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Airlines and engine makers are deploying new measures to curb instances of toxic fumes leaking into cockpits and cabins as momentum builds toward fixing a chronic problem in the aviation industry.
The efforts follow a Wall Street Journal report in September that leaks of oil and other aircraft fluids into jet engines have surged in recent years, causing toxins to flood the cockpit and cabin via the so-called bleed air supply. In some cases, fumes have led to sickened passengers and in-flight emergencies, and caused long-term brain injuries and other illnesses that have permanently grounded crew.
In late September, Germany’s Lufthansa signed a preliminary deal for a new oil that is billed as safer than existing lubricants, according to a spokesman.
Other carriers, including Delta, Air France-KLM and Britain’s EasyJet have been pressing engine makers to approve the less-toxic lubricant or otherwise expressed interest in using it, according to documents and representatives for the companies.
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Federal investigators probing the crash of a United Parcel Service cargo jet that killed 14 people in Louisville, Ky., earlier this month found signs of metal fatigue and stress in hardware that connected an engine to the plane, according to a preliminary accident report published Thursday.
Investigators “found evidence of fatigue cracks in addition to areas of overstress failure” in a part of the engine mount that linked the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter’s left engine to the wing, the National Transportation Safety Board report said. Images taken from video footage of the plane’s takeoff showed the General Electric engine aflame after it detached, shot above the fuselage and hit the ground.
The jet continued to climb and cleared a fence before its left main landing gear hit the roof of a UPS warehouse beyond the runway at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport. The plane then crashed in an industrial area beyond the warehouse that included a petroleum recycling facility, the report said.
Collage of 6 photos showing an engine detaching from the left wing of a UPS plane during takeoff, resulting in an explosion.
This sequence of framegrabs shows an engine detaching from the UPS plane's left wing upon takeoff at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport on Nov. 4. UPS/NTSB/AP
UPS had last inspected the engine mount in question in 2021. Certain related parts would have been due for inspection after more than 28,000 flights, but the airplane had flown about 21,000 flights at the time of the crash.
The UPS plane was fully loaded with fuel for its scheduled flight to Honolulu. The ensuing crash killed three crew members and 11 people on the ground.
UPS said it would support the NTSB’s investigation through its conclusion. Both it and FedEx have grounded their MD-11 fleets.
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IAG, parent company of British Airways, aims to bid for a stake in Portugal’s TAP, competing with Air France-KLM and Lufthansa.
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British Airways’ parent company IAG said it aims to join the bidding process for a stake in Portugal’s TAP, as it contends with Air France-KLM AF and Deutsche Lufthansa for a slice of the state-owned carrier with coveted routes bridging Europe and Latin America.
International Consolidated Airlines Group —which houses carriers like British Airways, Iberia and Vueling—said Friday that it had submitted its interest to state-holding company Parpublica, seeking to join TAP Air Portugal’s privatization. IAG didn’t disclose financial details.
“Several terms would need to be addressed before IAG could propose an investment,” the group added.
IAG’s submission comes after Air France-KLM and Lufthansa said earlier this week they had put forth statements formally expressing interest in purchasing a stake in TAP.
In July, Portugal’s government said it would shed a 49.9% stake in TAP, reserving 44.9% for private investors and 5% for company employees. Officials have been mulling over a partial sale of the national carrier for years.
One of the terms of the sale requires buyers to keep the main hub for TAP in Lisbon. IAG said its decentralized model aligns with the Portuguese government’s intent to protect TAP, adding that it would have significant potential within the group.
TAP could be a linchpin for routes linking Europe and Latin America, prized for its access to the Latin American market, both Air France-KLM and Lufthansa have said.
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Beijing and Washington at odds over range of trade and national-security considerations
Beijing and Washington are discussing a trade deal that could include fresh orders totaling hundreds of Boeing BA 0.37%increase; green up pointing triangle jets, people familiar with the matter said.
The purchase is envisioned as a component of a more expansive trade deal if the world’s two largest economies can reach an agreement in the next few months, they said.
The purchase discussions were earlier reported by Bloomberg News, which said China could buy as many as 500 jets from the American plane maker.
U.S. passenger-jet orders are becoming a favored concession for countries looking to improve tariff terms from American authorities. Qatar’s state-owned airline in May agreed to buy up to 210 wide-body 787 and 777X jets from Boeing as part of a broader bilateral agreement. Announced trade deals with the U.K., Japan and Indonesia have also tacked on pledges to buy a certain number of the American airplanes.
Talks between the two superpowers are significantly more complex. The two sides are at odds over a range of trade and national-security considerations that cover everything from the supply of precious minerals to the delivery of artificial-intelligence chips.
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