NewsIAG to order 18 A350s for BA International Airlines Group has signed an memorandum of understanding to order 18 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft and take an additional 18 options on the type as it revamps its long-haul fleet. The aircraft are to be operated by British Airways and, in combination with 42 Boeing 787s on firm order, will replace 30 Boeing 747s between 2017 and 2023. The order for the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered aircraft includes the engine manufacturer's Total Care maintenance package.
LinkBoeing starts installing 787 battery fix for ANA fleetBoeing has started to install battery fixes on 787 jets owned by All Nippon Airways in Japan. ANA, the launch customer for the 787, also operates the world's largest fleet at 17 planes. The 787s should be back in service in about a week for ANA.
LinkQatar to get first A380 in early 2014 Qatar Airways' first Airbus A380 is to be delivered in early 2014, the airframer has confirmed. Painting of the vertical tail section for the Doha-based airline's first superjumbo has been completed, and assembly of the aircraft will begin "this month". When it is handed over next year, Qatar will become the eleventh A380 operator.
LinkATC Sequester Furloughs Now In Effect Despite efforts on several fronts to stop or at least postpone the FAA's furloughs of air traffic controllers, which are mandated by the federal budget sequester, the staffing cuts began on Sunday. By midafternoon on Monday, delays up to three hours had been reported at major airports in New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore, but it wasn't clear to what extent a shortage in controller staffing could be blamed for any particular delay. "The delays could have been worse had the controllers not stayed after their shifts at key facilities like LAX Tower and Atlanta Terminal Radar Approach Control," said NATCA in a statement on Monday. "Controllers did their jobs yesterday by keeping things moving safely, and as best they could manage during these unusual circumstances, efficiently."
LinkFAA Warns As Delays Hit New York, LA, DallasThe US Federal Aviation Administration warned on Monday to expect "wide-ranging delays" because of staffing cuts at air-traffic control facilities, and the agency is using traffic management plans at airports around the country to address the problem. The delays "will change throughout the day depending on staffing and weather," the agency said in a statement.
LinkAlaska warns travelers about possible delays from FAA furloughsAlaska Airlines is encouraging passengers to check for possible flight delays from Seattle because of furloughs for air traffic controller from the Federal Aviation Administration. Airlines for America says the FAA estimates that one-third of travelers could be affected by flight delays. "Some airplanes will be delayed, and then potentially, if the delays start backing up and getting too severe, then the airlines just start to cancel flights," said Alaska Airlines spokesman Paul McElroy.
LinkStrike Ends As Israel Agrees El Al DealIsrael reached an agreement with El Al on Monday to help cover its security costs, which ended a two-day strike and will help the flag carrier be competitive in an open-skies deal with Europe. Flights at El Al and two smaller airlines were grounded for a second day as workers protested against the open-skies deal with Europe, which was approved by the cabinet on Sunday and which they feared could cost them their jobs. Nearly 50 El Al flights from Tel Aviv were cancelled on Monday, affecting some 15,000 passengers, although the airline's union did allow three special flights to take off. An El Al spokeswoman said flights would resume at 23:30 local time.
LinkLufthansa Grounded By Strike At German AirportsLufthansa was virtually grounded on Monday, with nearly all of its flights cancelled because of a second strike in a month over workers' pay. Lufthansa cancelled 1,700 flights, leaving only about 30 operating, after all-day strike action was announced at Germany's biggest airports, including Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg. Unlike other strikes over the past couple of years, Lufthansa even said it was canceling the majority of its long-haul flights. "That's 150,000 passengers we are unable to carry today," Lufthansa personnel executive Stefan Lauer said, standing in front of a departure board at Frankfurt showing a swath of cancelled flights.
LinkBoeing to trim engineering, technical workforceBoeing Commercial Airplanes announced plans to trim its engineering and technical workforce by up to 1,700 workers. The aircraft manufacturer is also reducing production on its 747-8 to 1.75 aircraft per month from 2 aircraft per month. Boeing said it is scaling back production "because of lower demand for large passenger and freighter airplanes."
LinkBoeing looks beyond F-X2 in commitment to Brazilian market Judging the depth of Boeing's developing interest in Brazil has been difficult to gauge. There has been much talk by executives at the highest levels of the company, yet few actions so far that seem strong enough to survive, for example, an unfavourable decision for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in Brazil's ever-ongoing F-X2 fighter competition. But Boeing's message for the Brazilian market is as consistent as it is clear: the company is in Brazil for the long-term, even if the Super Hornet loses the F-X2 competition. Nowhere was that message reinforced more than at the Latin American Aerospace and Defense (LAAD) exhibition in early April. "We've gotten that question since the 15 months that I've been here: 'Isn't this really about F-X?'," says Donna Hrinak, president of Boeing Brazil. "We tried to send the message [during a 9 April press conference] that we're here for the long-haul."
LinkHawaiian Airlines transported more passengers in MarchHawaiian Airlines carried 10% more passengers in March on a year-over-year basis. The carrier flew more than 855,000 passengers during the month. During the first quarter of the year, Hawaiian transported almost 2.4 million passengers.
LinkJoining Oneworld "very big win" for US Airways, American CEO saysUS Airways will benefit from joining the Oneworld Alliance and leaving the Star Alliance, according to American Airlines CEO Tom Horton. "We will have more growth in Latin America," Horton said. "I feel very bullish about that. We have the pre-eminent position there and a very big win in alliance strategy."
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