All Networks news – Page 1128

  • News

    Boeing's big question

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Is now the right time for the Seattle manufacturer to go ahead with a larger, heavily modified 747 family? Guy Norris/SEATTLE Decision time is looming again in Seattle. The future of the 747 and, with it, Boeing's dominance of the high-capacity long-range market, rests on whether the company commits ...

  • News

    Qantas ultra-long-haul request sets up fresh Airbus-Boeing challenge

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Qantas Airways has issued a fresh request for proposals (RFP) reviving its long-standing requirement for a family of long-range, ultra-long-haul 300-seat aircraft to expand capacity and begin replacing Boeing 747SP/-200/-300s and 767-200ERs. The Australian carrier is using the RFP to determine whether the economics are ...

  • News

    SAS board approves A330/A340 purchase

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    The SAS board has finally approved the Scandinavian flag carrier's long-awaited purchase of four A330-300s and six A340-300s to replace Boeing 767-300ERs on long-haul routes. The airline's selection of the Airbus types over the rival 777-200ER was revealed by Flight International in January, although the order was delayed until internal ...

  • News

    Forecasts for 2000 - Airlines

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Global alliance-forming is nearing its endgame Chris Jasper/LONDON The dominant trend in the airline industry in 1999 was the continuing expansion of global alliances, taking place against a background of varying financial performance: the USA faring well, Asia beginning to recover from its slump, but Europe suffering a ...

  • News

    Atlanta becomes all-widebody and sets its sights on 767s

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Air Atlanta Icelandic is phasing out its narrowbodies and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar fleet and focusing on an all-widebody fleet of Boeing 747s and 767s. The Reykjavik, Iceland-based wet-lease specialist recently signed agreements to take five more 747s on lease, bringing its 747 fleet to 11 aircraft. ...

  • News

    Routes

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Virgin Atlantic has signed a codeshare agreement with Air India that will see the UK airline operating three frequencies a week between London Heathrow and New Delhi from next summer, using Boeing 747s. Virgin will take up Air India's unused frequency rights, and intends to double flights to six a ...

  • News

    JetBlue ready as first A320

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    New York-based low-fare startup JetBlue Airways has taken delivery of the first of at least 32 International Aero Engines V2500-powered Airbus A320s. The airline has received one of seven aircraft to be taken on operating lease - two from Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise and five from International Lease Finance - ...

  • News

    Crossair gears up for ATM-2000+

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Doyle/SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS Crossair aims to become the first regional airline to have aircraft compliant with Europe's future communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) operating environment when it begins taking delivery of a fleet of 15 Embraer ERJ-145s in February. The carrier says it decided ...

  • News

    US political pressure forces El Al to delay Airbus and R-R plans

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Arie Egozi/TEL AVIV El Al has firmed up its planned purchase of three Boeing 777s, but its acquisition of up to four Airbus A330s is still in the balance amid a tense row between the airline's management and Israel's minister of transport. The airline is also understood to have ...

  • News

    Next-generation datalink held up

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Efforts by the US Federal Aviation Administration to develop and deploy the next-generation digital air-to-ground communications system could be delayed by budget cuts, US aviation agency officials have warned. For now, controller pilot datalink communications (CPDLC), a key element of the FAA's "free flight" programme, remains on track despite ...

  • News

    Libyan carriers to discuss division of domestic market

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Chuter/TRIPOLI Libyan Arab Airlines will hold talks with Air Jamahiriya next year over a possible division of Libya's domestic market between the two carriers. The Libyan Government lifted operating restrictions on Air Jamahiriya, formerly the Light Air Company, earlier this year, giving it permission to operate domestic ...

  • News

    Ex-SAA boss launches charter airline from Johannesburg

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Hilka Birns/JOHANNESBURG Former South African Airways boss Mike Myburgh has launched a South African charter airline that plans to fly to Israel, Mecca and the Bahamas. SA Non-Scheduled Airlines, which has a South African charter licence, will operate from Johannesburg International Airport with a Boeing 707 and 737, ...

  • News

    New PETAL partners will join in 2001

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Swissair, Northwest Airlines and Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal) are to join Europe's Preliminary Eurocontrol Test of Air/Ground Data Link (PETAL II) programme in 2001. PETAL II is Europe's groundbreaking validation of air-ground data links in operational air traffic control. The three-phase programme involves air traffic controllers and aircraft crew communicating ...

  • News

    Routes

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Ansett International will suspend its thrice-weekly services between Sydney and Taipei from 12 February because of declining yields. The Boeing 767-300ER used on the service will be re-deployed to domestic services. EVA Air will reinstate services between Taipei and Sydney in its own right. Ansett will increase Sydney-Hong Kong services ...

  • News

    Finnair focuses on cost reduction target

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Finnair is continuing its aggressive programme to reduce costs with a deal to sell a 60% stake in Finnair Gateway Restaurants to Gourmet Nova. The deal follows hard on the heels of the sale of tour operator Fintours, to the Thomson Travel Group, as it offloads non-core activities. Chief ...

  • News

    Nigeria continues rebuilding as privatisation looms

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Nigeria Airways has begun the next phase of rebuilding its network as it gears up for partial privatisation in early 2001. The airline has expanded its joint weekly services with British Airways between Lagos and London Heathrow from three to six frequencies, and introduced a dedicated Boeing ...

  • News

    Airbus closes on Hong Kong sales

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Hong Kong's two passenger airlines are on the verge of placing new aircraft orders as business picks up in the Asian market. Industry sources say Cathay Pacific Airways is close to placing a new order for at least three Rolls-Royce Trent-powered Airbus A330-300s and is looking ...

  • News

    Five crew killed as Ilyushin Il-114T crashes at Moscow

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    An Ilyushin Il-114T twin-turboprop freighter crashed on take-off at Moscow Domodedovo Airport on 4 December, killing five of the seven crew and seriously injuring the other two. The aircraft, UK91004, banked suddenly from an altitude of 80-100ft (24-30m) immediately after take-off, hit the concrete fence surrounding the airfield and ...

  • News

    Qantas discusses BA 767 lease

    1999-12-08T00:00:00Z

    Paul Phelan/CAIRNS Qantas is finalising a deal to take up to seven surplus Boeing 767-300ERs from its oneworld partner and shareholder British Airways, to help it boost capacity ahead of next year's Sydney Olympics. The airline is also moving to counter a successful initiative by competitor Air New Zealand ...

  • News

    Continental lowers sights on capacity growth plans

    1999-12-08T00:00:00Z

    Continental Airlines is to rein in capacity growth next year, to 4.6% from the planned 6% through the early disposal of six of its 31 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 widebodies. Chairman and chief executive Gordon Bethune says the move, in line with industry trends, will help the airline and its Continental ...