CommercialAir New Zealand Orders 14 Airbus A320sAir New Zealand on Sunday announced an order for 14 Airbus A320-family aircraft, worth USD$1.6 billion at list prices. Air NZ and Airbus signed the order, which is for 10 A320neo, one A320ceo and three A321neo aircraft, at the International Air Transport Association's annual meeting in Doha. The aircraft will be deployed on Air New Zealand's Tasman and Pacific Island services, chief executive Christopher Luxon said.
LinkEtihad Moves Closer To Alitalia InvestmentEtihad Airways said it had set the terms for investing in Alitalia and was looking to conclude the deal, as the Abu Dhabi carrier expands its reach in Europe. Both airlines will proceed with final documentation to complete the transaction once the board and stakeholders in Alitalia confirm acceptance of the terms, it was announced in a joint statement on Sunday. Etihad, which already has stakes in Air Berlin and Aer Lingus, could invest more than EUR€500 million (USD$682.3 million) in exchange for a 49 percent stake in Alitalia, sources have said. No details of the terms of deal or size of investment was provided in the statement.
LinkEthiopian USD$3 Bln Plane Order Decision SoonEthiopian Airlines will decide this month on whether to place an order for 30 narrow-body Airbus or Boeing aircraft as part of fleet expansion plans, the company's chief executive said on Sunday. "We will make a decision by the end of June," Tewolde Gebremariam told Reuters news agency on the sidelines of the annual IATA meeting in Doha.
LinkCSeries flight testing suspended after engine failureBombardier has suspended its CSeries flight test program, following an engine failure late yesterday involving the first CSeries flight test aircraft. "Bombardier is investigating the incident with the support of Pratt & Whitney and the appropriate authorities. Safety is the priority, and the CSeries aircraft flight test program will resume once the investigation is completed," says the airframer. The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada says the aircraft "experienced an engine failure during ground testing".
LinkAirbus Says A320neo Unaffected By Engine ProblemAirbus said the schedule for its A320neo was unaffected after smaller rival Bombardier called a halt to testing on its CSeries jet, which uses a similar engine to that planned for the A320neo. "It should not affect us in the slightest, this is a different engine," sales chief John Leahy told journalists on Sunday after Airbus signed a purchase order with Air New Zealand for 14 aircraft. Bombardier's new CSeries airliner suffered an "engine-related incident" during stationary maintenance testing on Thursday and the company said it was investigating the incident with engine maker Pratt & Whitney.
LinkUTair’s first Superjet sports special liveryThe regional aircraft is the first of six long-range Superjets the Russian carrier ordered at the MAKS air show in Moscow in August 2013. All of the jets are to be delivered this year and will be operated under the airline’s new UTair Express brand. The livery features folk patterns in traditional Russian style, and was applied by aircraft painting specialist Spektr-Avia in Ulyanovsk. The regional jet is now undergoing cabin interior installation, UTair says. The aircraft are configured with 103 seats in a single-class layout.
LinkUnited Continental takes steps to boost revenueUnited Continental plans to restructure its Pacific network of flights, as well as tweaking flight schedules at airports in Denver and Houston, to improve revenue. "At the same time, the carrier has also made phased changes to its demand forecast methodology and restructured its premium cabin fares on domestic and Latin international routes to improve overall revenues," writes the Great Expectations blogger.
LinkJetBlue customers give positive feedback on Wi-Fi serviceJetBlue Airways President Robin Hayes said the airline has received "really, really good customer feedback" on the service. "We're still sort of going through a process of upgrading the software to make it a little bit more stable. But as we then move into the second half of the year, our focus moves to the sort of how do we then create sort of a stronger monetization event around Wi-Fi," Hayes said.
LinkAirbus may unveil A330neo plans at Farnborough, sources say Boeing’s improving fortunes with the 787 Dreamliner could inadvertently be creating a new competitor in the form of an updated Airbus A330 with new engines, which observers increasingly think Airbus will announce at the Farnborough Air Show in July. “According to sources close to the discussions, a preliminary agreement has been reached, and the deal is expected to be finalized by the end of May,” said a recent article in Aviation Week and Space Technology, written by journalists at the Berlin Air Show in May.
LinkHeathrow Hub proposal would feature one long runwayOne of three proposals to expand Heathrow airport in London features one long runway that planes would use for both takeoff and landing. The Heathrow Hub proposal would cost around $20 billion, which is less than building a third runway at the airport. Another proposal would be to build an airport farther away from the city.
LinkAirlines offer luxury seating, other cabin amenities for travelersSome long-haul carriers are updating their cabins to pamper their customers with luxuries that go beyond a seat that lies flat. Air Canada leads the pack, according to this article, with secluded cabins with lie-flat seats with unique massaging headrests.
LinkColumn: How to offer a unique experience to premium travelersOffering seamless access to a premium lounge and personal tarmac transfers for connecting travelers are just two of the ways airports can improve the premium travel experience, writes Ryan Ghee. He also noted that airports can use both technology such as smartphones and personal concierge service to interact with top travelers. "As the global economy has picked up, so has the travel industry’s focus on premium passengers, and to gain new customers and drive high-end loyalty, airlines and, to an extent, airports need to differentiate their offer from their competitors," Ghee writes.
Link 
