Commercial AviationAir Canada To Begin Flying 787s In Spring 2014Air Canada will take delivery of the first of 37 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the spring of 2014, as it continues to renew its fleet of wide-body aircraft. As the planes are gradually introduced into its fleet, the airline will offer a preview of its new 787 service on some domestic and trans-Atlantic flights on a temporary basis this spring, Air Canada said.
LinkAir Canada reveals new 787 interiorAir Canada’s new Boeing 787-8s will feature three cabins with 251 seats, the carrier revealed today. The aircraft will be divided into international business class, premium economy and economy cabins in a colour scheme based on grey and neutral colours accented with red and blue. The new interior product will be featured on Air Canada's 787-8s entering the fleet in 2014 and the larger 787-9s that it will start to receive in 2015. Seating capacity for the latter variant has not yet been revealed.
LinkIraqi Airways firms up CS300 orderIraqi Airways has signed a firm order to acquire up to 16 Bombardier CS300s, following a letter of intent signed for the order at the Dubai air show in November. The deal includes firm orders for five CS300s and options on another 11. The firm orders are worth $387 million at list prices, says Bombardier. If the options are converted, the order will be worth $1.26 billion.
LinkRussian probe: Aircraft age unrelated to safetyRussian legislation aimed at limiting the age of Western-built aircraft in the country appears to counter the position of investigators probing the Tatarstan Boeing 737-500 crash. The 737-500 involved in the fatal 17 November accident at Kazan was 23 years old, while the legislative proposal would seek to impose a 15-year restriction. But Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee, which is inquiring into the accident, had previously dismissed the relevance of the aircraft’s age.
LinkComac and Bombardier discuss next phase of collaborationSenior executives from Bombardier and Comac have met to evaluate the progress of their collaboration on the CSeries and C919 and to discuss the next phase of their joint efforts. The meeting reviewed and summarised the progress of the second phase of the airframers' collaboration in areas such as supply chain services, flight training, flight-test support and sales and marketing, says Comac. Both parties also discussed the next phase of their collaboration on exploring commonalities between the C919 and CSeries. C919's chief designer Wu Guanghui says much have been achieved in the year of working with Bombardier and Comac hopes to deepen the partnership to bring mutual benefits. He did not, however, specify the commonalities that have been achieved on the aircraft program.
Link LAM leases 737 temporarily after E-190 crashMozambique's LAM has leased a Boeing 737 to operate its flight schedule following the fatal crash of an Embraer 190 on 29 November in Namibia. Recovery teams, including experts from US-based emergency services provider Kenyon International, were at the incident site today to retrieve the personal belongings of the 27 passengers and six crew members who died in the crash. The airline has leased a 737 from a South African charter company to avoid disruptions to its flight schedule while it looks to acquire a replacement aircraft, says LAM.
LinkDelta predicts uptick in passenger revenue for Dec.Delta Air Lines anticipates a 7% to 9% jump in December passenger revenue. The carrier attributed the positive outlook to a late Thanksgiving that fell on Nov. 28, meaning more passengers returned home in December.
LinkIndigo closes on acquisition of Frontier AirlinesIndigo Partners has completed its purchase of Frontier Airlines. Indigo plans to transform the Denver-based airline into an ultra-low-cost carrier. William Franke, the former chairman of Spirit Airlines, runs Indigo.
LinkAmerican Airlines Group to trade with 756M common shares AMR Corporation (OTCQB: AAMRQ) and US Airways Group, Inc. (NYSE: LCC) are providing details over the course of the equity distribution period that investors and creditors may find useful, corresponding to each of the key equity distribution dates under AMR’s Plan of Reorganization (Plan) and the companies’ Agreement and Plan of Merger (Merger Agreement).
LinkAnalysts: Boeing's best bet could still be Wash. for 777XAlthough Boeing is soliciting bids from 15 locations for building its 777X, analysts say the best choice could reside in Everett, Wash. "To meet customer requirements and minimize risk, Everett (WA) is the logical and best location -– new IAM contract or not," analyst Scott Hamilton writes.
LinkAdditional carriers could benefit from AA-US Airways mergerColumnist Jonathan Yates says that low-cost carriers may benefit from the US Airways-American Airlines merger if airfares rise. “Mergers and acquisitions in any industry always benefit the companies that are well managed, and two of the best passenger air carriers are Southwest and Spirit Airlines,” Yates writes.
LinkTSA to widen enrollment for PreCheck programThe Transportation Security Administration is opening its PreCheck program to the general public. The TSA is launching a registration program on its website and this week is opening an enrollment center at Indianapolis International Airport -- the first of a planned 300. "This new application process will greatly increase the availability of TSA Pre-check benefits to a broader population of travelers nationwide," TSA Administrator John Pistole said in a statement.
LinkGogo moves forward with plan for international serviceGogo has received a Supplemental Type Certificate to install its satellite technology for in-flight Internet service on Boeing 747-400 aircraft. "This is a major milestone for Gogo as a company as it is a big step in clearing the way for international service," said Michael Small, Gogo CEO and president. Several airlines fly the 747-400s on international routes.
LinkU.S. Supreme Court hears passenger complaint caseWhen Northwest Airlines dropped Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg from its WorldPerks frequent-flier program, it provoked a Supreme Court test Tuesday of whether airlines need any reason for breaking up with their best customers. Ginsberg became a WorldPerks Platinum Elite member as a lecturer who crisscrossed the country about 75 times per year from his Minnesota home. But after he complained 24 times in eight months about the airline bumping him on flights and seeking compensation the airline called "over and above" its guidelines, Northwest, which has since become part of Delta Air Lines, dumped him in June 2008.
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