NewsDelta postpones Airbus A220 launch to Feb. 7Delta Air Lines has postponed entry into service of its new Airbus A220-100s because FAA approvals were held up by the 35-day shutdown of US government agencies. Atlanta-based Delta had planned to begin A220 service on Jan. 31 from its hub at New York LaGuardia Airport to Boston Logan International and Dallas-Fort Worth International airports. That date has been extended to Feb. 7 as a result of the government shutdown that temporarily ended Jan. 25 with an agreement between US President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats.
LinkAmerican opens new maintenance hangar at Chicago O’HareAmerican Airlines is expanding its operation at Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)—from gates and a dozen new destinations to maintenance operations. As part of this, the Dallas/Fort Worth-based carrier opened a new $215 million maintenance hangar at ORD that is the largest hangar at the airport, and is the airport’s first new hangar in 30 years. It’s also the first newly constructed hangar at any of American’s hubs since its merger with US Airways.
LinkFlybe confirms shareholder bid to oust chairmanUK regional carrier Flybe has voiced the board’s “full confidence” in chairman Simon Laffin, after key shareholder Hosking Partners demanded Laffin’s removal and a probe into Flybe’s sale process.
LinkAirAsia reports strong growth across all subsidiaries in 2018The AirAsia family of airlines, consisting of AirAsia Berhad, Thai AirAsia, AirAsia India and AirAsia Japan all saw strong growth in fourth-quarter (4Q) 2018, as well as full-year 2018, ended Dec. 31. All of the LCC’s six airlines saw a 14% increase in passenger carriage last year, to a combined 74.8 million customers.
LinkAustrian Airlines plans for single long-haul fleet Austrian Airlines CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said the Lufthansa subsidiary’s future long-haul fleet must be based on one aircraft type. “This is a high priority,” he told ATW.
LinkMunich Airport eyes growth as Lufthansa’s hub to AsiaGermany’s Munich Airport is set to continue its hub development as Lufthansa plans to use the airport as its hub for flights to Asia, airport president and CEO Michael Kerkloh said. “The first phase of that strategy becomes live this summer with the opening of new Munich-Osaka Kansai [Japan] services. This route will be transferred from Frankfurt to Munich,” Kerkloh told ATW. Additional new Lufthansa services from Munich to Asia include flights to Bangkok as well as more frequencies to Singapore and Seoul.
LinkCondor opens Düsseldorf maintenance baseGerman leisure carrier Condor will match the growth of its flight operation at Düsseldorf Airport with the opening of a maintenance base there. Condor will maintain its Airbus fleet in Düsseldorf via its subsidiary Condor Technik in the future, the carrier said. The first check of an Airbus A320 is already under way. The airline has taken out a 10-year tenancy agreement and by summer 2019 around 80 mechanics and technical specialists, plus around 20 logistics employees, will be on site.
LinkBoeing unveils flexible 777X cabin designAmid preparations for the rollout and first flight of the 777-9, Boeing has unveiled the first details of the all-new interior design for the 777X, which is scheduled to enter service in 2020. Building on what Boeing says is the “best of the 777 and 787” the company has developed a broad range of interior lining options for the first, business, premium economy and coach class cabins which take advantage of the 777X’s wider internal cross-section, revised 787-like interior support structure and larger cabin windows.
LinkNorwegian plans $353 million share issueNorwegian will seek to raise NKr1.3 billion ($353 million) through a share issue to strengthen its balance sheet and increase its "financial flexibility". The move is designed to support the carrier's efforts to shift its strategic focus from "growth to profitability". Norwegian, preliminary figures for which show posted an EBIT loss of around NKr3.8 billion for 2018, is also planning to reduce its capital expenditure by divesting aircraft and postponing some deliveries.
LinkGA Telesis to tear down four Cathay 777sGA Telesis has been contracted to disassemble four Cathay Pacific Boeing 777s, with the recovered serviceable parts to then be placed into its pool. The company states that work on the first 777 is already underway in the USA, with the other aircraft to be processed at its sites in the USA and the UK.
