Aviation Daily Roundup: March 21, 2022

March 22, 2022

China Eastern 737-800 Crashes With 132 Onboard

Credit: Joe Walker


A China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 (s/n 41474, reg. B-1791) has crashed into the mountains near Wuzhou, southern China, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has confirmed. MU5735 was carrying 123 passengers and nine crew members from Kunming to Guangzhou. The Guangxi Emergency Management Department told China Daily that the incident caused a “mountain fire” and rescue teams had been deployed to the scene. The number of casualties is unclear. The CAAC said that it has activated its “emergency mechanisms.”

Jetstar Asia Adds More Quarantine-Free Routes

Credit: Rob Finlayson


Jetstar Asia is resuming more regional routes after receiving approval to offer flights from four Southeast Asian destinations to its Singapore Changi (SIN) base. The airline has been cleared to operate vaccinated travel lane (VTL) flights from Da Nang (DAD) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) in Vietnam; Denpasar, Indonesia (DPS); Penang, Malaysia (PEN); expanding its VTL network to 13 destinations.

ALPA Urges DOT To Block SkyWest EAS Service Cuts

Credit: Joe Pries


The largest U.S. pilot association called on the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) to block SkyWest Airlines from halting service to 29 small communities, calling the proposed cuts an “egregious miscarriage” of the Essential Air Service (EAS) program. Utah-based SkyWest notified the DOT on March 10 that it plans to terminate service to the 29 U.S. domestic destinations by June 10, which it attributed to “pilot staffing challenges across the airline industry.”

PE Firm Takes Over Former Roberts Tool, Subject Of Book On Lean

Credit: RTC Aerospace


RTC Aerospace, a subtier precision-manufacturing company for aerospace and defense, has changed owners, with private-equity firm Stellex Capital taking over from investor and former CEO Brad Hart as the business eyes acquisition growth. Financial details were not provided. Stellex said it partnered with David Herr, a veteran executive whose background includes service at GE Aviation and BAE Systems, in the deal.

Dust Build-Up Linked To Leap-1A Turbine Blade Issues

Credit: Airbus SAS 2020 / Pascal Pigeyre / Master Films


A proposed FAA mandate sheds light on CFM Leap-1A issues plaguing operators in the Middle East and North African environments, identifying dust buildup as the cause of high-pressure turbine rotor blade deterioration and at least two in-service incidents. The proposed airworthiness directive (AD) is similar to one issued by EASA earlier in 2022, recommending repetitive inspections of Leap-1A engines with at least 800 departures from a specific subset of airports in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions.

European Airlines Offer Mixed Picture On Fuel Surcharges

Credit: Chalabala / Getty Images


European carriers are moving cautiously when it comes to imposing fuel surcharges as a result of sharply rising oil prices, apparently wary of damaging the accelerating revival in passenger numbers. Several contacted by Aviation Daily said they had no plans, at least at present, to add surcharges to tickets. Other airlines have indicated, however, that prices will rise. In a March 17 posting on its Facebook page, TAP Air Portugal said that “In line with other major airlines, TAP Air Portugal will increase the YQ charge (known as fuel tax) due to the escalating price of jet fuel, one of the main cost factors in aviation.”

Daily Memo: Inside Allegiant’s Boeing 737 MAX Order

Credit: Boeing


Allegiant Air turned some heads when the Las Vegas-based ULCC announced a firm order for up to 100 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in January. The deal for 50 new 737s—a mix of 737-7s and 737-8200s—with options for 50 more, marked a shift away from Allegiant’s long-standing strategy of cheaply acquiring used aircraft on the second-hand market. That was the case for the airline’s current fleet of Airbus A320ceo-family aircraft, as well as the McDonnell Douglas MD-80s that preceded them.

U.S. To Assist CAAC In China Eastern Accident Probe

Credit: Joe Walker


A senior U.S. NTSB investigator and technical advisors from three key stakeholders will be among the representatives supporting the probe into the March 21 crash of China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735, the U.S. accident investigation agency confirmed. “The NTSB has appointed a senior air safety investigator as a U.S. accredited representative to the investigation of the March 21, 2022, crash of a China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 near Wuzhou, China,” the agency said, adding that technical advisors from Boeing, CFM International, and the FAA also will participate. “The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will lead the investigation.”

Cathay Pacific Eyes Flight Resumptions As Border Rules Ease

Credit: Rob Finlayson


Cathay Pacific expects to be able to restore more of its flight schedule following the announcement of a partial easing of COVID-19 entry and quarantine rules by the Hong Kong government. The airline said it is “actively working on resuming more flights for our customers from April 1.” This is in response to government plans to lift flight suspensions for nine countries from that date, as well as easing quarantine requirements for all vaccinated Hong Kong residents upon arrival, the carrier said.

Oneworld, DHL Express, Rolls-Royce Sign Major SAF Deals

Credit: Deutsche Post DHL Group


Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) momentum is growing. After DHL Express committed to more than 211 million gal. (800 million liters) of SAF, members of the Oneworld alliance agreed to take up to 200 million gal. annually and Rolls-Royce signed for 800,000 gal. per year for engine tests. On March 21, the Oneworld alliance announced its second joint SAF procurement in just four months, with participation from Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways.

Delta Hits Back At United’s Cape Town Plans

Credit: Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg/Alamy Stock Photo


The battle between Delta Air Lines and United Airlines for three of the remaining four frequencies available under the current air services agreement between the U.S. and South Africa is heating up. Delta claims its plans to serve Cape Town are “superior in all material aspects” to United’s proposals. The SkyTeam alliance member applied in February to the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) for the rights to operate flights between Atlanta (ATL) and Cape Town (CPT), which it wants to serve 3X-weekly from Nov. 18 using Airbus A350-900s.

Cannibalization, Confiscation Risks Haunt Insurers

Credit: Joe Pries


Earlier this month brought news of a second ex-Copa Boeing 737NG acquired for teardown by Aventure Aviation. The aircraft is already undergoing teardown in Roswell, New Mexico, with Aventure noting that it was talking to other aircraft owners about performing similar work on their idle aircraft, and adding that “talks have increased due to the amount of early lease returns from Russia and conflict zones.”

China Eastern 737-800 crashes with 132 onboard, Jetstar Asia adds more quarantine-free routes and more. Take a look at the daily roundup of air transport news.

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