NewsUK CAA: Emirates must compensate delayed passengersThe UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has called on Dubai-based Emirates Airline to pay compensation to delayed passengers after the country’s Supreme Court refused the airline permission to appeal against an earlier ruling.
LinkAustrian Airlines boosts 2017 results on increased European demand Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines has reported a 2017 adjusted EBIT of €94 million ($112.6 million), up 62% from €58 million in 2016. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose 55% to €101 million. The Star Alliance member cited an increasing demand for European flights—mainly because of the bankruptcy of airberlin and its Austrian subsidiary NIKI—for the positive results.
LinkAmsterdam Schiphol Airport to temporarily close runway for maintenanceAmsterdam Schiphol Airport is expected to close one of its runways for three weeks as it undertakes major maintenance and refurbishment. The airport authorities will close runway 18R-36L from March 25 to April 15, during which time the traffic normally using 18R-36L will be distributed over Schiphol’s four other runways.
LinkLATAM doubles profit in 2017 as low-cost domestic model lifts revenueSantiago-based LATAM Airlines Group reported a $155.3 million net profit for 2017, more than doubling the group’s $69.2 million net income in 2016, on the back of the company’s highest full-year operating income ($715 million, up 25.8% from 2016) since its formative merger six years ago.
LinkAirbus expresses concerns over possible GKN takeover Airbus, the largest single customer for Tier One aerostructures company GKN, has said it would be “practically impossible” for it to give new work to the UK company if the latter’s ownership model was to change. In a highly unusual intervention in an ongoing takeover bid, Airbus COO Tom Williams clearly hinted that attempts by restructuring specialists Melrose Industries to buy GKN would not be favorably viewed by the European manufacturer.
LinkAir Canada to swap out rouge Boeing 767s with 737-8sAir Canada’s recently announced plans to increase frequencies on several North American leisure routes next winter includes swapping rouge-branded Boeing 767-300s to mainline flying with 737-8s. The service changes affect a total of seven routes linking Western Canada—five out of Vancouver (YVR) and two out of Calgary (YYC)—with Hawaii and Mexico.
LinkGovernment, local municipalities approve Tokyo Narita third runway Tokyo Narita Airport has taken an important step in its efforts to add a third runway and extend operating hours, after gaining clearance for its plans from local authorities. The expansion was approved during a meeting this week between the Narita International Airport Corp. (NAA), the central government, the Chiba prefecture, and local municipalities, according to Japanese media reports.
LinkBoeing launches 737 Max 7 into flight testingBoeing will begin the flight certification campaign for the 138-seat 737 Max 7 after the third and smallest variant of the re-engined single-aisle family completed a more than 3h-long maiden flight on 16 March. The first flight of the CFM International Leap-1B-powered aircraft followed a familiar pattern. Test pilots approached 250kt and 25,000ft in a broad loop to Boeing’s flight test centre at Moses Lake in Washington state’s interior, where the aircraft performed a low approach, says Boeing 737 chief pilot Jim Webb. The aircraft performed a low approach at Moses Lake airport, systems checks and an engine re-start during the flight, he says.
LinkFixing faulty GTF seal to cost $50 million: P&WA new design flaw discovered in January on about 100 Pratt & Whitney engines for the Airbus A320neo family will cost the engine manufacturer $50 million to resolve, P&W chief executive Bob Leduc said on 16 March. P&W has resumed shipments of PW1100Gs to Airbus with a previous design of a knife edge seal in the high pressure compressor that does not have the flaw, Leduc says.
LinkTravelers love JetBlue's Mint Business ClassJetBlue Airways brought affordable lie-flat seats to domestic business class in 2014, when it introduced its Mint service on some flights between New York and California.
LinkSouthwest employees receive $543M in profit sharingSouthwest Airlines has distributed $543 million in profit sharing to its employees, equivalent to about 11.3% of eligible workers' compensation. Most workers received 10% of their eligible compensation as a contribution to the ProfitSharing Plan and the remaining 1.3% in cash.
LinkUPS building new flight simulator facilityUPS has broken ground on the future site of its new 28,000-square-foot facility in Kentucky that will house three new level D flight simulators for pilot training. "UPS places the highest emphasis on the safety of our airline and its people," said UPS President Brendan Canavan.
LinkLockheed proposes new U-2 transformation into triple-spying threatIn a hangar known as Site 2, opposite the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works on the Palmdale airport runway in California, the 60-year-old ritual of programmed depot maintenance for each of the 27 U-2S "Dragon Lady" aircraft remaining in service continues, a full decade after the US Air Force launched a series of attempts to have the fleet retired before 2020.
LinkIsrael keeps quiet over F-35I's combat debutIsrael’s Lockheed Martin F-35I "Adir" is reported to have made its combat debut during strikes conducted against Syrian air defence systems last month. The action was mounted following a border clash that culminated in an Israeli air force Lockheed F-16 being shot down by a surface-to-air missile. The F-35I's suggested offensive debut has not been confirmed officially, with Israeli air force commander Maj Gen Amikam Norkin having classified all operations with the type.
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