NewsAir Astana, Cathay Pacific to codeshareKazakhstan flag carrier Air Astana and Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific are introducing codesharing services on parts of their networks from March 15. Cathay will add its code to Air Astana flights from Hong Kong to Almaty and from Almaty to Astana as well as from Seoul and Bangkok to Almaty. Air Astana’s code will be on Cathay services from Hong Kong to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Singapore.
LinkCopa Airlines to move to new Tocumen T2 in NovemberPanama City-based Copa Airlines expects to start service out of Tocumen International Airport’s new Terminal 2 (T2) in November and be “fully operational” in the new facility by mid-2019, the airline’s top executive said.
LinkAeromexico’s new fare structure includes basic economyThe Delta-Aeromexico transborder joint venture (JV) began offering ultra-low-cost fares March 5 as Aeromexico launched its “branded fares” concept and Delta Air Lines touted the increasing range of basic economy fares on what is now more than 50% of Delta’s US-Mexico flights. Atlanta-based Delta had already offered basic economy fares on flights to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cozumel; the new route expansion includes several new Guadalajara and Mexico City flights, Delta said, adding it expects to have basic economy available on its entire global network by the end of 2018.
LinkRyanair, Aer Lingus to partner on connecting flightsRyanair and Aer Lingus plan to launch connecting flights this year, a spokeswoman for Ryanair confirmed, after Irish media reports said the two carriers had signed a deal that would help boost passenger numbers through Dublin.
LinkAustrian Airlines cancels 140 flights during union negotiationsLufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines has canceled more than 140 out of 570 flights March 6-7 as collective bargaining meetings are expected to interrupt flight operations, affecting 10,000 passengers. As a precautionary measure, Austrian said it has adjusted operations and thinned out schedules by 25% during this period on flights between Vienna and Amsterdam, Basel, Brussels, Budapest, Bucharest, Dusseldorf, Yerevan, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Cologne, Copenhagen, Leipzig, Lyon, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Prague, Salzburg, Sofia, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Tehran, Venice, Zagreb and Zurich.
LinkSpirit adjusts cost guidance after pilot contract settlementFollowing the resolution last week of a new labor contract with its pilots, Fort Lauderdale-based ultra-LCC Spirit Airlines raised its expected operating expenses excluding fuel for the 2018 first quarter and full-year 2018 by approximately three percentage points compared to 2017. In an updated guidance statement, Spirit forecast its adjusted CASM ex-fuel for first-quarter 2018 will decline about 3% year-over-year (YOY), narrowing from the 5.5% to 6.5% decline Spirit forecast a month earlier. Similarly, Spirit forecast the company’s full-year 2018 CASM ex-fuel would fall somewhere between flat and -1% YOY, contrasted with a 3%-5% drop the ULCC forecast on Feb. 6.
LinkUK, German ANSPs push ATM systems for drones On the eve of the World ATM Congress set to begin March 6, the air navigation service providers (ANSPs) of the UK, Germany and Switzerland touted air traffic management (ATM) systems for drones.
LinkWizz Air CCO: Rapid fleet expansion presents operational challenges Wizz Air sees operations as its biggest challenge in 2018 as the Budapest-based LCC continues rapid growth. “We have a lot of commercial opportunities, but the biggest challenge for us is on the operational side because in 17 weeks we are taking delivery of 17 new aircraft,” CCO George Michalopoulos told ATW in Vienna.
LinkInmarsat, Airservices Australia to assess ATC satellite voiceSatellite communications provider Inmarsat and Airservices Australia will evaluate the use of satellite voice (SATVOICE) for air traffic services in Australia to cover areas beyond the reach of traditional VHF voice radio.
LinkBoeing unlikely to resume passenger 767 productionBoeing is unlikely to resume production of the passenger version of the 767-300ER, even as airlines look to meet fleet needs until the possible New Mid-market Aircraft (NMA) comes on the market in the next decade. "Bringing back the 767 passenger airplane – I just don't see it," says Randy Tinseth, vice-president of marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, during a media briefing from an industry conference in San Diego.
LinkEmirates set to deploy revamped 777-200LRMiddle Eastern carrier Emirates has shown off the new business-class cabin to be fitted on its Boeing 777-200LR fleet. Emirates says the aircraft be initially be deployed on its Fort Lauderdale route on 6 March, but will also be put on the new Santiago service.
LinkAirbus to discuss workforce impact from A380 rate cutAirbus is preparing to meet with employee representatives this week to discuss the impact on its workforce from intended cuts to the A380 production rate. The discussions will also focus on similar effects from reduced output on its military A400M program.
LinkBell moves closer to next civil helicopter launchBell’s next new civil helicopter is moving forward in early development, but remains in the pre-launch phase, says Mitch Snyder, chief executive of the Fort Worth-based manufacturer. Speculation has swirled around Bell’s next move after introducing the 505 JetRangerX in 2017 and completing certification of the 525 Relentless early next year.
LinkAirbus launches three-month US sales tour for H160Airbus has launched a three-month sales tour with the second prototype of the H160 as the medium-twin program moves closer to first delivery early next year. The sales tour with demonstration flights moves the H160 begins three years after Airbus launched the program and seven years after the original X4 concept was publicly revealed.
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