NewsCommercial
737 Max 10 could be lucky 13 for Boeing
A 13th passenger-carrying version of the Boeing 737 is now being seriously pursued in Seattle. If launched later this year, the 230-passenger 737 Max 10 would be 1.68m (66in) longer than the 737 Max 9 and 15.1m longer than the 737-100 that first flew 50 years ago in April. The configuration being shown to airlines is not the potential stretch-too-far that briefly made headlines last year. That version would have added another 10 passengers, but required a larger engine and a telescoping extension to the landing gear.
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Boeing South Carolina workers reject union
Boeing South Carolina (BSC) workers have voted to reject the International Association of Machinists’ (IAM) attempt to unionize the North Charleston site. “A total of 2,828 teammates of the approximately 3,000 eligible to vote cast ballots, with 74% (2,097) voting in support of the company,” Boeing said in a statement.
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Bombardier recovery in 'full motion' with 2016 results
The first year of Bombardier’s five-year recovery plan ended as promised, with the Canadian manufacturer recording a $981 million net loss overall, including a $903 million loss before interest and taxes in the Commercial Aircraft division. Though the company lost nearly $1 billion in 2016, that performance was sharply improved from a nearly disastrous 2015, which yielded a $5.34 billion net loss.
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Airlines to phase-out seat-back screens, experts predict
Airlines are embracing a future that doesn't include seat-back screens as more of their customers are opting to view in-flight entertainment content through their mobile devices. Airlines have answered the changing times with enhanced Wi-Fi and streaming options.
LinkAirlines
Airberlin expands long-haul fleet with three leased A330s
Oneworld carrier airberlin is set to add three leased Airbus A330-200s, increasing seat capacity as Germany’s second-largest carrier eyes its biggest long-haul summer flight schedule to the US. The additional leases follow the news that American Airlines and airberlin will discontinue their codeshare agreement from March 26.
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Customers love Air Canada's upgrade auctions
Air Canada plans to accelerate the expansion of its online auctions for unsold business and premium-economy seats, taking the auctions systemwide this summer in response to customer demand. "Because of customer demand, we've grown the product faster than we were originally intending to do," said Air Canada's Mark Nasr.
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Alaska Airlines, UPS speak out on tripling of jet fuel tax in Alaska
Alaska Airlines and UPS have voiced opposition to a proposal to triple Alaska's jet fuel tax. The airline says it will end up paying 45% of the new taxes statewide.
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American Airlines' L.A.-New Zealand cargo connection a hit with customers
American Airlines is seeing demand take off for its cargo service between Los Angeles and Auckland, New Zealand, after the airline established the new service less than a year ago. "Customers across New Zealand are benefiting from the tremendous scope of American's global network," said Carolyn Evans of GSA Cargo.
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ANA names new president and CEO
Japan’s All Nippon Airways ANA has appointed EVP and board member Yuji Hirako to succeed Osamu Shinobe as president and CEO from April 1. Shinobe will become vice chairman of ANA Holdings on the same date.
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Copa Holdings reverses losses, posts $340 million 2016 net profit
Panama City-based Copa Holdings reported a net profit of $339.8 million for 2016, reversing the company’s $225 million net loss in 2015. Full-year 2016 revenue for the parent company of Panama-based Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia was $2.2 billion, down 1.3% from $2.3 billion in 2015. Operating expenses were down 2% to $1.9 billion, producing an operating income for the year of $276.6 million, up 4% from 2015.
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Delta brings back main cabin meal service on 12 domestic routes
Delta Air Lines will begin including meals at no extra cost for all main cabin seats on 12 transcontinental domestic routes this spring, reversing a longstanding trend of US airlines not including meal service with economy-class tickets on domestic flights. Starting March 1, Delta flights from New York JFK to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) will begin featuring the meals. From April 24, 10 more routes will gain main cabin meal service: Boston (BOS)-SFO, BOS-LAX, BOS-Seattle (SEA), Washington National (DCA)-LAX, JFK-Portland (Oregon), JFK-San Diego, JFK-SEA, SEA-Fort Lauderdale, SEA-Orlando and SEA-Raleigh Durham.
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Eurowings retires its last CRJ900
Lufthansa's low-cost arm Eurowings has phased out its last Bombardier CRJ900 regional jet as part of short-haul fleet harmonisation around Airbus A320-family jets. The budget carrier says it operated its last regular CRJ900 flight from Karlsruhe to Hamburg on 15 February.
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Argentine ULCC startup Flybondi secures route rights
Argentine ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) startup Flybondi has been granted rights on 78 routes and has appointed former Wizz Air executive Mike Powell as interim CFO. Buenos Aires-based Flybondi, which initially revealed plans on Sept. 30, 2016, is aiming to launch in 2017 with an initial focus on domestic routes.
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Icelandair modifies winglets on 757 fleet
Icelandair is fitting a modified blended winglet to its Boeing 757-200 fleet, the first airline in Europe to install the ‘scimitar’ design on the twinjet type. The scimitar winglet, developed by Aviation Partners Boeing, features a modified tip as well as a trailing-edge wedge.
