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Boeing: Demand for Dreamliner 787 remains strong
Boeing said demand remains strong for its Dreamliner 787. "Demand for the 787 remains high -- and when we have cancellations we begin marketing those airplanes to other customers," said a spokesman for Boeing.
LinkAirlines
Alitalia, Etihad Deal Likely Cleared By Year-end
Alitalia and Etihad are expected to seek European Union antitrust approval for their deal this month and win clearance by the end of the year after minor concessions, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad clinched a deal last month to buy 49 percent of Alitalia for EUR€1.76 billion (USD$2.31 billion), giving it access to Europe's fourth-largest travel market and 25 million passengers.
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American Airlines, Orbitz reach agreement
Three days after American Airlines pulled its flight listings from Orbitz, the online travel agency announced Friday that it had reached an agreement to again list the carrier's fares. American, which pays Orbitz for bookings that come through its site, said earlier this week that fliers no longer would be able to book their tickets on Orbitz because the two companies had failed to reach an agreement on those costs.US Airways, which merged with American last year, was to follow suit Monday.
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Union integration proceeds smoothly at American Airlines
Nine months after the American Airlines and US Airways merger closed, several union groups at the two carriers have negotiated new contracts. "We are really enthusiastic about the progress that has been made and excited that we have the structure that will deliver joint collective bargaining agreements pretty quickly after the merger has closed," said Steve Johnson, executive vice president of corporate affairs at American.
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Delta Flight Diverted Over Reclining Seat Dispute
An argument over leg room and reclining seats forced a Florida-bound flight from New York to divert late on Monday, the third such incident of a midair disruption caused by passengers in about a week. Delta Air Lines said that "out of an abundance of caution" the captain of flight 2370 from New York La Guardia to West Palm Beach chose to land instead at the closest airport, Jacksonville, where local law enforcement removed one passenger. It did not elaborate on the "disruption," but a witness told Jacksonville TV station WJXT TV-4 that an argument broke out during the flight between one woman who wanted to recline her seat and another in the row behind who wanted to sleep while resting on her tray table.
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Hawaiian Airlines changes Airbus order to A330-800neos
Hawaiian Airlines’ recent switch from an order for six Airbus A350-800s to six A330-800neos represents a “tradeoff” with plusses and minuses for the carrier, according to a senior company offical.
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Banks Pressure Mallya Over Kingfisher Loans
Indian lenders are increasing pressure on Vijay Mallya for repayment of the debts of Kingfisher Airlines, which has not flown since 2012 and owes more than USD$1 billion to a consortium of mostly state-run banks. The airline founded by Mallya failed to make a profit during the eight years from launch to the grounding of its fleet in October 2012 and has been unsuccessful in efforts to find new investors to revive operations. IDBI Bank is considering declaring Mallya a "willful defaulter", which in Indian law would mean that he could be forced to stand down from any corporate posts and could damage the fundraising prospects of businesses with which he is associated, the bank's Chairman M.S. Raghavan said.
Link
Southwest debuts Listening Center
Southwest Airlines has created a Listening Center at its headquarters in Dallas, where it will use a combination of social media, traditional media and operational data to communicate with customers and employees.
Link
Southwest turns discarded leather into opportunity
Southwest Airlines has partnered with non-governmental associations in Kenya to recycle discarded leather from airplane seats. Orphans learn how to make soccer balls and shoes from the leather with paid apprenticeships from SOS Children's Villages Kenya. "The leather is finite, but the skills these young people will learn will hopefully take them through their lives," said Marilee McInnis, senior manager of culture and communications for Southwest
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New fuel-efficient aircraft expected to boost United
United Airlines plans to retire its 50-seat regional jets by next year, instead deploying larger Embraer regional jets that can seat 76 passengers. The Trefis Team writes that "fleet restructuring focused on replacing older, less fuel-efficient airplanes with new, more fuel-efficient airplanes will add growth to United's results in the coming years."
LinkAirports
UK Rejects 'Boris Island' Airport Plan
A plan to build a major new airport to the east of London was rejected by a government-appointed commission on Tuesday, dealing a blow to its high-profile backer, the city's mayor Boris Johnson. The Airports Commission said having dropped the idea of building a costly new airport in the Thames Estuary, nicknamed Boris Island, it would now decide by next year whether to expand Heathrow airport to the west of London or Gatwick to the south. With London's airports near the limit of their capacity, business groups say more runways are needed to handle traffic from fast-growing emerging economies and fear inaction could deter international investors and curb growth.
Link
'Boris Island' out, Heathrow and Gatwick runways in
News that the proposed inner Thames Estuary airport has been dropped from the UK Airports Commission's shortlist has surprised nobody, as the decision was foreshadowed in the body's interim report in December last year. It is looking increasingly likely that the Commission's recommendation will be for a third runway at London Heathrow airport and a second at London Gatwick. Meanwhile, London Mayor Boris Johnson's rising political star will ensure that the estuary airport plan – which he enthusiastically backs – will be resurrected in due course. The only options remaining on the Commission's shortlist are extra runways at Heathrow and/or Gatwick. The conclusions and recommendations will not be presented to government until after next year's general election – a carefully choreographed arrangement reflecting the political difficulty of the decision.
