NEWS
Delta cleared to buy 4.17% stake in Aeromexico
Aeromexico (AM) said Monday that Delta Air Lines’ (DL) $65 million investment in the Mexico City-based airline, first revealed last year, has been authorized by relevant government officials, enabling DL to take a 4.17% stake in AM. DL announced its intention to invest in AM last year as part of its overall push into the Latin American market. It also plans to similarly invest in Brazil’s GOL.
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Mediated negotiations between American, flight attendants break down
Mediated talks between American Airlines (AA) and its flight attendants have broken off, and the union representing the cabin crew has reiterated its preference for a merger with US Airways (US).
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EgyptAir Express considers new aircraft
EgyptAir Group is considering acquiring either Embraer E-190 or Bombardier CSeries aircraft for EgyptAir Express (MSE) as the subsidiary prepares to take over some African routes currently operated by parent EgyptAir (MS) using Boeing 737-500s. MSE operates 12 smaller E-170LRs.
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Jade Cargo may be liquidated as China’s UniTop abandons restructuring plan
Jade Cargo International (JI)—a Lufthansa Cargo (LHC)/Shenzhen Airlines (ZH) joint venture that struck a deal with China’s UniTop in March—may be liquidated after China’s UniTop abandoned its restructuring plan. An industry insider said UniTop gave up its restructuring plan because of “unpredictable” restructuring costs related to the disparity of the fleet of the two carriers. “Jade Cargo used to operate six Boeing 747-400 freighters and China’s UniTop only operated three 747 freighters, which would make the restructuring costs unpredictable, that’s why China’s UniTop gave up the restructuring plan,” he said.
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Etihad Buys Stake In Virgin Australia
Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi's flag carrier which is on an expansion spree, said it has acquired a 4 percent stake in Virgin Australia through the stock market, deepening its alliance with the Australian airline.
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Qantas Flags Profit Drop On International Losses
Australia's Qantas Airways warned on Tuesday its underlying profit before tax will fall by up to 90 percent due to deeper losses at its international operations, weak travel demand and high fuel costs, sending its shares to a record low.
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Air Canada Committed To Low-Cost Plan
Air Canada remains committed to entering the low-cost segment of the airline industry, possibly by starting its own low-cost carrier or through a partnership, the company's chief executive said, despite employee concerns about such a venture.
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Militia Fighting Causes Tripoli Airport Closure
Clashes broke out between rival Libyan militias at Tripoli's main airport on Monday after gunmen drove armed pickup trucks onto the tarmac and surrounded planes, forcing the airport to cancel flights.
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Boeing still pondering another stretch of 747 airframe
Boeing has not ruled out a further stretch of the 747 but any "-9" development will have to wait its turn in the product development cycle behind higher priority projects. "The 747 could [be stretched], some day," says 747 programme manager Elizabeth Lund. Speaking on board the 747-8I's first passenger service, flown by Lufthansa between Frankfurt and Washington Dulles on 1 June, Lund added: "Once in a while on the drawing board we toy with a few things, but it is not imminent. Boeing's product development priorities are to finish the 787-9, look at a 787-10X, the 737 Max and what to do with the 777.
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Dana Air suspends flights as MD-83 crash investigation begins
Dana Air suspended flights today and reportedly closed an office in Abuja as Nigerian officials begin to investigate the cause of a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 crash in Lagos on 3 June. Jacky Hathiramani, chief executive of Dana Air, said the airline is "deeply saddened" by the crash that killed 146 passengers on seven crew members aboard the twinjet.
"We are doing everything we can to assist them in this extremely difficult time," Hathiramani says. Meanwhile, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is assisting an investigation already underway by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
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Boeing 747-8I makes smooth debut with Lufthansa
The Boeing 747-8I had a flawless introduction with Lufthansa on 1 June between Frankfurt and Washington DC, which also marked the debut of the airline's new business class product. The German carrier is now looking forward to receiving the remaining four aircraft it has slated for delivery this year to enable it to expand the stretched jumbo's network. The inaugural flight (LH416) was operated by the first of 20 747-8Is that Lufthansa has on order. It departed Frankfurt on schedule with 313 passengers and 20 crew on board. The 747 took off at a weight of 377.6t (831,700lb) and a payload of 50t. On the flightdeck were three senior Lufthansa 747 captains including the airline's 747 technical pilot Capt Elmar Boje.
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Other News
Turkish Airlines’ (TK) has decided not to buy a stake in LOT Polish Airlines. TK said the acquisition would not bring the medium- to long-term growth initially envisioned or give it an improved and sustainable competitive advantage. Therefore, the board of directors has terminated work on participation in the privatization process of LOT, the company said in a statement.
Dana Air (9J) has confirmed that 146 passengers and seven crew members were killed when one of its Boeing MD-83s crashed into a building in Lagos, Nigeria, June 3. According to a statement on Lagos-based 9J’s website, the aircraft’s registration number was 5N-RAMand it was operating flight 9J-992 from Abuja to Lagos when the crash occurred.
