NewsBoeing to take 80% in Embraer Commercial in JV Following months of negotiations, Boeing and Embraer have signed an MOU to set up a joint venture (JV) comprising Embraer’s commercial aircraft and services business.
LinkRyanair Irish pilot union votes to proceed with strike July 12 An Irish union representing Ryanair pilots has pledged to go ahead with a strike planned for July 12 over concerns about base transfers and pilot seniority agreements, even after the airline appealed for it to be called off. Ninety-nine percent of directly employed Ryanair pilots who are members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association, a branch of the FORSA trade union, voted in favor of industrial action in a dispute over management’s approach to transferring pilots between its European and African bases. Plans call for the 24-hour strike to begin at 0100 July 12.
LinkJapan’s NCA returns first freighter to service after grounding Japan’s Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) returned the first of its freighters to service July 5, after its fleet was grounded for several days because of irregularities in maintenance records. Checks on maintenance records were completed for the first freighter, a Boeing 747-8F, allowing it to resume operations between Tokyo Narita Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The remainder of the NCA freighter fleet “will resume in sequence as soon as aircraft safety is confirmed,” the carrier said.
LinkAir Madagascar launches domestic subsidiary Tsaradia Air Madagascar said it launched its new domestic subsidiary, Tsaradia, on July 2, pushing ahead with a key part of the turnaround plan it is undertaking with strategic partner Air Austral. Tsaradia has a fleet of four ATR 72s and three DHT Twin Otters and will fly to 10 destinations from its hub in the Madagascan capital of Antananarivo.
LinkFAA: Airliner seat dimensions do not need to be regulated for safety FAA said it has found no evidence that current airliner seat dimensions pose a safety issue that requires new standards. In a July 2 letter, the agency informed FlyersRights.org of its determination to deny the passenger organization’s petition seeking a rulemaking on airliner seat size. Last July, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered the agency to provide the organization a “properly reasoned disposition of safety concerns about the adverse impact of decreased seat dimensions and increased passenger size on aircraft emergency egress.”
LinkEasyJet: June flight cancellations sharply increase on ATC strikes EasyJet said over 1,000 more flights were canceled in June than in the same month in 2017, mainly because of French and Italian air traffic control (ATC) strikes. The UK LCC said there were 1,263 cancellations in June 2018, equivalent to around 2.7% of planned capacity and up on the 213 experienced in June 2017. Around 900 were because of French and Italian industrial action, with a further 150 attributed to adverse weather conditions and ATC restrictions.
LinkMalaysia Airlines boosts yields on premium passengers Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) is solidly improving yields by increasing its emphasis on premium passengers, and the carrier indicates the approach will continue. The airline’s “concerted focus on yield,” which began in the second half of 2017, produced positive results in the first quarter, Group CEO Izham Ismail said. Yield improved 6.6% year-on-year in the quarter, despite the strong competition that has been putting pressure on airline fares in Southeast Asia. MAB said it will “continue to drive yield by focusing on the premium segment to cushion the airline from rising costs.”
LinkHNA Group chairman Wang dies in accident in FranceChinese conglomerate HNA Group founder and co-chairman Wang Jian died in France July 3, following a serious injury sustained from a 50ft fall. According to a French police statement, the 57 year-old was standing on a wall in Provence trying to take photographs with his family when he fell. HNA said he was on a business trip in France.
LinkNew body established for Irish lessors Irish business lobby group Ibec has created a new representative body, Aircraft Leasing Ireland (ALI), which has the buy-in of all major Ireland-based lessors. ALI was launched by Irish finance minister Paschal Donohoe on July 3 in Dublin, as the first representative body specific to the aircraft-leasing sector. The body’s mission is to maintain Ireland’s position as a global aircraft-leasing hub. The move comes as other financial centers, such as Asia, actively seek to attract the aircraft leasing industry.
LinkChina’s Okay Airways takes delivery of first 737 MAX 8Chinese airline Okay Airways received its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 July 2. The new aircraft, registered B-1485, departed Seattle July 1 and arrived in Beijing to join Okay’s all-Boeing fleet. The privately-owned airline signed for eight 737 MAX 10s and seven 737 MAX 8s, as well as an MOU for five 787-9 Dreamliners during the 2017 Paris Air Show. The Dreamliner deal was finalized in November, as the airline plans to expand into the long-haul market. Over the past two months, Okay added two new routes to Cebu and Puerto Princesa in the Philippines.
LinkCambodia’s KC International Airlines receive first aircraftCambodian startup airline KC International Airlines took delivery of its first aircraft, an Airbus A320, July 2. As there were no prior announcements by Airbus on new orders to Cambodia, the A320 is likely leased or sold from a Chinese operator or lessor. The aircraft was refurbished and repainted at Sichuan Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co.’s facility before being flown to the new owners in capital Phnom Penh.
LinkHawaiian adds more A321neos to mainland routesHawaiian Airlines is continuing to expand its US mainland network, as it takes delivery of two more Airbus A321neos. The carrier has recently received its fifth and sixth A321neos, which will enter service later in July after some additional preparatory work, the carrier told ATW. Hawaiian ordered a total of 18 A321neos, with all expected to be used on flights between Hawaii and the US mainland. They will be used to launch new secondary routes and to replace aircraft on some existing routes.
LinkAlitalia and Avianca Brasil to codeshareSkyTeam member Alitalia and Star Alliance carrier Avianca Brasil and have entered into a wide-ranging codeshare, with effect from July 3. Under the agreement, Alitalia will place its AZ code on 21 of Avianca Brasil’s domestic routes and one international service from São Paulo Guarulhos and Rio de Janeiro. The destinations include Brasilia, Cuiabá, Campo Grande, Belem, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Foz do Iguaçu, Goiânia, João Pessoa, Maceió, Natal, Navegantes, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Paulo, Vitória and Santiago de Chile (Chile).
LinkAirbus takes orders for 10 more A350s and 10 A330neosAirbus has disclosed an order for 10 more A350-900s as well as 10 A330neo twinjets, attributing both agreements to undisclosed customers. The airframer revealed the agreements in its first-half order backlog figures.
LinkHi Fly A380 arrives in Malta for paintingPortuguese lessor Hi Fly's initial Airbus A380 has landed in Malta having been ferried from Singapore. The aircraft, MSN6, has been re-registered as 9H-MIP having formerly operated as 9V-SKC for Singapore Airlines.
Link Boeing, Embraer form separate joint venture to boost KC-390Boeing and Embraer will create a joint venture to promote the KC-390 and other defense products and services for new markets and applications, the companies announced on 5 July. The new agreement expands a six-year-old relationship between Embraer and Boeing on the KC-390 program. A joint press release issued on 5 July includes only two sentences about the formation of the new joint venture.
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