AirlinesAlaska Airlines continues strategy toward fuel-efficient fleetAs part of its strategy to improve its cargo service in the Alaska and continue toward a more fuel-efficient fleet, Alaska Airlines has announced plans to phase out five Boeing 737-400 "combi" aircraft in 2017. Alaska will replace the 737-400s with three Boeing 737-700s. "It will allow us to offer a cargo schedule that better serves the cargo needs of the communities we serve in the state of Alaska," said Halley Knigge, a spokeswoman for the carrier.
LinkBrussels Airlines expands widebody fleet with two A330sBrussels Airlines plans to add two Airbus A330 aircraft to its fleet and launch flights from Brussels to Toronto, as well as increase its presence in Africa and the US. “This important expansion plan is a significant investment, both financially and in terms of employment,” CEO Bernard Gustin said in a statement. “We are creating a larger offering for our growing number of passengers as well as for our cargo clients."
LinkChina Southern orders 10 A330-300sChina Southern Airlines has ordered 10 Airbus A330-300 twin-aisle aircraft in a deal worth $2.3 billion at list prices, according to a disclosure filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The purchase will be financed partly from China Southern’s internal resources and partly by commercial bank loans. The transaction still needs government approvals.
LinkDelta, pilots restart labor contract negotiationsDelta Air Lines’ pilots have returned to labor contract negotiations more than five months after rejecting a tentative agreement. The Delta Master Executive Council (MEC) of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) endorsed a tentative labor deal with Delta management in June and sent it to the airline’s nearly 13,000 pilots for a ratification vote, but the rank-and-file flight deck crew rejected it by a 65%-35% vote in July. The MEC leadership stepped down following the vote, and the Delta pilots went into “reset mode,” according to ALPA president Tim Canoll.
LinkLufthansa lashes out at Gulf carriersGerman flag carrier Lufthansa has taken another swipe at the “Big Three” Gulf carriers, warning that Europe’s civil aviation infrastructure risks being damaged by the Arabian airlines. Lufthansa—which has said its business has also been damaged by the Gulf carriers—has been a persistent critic of Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways—arguing they are heavily subsidized by their respective governments, charges that all three carriers deny.
LinkMH370 search to end in June 2016 The search for a missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER in the southern Indian Ocean has covered over 80,000 square kilometres, and is likely wind up in June 2016 if the aircraft is not found. Two vessels, Fugro Discovery and Havila Harmony, are presently in the search area, says Australia’s Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JAAC) in a routine statement.
LinkMetrojet insurance company pays out $23 million after crashRussia’s Ingosstrakh insurance company has paid out $23 million in the aftermath of the Metrojet Airbus A321-200 crash over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Oct. 31. The Metrojet A321 crashed shortly after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh airport on Oct. 31, killing all 224 passengers and crew. According to an Ingosstrakh statement, it continues to pay relatives of the passengers.
LinkQantas A330 take-off weight discrepancy spurs procedural changesQantas Airways has changed its loading procedures from Bangkok after an Airbus A330-300 aircraft departed with a 2,785kg load discrepancy owing to a miscommunication among ground staff. The incident occurred on 23 July 2015 and involved the aircraft registered VH-QPJ, says the Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) in a statement. The aircraft was operating flight QF24 on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi-Sydney route.
LinkUnited Airlines rolls out "Big Metal Bird" video series starring sportscasterUnited Airlines' new "Big Metal Bird" informational video series offers insight into the complexities of the airline industry for lay people. The videos are hosted by Fox Sports 1 personality Katie Nolan.
LinkVueling increases interline arrangementsSpain-based low-cost carrier (LCC) Vueling is to launch three new interline agreements with long-haul carriers Cathay Pacific, Hainan Airlines and Royal Jordanian. The new arrangements will largely focus on Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, Vueling’s major hub outside Spain, from where it has connections to 65 destinations.
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