All articles by David Kaminski-Morrow
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ITA restarts flights to Libyan capital as EASA deems coastal airports less risky
Italian carrier ITA Airways is to open a service to the Libyan capital Tripoli, despite much of the country still considered risky for air transport. ITA intends to operate to Tripoli’s Mitiga airport, on the coast, rather than the city’s main international airport which lies some 13nm inland. The European ...
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EFW’s Airbus freighter conversions reach triple figures
Modification venture EFW has reached triple figures with Airbus passenger-to-freighter conversions, with the delivery of an A330-300. The A330 underwent conversion at one of EFW’s partner facilities in China. It brings overall EFW deliveries of Airbus P2F airframes to 100. Forty-nine of these conversions have been A330s, with a further ...
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Avia Solutions to take new 737 Max jets from beginning of next decade
Wet-lease specialist Avia Solutions Group expects to begin taking delivery of its newly-ordered Boeing 737 Max 8s at the beginning of the next decade. It says the agreement – which includes 40 firm aircraft and purchase rights on another 40 – involves deliveries from 2030. All 737 Max jets are ...
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Air Arabia shrugs off regional challenges with strong third-quarter performance
Middle Eastern budget carrier Air Arabia brought its fleet up to 77 single-aisle Airbus jets by the end of the third quarter, as it posted an 8% rise in pre-tax profit to Dhs564 million ($153 million) for the three months. The airline has introduced six additional aircraft this year, and ...
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Parker offering new wheels-brakes option for A321neos
US manufacturer Parker Aerospace has developed a new carbon brake and wheel option for Airbus A321neos being assembled from 2026. The company says the NuCarb product will be certified up to the highest maximum take-off weight of the A321neo family – although it is not yet available for the long-range ...
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Investigators probe another serious Aerosucre take-off incident as 727 hits ILS
Colombian investigators are probing a serious incident during which an Aerosucre Boeing 727-200 freighter struck part of the ILS array on take-off from Bogota. The aircraft (HK-5216) was departing El Dorado airport’s runway 14L on 10 November, according to the Colombian regulator Aerocivil. Upon lift-off it struck one of the ...
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Ukrainian government cancels bilateral air transport pact with Iran
Ukraine’s government has cancelled a bilateral air transport agreement with Iran, which has been in place for over 30 years. Permanent representative of the cabinet of ministers Taras Melnychuk, in a summary of discussions on government activity on 8 November, stated that the air services agreement between the two countries ...
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New Tus Airways investor has option to acquire whole airline
Cypriot carrier Tus Airways’ newest investor will have an option to acquire the entire outstanding capital of the airline from its other shareholders. The investor – a company owned by entrepreneurs Ami Cohen and Arnon Englander – completed a transaction giving it a 75% stake in Tus on 6 November. ...
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El Al stays with Trent 1000 for additional 787s: Rolls-Royce
Israeli flag-carrier El Al appears to be sticking with Rolls-Royce engines for its latest Boeing 787s, as the manufacturer progresses with work on blade improvements. El Al already has 16 Trent 1000-equipped 787s, and is due to take delivery of another Trent-powered 787-9 originally intended for another customer. Rolls-Royce states, ...
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Wizz Air foresees return to growth as uncertainty lifts on engine-related aircraft grounding
Central European budget carrier Wizz Air expects to return to growth next year, given its Airbus delivery schedule and better visibility on Pratt & Whitney engine issues. Wizz expects the average number of grounded aircraft over the next 18 month to be around 40-45, an improvement on the previous assumption ...
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Riyadh Air agreement dominates Airbus order activity in October
Saudi Arabian start-up carrier Riyadh Air’s order for 60 Airbus A321neo’s dominated the airframer’s October activity figures. Private and undisclosed customers ordered a total of 16 A320neos during the month, while Bhutan’s Druk Air firmed an agreement for three A320neos and two A321neos. Airbus also listed American Airlines as taking ...
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Travel demand pushes Emirates to record half-year pre-tax profit
Middle Eastern carrier Emirates is citing strong travel demand as it turns in a 2% rise in half-year pre-tax profit to a record Dhs9.7 billion ($2.6 billion). Emirates posted a net profit of Dhs8.7 billion, after it generated a 5% increase in revenues to Dhs62.2 billion for the six months ...
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United Aircraft appoints new chief as Slyusar moves to regional governorship
Russian aerospace firm United Aircraft is undergoing a leadership change with chief executive Yuri Slyusar set to be succeeded by United Engine head Vadim Badekha. The management rejig follows the appointment of Slyusar, who has led the company for nine years, as governor of Russia’s Rostov region. Badekha will take ...
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Wizz Air loses legal challenge over pandemic-related aid to Tarom
Central European budget airline Wizz Air has lost a legal challenge over a capital injection for Romanian flag-carrier Tarom. The European Union’s General Court has ruled that the financial package, nearly €2 million ($2.1 million), is compatible with state aid regulations. Tarom was granted the support as compensation for damage ...
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EgyptAir A320 inquiry urges review of cockpit procedures to tackle oxygen fires
Investigators analysing the fatal loss of an EgyptAir Airbus A320 are recommending a review of cockpit firefighting procedures – particularly regarding oxygen-fuelled fires – and believe greater research is needed on alternative extinguishing agents to halon. The Egyptian air accident investigation commission’s recommendations draw on analysis by French counterpart BEA ...
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Ethiopian Airlines receives first of four A350-1000s
Ethiopian Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000, the initial example of the largest family member on the African continent. The airline is to receive three more -1000s along with another 11 A350-900s. Ethiopian, which has 21 A350s in its fleet, converted four previous -900 orders to the ...
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Lufthansa Technik digital IFE venture AerQ to cease operations
Lufthansa Technik’s in-flight entertainment venture AerQ is to close down, five years after its creation, citing difficulties in entering the market. The decision affects around 180 personnel at the Hamburg-based firm. AerQ was established in 2019 as a venture between Lufthansa Technik and LG Electronics. It developed a digital platform ...
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Cockpit smoking risk should be assessed by EASA: French investigators
French investigators probing a fatal EgyptAir Airbus A320 crash in May 2016 have highlighted the potential risk of smoking in the cockpit, even though they could not establish whether a lit cigarette sparked an oxygen-fuelled fire on the jet. Investigation authority BEA has recommended that the European Union Aviation Safety ...
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EgyptAir A320 crash: Circumstances of oxygen leak and ignition source remain unclear
While French investigators believe an intense oxygen-fuelled cockpit fire brought down an EgyptAir Airbus A320 eight years ago, they have yet to determine fully the reasons for the oxygen leak and pinpoint the source of ignition. Investigation authority BEA has dismissed the Egyptian air accident commission’s official explanation – detonation ...
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El Al withdraws offer to invest in finance firm Isracard
Israeli flag-carrier El Al has withdrawn its preliminary offer to invest in credit-card and financial services firm Isracard, citing time constraints. The airline had disclosed a non-binding offer in mid-October to take a 45% shareholding in Isracard, through a private placement. But El Al states that Isracard set a “short ...