NewsAirbus Says It Could Sell More Than 1,200 PlanesAirbus could sell more than 1,200 aircraft in 2013 after exceeding its full-year goal of at least 1,000 in the first nine months, sales chief John Leahy said on Monday. Japan Airlines earlier announced an order for 31 Airbus A350s including 13 of the largest variant, the 365-seat A350-1000 model, buying aircraft from the European manufacturer for the first time. Shortly afterwards, Leahy told an industry conference: "We have an internal target of 1,200 (orders) but I think we could even do a little better than that," although he said no new formal target had been set.
LinkAirports Commission Says UK Needs More RunwaysBritain will need to build new runways in southern England if it is to remain economically competitive, the man tasked with investigating the issue for the government said on Monday. The British government last year set up the UK Airports Commission, chaired by Howard Davies, to look into airport capacity in southern England. It is due to publish a list of potential schemes by the end of this year with the final report due after the 2015 general election. "Our provisional conclusion is that we will need some net additional runway capacity in the south-east of England in the coming decades," Davies said in his first speech for the commission on Monday.
LinkItaly To Resume Talks On Saving AlitaliaItaly's government will continue talks with Alitalia on Tuesday to try to find a way to keep the cash-strapped airline in business after inconclusive talks on Monday. Rome is looking for a public entity that could support the carrier as it readies for a tie-up with a partner, a person close to the matter said, adding that a merger with rival Air France-KLM was the most realistic option. Transport minister Maurizio Lupi denied on Monday the government had asked Italian state rail company Ferrovie dello Stato to invest in Alitalia, after reports Rome was exploring an alliance between the two to keep Alitalia out of foreign hands.
LinkImplementing Global Emissions Plan No Easy TaskConcessions made by the United Nations' aviation body to wrap up two weeks of tense negotiations could make achieving the goal of a market-based measure to cap carbon emissions from airlines harder to achieve. The International Civil Aviation Organization agreed in Montreal on Friday to design a global scheme to reduce the growth of the sector's greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme will be hashed out in 2016 and is intended to start in 2020. But existing differences between countries sharpened at the talks over two key concessions: a decision to restrain the ability of the European Union and other regions to regulate airline emissions until 2020, and the inclusion of controversial language in other UN climate negotiations.
LinkEtihad to launch Los Angeles flightsEtihad Airways is to launch flights from Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles International airport next summer, marking its fourth US destination. The UAE carrier will operate the daily services using 237-seat Boeing 777-200LR aircraft on the route, which it will launch pending regulatory approvals at the start of June 2014. The airline says its the new route caters for growing leisure and business traffic demands in Los Angeles.
LinkJetstar takes delivery of first 787Boeing delivered the first of 14 787-8 aircraft to Qantas’ budget subsidiary Jetstar on 6 October. The General Electric GEnx-1B-powered 787s will replace Jetstar’s Airbus A330-200s on long-haul routes. The Airbus twin-aisles will be returned to the Qantas fleet to replace Boeing 767-300s that are scheduled for retirement by the middle of 2015. The 787 is expected to arrive at its Melbourne base on the morning of 9 October. It is to enter service on 13 November on the Melbourne-Cairns and Melbourne-Gold Coast routes for approximately four weeks, after which it will transition to long-haul routes.
LinkNordic Aviation Capital eyes CSeries order Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) has emerged as a potential CSeries leasing customer after the aircraft conducted its first flight last month. In an interview with Flightglobal, NAC’s chairman Martin Møller says the lessor is "highly interested" in the CSeries program. “We are in talks with the Canadian manufacturer and some customers about their leasing requirements.
LinkA350 undertakes minimum-unstick testingAirbus has been conducting minimum-unstick testing with the A350-900 prototype at Paris Vatry airport as part of the aircraft's certification program. The twinjet, MSN1, has "successfully completed" the test as part of the high-lift configuration optimisation effort, says the airframer. Minimum-unstick tests involve determining the lowest threshold airspeed at which the aircraft will become airborne, which requires holding the jet at a high nose attitude on rotation, to the point where the tail makes ground contact.
