Air Transport World

US federal safety officials are investigating an American Airlines Airbus A321 that tipped and struck an object during takeoff from New York JFK airport April 10, cutting the flight short and forcing the plane to taxi back to the gate just 29 min. after its scheduled departure.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Linda Blachly
Aircraft Briefs-April 18, 2019
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Alan Dron
LCC Air Arabia has taken delivery of the first of six Airbus A321neoLRs, the first Middle Eastern airline to operate the extended-range version of the type.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Helen Massy-Beresford
Hong Kong Airlines said it had to hire external security personnel and lawyers because of an unfolding spat between shareholders, but insisted it was business as usual for customers.
Airlines & Lessors

By Alan Dron
New African flag carrier Uganda Airlines has taken delivery of the first two of four Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets ordered in July 2018.
Aircraft & Propulsion

China’s Zhejiang Development Commission has approved the preliminary design for the Phase III expansion for Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport.
Airports & Networks

By Alan Dron
Etihad Aviation Group CFO Mark Powers has left the Abu Dhabi-based company to return to the US for what the airline described as “personal reasons.”
Airlines & Lessors

By Alan Dron
Fixing Europe’s air traffic control (ATC) problems will be a test not only of the continent’s technical abilities, but its resolve to combat global warming, according to Europe’s airport trade association.
Airports & Networks

Steve Morrissey
Later this year, the US and Japan plan to sign a formal aviation accord to expand access for US airlines flying to Tokyo Haneda airport, the closest airport to downtown Tokyo and a gateway for connection points throughout Japan.
Airports & Networks

By Sean Broderick, Guy Norris
CFM International is monitoring its LEAP engine fleet for signs of an issue believed to be tied to the March 26 contained engine failure on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 that was being ferried to storage.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Victoria Moores
The European Commission has blacklisted Moldova and put Belarus and the Dominican Republic under closer scrutiny in its latest European Union (EU) Air Safety List update, while also lifting bans on two Angolan airlines.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
Links between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Indian subcontinent continue to grow with the arrival of two new carriers in Abu Dhabi. Thousands of expatriates from the subcontinent work in the UAE.
Airports & Networks

United Airlines doubled its profit in the first quarter, reporting net income of $292 million, up from $145 million in the year-ago quarter, capping out the best first quarter for the Chicago-based carrier in three years.
Airlines & Lessors

By Helen Massy-Beresford
A French court has ruled to annul the controversial 2015 privatization of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, in the latest step in a long legal process that could eventually see the airport sale being canceled.
Airports & Networks

By Alan Dron
The European Commission (EC) has launched a public consultation on a preliminary list of US exports that could be subject to tariffs in the latest stage of the Airbus-Boeing subsidies saga.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Pilots of Spanish regional operator Air Nostrum, represented by the SEPLA union, have reached an agreement, ending a strike that had been planned for six days, from April 15-17 and April 22-24.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Victoria Moores
UK long-haul operator Virgin Atlantic is planning to use its acquisition of UK regional Flybe and closer ties with new shareholder Air France-KLM to become a more comprehensive competitor to UK incumbent British Airways (BA).
Airlines & Lessors

Kevin Mitchell
For over four years American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines—the Big Three—have waged a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign to frustrate competition in the US-EU market where—together with foreign alliance and JV partners—they control nearly 90% of the seats.
Airports & Networks

By Karen Walker
FedEx chairman and CEO Fred Smith has joined with the CEOs of Atlas Air Worldwide and JetBlue Airways to strongly rebuke an open letter to US President Donald Trump from the CEOs of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines claiming that Qatar Airways’ stake in Air Italy breaches the US-Qatar Open Skies agreement.
Airports & Networks

By Adrian Schofield
India’s Jet Airways has suspended all remaining flight operations after failing to gain emergency funding.
Airlines & Lessors

By Adrian Schofield
AirAsia has decided not to pursue its plan to create a joint venture (JV) airline in Vietnam, at least in the short term.
Airlines & Lessors

By Sean Broderick
An FAA update of minimum training required for pilots to fly the Boeing 737 MAX will cover the aircraft’s maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS), but simulator sessions will not be needed, a draft of a new report reveals.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Indonesia’s Garuda announced an expanded codeshare agreement that will cover flights between Singapore and Jakarta.
Airports & Networks

By Sean Broderick
Avianca Brazil has been forced to make more flight cancellations after lessor Aircastle reclaimed all 10 of its Airbus A320-200s on lease to the carrier, cutting the insolvent operator's fleet by 30%.
Airlines & Lessors

United Airlines announced April 15 that it plans to begin nonstop service between New York Newark and Cape Town, South Africa starting December 15.
Airports & Networks