ACU_November 2016 Final Draft

AIRLINES
Transits to Qatar can get up to 4 days free visa
DOHA: The estimated 30 million passengers passing
through Qatar every year can now avail of up to 96 hours
(four days) transit visa free-of-charge in a move to
promote the oil-rich country as a world-class stopover
destination.
Qatar Airways, Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar's
Ministry of Interior said the new transit visa scheme will
be offered to passengers with a minimum transit time of
five hours at the Hamad International Airport (HIA).
“Whether travelling for business or leisure, we want to
enrich the journey of all of our passengers and are
restructuring our fares to reflect this initiative and to
promote stopovers to travelers,” Qatar Airways Group
Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said in a statement.
The agencies said the transit visa will be available on
arrival at HIA to passengers of all nationalities upon
confirmation of onward journey and completion of
passport control procedures. All visas are approved and
issued at the sole discretion of MoI.
“We are pleased to further facilitate the movement of the
30 million passengers who pass through HIA every year.
We welcome them to spend time in Doha and discover
Qatari hospitality,” said Brigadier Abdullah Salim al-Ali,
director general of the General Directorate of Nationality,
Borders and Expatriates Affairs at MoI.
Previously, the Qatar transit visa is extended only to
travelers with a minimum layover of eight hours with
maximum stay of 48 hours.
Passengers carrying Samsung Note 7 could be prosecuted in US
NEW YORK: The US government warned airline passengers
could face prosecution if they carry Samsung Galaxy Note 7
smart phones on commercial planes as the device could
endanger the lives of others on board.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the devices
won't be allowed either on passenger or cargo planes even
if they have been shut off due to safety concerns with almost
100 incidents of overheating and fires blamed on Note 7.
“We recognize that banning these phones from airlines will
inconvenience some passengers, but the safety of all those
aboard an aircraft must take priority,” US Transportation
Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “We are taking
this additional step because even one fire incident in flight
poses a high risk of severe personal injury and puts many
lives at risk.” Authorities estimate about 1.9 million Note 7s were sold in the US since Samsung launched it in October.
The expanded restrictions on Samsung are embodied in an emergency US order.
Samsung announced it will stop manufacturing Note 7 amid a spate of smoke, overheating and fire incidents related to the
device. The move will cost Korea's most successful electronics company about $5.3 billion in losses.
PakistanreducesflightstoIndia
KARACHI: As tensions run high anew between Pakistan and
India over the disputed border in Kashmir, Pakistan
International Airlines cancelled some flights between
Karachi to New Delhi and Mumbai.
Pakistan's flag carrier said the decision was made due to
poor passenger load between the destinations.
“Lahore-New Delhi flights are operating normally,
however, due to very poor load during last three to four
weeks few of the Karachi-New Delhi and Karachi-
Mumbai flights have been cancelled," PIA said in a
statement. Passengers who were affected on the
reduced flights were re-routed to Pakistan through other
airlines, it noted.