NewsKLM gambles on Las Vegas in 2019KLM plans to land in Las Vegas next summer with new flights from Amsterdam. The SkyTeam Alliance carrier will offer a thrice-weekly service between the cities, operated with 294-seat Boeing 787-9 aircraft, from 6 June 2019, it says.
LinkCathay Pacific and Qantas to start codesharingOneworld alliance partners Cathay Pacific and Qantas will start a codeshare partnership on 28 October, covering two Australia-Hong Kong routes, services from Hong Kong to Asia, and some Australian domestic routes. Qantas will add its code to Cathay’s flights from Perth and Cairns to Hong Kong. It will also place its code on 10 other Cathay and Cathay Dragon routes from Hong Kong to India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
LinkRolls identifies 787 Trent engine fix; cites air pollution causeAir pollution, especially in large Asian cities, is believed to be one cause of reliability issues that have affected a large portion of the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-powered Boeing 787 fleet.
LinkSouthwest to invest in new MRO facility at Baltimore/WashingtonSouthwest Airlines will co-fund a new $130 million regional maintenance facility at Baltimore/Washington International airport, to better meet its needs at the second busiest airport in its network. Construction of the 12,080m2 (130,000ft2) line maintenance facility will begin early next year, with completion in 2021. Southwest will invest $80 million, with the Maryland Aviation Administration contributing the remaining $50 million.
LinkLessor Goshawk completes 51-aircraft acquisitionAircraft lessor Goshawk Aviation has completed the acquisition of Sky Leasing’s Irish subsidiary, Sky Aviation Leasing International (SALI), adding 51 aircraft to its portfolio. “The transaction closed on Sept. 13 and places Goshawk in the top 10 aircraft lessors globally with a total of 222 aircraft,” Goshawk’s transaction advisor, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, said Sept. 19.
LinkCentral American aviation leaders urge unity Central American commercial aviation leaders pledged renewed cooperation to resolve myriad issues of government regulation, excessive airport and passenger fees and infrastructure inadequacies at the Aviation Day Central America conference in San Jose, Costa Rica Sept. 19. The conference was organized by IATA, ALTA and the Costa Rican Airlines Association (ALA).
LinkRwandAir mulls A321LR, 737-7 for European routes RwandAir is evaluating the Airbus A321LR and Boeing 737-7 to operate on European routes during off-peak seasons. The Rwanda flag carrier’s two widebody aircraft—one Airbus A330-200 and one larger A330-300—experienced strong load factors this summer on the carrier’s first route to Europe from the capital of Kigali via Brussels to London Gatwick. “British tourists travel to Rwanda in big numbers; however, during the low season, the A330s may have too much capacity,” CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo told ATW on the sidelines of this week’s IATA Aviation Day in Mauritius.
LinkAir Tahiti studies A220-100, E195-E2 for international expansion French Polynesian regional carrier Air Tahiti is considering procuring jets so it can expand international routes from its home base of Papeete, CEO Manate Vivish told ATW on the sidelines of this week’s IATA Aviation Day in Mauritius. The carrier is evaluating the Airbus A220-100 (formerly the Bombardier CS100) and Embraer 195-E2. “We are thinking about a maximum of a 100-seat aircraft. As a first step, we would order two aircraft,” Vivish said. The aircraft would enter service in two to three years, he said, so a decision must be made in the near future.
LinkNigeria suspends plans to establish new national airlineNigeria has given up on plans to establish a new national carrier. “I regret to announce that the Federal Executive Council has taken the tough decision to suspend the National Carrier Project in the interim,” Minister of State for Aviation Hadi Sirika wrote in a tweet. “All commitments due will be honored.” Sirika did not elaborate on the reasons why the airline project is now no longer being pursued other than saying they were “strategic” and had nothing to do with politics.
LinkThai Airways re-evaluates fleet upgrade plansThai Airways is assessing whether it needs to adjust its fleet upgrade plans, with the latest review expected to be completed by year-end. The Thailand flag carrier had submitted a plan for new aircraft orders to the appropriate government ministries and cabinet for approval. However, it has now withdrawn the plan, so it can be reviewed before being resubmitted to the government, the airline said. This move was prompted by senior government officials.
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