[UPDATED] A US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) emergency “go-team” has been dispatched to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to investigate Saturday’s crash landing of Asiana Airlines Flight 214, a Boeing 777-200ER en route from Seoul Incheon International Airport.
The FAA confirmed to ATW that Asiana Airlines Flight 214, a Boeing 777 arriving from Seoul, South Korea, crashed while landing on runway 28L at San Francisco International Airport.
Canada and China have forged a new and expanded bilateral aviation agreement that will allow for a threefold increase in passenger and cargo flights between those countries. Canada’s transport minister Jean-C. Lapierre and international trade minister Jim Peterson announced the agreement Thursday.
Italian flag-carrier Alitalia has revealed its turnaround plan, which will see increased emphasis on international services. The ‘Industrial Plan 2013-16’ by new CEO Gabriele Del Torchio will focus on three businesses: Alitalia, Air One and Alitalia Loyalty, which is developing and enhancing the airline’s MilleMiglia frequent flyer program.
The US Dept. of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported record-high passenger load factors for March, comprising systemwide (84.3%), domestic (85.0%) and international (82.8%) load factors.
International passenger traffic on Asia-Pacific carriers rose 3.3% in May to 17.2 million year-over-year; in April, international passenger traffic grew 3.4% to 17.8 million compared to April 2012. The findings are according to traffic results reports released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).
Delta Air Lines has reported a1% year-over-year growth in consolidated passenger unit revenue (PRASM) for June, while its total system load factor decreased .06 percentage points from June 2012 to 87.5%.
British Airways (BA) has landed its first Airbus A380, registered G-XLEA, at its London Heathrow home base for the first time, marking its third long-haul aircraft delivery in a week. “This is a momentous moment for British Airways. In 17 years, we haven’t taken any new long-haul aircraft. Two at a time is not exactly what we expected,” BA CEO Keith Williams said after disembarking the new aircraft.
Oman Air is considering switching some of its planned Boeing 787-8s to larger variants and expects to inaugurate a new wet-lease freighter service by the end of this year.
Airbus delivered 151 aircraft in the second quarter of 2013, consisting of 119 A320 family aircraft, 28 A330s and four A380s. Boeing made 164 commercial aircraft deliveries during the second quarter, comprised of 111 737 NGs, six 747s, eight 767s, 23 777s and 16 787s.
El Al Israeli Airlines, which is working to improve efficiency, is on the right track toward profitability, president and CEO Elyezer Shkedy told ATW. Even though its daily operations remain challenging, he “sees the light; there is a great potential [for El Al]. In every area, we are investing a lot in the culture of our company.”
IATA’s May global airfreight figures depict a sector where “it is getting harder to find optimistic signs,” IATA DC and CEO Tony Tyler said. Total market FTKs increased a slight 0.8% in May compared to a year ago, while total market AFTK capacity increased by 2.1%, bringing freight load factors to 44.9%, the lowest level since the post-crisis recovery, according to an IATA statement.
The airline industry must find ways to improve returns for our investors to attract the estimated $4 to $5 trillion of capital investment required to finance new aircraft needed to serve Asia-Pacific and other emerging regions over the next two decades, IATA DG and CEO Tony Tyler said in a newly released study.
China’s Hainan Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The delivery is the first of 10 787s for Hainan Airlines. Hainan vice chairman Mu Weigang said the 787 would allow the carrier to open new routes from Beijing to North America. Hainan will first operate the Dreamliner on a domestic route from Beijing to Haikou before deploying it on North American routes, increasing the frequency of its Beijing-Seattle, Beijing-Toronto and Beijing-Chicago services, with several new destinations.
Iberia began summer 3X-weekly Madrid-Dubrovnik Airbus A321 service through Sept. 30. Madrid-Zagreb will be offered Saturday and Sunday through Sept. 15. Madrid-Athens will be 5X-weekly in July, 4X-weekly in August and 3X-weekly in September through the 29th. Kenya Airways began 3X-weekly Nairobi-Harare-Livingstone service.
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Air Baltic CEO Martin Gauss has told ATW he will make a final call on whether to exercise the Latvian carrier’s 10 Bombardier CSeries options and take a CSeries simulator next year.
