NewsUnited plans more feeder flights at Los AngelesUnited Airlines plans to connect more smaller destinations to Los Angeles International airport in 2018, increasing connecting feed over the hub. Potential new destinations include Medford, Oregon, and similarly sized markets, the Chicago-based carrier's president Scott Kirby says in a video of a LAX employee meeting during the week of 25 September.
LinkSilkAir receives its first Boeing 737 Max 8Singapore Airlines' regional arm SilkAir has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max 8. Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that the aircraft is registered 9V-MBA (MSN 44246).
LinkChina Airlines issues NT$2.1 billion in bondsChina Airlines has issued NT$2.1 billion ($69 million) worth of domestically-issued bonds in two tranches. The first tranche of notes, totaling NT$100 million, matures in September 2020 and attracted a coupon rate of 1.14%.
LinkIsrael to boost G550 surveillance fleetWith demand for surveillance aircraft rising in the face of new threats in the Middle East region, Israel's air force is increasing the size of its fleet of special mission-adapted Gulfstream G550 business jets. The head of the service's aircraft department – who can be identified only as Col H – confirms that an additional special mission asset based on the G550 is under construction. He declines to identify which role the aircraft will conduct once in operational use.
LinkUS approves sale of 3,900 SDB IIs for Australia F-35sThe US State Department has approved the sale of 3,900 Raytheon GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment II (SDB II) weapons to Australia for use with its Lockheed Martin F-35As. The $815 million Foreign Military Sale package includes the 3,900 weapons, test equipment, training equipment, and other support, says the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on its web site.
LinkADS-B high on agenda at NBAATechnology that allows air traffic controllers in the USA to more accurately chart the position of aircraft becomes compulsory in just over two years’ time, and the race to ensure operators are compliant will be a major focus of avionics providers exhibiting at this year’s National Business Aviation Association convention. From 1 January 2020, as part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s NextGen initiative, all business jets will have to be fitted with Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast Out (ADS-B Out) equipment to fly in controlled airspace. A similar requirement in Europe will follow in June 2020.
LinkStratos starts work on second 714 personal jetDevelopment of Stratos Aircraft’s 714 personal jet is gaining pace, with manufacture of the second test aircraft now underway in Redmond, Oregon, in preparation for its maiden sortie in mid-2018. The milestone comes as the start-up prepares the single-engined jet for its first outing at the world’s largest business aviation industry gathering, the National Business Aviation Association's convention, which will be held on 10-12 October in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 714's appearance at the show will come three months after it made its international debut at the AirVenture general aviation expo in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
LinkLCI downbeat on H225 prospects despite rehabilitation effortsLessor LCI sees little prospect of any return in the offshore energy sector for Airbus Helicopters' troubled H225, despite the airframer's ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the reputation of its heavy-twin. "I don't think they [H225s] are coming back in oil and gas in any significant way," said Mike Platt, chief executive at Dublin-based LCI, speaking at the Helitech show in London yesterday.
LinkAtlas Air CEO discusses industry growth, airfreight's futureAtlas Air Worldwide may turn to Airbus A330-300s if the carrier can't find enough Boeing 767s to convert for freight as the cargo industry seems poised to continue growing. Bill Flynn, CEO and president of Atlas, noted, "The biggest driver of growth in airfreight is going to be that growth in the middle class. It's going to drive airfreight growth. People are going to want choice."
LinkBrazil approves agreement between LATAM, American AirlinesBrazil's antitrust authority has approved a joint business agreement between LATAM Airlines and American Airlines. Uruguay, Colombia and Brazil have also approved the agreement; the airlines are waiting to hear from Chile.
LinkUnited details how new overbooking compensation system worksUnited Airlines launched a new voluntary overbooking compensation system Tuesday that will notify passengers upon checking in if they may be on a flight with potential overbooking problems. The notification will give passengers several compensation options, and if the gate agent chooses to rebook one or more passengers, travel vouchers will be issued.
LinkAirports confront changing weather patterns with new designsAirports around the world were built before our current changing weather patterns, but now designers are trying to take those into account. For example, Hong Kong is building a seawall to protect an $18 billion runway expansion, and Norway is building all new runways 23 feet above sea level.
LinkAmerican Airlines returns to St. Croix with supplies, evacuates 150 peopleAmerican Airlines on Tuesday flew its first commercial flight to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, since the island was struck by Hurricane Maria. The carrier arrived at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport with water, generators and food and transported 150 evacuees off the island at no cost.
LinkShuster to amend controversial bill to boost ATC privatizationUS Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee who is pushing a proposal to move air traffic control (ATC) out of FAA, plans to amend his controversial bill this month to make sure no federal appropriations would go toward a proposed nongovernment, nonprofit ATC entity.
