All articles by Alfred Chua – Page 115
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NewsJiangxi Air takes delivery of first ARJ21
Jiangxi Air has become the latest operator of Comac’s regional jet, the ARJ21. The carrier — a Xiamen Airlines joint venture — took delivery of the first aircraft, registered B-605V, on 19 January. Source: Comac Jiangxi Air took delivery of its first Comac ARJ21. It was delivered ...
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NewsLong-haul routes a bright spot in Cathay December traffic
Cathay Pacific ended a “challenging” 2019 on a mixed note, with fewer passengers carried, but slight improvement in load factor, especially on long-haul routes. For the month of December Cathay, together with subsidiary Cathay Dragon, carried 2,994,830 passengers, representing a 3.6% decrease compared to the same month a year ...
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NewsIndia implements compulsory drone registration
Drone owners and operators in India will need to register with the authorities by the end of January. The country’s Ministry of Civil Aviation says the registration is a “one-time opportunity for voluntary disclosure”, which will help the authorities in identification of civil drones and their operators. As part of ...
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NewsChina Eastern looks to grow Shenzhen presence
China Eastern Airlines and the Shenzhen Airport Group have inked a cooperation agreement that will see the carrier boost its presence from the Chinese airport. Under the agreement, signed on 9 January, both parties will cooperate in network expansion, aviation logistics industrial development, as well as joint marketing efforts. The ...
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NewsGAMECO completes first 777 landing gear overhaul
Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (GAMECO) has completed its first Boeing 777 landing gear overhaul. It comes on the back of a 2019 approval by both the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to conduct Boeing 777 landing gear overhaul work. The first landing gear ...
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NewsJuneyao board approves setting up overseas branches
Juneyao Airlines looks set to set up international branches in five countries, after its board voted unanimously to approve the move. In a stock exchange disclosure detailing resolutions of a recent board meeting, the carrier states that it was looking to set up branches in Iceland, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, ...
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NewsEHang conducts first US autonomous trial flight
Chinese autonomous unmanned air vehicle (UAV) giant EHang conducted its first trial flight in the United States, as it works towards getting certification for passenger flights in the country. EHang’s two-seater passenger-grade aircraft, the EHang 216, took to the skies for the flight during the North Carolina Transportation Summit. It ...
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NewsANA to take final ‘Flying Honu’ A380, boost Hawaii capacity
All Nippon Airways (ANA) will take delivery of its last of three Airbus A380s, which have been specially dedicated on its Tokyo-Honolulu routes. With the third “Flying Honu” jet, the carrier states it will operate twice-daily A380 flights between Tokyo Narita and Honolulu from 1 July. Source: All ...
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NewsUkraine International 737 crashes in Iran
A Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 has reportedly crashed after taking off from Tehran. The aircraft, operating flight PS752 bound for Kiev, was carrying 180 passengers and crew, according to local media reports. While details surrounding the crash are unclear, some reports have pointed to “technical problems” as ...
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NewsVietnam Airlines given green light for Delta partnership
The United States’ Department of Transport (DoT) has allowed Vietnam Airlines and Delta Air Lines to widen their codeshare cooperation. The approval comes after both carriers first inked an agreement last August with the intent of upgrading their relationship. The cooperation, expected to take effect this month, will see both ...
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NewsP&W names new commercial engines head
Pratt & Whitney has appointed Carroll Lane as the president of its commercial engines business. He succeeds Christopher Calio, who had been at the helm of the unit since January 2017. Calio was in June promoted to president of the company, succeeding outgoing P&W head Robert Leduc. ...
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NewsChinese carriers boost Tokyo Narita capacity
China’s three largest airlines will be increasing their presence at Tokyo Narita airport, with new route launches and increased frequencies. China Eastern Airlines will launch Kunming-Tokyo Narita flights on 18 February. The Skyteam carrier will operate the route four times weekly with its Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 787-9. It has ...
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Airline BusinessQantas takes a long shot with Project Sunrise
On 14 November, Qantas made the second of three research flights – under the ambit of its ambitious Project Sunrise – by flying a brand-new Boeing 787-9 from London to Sydney direct, carrying only 50 passengers and crew
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In depthSpaceJet programme’s star rises
This was to have been the year for Mitsubishi Aircraft’s SpaceJet programme, formerly known as the MRJ.
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NewsAirAsia X crew did not follow procedure in engine failure
Faced with a right engine failure, the flight crew of an AirAsia X Airbus A330-300 not only failed to follow the proper response procedures, they also chose to divert the stricken aircraft to an airport further away. In releasing its final report into the 2016 incident, the Australian Transport Safety ...
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NewsJAL, Malaysia Airlines clear regulatory hurdle for joint venture
Oneworld alliance members Japan Airlines and Malaysia Airlines are on track to launch a joint venture, after both carriers received regulatory approval. The Malaysian Aviation Commission has granted individual exemption, while Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism granted antitrust immunity. With the regulatory hurdle cleared, both carriers will ...
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NewsHokkaido Air System receives first ATR 42
Japanese regional carrier Hokkaido Air System (HAC) has taken delivery of its first of two ATR 42-600s. HAC ordered the ATRs at the Farnborough air show in 2018. It also holds an option for a third turboprop. Source: ATR Japanese regional carrier Hokkaido Air System has taken ...
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NewsSriLankan, Qatar expand codeshare agreement
SriLankan Airlines will add 18 new points to its codeshare agreement with fellow Oneworld alliance member Qatar Airways, building on the partnership that first began in 2016. SriLankan will be adding its code on Qatar’s flights out of Doha to European cities such as Helsinki, Budapest, Munich, Lisbon and Edinburgh. ...
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News'Incredibly challenging' year slams Cathay traffic
Cathay Pacific and sister carrier Cathay Dragon continued to witness sliding passenger traffic figures, with inbound traffic for November falling a whopping 46% year-on-year. This was a further slowdown compared to figures for October, which saw a 35% drop year-on-year. The carrier continues to see decreases in passenger numbers in ...
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Airline BusinessHong Kong Airlines’ woes offer hard lessons
Embattled Hong Kong Airlines may have been spared sanction, but the airline is still a far cry from the confident carrier of years’ past. What went wrong along the way, and what lessons hold for the Hong Kong airline market?