Responding to allegations by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines that Air Italy’s U.S. service additions violate the U.S.-Qatar Open Skies agreement, the Italian carrier said, “we are puzzled (but slightly flattered) that the three very largest U.S. carriers ... claim to be threatened by us.”
The Russian chairperson of the Craic board expects the consortium to receive initial orders for its CR929 widebody airliner no earlier than 2023—a differing assessment compared to the late-2019 timing recently suggested by Comac, the Chinese partner in the program.
American Airlines has invested more than $25 billion in its fleet, operation and staff over the last five years and has completed the bulk of integrating U.S. Airways into its operation.
French airline Aigle Azur has launched a direct flight to Ukraine capital Kiev’s Boryspil airport from Paris Orly, as part of the carrier’s ongoing drive to expand its network.
Boeing has taken several major steps toward completing upgraded 737 MAX maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS) flight control law software in recent days, giving the company confidence that it is “making steady progress” in its bid to get the grounded MAX fleet operating again, its top executive said.
U.S. federal safety officials are investigating an American Airlines flight that tipped and struck an object at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) during takeoff Apr. 10, cutting the flight short and forcing the plane to return to the airport.
CFM International is monitoring its Leap engine fleet for signs of an issue believed to be tied to the March 26 contained engine failure on a Southwest Airlines 737 MAX 8 that was being ferried to storage.
Air Mauritius received the first of two Airbus A330-900s it has on order at Airbus’s Toulouse final assembly plant Apr. 18; the aircraft are provided under contract with U.S.-based Air Lease Corp. (ALC).
Hong Kong Airlines said it had to hire external security personnel and lawyers because of an unfolding spat between the airline’s shareholders, but insisted it was business as usual for the airline’s customers.
Officials from French aerospace industry lobbying group Gifas are predicting the ongoing safety crisis around the Boeing 737 MAX will cause certification costs to increase.
Later this year, the US and Japan plan to sign a formal aviation accord to expand access for US airlines flying to Tokyo Haneda airport, the closest airport to downtown Tokyo and a gateway for connection points throughout Japan.
United Airlines doubled its profit in the first quarter of 2019, reporting net income of $292 million, up from $145 million in the year-ago quarter, capping out the best first quarter for the Chicago-based carrier in three years.
Pilots of Spanish regional operator Air Nostrum, represented by the SEPLA union, have reached an agreement, ending strikes planned for Apr. 15-17 and Apr. 22-24.
A French court has ruled to annul the controversial 2015 privatization of Toulouse Airport, in the latest step in a long legal process that could eventually see the airport sale being canceled.
UK long-haul operator Virgin Atlantic is planning to use its acquisition of UK regional Flybe and closer ties with new shareholder Air France-KLM to become a more comprehensive competitor to UK incumbent British Airways (BA).
Continuing a long-running dispute over Airbus and Boeing subsidies involving their respective governmental bodies, the European Commission (EC) on Apr. 17 launched a public consultation on a preliminary list of U.S. products against which the European Union (EU) may impose countermeasure sanctions.
Finnair made two executive appointments Apr. 17, announcing Ole Orvér as its new CCO and Nicklas Ilebrand as SVP Strategy; both will start their new positions May 1.
FedEx chairman and CEO Fred Smith has joined with the CEOs of Atlas Air Worldwide and JetBlue to strongly rebuke an open letter to U.S. President Donald Trump from the CEOs of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines claiming that Qatar Airways’ stake in Air Italy breaches the U.S.-Qatar Open Skies agreement.
Etihad Aviation Group CFO Mark Powers has left the Abu Dhabi-based company for what the airline described as “personal reasons;” Powers took on the position in January 2018.
