All articles by Alfred Chua – Page 103
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NewsChina Eastern unit OTT Airlines seeks regulatory approval
OTT Airlines, the newly-launched subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, has applied to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for regulatory approval to commence operations. The CAAC discloses that OTT was established with registered capital of CNY1.5 billion ($219 million) and is solely funded by China Eastern. Source: ...
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Airline BusinessThailand tourism collapse poses existential crisis for airlines
The Thai airline industry has had a dramatic past few months amid the coronavirus outbreak, which has seen two carriers file for business rehabilitation, and a third going under. How did one of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing markets end up in this state, and is there a way out?
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NewsEU-China bilateral safety agreement comes into effect
A bilateral safety agreement between European and Chinese aviation regulators came into effect on 1 September, paving the way for simpler evaluation and certification processes for airframers of the two regions. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency says it held a joint meeting with its Chinese counterparts on 3 September, ...
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NewsVirgin Australia creditors give green light for Bain sale
Virgin Australia’s creditors have approved the sale of the carrier to US private equity group Bain Capital, with the full transfer of ownership expected to complete by end October. At the second creditors’ meeting on 4 September, the carrier’s creditors voted in favour of Bain’s proposal, which will see unsecured ...
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NewsTokyo evaluates AW609 to connect remote islands
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will evaluate the capabilities of the Leonardo Helicopters AW609 civil tiltrotor, as it mulls future air connections with the outlying island of Ogasawara. Located about 1,000km (540nm) away from Tokyo, Ogasawara island lacks direct air links with major Japanese cities. Source: Leonardo ...
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News‘Flying-V’ model embarks on first test flight — with Airbus support
A scaled model of the ‘Flying-V’ blended wing aircraft concept — first unveiled by Dutch researchers last year — has completed its first test flight in Germany. Airbus also emerged as the latest partner in the project, after Dutch flag carrier KLM threw its weight behind the project last year. ...
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NewsJAL in consortium to study drone deliveries in Tokyo
Japan Airlines has joined a consortium of four other Japanese companies in a feasibility study on drone deliveries in Metropolitan Tokyo. The two-year project will see the group study the feasibility of drone deliveries in the medical, food, as well as security sectors. Source: Japan Airlines Japan Airlines ...
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NewsGE changes LPT protective coating after 2018 Qantas A330 aerofoil failure
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has identified oxidation — and subsequent deterioration — of the protective coating around parts of a GE Aviation CF6 engine’s low‑pressure turbine as the cause of aerofoil failure, leading to an inflight engine shutdown. Releasing its final report into the June 2018 incident, ...
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NewsChina’s ‘Big Three’ carriers suffer first-half losses
At least one of China’s three largest state-owned carriers has explicitly warned that the coronavirus outbreak will continue to severely impact its profitability in the short term. In the release of its half-yearly results, China Southern Airlines says the “severe impact” of the pandemic has led it to predict ...
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Airline BusinessOnce the industry’s darlings, Asian LCCs struggle in pandemic’s wake
Asia-Pacific’s low-cost carriers were once the region’s success stories and seen as the next phase of growth. Amid the coronavirus outbreak though, many are now struggling. How will they overcome the crisis?
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NewsBoeing orders eight 787s to be withdrawn from service over structural issue
Boeing has ordered the removal from service of eight recently built 787s which have been identified as suffering from two “distinct manufacturing issues”. The airframer discloses that the two structural issues were found in the join of the aft body fuselage section of the jets, “which, in combination, result ...
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NewsVistara starts London flights under ‘transport bubble’ arrangement
Indian carrier Vistara has commenced thrice-weekly flights between Delhi and London Heathrow under a bilateral “transport bubble” arrangement, and is in discussions to operate to other European countries. London Heathrow, which it will operate from 28 August to 30 September, will be the carrier’s first long-haul destination in its ...
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NewsBoeing-SIAEC joint venture cuts 13% of workforce
Singapore-based Boeing Asia-Pacific Aviation Services (BAPAS), a services joint venture between Boeing and SIA Engineering, has laid off 13% of its workforce, as the coronavirus outbreak continues to affect the aviation sector. The move, which BAPAS says was “taken as a last resort”, will affect 27 of its 204 employees ...
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NewsSIAEC acquires remaining shares in Airbus joint venture
SIA Engineering has completed the acquisition of the Airbus’ shares in a Singapore-based MRO joint venture, Heavy Maintenance Singapore Services (HMSS). The deal, which closed on 27 August, sees SIAEC acquire the remaining 35% of HMSS shares owned by Airbus services unit Airbus Services Asia-Pacific, at a book value ...
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NewsAirAsia X posts record quarterly loss amid ongoing grounding
Beleaguered long-haul, low-cost carrier AirAsia X will remain grounded “in the near term”, as it trims its fleet and network amid a record operating loss. The carrier, which only operates international routes, is also looking to sell two Airbus A330 aircraft to raise cash, and negotiating the early return of ...
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NewsSingapore and Indonesia mull essential travel ‘green lane’
Singapore and Indonesia will begin discussions over a “green lane” for essential travel between the two countries.
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NewsAirAsia to focus on domestic recovery amid widened Q2 loss
AirAsia Group anticipates a return to profitability “in the years to come”, with demand — particularly for domestic travel — expected to increase in the second half of the year. At the release of its second-quarter financial results, group chief executive Tony Fernandes says AirAsia Group has reduced its costs ...
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NewsScoot converts A320 into temporary freighter
Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot has begun cargo charter operations using a freight-optimised Airbus A320ceo, tapping on demand as an alternative revenue source. The aircraft, registered 9V-TAZ, underwent a four-day modification programme earlier this month. That involved the removal of all 180 seats, as well as the installation of placards to ...
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NewsChinese carrier Q2 losses expected to narrow amid domestic recovery: HSBC
China’s three largest carriers — Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines — are expected to see losses narrow in the second quarter helped by strong domestic traffic recovery and a flat Chinese Yuan against the US dollar.
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NewsTransit passengers lift Cathay July traffic figures
Cathay Pacific, which recently reported a record first half operating loss, carried a significantly higher number of passengers for July, as transit passengers lifted passenger volume for the month. Together with its regional arm Cathay Dragon, the carrier carried nearly 43,000 passengers in July, a 58.5% month on month ...