमानस्थलको सुरक्षालाई ध्यानमा राख्दै आन्तरिक उडानतर्फ अन्तर्राष्ट्रयस्तरको नयाँ सुरक्षा जाँच केन्द्र स्थापना गरेको छ ।