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Juneyao Airlines firms order for five 787-9s
Juneyao Airlines has finalised an order for five Boeing 787-9s, its first widebodies. The Shanghai-based carrier also has options for an additional five of the type, but has not disclosed its engine choice.
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Norwegian posts $132 million 2016 net profit
Low-cost carrier (LCC) Norwegian reported a 2016 net profit of NOK1.1 billion ($131.6 million), more than quadrupling its NOK246 million net result in 2015. Full-year revenue for the carrier rose 15.8% to NOK26.1 billion. Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos described the results as “our best ever.” Norwegian’s 2016 operating expenses increased 6.9% to NOK20.1 billion; full-year operating profit was NOK1.8 billion, a fivefold increase over NOK347.8 million in 2015 operating income.
LinkAirports
TSA officers honored for kindness at St. Louis airport
Transportation Security Administration officers Jarrett Lloyd and Constance Zimmer were honored Tuesday during an employee recognition ceremony at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Traveler Zenobia Perry nominated the two for "Ambassadors of the Year" awards because they treated her autistic son with kindness and sensitivity.
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SFO planning to repave its second longest runway before the busy summer months
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) today announced plans to repave Runway 28L, one of two runways used primarily for arriving flights. The project will also install new long-lasting LED centerline lights and ground markings. Along with this project, construction of Taxiway F2 and enhancements to Taxiway S will improve operational efficiency of Runway 28L.
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Military
US Air Force must retrofit 108 F-35As
The US Air Force’s number of F-35As in need of hardware or software retrofits has grown to 108 aircraft, and the service could deliver more fighters without Block 3F capabilities. The air force is now facing a fleet of 108 F-35As that must be retrofitted from the Block 2B or 3i configuration, Lt Gen Jerry Harris, USAF deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements, states in a 16 February testimony to Congress. The USAF and the F-35 Joint Programme Office are working together on a Block 3F upgrade plan.
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Lockheed pulls out of FA-50 CRADA
Lockheed Martin has pulled its FA-50 out of an airworthiness assessment with the US Air Force, service officials tell FlightGlobal. In August, the USAF and Lockheed were preparing to move the FA-50 into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA). The CRADA allows the air force to assess an aircraft’s airworthiness without a program of record. With a USAF stamp of approval as a gold standard in assessment, the CRADA can open up aircraft to direct commercial sales customers.
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New Delhi continues work on stealthy AMCA
India is forging ahead with its most challenging fighter program, the development of its low-observable Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Director of New Delhi’s Aeronautic Development Agency C.D. Balaji says that the great majority of work for the shape of the AMCA has been completed.
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Aviation Quote
After the ship has sunk, everyone knows how she might have been saved.
- Italian proverb
Daily Video
Editor's Choice
Trivia
Airline Accidents
1. Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 crashed in Scandinavia after losing power to both engines due to the intake of ice. Where did it take off from?
Oslo Gardemoren
Stockholm Arlanda
Helsinki Vantaa
Copenhagen Kastrup
2. An SAS McDonnell Douglas crashed near a major city in the US at night in the 1960s. Which city was this?
San Francisco
Los Angeles
New York City
Atlanta
3. In 1986, an Aeromexico DC-9 collided with a private plane above Cerritos, Los Angeles. What was the doomed Aeromexico jet's flight number?
498
489
576
984
4. A mid air collision occurred above the Amazon in 2006 when a Boeing 737 and an Embraer business jet collided at 37,000 feet. What commercial operator owned the 737?
TAM Airlines
Gol Linhas Aereas
Aerolineas Argentinas
Avianca
5. A fatal crash in Brazil occurred in 2007 when TAM Airlines Flight 3054 skidded off the runway and slammed into a TAM Express building. What airport was this at?
Sao Paulo Guarulhos
Rio De Jainero Santos Dumont
Rio De Jainero Galelao
Sao Paulo Congonhas
6. In 2005, a runway overrun occurred when an Air France jet overran the runway in Toronto. The media dubbed this the miracle of runway...
24R
24L
35L
9R
7. Air France had three deadly crashes that happened between 2000-2010. One was Air France Flight 447 and another was Air France 358: what was the third?
Air France Flight 8969
Air France Flight 4590
Air France Flight 7
Air France Flight 117
8. Air France Flight 8969 was a hijacking that took place in 1994. The hijackers intended to crash the plane into which famous French monument?
Notre Dame
Eiffel Tower
Arch Du Triomphe
The Louvre
9. In 1976, an Air France Flight was hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists when flying out of Athens. Where did the hijackers demand to be flown?
Mogadishu Airport
Jomo Kenyatta Airport
Dar Es Salaam Airport
Entebbe Airport
10. In 1977, an Boeing 737 aircraft named Landshut, otherwise known as Lufthansa flight 181, was hijacked and flown to Mogadishu in Somalia. The plane survived and continued in service until 1985, when it was sold by Lufthansa to which Brazilian airline?
TAM Airlines
WebJet Linhas Aereas
Gol
TAF Linhas Aereas
