NewsAlaska Air Cargo debuts first converted 737-700 freighterAlaska Air Cargo launched its first converted 737-700 cargo plane on Tuesday. The former passenger plane will be used exclusively for commercial freight deliveries. "With an all-freight fleet, our cargo business is now a stand-alone operation," airline executive Wayne Newton said.
LinkSouthwest prepares for 737-300 fleet's final send-offSouthwest Airlines has since August retired 58 Boeing 737-300s, also known as the "Classics," as the airline prepares to launch its 737 Max fleet on Oct. 1. The planes are parked at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, Calif., while they await new homes.
LinkBiometric passport control system implemented at Swiss airportZurich Airport has implemented an automatic biometric passport control system that uses facial recognition technology to check travelers' passports. The process is voluntary and takes just 10 to 20 seconds per passenger.
LinkCincinnati airport uses BlipTrack to improve customer experienceCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is using BlipTrack queue and flow technology to better allocate resources and shorten security checkpoint lines, reducing traveler wait times.
LinkAlcohol cited by probe into Shaheen 737 landing accidentPakistani investigators believe consumption of alcohol prior to flight affected the judgement of a Shaheen Air Boeing 737 which suffered loss of both main landing-gear after touchdown at Lahore. The aircraft slid off runway 36L and came to rest nearly 200ft left of the centreline and just over 8,300ft from the threshold.
LinkTaxiing Rouge 767 spills 500kg of fuelCanadian investigators have disclosed that a taxiing Air Canada Rouge Boeing 767-300ER lost around 500kg of fuel during a spillage incident while taxiing at Toronto. The aircraft (C-GEOU) had been taxiing for departure to Bogota on 17 September, states the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
LinkAirAsia firms up Inmarsat in-flight broadband dealAirAsia Group has firmed up a deal with Inmarsat first agreed in April to provide broadband access on its Airbus A320s and A330s through the GX Aviation service. Inmarsat says the deal, which was signed through AirAsia's Rokki subsidiary, will cover more than 120 of the group carrier's existing fleet. The agreement will also cover the future A320 and A330 deliveries, as well as the A350s that AirAsia X is set to receive.
LinkComac C919 completes two hour second flightThe Comac C919 narrowbody airliner has completed its long-awaited second flight, with a two-and-a half-hour sortie from Shanghai's Pudong International airport. Aircraft B-001A's second sortie comes nearly five months after its highly publicised first flight on 5 May.
LinkStartup EnCore nears first 737 Max seat deliveriesTwo and a half years after the partnership was announced, Boeing-backed startup EnCore will deliver the first Lift passenger seats for the 737 Max ordered by an undisclosed European customer next month, says a company official on 27 September. The seat manufacturer’s partnership with Boeing was revealed in April 2015 with the quiet signing of a statement of intent.. That announcement coincided with the depth of the industry’s seating supply crisis, which threatened to slow Boeing’s carefully choreographed production ramp-up for commercial aircraft.
LinkLeonardo flies first upgraded Brazilian Super LynxLeonardo Helicopters has performed the maiden sortie of the first of eight upgraded Super Lynx Mk21A rotorcraft for the Brazilian navy. Each helicopter will receive new CTS800 engines, made by the Honeywell-Rolls-Royce joint venture LHTEC, as well as new glass cockpits and an advanced avionics suite.
LinkFAA still could face shutdown following House voteUS lawmakers are bumping up to the deadline for extending the FAA’s authorization, after a controversial bill passed the House of Representatives Sept. 28, but still faced an almost equally uncertain chance of becoming law.
LinkAmerican’s Parker: Multi-billion dollar profitability is sustainable American Airlines is confident it will continue to produce annual profits averaging $5 billion and will never again lose money, chairman and CEO Doug Parker said Thursday.
LinkMitsubishi Aircraft: ‘Business as usual’ for MRJ90 flight testing The MRJ90 flight test program is back on track following a temporary suspension spurred by an unscheduled engine shutdown during a test flight, according to Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp.
LinkAmerican nears A350 decision; no interest in 100-seaterAmerican Airlines expects to make a final decision on its order for 22 Airbus A350-900s within six months and possibly by the end of 2017.
LinkRyanair no longer in the running for AlitaliaIrish LCC Ryanair has said it is no longer interested in acquiring part of Italian flag carrier Alitalia, as it instead focuses on its own pilot crewing crisis. Over recent weeks, Ryanair has been forced to cancel around 20,000 flights, affecting 715,000 passengers. The cancellations have been driven by a pilot leave crunch, as Ryanair transitions from an April to March leave year to the calendar year from Jan. 1, 2018.
LinkSouthwest expects $100 million hit from hurricanesSouthwest Airlines expects to lose $100 million in revenue in the third quarter because of the recent spate of hurricanes, and has downgraded its unit revenue and cost guidance for the September quarter. In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Southwest said it has canceled approximately 5,000 flights during the current quarter because of “impacts from the natural disasters.”
LinkGlitch at airport, airlines check-in operations worldwide resolvedA technical glitch that hit check-in operations at scores of airports globally early Sept. 28 has been resolved. The glitch knocked out systems operated by Madrid-based travel industry IT provider Amadeus, spurring long passenger queues, confusion and social media commentary. In a statement on Amadeus’ corporate blog released at 10 a.m. Sept 28, the company confirmed that its Amadeus Altéa Departure Control systems had been recovered and had returned to normal.
LinkChina Southern enhances its position in Sichuan China Southern Airlines has established a branch company in Sichuan an effort to enhance its position in the fast-growing West China market. “With the establishment of our Sichuan Branch company, we will launch Air Express of Beijing-Chengdu, Guangzhou-Chengdu and Shenzhen-Chengdu [services] and add more domestic routes from Chengdu, including services to Lhasa. In addition, we [plan to] open international routes starting from Chengdu at a proper time,” China Southern Sichuan Branch Co. general manager He Xiaojing said.
LinkSeveral Russian airlines to carry VIM airlines passengersRussian carriers will transport VIM Airlines’ passengers booked through Oct. 15, the Ministry of Transport said Sept. 27, as VIM faces financial turbulence. Passengers who have tickets for further dates must ask for refund. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said the government will provide RUB200 million ($3.4 million) to compensate the substitute carriers, which include S7 Airlines, Red Wings, Ural Airlines, iFly, NordStar, Nordwind, Yakutia, Ikar, Royal Flight and Azur Air.
LinkMexico’s Interjet inks Wi-Fi deal with PanasonicMexico City-based LCC Interjet will install Wi-Fi on its new Airbus family aircraft deliveries, supplier Panasonic Avionics announced during the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Expo in Long Beach, California.
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