AirlinesAir China Starts Chengdu-Osaka and Chengdu-Tokyo ServicesAir China started Chengdu-Osaka and Chengdu-Tokyo nonstop services respectively on October 25, 2015 and October 26, 2015. As upgrades to the original Chengdu-Shanghai-Osaka and Chengdu-Beijing-Tokyo flights, the two nonstop services will spare passengers between Chengdu and other parts of southwestern China and Japan the trouble of having to transfer via Beijing or Shanghai.
LinkAeroflot receives 56 international routes from TransaeroRussian authorities have canceled 141 of the defunct Transaero Airlines’ international route designations and have transferred 56 of them to Aeroflot and subsidiary Rossiya Airlines. The designations, which took effect Oct. 22, are approved for one year and may be extended. Transaero ceased operations Oct. 26 after its air operator’s certificate was canceled by Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia.
Link Comair suffers 737 gear collapseOne of British Airways franchise partner Comair’s Boeing 737-400s has suffered a gear-collapse accident while landing at Johannesburg. The aircraft (ZS-OAA) had been arriving as flight BA6234 from Port Elizabeth on 26 October.
LinkEmirates Announces Codeshare Agreement with Alaska AirlinesEmirates today announced a new codeshare and lounge agreement with Alaska Airlines (AS). Pending governmental approval, Emirates will begin marketing up to 300 daily Alaska Airlines flights, which will give customers the simplicity of purchasing connecting flights on both airlines using one reservation, and a seamless ticketing, check-in, boarding and baggage check experience during the entire journey. In addition, the new codeshare agreement will feature several other new benefits including reciprocal lounge access and priority boarding and check-in for elite fliers.
LinkEtihad to launch A380 Melbourne service Etihad Airways plans to use a new Airbus A380 to replace the Boeing 777-300ER on its 2X-daily Abu Dhabi-Melbourne service from June 2016. Etihad CEO James Hogan said the service will boost capacity by 2,370 seats from 9,120 seats a week.
Linkflynas In Talks To Purchase Four AircraftSaudi Arabian budget carrier flynas is in talks with Airbus and Boeing as it seeks to purchase four new aircraft over the next four years. "Profitability has given us confidence. We're talking to Airbus and Boeing to see their best offer," Paul Byrne said on the sidelines of an aviation event in Dubai. Flynas turned profitable earlier this year and has seen nine consecutive months of profit since, Byrne said.
LinkHainan Airlines to open Manchester routeChina’s Hainan Airlines (HNA) will launch a direct Beijing-Manchester service from June 2016. The announcement comes following a state visit by Chinese premier Xi Jinping to Manchester, where he called for increased ties between the two countries to “pursue cooperation [in] various forms.” The Haikou-based carrier will offer a 4X-weekly service between using a two-class Airbus A330, and adds to its newly introduced Chongqing-Rome and Beijing-Prague schedules that launched in May and September this year.
LinkLuxair to take CSeries or E2; decision in 2016Luxair has bought a Boeing 737-800 from airberlin and will decide on a 737-700 replacement next year, with the Embraer E190-E2 or Bombardier CSeries CS100/CS300 in the running. At the start of 2015, Luxair operated a scheduled fleet of seven Bombardier Q400s, six Embraer ERJ-145s, two 737-700s and three 737-800s, although the -800s are primarily operated by the group’s holiday arm LuxairTours. Since then, it has retired three ERJ-145s and—on Oct. 15—it bought a Boeing 737-800 from airberlin.
LinkQatar Airways Los Angeles Pop-Up Event is a Huge SuccessThousands of Los Angeles residents turned out to enjoy the "Discover Qatar Airways" pop-up event, hosted throughout the weekend at The Grove. The unique event celebrated the upcoming daily, non-stop service between Hamad International Airport in Doha and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), scheduled to commence on January 1st, 2016. Guests of all ages enjoyed a luxurious Qatar Airways experience from start to finish, including an award-winning Business Class seat display, Arabic food tastings, and musical entertainment from around the world.
LinkSafi Airways Plans ExpansionAfghan carrier Safi Airways plans to expand aggressively in the coming three years and will approach Boeing and Airbus about aircraft purchases. Business is growing, driven by demand, Joshua Bustos told a conference in Dubai without elaborating. "We're going to speak to Airbus and Boeing to determine what's available but we do plan an aggressive expansion," he said.
LinkTNT Express halves 3Q operating lossesFedEx takeover target TNT Express has posted a €27 million ($29.7 million) third quarter operating loss, nearly halving the €51 million loss in the year-ago period. “We remain focused on executing our outlook strategy to transform and turn TNT around,” TNT CEO Tex Gunning said. “2015 is a transition year for TNT. We expect to see year-on-year margin improvements from 2016 onwards.”
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