NewsVietnamese startup Bamboo Airways adds 20 Boeing 787-9s to fleet Proposed Vietnamese startup airline Bamboo Airways has boosted its fleet plans with a major Boeing widebody aircraft deal, supplementing an existing agreement for Airbus narrowbodies. The carrier has committed to ordering 20 Boeing 787-9s, with deliveries tentatively set to occur from April 2020 through 2021. Although the order has yet to be finalized, Boeing said Bamboo has “completed the deposit requirement in mid-June to reserve the 20 airplanes.” The 20 Dreamliners are valued at $5.6 billion at list prices.
LinkAustralian court weighs penalties in cargo price-fixing caseAn Australian court is deciding penalties for the last two airlines involved in a long-running cargo price-fixing case, including an A$15 million ($11 million) penalty for Air New Zealand.
LinkNextGen committee to engage communities on noise concernsMeeting for the first time as an independent federal advisory group to FAA, the NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC) on June 27 discussed actively engaging local communities over noise concerns that loom as a major challenge to the agency’s coming Northeast Corridor initiative.
LinkJetBlue adds new Havana flights from Boston, Fort LauderdaleNew York-based JetBlue Airways will launch Saturday Boston-Havana flights and add a second daily Fort Lauderdale, Florida-Havana service in November, as the carrier ramps up its commitment to the US-Cuba market even as other US airlines pull back.
LinkChina’s Hainan Airlines to sell remaining Azul stakeChina’s Hainan Airlines is selling the remainder of its stake in Brazil's Azul Airlines—part of Hainan parent HNA Group's continuing efforts to raise cash and pay down debt. Hainan's stake sits at about 17% following its recent divestiture of about 4% to United Airlines. The deal is expected to net Hainan about $320 million based on the price of the shares being sold—American depository shares, or ADSs. Azul's ADSs, sold on the New York Stock Exchange, opened trading at $17/share on June 27.
LinkAeroflot shareholders approve leasing deal for 50 Irkut MC-21sAeroflot Group shareholders approved an operating lease of 50 new Irkut MC-21-300 aircraft from lessor Avia Capital Services (ACS) during Aeroflot’s AGM June 25. ACS is the leasing arm of state-owned Rostec Corp. According to Aeroflot, the planned timeframe for delivery runs from 1Q 2020 to 3Q 2026, subject to amendment and extension.
LinkQantas reveals first cabin upgrade for Bombardier turboprop fleetQantas has completed a cabin refurbishment on the first of its turboprop aircraft, as the group undertakes an upgrade program across its Bombardier fleet.
LinkAustria’s LaudaMotion reports stabilized operations after delaysNew Austrian carrier LaudaMotion reports it has stabilized operations after a series of delays, including from its newly established base in Vienna.
LinkDelta in talks with Boeing to launch NMA: BastianDelta Air Lines and Boeing have discussed the possibility of the carrier launching the proposed New Mid-market Airplane (NMA), as Delta seeks a replacement for more than 100 ageing mid-market aircraft. "We've had discussions with Boeing about being a potential launch customer," says Ed Bastian, chief executive of Delta, at the National Press Club in Washington DC today.
LinkS7 receives first A321neoRussia's S7 Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo, one of four being leased this year from US firm Air Lease Corporation. The aircraft delivered is a Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered airframe, the lessor says.
LinkCriminal probe of An-148 crash scrutinises crew trainingRussian criminal investigators are probing the qualifications of the crew involved in the fatal Saratov Airlines Antonov An-148 crash in Moscow, in order to establish whether the pilots had been properly trained. The federal Investigative Committee is conducting its own analysis of the 11 February accident, and has declared "incorrect actions" of the crew to be the primary contributor to the crash.
LinkHoneywell 757 testbed chases storms in Asia-PacificFor an old airliner, the Boeing 757-200 operated by Honeywell as a flying testbed is enjoying a remarkable second career. Delivered new to Eastern Airlines in February 1983, it was the fifth 757 to be produced. Initially registered as N504EA in its Eastern days, it then had stints in storage and with UK charter operator MyTravel Airways. It was obtained by Honeywell in 2005. After extensive modifications, it returned to service in 2008, now bearing the registration N757HW.
LinkEmbraer close to completing Portuguese KC-390 contractEmbraer is on the verge of completing a deal with Portugal confirming the country as the first export customer for the KC-390 tanker transport. “We are discussing with the government the final contract,” the Brazilian airframer’s chief executive Paulo Cesar Silva said at a pre-Farnborough air show media briefing in Lisbon on 26 June.
LinkUS Army requests Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft proposalsThe US Army released a draft request for proposal for its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, a rotorcraft to replace a retired scout helicopter, according to new acquisition documents. The Army plans to select two companies to build prototypes by the third quarter of 2020 and wants to see prototypes flying by 2023. By fiscal year 2024, the service wants to transition to a program of record.
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