All articles by Alfred Chua – Page 98
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NewsSIA coy on accelerated retirements amid pandemic hit
Singapore Airlines will fully phase out the older aircraft types in its fleet - such as the Boeing 777-200ER and Airbus A330-300 - within a year, but declines to say whether the retirement of the widebodies has been accelrated by the coronavirus outbreak.
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AnalysisDelays, budget cuts, and then some: SpaceJet confronts new realities
Nearly a year after a high-profile rebranding, Mitsubishi’s SpaceJet programme faces an existential crisis of sorts. It has suffered a major budget cut, and development of a 76-seat variant has been put on the backburner. What does this mean for Japan’s flagship regional aircraft programme?
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NewsChina lifts restrictions on all-cargo operations in Beijing
China’s civil aviation regulator will now allow carriers to operate all-cargo flights at Beijing’s two airports, lifting restrictions that only allowed them to pick one of the two. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) states that effective immediately, carriers can operate such flights at both Beijing Capital and Beijing ...
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NewsMitsubishi to halve SpaceJet budget, review M100 development
Mitsubishi Aircraft’s parent company will review the development of a 76-seater variant of its regional jet programme nearly a year after its launch, as full-year losses related to the programme widened. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) will also halve the budget allocated for the SpaceJet regional aircraft programme to Y60 ...
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NewsPost-pandemic MRO recovery ‘unclear’: SIAEC
Singapore Airlines’ MRO unit has warned that the pace of recovery from the coronavirus outbreak is “unclear” and will be slow, with base, engine and component maintenance likely to be impacted in the coming months.
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NewsMan killed in Austin runway incident involving Southwest 737
A man has died in an incident involving a Southwest Airlines aircraft landing at Austin-Bergstrom international airport. The incident occurred around 20:12 local time when the Boeing 737, operating flight 1392, landed at Runway 17R, says the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). AUS is aware of an ...
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NewsSIA Group flags ‘material’ final-quarter loss; renegotiates deliveries
The Singapore Airlines Group expects a “material” quarterly operating loss from the “severe impact” of the coronavirus outbreak, as it seeks to readjust aircraft deliveries and defer payments to its suppliers. However, it will still be in the black for the full financial year ended 31 March, thanks to “the ...
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AnalysisThe lessors exposed to Hainan Airlines’ financial woes
In April HSBC contended that the Chinese airline market was ripe for another round of consolidation, nearly 20 years after it saw a massive shake-up.
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NewsHainan optimistic of rebound amid steep Q1 loss
Hainan Airlines swung back into the red for its first-quarter results for 2020, joining other Chinese carriers who reported losses amid the coronavirus outbreak. However, the carrier, China’s fourth largest, is optimistic its financial results will improve in the second quarter, as it “adjusts its business strategy” and cuts ...
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AnalysisIs Embraer-China tie-up an inevitable marriage or case of strange bedfellows?
The Brazilian government was quick to suggest Embraer cosy up to China, after a proposed partnership with Boeing fell through. Would such a relationship work, and what is at stake?
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NewsAirAsia to take no new aircraft this year
The AirAsia Group is “relooking” its orders for Airbus aircraft, as it gears up for return to service across its various networks. The airline group also confirmed that it will not be taking delivery of any new aircraft for the rest of the year, and targets a fleet size ...
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NewsChinese carriers flag worsening financial impact amid Q1 losses
China’s three largest carriers have warned of deeper financial impact from the coronavirus outbreak, as they each swung to significant first-quarter losses. Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines all warned of “adverse” and “severe” impact on their first-half financial results, pointing towards “uncertainty” in the development of ...
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NewsGA Telesis gets CAAC certification for CRJ900 landing gear MRO
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has certificated GA Telesis for landing gear MRO services at the latter’s Miami facility. This paves the way for the company to repair and overhaul Bombardier CRJ900 landing gears belonging to China Express Airlines. GA Telesis and China Express signed a ...
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NewsChinese carriers shift more operations to Beijing Daxing
The third wave of operational transfers to Beijing’s Daxing international airport has taken place, with China Eastern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines shifting to the Chinese capital’s newest airport. China Eastern states that from 26 April to 2 May, it will gradually move 57 daily flights from Beijing Capital to ...
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NewsComac makes first jet delivery after resuming production
Comac has delivered its 24th ARJ21 regional aircraft, the first aircraft to be delivered since the Chinese airframer resumed work following the coronavirus outbreak. The aircraft, registered B-604F, was delivered to Chengdu Airlines. Comac states that the aircraft is managed by lessor ICBC Financial Leasing. The aircraft is ...
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AnalysisAmid pandemic hit, whither Asia-Pacific’s mega airport projects?
Asia-Pacific is home to a number of mega airport projects, from Changi’s fifth terminal, to Hong Kong’s three-runway system. As the coronavirus outbreak continues to wreak havoc on the industry, is it time to give the mega airport concept a rethink?
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NewsAirbus withdraws from MRO JV with Thai Airways: report
Airbus has reportedly backed out of a joint venture with Thai Airways to build a new MRO campus at Thailand’s U-Tapao airport. A report from local newspaper The Nation cites Thai Airways Technical executive vice president Cherdphan Chotikhun as saying that the European airframer had withdrawn from the cooperation as ...
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NewsIATA warns of more airline failures in Asia-Pacific
More carriers in the Asia-Pacific region could fall as a result of the coronavirus crisis, if governments fail to step in with relief measures. Highlighting the “worsening” impact of the pandemic on carriers in the region, airline body IATA also identified eight countries which are most at risk. These countries ...
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NewsAustralia unveils agricultural freight export network amid disrupted supply chains
Australia has rolled out a freight export service network, aimed at re-establishing global supply chains and accelerate exports of agricultural and fisheries exports to key overseas markets. The network comprises 15 airlines, freight service providers and freight forwarders, such as Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Emirates and FedEx. The Australian ...
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NewsChinese airline market faces consolidation: HSBC
Consolidation among Chinese carriers appears likely, given the “unprecedented challenges” that the global airline industry is facing. A HSBC Global Research report into the Chinese airline industry says it does not “rule out the possibility of further consolidation”, adding that the three largest Chinese carriers — Air China, China ...