Link
After 'Boris Island': 10 other airport follies
The UK's Airports Commission has rejected a plan for a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary. Here's our list of airports that never were, fell short of expectations or are still waiting for the go-ahead.
1. London Maplin Sands
The original Thames Estuary airport was proposed by the early 1970s Edward Heath government as the capital’s new gateway. To be situated on the north side of the estuary and joined to London with rail and motorway links, a deep harbour would have made Maplin a multi-modal transport hub. But the proposal was environmentally contentious and the Labour government elected in 1974 abandoned the plan, deciding that Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted had enough capacity until 1990.
LinkMilitary
Slovakia creeps closer to Gripen agreement
The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden have signed a letter of intent agreeing to co-operate on using the Saab Gripen fighter – paving the way for a potential Slovakian acquisition of the aircraft. “Today's signing will lay the foundation for bilateral co-operation around a common airspace surveillance of Slovakia and the Czech Republic,” a translation of a statement from the Swedish defence ministry on 30 August said. Slovakia is looking to replace its RAC MiG-29s in the next couple of years. Slovak defence minister Martin Glváč has reportedly told local media outlets on several occasions that the Gripen is the fighter of choice for this replacement, although the requirement will go to open competition.
Link
US Air Force presses ahead with next-gen fighter, bomber engines
The US Air Force is moving ahead with plans to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet engine based on technological improvements achieved through an ongoing effort to produce a power plant for a future long-range bomber. In a request for information released 19 August, the air force said it plans to release a final request for proposals for the adaptive engine transfer programme (AETP) in the first quarter of fiscal year 2015, “notionally December 2014.” AETP is aimed at finding mature engine technologies that will feed into an engineering and manufacturing development program, according to Pentagon documents. The eventual goal is to design, build and test a 45,000lb-thrust-class fighter engine “suitable for further development and ultimate installation into combat aircraft.”
Link
US DoD confirms Saudi AH-6I deal
The US Department of Defense has confirmed that Saudi Arabia will be launch customer for the Boeing AH-6I light attack helicopter, following the signing of a $234 million contract for 24 aircraft. The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) deal was announced by the DoD on 29 August, although it is understood that the acquisition was agreed last year. Boeing announced in November 2013 that it had signed a FMS deal with the US Army to provide the aircraft to an undisclosed export customer. This was for the first sale of the type, which was speculated to be to either Saudi Arabia or Jordan, both of which submitted FMS requests.
LinkRegulatory
DOT rejects part of Norwegian's application for US flights
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has dismissed part of Norwegian Air International's (NAI) controversial application to begin flights to the USA, saying that it was not in the public interest to do so. The decision comes nine months after Norwegian first filed with the DOT for exemption authority and a foreign air carrier permit to allow it to launch the flights. DOT says it is still reviewing NAI's permit application and will issue a tentative decision afterwards. Explaining its move to dismiss NAI's application for exemption authority, the DOT says: "The Department does not find that a temporary exemption is appropriate or in the public interest." Norwegian, in response to the DOT's decision, urges the agency to "expedite its review and issue NAI's foreign carrier permit to fly to the US - once and for all."
Link
Aviation Quote
If the Wright brother were alive today Wilbur would have to fire Orville to reduce costs.
— Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines, USA Today, 8 June 1994.
On This Date
---In 1908... Orville Wright makes his 1st flight at Fort Meyer, Virginia, circling the field one-and-one-half times. During the next two weeks, he conducts a series of 14 long, high, and impressive flights, many of which set new records and are witnessed by government officials.
---In 1924... Regular airmail service in Canada begins with flights between Ontario and Quebec.
---In 1955... British Squadron Leader J.S. Fifield in England makes the 1st successful demonstration of the use of an ejection seat from a moving aircraft while still on the ground. He ejects from a modified Gloster Meteor 7 that is traveling 120-mph.
---1959/September/3 - The CIA terminated project GUSTO and asks Lockheed to develop a U-2 follow-on aircraft under the CIA code name OXCART. The CIA authorizes Lockheed to proceed with antiradar studies, aerodynamic structural tests and Engineering designs.
---In 1970…Air France places the first orders for the Airbus A300.
---In 1981…McDonnell Douglas delivers the 1,000th DC-9 produced; it was ordered by Swissair.
---In 1981…First flight of the BAe 146 G-SSSH.
---In 1989… Varig Boeing 737 crashes in Brazil killing 53 passengers. The pilots had not noticed an autopilot malfunction because they were listening to a football match.
---In 2010…UPS Flight 6, operated by Boeing 747-44AF N571UP crashed shortly after take-off from Dubai International Airport, killing both crew and destroying the aircraft. N571UP was operating an international cargo flight to Cologne Bonn Airport, Germany.
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BA International Destination Scramble
1. AGATABHS
2. TDBPUAES
3. AABACANCLS
4. TIRCCSUHHRHC
5. ORVBDUNKI
6. LMABASAID
7. RAZONTLAE
8. INRIABO
9. LONRODA
10. LATINNL
CentrelinePhoto wrote:Got 'em, although not all are BA destinations
6. ISLAMABAD - NOT SERVED BY BA
