Business
Thailand’s Airlines Facing Bans on International Flights
BANGKOK – Thailand’s transport Minister Prajin Juntong on Monday scrambled to address “significant safety concerns” by the U.N.’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that has the kingdom’s airlines facing bans on international flights.
The ICAO negative review quickly led Japan and South Korea to block charter and new flights from Thailand. There is concern other countries, including the United States, will take similar action, especially if the ICAO downgrades Thailand from Category 1 to Category 2.
A U.S. government source – who is not authorized to speak on the record – explained the ICAO report would probably trigger an audit of Thailand’s aviation sector by the Federal Aviation Administration. He called the ICAO audit results a “real red flag for the FAA.”
Japan and South Korea do not conduct their own assessments and usually rely on ICAO findings to take action.
Decision by Japan
Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau said that for now, no new charter flights operated by airlines registered in Thailand would be allowed to fly to Japanese airports because of concerns the carriers may not meet international safety standards.
Under particular scrutiny is the department of civil aviation, supervised by the transport ministry. Officials of the ministry and department, including Civil Aviation department Director-General Somchai Piputvat, met on Monday with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, said he discussed the Japanese and South Korean bans on new flights with the leaders of both countries and they promised to further consider the matter.
Prayuth also stated he would use powers under Section 44 of the interim charter to rectify the problems of Thailand’s airlines.
Section 44 effectively allows the junta boss to issue any orders he deems appropriate without judicial or other oversight.
“This is a national issue. The transport ministry will quickly solve the problem” because “domino’s are starting to fall,” transport Minister Prajin Juntong told reporters after the meeting.
Previous administrations blamed
Officials of Thailand’s government, under control of a military junta since last May’s coup, are blaming previous administrations for not paying heed to the problem.
“The ICAO has warned us since 2005 about our aviation management and asked us to improve our systems,” Prajin said.
The ICAO has rejected the civil aviation department’s enhancement plan, submitted March 2, reportedly because it proposed a two-year period to fix problems.
Critics have said Thailand’s civil aviation sector suffers from frequent changes of government, corruption, complacency and incompetence.
The January audit in Thailand “revealed some safety concerns, primarily relating to air operator certification procedures,” said Anthony Philbin, communications chief for the ICAO Secretary General in Montreal. “We can’t discuss any further details in light of the agreement in place between the Organization and its Member States governing the conduct and reporting of ICAO universal safety oversight audit results.”
Some media reports Monday said Thailand passed only 21 out of 100 areas reviewed by auditors, garnering a lower overall score than any other ASEAN nation.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)- Concerns
Thailand’s civil aviation department did not give details of the ICAO’s concerns but said additional training will be provided to its staff and airline inspections will be increased.
Industry sources said the most serious concerns involve shortcomings for safety regulations for low-cost carriers, including certifications for air operations and the transportation of hazardous goods.
On professional pilots’ forums on the Internet, comments about the ICAO safety warning have prompted comments by industry workers alleging government inspectors were bribed with cash and massages to favorably sign off on paperwork.
A commentator who said he worked for a “substandard” Thai charter airline for nearly 17 months wrote he was told that executives had decided to not purchase any more parts for maintenance and he quit after refusing to fly planes that had defects.
The FAA is likely to conduct its own aviation safety assessment of Thailand that would three critical areas: airworthiness of aircraft, airman licensing and operator requirements, said a U.S. government official familiar with the procedures.
FAA downgrade
An FAA downgrade for Thailand would mean, among other things, a suspension of code share operations where a Thai carrier is the operating carrier.
Currently operated flights have not been affected by the ICAO audit.
But additional flights, including those for Thailand’s mid-April Songkran festival, are now grounded. That has affected tens of thousands of tickets sold to travel agencies or individual travelers.
Travel operators said this has caused the cost of some package tours during the Songkran holiday to nearly double.
Other than the kingdom’s flag carrier, Thai Airways, the ICAO safety warning is also affecting low-cost carriers Thai Air Asia X, NokScoot and Asia Atlantic Airlines.
Travel industry officials in Thailand worry the perception that the country’s airlines are now unsafe could further hurt tourism. The crucial sector for the Thai economy, employing millions of people, has been beset over the past 18 months by concerns about tourists’ safety and political unrest.
By Steve Herman
Business
PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.
(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.
This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.
Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.
Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.
The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.
Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.
Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.
The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.
Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.
Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.
Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.
Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.
Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”
Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.
The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.
Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.
The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.
Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”
Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.
The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.
Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.
The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:
SOURCE: CNBC
SEE ALSO:
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
Business
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.
This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.
For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.
This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.
Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”
This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.
This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.
Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.
Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.
Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.
This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.
It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.
Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”
This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.
We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.
Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.
SOURCE: THBL
SEE ALSO:
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
States Sue TikTok, Claiming Its Platform Is Addictive And Harms The Mental Health Of Children
Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight
Business
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.
According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
SOURCE | AP
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