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Bolt, a ride-hailing service, expands into Italy to serve a market that is underserved
Bolt, a ride-hailing app, launched its operations in Milan in the first phase of a campaign aimed at shaking up the Italian transport market. According to Bolt's CEO the Italian market is still largely?underserved?despite the presence and popularity of Uber in the U.S. Markus Villig, the founder and CEO of Estonia's Bolt, stated that Bolt would work with hundreds drivers in Milan who will either be official taxi drivers or private hire car chauffeurs. The company expects to provide millions of rides within its first year. The market in Italy has just begun. "We have a long term view," Villig stated in an interview. He added that Bolt plans to expand later in Italy in order to tap into the huge tourism industry. He said, "We can provide better products and services to our customers. We are also here to help drivers earn more money." Bolt is now active in 26 of the 27 countries that make up the European Union. DESPITE TRANSPORT SHORTAGE, APPS FACES PUSHBACK IN ITALY Italy's ride hailing sector is still governed under a framework from 1992 that separates taxis with a license and chauffeur-driven vehicles. Local authorities also tightly control the number of taxi permits. Italian antitrust authorities and critics say that the system is responsible for chronic shortages in major cities and long wait times, which regularly leave tourists and residents stranded. Uber has been operating in Italy for more than a decade. However, Italy does not permit ride-hailing companies that use drivers who do not have commercial licenses. Taxi unions have been very resistant to any reforms. Milan, with a population of approximately 3 million in the metro area, approved 450 new taxi licences last summer, the first major expansion for the city since 2003. At the time, the city had 4,853 active permits. Villig stated that there aren't enough drivers in Italy to drive the demand. The market in Italy would grow if regulators opened the door to new suppliers. It would be different." He has said that he doesn't expect Bolt to be profitable in the next five years. The taxi industry in Italy has been at a standstill for years. Attempts to expand their services have repeatedly led to strikes and protests on the streets by drivers. App-based platforms are still seen as a danger by many taxi drivers in a sector based on fixed municipal rates and limited licenses. This is one of the most politically sensitive battlegrounds for Italian transport. Three Italian taxi drivers were told by their unions that the arrival another ride-hailing app would cause a backlash and protests. One driver explained, "We use a meter with rates set by the municipality as this is a service provided to the public." Instead, apps set their prices, take commissions, and pay drivers several weeks later. This is not fair competition." Reporting by Inti and Mirko Landauro; editing by Joe Bavier
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Sydney's international airport will welcome its first passengers in October
Sydney's A$5.6 billion airport (or $3.6 billion) will open in October, after more than 10 years of planning. The new airport adds red-eye flights from Australia's biggest city because the existing hub operates with night curfew restrictions. Due to strict noise regulations, the current airport located closer to Sydney's central business area can only host takeoffs or landings until 11 p.m., and after 6 am. This limits airline scheduling options compared to other major Australian Cities like Melbourne. The new Western Sydney Airport, located in Badgerys Creek (about 60 km or 37 miles west of central Sydney), will be open 24 hours per day. This will give airlines access to an 'ethnically diverse and fast-growing population centre. The location of the airport is not as appealing to many business travellers, who fill up premium seats. Catherine King, Australian Transport Minister, said: "This is an important moment for Sydney. Passenger flights will begin at Western Sydney Airport in only 137 days." Jetstar, Qantas’ budget airline, will be operating the first flight from Melbourne to the Gold Coast. Jetstar plans to operate up to 14 flights per week to Melbourne and Brisbane. Qantas regional will start flights from the new airport to Melbourne and Brisbane in March. The site is expected to serve initially up to 10 millions passengers per year, which is about a quarter the number of passengers at the?rival Sydney Airport. Vanessa Hudson, CEO of Qantas said that the new airport would also be a major freight hub for Qantas. Cargo services will begin next month. Air New Zealand's daily flights to Auckland will begin on October 26. Singapore Airlines will launch their services on November 23. Singapore Airlines will take advantage of the curfew-free period by departing just before midnight. The project, Australia's first?major airport? in more than 50 years anchors the A$18 billion federal government investment in Western Sydney, which includes an upcoming Sydney Metro Airport rail link and significant road improvements.