LinkFAdeA to roll out new IA-63 Pampa III trainer variantFábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA) is expected to roll out a new version of its IA-63 Pampa III jet trainer on 10 October, which is also the company’s 86th anniversary, in Cordoba. Among the attendees will be Argentinian defence minister Agustin Rossi, numerous company and government officials, and 1,500 workers. FAdeA is expected to produce an initial batch of 18 of the new aircraft, which will be powered by Honeywell TFE731-40-2N geared turbofans. Ultimately, the company hopes to build a total of 100 Pampa IIIs for Argentina and export customers. Some of those will be configured as an attack variant.
LinkTravel demand is unaffected by shutdown, Delta CEO says Richard Anderson, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, said the carrier's passenger traffic has not been affected by the government shutdown. "We haven’t [seen] any changes in travel demand at all," he said. "Travel demand is strong all over the world at the moment.”
LinkAA-US Airways merger will close, US Airways CEO saysDoug Parker, the CEO of US Airways, expressed confidence that the carrier's merger with American Airlines will close as planned. "Neither American nor US Airways today can compete individually against the networks of Delta and United," he said. "By combining the two networks, we're able to offer more, and better, options for travelers."
LinkUnited Airlines launches premium magazineIn November, United Airlines will offer an upscale lifestyle magazine called Rhapsody to its premium-class passengers and to travelers in its United Clubs and United Global First lounges. Rhapsody is intended to inspire a passion for "travel, technology, culture and finer living," said Praveen Sharma, United vice president of loyalty and business development.
LinkGovernment shutdown delays A330 delivery to US AirwaysThe government shutdown has delayed the delivery of an Airbus A330 to US Airways. The aircraft is still in France because the Federal Aviation Administration office that processes title transfers is closed. "We eagerly await their reopening in order to process our paperwork so we can bring this aircraft home," a US Airways spokesman said.
LinkAir Canada shares rise by 13% in Friday trading Shares in Air Canada soared more than 13 per cent Friday following news that the airline expects its costs to come in lower than anticipated. The airline’s class B shares closed up 52 cents, at $4.49 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, on very heavy volume of 10.3 million shares. The closing price was just pennies shy of the daytime high of $4.51 — the highest level it’s been since the stock dropped below $5 in October 2008.
LinkBoeing 787-9 flutter tests set to begin Boeing has completed initial airworthiness tests of the stretched 787-9 and accumulated more than 40 flight hours in the run-up to the start of flutter tests, which are expected to begin later this month. Initial aircraft handling qualities are good and systems appear to be robust, says 787 Chief Pilot Randy Neville. In an interview with Aviation Week, Neville said that progress has been rapid thanks to careful pre-flight test preparations, lessons learned from the 787-8 and good performance of systems during four days of “gauntlet” ground tests, which simulated flight operations in the run-up to the maiden flight on Sept. 17. The first aircraft, ZB001, is now being used for the first phase of stability and control testing and on Oct. 2 conducted its first flight with a full complement of flight-test engineers. Until now, initial airworthiness has been conducted with two flight crew only. Phase one stability and control focuses on lateral stability and the performance of the primary flight-control system.
LinkFlight attendants union urges Fla. to back AA-US Airways mergerA union representing flight attendants is urging Florida to withdraw from the antitrust suit filed against the US Airways-American Airlines merger. "Everyone -- business travelers, tourists, and airline employees -- stand to benefit from the new American," said Laura Glading, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.
LinkShutdown delays FAA personal electronic device reportThe FAA is unable to review panel recommendations on ending restrictions for the use of some portable electronic devices during takeoff and landings because of the government shutdown. "We will post the report and issue guidelines when the lapse in funding is resolved," the FAA said in a statement.
LinkLow-cost tickets drive traffic when demand is lowUltra low-fare promotions often make sense for airlines because they encourage traffic to the company's website in periods of low demand, and because travelers then spend money on baggage, food and other optional services that make the trip profitable. "Airlines would rather get some revenue for those seats than to fly them empty," said Rick Seaney, chief executive of FareCompare.com.
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