During a Dec. 3 discussion with analysts at the Credit Suisse Industrials Conference, Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza called Delta Air Lines’ Basic Economy fare an example of “good creative management,” saying Delta’s strategy makes it “hard for us to grow in their markets.”
Etihad Airways upgauged one of its New York-Abu Dhabi flights to an Airbus A380, adding about 5% more capacity to the market as the carrier seeks to capture more high-value leisure and business travel, CEO James Hogan said in an interview.
A drop in global freight ton-kilometers (FTKs) from September to October underscores the air-cargo sector’s continued doldrums, particularly in markets affected most by passenger belly-freight capacity expansion.
Yangtze River Airlines will begin flying passenger services on Dec. 14, commencing HNA Group’s attempt at wresting more domestic traffic from the Shanghai market.
General Electric has begun testing the high-pressure (HP) core of its GE9X engine in development for the Boeing 777X, paving the way for the first full-engine tests planned in the first half of 2016.
More than 40 years after proposals were made to use the Boeing 747 for air-launching everything from cruise missiles to intercontinental ballistic rockets, the aircraft has been selected by Virgin Galactic as a unique carrier aircraft for its LauncherOne satellite launch vehicle.
Alaska Airlines will retrofit its aircraft to include a premium-class section in addition to its economy- and first-class seats, the airline announced on Dec. 3 at its annual investor day in New York.
Australian investigators believe both of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370’s engines flamed out, suggesting the Boeing 777-200 was not intentionally ditched. Also, new analysis has narrowed the search area for MH370, giving officials renewed hope of finding the aircraft.
The U.S government has approved the liberalized air services agreement with Mexico, and is now waiting for the Mexican Senate to ratify it so that it can go into effect, a top U.S. Transportation Department official said.
Pilots at CommutAir have overwhelmingly endorsed a new contract, their union said this week, paving the way for the small regional carrier to begin flying 40 Embraer ERJ 145 jets next year for United Express.
Cargolux Airlines International has committed to hiring 120 employees and adding one more Boeing 747 freighter to its Luxembourg-based fleet in order to avert a strike, and to pave the way for a new collective work agreement.
WestJet Airlines is looking to feed its U.S.-Canada flights through new codeshare relationships with Emirates Airline and TAM Linhas Aéreas, two recent filings with the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) show.
Russian airlines are banned from making charter flights to Turkey, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Nov. 28, also citing other anti-Turkey measures. These sanctions were imposed after a Turkish air force F-16 downed a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M bomber near the Syria-Turkey border. The charter ban can seriously affect Russian carriers, as Turkey has been the most-popular foreign-leisure destination for Russian citizens. The ban can also affect business-aviation flights between the countries. Sanctions also include a ban on selling travel packages to Turkey.
United Airlines has taken an aggressive stance toward Virgin America’s entry into the San Francisco-Denver market, adding five additional flights on weekdays beginning in March.
