NewsBoard clears Boeing to offer 777X for sale Boeing has started offering the 777X to airlines and leasing companies, the last step before a formal launch event. The new talks with customers cover "additional technical, pricing and schedule details" about the possibly stretched, re-engined and rewinged update of the 777 series, Boeing says. "We are aggressively moving forward per our plan and customers are happy with our progress," Boeing says. The company's board of directors met to consider the "authority to offer" milestone on the 777X program on 28 April, a day before an annual meeting of shareholders.
LinkLufthansa Agrees Inflation-busting Pay DealLufthansa agreed an inflation-busting pay settlement with the Verdi union, representing 33,000 workers, ending a dispute which had threatened to drive customers to rival airlines. While Lufthansa agreed to increase pay by up to 4.7 percent for cabin crew and ground staff, a possible new round of strikes loomed as pilots' union Cockpit demanded the airline respond to its own 4.6 percent wage rise proposals by the middle of May. Lufthansa is in the midst of a major restructuring called SCORE to quadruple operating profit to EUR€2.3 billion (USD$3.04 billion) by 2015 through job cuts, better purchasing and merging its European short haul with discount unit Germanwings.
LinkQatar Air Says To Get 787 CompensationQatar Airways said it would receive compensation from Boeing for the grounding of its 787 Dreamliners, as it returned the aircraft to service for the first time in three months. "We will get compensation because we took airplanes we couldn't fly. Boeing understands that," chief executive Akbar Al Baker said before boarding the first flight from Dubai to Qatar's capital Doha, accompanied by reporters. Al Baker criticized the decision by regulators to ground the 787 in January, a move that he described as an over-reaction to worldwide social media coverage generated by two battery incidents, as well as images of a Japanese 787 being evacuated.
LinkAfter The 787 Crisis, Risks Still Loom For BoeingBoeing's 787 Dreamliner is carrying passengers again after a three-month grounding, but the company still faces potent risks related to the high-tech plane. US regulators formally lifted flight restrictions last week after Boeing redesigned the lithium-ion battery system that overheated on two 787s in January, clearing the company to install the fix on the 50 jets delivered so far. Ethiopian Airlines resumed passenger flights on Saturday, and other carriers, including All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines and United Airlines plan to resume service in May and June.
LinkPassenger Jet In Near Miss With Mystery ObjectA passenger jet was involved in a near miss with an unidentified flying object above Glasgow in Scotland, according to a report. It said that pilots of the Airbus A320 were flying in clear skies over the city at 1 pm on the day the incident occurred. The plane was flying about 4,000 feet on December 2 last year when the pilot and co-pilot both reported seeing the object about 100 meters away.
LinkRAF crew conducts first Reaper strike in Afghanistan from UK soil A Royal Air Force crew has performed the first weapons release over Afghanistan from a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Reaper being controlled from UK soil, one week after conducting the first such operation from its Waddington base in Lincolnshire. In a statement, the UK Ministry of Defence says it "can confirm that a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft system, operated by pilots from 13 Sqn located at RAF Waddington, has fired a weapon during a mission supporting UK forces on the ground in Afghanistan." The action is believed to have been taken during a sortie flown on 30 April, but the MoD says it "does not discuss details of specific missions for operational security reasons".
LinkCobra tail rotor coating hid crack – Israeli investigators A urethane coating on the tail rotor blades of an Israeli air force Bell AH-1 Cobra "Zefa" attack helicopter probably prevented the early detection of a crack that caused it to crash on 11 March, according to an assessment by an investigation team. Two air force pilots were killed in the incident, which happened around 1h into a training flight being conducted from Palmachim air base in central Israel. An investigation carried out by the service points to the development of a crack that was not detected during routine inspections, as it started in the leading edge of one of the aluminium blades that was protected by a urethane coating.
LinkCorporate clients are looking forward to merger, US Airways exec saysUS Airways President Scott Kirby said corporate clients are excited for the carrier's proposed merger with American Airlines. "Today, there is a lot of discussion about the future, and I think it's made it easier for us to retain and even win new accounts, because they anticipate a future where we can accommodate all of their travel needs," he said.
LinkParis Air Show to feature flying display of 787Boeing plans to showcase its 787 at the Paris Air Show in June. Although it is not yet confirmed, "[W]e expect a flying display of the Boeing aircraft every day," said Gilles Fournier, managing director of the Paris show. The event celebrates its 50th edition this year.
LinkAirlines look to return 787s to serviceOn Saturday, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 was the first to return to the skies since the January grounding of the aircraft. Other airlines also are working to return their Dreamliners to service. "We are mapping out a return-to-service plan, and we look forward to getting our 787s back in the air," United spokeswoman Christen David said. United is the only U.S. airline with 787s in its fleet.
LinkSolar Impulse arrives in Calif. for solar-powered flightThe Solar Impulse has arrived in America from Switzerland. The solar-powered plane has been reassembled at California's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field. Pilot Bertrand Piccard plans to fly the aircraft across the U.S. in stages this summer.
LinkOrlando airport automates I-94 form for faster customsOrlando International Airport in Florida is the first airport in the U.S. to automate the I-94 form, which leads to faster processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The use of the electronic form saves 20 seconds per passenger, which can add up to 100 minutes when processing a plane full of 300 travelers, said Eddie Oliveros, area port director at Orlando International.
LinkTSA adds PreCheck status to boarding passesEligible passengers can now look at their boarding passes to see their status with the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck program. PreCheck is not available at all U.S. airports, so fliers should check ahead to find out which facilities have expedited screening lines.
LinkCity Council OKs $4.76B of improvements for LAXModernization work continues at Los Angeles International Airport as the City Council approved an extra $4.76 billion worth of projects. The additional improvements entail repositioning two runways so a center taxiway can be added. Supporters praised the decision as an important move toward lifting the local economy and providing much-needed renovations to the airport for travelers.
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