NewsQantas takes delivery of first 787-9Qantas has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 at a ceremony held at Boeing’s delivery centre in Everett. Named ‘Great Southern Land’, the aircraft, registered VH-ZNA, will ferry to the airline’s main base at Sydney airport, arriving on 20 October.
LinkDelta evaluating A320neo or 737 Max family orderDelta Air Lines is looking at both the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max for an upcoming narrowbody order. "We're in the middle of a RFP process to look at additional [narrowbody] aircraft," says Gil West, chief operating officer of the Atlanta-based carrier, at a media event in Atlanta today.
LinkLessor legal action prompts Island Air to file for Chapter 11Hawaiian regional carrier Island Air has disclosed a decision to file for US Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing legal challenges from lessors of its aircraft fleet. The interisland operator says that, on 12 October, while negotiating leases with lessors, it was served with notices of termination and demands to surrender the aircraft. It declares itself "very surprised" by the turn of events.
LinkLinkMalaysia Airlines chief Bellew quits to rejoin RyanairMalaysia Airlines chief executive Peter Bellew is to step down from the airline after barely a year, having been recruited by budget carrier Ryanair to serve as chief operations officer. Bellew had previously been Ryanair's flight operations director before joining the Malaysian flag-carrier two years ago, and subsequently being appointed to head the airline last year.
LinkAirbus aims to fly A330neo on 19 OctoberAirbus has tentatively fixed a 19 October date for the maiden A330neo flight. The date falls within an interval it had previously identified as a possible window for the A330-900's initial sortie.
LinkAirbus revisits CSeries as programme risk diminishesAirbus's timing of its revisit to the Bombardier CSeries, two years after dropping out of partnership talks, removes much of the risk it previously associated with the program. It had held discussions on a tie-up with Bombardier when the Canadian airframer underwent a strategic review in 2015 – despite publicly deriding the CSeries' capability to rival its A320 line – but opted against pursuing a partnership.
LinkState Department approves F-16V sale to GreeceGreece has moved a step closer upgrading a fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16s with new radars, software-defined radios and other equipment. The US State Department has approved a package of upgrades valued at $2.4 billion to raise the Hellenic Air Force's fleet to the F-16V standard, a Defense Security Cooperation Agency notice says.
LinkUndisclosed buyer adds to Super Tucano backlogEmbraer has announced a new order for six of its armed A-29 Super Tucano, but declines to identify the latest customer to have committed to the type. Listing potential applications as including "tactical and advanced training, as well as light attack and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance", the Brazilian airframer says deliveries to the undisclosed buyer will conclude during 2018.
LinkUSAF sends message to Pyongyang at Seoul showThe US Air Force has made an impressive show of force at this year's Seoul ADEX defence show, bringing four stealth fighters and several other aircraft. The stars of the USAF contingent at the show are two Lockheed Martin F-22s and two Lockheed F-35As. All four aircraft appeared in the static display, with an F-22 also performing a high-g aerial display.
LinkComlux awarded first BBJ Max 8 completions contract An undisclosed customer has awarded Comlux Completion, the US maintenance, repair and overhaul arm of business aviation services provider Comlux, the cabin outfitting contract for the first Boeing Business Jet Max 8. The VIP airliner will arrive at Comlux Completion's Indianapolis, Indiana facility in the fourth quarter of 2018, for redelivery in the second half of 2019.
LinkDelta set to launch A350, its new ‘flagship’ aircraft, into service Delta Air Lines is preparing to launch a new fleet “flagship” aircraft—the Airbus A350-900, which will enter service Oct. 30 on the Detroit-Tokyo Narita route—replacing the iconic Boeing 747-400 that will soon be retired from Delta’s fleet.
LinkVirgin Group invests in HyperloopRichard Branson and Virgin Group have invested in innovative mass-transit system Hyperloop One, under a global strategic partnership that will see the company rebrand as Virgin Hyperloop One.
LinkEasyJet confirms Alitalia bidUK LCC easyJet has confirmed it has submitted an expression of interest in Italian flag carrier Alitalia, as parallel talks to acquire part of airberlin continue.
“EasyJet has today submitted an expression of interest in certain assets of a restructured Alitalia, consistent with easyJet’s existing strategy for Italy. Given the nature of the process, the content of the expression of interest is subject to confidentiality. There is no certainty at this stage that any transaction will proceed and easyJet will provide a further update in due course if and when appropriate,” easyJet said in a statement to the London stock exchange Oct. 16.
LinkCEO: Turkish Airlines US-Turkey bookings drop sharply after visa rowTurkish Airlines has said passenger bookings between Turkey and the US have sharply decreased following the suspension of visa applications among the two countries for travel from Oct. 16, 2017 to March 31, 2018.
LinkWizz Air sets up UK companyCentral and Eastern European LCC Wizz Air has established a UK company and is reviewing the process to acquire a local air operator’s certificate (AOC), as the UK prepares to leave the European Union (EU) (Brexit).
LinkSpirit revises 3Q guidance; storms cost $40 million in lost revenueFlorida-based ULCC Spirit Airlines revised its third-quarter operational guidance Oct. 16 and indicated the airline took a $40 million hit in lost revenue from the recent hurricanes.
LinkOneworld: Airberlin will leave alliance Oct. 28Oneworld has confirmed that airberlin will no longer be part of the alliance from Oct. 28, when the bankrupt German carrier ceases operations. According to oneworld, airberlin affiliate NIKI—which joined oneworld alongside airberlin in March 2012—will no longer fly as part of oneworld at the same time.
LinkDelta upgrades app to provide automatic check-inDelta Air Lines is offering automatic check-in for domestic passengers who have the airline’s smartphone app, a first of its kind service in the US.
LinkHong Kong Airlines will launch 4X-weekly Hong-Kong-San Francisco Airbus A350 service from March 25, 2018.
Cypriot’s
Cobalt Air will begin 2X-weekly Paphos-Moscow service from Oct. 29.
LOT Polish Airlines will start twice-daily Warsaw-Oslo Embraer E195 service from March 25, 2018.
Qatar Airways Cargo launched twice-weekly Doha-Pittsburgh Boeing 777 service.
Allegiant Air began 2X-weekly Milwaukee-Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida, and Milwaukee-Fort Myers/Punta Gorda, Florida service.
LATAM Airlines will launch 3X-weekly São Paulo-Rome Boeing 767 services from March 16, 2018, increasing to 5X-weekly in July 2018.
JetBlue will start Boston-Minneapolis service from May 3, 2018.
Qatar Airways will launch 3X-weekly Doha-Penang, Malaysia Boeing 787 service from Feb. 6, 2018.
