Category: Top Stories

Despite interest in wide-body jets, Boeing posts negative 28 orders for February

Having failed for the first time in decades to post any orders for the month of January, while sales of wide-body jets improved, cancelations and conversions of orders for the stricken 737 MAX led to a disappointing month for the American planemaker. Having delivered 95 planes to customers in the first two months of 2019, this figure dropped to just 30 for the first two months this year. Boeing was not alone in feeling the backlash of the coronavirus outbreak with Airbus also witnessing requests from airlines to postpone deliveries and cash down payments for ordered jets. Airbus recorded no Read more

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BOC Aviation signs lease agreement for 22 Boeing Dreamliners with American Airlines

American Airlines will add 22 Dreamliners to its fleet ©AirTeamImages

BOC Aviation Limited (BOC Aviation) has announced an agreement with American Airlines (American) to lease 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with delivery to take place between 2020 and 2021. The aircraft will be powered by General Electric Genx engines. Robert Martin, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, BOC Aviation, said: “We are excited to welcome American as a new customer to BOC Aviation, and to celebrate a new milestone, as this transaction becomes the largest lease commitment in our history. We look forward to working closely with American and to playing a long-term role as a key partner. This incremental investment Read more

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Trial for MH17 plane crash opens in Schiphol, Holland

The trial relating to the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014 has begun. The plane, a Boeing 777, was brought down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile, killing all 193 passengers and crew on board, the majority Dutch nationals, but also passengers from Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia and Britain. The plane was brought down while flying over an area of Eastern Ukraine which, at the time, was held by pro-Russian rebels and it is alleged the Buk missile originated from the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Russian Federation. It is Read more

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U.S. House investigation find fault with both FAA and Boeing for 737 MAX crashes

Boeing 737 MAX storage ©AirTeamImages

An investigative report produced by the U.S. House Transportation Committee into the fatal Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes involving the Boeing 737 MAX has found fault both with the way the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the plane’s design, and design failures on the Boeing side. The preliminary investigation classed the FAA’s certification of the aircraft “grossly insufficient” and that the agency had failed in its duty to identify critical safety problems. The 13-page report made it clear that: “The combination of these problems doomed the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines flights,” while also stating that: Boeing’s 737 MAX Read more

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U.K.’s Flybe goes into liquidation six months after Thomas Cook collapses

©AirTeamImages

Only six months after the collapse of Thomas Cook which left over 150,000 passengers stranded across the globe, the U.K.s Flybe has now gone into liquidation, despite promises six weeks ago from the government to bail out the ailing domestic carrier. Flybe, which employed over 2,000 staff, announced that all further flights had been grounded as of today (Wednesday March 5). Flybe had been operating at an annual loss of £20 million (US$26 million) per annum when the domestic carrier, which was responsible for approximately 40% of all domestic U.K. flights, was taken over by Connect Airways, a consortium comprising Read more

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flydubai back in profit with help from Boeing compensation

flydubia ©AirTeamImages

Having operated at a loss of US$43.5 million in 2018, the United Arab Emirates’ carrier flydubai has posted a profit of 198.2 million dirhams (US$54 million) for 2019, the reversal in fortune partially helped by a compensation agreement with Boeing over the grounding of the 737 MAX jet in which an interim settlement has been agreed and talks are ongoing over the continued grounding. Chief Executive Ghaith al-Ghaith said in a statement on Wednesday that: “This agreement has contributed towards this year’s results, but in no way can it compensate for the loss of business opportunity or market share experienced Read more

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General Electric mourns death of former CEO “Neutron Jack” Welch

General Electric Co (GE) has announced that its former CEO, Jack Welch, has died at the age of 84. Welch was single handedly responsible for the transformation of a company best known for its production of light bulbs into the USA’s most valuable public company. In the 20-year period with Welch at the helm, GE went from a conglomerate with a market value of US$12 billion into a corporate giant with a US$410 billion value. “Today is a sad day for the entire GE family,” said H. Lawrence Culp Jr., GE’s chairman and CEO, in a statement. “Jack was larger Read more

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Rolls-Royce upbeat on recent advances despite COVID-19 outbreak

Rolls-Royce rounded off 2019 on a positive note having overcome most of the problems which had particularly beset its Trent 1000 TEN engine variant which powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with durability issues. With the roll-out of fixes progressing and increased confidence in a new engine blade due for production next year, the number of grounded jets requiring inspection or repairs to engines should drop to single digits by the end of the second quarter this year, which, according to Warren East, Rolls-Royce CEO, is in line with forecasts. Rolls-Royce reported a £852 million operating loss for 2019, predominantly owing Read more

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Court ruling sees plans for London Heathrow’s third runway once again put on hold

©Heathrow Airport

The Court of Appeal has overruled the U.K. governments go-ahead for a third runway at London Heathrow Airport on the basis that it was unlawful. The principal bone of contention relates to environmental factors. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the government would take time to decide its next move. “The court’s judgement is complex and requires careful consideration. We will set out our next steps in due course,” he said. “The government has taken the decision not to appeal this judgement. The promoters of the scheme will be able to seek permission from the Supreme Court to appeal if they Read more

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Air New Zealand considering use of “Skynest” sleeping pods for economy class passengers

©Air New Zealand Economy Skynest prototype

Air New Zealand has announced it is investigating the potential use of “Skynest” sleeping pods for economy-class travelers on some of its longest routes. The carrier has applied for a patent for what it is calling “Economy Skynest” which will contain six full-length sleep pods at 200cm long and 58cm wide each. There will be three levels of beds and two beds on each level. Each bed will include a pillow, sheets, blankets and possibly a USB charging point and reading light. Flights being considered suitable for the Skynest include the Auckland to New York service which will begin next Read more

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