NewsSouthwest looks to ensure fuel supply in wake of HarveySouthwest Airlines is working to ensure it has a steady supply of jet fuel after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey forced fuel refineries and pipelines along the Gulf Coast to close. "The concern is along the lines of, we know there's an issue and we have to take steps to mitigate it and that work is underway. We won't have trouble based on what we know right now sourcing jet fuel to power our flights," said Southwest CEO Gary Kelly.
LinkAir Canada to launch expanded international service from VancouverStarting June 2018, Air Canada will offer new service from Vancouver to Paris and Zurich, and will start year-round flights to Melbourne. The carrier will also increase its nonstop service to India's Delhi from Vancouver with up to five flights weekly.
LinkUPS, FedEx resume flights to, from HoustonUPS and FedEx resumed flights to and from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Thursday. The airport had been closed since Sunday.
LinkJetBlue opens ticket offices in HavanaOne year after its landmark inaugural flight to Cuba, JetBlue Airways has opened the City Ticket Office and Airport Ticket Office in Havana. "The openings of these offices allow us to offer a truly personalized experience for our Cuban customers with face-to-face interactions when arranging JetBlue travel," said Robin Hayes, JetBlue's president and CEO.
LinkWi-Fi key part of customer experience for American AirlinesWhile major carriers like American Airlines see in-flight Wi-Fi as a core amenity in high demand, other smaller carriers note they are still studying the economics of providing the service. "You have to have Wi-Fi," said American Airlines executive Don Casey. "It's a core expectation for customers, we think about it that way. Our objective is to create a living room experience in the air."
LinkCommercial orders suffer post-Paris hangoverAirbus, Boeing and Bombardier delivered 16 of their new narrowbody aircraft in July, figures from Flight Fleets Analyzer show. Overall, 125 commercial aircraft were handed over in July, an increase of 9% against the same month last year.
LinkEgyptAir freed from UK electronics banEgyptAir has disclosed that a ban on electronic devices on board its services to the UK has been lifted. The airline, which operates from Cairo to London Heathrow, says the ban was withdrawn on 1 September.
Link777 Classics entering their twilight yearsAlthough there have been some small signs of life, a growing number of Boeing 777-200s and -300s appear to be headed for the scrapyard amid growing supply and poor interest in the secondary market. It has been a tough few years for the widebody twin, with availability of -200s/-200ERs and -300s rising following Malaysia Airlines’ dumping of its 777-200ERs in 2015 and the collapse of Transaero in the same year. Still, a number of those aircraft were picked up by other Russian operators, such as VIM Airlines and Rossiya.
LinkAirbus to source A320 'Airspace' bins from FACCAirbus has handed the contract to develop overhead stowage compartments for its redesigned A320 interior cabin to Austrian firm FACC. The airframer had disclosed during the Paris air show that it would extend its 'Airspace' interior concept – previously aimed at the A350 and A330neo – to its single-aisle line.
LinkUAC unifying civil aircraft with Irkut-Sukhoi combinationRussia's United Aircraft is to combine airframer Irkut with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft under a programme to unify civil aircraft manufacturing. Irkut produces the MC-21 while Sukhoi Civil Aircraft builds the Superjet 100.
LinkBrisbane named second Qantas 787-9 baseAustralian flag-carrier Qantas is to base four of its forthcoming Boeing 787-9s in Brisbane, Australia. Qantas has eight 787-9s on order, with the first due to arrive in October. The first batch of four will be stationed in Melbourne, Australia, with the first of the Brisbane-based batch due to arrive in mid-2018. All four aircraft are scheduled to be in place by the end of 2018.
LinkHigher fuel prices drive down Air China, China Southern 1H profitsAir China and China Southern Airlines were impacted by higher fuel prices in the 2017 first half as the two carriers reported year-over-year (YOY) six-month net profit decreases of 3.8% and 11.6%, respectively, to CNY3.3 billion ($486 million) and CNY2.8 billion. Beijing-based Air China’s 1H operating revenue rose 8.7% YOY to CNY58.2 billion while operating expenses rose 15.8% to CNY47.7 billion. Fuel costs jumped 40.1% YOY to CNY13.6 billion during the period.
LinkGerman investor Intro Aviation pulls out of airberlin biddingGerman airline investment group Intro Aviation said it is not interested in bidding for airberlin, which filed for insolvency in August and is in the process of seeking buyers for its assets. Hans Rudolf Wöhrl, who owns Intro Group, said he has decided not to take further steps to bid for airberlin.
LinkCathay Pacific adds Brussels, Dublin and Copenhagen to networkCathay Pacific will launch three new nonstop routes to Europe from Hong Kong starting with its summer 2018 schedule. The new routes include: 4X-weekly Hong Kong-Brussels flights, 4X-weekly Hong Kong-Dublin flights and 3X-weekly Hong Kong-Copenhagen flights. The new routes will be operated with Airbus A350-900s. Cathay has 18 A350-900s in operation with four more expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
LinkBA adds ramp transfers for short-connecting premium passengersAs part of its premium-product revamp, British Airways (BA) is to offer airside transfers for business-class passengers who are at risk of misconnecting. The service, Premium Transfer Drive, will be available at London Heathrow Airport for passengers connecting from UK domestic services to short-haul flights in business class (Club Europe); long-haul premium cabins (Club World and First); and silver- and gold-tier Executive Club members.
LinkSAS agreement to boost Aarhus traffic by 50%Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is to launch a large number of European routes from Aarhus Airport in Denmark, under a new agreement that will boost the airport’s traffic by more than 50%. Aarhus Airport said the cooperation with SAS represents its biggest transformation in recent times.
LinkNordica nudges capacity upwards as presidential traffic peaksA surge in traffic into Estonia during the Baltic nation’s presidency of the EU has necessitated an increase in capacity at the national carrier. The presidency of the Council of the EU rotates on a six-month basis around the organization’s 28 member states. The Estonian presidency began in July, which has resulted in the number of bureaucrats and politicians beating a path to the Estonian capital Tallinn growing considerably.
LinkS7 Airlines buys Embraer E170 full-flight simulator Russia’s S7 Airlines has ordered a full-flight simulator (FFS) for the Embraer E170 from FlightSafety International. Delivery and installation at S7 Training are scheduled for the end of 2018. The new simulator will be equipped with high-tech visualization and motion control systems, as well as a multi-functional operating station with a user-friendly interface for instructors, according to the carrier.
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