NewsRyanair ups competition in Europe with LaudaMotion dealRyanair has entered an agreement to take a 24.9% stake in Niki Lauda’s new Austrian carrier, LaudaMotion, with a plan to grow ownership to 75%. The deal, announced March 20, means Ryanair wins the airline that International Airlines Group (IAG) and Lufthansa each tried and failed to acquire last year. LaudaMotion, owned by former Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda, will launch using assets acquired from Austrian carrier NIKI, which Lauda also founded. NIKI became a 100% subsidiary of airberlin in 2011, but ceased operations in December after airberlin went into bankruptcy in October. Lufthansa wanted to acquire NIKI, but was blocked by European competition authorities.
LinkSWISS works through CSeries engine mods Lufthansa Group subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is working with Pratt & Whitney through a modification program for the geared turbofans that power its fleet of Bombardier CSeries.
LinkChina’s Ruili Airlines begins international serviceChina’s Ruili Airlines is scheduled to open its first international route March 25 from Kunming to Sihanoukville, using a Boeing 737. The Kunming-based carrier is also scheduled to open 4X-weekly Kunming-Xishuangbanna-Chiang Mai service April 4 and 3X-weekly Kunming-Xishuangbanna-Chiang Rai April 10, both using 737-700s.
LinkBiometric boarding begins for Lufthansa LAX departuresLufthansa has begun using biometric self-boarding gates at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the carrier said March 19. Lufthansa’s self-service gates—deploying facial recognition technology to automate the passenger identification and boarding pass verification process—was developed in collaboration with Amadeus, provider of Lufthansa’s Altéa passenger service and departure control system, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), LAX and biometric facial recognition systems provider Vision-Box.
LinkVietjet to enter nonstop Vietnam-Australia marketVietnamese LCC Vietjet plans to become the third airline to enter the nonstop Vietnam-Australia market, starting with a route not yet served by either of the incumbent carriers. Vietjet signed an agreement to launch flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Brisbane, Australia, next year. The airline has yet to announce frequency or aircraft type. It currently operates Airbus A320s and A321s, but has A321neos and Boeing 737-8s on order.
LinkVirgin Atlantic posts 2017 net loss on operational, economic challengesUK company Virgin Atlantic Group posted a £48.5 million ($67.6 million) net loss for 2017, reversed from a £187.3 million net profit for the year-ago period.
LinkPilot union signs protocol to unite Ryanair’s European pilotsThe European Cockpit Association (ECA), which indirectly represents over 38,000 pilots across Europe, has signed a protocol, which it says will give pilots at Irish LCC Ryanair a pan-European voice. ECA brings together national pilots’ unions from across the European Union (EU) member states, as well as from two associate pilots’ unions from outside Europe.
LinkICAO reappoints secretary general for a second termICAO has extended secretary general Fang Liu’s mandate for a second three-year term, building on her initial appointment that started on Aug. 1, 2015. Liu, who is from China, was the first woman to be appointed as ICAO secretary general and only the second ICAO chief to be elected from an Asia-Pacific state.
LinkReports: ANA subsidiaries Peach, Vanilla study potential mergerAll Nippon Airways (ANA) LCCs Peach Aviation and Vanilla Air are reportedly holding discussions regarding a potential merger.
LinkAirlines look to tempt passengers with engaging video entertainmentOne of the ways in which airlines distinguish themselves is by offering entertainment options like movies and TV shows, sometimes before the content is available in travelers' homes. Films may be edited to fit multiple screen sizes, add closed captioning and make them suitable for multiple age groups.
LinkAmerican Airlines pampers Hawaii-bound passengers with Premium EconomyTravelers flying to Hawaii in American Airlines' Premium Economy class can expect priority boarding, wider seats with more room to recline and stretch their legs, a larger seatback screen, free drinks and more personal space.
LinkUnited reviewing pet travel following incidentsUnited Airlines is reviewing its policies for pet travel in aircraft cargo holds following a series of incidents in recent days. The Chicago-based carrier will not take any new reservations for pets travelling in cargo holds as part of its PetSafe programme until the review is complete, which is expected by 1 May, it says in an employee newsletter today. All reservations confirmed before 20 March will be honoured.
Link'No big technology push' required for NMA: BoeingBoeing intends to employ "proven and understood" technologies, rather than radical new ones, on its proposed New Mid-market Airplane (NMA). Randy Tinseth, marketing vice-president for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Industrials Conference in London today that the airframer envisioned, at present, an aircraft that would be "a little innovative" in terms of its configuration.
LinkBoeing drops objections to UTAS-Collins mergerBoeing has dropped its objections to a proposed merger of United Technologies Aerospace Systems and Rockwell Collins after completing long-term agreements on cost reductions with its suppliers. “As part of the agreements, we have provided consent to their transaction under our contracts,” Boeing says.
LinkUS Air Force pushes Global Hawk upgrades on 20th anniversaryIf an aircraft's first flight is successful, the only excitement is on the ground and never in the air. So it was on 28 February 1998, with the first take-off of the Ryan Aeronautical Global Hawk – a futuristic-looking demonstrator described by three key adjectives: unmanned, jet-powered and high-altitude.
Link RAAF P-8As achieve IOC five months ahead of scheduleThe Royal Australian Air Force's Boeing P-8A Poseidon fleet has achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC). The IOC for the 737-based maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft came five months ahead of schedule, says defence minister Marise Payne.
LinkLockheed completes sixth successful LRASM test firingLockheed Martin has completed a sixth successful test firing of a production version of its Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), with the munition striking a stack of shipping containers aboard a boat on the Pacific Ocean. The guided missile, launched from a US Air Force Boeing B-1B Lancer, hit its floating dummy target within the sea range off NAS Point Mugu in California on an undisclosed date.
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