Air Transport World

Russian airlines carried 31.4 million passengers during the first five months of 2015, a 1.2% decrease over the year-ago period.

JetBlue Airways said it will expand significantly in Boston next year by adding one new route, increasing frequency to more than 10 destinations, and introducing its Mint product on transcontinental flights to San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Airport freight traffic, year-to-date, organized by world regions. Year-over-year percentage changes provided by Airports Council International.

A 12-week consultation on Europe’s future air transport strategy closed on June 10, attracting around 250 responses that will be complied into a report by the end of the summer.

The New Zealand Air Navigation Services Provider ANSP, Airways New Zealand, suffered a nationwide two-hour blackout of all air control services earlier this week, causing long delays and at least 200 flight cancellations or disruptions.

Kuwait Airways has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-200, becoming a new operator for the type.

Two low-cost carriers (LCCs)—Tigerair Taiwan and Thai AirAsia X—have announced cutbacks in schedules to Thai destination following the recent red flag safety notification by ICAO on Thai aviation oversight.

Hong Kong regulatory authorities have denied Qantas Group its application to start a low-cost carrier (LCC) in Hong Kong.

An Abu Dhabi partnership—comprising Etihad Airways, Boeing, French oil company Total, Abu Dhabi oil refiner Takreer and the emirate’s Masdar Institute of Science and Technology—has launched a joint industry roadmap to sustainably produce aviation biofuels in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Aircraft News-June 24, 2015

Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) president Yury Slusar was elected to Aeroflot’s board of directors at the carrier’s annual general meeting of shareholders.

Oneworld member airberlin has re-elected the five board of director members for a further three-year term.

Russia’s Aeroflot will transfer 13 Boeing 737-800s to its low-cost subsidiary (LCC) Pobeda Airline on a long-term sublease.

Russia’s Basic Element has won a tender to acquire a 51% share of ERA Group, operating Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo International Airport.

AirAsia Philippines will establish direct flights from Filipino tourist island Panay to China and Korea next year.

UK leisure airline Jet2.com is spearheading a drive for industry-wide measures to tackle what it describes as a “shocking rise” in disruptive passenger behavior.

Airlines must several different platforms—ranging from premium segments to low-cost carriers (LCC)—to remain competitive, Lufthansa Group chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr told ATW on the sidelines of the Star Alliance chief executive board meeting in Warsaw.

Avianca Brazil will join the Star Alliance network July 22, Star CEO Mark Schwab has confirmed at a press briefing in Warsaw.

The latest airport passenger traffic and aircraft movements for 105 airports worldwide - current through April 2015 - presented by monthly and year-to-date figures.

News Briefs from the June 24, 2015 issue of ATW’s MRO Digest

Korean Air has stepped up cabin sterilization procedures on all its flights following the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in Korea.

Delta Air Lines is threatening legal action unless the city of Dallas allows it to continue using gates at Dallas Love Field to operate its five daily flights from the facility.

African budget carrier fastjet has sold its shares in grounded loss-making regional carrier Fly540 Ghanato DWG-G Company for $1.

Boeing president and COO Dennis Muilenburg will succeed Jim McNerney as Boeing’s CEO July 1, the company said Tuesday.

People-June 23, 2015