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US Air Force is confident about a fix for the Boeing KC-46 refueling aircraft
Air Force Secretary Troy 'Meink said Tuesday that the U.S. Air Force was confident in a 'fix' for long-running problems?with a critical system on Boeing KC-46 aerial refueling tanks. Boeing and the Air Force are working on a remote vision system for the tanker that is crucial for mid-air refueling using the boom of the plane, a rigid tube used to transfer fuel. Meink told Tuesday's subcommittee on defense appropriations that the 2.0 vision system was "fixed" and tested, so that it could be put into production in '28. This is five years later than originally planned. The Air Force has ordered 188 tankers, and the company has already delivered more than 100. It is now considering purchasing another 75. This would bring the total to 263. Boeing lost $7 billion in the fixed-price agreement for the 767 derivative commercial model, which leaves it liable for cost overruns. Air Force officials said that they would only order additional tankers if Boeing fixed lingering issues. The?U.S. The?U.S. The Air Force announced that retrofitting existing aircraft will take seven years, according to the Air Force. ?KC-46 also has problems with its boom, and fuel leaks. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in January that the existing contract was a "bad one" for the past decade. Boeing did not immediately respond to a comment request. Reporting by Dan Catchpole, Seattle; editing by Jamie Freed
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Brazil regulators expect MAX 10 certification in this year
Brazilian aviation regulator ANAC 'expects that its U.S. counterpart Federal Aviation Administration will certify the Boeing 737 MAX 10 in this year, and will 'work quickly to validate a decision locally. Boeing and airlines such as Brazilian airline Gol rely on the MAX 10 narrowbody, the largest variant, to help them grow. "Because it's an?FAA timetable, I can’t really comment. But I strongly believe that it will happen in this year," Faierstein said on the sidelines of an international airline chiefs meeting in Rio de Janeiro, on Monday. We will also work hard to get it done quickly here. We know Gol?really needs these aircraft." ANAC, FAA and other European and Canadian regulators are also members of a?Certification Management Team. Boeing's MAX 7 and MAX 10 model certifications have been delayed due to a de-icing problem. Faierstein, who visited the United States last May, called on Brazilian and U.S. authorities for collaboration to certify an eVTOL aircraft. Embraer's Eve gave Brazil a good start in the race for the development of the "battery-powered aircraft" that can transport travelers on short city journeys, helping them to beat traffic. Eve has pushed back its timeline for the eVTOL vehicle's entry into service to 2028, from 2027. Previously, it had slipped from a 2026 initial target. Faierstein stated that the new time frame is realistic, given the work being done to create an ecosystem, which includes recharging infrastructures, pilot licensing, and air traffic control rules. "We are confident in the aircraft development process. Embraer has made progress, and the tests were successful. The ecosystem is the problem," said the ANAC chief. Reporting by Gabriel Araujo in Rio de Janeiro and Luciana Magialhaes Editing by Brad Haynes, Matthew Lewis
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TASS reports that three blasts have occurred on a gas pipeline in Dagestan.
TASS reported?on?Tuesday, citing the regional ministry of emergency, that three?explosions?hit a gas pipe in 'the town 'of 'Kizilyurt, in Russia’s Dagestan Region in the North Caucasus. However, emergency crews managed to control the resulting blaze. Three explosions were reported by the?ministry on a trunk 1,200 mm gas pipeline. No injuries have been reported. TASS?quoted?officials in the?region who said that emergency crews brought under control flames which had risen 15 metres (50 feet). It said that grassy areas were burning near the explosion site. Russian news agencies reported that residents who were ordered to evacuate from 300 homes are now returning. Interfax reported that the mayor's office in Kizilyurt said a fire had occurred within the industrial area of the town and was believed to have engulfed the gas distribution station. Joe Bavier, Sanjeev MIglani and Joe Bavier reported; edited by Sanjeev miglani.
