NewsAlaska expands Paine Field network with Palm SpringsAlaska Airlines will connect Paine Field with Palm Springs this November, building on its network from the Seattle-area airport within a year of reopening it to commercial service. The Seattle-based carrier will offer a daily flight between Paine Field in Everrett, Washington, and Palm Springs with a 76-seat Embraer 175 from 5 November, it says. It will also add a second daily flight to Phoenix from Paine Field from 26 August.
LinkQatar Airways wants to be an NMA launch customerQatar Airways would like to be a launch customer for the Boeing's proposed New Mid-market Airplane if the manufacturer decides to go ahead with the program. The US manufacturer has been discussing with potential customers the possible launch of an all-new medium-haul twinjet in the 200-270 seat category. Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker told Richard Quest of CNN in an interview at the IATA annual general meeting in Seoul that he's impressed with what he's seen.
LinkMitsubishi finalising deal for acquisition of CRJ program Mitsubishi is expected to announce the acquisition of the CRJ programme from Bombardier at this month's Paris air show in a move which will bolster its global footprint. The Japanese company confirms it is in negotiations for the 50-100 seat regional jet programme, but says that no decision has been made and declines to comment on the content of discussions.
LinkDeveloper tops Air Canada’s bid for Air Transat A Canadian real estate developer is attempting to derail Air Canada’s planned acquisition of Air Transat by making a more valuable offer for the leisure carrier’s parent company. Montreal-based Group Mach said June 4 it proposes to purchase Transat AT for C$14 ($10.43) per share, a C$527.6 million valuation. On May 16, Air Canada made an offer of C$13 per share, or C$520 million, for Transat, and the two companies entered exclusive 30-day negotiations.
LinkAzerbaijan Airlines to defer MAX deliveries The Azerbaijani government-owned carrier Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) will defer deliveries of 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8 narrowbodies for five years. The airline initially expected to receive the first of the type at the end of this year. However, deliveries will be postponed to 2024, an airline official told ATW. “The deposits that AZAL has already paid under this contract will be taken into account by Boeing in 2024,” he said.
LinkPublic perception of MAX not damaged too muchTwo crashes, 346 deaths, almost three months of groundings and a steady stream of new revelations about the Boeing 737 MAX still may have not much dented the aircraft’s image in the public’s mind, a public poll run by part of investment company UBS has suggested.
LinkeVTOL market could reach $13.8 billion by 2040 Urban air mobility for the masses is not expected to take off for several years, but once it does it could become a multibillion-dollar enterprise that upends traditional aviation companies, say new consultant studies on electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
LinkAeroflot offers hand luggage-only fares on medium-haul routesRussia’s Aeroflot Group has extended its hand luggage-only fares to medium-haul routes operated by Aeroflot Airline and subsidiaries Rossiya Airlines and Aurora Airlines, the group said June 4. Passengers can choose between economy fare, which includes hand luggage and one piece of checked-in luggage (up to 23 kg or 50.7 lbs.), and light fare, which includes a carry-on allowance of up to 10 kg.
LinkAtlas adds 777F service for DHL, third 747F for AsianaAtlas Air Worldwide is expanding its Boeing 777F crew, maintenance and insurance (CMI) service with DHL Express and adding a third 747F for Asiana Cargo. Atlas’ Southern Air subsidiary was awarded operation of the first two of DHL’s new 777-200Fs, Atlas said June 4. The Purchase, New York-based company said the deal offers an opportunity for additional aircraft as DHL receives the remaining 12 777Fs it has on order.
LinkLa Compagnie to begin A321neo service June 6 Nearly five years after it launched all-business class service between Paris and the New York area, French niche carrier La Compagnie is providing 25% of the business class capacity between the two cities and preparing to introduce its first Airbus A321neo on June 6. La Compagnie EVP-sales & marketing Jean Charles Perino said the airline expects to turn a profit when it starts operating the A321neos, which offer a 30% advantage in fuel burn over the Boeing 757s that it now operates. “We’ve been improving from year to year. 2019 is very important,” he said.
LinkMIA Will Get A FaceliftBig changes will be coming to Miami International Airport over the next decade or so to meet the demands of the future. On Tuesday, the Miami-Dade commission approved a capital improvement plan for the airport which would fund up to $5 billion in modernization projects over the next five to 15 years.
LinkL3 wins $500mil contract to upgrade avionics on 176 C-130HsL3 Technologies was awarded a $500 million contract for a major avionics upgrade of 176 Lockheed Martin C-130H aircraft flown by the US Air National Guard and US Air Force (USAF) Reserve Command. The fixed-price-incentive-firm contract is for engineering and manufacturing development through production, as well as training and logistics. The upgrade work is planned to be performed predominantly in Waco, Texas, and is expected to be complete by the end of September 2029.
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