NewsEtihad To Acquire 49 Percent Of JATEtihad Airways will acquire 49 percent of Serbian flag carrier JAT Airways, which will be renamed as Air Serbia, the airlines announced on Thursday. Under the deal signed with the Serbian government, Etihad will provide a USD$40 million loan facility to JAT, which would be converted into equity on January 1, 2014, the carriers said in a joint statement.
LinkBombardier to reopen entry into service plan for CSeries Bombardier will re-open the schedule for entry into service for the CSeries CS100 after completing first flight of the aircraft in the coming weeks, but as of now the company emphasises it sees no reason to delay the operational debut of the small narrowbody further. The Canadian manufacturer says in notes to the second quarter financial statements that it will provide an update on the entry into service schedule for the 110-seat CS100 and 135-seat CS300 twin-engined jets. Bombardier has previously said that the entry into service will follow 12 months from the date of first flight for each variant of the CSeries aircraft family. Bombardier chief executive Pierre Beaudoin re-affirmed that plan remains intact as the company continues to implement software upgrades into FTV-1 ahead of first flight.
LinkAviation group calls for coordinated cyber security The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) will release a report in the coming weeks calling for governments, industry players and others to address cyber security threats to the international commercial aviation industry. On 30 July, the Reston, Virginia-based group released a preview paper of its final cyber security report, scheduled to be released during the group's 11-13 August AIAA Aviation 2013 conference in Los Angeles.
LinkBoeing receives $2bn contract to build 13 P-8As Boeing will start building 13 more P-8A Poseidons under a $2.04 billion contract awarded on 31 July by the US Navy. Deliveries from the fourth lot of low-rate initial production will raise the service's total fleet to 37 aircraft by the end of fiscal year 2016. The USN plans to buy 117 of the 737-800-based maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to replace its current Lockheed P-3C Orions.
LinkBombardier Q2 Profit Rises 22 PercentBombardier reported a 22 percent rise in second-quarter profit, helped mainly by growth in its train business. Net profit rose to USD$180 million, from USD$147 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 8 percent to USD$4.43 billion. Bombardier has twice delayed the first flight of its CSeries airliner, casting doubt on the company's ambitious target to put the plane into service by mid-2014. "We're now in the final testing stage in preparation for first flight in the coming weeks," chief executive Pierre Beaudoin said on Thursday.
LinkQantas Passengers Hit By Gastric Illness Medical authorities in Australia treated 22 passengers on Thursday for a mystery gastric illness after they became ill on a Qantas flight from Chile, Qantas said. Several ambulances and medical staff met the aircraft after it touched down in Sydney. Those affected were given medical treatment on board. "A number of passengers traveling in the same group on QF28 from Santiago to Sydney became unwell with a gastro-intestinal illness," Qantas said.
LinkEU Scraps Plan To Levy Duty On Jet Fuel ImportsThe European Union backtracked from plans to levy a 4.7 percent duty on jet fuel imports from the Middle East and India after a round of internal consultations and discussions with the aviation industry. The EU's June decision to impose the tariff following a broad review of its preferential trade agreements sparked concern it would weaken the region's struggling airlines and lead to higher fares. In June, the European Union said it would impose the duty on imports from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states starting January 1, 2014 after removing the group from the generalized scheme of preferences (GSP), which offers trade advantages to developing economies.
LinkFrance Takes Delivery Of First Airbus A400MFrance took delivery of the first Airbus A400M on Thursday, ending a four-year wait for Europe's military transporter whose development has been plagued by technical problems and soaring costs. Its deployment -- four years behind schedule and three decades after Europe's planners first began discussing building an independent military airlift capacity -- is expected to kickstart a campaign to find new export markets. The A400M was developed for seven European NATO nations at a cost of more than EUR€20 billion (USD$26.47 billion).
LinkBeechcraft secures largest general aviation propeller aircraft order in history, valued at $1.4 billionBeechcraft Corporation today announced it has secured an order for up to a total of 105 King Air 350i aircraft, valued at $788 million, from Wheels Up, representing the largest general aviation propeller driven aircraft order in history. Wheels Up is a membership-based private aviation program that eliminates fixed costs and provides unparalleled flexibility established by Kenny Dichter and the team that founded Marquis Jet, which redefined private air travel with the first 25-hour fractional jet card program. Beechcraft has been named the aircraft and comprehensive maintenance provider for Wheels Up in North America and Western Europe, with the entire value of the deal totaling up to $1.4 billion.
LinkAMR stakeholders green light reorganization plan AMR stakeholders overwhelmingly approved the reorganization plan offered by American Airlines and parent company AMR. Chairman and CEO Tom Horton called the approval "another important milestone toward our launch of the new American." Horton welcomed the overwhelming support and praised American employees for their hard work. "It's a testament to the resilience and hard work of the entire American team. Our people have stood tall and remained focused on putting our customers at the forefront of everything we do. That has made all the difference," said Horton.
LinkAtlas announces Q2 earnings President and CEO William J. Flynn announced Atlas Air Worldwide's earnings for the second quarter of 2013, in which the carrier's earnings per share came to 79 cents per share. "Earnings in the second quarter of 2013 were driven by the strength of our ACMI operations, especially our new 747-8 freighters," said Flynn
LinkUnited honored for environmental commitment Air Transport World announced its eco-aviation awards for 2013, with United Airlines bringing home the gold medal for being the most environmentally friendly airline. Editor-in-Chief Karen Walker said, "It is an important fact that the world’s airlines and the air transportation industry is a benchmark setter for sustainability and environmental endeavors, as exemplified by this year’s ATW Eco-Aviation Award winners. It is also a truly global and collaborative effort, illustrated by our winners from all parts of the world and who are all involved in partnerships for the greater good of this industry and the environment."
LinkBoeing to add another 787 flight simulator at London airport Boeing plans to add another flight simulator to its 787 training facility at Gatwick Airport in London. "The addition is part of Boeing's ongoing strategy to provide a network of flight training facilities and devices to better serve airlines closer to their bases of operation while better meeting increased market demand for Boeing airplanes," Boeing said in a statement.
LinkAirlines adapt procedures to aim for faster boarding Boarding passengers on aircraft in the most efficient way has long been a goal of airlines. Recently, American Airlines and United Airlines have tweaked the boarding process. American is allowing passengers without carry-on luggage for overhead bins to board first, while United reduced the number of its boarding groups.
LinkMore U.S. travelers flew to Europe in June, study shows European airlines reported 6% growth in passenger traffic for June on a year-over-year basis, according to the International Air Transport Association. Meanwhile, a separate study found that more U.S. travelers are visiting Europe. U.S. passenger traffic to Europe increased 3.4% in June, according to DNA Martin.
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