NewsANA named ATW 2018 Airline of the Year All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the ATW 2018 Airline of the Year, it was announced Jan. 16. It is the second time in five years that Japan's largest and only 5-Star airline has won the top honor. The 2018 Airline of the Year award will be presented at ATW's 44th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards Ceremony on March 27 at The Mansion House in Dublin, Ireland.
LinkEnders: Brexit will do more damage than TrumpAirbus CEO Tom Enders has given a hard-hitting speech, voicing strong concerns over the “double whammy” of protectionism under US president Donald Trump and the UK’s decision to exit the European Union (Brexit).
LinkRyanair renews interest in NIKI takeover Ryanair has confirmed the Irish LCC has contacted the Austrian administrators of bankrupt airberlin subsidiary NIKI, expressing interest in participating in the insolvency process and potential purchase of remaining NIKI assets, head of communications Robin Kiely told ATW. Ryanair was one of the earlier bidders for NIKI, which filed for bankruptcy Dec. 13, 2017, immediately ceasing operations. However, the LCC later stepped back from the bidding process.
LinkAirbus progresses with Bombardier CSeries dealAirbus has indicated that talks with Bombardier to acquire a stake in the CSeries program are expected to close in the second half of 2018. On a corporate webinar, Airbus Commercial Aircraft president Fabrice Brégier said: “Our advisors tell us that the deal might close in the second half of 2018.”
LinkEthiopian Airlines to take 45% stake in Zambia Airways Star Alliance carrier Ethiopian Airlines has finalized a strategic partnership with the Zambian government on the re-launch of Zambia Airways, taking a 45% stake in the airline. On Jan. 16, Ethiopian announced it had finalized a shareholders’ agreement with the Zambian government, which will retain a controlling 55% shareholding.
LinkEmbraer E-Jet deliveries down 6.5% in 2017; further dip expected in 2018Embraer delivered 101 commercial aircraft in 2017, down 6.5% from 108 deliveries in 2016, and the Brazilian manufacturer has already warned of a further drop in deliveries in 2018.
LinkAmerican, China Southern cut codeshare routes set to begin Jan. 18American Airlines and China Southern Airlines have almost halved the scale of codesharing planned under a cooperative relationship they established in 2017.
LinkNew Delhi to divide Air India into four units for saleNew Delhi has detailed that it will split state-owned Air India into four companies and offer at least 51% in each for sale, as part of its divestment plan for the airline. In a televised interview with BloombergQuint, minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha, says that Air India and its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express will form the core airline business. The other three units are regional carrier Alliance Air, MRO operator Air India Engineering Services and ground handler Air India Air Transport Services.
LinkNorwegian to axe Edinburgh-Hartford routeNorwegian has disclosed plans to end its transatlantic service between Edinburgh and Hartford later this year, citing the Scottish government's failure to reduce air taxes. The Scandinavian airline notes that when it began operating the route in June 2017 there was the "prospect" that Scotland's government would cut air passenger duty (APD) this year.
LinkHawaiian Airlines to launch service from Long Beach, Calif.Hawaiian Airlines will on May 31 launch daily service between Honolulu and California's Long Beach Airport, complementing its existing daily service between Honolulu and Los Angeles. The airline will use a new Airbus A321neo single-aisle aircraft for the route.
LinkAlaska Airlines announces new service from Wash.'s Paine FieldAlaska Airlines announced its first flights serving Paine Field in Everett, Wash., with service slated to begin this fall. The airline will offer 13 new nonstop departures to eight cities daily. "This is both a historic occasion and a great honor for Alaska Airlines. We are excited to be able to continue our commitment to the State of Washington and the Pacific Northwest," said Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines' chief commercial officer.
LinkJetBlue to launch new Caribbean serviceJetBlue Airways will expand new service to the Caribbean on June 14 with a new daily flight between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Santiago, Dominican Republic; and between Fort Lauderdale and Grand Cayman in October.
LinkKan. airport to renumber runways, citing Earth's magnetic shiftOfficials at Kansas' Wichita Eisenhower National Airport announced that a shift in Earth's magnetic poles have changed pilots' compass headings. The airport's runways have shifted six degrees, which will require the airport to create new signs and renumber the runways.
LinkEuropean business jet charter industry on the riseResearch suggests that the European business aviation charter market is at its strongest for nearly a decade, according to one of the continent’s largest and oldest online charter platforms, PrivateFly, and German data company WingX Advance.
LinkGogo launches new in-flight connectivity for business aircraftGogo Business Aviation has introduced Gogo Avance L3, a new in-flight connectivity system tailored to the needs of business aircraft passengers and flight departments, offering what the service provider calls “the most affordable pricing options” in the industry.
LinkIrish Air Corps orders three PC-12NGsThe Irish Air Corps is to replace its aged fleet of Cessna FR172H utility aircraft with a trio of Pilatus PC-12NGs, with the new assets to be introduced from next year. Valuing the purchase at about €32 million ($39 million) including adaptations, the Irish defence department says the PC-12NGs "will be equipped for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, logistics support and transport, and medical evacuation/air ambulance taskings".
LinkConair boosts Q400 order book with deal for six tankersAerial firefighting firm Conair has ordered six new-build Bombardier Q400s that will be used as multirole aerial firefighting aircraft. The aircraft will receive Conair's retardant delivery system, which includes a tank that can be removed so that the aircraft can perform other missions, such as passenger and cargo transport, medical evacuation, and coast patrol, says Bombardier.
LinkLeonardo to lead EU maritime UAV demonstrationLeonardo is to lead an EU-funded demonstration of the use of unmanned air vehicles during maritime operations, with the work to include flight trials from next year. Following a selection announced by the company on 12 January, the "OCEAN2020" activity will integrate a variety of unmanned systems – including fixed- and rotary-wing designs – for use during major maritime operations.
LinkAllegiant Air will launch twice-weekly Indianapolis- Sarasota/Bradenton, Florida and Charleston, South Carolina services in April 2018.
JetBlue will begin daily Fort Lauderdale, Florida-Santiago, Chile service from June 14.
Icelandair will start 4X-weekly Baltimore (BWI)-Keflavik Boeing 757-200 service May 28.
Kenya Airways will launch daily New York JFK-Nairobi Boeing 787 service from Oct. 28.
Delta Air Lines will begin daily Seattle-Washington Dulles (IAD) Boeing 737-800 service from June 8; daily Seattle-Kansas City (MCI) Embraer E-175 service from June 8; and daily Seattle-Indianapolis (IND) Airbus A319 service from June 18, 2018.
