NEWSALC firms up order for 36 A320neosAir Lease Corp. (ALC) has signed a firm order for 36 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, comprising 20 of the larger A321neos, plus 14 options. The deal firms up an MOU signed at the 2011 Paris Air Show. Delivery is scheduled from mid-2016 through 2019. Engine selection will be announced at a later date.
LinkEtihad confirms equity stake in Virgin Australia
Abu Dhabi (AUH)-based Etihad Airways (EY) confirmed Tuesday it has acquired a 3.96% equity stake in Virgin Australia (DJ) Holdings, and almost immediately increased that stake to 4.99% a day later. The UAE carrier’s stake in the Australian airline has been built over recent weeks, through purchases on the open market.
LinkChina Southern receives third capital injection for fleet expansion; will lease 18 aircraft from ALC
The Chinese government will inject about CNY2 billion ($315 million) into China Southern Airlines (CZ) for its fleet expansion, according to an industry insider. It is expected to reduce the carrier’s debt ratio, which was 70.88% at the end of 2011. The Guangzhou-based carrier suspended trading Tuesday as “the parent company plans to make government capital injection to the carrier,” CZ said in a statement, without revealing the exact figure.
LinkNigerian Plane Reported Engine FailureThe plane that crashed in Lagos on Sunday, killing all 153 people on board in Nigeria's worst airline disaster for two decades, reported dual engine failure just before going down, the aviation minister said on Wednesday.
LinkAir India To Get Three 787s This MonthAir India is expected to take delivery of three 787 Dreamliner aircraft from Boeing this month, India's civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said, after the two companies agreed on a compensation package for the delayed order.
LinkSolar Plane Completes First Intercontinental FlightA solar energy plane has landed in Morocco, completing the world's first intercontinental flight powered by the sun to show the potential for pollution-free air travel.
LinkRussia's Aeroflot Eyes London Listing
Russian state-controlled airline Aeroflot is planning a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange followed by a placement of around 13 percent of its stock in 2012-2013, two sources familiar with an internal presentation said.
LinkEmbraer studies common wing for re-engined E-Jet family
Embraer is exploring the possibility of utilising a common wing across the proposed three members of its re-engined 'G2' E-Jet family, as it leans towards a 2018 service-entry target to facilitate the use of an all-new powerplant. The smallest members of the current E-Jet family - the E-170 and E-175 - are equipped with a smaller wing than the E-190 and E-195. The Brazilian manufacturer is considering whether to drop the 70-78-seat E-170-sized model, leaving the re-engined family to cover the 78-122-seat range, potentially with the same wing design.
LinkEtihad to fit sharklet wing-tips to A320s Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways is to equip some of its Airbus A320s on order with the new 'sharklet' wing-tip being developed by the airframer. Etihad will have the sharklets fitted to 17 of its A320s.
LinkAir Baltic launches new seatbuddy concept 
Latvian carrier Air Baltic has become the launch airline of Satisfly’s new intelligent assigned seating product SeatBuddy. Through the product passengers are able to select a preferred flight mood and desired seat neighbour profile. The system automatically identifies and allocates the ideal “seat buddy” based on travellers preferences. The service is initially available on flights to three European countries including Finland and Estonia.
LinkUS Trade Commission's warning for business jet newcomers "Potential new entrants to the business jet industry face formidable barriers, including access to capital, technical capacity to design, certificate and produce the aircraft, and resources to provide after-sales service and support of their global aircraft fleet," according to a study by the US International Trade Commission (USITC).
LinkItaly's last F-16s returned to USA A last flight of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to have been operated by the Italian air force touched down in Tucson, Arizona, on 1 June, marking the end of a "Peace Caesar" lease deal with the USA. Five single-seat F-16As and one twin-seat trainer from the Italian air force's 37th Wing left its Trapani-Birgi air base in Sicily on 28 May, before making a longer-than-scheduled stop in the Azores due to inclement weather conditions. The formation was accompanied by one of the service's Lockheed C-130Js for search and rescue cover and by a US tanker on the journey.
LinkRussia delivers last Su-30s to Uganda Uganda has received its last of six Sukhoi Su-30MK2 two-seat multirole fighters, according to Russian media reports. Russian arms export agency Rosoboronexport signed a preliminary agreement with Uganda in April 2010, but protracted negotiations meant that a deal worth a reported $740 million was only signed in May 2011.
LinkUS warns debris genuine threat to orbital spaceOn the agenda of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space meeting currently being held in Vienna is the increasingly urgent problem of space debris. As US deputy assistant secretary for space and defence policy Frank Rose outlined at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London, where he stopped to brief journalists on his way to Austria, there has been a "massive spike" in the amount of debris in the past five years. With the global economy and security increasingly reliant on orbiting assets, the time is now for international action to prevent further degradation of the space environment.
LinkAMR trims staff, will cut American Airlines' flight scheduleAMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, has begun layoffs of management and support staff, sources say. The carrier also plans to reduce its July flight schedule by 1% due to "a number of factors, including increased reserve utilization due to higher-than-normal pilot sick usage." AMR filed for bankruptcy in November.
LinkAlaska reports 11.2% increase in passenger traffic for MayAlaska Airlines reported an 11.2% increase in passenger traffic during May, compared with the same month last year. Sister airline Horizon Air reported a 4% drop in passenger traffic during May. Both airlines are units of Seattle-based Alaska Air Group.
LinkMore job cuts could be on horizon for United in HoustonUnited Airlines may carry out additional job cuts in Houston due to its merger with Continental Airlines. "We haven't completed the companywide integration, so we don't know what effect the completion of that will have on Houston," United spokeswoman Mary Clark said. United previously announced job cuts of 1,300 in Houston after Southwest Airlines received approval to add international flights at William P. Hobby Airport.
LinkFedEx creates new worker security checkpoint at Memphis, Tenn., hubFedEx has created a new security checkpoint at its Memphis, Tenn., hub that is designed to reduce the amount of time it takes its employees to pass through security. The checkpoint is near the employee parking lot. "Basically, it eliminates the need to have to transport people from the parking lot to the screening facility," said spokesman Jim McCluskey. "It's a very efficient way for employees to and from their shift."
LinkLaHood will testify before Congress on EU emissions-trading schemeTransportation Secretary Ray LaHood will testify against the European Union's emissions-trading scheme at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today. "If a U.S. aircraft touches Europe in any way, they say they have jurisdiction for the entire flight," said Nancy Young, vice president of environmental affairs at Airlines for America. "It's amazing what the EU thinks it can do." Meanwhile, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., calls the EU scheme "an affront" to international law in an editorial.
LinkBoston airport is testing free bus programIn an effort to lessen car usage and parking demand at Boston Logan International Airport, free bus service from the airport to downtown will be offered. The three-month pilot program, which waives the $2 public transportation bus fee, is a response to parking shortages at the airport. "Logan has tried various ways to curb parking demand and wean passengers from driving to the airport. Logan cannot build new garages to meet demand," said David Mackey, interim CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates Logan.
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