AirlinesAir New Zealand signs for 15 ATR 72sAir New Zealand has signed a firm agreement for 15 new ATR 72-600s, in a deal worth $375 million at list prices. In a statement, the airline says that 11 of the turboprops will be used to replace its existing ATR 72-500s, while the other four will allow further growth on regional routes.
LinkAmerican Airlines helps honor Vietnam vetsAmerican Airlines co-sponsored an event at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum in Oklahoma to honor Vietnam veterans. The event, held in partnership with the Vietnam War Commemoration project, marked 50 years since US troops first entered Vietnam on March 8, 1965.
LinkEmirates Airline FY 1H net profit up 65% Emirates Airline posted a net profit of AED3.1 billion ($849.3 million) in its FY 2015-2016 first half, up 65.1% from the same period last year. The result, compared to the carrier’s net earnings of AED1.9 billion in its first half last year, reflects the impact of lower fuel prices, the Dubai-based company said. “The airline continued [its] ability to grow passenger demand in line with significant capacity growth, despite external challenges such as continued regional unrest and economic malaise in many regions, and increased competition adding downward pressure on yields,” the airline said.
LinkIAG converts options on four Airbus A330s, 15 A320neosInternational Airlines Group (IAG) has converted options on two Airbus A330-300s for Aer Lingus, two A330-200s for Iberia and 15 A320neos for use across the group. Announcing the deal Nov. 5, IAG said it had negotiated “a substantial discount” from the list price. “The modern, fuel efficient aircraft will bring both cost efficiencies and environmental benefits to the airlines,” IAG said.
LinkJetBlue Launches Nonstop Service to Antigua and Barbuda From JFKJetBlue (JBLU) today launched service to its newest destination, Antigua and Barbuda's V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU), from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), with three times weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Antigua and Barbuda becomes JetBlue's 92nd destination in its growing network and 34th destination in Latin America and Caribbean, where JetBlue has quickly become a leading airline from the U.S.
LinkKorean Air Finalize Order for 30 737 MAXs, Two 777-300ERsBoeing and Korean Air today finalized the airline's order of 30 737 MAXs and two additional 777-300ER (Extended Range) jetliners valued at nearly $4 billion at current list prices. The airline also has options for additional 737 MAXs as part of the order, which was previously announced as a commitment during the Paris Air Show in June.
LinkLufthansa Group halts Sharm el-Sheikh flights; UK extends suspensionLufthansa Group has suspended all flights to/from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, a move made following strong statements from the UK government that an explosive device could be responsible for the Oct. 31 Metrojet Airbus A321 crash. The UK had temporarily suspended flights coming from Sharm el-Sheikh to the UK on the evening of Nov. 4 pending a further assessment. After an emergency high-level government meeting, all flights between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh have been grounded indefinitely.
LinkLufthansa Cabin Crew Union Prepare For StrikeThe main cabin crew union at Lufthansa dismissed an effort by management to avert a potential week-long strike by calling the airline's latest proposals a "PR stunt". Flight attendants' union UFO had said on Monday it would call for a strike on November 6-13 if Lufthansa did not put forward a serious offer by Thursday evening in a long-running row over pension costs and early retirement benefits.
LinkExplosive Device Likely Caused Russian Plane Crash - ReportEvidence now suggests that a bomb is the likely cause of last weekend's crash of a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula, US and European security according to a media report. Islamic State, which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria and is battling the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula, said again on Wednesday it brought down the plane, adding it would eventually tell the world how it carried out the attack.
LinkNo evidence for UK sabotage theory: Egyptian ministryEgypt’s civil aviation chief insists that the country’s airports employ international security standards, and claims there is no evidence to confirm UK government suspicions that sabotage brought down the MetroJet Airbus over Sinai. The UK government’s high-profile disclosure, in which it expressed concern that explosives on board the A321 were responsible for its loss, has sparked a diplomatic backlash.
LinkSouthwest Pilots Reject Tentative ContractPilots at Southwest Airlines have rejected a tentative contract with the US budget carrier. Some 62 percent of votes were against ratifying the contract, with 95.1 percent of the union's members voting, according to a news release from the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association.
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