Airlines & Lessors

Chinese startup Qingdao Airlines has taken delivery of its first sharklet-equipped Airbus A320, on lease from Hong Kong-based China Aircraft Leasing Co.

Russia’s S7 Airlines has taken delivery of its first sharklet-equipped Airbus A320.

Moscow-based VIM Avia has taken delivery of its first leased Airbus A319.

Piedmont Airlines’ flight attendants at Piedmont Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, have ratified a new five-year collective bargaining agreement that was reached on March 6.

Alaska Airlines’ clerical, office and passenger service employees have ratified a new five-year contract.

Ranked by % of flight arrivals ontime at all responded airports. Source: US DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division Air Travel Consumer Report

Search teams for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 on Tuesday “reacquired the signals” detected last weekend on two more occasions, Australian air chief marshal Angus Houston, head of the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC), has confirmed.

Russia’s State Duma has passed air code amendments allowing carriers to hire non-Russian pilots and sell nonrefundable tickets.

United Airlines’ first Boeing 787-9 rolled out of final assembly Tuesday evening at Boeing’s final assembly facility (FAL) in Everett, Wash.

Airberlin’s membership in oneworld does not ensure the carrier will be profitable, but the alliance acts as a positive force by helping the German carrier generate additional revenue, according to oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby.

Newly constituted Air Serbia—formerly called JAT Airways—has reported its network has grown rapidly in the five months since its relaunch.

Air Canada has reached an agreement with aircraft communications service provider Gogo to equip all of its North American fleet with inflight Wi-Fi connectivity.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Source: US Dept. of Transportation

UK low-cost carrier easyJet has signed seven- and 10-year deals with London’s Gatwick and Luton airports, respectively, enabling the airline to commit to growth at those locations.

Indonesia’s Lion Air parent company Lion Group has confirmed it is in talks to build an airport to serve Jakarta, where severe congestion is crippling commercial air transport growth.

Japan Airlines (JAL) will trial Gogo’s new dual-antennae product, 2Ku, which the supplier says will give airlines fast, reliable and affordable broadband worldwide.

Juneyao Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary (LCC) Jiuyuan Airlines has received its air operator’s certificate and is expected to make its maiden flight this year.

Singapore Airlines has become the first international airline to operate Airbus A380 services into India since the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) agreed to lift restrictions on the aircraft in January.

Embraer ERJ operator bmi regional is considering adding 70- to 90-seat aircraft, although this rests on it securing work for the larger aircraft.

Lufthansa and subsidiary Austrian Airlines have stopped flights to Libya indefinitely due to security concerns after a bomb exploded in March at Tripoli International Airport, damaging the main runway.

Japan’s Skymark Airlines’ first Airbus A380 has performed its maiden flight, following completion of the airframe assembly and system tests in Toulouse.

Worldwide passenger traffic grew 5.4% year-over-year in February, down 2.8 points from January’s 8.2% growth, according to IATA’s Air Passenger Market Analysis.

Aircraft deliveries year-to-date, sorted by delivery date. Note: AIRBUS orders are in CAPS for differentiation purposes. Sources: Airbus, Boeing, ATW research.

Gross Orders year-to-date, sorted by date of order placement with manufacturer. Sources: Airbus, Boeing, ATW Research