AirlinesAeroflot to acquire Transaero Airlinesussia’s largest airline, Aeroflot, will acquire Transaero Airlines, according to a Transaero statement. A government commission backed the acquisition in a meeting led by First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Transaero said. “In the interests of the development of the commercial aviation and creating one of the largest in the world group of airlines, the commission has approved the acquisition of JSC Transaero Airlines by Aeroflot Group,” the statement said. “The shareholders of Transaero Airlines believe this measure will serve the interests of passengers, personnel and partners of the airline.”
LinkAirAsia QZ8501 accident may reflect a trendWhen the Air France flight 447 accident report was published in 2012, French accident investigator BEA warned of the need to prepare pilots for high altitude aircraft handling – and comparisons with the AirAsia Airbus A320 accident in December have highlighted this apparent area of operational weakness.
LinkAlaska to take first 737 Max 8 in 2017The Seattle-based carrier will take delivery of its first 737 Max about six months after launch customer Southwest Airlines takes its first aircraft, he says at the Boyd International Aviation Forecast Summit in Las Vegas today. “Boeing has indicated that it may be ready a little early,” says Kirby.
LinkAmerican to debut new heritage jets this fallThree Boeing 737-800s will sport liveries reminiscent of AirCal (merged with American in 1987), Reno Air (merged with American in 1999) and Trans World Airlines (TWA, merged with American in 2001), her presentation at the Boyd International Aviation Forecast Summit in Las Vegas today shows.
LinkDelta to offer low-cost faresDelta Air Lines passengers are getting some good news, as the carrier plans to offer some low-cost fares to compete with low-cost carriers.
LinkDelta Equity Stake Opens China Code-Share DoorChina Eastern Airlines' Chairman Liu Shaoyong said the carrier's equity deal with Delta Air Lines will give the US airline an opportunity to extend code-sharing in China's domestic network. The executive was speaking on the sidelines of a news conference in Shanghai.
LinkJetBlue selects first winner for BlueBud mentorshipJetBlue Airways has selected Hot Bread Kitchen, a New York-based bakery, as its first winner for the carrier's BlueBud mentorship program. "Our overall goal is to support a diverse range of companies and whole food products made right here in New York State," said Sophia Mendelsohn of JetBlue.
LinkNokScoot eyes Hawaii flightsThai long-haul low-cost carrier NokScoot is eyeing service to Honolulu in the future, and plans to operate the flights with shareholder Scoot’s Boeing 787s. Nok Air chief executive Patee Sarasin, however, thinks it could be another two years before the airline arrives in the Aloha State.
LinkUnited is looking to expand Chinese marketUnited Airlines plans to expand U.S. service to China beyond first-tier cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. "So much of the demand growth out of China over the next five years is going to be from secondary cities," said Jim Compton, vice chairman and chief revenue officer for United.
LinkUPS inks agreement with CargojetUPS and Cargojet have entered into a 10-year service agreement, which replaces a previous agreement inked in 2003. Cargojet supplies domestic overnight air cargo deliveries in Canada for UPS.
LinkLower airfares are here to stay, experts sayAccording to the Consumer Price Index, U.S. airfares dropped by 5.6% from June to July. In good news for customers and the travel industry, experts predict lower airfares will be here to stay for a while. "I think we are going to see single-digit decreases over the next two years," said George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com.
LinkAirline sommeliers work hard to give you the best wines at 30,000 feetSelecting wines that will taste good at 30,000 feet is no easy task, according to Delta Air Lines' Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson. "Your senses are dulled at altitude, making it difficult to appreciate the complex scents and flavors wine has to offer," she said. "In addition, the lower atmospheric pressure — versus tasting on land — means those flavor molecules are jetting past your sensory receptors so fast, you miss a lot."
LinkWhy ramp workers are an important part of your flightAirline ramp agents perform a variety of duties to ensure a safe and efficient flight experience for customers, writes columnist Matt Meltzer. "Working under intense pressure in teams of five to seven, ramp agents do everything from loading luggage to refueling planes," he writes.
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