AirlinesAeroflot revises capacity guidance for 2021 downwardRussia’s Aeroflot Group said it will carry 61.5 million passengers in 2021, down from a previous guidance released in May 2015 when it forecasted it would fly 64.7 million passengers in 2020. In 2014, Aeroflot predicted it would carry 67.6 million passengers in 2020. At the beginning of 2016, Aeroflot announced it would combine three of its regional subsidiaries—Rossiya Airlines, OrenAir and Donavia—into one company under the Rossiya Airlines brand, which has a fleet of more than 70 aircraft.
LinkAir Canada Increases CapacityAir Canada today announced it will increase capacity on two of its routes serving Labrador & Newfoundland by 48 per cent for summer 2016 travel. Effective May 1, 2016 , flights between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Halifax , and Happy Valley-Goose Bay and St. John's will be operated by Air Canada Express with 74-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft instead of the current Bombardier 50-seat CRJ.
LinkAlaska Airlines to retire "combi" aircraftAlaska Airlines announced plans to retire its fleet of Boeing 737-300 "combi" aircraft. The innovative aircraft can hold both passengers and cargo in the upper deck. The first "combi" aircraft debuted in Alaska in 1958 with a F-27B flown by Northern Consolidated Airlines.
LinkFedEx offers corporate jet for medical flight during blizzardFedEx provided a potentially life-saving flight for Brooklyn Faris, 2, who was on the waiting list for a liver transplant. Despite a blizzard last week that canceled commercial flights to Chicago, FedEx provided a corporate jet to fly Faris from Memphis, Tenn., to a Chicago hospital. Brooklyn underwent a liver transplant and is now recuperating at Lurie Children's Hospital.
LinkAirbus Delays A320neo Deliveries To IndiGoIndiGo said it will receive its first A320neo in March, three months later than originally planned after Airbus said it could not deliver the aircraft on time. IndiGo, India's biggest airline by market share, had expected its first A320neo in December and nine more by March. The airline said it would now take delivery of 24 aircraft in the year to March 2017, fewer than the 26 originally planned.
LinkPegasus Airlines appoints new general managerTurkish low-cost carrier (LCC) Pegasus Airlines has appointed Mehmet Tevfik Nane as general manager, effective March 18. He succeeds Sertaç Haybat who will maintain his position as a board member. Nane served as GM and head of the executive committee at CarrefourSA between June 2013 and February 2016.
LinkRex Saab 340 in near-miss with gliderThe flight crew aboard a Regional Express Saab 340B was forced to take evasive action to avoid a glider while operating from Orange airport on 21 February. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says the Rex aircraft, registered VH-ZLA, was climbing through 7,500ft after departing Orange when the crew sighted the glider in “close proximity”, and took evasive action.
LinkThai Airways Turns To Net Profit In Q4Thai Airways returned to profit in the fourth quarter, shrinking its 2015 loss as a restructuring that reduced operating costs and boosted passenger revenues bore fruit. Net profit was THB5.4 billion baht (USD$151 million) for the October-December quarter, compared to a net loss of THB6.2 billion baht a year earlier, chief financial officer Narongchai Wongthanavimok said.
LinkVLM Airlines scraps Superjet orderIn October 2014, VLM announced it planned to acquire up to 14 long-range versions of the Sukhoi SSJ100. Under a letter of intent with Ilyushin Finance, VLM took the option to lease up to four SSJ100LRs plus purchase rights on 10 more aircraft. The first two aircraft were due to arrive on 12-year operating leases from April 2015. However, in March 2015 a delay in the initial deliveries until 3Q 2016 was announced, due to the need to certificate the long-range version by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
LinkWestJet marks 20 years of high-care, low-fare flyingTwenty years ago, WestJet launched its first flight and began liberating Canadian travellers from the high cost of air travel. Today, the airline celebrates two decades of success with a new Canadian-inspired logo, a birthday seat sale and more. "In just 20 years, WestJet has established itself as a great Canadian success story," said Gregg Saretsky, WestJet President and CEO.
LinkRegulating airline seat sizes would hurt US economyAviation expert Vinay Bhaskara writes Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., should reconsider his legislation to regulate airline seat sizes. "Between the loss of jobs and increased ticket prices, regulating seat size would directly harm US consumers and the American economy," Bhaskara writes.
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