CONVERGENCE NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016

AVIATRICKS
& TREATS
The [F]light Side
Did you know that airlines carried 48% of the Earth's population last year? The International Air
Transport Association's (IATA) 60th Edition of the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) revealed that
system-wide, airlines carried 3.6 billion passengers on scheduled services, an increase of 7.2% over
2014, representing an additional 240 million air trips. Phew! That is a lot of people travelling by air!
And here are three more interesting and weird facts in the world of aviation!
DID YOU KNOW QANTAS
INVENTED BUSINESS CLASS
IN 1979?
Although it's debatable which airline
invented Business Class, Australian airline
operator Qantas has continued to state
that it introduced the world's first Business Class
and claims bragging rights for the now-established
name. Qantas, which flew its first flight in 1922, is
also the world's second oldest airline.
CROCODILES ON A PLANE!
A Let-410 aircraft belonging to Congolese airliner Filair
crashed and killed all its crew members and passengers
on board except for one lone survivor and reasons for the
crash have been heavily blamed on fuel starvation and a
possible live crocodile that was on board!
Investigators initially thought the plane crashed because
it ran out of fuel. That is until the human survivor explained
what really happened.
Both the cause of the accident and the crocodile remains
uncertain till this very day.
DOES YOUR AEROPLANE
FOOD TASTE BLAND?
The atmosphere in an aeroplane cabin
dries out a person’s nose and the changing
air pressure numbs about one third of a
person’s taste buds. This is one reason
for airlines adding lots of spices and salt
to their foods. Additionally, order yourself
a tall glass of Bloody Mary because
tomato juice tastes less acidic in the air.
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