AirlinesAeromexico takes first 787-9Mexican flag carrier Aeromexico unveiled its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, called “Quetzalcoatl,” at the carrier’s hangar in the Mexico City International Airport. According to Aeromexico, the design is by Veracruz José Manuel Escudero and was inspired by the traditions and culture of Mexico as textiles and Huichol art, incorporating glyphs of flora and fauna along with the legend of “the serpent feathered” that sailed the skies in ancient times.
LinkAirBaltic joins Airlines for EuropeLatvian carrier airBaltic has joined Airlines for Europe (A4E), adding to the lobbying group’s growing number of carriers. A4E has been steadily gaining members since its creation in January 2016 and has been campaigning on a variety of issues affecting the airline industry, notably air traffic control (ATC) strikes, removing what it regards as unreasonable taxes and lowering the cost of using airports in the 28-nation European Union.
LinkAlaska CEO Tilden expresses confidence on Virgin America deal approvalAlaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden discussed the carrier's long-term business strategy and said he is confident about closing the Virgin America deal. "We have always run this business for the long term," Tilden said. "We think about what is going to be good for our customers, for our employees for the owners of the business."
LinkAA CEO Parker: We've investing in our team and boosting wagesAmerican Airlines CEO Doug Parker told CNBC's "Power Lunch" on Thursday that there are several signs the industry is bouncing back, providing welcome news for both consumers and investors. Parker said that American is investing in its employees and increasing pay.
LinkEurowings flight attendant union calls for two-week strikeThe UFO flight attendant union for Lufthansa Group’s low-cost (LCC) subsidiary Eurowings has announced strikes could be possible at any time for two weeks, starting from Monday, Oct. 24, after talks with management failed. “For two weeks [starting Oct. 24] strikes could take place at any time. The public will be informed about the individual measures on time,” UFO board member Nicoley Baublies said in a video message Oct. 20.
LinkHavana to become JetBlue's 100th destinationHavana will become JetBlue's 100th destination when it takes off from New York on Nov. 28 on its first flight to Cuba's capital. JetBlue will also launch daily service from Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Havana in late November.
LinkMalaysia Airlines finalizing A380 religious charter operationsMalaysia Airlines is completing a charter business concept to operate its six Airbus A380s in a dedicated subsidiary for religious pilgrimage traffic. The new charter operations would likely be put into a separate entity and could formally launch before December. Malaysia Airlines CEO Peter Bellew met with Airbus management this week.
LinkPegasus Airlines reports passengers up 7.4% Turkish low-cost carrier (LCC) Pegasus Airlines recorded a 7.4% increase in the number of passengers flown in the first nine months of the year compared to a year previously, the airline has announced. The LCC flew 18.1 million passengers, a notable rise against a backdrop of geopolitical problems that have severely affected the country’s important tourism industry this year.
LinkPobeda Airlines opens operations control centerAeroflot low-cost subsidiary (LCC) Pobeda Airlines has opened an operations control center at Moscow Vnukovo International Airport, which will allow flights to maintain a 30-minute turnaround time. Visual observations enable flight operations to decrease delays caused by ground handling services, improving punctuality by 10%-15%, the carrier said in a statement. Pobeda operates up to daily 70 flights, carrying 12,000 passengers from its main base in Vnukovo as well as from other airports in Russia.
LinkRyanair to open Hamburg baseIrish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair will base two Boeing 737-800s from early November in Hamburg—a $200 million investment. The carrier has also detailed summer 2017 operations from Hamburg, offering 16 routes and 95 weekly flights, up 180% compared to the current schedule. Ryanair said it expects to carry 1.7 million passengers annually to/from Hamburg.
LinkTurkish Airlines CEO Temel Kotil resigns to head Aerospace IndustriesTurkish Airlines’ long-term CEO Temel Kotil has resigned to become head of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), a center of technology in design, development, manufacturing and after-sales support in Turkey. The Istanbul-based carrier issued a statement Oct. 21 saying it has appointed Bilal Eksi as GM.
Link