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Foreign visitors to Cuba's once-bustling tourist sites are becoming increasingly rare
Ramiro Escobar, a Colombian, had always dreamt of visiting Cuba. Last week, the 68 year-old finally made the trip after putting it off for decades. He visited the island's most famous sites including the Varadero beach resort with its white sands. Escobar raved about his trip despite Cuba's struggling economic situation and fuel shortages. He said, "It is true that the country is in crisis but there are still many services available and my experience has been excellent." "I have had a wonderful time here." Escobar, a foreign tourist from Latin America, was the only one out of six to be able find him during a morning spent in Old Havana earlier this week. The once bustling city streets, hotels, restaurants and museums are now almost entirely devoid of tourists. Cuba's tourism sector, which is plagued by power outages, shortages and an economic crisis, has never recovered from COVID-19. The number of international visitors has barely reached half the peak of 4,75 million that was recorded in 2018. This year has been even worse, as the U.S. has hinted at possible military action and imposed fresh sanctions on the communist-run island government. Washington has warned that foreigners doing business with sanctioned people will be penalized. As a result, the majority of top tourism and travel firms on Cuba have fled or drastically reduced their activity. The two biggest foreign hotel chains in Cuba, Spain's Melia & Iberostar, have announced that they will reduce the number of hotels on the island. Blue Diamond, a Canadian hotel company, has completely pulled out. Spanish airlines Iberia, World2Fly, and Russian airline 'Rossiya, along with Canadian airlines WestJet, and Air Canada have all suspended their flights to the island. The reason given was unreliable jet fuel supplies. Visa and Mastercard also suspended their operations in Cuba as of last week. TOURISTS ARE FEARFUL All-inclusive resorts offer hotel rooms for as low as $50 per night to those who are willing to take the plunge and can travel to the country. Some guests are surprised to find that the elevators have broken down, their rooms are shoddy and there is no choice at the buffet. Many people don't even try. Adianet Labrada, a representative of the?Cubatur travel agency said that tourists are scared to visit. "I used have a lot of groups visiting us from around the world, but after the sanctions and threat of military invasion, I lost almost all of them." Cuba's ONEI national statistics agency reported that 328 608 international visitors had arrived in the first six months of the year. This is less than half of the previous year, and well below the pre-pandemic level. The administration of the?U.S. The administration of?U.S. Cuba claims that decades of U.S. economic sanctions are the cause of its economic woes. Valerio Bispuri is an Argentinean photographer who visited Cuba this week. He said he was struck by the solidarity he saw amongst people on a recent road trip to Santiago – 12 hours away from Havana – despite the obvious shortages and difficulties. Bispuri, who praised the Cuban culture and people, said: "There's hunger, but based on what I've seen in these past few days, it seems they will be able to pull through." Many small, privately-owned?hotels and restaurants have closed down because they say that they can't survive. Jairan Lombira is the manager of La Vitrola Cafe in Old Havana. He has offered a 50% discount for passers-by, whether they are foreigners or not, to avoid having to close his business. Lombira stated, "We now focus on attracting the local market while we wait for things to improve." (Reporting and editing by Dave Sherwood, Rosalba o'Brien, Ayose Naranjo)
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US House advances $70 billion immigration enforcement bill
Tuesday, the U.S. Congress moved closer to ending a stalemate over funding for immigration enforcement. Republicans in Congress voted on party lines to start a debate on a $70billion bill. The House was expected to vote later Tuesday on the measure, which would then be sent to the White House to be signed by President Donald Trump. The bill was also passed along party lines by the?Senate early Friday morning. The bill funds U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol over the next three-year period, putting the issue beyond the reach of partisan differences in Congress. Democrats refused to support funding for immigration enforcement after agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis in January. This led to a disruption in funding for the Department o Homeland 'Security. It caused long?airport security lines. Until lawmakers agreed to fund portions of?the sprawling department that were not involved in Trump's immigration crackdown. Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill, David Morgan and Alistair Bell; Editing by Mark Porter & Alistair Bell
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Germany's new 15-year aviation strategy aims to boost the sector
According to a draft document that was seen on Tuesday, the German government wants to "make Germany a leading hub" for sustainable, safe, and competitive aviation. This will be achieved through a 15-year plan which includes cutting costs, increasing research, and accelerating the use of cleaner fuels. Wednesday the German cabinet will approve the aviation strategy, which outlines short- and mid-term plans for civil and military aviation. The aim is to give greater planning certainty to policymakers, companies, military personnel and the general public. The strategy is based on four pillars, including economic competitiveness and technological 'competitiveness. The aim is to make aviation climate-friendly and prepare it for future crises. The draft states that Berlin wants to support the production of these fuels in Europe and the United States, as well as infrastructure. According to the document, German aviation faces "challenges" including weak passenger growth in comparison with Europe, rising costs and international competition, as well as geopolitical tensions. The draft mentions 'the government coalition plans to reduce air traffic tax and control fee?and streamline security of aviation,' while adding that?implementation of?the strategy depends on the availability of budgetary funds. Reporting by Klaus Lauer, Writing by Maria Martinez, Editing by Paul Simao
New York Times Business News - June 10,
These are the top stories from?the New York Times Business Pages. ? These stories have not been?verified? and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.
Anthropic has released a public version its Mythos AI model. However, it will be restricted from being used in high-risk areas like cybersecurity. This is after an earlier preview this year caused a global stir with its ability to detect'software flaws.
General Motors is releasing software that will allow some U.S. owners of electric vehicles to send power back to the grid. This is another example of auto companies seeking business opportunities in energy.
David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount, in a phone call with Lesley Stahl, pledged to respect "60 Minutes'" editorial independence.
A pilot for Air Canada is accused of flying hundreds of passenger flights as a?captain over a 17-year period without having the top-level licence required. (Compiled by Bengaluru Newsroom)
(source: Reuters)