For the last four decades, the primary driver of commercial jet aircraft development has been the price of fuel. Ever more fuel-efficient and costly jet engines have been developed to power airframes, which have been primarily designed to accommodate these engines. The price of these technologically advanced aircraft has naturally risen and resulted in very large capital investment by the airlines or by leasing companies. The First Shoe
For a complete list of Aviation Week’s upcoming events, and to register, visit www.awin.aviationweek.com/events Oct. 13-15—MRO Europe, ExCel London Exhibition and Convention Center, London, U.K. Nov. 4-6—MRO Asia, SingEx Exhibition and Convention Center, Singapore. Feb. 3-4, 2016—MRO Middle East, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE.
International Airlines Group (IAG) has cleared one of the last major hurdles ahead of its planned takeover of Aer Lingus after Ryanair said it will accept the group’s offer to sell its stake in the fellow Irish airline.
The airline will start flying four daily Gatwick-Boston round-trips in May 2016. Norwegian started long-haul low-cost flights from Gatwick in 2014, with services to Los Angeles, New York and Fort Lauderdale.
It is the domestic market that apparently concerns American most, and the airline reported it will now increase U.S. capacity this year by only 1-2%, a percentage point lower than the previous range.
But HNA is not likely to pay as much as the values mentioned by Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, which first reported the Chinese conglomerate’s interest in the carrier, the source says.
This week the small flag carrier of Bosnia and Herzegovina was declared bankrupt by its sole shareholder, the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as no solution was found to address its debt.
But the strategic investment will help Air Works—which provides maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services in 10 countries—to increase its footprint in Europe, Asia and the U.S. and target business from global aircraft-leasing firms.
Singapore’s Changi International Airport is making good progress in finding tenant airlines for its new Terminal 4 development, although some of Singapore’s major low-cost carriers have decided not to move to the new facility.
China Eastern Airlines, denied permission to set up a budget carrier in Hong Kong, will order 50 Boeing 737-800s for branch and subsidiary companies including China United Airlines, its Beijing-based low-cost unit.
In a major security breach, an aircraft of India’s budget airline GoAir struck an aero-bridge at the airport in the southern city of Chennai, causing heavy damage to the aircraft, authorities say.
Airbus is dismissing claims by Boeing that the A320neo’s order lead over the 737 MAX is only temporary. Airbus has taken firm orders for 3,825 NEOs, compared with 2,836 that Boeing has won for the MAX. Boeing says the disparity is due to the NEO’s earlier launch. “Boeing is right,” retorts Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier. “The lead of the A320neo over the 737 MAX is temporary—until around 2030.”
Following several months of negotiations, which began the end of last year, KLM and the Dutch airline pilots association VNV reached an accord on a new collective agreement covering the period from January 2015-December 2017.
Flight attendants will receive more money—3% pay increases in 2015, 2017 and 2019, along with 3% annual bonuses in 2016 and 2018—but the company will get more flexibility regarding work rules, Southwest spokesman Bob Hughes said.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) ruled that the proposed capacity increase provides sufficient public benefit for it to grant interim authority.
The acknowledgment is one of 19 flight-operations findings and conclusions agreed to by 251 pilots, regulators, aircraft operators and manufacturers who took part in a two-day Automation and Safety Forum in Brussels last month.
Under a “memorandum of collaboration,” VietJet and Boeing stated their “intention to collaborate and expand the airline’s future fleet with Boeing airplanes.”
The 12-year deal—a Flight Hour Service (FHS) Component agreement signed as part of the delivery ceremonies for the airline’s first A350 held June 30 in Hanoi, Vietnam—will provide guaranteed access to line-replaceable units and pool access to spare parts.
Slattery’s remarks came during Avolon’s first investor day, held recently in New York. He cited several instances of airlines acting as disruptors of established markets, and each of them are classic or ultra-LCCs.