LinkManufacturers do not expect E175-E2, MRJ90 scope relief anytime soonEmbraer and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. are conceding that the E175-E2 and MRJ90, respectively, will be unable to operate in the US market at service entry because both aircraft will be too heavy to meet scope clause requirements in US major airlines’ pilot labor contracts.
LinkAer Lingus to beef up transatlantic services Aer Lingus is to further strengthen transatlantic services, as it increasingly tilts toward becoming a predominantly long-haul airline.
LinkBEA: Air France A380 damage limited after uncontained engine failureFrench air accident investigation agency BEA has said damage to the Air France Airbus A380, which suffered an uncontained engine failure over Greenland Sept. 30, appears to be limited to the No. 4 engine and its immediate environment. Observation shows the fan, the first rotating part in front of the engine, detached during flight, according to BEA. The A380, operating as flight AF66 and powered by Engine Alliance GP7200 engines, was en route from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Los Angeles Sept. 30 when it diverted to Goose Bay, Canada, following the engine failure.
LinkICAO finalizes recommendations for CORSIA standardsThe ICAO aviation environmental protection committee has finalized recommendations for the new of Annex 16 to the Chicago Convention containing proposed standards and recommended practices (SARPs) for the CORSIA aviation carbon offsetting plan.
LinkA3's Altiscope simulates future of air traffic managementAirbus’ Silicon Valley outpost, A³, has launched a project to help fundamentally redefine air traffic management (ATM) to allow many different types of vehicles, including delivery drones and air taxis, to share airspace and enable new missions.
LinkIcelandair seeks MRO partners ahead of Boeing 737 MAX arrival Icelandair is preparing to start taking delivery of 16 Boeing 737 MAXs in 2017 and is seeking maintenance suppliers to support the changeover.
LinkEasyJet prepares for fleet changesUK LCC easyJet is bracing for a busy winter, transitioning aircraft to its Austrian air operator’s certificate (AOC), growing its A320neo fleet and phasing out 30 of its Airbus A319s.
LinkCEO: Austrian Airlines must begin replacing long-haul fleet in 2019-20Lufthansa Group subsidiary Austrian Airlines must decide on a long-haul fleet replacement in 2018 as the life of its current fleet winds down over the next two years. Austrian currently has 11 Boeing 767-300ERs and 777-200ERs. The 767s will need to be replaced first, from 2019-20 onward, according to Austrian CEO Kay Kratky.
LinkTaiwan’s China Airlines to expand US servicesChina Airlines will launch 4X-weekly Taipei Taoyuan International-Ontario, California services from spring 2018. Frequencies will be increased to daily during the peak season, depending on market demand. The Taipei-based carrier will operate Boeing 777-300ERs on the route, offering 358 seats in a three-class configuration.
LinkAvolon reports 22 3Q lease transactions as owned, managed fleet growsDublin-based Avolon has completed 22 lease transactions during the 2017 third quarter, the company said Oct. 4. Avolon’s 10 aircraft deliveries during the quarter included six transitions, and nine managed aircraft were among the company’s 11 aircraft sold during the period.
LinkFinnair, Widerøe to partner on Norwegian routesFinnair will open new routes from its Helsinki hub to Norway's Bergen and Tromsø in May 2018, as a part of its continuing growth strategy. The routes will be operated by Norwegian regional airline Widerøe, and the flights will be sold and marketed by the Finland flag carrier.
LinkAllegiant Air launched 2X-weekly Providence, Rhode Island-Punta Gorda/Fort Myers, Florida; 2X-weekly Norfolk, Virginia-Tampa, Florida; 2X-weekly Louisville, Kentucky-Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona; and 2X-weekly seasonal Phoenix-Mesa-Omaha, Nebraska services.
Air Canada rouge will begin 2X-weekly seasonal Montreal-Bucharest service from June 7-Oct. 5, 2018 and 3X-weekly Montreal-Lisbon Boeing 767-300ER service from June 15-Oct. 27, 2017.
Hong Kong Airlines and Canada’s
WestJet inked a codeshare agreement, building on an existing interline agreement from earlier this year. Hong Kong Airlines’ daily HKG-Vancouver service will allow passengers to connect onto select WestJet flights from Vancouver to Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto.
Aeroflot LCC subsidiary
Pobeda Airlines started 2X-weekly Moscow Vnukovo-Ulan-Ude domestic Boeing 737-800 services.
China Southern Airlines started 2X-weekly Shenzhen-Moscow Sheremetyevo Airbus A330-300 services.
Lufthansa Group LCC Eurowings and Star Alliance member
South African Airways are to cooperate on feeder flights between Munich and London Heathrow to offer passengers more connections to South Africa (via London). Starting Nov. 5, Eurowings will launch Cologne (Germany)-Cape Town (South Africa) services.
