Dubai Dethrones Heathrow & 6 Other Stories You May Have Missed This Week

Though FlyerTalk attempts to cover a full range of stories, every week a few fall through the cracks. Here are 7 stories we didn’t get around to writing, but are still worth knowing.

Dubai International Overtakes Heathrow to Become World’s Busiest Airport

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has dethroned Heathrow Airport (LHR) from its reign as the busiest airport on the globe. According to DXB CEO Paul Griffiths, the airport saw nearly 71 million passengers in 2014, surpassing the 68.1 million LHR saw during the same period. Griffiths added that DXB has benefitted from the heavy air traffic at LHR’s two runways, stating: “Heathrow is losing a lot of traffic to Dubai because we’re able to cater for the connections that Heathrow no longer has the capacity to service.”

Lightning Strike Triggers Panic on British Airways Flight

Panic broke out on a British Airways flight en route from Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Glasgow Airport (GLA) when the plane suffered a lightning strike in midair. A representative for British Airways told the Daily Mail that passengers were never in any danger. “’Lightning strikes are fairly common, and aircraft are designed to cope with them,” explained the representative. This assurance came too late for passengers on the flight, unfortunately, some of whom became hysterical. Craig Denholm, a passenger onboard, told the Daily Mail that the scene was chaotic, with one man fainting, children crying and other passengers praying. “I thought we had maybe hit a bird or something,” said Denholm. “But the plane was eerily silent on the descent after that.”

American Airlines Offers Flight Crews Free Global Entry Memberships

American Airlines crews will soon fly straight through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) checkpoints. American, through a deal with the CBP, will offer eligible pilots and flight attendants Global Entry memberships at no charge. Global Entry membership allows for expedited CBP clearance for pre-approved, low-risk passengers arriving at US airports. Representatives of both the Association of Professional Flight Attendants and the Allied Pilots Association lauded the move by the airline. American is the first U.S. carrier to offer membership in the Global Entry program to cabin and flight deck crews.

Airlines Win Green Certification From the International Air Transport Association

Three new airlines including Icelandair, Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines have achieved green certification from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The airlines earned official Stage I recognition from the IATA Environmental Assessment Program (IEnvA) for having “established a foundation and framework for its environmental management system.” Meanwhile, Finnair and South African Airways have graduated to Stage II, the highest level in the IEnvA program. The airlines advanced in the certification program because each airline “implemented all of the IEnvA Program Standards, identified and mitigated its significant environmental impacts, and has set performance targets.”

Indonesian Regulators Crack Down on Unauthorized Flights

Indonesian officials have cited and barred carriers from operating unapproved routes within its jurisdiction. In the wake of revelations that Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 was flying an unauthorized segment on the day it vanished over the Java Sea in December, the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has started to crack down on airlines circumventing those regulations. The ministry cited five carriers including Indonesia AirAsia, as well as Susi Air, Lion Air, TransNusa and Wings Air for flying routes which they did not have proper permission to operate. The Ministry ordered the airlines to immediately cease flying the unapproved routes and warned that more sanctions are possible. The ministry also indicated that criminal charges may be on the way for government officials who are accused of turning a blind eye to these types of violations in the past.

Cathay Pacific Unpacks New Designer Amenity Kits

Cathay Pacific has turned to haute couture designers to revamp its First and Business Class amenity bags. In Business Class, assorted toiletries and skincare products from Australian cosmetic brands Aesop and Jurlique will be offered in twelve different color cases from Seventy Eight Percent, a trendy Hong Kong-based travel bag designer. In First Class, the stackable amenity kit cases designed by Aesop will allow passengers to attach kits from multiple flights together to form a reusable travel organizer. The Aesop-designed amenity kits created for female passengers will come in camel color, while the kits for male passengers will be offered in a more reserved grey case.

Delta Cuts the Ribbon on Expanded Terminal 4 at JFK

Delta Airlines unveiled an expanded Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Tuesday. The second phase of Delta’s $1.2 billion investment in its JFK hub comes less than two years after the airline completely revamped the terminal which it relaunched in May 2013. The increased capacity at Terminal 4 will allow Delta to relocate the bulk of its connecting flights from Terminal 2 to a newly renovated and expanded Terminal 4. The airline says the project will ease connections for the nearly 12 million Delta passengers who fly through JFK each year.

[Photo: Dubai Airports]