LinkVisibility may have contributed to Wings Air ATR 72 hull lossIndonesia’s National Safety Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) suggests that poor visibility may have contributed to a landing accident involving a Wings Air ATR 72-600 on 25 December 2016. The aircraft (PK-WGW) was operating flight WON1896 from Bandung to Semarang. As it was landing around 18:34 local time, the aircraft bounced three times. The crew tried to go around, but this was unsuccessful.
LinkANA to order 48 Boeing and Airbus narrowbodiesThe board of ANA Holdings has approved plans to order 30 Boeing 737 Max 8s for All Nippon Airways and 18 Airbus A320neos for budget unit Peach. ANA will place firm orders for the 30 737 Max 8s and take 10 options, valuing the deal at up to $4.68 billion. All 737 Max aircraft are powered by CFM International Leap-1B engines.
LinkWestJet modifying Q400s to prevent depressurisationsWestJet is making modifications to its Bombardier Q400 turboprop fleet to prevent an issue that has caused at least three recent in-flight Q400 depressurisations. One of those incidents involved a WestJet Encore aircraft and two involved Porter Airlines' Q400s, and all three apparently stemmed from cargo door handles not being properly stowed.
LinkDelta continues Japan pulldown with Fukuoka exitDelta Air Lines continues to adjust its network to Japan, with plans to exit the Fukuoka market in May. The SkyTeam Alliance carrier will end its daily service to Fukuoka from Honolulu with a Boeing 767-300ER on 7 May, FlightGlobal schedules data shows. It has served the route since 2011.
LinkCaptain of crashed Q400 suffered 'breakdown' in cockpitInvestigators probing the fatal US-Bangla Airlines Bombardier Q400 landing accident at Kathmandu last year have disclosed that the captain of the flight had previously suffered with depression. He had been released from the Bangladesh air force in 1993 as a result of the illness.
LinkMitsubishi countersuit alleges Bombardier sought to stifle MRJMitsubishi Aircraft has returned legal fire against Bombardier, filing a counter suit in federal court alleging that the Canadian manufacturer has engaged in a deliberate effort to derail the MRJ regional jet program. Mitsubishi Aircraft's suit asserts that "Bombardier has engaged in illegal anticompetitive behavior with the intent to impede the development and certification of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet", says a 28 January statement from Mitsubishi Aircraft.
LinkBell to roll back V-280 funding until US Army competitionBell plans to make no more significant investments in its V-280 Valor tiltrotor until the US Army makes a commitment to Future Vertical Lift Capability Set 1 or Capability Set 3 programs. After the V-280 reached its 280kt (519km/h) speed goal on 23 January, Bell believes that it sufficiently demonstrated the tiltrotor technology.
LinkRAF Tornados poised for operational endThe UK Royal Air Force is within days of completing its last combat deployment involving the Panavia Tornado GR4, as preparations gather pace for the ground-attack stalwart's formal retirement by 31 March. Eight of the service's remaining 22 Tornados are currently supporting coalition operations over Iraq and Syria, having been deployed to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus from their home base at Marham in Norfolk. The strike aircraft are crewed by a mix of personnel from its 9 and 31 squadrons, both of which are scheduled to be formally disbanded in mid-March.
LinkCanada to extend life of Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopters to 2031Ottawa plans to refurbish its fleet of 85 Bell CH-146 Griffon utility helicopters to extend the aircraft’s life until at least 2031. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) said that Bell Helicopter Textron Canada will be undertaking the design and development work necessary to upgrade the helicopter’s avionics systems, engines, cockpit displays and integrated sensor systems. Pratt & Whitney Canada says it has been selected to replace the engines on the fleet with its PT6T 9 TwinPac, which is equipped with an engine electronic control system. The design and development work is valued at up to C$90 million (US$67.4 million) and will be performed under the existing support contract for the CH-146, which was awarded to Bell in 2011, says the government.
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