Air Transport

Longtime Boeing general counsel Michael Luttig–and since May the board’s legal strategist on 737 MAX issues–will retire at end of 2019.

HNA Group has again relinquished some of its shareholding in an airline set up to serve local economic development, this time Air Guilin.

Hunan’s government has invested in privately owned Chinese carrier Air Travel, prompting the company to shift its HQ to the province.

COMAC flew the sixth and last C919 prototype on Dec. 27, achieving an unpublished target that had begun to look doubtful.

LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT handled 6.7m pax in November, down 3% vs Nov 2018; cargo fell 6.5%.

BEK AIR lost Fokker 100 (11496) when it crashed duing takeoff from Almaty, Kazakhstan.

A Bek Air Fokker 100 crashed immediately after takeoff from Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Dec. 27, with authorities reporting that 12 people died and more than 40 were injured.

EXECUTIVE JET SUPPORT, UK acquired ex-Brussels Airlines A330-300 (095) for part out.

AIRBALTIC sold new A220-300 (55071) to Chorus Aviation for leaseback, and now has 22 A220s with four more due in 2020.

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS placed its first of four A350-900s into operation.

BAMBOO took delivery of its first 787-9 and plans to have four by January 2020.

SWISS took delivery of its 12th and final 777-300ER (66092).

AZMAN AIR, Nigeria acquired 737-500 (29075) from airBaltic, and now has five 737CLs.

China Southern Airlines will maintain deep cooperation with Skyteam members after leaving the alliance at year’s end.

Spirit Airlines has firmed up an order for 100 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft with options to purchase 50 more, as the South Florida-based budget carrier looks to double its all-A320 fleet to 300 aircraft over the next decade.

Emirates Airline president Tim Clark announced his plan to retire in an internal communication to staff Dec. 24 after more than 15 years in his position.

Holiday Note

In observance of the year-end holidays, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report will not publish again until the issue dated Jan. 3. In the interim

Weekly profile of a major airport’s operations, carriers and destinations

Joby backs 2023 for Uber; Skyryse autonomous R44; Embraer studies hybrid; Rolls unveils ACCEL; Hyundai teases eVTOL; Deloitte UAM survey.

American Airlines is suing Delta Air Lines, alleging its top rival knowingly infringed on the carrier’s copyrighted “Flagship” brand for premium products and services.

Delta Air Lines plans to turn its focus back to domestic core hubs in 2020 after spending the last few years on building up its coastal hubs.

HELVETIC AIRWAYS took delivery of its second (026) of 12 E190-E2s on order.

AIRBALTIC sold second new A220-300 (55071) to Chorus Aviation, and leased it back; three more are planned.

Rob Kidner to Vice President-Corporate Development of Pacific Coastal Airlines, Canada.