NewsAirbus leans towards A330-200 to replace Beluga fleetAirbus has tentatively identified an A330-200 derivative as the most promising long-term candidate to replace its five A300-600ST Beluga oversize transports. The airframer has already embarked on a program to restructure its A300-600ST operations to cope with the demands of ramped-up production over the next four or five years. This program, designated Fly 10,000, is intended to increase the flight work performed by the transport fleet to 10,000h per year in 2017, from the current level of about 6,000h.
LinkBoeing warns about unclaimed 747-8 production slots Boeing could be forced to slow down production or build unsold 747-8s after 2013, the company warns in a new filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A "number" of unsold production slots for 747-8 Freighters and Intercontinental passenger models must be filled after this year to keep production on track at a rate of two aircraft per month, Boeing says in the annual filing. "If we are unable to obtain orders for multiple Freighter aircraft in 2013 consistent with our near-term production plans, we may be required to take actions including reducing the number of airplanes produced and/or building airplanes for which we have not received firm orders," Boeing says.
LinkCargolux in talks to delay its 747-8Fs Cargolux has revealed it is in negotiations with Boeing to push back its 747-8 freighter deliveries and is unlikely to firm up two options it holds for the type. Speaking exclusively to ATW on Wednesday, Cargolux interim CEO Richard Forson said the move forms part of the all-cargo carrier’s 2013-17 business plan. “We are in discussion with Boeing about possibly shifting the delivery timeline. One of the key pillars of our new strategy is flexibility, in terms of both costs and capacity,” he explained. “We are pushing them out into the future, but I can’t say exact dates.”
LinkAirbus Corporate Jets pins 2013 hopes on market reboundAirbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) hopes for a stronger sales performance during the coming 12 months after a "soft" market for VIP airliners in 2012 contributed to it adding only five gross orders to its backlog. On top of that, two cancellations of ACJ318s, caused by the airframer undertaking "housekeeping" on its orderbook, took the net figure down to only three aircraft.
LinkPentagon approves E-2D Hawkeye full rate productionThe Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has given its approval for the US Navy's E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, built by Northrop Grumman, to enter full-rate production following a successful operational test and evaluation phase. "With the Navy's E-2D program of record at 75 aircraft, this decision by OSD enables the production of the remaining 55 aircraft over the next 10 years and provides the opportunity for a cost-effective, multiyear procurement," says Bart LaGrone, Northrop's vice president for the E-2 program.
LinkRyanair Says Aer Lingus Bid To Be Blocked By EURyanair's bid to take over smaller Irish rival Aer Lingus is to be blocked by Europe's anti-monopoly watchdog, the low-cost carrier said on Tuesday, a "political" decision it said it would challenge in court. The rejection of what Ryanair has described as its third and final bid for its rival, likely marks the end of a long-held ambition of Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary to seize control of the country's 75-year-old former flag carrier. The European Commission, which acts as the European Union's competition authority, told Ryanair executives at a meeting on Tuesday morning that it intends to block the bid, Ryanair said in a statement.
LinkBahrain Air Shuts Down Blaming Political UnrestBahrain Air said on Tuesday it was shutting down, blaming political unrest in the island kingdom and the government's refusal to pay it compensation. The privately owned airline, launched in 2008, has four planes and was flying to about a dozen destinations in the Middle East and south Asia. It struggled to compete with Bahrain's larger flag carrier, Gulf Air, and low-cost airlines in the region.
LinkIberia Pushes Ahead With Job Cuts Despite StrikeIberia is pressing ahead with its job cuts plan, saying it was now aiming for 3,807 redundancies, despite a threat by unions to take strike action later this month. Iberia, part of International Airline Group, has said the job reductions are necessary to allow the loss-making airline to return to growth. The job cuts will comply with Spanish labour laws, Iberia said in a statement, which allow pay-offs of only a year's salary.
LinkKingfisher Lenders To Start Recovery Of LoansLenders to India's grounded Kingfisher Airlines have decided to take initial steps towards recovering USD$1.4 billion of loans in default after the company failed to come up with a viable funding plan. "How long can we wait?" said Shyamal Acharya, deputy managing director at State Bank of India, after a meeting of lenders late on Tuesday. The bank is the leader of the 17-bank consortium and is directly involved with the loans. Kingfisher Airlines, owned by the flamboyant Vijay Mallya, has not flown since October 2012 after operations were halted due to a cash crunch. Its lenders had first declared the company's loans in default in early 2012 but held back recovery after the carrier's promises of capital infusion.
LinkCitigroup Sells Half Its Stake In AeromexicoCitigroup-unit Banamex sold about half its stake in Aeromexico for about USD$172 million, with the head of major milk company Lala picking up the shares, raising his holding in the company. Aeromexico said in a filing with the Mexican Stock Exchange on Tuesday that a group of local businessmen, led by Eduardo Tricio Haro, president of Mexico's Grupo Lala, had bought a 20.19 percent stake in the airline, boosting an existing stake. Tricio now controls 20 percent of voting stock in the company through his personal holdings and agreements with other shareholders, Aeromexico said.
LinkHawaiian Air will launch turboprop service this summerHawaiian Holdings, the parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, has launched an interisland turboprop service called Ohana by Hawaiian. Ohana's fleet will include 48-seat ATR42 turboprop aircraft covered in designs from Hawaiian artists Sig and Kuhao Zane, a father-and-son team. Ohana will begin flying this summer to Molokai and Lanai.
LinkU.S. airlines celebrate new safety recordIn 2012, worldwide airline safety had its best year since 1945. "We have engineered out the common causes of accidents," said Patrick Smith, a commercial pilot who writes a blog.
LinkAirline mergers benefit industry through stability, experts sayRecent airline mergers in the U.S. have benefited customers and the industry by increasing stability, experts say. "Taking structural costs and inefficiencies out of the system is what excites people about consolidation," said John Thomas, head of the global aviation practice at L.E.K. Consulting. "Large carriers can weather the storm so much better than small carriers."
LinkEditorial: Britain's Air Passenger Duty is "world's worst travel tax"A U.K. travel tax is the industry's "Most Loathsome Tax," according to an editorial in Travel Weekly. A PriceWaterhouseCoopers report has suggested that abolishing Britain's Air Passenger Duty would boost the economy.
LinkMajority of travelers oppose in-flight cellphone calls, survey saysAbout 60% of travelers responding to a Delta Air Lines survey oppose allowing cellphone calls or videoconferencing while onboard flights. However, most travelers said they support the use of in-flight smartphones for text messaging and entertainment.
LinkBaltimore airport sets record for passenger trafficBaltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has set a record for passenger traffic by serving 22.68 million passengers in 2012. "This record-setting achievement affirms the airport's role as a critical transportation and economic development resource for Maryland and the national capital region," said Md. Gov. Martin O'Malley.
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