Aviation Daily

Vietnam’s Van Don Airport began operations with its first commercial flight Dec. 30, 2018, becoming the country’s first privately-operated airport.

From shifting global airline alliances to a still-evolving LCC sector and the impact of Brexit, here are nine things to keep an eye on in the airline world through 2019.

The world’s airlines are expected to post a collective net profit of $32.3 billion in 2018, followed by a $35.5 billion net profit in 2019, which will mark the industry’s 10th consecutive profitable year. But maintaining that positive trend will be no breeze.

Anthony Broderick, a former top safety official at the FAA and aviation safety consultant, died Dec. 30 in Bealeton, Virginia, following a long illness.

Lawyers for the family of the co-pilot killed in the crash of the Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 have filed a lawsuit against Boeing alleging the aircraft was “unreasonably dangerous."

Lufthansa wants Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport and German police to address system woes that caused 3,000 passengers to miss their flights before Christmas.

U.S.-based Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and its co-shareholders have passed control of London Gatwick Airport to French company Vinci Airports.

Nearly 18,000 FAA employees have been furloughed as part of the partial U.S. federal government shutdown.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) will begin its Airbus A380 flights to Honolulu May 24 with a 3X weekly service, taking it to a daily service from July 1.

Hainan Airlines proposes to begin flying to Paris in January from Guiyang, an only moderately developed city in China’s southwest.

Icelandic ultra-LCC WOW Air is to sell some of its aircraft to Air Canada.

Long-haul LCC Norwegian has rebutted suggestions from a Scandinavian bank analyst that the carrier faces financial problems at the turn of the year because of the size of its debts.

A second prototype of the Indonesian Aerospace N219 light twin turboprop civil aircraft flew for the first time on Dec. 21. The aircraft flew for 20 minutes under the controls of Indonesian Aerospace chief test pilot, Capt. Esther Gayatri Saleh.

In observance of the year-end holidays, Aviation Daily will not publish again until the issue dated Jan. 3.

U.S. and European regulators have approved the CFM International-powered Airbus A319neo, clearing the way for initial delivery of the aircraft type in a corporate configuration in early 2019.

Weakness in FedEx Corp.’s airline segment in the last quarter caused management to reduce its long-term target for the unit and lower the company’s earnings guidance for FY2019, despite strong growth in the FedEx Ground and Freight businesses.

Nigeria-based startup Green Africa Airways has committed to purchasing up to 100 737-8 aircraft— 50 firm orders and 50 options—Boeing said Dec. 21.

EasyJet has converted 580 of its 1,400 UK pilot licenses to Austrian permits as the UK-based LCC continues to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.

Chilean ultra-LCC JetSMART has initiated flights to Argentina after obtaining an operating certificate from that country, the airline said Dec. 21.

London’s Gatwick Airport shut down flight operations again Dec. 21 after yet another drone sighting, then reopened 1 1/2 hr. later.

Air Tanzania has become the first African carrier to take delivery of an Airbus A220, Airbus said Dec. 21.

Romanian flag carrier Tarom has reported third-quarter traffic and revenue growth of more than 20% as it continues a strategy of fleet and route expansion.

Amazon Air, forging tighter ties with the Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), will lease 10 more Boeing 767-300 freighters from the company.

Saudi Arabian LCC Flyadeal has signed a commitment with Boeing to order 30 737-8s, plus 20 options.

Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam has received full type certification from EASA for its P2012 Traveller next-generation aircraft, the company said Dec. 20.