NewsAir Berlin files for insolvencyAir Berlin has filed for insolvency at a court in the German capital today. The carrier says it has been notified by shareholder Etihad Airways "that it no longer intends to provide Air Berlin with financial support". Abu Dhabi-based Etihad owns 29% of Air Berlin and has provided financial support for the Oneworld airline since becoming a shareholder in 2011.
LinkLinkDiscussionAirlines offer enhanced amenities for premium passengersAirlines are spending millions on bespoke seats for premium passengers, snapping up models that lie flat, feature high-end entertainment options and can be reconfigured into suites for groups traveling together.
LinkAirport attractions can make layovers funPassengers' layovers at some of the largest airports in the US don't have to be boring; many have attractions designed to entertain or soothe stressed travelers. For example, Oregon's Portland International Airport features a free 17-seat theater and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has a yoga studio.
LinkBaseline Triton delivery set for SeptemberNorthrop Grumman will deliver an early operational capability MQ-4C Triton UAV to the US Navy this September, just grazing over the previously announced August delivery date. Northrop began taxi testing this week and expects first flight of the EOC aircraft will occur at Northrop’s facility in Palmdale, California.
LinkProcurement a key priority for Israel's new air force chiefThe appointment of Maj Gen Amikam Norkin as the Israeli air force's new commander could expedite some of its procurement plans, including for the Boeing KC-46A tanker, Lockheed Martin F-35 and longer-endurance unmanned air vehicles.
LinkArgentina halts talks linked to Kfir buyArgentina has stopped negotiations about a possible purchase of upgraded Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Kfir fighters, despite indications earlier this year that a deal for 12-14 aircraft could be finalised.
LinkAustralia joins Germany in grounding Tiger attack helicoptersAustralia has joined Germany in grounding its fleet of Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack rotorcraft in the wake of a fatal crash in Mali in which two crew members were killed. Investigations are ongoing into the late July accident involving a German army-operated example that came down in unexplained circumstances around 44nm (82km) northeast of Gao.
LinkAeroflot Group profits fall sharply in first halfAeroflot Group has recorded a sharp fall in interim pre-tax profits, down more than 80% to Rb2.1 billion ($35 million) for the first half. The Russian company states that, under local accounting standards, its net profit fell by almost 90% to Rb872 million.
LinkSuperjet manufacturer posts interim loss on lower deliveriesSukhoi's civil aircraft division delivered six Superjet 100s over the first half of the year, compared with nine in the previous interim period. Revenues for the airframer were down by 25% to Rb10.9 billion ($182 million), the company states in a first-half financial disclosure.
LinkHawaiian Airlines CEO urges airport slot policy reformsHawaiian Airlines CEO Mark Dunkerley is proposing a new approach to slot allocation to enhance competition at increasingly constrained global airports.
LinkSouthwest ‘A-list’ passengers affected by technical issueSouthwest Airlines said it is “working feverishly” to resolve a technical issue that is causing many of its highest-tier frequent flyers to receive low-status boarding positions. The problem comes as the Dallas-based airline works to resolve a handful of issues with the new Amadeus reservation system it transitioned to in May.
LinkSWISS phases out final Avro RJ100Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) phased out its last Avro RJ100 with a special flight from Geneva to Zurich Aug. 15. SWISS is replacing the Avros with Bombardier CSeries 100/300 aircraft. SWISS currently has eight CS100s and two CS300s in service. By the end of 2018, SWISS will add another 20 CSeries aircraft to its fleet.
LinkAvianca raises earnings guidance on improved 2Q revenue, trafficCiting significant second-quarter gains in yield, operating income, revenue and traffic, Colombia’s Avianca Holdings raised its full-year EBIT margin guidance to between 7%-9%, up one point from 1Q 2017, the company reported Aug. 15. “[Our] focus on increasing revenues, cost reduction and … efficiency throughout our organization have enabled the company to capture important benefits over the past three months,” Avianca CEO Hernán Rincón said.
LinkAzul grows international network, partnershipsAzul Brazilian Airlines will add two more Brazil-Florida routes in December and has reached an expanded codeshare agreement with New York-based JetBlue Airways. Azul currently serves both Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Florida daily from its São Paulo base and Orlando from Recife, Brazil.
LinkThai Airways sinks to 1H loss on weak 2Q performanceA weaker second-quarter performance has dealt a setback to Thai Airways’ financial turnaround efforts, dragging the carrier into the red for the first half of the year. The airline reported a net loss of THB5.2 billion ($156.6 million) for the three months through June 30, which was 79% higher than the THB2.9 billion loss in the same period a year earlier.
LinkEurasian Economic Union to liberalize air transportRussia and a group of former Soviet countries want to create a common, liberalized commercial air transport market.
LinkFour Dutch airports to go wind-poweredFour Dutch airports overseen by Royal Schiphol Group are to go wind-powered from 2018 under a 15-year agreement with sustainable energy supplier Eneco. The deal covers Amsterdam Schiphol, the main Netherlands hub, as well as Rotterdam, Eindhoven and Lelystad airports.
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