NewsCommercial
Boeing delivers 806 commercial aircraft in 2018
Boeing reported deliveries of 806 commercial aircraft in 2018, exceeding its previous record-high delivery total of 763 in 2017, and surpassing rival Airbus’ 800 commercial jet deliveries for the past year.
The US manufacturer delivered 89 commercial aircraft to airlines and lessors in December, including 51 737 MAX family aircraft, 12 737-800s, four 737-900ERs, one 767-300 freighter, four 777 freighters, and 17 twin-aisle 787s.
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Airbus achieves 800 commercial aircraft deliveries in 2018
Airbus has confirmed it “achieved 800 commercial aircraft deliveries” in 2018, thus concluding the year in a close finish against Boeing, which handed over 806 commercial aircraft.
The target for 2018 was achieved, an Airbus spokesperson said. Airbus plans to release the “final 2018 audited commercial aircraft order and delivery numbers” on Wednesday. The totals include the A220, formerly known as Bombardier CSeries.
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TSA union urges US Congress to end ‘unacceptable’ shutdown
The union that represents 44,000 US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers on Jan. 8 called on Congress and the White House to end the ongoing federal government shutdown, citing “extreme financial hardships” facing officers working without pay and “massive security risk” if they stop showing up to work.
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UK government proposes tighter UAV restrictions
The UK government is proposing to expand no-fly zones near airports for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and increase police powers in response to the drone-related disruptions at London Gatwick Airport last month.
Drone activity over Gatwick caused dozens of flight cancellations Dec. 19-21, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Police described the drone flights as a “deliberate act” to disrupt airport operations.
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Dassault Falcon deliveries fall, but orders climb
Deliveries of Falcon business jets slid in 2018 to 41 units, compared with 49 the previous year, but Dassault says output was in line with its forecast for the period.
Net orders climbed by four aircraft for the year ended 31 December, to 42 Falcons, with intake showing “a good balance” between its five high-end models – 7X and 8X trijets, twin-engined 2000LXS, 900LX and in-development 6X.
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Sales flurry takes Boeing 777 past 2,000 orders
Firm sales of the Boeing 777 have broken through the 2,000-orders mark following a flurry of deals in December.
"In December, we won 17 net orders for the 777 from BOC Aviation and two unidentified customers, bringing the programme to 2,013 orders since its launch," says Boeing Commercial Airplanes' vice-president of marketing Randy Tinseth in a blog posting.
LinkAirlines
Hong Kong Airlines threatens to sue over bankruptcy rumors
Hong Kong Airlines is threatening court action against those who create “untrue and groundless” rumors that the carrier is going into liquidation and ceasing operations.
“We deplore the untrue and groundless speculations about Hong Kong Airlines ceasing operation and applying for liquidation. We reserve the right to take legal action against those who deliberately create these rumors,” Hong Kong Airlines said in a statement issued Jan. 5.
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Icelandair’s international passengers up 2% in 2018; bullish on future
Icelandair said it carried 4.1 million international passengers in 2018, a 2% increase over the previous year, a record for the Iceland flag carrier. As a result, the airline is confident its “strong liquidity position” at the end of last year will enable it to seize any “opportunities that may arise,” Icelandair CEO Bogi Nils Bogason said.
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LATAM Cargo to begin Santiago-Chicago services
LATAM Cargo plans to launch Santiago de Chile-Chicago O’Hare (Illinois) services, starting Feb. 19.
O’Hare International Airport is LATAM Cargo’s sixth destination in the US and its third connection point to connecting cargo to Asia.
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Source: Air China to drop Shanghai-Australia route
Air China will cease flying to Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, from Shanghai in March because of strong competition and low prices, an industry source close to the company said.
The carrier is no longer selling tickets for the services for flights after March 31, according to the source. The 3X-weekly Airbus A330 services also carries Air New Zealand's code.
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Aurigny firms order for three ClearVision-equipped ATR 72-600s
Aurigny, the airline of the British Channel Island, Guernsey, has firmed up a long-awaited order for a trio of ATR 72-600 regional turboprops.
The formal order, announced Jan. 8, follows of the airline’s letter of intention signed at last year’s Farnborough Air Show.
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Global airline numbers almost unchanged despite 2018 failures
While 2018 brought its fair share of airline start-ups and collapses, the year ended with roughly the same number of commercial operators as which it ended 2017.
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New Delhi to steer clear of Jet Airways debt woes
The Indian government will not intervene to assist troubled carrier Jet Airways as it looks to raise more cash.
Minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha says that Jet's efforts to raise more debt and equity capital are an " internal matter of the airline."
LinkAirports
Heathrow briefly suspends departures after drone sighting
Weeks after reported drone sightings disrupted operations at London’s Gatwick Airport, London Heathrow Airport briefly suspended departures on Jan. 8 to investigate a drone sighting.
Heathrow announced on Twitter that it was working with London Metropolitan Police in response to a drone sighting and had stopped departures as a precautionary measure. The police department said it received reports of a sighting in the vicinity of the airport, located 15 mi. west of central London, at 5:05 p.m. local time.
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Heathrow wants to add 25,000 flights a year ahead of third runway
London’s Heathrow Airport has opened an eight-week consultation on its planned expansion that includes a proposal to add up to 25,000 additional flights a year through more efficient use of its two existing runways, ahead of the opening of a third in 2026.
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Nice Côte d'Azur announces eighth successive year of traffic growth
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport has become one of the first airports in the world to announce its 2018 traffic figures, the French gateway handling a record 13.8 million passengers (+4.1%) last year.
The airport says that its eighth successive year of growth has consolidated its status as France’s "second-largest airport platform".
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Airports to create new "Pharma Corridor" between Hong Kong and Brussels
Hong Kong International Airport and Brussels Airport today announced the launch of an airport-to-airport (A2A) pharma corridor, offering services catering to the specific needs of pharmaceutical shipments.
Spearheaded by the two airports and in collaboration with Pharma.Aero, the initiative aims to pioneer service offerings and standards that provide assurance in handling quality of the temperature-sensitive pharma products.
LinkMilitary
Dutch F-16s return from Middle East as F-35 ambitions grow
Six Royal Netherlands Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16s returned to the service's Leeuwarden and Volkel air bases on 2 January, after completing a year-long deployment to Jordan as part of an international coalition conducting operations against Islamic State militants in the Middle East.
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Aviation Quote
Jet and piston engines work on the same principle: Suck, squeeze, bang, blow.
- Anonymous
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