This week’s top air transport stories include new rulings on the Northeast Alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue Airways and requirements for wheelchair-accessible lavatories by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
A federal judge rejected certain oversight terms proposed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the Northeast Alliance (NEA) between American Airlines and JetBlue Airways. Among the terms to be rejected was a DOJ-proposed provision prohibiting each airline from entering any new agreements that are “substantially similar to the NEA” with other domestic carriers—though the defendants did agree to a provision prohibiting such agreements with one another for the next decade. The judge also denied DOJ’s request for an independent court-appointed monitoring trustee at the defendants’ expense.
A new rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) broadens aircraft requirements for wheelchair-accessible lavatories. Currently mandated only on widebody aircraft, the rule will require new single-aisle aircraft—increasingly used for longer flights—to have at least one larger, accessible lavatory. The new rule would not require retrofits on existing aircraft, unless a lavatory is being replaced three years or more after the effective date of the rule.
Boeing forecasts demand for 2.3 million new commercial pilots, technicians and cabin crew over the next 20 years, the company said at AirVenture 2023 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The analysis predicts global demand for 649,000 pilots—or 32,300 pilots per year; 690,000 maintenance technicians, or 33,000 per year; and 938,000 cabin crew members, or 47,000 per year.
Citing growing stability throughout its commercial aircraft programs, Boeing says it is on pace to achieve projected production increases and near-term delivery targets and is speeding up the resumption of 777-9 production. Boeing’s latest outlook sees 777-9 certification and first deliveries in late 2025.
Airlines including UK-based LCC Jet2 and Germany leisure carrier TUIfly canceled flights to Rhodes, Greece because of wildfires affecting the island, while London Luton Airport-headquartered LCC easyJet has arranged repatriation flights for stranded travelers, but Dublin-based ULCC Ryanair’s Michael O'Leary says its business as usual. Wildfires broke out on Rhodes in recent days leading to some 19,000 people being evacuated, many of them tourists. Other Greek islands including Corfu and Evia have been affected amid a severe heatwave in southern Europe.
New UK-based cargo carrier One Air completed its inaugural Boeing 747-400 freighter flight, operating a full charter for client Shandong Glory from China to the UK. The carrier plans to add a second 747 freighter to its fleet in the fourth quarter. One Air is the only UK 747 operator, with a dry-leased 747-400SF.
Hawaiian Airlines faces the prospect of more disruptions to its plans due to further Airbus A321neo engine problems and another delivery delay for its first Boeing 787. The carrier is one of many that have been forced to ground some of their A321neos as a result of long-term servicing backlogs for Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines.
Dublin-based LCC Ryanair cut its full-year passenger forecast from 185 million to 183.5 million, following fresh Boeing 737-8200 delays that will leave it seven or eight aircraft short this winter, along with a three-month lag in aircraft arrivals for summer 2024.
India-based domestic commuter airline Spirit Air signed an LOI for six new Britten-Norman BN2T-4S Islanders. While these aircraft are being built in the UK, Spirit “will initially take delivery of four fully factory refurbished BN2T-4S Islanders to enable it to advance [the fleet’s] entry into service,” Britten-Norman said.
Startup Indian LCC Akasa Air is looking to introduce its first international flights by year-end as it continues to make rapid progress in building its narrowbody fleet. The newly launched airline ordered a total of 76 Boeing 737-8s, of which 19 has been delivered. It is scheduled to receive its 20th aircraft by the end of July, the minimum fleet requirement by Indian authorities for international service.
Icelandair has started the entry-into-service (EIS) process for its incoming leased Airbus A321LRs, which the airline says will begin scheduled service before the peak summer 2025 season.
Chinese state-owned enterprises COMAC and lithium-ion battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) have joined forces to explore the development of electrically powered aircraft.
Indonesian carrier TransNusa, the only international customer of the COMAC ARJ21, completed its first international service from Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur using the Chinese-made regional jet.
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