Yamal Airlines (YC), the Russian carrier, has added the first L-410 Turbolet aircraft to its fleet, to be used on regional routes. The Salekhard-based carrier operates the regional flights in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, which is in the Russian Far North. According to YC, the L-410 can take off and land in severe weather conditions on tarmac and non-tarmac runways.
Piedmont Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of US Airways, has reached a tentative agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) on a four-and-a-half year collective bargaining agreement. CWA represents the airline's more than 3,000 fleet and passenger service employees.
Dragonair launched 2X-daily Hong Kong-Taichung Airbus A320 service.
Spirit Airlines launched Minneapolis St. Paul service to Chicago O’Hare (3X-daily) and Las Vegas (daily).
Tiger Airways launched 3X-weekly Singapore-Colombo service.
LOT Polish Airlines launched 3X-weekly Warsaw-Beijing service, under a codeshare agreement with Air China. Flights will be operated by Boeing 767-300 aircraft until November, at which time LOT will begin taking deliveries of 787 aircraft, replacing the 767s.
FedEx Corp said it will retire from service an additional 24 aircraft and take a related charge of $84 million, or 26 cents per share, in the current quarter. The world's No.2 package delivery company, which is undergoing a fleet upgrade to improve fuel efficiency, announced in December that it was buying new Boeing aircraft to replace some aging planes and delaying delivery of others to cut expenses. FedEx will retire 18 Airbus A310-200 aircraft and 26 related engines, as well as six Boeing MD10-10 aircraft and 17 related engines.
Boeing's Phantom Eye unmanned airborne system (UAS) completed its first autonomous flight June 1 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The 28-minute flight began at 6:22 a.m. Pacific time as the liquid-hydrogen powered aircraft lifted off its launch cart. Phantom Eye climbed to an altitude of 4,080 feet and reached a cruising speed of 62 knots. After touching down, the vehicle sustained some damage when the landing gear dug into the lakebed and broke.
WestJet today announced the launch of new non-stop service seven times daily on weekdays between Toronto and New York City's LaGuardia Airport. The airline will add an eighth daily weekday flight beginning July 12. Through a partnership with Delta Air Lines, WestJet guests will find convenient connections between WestJet's Canadian network and Delta Air Lines' 62 destinations beyond LaGuardia. "Service to Canada's largest international market, with a convenient schedule, is a key part of WestJet's strategy to welcome more business travellers on board," said John MacLeod, WestJet Vice-President, Network Management and Alliances. "We are delighted to bring lower fares and a great guest experience to both business and leisure travellers in the New York market."
AVIATION QUOTE
The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
— Epicurus
ON THIS DATE
---In 1909... John Berry and Paul McCullough win the U.S.’s first National Balloon Race, covering 377.9 miles – from Indianapolis, Indiana to Fort Payne, Alabama – in 25 hours 35 minutes.
---In 1909... The first monoplane flight of over one hour is made by Englishman Hubert Latham on the Antoinette IV for one hour, seven minutes, 37 seconds.
---In 1963... President Kennedy announces that his administration would seek funds for the sponsored development of a supersonic transport aircraft.
---In 1967…Monarch Airlines is founded.
---In 1967…Boeing delivers its 1,000th jet airliner, a Boeing 707-120B for American Airlines.
---In 1967…The start of the Six-Day War, is fought between Israel and her Arab neighbours Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. In a pre-emptive strike, the Israeli Air Force destroys half of the Egyptian Air Force on the first night. By the end of the six days, 452 Arab aircraft had been destroyed for a loss of 46 Israeli aircraft.
---In 1969... The Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic airliner becomes the first aircraft of its class to fly through the sound barrier when it exceeds Mach 1 at a height of 36,000 ft.
---In 1969… The Air Force agreed to allow NASA to use two YF-12s in a NASA program. (Q)
---In 1983…Death of Kurt Waldemar Tank (b.February 24, 1898) was a German aeronautical engineer and test pilot, heading the design department at Focke-Wulf from 1931-45. He designed several important aircraft of World War II, including the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter aircraft.
---In 1989... The massive Antonov An-225 Mriya flies in to Paris-Le Bourget for the 1989 Paris Air Show, carrying the Soviet Shuttle Buran on its back. When it takes of from Kiev to fly to Paris, the combination has a takeoff weight of 1,234,600 lb., the greatest weight ever lifted into the air.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
The Flight Attendant
The flight attendant watched a passenger try to stuff his hopelessly overloaded bags into the overhead bin.
Finally she informed him that he would have to check the oversized luggage.
"When I fly other airlines," he said irritably, "I never have this problem!"
She smiled and said, "Sir, when you fly other airlines, I don't have this problem either."
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