NewsAseman ATR 72 crashes in IranAn Aseman Airlines ATR 72 crashed in Iran in the early hours of Feb 18; there are no reports of survivors among the 66 people on board, but the wreckage is in difficult-to-access mountainous terrain. The aircraft, an ATR 72-200, was operating flight 3704 from Tehran to the Iranian city of Yasuj. It crashed about an hour later in the Zagros mountains, about 15 miles from Yasuj. Aseman identified the aircraft as registered EP-ATS, built in 1993.
LinkAllegiant adds new bases in Florida, IndianapolisLas Vegas-based LCC Allegiant Air plans to designate Florida’s Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) as its 14th year-round base this summer. Allegiant said Feb. 13 it will invest more than $49 million to open a two-aircraft (Airbus A320) base of operations at VPS, expanding on the leisure-travel carrier’s usage of the airport as a seasonal base in summer 2017.
LinkIAG: High UK taxes make Level flights unlikely International Airlines Group (IAG) has warned UK legislators that the chances of IAG’s new long-haul LCC Level operating from the UK are slim while the country’s passenger taxes remain so high. In a letter to Members of Parliament, IAG said air passenger duty (APD) undermines the UK’s position as a global trading nation as it exits the European Union and reduces the chance of Level flights from UK regions.
LinkCemAir plans service restart after groundingSouth African carrier CemAir—grounded by the nation’s regulator for almost the first two weeks of February over the qualifications of maintenance staff—aims to relaunch services around Feb. 21, CEO Miles van der Molen said Feb. 15. CemAir operates both scheduled and non-scheduled services in and beyond South Africa. The Johannesburg-based airline has a mixed fleet of Bombardier CRJ100s, Dash 8 turboprops and Beech 1900D commuter aircraft.
LinkNorwegian confident on remaining labor dealsNorwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos is confident the airline will be able to reach a renewed labor agreement with its UK pilots and the LCC will be able to attract enough pilots to support its rapid expansion.
LinkNorwegian London growth hinges on slot availabilityNorwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos is keen to secure additional slots at London Gatwick, but there are very few available and he is not considering expanding to another London hub at this stage. Gatwick is Norwegian’s biggest long-haul base, handling 1 million passengers annually.
LinkSaudiGulf goes live with onboard Wi-FiSaudi Arabian full-service carrier SaudiGulf Airlines has obtained regulatory approval to activate Wi-Fi services on board its domestic and international flights, and has brought the system online. The airline, which previously said it aims to provide an upscale service standard for passengers, said Feb. 14 that introducing Wi-Fi is the latest stage in that process.
LinkNorwegian posts $49.7 million loss in 2017 on expansion, higher fuel costsLCC Norwegian reported a NOK299 million ($36.4 million) net loss for 2017, a sharp reversal from a NOK1.13 billion net profit in 2016. The LCC cited rapid expansion, increased fuel prices and disruption-related costs for the loss.
LinkEurowings to open Nuremberg baseLufthansa LCC subsidiary Eurowings will open a base in Nuremberg, Germany, at the end of March with a leased TUIfly Boeing 737-800. The LCC plans to operate a total of 8X-weekly services from Nuremberg to Palma de Mallorca (Spain); 2X-weekly to Heraklion (Greece); 2X-weekly to Catania and Olbia (Italy); and one additional weekly frequency to Berlin Tegel.
LinkUK company sees new lives for retired Etihad A340sUK company European Aviation (EA) has agreed to a deal with Etihad Airways to buy 10 of the Abu Dhabi airline’s recently retired Airbus A340s. EA, based at Bournemouth on the south coast of England, is involved in a wide range of aviation activities, including engineering support, cabin interiors, plus aircraft sales and leasing.
LinkWhy Saratov An-148 loss is cautionary tale Russia's rich literary history includes the short verse Gvozd i Podkova, in which a city falls to invaders because the blacksmith did not have a nail with which to shoe the defending commander's horse. It is, of course, a variant of a cautionary tale found in several cultures, warning that the gravest consequences can arise from the simplest omission.
LinkBoeing 737 Max 9 receives certificationUS regulators have awarded Boeing an amended type certificate for the 737 Max 9, clearing the second of the re-engined single-aisle’s major variants to enter service with launch operator Lion Air Group. “I am proud of the entire team for helping us reach another important development milestone,” says Keith Leverkuhn, vice-president and general manager of the 737 Max for Boeing.
LinkRising unit revenue powers Air France-KLM profit up 42% in 2017Air France-KLM has credited a rise in unit revenue with driving a 42% increase in operating profit to €1.49 billion ($1.86 billion) last year. Total revenue rose 3.8% to €25.8 billion, says the airline group.
LinkSaratov Airlines to restore An-148 operationsSaratov Airlines is to resume operations with Antonov An-148s, days after suspending flights with the type in the wake of the fatal accident in Moscow. The Russian carrier – one of only two airlines in the country using An-148s – is to return the twinjet to its network on 16 February after completing in-depth technical checks on the fleet.
Link A380 production will create 'digestible' losses: AirbusAirbus intends to reduce A380 output to six units a year from 2020 in a bid to sustain its flagship programme while keeping losses from the aircraft's production at a "digestible" level. The airframer plans to deliver 12 A380s this year and reduce production to eight units in 2019.
LinkBoeing receives 787-10 production certificateMoving a step closer to first delivery next month, the US Federal Aviation Administration awarded Boeing a production certificate for the 787-10 on 15 February, the manufacturer says. The approval means Boeing is authorised officially to produce the 330-seat airliner.
LinkAirbus chief hails A400M contract review as 'breakthrough'Airbus foresees a charge worth €1.3 billion ($1.6 billion) associated with the A400M program for 2018, after the manufacturer reached a tentative agreement with its launch customers to revise their contracts for the tactical transport. Speaking at a results briefing in Toulouse on 15 February, Airbus chief executive Tom Enders hailed the declaration of intent with Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey and the UK via Europe's OCCAR defence procurement agency – which was disclosed earlier this month – as a “breakthrough agreement”.
LinkR-R engine expert discusses future fighter technologyRolls-Royce believes that advanced engines will be the single most important design factor for future fighter aircraft. Conrad Banks is R-R’s chief engineer for defence future programmes. In his 30-year career he has worked on projects such the Pegasus for the BAE Systems Harrier and the EJ200 for the Eurofighter Typhoon. Now his role is to look towards the future.
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