The government of New Zealand is selling off a significant stake in Air New Zealand, although it will still retain majority ownership of the carrier. Currently, the government holds about 73% of Air New Zealand, and will divest 20%. The sale is expected to yield up to NZ$400 million ($334 million). The shares will be placed with retail brokers and institutional investors, with the requirement that they must be sold to New Zealanders. The government’s goal is to have the carrier at least 85% locally owned.
The new regional variant of the Airbus A350 is to be optimized for routes of up to 6,800 nm. and will feature de-rated engines and a lower maximum takeoff weight. The aircraft version has been selected by Etihad Airways as part of an order for 40 A350-900s, 24 of which will have the lower takeoff weight certification. “We are not building a new product,” Airbus Senior Vice President-Marketing, Chris Emerson said at the Dubai air show. However, he added that “we are getting into the short-haul market.”
Mubadala Development Company has signed cooperation agreements with both Boeing and Airbus at the Dubai air show. With Boeing, the company announced a new strategic agreement that will provide the opportunity to supply as much as $2.5 billion in advanced composites and machined metals for Boeing’s commercial aircraft programs, including the 787 and 777X, as a Tier 1 supplier.
Dubai Airports is working on an updated masterplan that is likely to accelerate the schedule for significant expansion of the new Dubai World Central airport. Emirates Airline Chairman Sheikh Ahmad bin Said Al Makhtoum on the opening day of the Dubai air show said that an announcement on the lastest plans is going to be made within the next month or two.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers: Abu Dhabi, November 15-21 2013, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Top Carriers: Abu Dhabi, November 15-21 2013, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Depart
Nov. 13-14—Aerospace & Defense Programs, Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix, Ariz. Jan. 21-22, 2014—MRO Latin America, Rio de Janerio, Brazil Feb. 4-6—MRO Middle East, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai, UAE Feb. 10—Air Transport World’s 40th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards, Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel, Singapore March 4-5—Defense Technology & Affordability Requirements, Washington, D.C. March 6—57th Annual Laureates Awards, National Building Museum, Washington, D.C.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is introducing a new operational safety audit geared toward small air carriers and less extensive than the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). The exercise—preliminarily called the Basic Safety Audit Program (BSAP)—is intended to provide a safety framework for small airlines that do not qualify for the more extensive IOSA process.
The lack of adequate aviation infrastructure in Latin America is one of the key challenges for the air transport industry in the region, International Air Transport Association CEO and Director General Tony Tyler says.
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Nicarnica Aviation’s aircraft-mounted ash cloud sensor passed its most comprehensive test to date, clearing the way for eager early adopter EasyJet to proceed with getting the system approved for installation.
Click here to view the pdf Mishandled Baggage Reports: September 2013 Total Baggage Enplaned Reports Per 1,000 Passengers Rank Airline Reports Passengers
Boeing has completed the bulk of a major re-organization of its Everett, Wash., 787 assembly lines, which together with ongoing modifications to the company’s production site in Charleston, S.C., have helped it achieve its targeted production rate of 10 787s per month earlier than scheduled. Although Boeing provisionally anticipated hitting the higher rate by year-end, the first aircraft to be produced at the 10/month rate is Line Number 152, an aircraft for Japan Airlines, which was loaded onto the surge line in Everett on Nov. 14.
Air France is seeking an increased subsidy from Wuhan in central China to continue the city’s direct connection to Paris, demand for which has been disappointing, although that city and other secondary Chinese destinations are gaining or planning more intercontinental services. The city of Wuhan is willing to consider a higher subsidy but wants more frequencies in return, says a government source. The subsidy is €30,000 ($40,000) a flight, adds the source.
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Aircraft lessor BOC Aviation is aiming at a steadily slowing growth rate after tripling in size since its acquisition by the Bank of China in 2006. The Singapore-based company’s assets have grown from about $3 billion then to $10 billion now. BOC was largely unaffected by the global financial crisis because a year before the 2008 credit crunch its new owner allocated it capital for growth. The bank, as a Chinese state financial institution, did not need to pull back on its plans while U.S. and European financial companies struggled.
Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet, in a surprising move, late last week announced plans to add a transatlantic route to its network. Pending government approvals, starting June 15, 2014, the carrier will launch seasonal Boeing 737-700 nonstop service between St. John’s International Airport in Newfoundland and Dublin Airport in Ireland. The service, which will originate and end in Toronto to connect with WestJet’s network, will be operated until Oct. 5, the airline says.
Airbus sees “huge growth potential” for more long-haul operations by Latin American airlines, the manufacturer’s Executive Vice President-Latin America and Caribbean Rafael Alonso said on the sidelines of the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association Leaders Forum in Cancun, Mexico. The company also expects that growth in air travel inside the region will be even faster. The six biggest airlines in the region only carry 19% of the long-haul traffic into and out of Latin America, Alonso pointed out.
Air Berlin plans to sell even more aircraft before the end of the year to bolster its balance sheet, after the airline was forced to scale back its targets for profit and debt reduction. The company owned only 25 of the 145 aircraft it was operating at the end of the third quarter, and CFO Ulf Huettmeyer says that number may be reduced to 10 or 15.
Boeing says the Nov. 13 decision by the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM) to reject a long-term contract extension deal gives it “no choice” but to look at alternate sites away from the Seattle area to assemble the 777X and its composite wing.
