Air Transport World

UAE-based low-cost carrier Air Arabia has converted five options for Airbus A320s into firm orders, the airline said Nov. 23. The order, for the current A320ceo version, is worth $485 million at book value.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) has become the first Russian carrier to receive IATA´s CEIV Pharma certification.

In all, 1,800 flights and more than 215,000 passengers would be affected Nov. 23-24, Lufthansa said.

Taipei-based TransAsia Airways has announced it is shutting down, citing heavy operating losses following two major crashes in 2014 and 2015.

Fiji Airways has committed to ordering five Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to replace its narrowbody fleet of four 737-800s and one 737-700.

The fourth Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. MRJ90 flight test aircraft made its first flight in Japan Nov. 22.

Southwest Airlines’ appearance technicians have ratified a four-year tentative agreement with the Dallas-based airline.

LCCs have transformed the domestic Mexican market in recent years, and LCCs have a strong foothold in the Brazilian market, but the model has not yet caught on in the rest of Latin America.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is exploring the possibility of creating a new subsidiary that would tap into the growing European leisure sector.

UK-based Stobart Group, operator of regional carrier Stobart Air, is taking complete ownership of leasing company Propius Holdings.

Airberlin is set to recruit more than 500 additional flight attendants related to the airline’s growth plan for long haul routes, especially to North America.

Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC) is planning to launch a cargo carrier soon in an effort to boost sales of the MA600 turboprop freighter.

Lufthansa canceled 876 out of nearly 3,000 planned flights – including 51 long-haul routes – for Wednesday Nov. 23 following the call from Lufthansa pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) for a pilot strike.

Russian airport operator Basel Aero’s total investment in Krasnodar-region airports in southwestern Russia will reach RUB32 billion ($497.2 million).

In its latest market outlook, Boeing projects demand for 3,860 new commercial aircraft in southeast Asia through 2035, valued at $565 billion.

Boeing has named GE Aviation Services president and CEO Kevin McAllister the new president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, replacing Ray Conner.

Lufthansa Group will be affected by two strikes Nov. 22-23.

The Airbus A350-1000, the larger variant of the A350 slated to seat 366 passengers in a typical three-class configuration, will fly for the first time Nov. 24, according to an Airbus statement.

Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico have strongly objected to the conditions imposed by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to grant antitrust immunity to the carriers’ proposed transborder joint venture (JV), and said they will reconsider the JV if DOT does not change course.

São Paulo-based low-cost carrier (LCC) GOL has revised its 2016 financial guidance following the airline’s third-quarter results.

EgyptAir has denied reports it has asked Boeing to defer delivery of a batch of 737-800s.

New Omani startup SalamAir has received the first of three aircraft, an Airbus A320 leased from South America’s LATAM Group, as the low-cost carrier (LCC) prepares to begin services by the end of the year.

A second Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. MRJ90 flight test aircraft has arrived in the US, where the Japanese manufacturer is planning an accelerated flight test program in an effort to achieve first delivery to All Nippon Airways (ANA) in 2018.

Airline Routes-Nov. 21, 2016

Gulf airline Oman Air has opened a training center for flight deck and cabin crews at its hub in Muscat, the Omani capital.