Aviation Daily

Terrorism is a concern for airlines across the world, but the biggest challenge to growth is the lack of airport infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region and Africa, according to Turkish Airlines’ chief executive.
Air Transport

By Bradley Perrett
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has suspended approvals for new airlines in response to safety concerns raised by the overall fragmentation of skills within the industry, sources say.
Air Transport

By Bradley Perrett
Air China remains committed to opening a service between San Jose, California, and Shanghai, despite a delay that probably will push the commencement beyond June.
Air Transport

The Dutch Safety Board (DSB) is questioning whether Embraer can improve the man–machine interface for the E190 autoland system, based on three hard-landing incidents. &
Air Transport

By Jens Flottau
Airbus sales chief John Leahy has warned that delays in setting up a secure system of money transfers in and out of Iran could jeopardize orders from the country.
Air Transport

By Jens Flottau
Finnair CEO Pekka Vauramo continues to lobby for ownership restrictions to be removed so that his company can participate in European airline consolidation.
Air Transport

As Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines battle in Los Angeles for share, United Airlines “won’t ignore” the market, but will concentrate its growth in San Francisco, two of the carrier’s top network executives told employees.
Air Transport

By Adrian Schofield
Although Thai LCC NokScoot is considering its widebody aircraft fleet options, it is not ready to begin replacing its Boeing 777 fleet with new types.
Air Transport

In observance of Memorial Day in the U.S., Aviation Daily will not be publishing on Monday, May 30. The next issue of Aviation Daily will be dated Weds., June 1.

United Airlines will increase its reimbursement rates to Republic Airways Holdings, under a proposed deal announced May 27.
Air Transport

BRUSSELS—In the same week Air France–KLM CEO Alexandre de Juniac is to be named to lead IATA, Air France’s main pilot union has voted in favor of an extended strike to protest the start of cost-saving measures.
Air Transport

25 Years Ago May 31, 1991—Randy Babbitt, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, disputes Transportation Secretary Samuel Skinner’s blaming U.S. airline problems on high labor costs. Babbitt says labor costs declined from 42% of airline operating expenses in 1977, the year before deregulation, to 37% in 1990. 50 Years Ago

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
View the U.S. Airlines Seasonally-Adjusted Monthly Available Seat-Miles chart in PDF format.

By Bradley Perrett
BEIJING—China Eastern Airlines is planning to build up at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, a secondary hub of rival Air China.
Air Transport

By Adrian Schofield
DUBLIN—China’s HNA Group has agreed to purchase a stake in Virgin Australia, adding a further twist to Virgin Australia’s already complicated ownership model.
Air Transport

By Sean Broderick
Sustained capacity discipline, combined with more diverse revenue-generation strategies, have set up the U.S. airline industry for a soft landing when the current upcycle peaks and contraction begins, a new InterVistas analysis said. This will likely occur within the next 6-12 months, the report said.
Air Transport

By Bradley Perrett
BEIJING—Construction of the second airport for Chengdu, China, began May 27, with a target to complete the work in 2019, ahead of opening the facility the following year.
Air Transport

By Bradley Perrett
BEIJING—The second flight-test aircraft of the Mitsubishi Aircraft regional jet program flew May 31, meeting a schedule stated in March.
Air Transport

BRUSSELS—Brussels Airport (BRU) will close down the makeshift temporary structure it built following the March 22 terrorist attacks (Aviation Daily, March 22), and starting June 2, it will provide full check-in capacity in the main departures hall.
Air Transport

To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. For a complete list of Aviation Week Network’s upcoming events, and to register, visit www.aviationweek.com/events (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) May 31— MRO Network, ap&m Summit, London, U.K., www.aviationweek.com/events June 1-2—The Global MRO Procurement Expo, Olympia London, United Kingdom, www.apmexpo.com/

By Jens Flottau
"They will try to get close to a 'me-too' aircraft, but not quite get there," Airbus sales chief John Leahy said at the Airbus Innovation Days in Hamburg. "Boeing has not named the aircraft yet, but we have: We call it the Mad MAX."
Air Transport

By Jens Flottau
“Rate 60 is enough for what we see today,” Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams said on Monday. “There is no real serious work going into anything beyond this.”
Air Transport

By Jens Flottau
The Airbus A350 program was “in a big crisis” at the beginning of the year because of serious delays in the supply chain, Airbus head of programs Didier Evrard concedes, but he believes that “delivery targets for the year remain absolutely achievable.”
Air Transport

By Jens Flottau
Using the CFM International Leap-1A engine on a stretched version of the Boeing 737 MAX would lead to a “full loss of commonality” within the family, Airbus A320 program chief Klaus Roewe believes.
Air Transport

By Jens Flottau
“We have been building gliders for the first part of the year,” Airbus Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams said. But he pointed out that new standard PW1100G engines are about to arrive at the Airbus final assembly lines.
Air Transport