NewsAfter record-setting day, Air Canada touts Q2 performanceAir Canada has signaled that its financial performance for the second quarter will beat analysts' expectations. The airline set a single-day passenger record on June 29, preceding its Canada Day festivities celebrating the country's 150th anniversary on July 1.
LinkBuffett's airline investments come from confidence in the industryWarren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has become a major investor in the airline sector, owning 10% of American Airlines, 9% of United Continental and 8% of Southwest Airlines. Buffett has signaled a growing confidence in airlines in recent years.
LinkDelta becomes first North American A350 operatorDelta Air Lines has become the first Airbus A350 operator in North America, taking delivery of its first of the type today. The Atlanta-based carrier took its first A350-900 (MSN 115) in Toulouse, it confirms.
LinkDelta posts $1.2 billion 2Q net profit; takes first A350-900Delta Air Lines posted a $1.2 billion net profit for the second quarter of 2017, down 21% from $1.5 billion in net income for 2Q 2016. The Atlanta-based airline reported $10.9 billion in operating revenue for the quarter, up 3.3% year-over-year (YOY). “This was the best June quarter in Delta’s history … we grew our topline by 3% this quarter, the first year-on-year increase we’ve reported in two years,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian told analysts and reporters July 13. The airline reported an 18.8% operating margin for the quarter, down 4.4 points YOY.
LinkDelta to base first CS100s in New YorkDelta Air Lines will base its first Bombardier CS100s in New York, says president Glen Hauenstein. "The first one's going to go to New York," he says during the Atlanta-based carrier's second quarter earnings call today.
LinkBoeing erases Transaero 747-8I orders from backlogBoeing cancelled the last of three orders for the passenger-carrying 747-8I that once belonged to defunct Russian carrier Transaero on 13 July. The update on the company’s orders and deliveries web site cleanses the 747 backlog of the last of the programme’s phantom orders, but doesn’t change the white tail status of the two Transaero 747-8Is that Boeing has already built.
LinkUS approves new systems for Australian Super HornetsThe US State Department has approved a potential electronics upgarde for Canberra's fleet of 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter aircraft. The contractor for the deal is Harris Corporation, which would provide 32 MIDS JTRS tactical radio systems, and 39 AN/ALS-214A (V)4 countermeasures systems, says the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
LinkUSAF pins F-35A engine fire on strong tailwindsA US Air Force investigation blames a Lockheed Martin F-35A engine fire last September at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, on strong tailwinds, according to an accident report released by the service this week. Winds as high as 30kt blew during as the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine began a start sequence, forcing hot air into the Honeywell integrated power package's inlet. As air temperatures rose inside the IPP -- a mini-engine that supplies electric power and starts the engine -- a series of malfunctions occurred. The lower density of the air produced insufficient torque needed to to the engine, which slowed the rotation of the turbine section.
LinkLeonardo Helicopters cuts fuel-burn figure for AW189Leonardo Helicopters will shortly revise downwards the official fuel consumption figure of its AgustaWestland AW189 super-medium-twin. Based on operational feedback and information collated via flight-recorder and helicopter usage monitoring system data, the new figure will show an improvement of between 4-7%, depending on the mission profile, it says.
LinkUS lifts electronics ban on Royal Air MarocMoroccan carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) has told passengers they can once again bring personal electronic devices (PEDs) larger than mobile phones into the cabin on US-bound flights. In a statement issued July 12, RAM said the ban—imposed by US authorities on flights from Morocco to the US on March 25—was to be lifted effected July 13.
LinkNorwegian widens net loss in 1HLow-cost carrier (LCC) Norwegian posted a first-half net loss of NOK411.9 million ($49.8 million), widened from a net loss of NOK54.7 million for the same period last year. The fast-expanding carrier made a net profit of almost NOK1.1 billion for 2Q, compared to a profit of NOK745.4 million last time, but this year’s 2Q profit was canceled out by the hefty NOK1.5 billion deficit recorded in 1Q.
LinkCBP to implement biometric facial recognition at Chicago O’HareUS Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expanding its federally mandated rollout of facial recognition biometric exit technology to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) division said July 11.
LinkFAA awards additional $185 million in airport grantsFAA’s airport infrastructure grants for 2017 expanded July 12 with an additional $185.1 million for 40 US airports, including $54.6 million in discretionary funding for 13 airports, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) said. US airports are entitled to a certain amount of airport improvement program (AIP) grants every year, DOT said, based on passenger volume. Discretionary funds are provided as supplements if an airport’s capital project exceeds its entitlement.
LinkBeijing Capital Airlines to begin Lisbon service HNA Group’s subsidiary Beijing Capital Airlines will begin 3X-weekly Hangzhou-Beijing-Lisbon (Portugal) services July 25, as part of its international expansion plans. The carrier will operate the new service using an Airbus A330-200. Last year, the number of Chinese citizens who traveled to Portugal rose 19% to 183,000.
LinkRussia’s Anapa Airport opens new terminalRussia’s Anapa International Airport has opened a new 11,800 sq m passenger terminal, which is able to handle 600 passengers per hour. The airport is located near Vityazevo Village in Anapa. With the new terminal, the airport size has increased to 16,500 sq m and total capacity has grown to 1,100 passengers per hour.
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