NewsEmbraer and Boeing confirm merger talksBoeing and Embraer have confirmed they are in talks for a "potential combination", following a Wall Street Journal report that Boeing is in discussions to take over the Brazilian airframer. "There is no guarantee a transaction will result from these discussions. Boeing and Embraer do not intend to make any additional comments regarding these discussions," say the two companies.
LinkSukhoi starts testing first Superjet with 'Saberlets'A Sukhoi Superjet 100 flew on 21 December with the first installed “saberlets” on both wingtips to enter the flight test phase of the certification campaign, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) says.
LinkEuropean Commission approves Lufthansa takeover of LGWThe European Commission (EC) has cleared Lufthansa’s planned takeover of airberlin subsidiary LGW, as a decision on the sale of NIKI nears.
LinkRyanair German pilots to strike Dec. 22 in first-ever union actionIrish LCC Ryanair is facing its first-ever pilot strike after German pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) called for a four-hour walkout on Dec. 22.
LinkFlydubai firms order for up to 225 737 MAXsDubai-based hybrid carrier flydubai firmed its order for 175 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft—including options for an additional 50 MAXs—Dec. 21, a $27 billion list price booking that Boeing claims as the “largest single-aisle order [by number of aircraft and total value] in Middle East history.” Flydubai originally committed to the purchase at the Dubai Air Show in November.
LinkNew owner of Italy’s Blue Panorama looks toward growthItalian leisure and tourism group Uvet has completed its acquisition of formerly insolvent airline Blue Panorama, and is thinking about expanding its fleet, the company said in a statement.
LinkSAS starts operations under Irish AOCScandinavian Airlines (SAS) has launched its new operation under an Irish air operator’s certificate (AOC), as it seeks to lower costs by basing aircraft outside its expensive home territories. The Scandinavian flag carrier said Dec. 21 it had obtained the AOC last week, following a delay in receiving its new Airbus A320neo.
LinkEasyJet Europe fleet grows to 28 aircraftUK LCC easyJet has transferred 28 aircraft to its new mainland Europe-based airline, easyJet Europe, as part of its contingency plans for the UK’s exit from the EU (Brexit). EasyJet is transferring the aircraft to an Austrian air operator’s certificate to preserve its European traffic rights after the UK leaves the bloc in 2019.
LinkCondor adds more capacity to fill NIKI gapGerman leisure carrier Condor has leased seven aircraft during the holiday season to fill a capacity gap left by airberlin subsidiary NIKI, which filed for bankruptcy and immediately ceased operations Dec. 13. “We have added seven additional aircraft from TUIfly, SmartLynx, Pul Air Slovakia, [Slovak charter airline] AirExplore and from our own Thomas Cook Group,” a Condor spokesperson told ATW in Frankfurt.
LinkSpirit Airlines to launch new Ecuador, Haiti routes in 2018Florida-based ultra LCC Spirit Airlines will launch two new year-round international routes, including the carrier’s first service to Ecuador, from its Fort Lauderdale hub in spring 2018. Spirit’s daily nonstop route to Guayaquil, Ecuador will begin March 22, 2018, pending government approval, flying from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) to José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) in Guayaquil, a Pacific coast city known as the launching point for excursions to the Galapagos Islands.
LinkPegasus firms options on 25 A321neosTurkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines is to exercise options for 25 more Airbus A321neos. Pegasus says the options supplemented a firm order for 75 A320neo-family aircraft placed in 2012, and that exercising them will take the overall order to 100.
LinkQatar A350-1000 flies formation photo-shoot with -900As Qatar Airways prepares to be the first airline to take delivery of the Airbus A350-1000, it has flown the aircraft on a photo-shoot flight from Toulouse with its latest A350-900.
LinkSouthwest CEO: Tax cuts will allow airline to expand, buy new planesSouthwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said sweeping corporate tax cuts will allow the company to invest in more planes and expand its service. The tax reduction "takes us to a position where we can think about growing faster, and of modernizing our fleet faster," he said.
LinkUnited Airlines expands service between Denver and Hawaii, MexicoUnited Airlines is expanding its service at Colorado's Denver International Airport to include daily, nonstop flights to Hawaii and seasonal weekly service to Cozumel, Mexico.
LinkSouthwest adds daily nonstop Phoenix-Cincinnati serviceSouthwest Airlines is adding nonstop daily flights between Cincinnati and Phoenix from March 8 through April 7. The new flights coincide with Major League Baseball's spring training, which the Cincinnati Reds hold near Phoenix in Goodyear, Ariz.
LinkHawaiian Airlines bans "Smart Bags" with nonremovable lithium batteriesNew restrictions are coming to Hawaiian Airline's baggage policies regarding high-tech luggage. Hawaiian Airlines will no longer accept "smart bags" that have non-removable lithium ion batteries. The smart bags feature the ability to charge phones and laptops, bluetooth capabilities, and electronic locks and tags.
LinkLockheed and Northrop win deals to demo new missilesThe US Air Force Research Laboratory has contracted Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to build prototypes of swarming, low-cost cruise missiles under the Gray Wolf program. The AFRL awarded two contracts worth $110 million each to Lockheed and Northrop to cover the development and flight test costs for the subsonic cruise missiles.
LinkBoeing KC-46 receives 767 certificationThe Boeing has received an amended type certificate for the 767-2C that serves as the baseline aircraft for conversion into the US Air Force KC-46A tanker, the company says. Boeing expects to deliver the first KC-46 to the air force next year but first must receive two certifications from the US Federal Aviation Administration. In addition to the amended certification for the 767-2C, the program is still working on qualifying for a supplemental type certification for the modifications required to convert the aircraft into a military tanker.
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