Air Transport

Southwest Airlines has asked a federal court to intervene in its battle with mechanics by forcing them to stop writing up minor maintenance issues as part of what the airline claims is an illegal job action designed to wreak havoc on the airline’s operations.

Avation PLC, a commercial passenger aircraft leasing company, and ATR have confirmed Avation has entered into an options exercise to acquire a further eight new ATR 72-600 aircraft for scheduled deliveries between 2020 and 2022.

EU urges ICAO to agree at its assembly in September on a “long-term goal” to address the aviation industry’s rising CO2 emissions.

As NASA gears up for first U.S. human spaceflights since 2011, a training tool from the ‘60s is back in vogue.

At last, a U.S spaceship for orbital human flight is ready for a test run to ISS.

A new study from Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) documented $128 billion in unmet infrastructure needs and a debt burden totaling $91.6 billion from past projects at U.S. and Canadian airports, reflecting what ACI-NA described in a statement as the “terminally challenged” state of North American airport infrastructure.

A Harris Corp. subsidiary has completed renovations of a new facility in New Delhi, India, that will serve as the network operations center of that country’s aviation telecommunications network, called the Futuristic Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI).

LCC Ryanair will launch two new routes from Ireland and two from the UK as part of its winter schedule, starting in October.

Russia’s Irkut Corporation will manufacture an additional prototype of its new MC-21 narrowbody airliner to test Perm PD-14 turbofans.

Japan’s first long-haul LCC is on the verge of unveiling its brand name and inflight products, which may happen within “weeks.”

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has reported a SEK576 million ($64 million) net loss for November 2018-January 2019, its fiscal 2019 first quarter, widened from a SEK291 million loss it posted in the year-ago period.

Rolls-Royce is hopeful that the number of Boeing 787s grounded by Trent 1000 engine problems could drop to single figures by the end of the year.

Air New Zealand is tweaking its business plan in response to cooling demand and falling profits, and more changes could follow after the carrier completes a review of its operation.

Airservices Australia has changed aircraft-separation protocol to reduce wake-turbulence risk at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) following an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) analysis, but ATSB says the air-traffic services provider’s moves do not go far enough.

International Airlines Group (IAG) placed an order Feb. 28 for up to 42 Boeing 777-9s for its British Airways subsidiary. If all options are exercised, the deal is valued at $18.6 billion, at list prices.

Impressive improvements in aircraft fuel burn and carbon emissions are being offset by the industry’s rapid growth.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on industry and governments to work together more closely to keep aviation secure in the face of evolving security threats and the forecast doubling of passenger demand to reach 8.2 billion by 2037.

Engineers have adopted a simple approach to the CityAirbus electric propulsion architecture.

The CAAC is putting development of Beijing Daxing International ahead of protecting Air China in its home town.

In a shock move, Rolls-Royce is pulling out of the contest to power Boeing’s proposed New Midsized Airplane, citing challenges presented by the aircraft’s tight development schedule.

Southwest Airlines has received FAA approvals needed to conduct Hawaii services and plans to announce specific routes, fares and a launch date “in the coming days,” the airline said Feb. 27, setting the stage for a major battle in the popular market.

CFM International LEAP-1A engine deliveries for Airbus A320neos are now on time after being delayed, but production of LEAP-1Bs for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has fallen further behind.

North Carolina-based Eastern Air Lines, LLC is seeking permission from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate roundtrip services from New York to Jinan, China, with a technical stop in Anchorage, Alaska. Eastern submitted its request to DOT Feb. 26.

Dutch Caribbean carrier InselAir ceased operations Feb. 16, but announced its closure via social media Feb. 25.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on Feb. 27 issued an interim final rule that prohibits passenger airlines from carrying rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells or batteries as cargo, noting their potential of causing uncontrollable fire in cargo holds.