NewsCommercial
Boeing will incur $4.9 billion charge for some MAX-related costs
Boeing’s second-quarter earnings will include a $4.9 billion after-tax charge to cover some actual and estimated future expenses linked to the 737 MAX grounding, while a reduced production rate is driving up 737 costs and lowering margins, the company said July 18.
The after-tax charge reflects “an estimate of potential concessions and other considerations to customers for disruptions related to the 737 MAX grounding and associated delivery delays,” the Chicago-based company said.
LinkAirlines
BA temporarily halts Cairo flights citing security concerns
British Airways (BA) has suspended its London Heathrow-Cairo services for a week because of unspecified security concerns.
The airline announced the suspension 20 July mid-evening UK time, with some passengers saying had no notice until they arrived at Heathrow for their flight. Other airlines appeared to be continuing their flights to Cairo.
Link
Aeromexico urges government to reverse Emirates’ fifth-freedom plans
Aeromexico is leaning on its government to reverse a decision that grants Dubai-based Emirates Airline fifth-freedom rights between Mexico City and Barcelona, and is pledging to emphasize its own new service on the route to demonstrate its commitment, CEO Andrés Conesa said. “We are allocating our best products on our daily service to Barcelona,” Conesa said of the route Aeromexico started last month and flies with Boeing 787-8s or -9s.
Link
Icelandair removes MAXs from flight schedule through October
Icelandair will keep the Boeing 737 MAX off its flight schedule through the end of October as uncertainty about when the grounded aircraft will return to service drags on.
The Icelandic flag carrier has five MAX 8s and one MAX 9 in its fleet, all of which are grounded. Two of the 737-8s are owned by the airline; the remainder are leased in. Icelandair has an additional three -8s and six-9s on order.
Link
Austrian Airlines begins narrowbody fleet renewal program
Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines is set to renew its narrowbody fleet by replacing 18 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s with 10 Airbus A320s.
As a first step, Austrian plans to take six A320s beginning in August through next year.
Link
EVA Air opens Milan service, first European route in 20 years
Taiwan’s EVA Air will start flying to Italy’s Milan Malpensa (MXP) Feb. 18, 2020, making it the first European destination that the airline has added in 20 years, after Amsterdam, London-Heathrow, Paris and Vienna.
The 4X-weekly flight from Taipei Taoyuan airport will use a 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER.
Link
Scoot moves to Changi Terminal 1 to support growth plans
Singapore LCC Scoot will move operations from Changi International Airport's Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 as part of plans to support the airline’s growth over the next few years.
In a statement, the Singapore Airlines (SIA) subsidiary said customer experience would play an even bigger role in its growth, with check-in experience identified as one of the top three areas it wants to improve for passengers. The move will begin Oct. 22.
Link
China’s Spring Airlines opens Shenzhen hub
Chinese LCC Spring Airlines has opened a hub at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport to capitalize on the growth of the China Greater Bay Area (GBA), which comprises Hong Kong, Macau and the Guangdong province.
Spring Airlines has committed to the hub seven Airbus A320s to fly 15 domestic routes, such as Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Xi’an and Shenyang, as well as two international routes to Nagoya, Japan and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Link
EgyptAir offers extra capacity after BA halts Cairo flights
Star Alliance operator EgyptAir is preparing to offer additional capacity on the route from Cairo to London, following the temporary suspension of British Airways services.
The Egyptian ministry of civil aviation says it has "increased" the seat capacity of EgyptAir flights on the London Heathrow sector in response.
Link
PICTURES: BA retrojet wows RIAT with Red Arrows flypast
British Airways and the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows display team have celebrated the carrier's centenary with a special flypast featuring one of its retrojets.
The Boeing 747-400 in the livery of BA predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation performed two passes of the Royal International Air Tattoo earlier today accompanied by the Red Arrows' nine BAE Systems Hawk T1s.
LinkAirports
Gatwick expansion plan gets public thumbs-up, says airport
London’s Gatwick Airport has received a largely positive response to development plans over the next 15 years, with public support for making greater use of existing facilities.
Gatwick—which last year handled more than 45 million passengers and is the world’s busiest single-runway airport—published its final masterplan for the airport’s future course July 18.
Link
Munich airport consortium to operate Sofia airport
The battle to win the concession to operate Bulgaria’s Sofia Airport has been won by the SOF Connect consortium, comprising 100% owned Munich Airport subsidiary, Munich Airport International (MAI), and asset manager, Meridiam.
The news is a bitter blow to a consortium led by Groupe ADP – which offered the highest concession fee – and an Anglo-Chinese partnership of the Manchester Airport Group (MAG) and its investment partner, the Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG).
LinkMilitary
RIAT: Firebird makes European debut as Northrop names buyers
Northrop Grumman has revealed the first two customers for its Firebird intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, as the company exhibits the type in Europe for the first time at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).
On 17 July, Northrop named US operators Grand Sky Development and Tenax Aerospace as each having signed deals to acquire the Firebird.
Link
RIAT: UK takes wraps off unmanned LANCA concept
Three bidders have been selected to pursue a UK contract to build and fly a lightweight affordable novel combat aircraft (LANCA) demonstrator: a class of unmanned vehicle which could potentially one day be used in coordination with assets such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-35 or Tempest future combat air system.
Link
RIAT: Lockheed Martin enjoying European sales high
Lockheed Martin is eyeing increased opportunities to deliver a broad range of defence products to European customers, with the F-35 Lightning II holding particular appeal as the company continues to drive down the cost of its fifth-generation stealth fighter.
Link
Aviation Quote
The unions need to be taken on. British Airways is massively over-staffed and has got to get its costs down. . . . The problem for [chief executive] Willie Walsh is that the board of BA has no spine, no balls and no vision.
- Michael O'Leary, Ryanair CEO, The Telegraph newspaper, 24 February 2010.
Daily Video
Editor's Choice
Trivia
General Trivia
1. What is a deceleron?
2.When air traffic control advises pilots of other traffic, many pilots advise the controller that the traffic is not in sight using the colloquial and unofficial phrase "no joy." From where does this expression originate?
3. The Waco CG-4A glider was used during World War II (especially during the Normandy invasion) as a cargo and troop carrier. Why was it referred to as a "flying coffin"?
4. Almost all general aviation piston engines have a wet sump, a built-in oil reservoir, instead of an external or separate oil tank. How can you determine by looking at the oil dipstick of a wet-sump engine the minimum oil quantity with which the engine can be operated safely?
5. True or False, James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle was the first solo pilot to perform a blind takeoff and landing using only cockpit instruments and radio aids.
6. True or False, Two Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses took off from Hilo, Hawaii, on August 6, 1946, without anyone on board. Both landed safely at Muroc Dry Lake, California.
