NewsUnited ends 47-years of 747 flyingUnited Airlines' final Boeing 747-400 flight arrived in Honolulu at 15:00 local time on 7 November, ending the Queen of the Skies' 47-year run with the carrier.
LinkSIA to cut bureaucracy as part of transformation planSingapore Airlines says it is working to cut bureaucracy within the organisation, as part of its transformation program. Speaking at the airline's first-half results briefing, SIA Group chief executive Goh Choon Phong says this is part of making the group leaner. An example is a new approval process, implemented on 1 November, which requires no more than three levels of clearance "to get the final go ahead".
LinkVistara to launch international services in 2H 2018Singapore Airlines says that its India unit, Vistara, plans to launch international operations in the second half of 2018. At an analyst briefing, SIA Group chief executive Goh Choon Phong adds that Vistara will receive its 20th aircraft by the end of the current financial year, which ends on 30 March.
LinkVirgin Australia aims to launch new Asian service in 2018Virgin Australia is working to secure slots that would allow it to launch a new Asian destination in 2018. Speaking to reporters in a teleconference following the airline’s annual general meeting, chief executive John Borghetti says the airline is keen to add a second Asian route in addition to its Melbourne-Hong Kong services.
LinkItalian authority formalises new Superjet certification pactItalian and Russian authorities have signed a bilateral protocol enabling technical co-operation over Sukhoi Superjet 100s to continue. The protocol, signed on 6 November, provides formal recognition in Italy of certification of aviation equipment in Russia, and allows export of Superjets to European customers.
LinkUnited requests pricing data on 767, other widebodiesUnited Airlines has confirmed sending a request to Boeing seeking pricing information about the 767 as part of wider, preliminary discussions on the carrier’s future widebody aircraft needs with Airbus and Boeing. The confirmation of the request comes a week after Boeing executives said they were seeing “broader customer interest” in the 767 almost 3.5 years after delivering the last passenger-carrying version to an airline.
LinkFAI expands line-up with first ACJ319 Germany’s largest business aircraft operator, FAI rent-a-jet, is adding an Airbus ACJ319 VIP airliner to its 24-strong line-up of traditional business jets and turboprops. The 2000-built narrowbody – registration D-AXTI – will be the largest aircraft in FAI’s fleet when its enters service early next year, following what the Nuremberg-based company calls an “extensive cabin upgrade”.
LinkCOMAC C919 launches third flightThe Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) has flown its C919 aircraft for the third time—five weeks after its second flight, and 26 weeks after the first flight.
LinkWorld Travel Market: British Airways promises better standards for passengersBritish Airways (BA) will retain its first-class cabins, but will not go the way of US airlines in effectively having three classes of passengers on its domestic and short-haul services, BA CEO Alex Cruz said.
LinkSingapore Airlines increases profit as yield stabilizesSingapore Airlines’ (SIA) profitability has improved dramatically, and the carrier sees welcoming signs of yield headaches potentially easing.
LinkATC managers urged to get on board with digitalThe air traffic management (ATM) industry has been urged to ensure new digital technologies are introduced not only safely, but in ways that improve safety performance.
LinkCathay & Qatar: Who wins?At first glance, it’s difficult to see the gains that Qatar Airways’ stake in Cathay Pacific Airways brings to either airline. But dig deeper and there may be advantages that emerge from this new Chinese-Arab aviation relationship. Qatar Airways acquired a 9.6% stake in Cathay--for about $600 million—from Kingboard Chemical Nov. 6. Although a surprise for many, it follows a pattern by Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker, who has already acquired a 20% stake in British Airways parent International Airlines Group, a 10% stake in Santiago-based LATAM Airlines Group, and a 49% investment in Italy's Meridiana.
LinkLufthansa Aviation Training begins fleet renewal with Cirrus aircraft Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT) has received six of 25 Cirrus Aircraft SR20s for its primary training fleet. Deliveries should be completed by April 2018. LAT, which trains up to 350 pilots per year, is part of Lufthansa Group’s flight training unit. The LAT fleet renewal program reflects a total investment is €11.5 million ($13.6 million).
LinkIndiGo to reach 1,000 flights per day in DecemberIndian LCC IndiGo will launch 47 flights in December, which includes 19 new routes and 28 additional frequencies, achieving 1,000 flights per day on Dec. 23, 2017. IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh said, “A thousand daily flights is a milestone that no airline in India has ever achieved before.”
LinkBrussels Airlines to operate long-haul flights for EurowingsLufthansa Group subsidiary Brussels Airlines will operate long-haul flights for LCC Eurowings from Düsseldorf, Germany, starting in summer 2018, Eurowings MD-operations Michael Knitter confirmed.
LinkMDA awards low power laser demo award to General AtomicsUnmanned air giant General Atomics scored the contract for the first phase of the Missile Defense Agency’s low power laser demonstration contract this week, marking the first step on the road toward a high-altitude, long-endurance UAV with a high-energy laser. Before creating a UAV that can prosecute intercontinental ballistic missiles in the boost phase, the preliminary effort will establish beam stability at long range and the ability to dwell on a single spot on a target. Under the $8.8 million contract, General Atomics will address laser power and aperture size by integrating and testing a low power laser on an unmanned aerial vehicle, according to a 6 November Defense Department notice.
LinkLockheed laser to demonstrate “tens of kilowatts” of powerLockheed Martin will demonstrate an airborne laser generating tens of kilowatts of power for the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s podded electric laser concept for fifth- and sixth-generation fighter jets. As part of AFRL’s Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD), Lockheed captured the $26 million Laser Advancements for Next-generation Compact Environments (LANCE) contract last month. The effort will develop a compact, ruggedised high power laser for a tactical jet, with an event scheduled for 2021 to demonstrate a low power laser on the fighter.
LinkLufthansa will launch weekly Frankfurt-Santorini (Greece) service from March 31, 2018; weekly Frankfurt-Menorca (Spain) service from April 28, 2018; daily flights to Glasgow (Scotland) from March 26; daily service to Chisinau (Moldova) from March 25, 2018; and weekly Munich-Funchal (Portugal) service from March 31, 2018. All flights will be operated with Airbus A320 family aircraft.
RwandAir began nonstop 3X-weekly Brussels (BRU)-London Gatwick (LGW)-Kigali Airbus A330 service. Passengers embarking from LGW will stay on board at BRU and will not need a Schengen transit visa.
Qatar Airways will start 4X-weekly Doha-Chiang Mai, Thailand service from Dec. 12, 2017 and Doha-Pattaya, Thailand Boeing 787 services from Jan. 28, 2018.
Cyprus-based
Cobalt Air launched twice-weekly Larnaca-Frankfurt service.
Lufthansa LCC Eurowings began weekly Cologne Bonn-Namibia, South Africa Airbus A330 service.
Ethiopian Airlines added a 6th weekly flight on Addis Abba- Yaoundé and Libreville Boeing 787 services.
