AirlinesChengdu Airlines works to enter ARJ21 into serviceChengdu Airlines plans to launch its first ARJ21-700 commercial passenger service on 28 June, seven months after taking delivery of the aircraft. The ARJ21 launch customer tells Flightglobal that since it received the jet, it has been conducting flight tests according to requirements by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
LinkChina Eastern set to open new European routes China Eastern Airlines is set to open four European routes from Shanghai to Amsterdam, Madrid, Prague and St. Petersburg, Russia, during the week of June 21. According to the Shanghai-based carrier, the new 4X-weekly service to Amsterdam and Madrid will be operated by an Airbus A330-200. The 3X-weekly Shanghai-Prague service will be performed by an A330-200 and the 3X-weekly Shanghai-St. Petersburg route will use a Boeing 767.
LinkSecurity Hoax Forces EgyptAir DiversionAn EgyptAir plane en route from Cairo to Beijing was forced to make an emergency landing in Uzbekistan on Wednesday after receiving a security threat that the airline said turned out to be a hoax. All 118 passengers and 17 crew members on board the plane were evacuated in Urgench, western Uzbekistan, after the threat was made three hours into the flight, EgyptAir said in a statement.
LinkStartup French Blue takes its first aircraftParis Orly-based long-haul, low-cost startup French Blue has taken delivery of its first aircraft, a new Airbus A330-300, and is aiming to launch operations on Sept. 10. The new-build aircraft, sporting French Blue’s blue and white livery, has been registered F-HPUJ.
LinkGulf Air continues to narrow deficit in 2015Bahraini flag carrier Gulf Air moved closer to breakeven in 2015, reducing its net loss to BD24.1 million ($63.6 million) from BD62.7 million in 2014. The airline has gradually pulled back from the financial brink in 2011-12 when it was incurring annual deficits of around BD200 million. It has undergone a major restructuring program, slimming both its fleet and workforce—the latter a sensitive matter in the tiny island nation where it is a major employer.
LinkHainan Airlines takes delivery of first Boeing 787-9Hainan Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-9, becoming China’s first operator of both the 787-8 and -9 variants of the Dreamliner family. The Haikou-based carrier leased the aircraft through an agreement with Air Lease Corp. (ALC). The delivery is also the first 787-9 to ALC, which has 15 additional 787-9s on order.
LinkJetBlue exec discusses importance of brandingMarty St. George, executive vice president of commercial and planning for JetBlue Airways, said the carrier strives to keep the brand fresh. "Brand personality is actually very important to us and I think our personality has been," he said. "So I think the big challenge we have is we have to keep coming up with cool, innovative things that fit the personality."
LinkKLM to retire last Fokker 70 in 2017KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will phase out its final Fokker 70 on Oct. 29, 2017, ending 20 years of service. KLM began flying F70s in 1996 and, with a current fleet of 14 aircraft, it is the biggest user of the Dutch-manufactured twinjet. However, the Fokker fleet is now 20 years old, with each aircraft having performed around 38,000 flight hours. As a result, KLM is replacing them with more cost-efficient Embraer E175s and E190s.
LinkLufthansa to complete 737 phase-out in OctoberLufthansa intends to retire its last remaining Boeing 737s in October, some 48 years after the German carrier became the type's launch operator. The replacement is part of a fleet simplification to reduce the number of aircraft types across Lufthansa Group, said chief executive Carsten Spohr at a Star Alliance event in Zurich on 4 June.
LinkUnited to relaunch New Zealand service with 787sUnited Airlines plans to restart service to New Zealand next month through a partnership with Air New Zealand. The carrier will fly from San Francisco to Auckland three times a week aboard Boeing 787s. In October, United plans to offer daily service for the route.
LinkUnited Airlines offers instant pricing tool on websiteUnited Airlines is offering an instant pricing tool at United.com from Amadeus. "This instant pricing tool is a key part of our reimagined flight booking experience with an emphasis on personalization and performance for our customers," said Scott Wilson, vice president of merchandising and eCommerce at United.
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