All articles by David Kaminski-Morrow – Page 217
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NewsThomas Cook failure crippled passengers' protective trust fund
Leisure firm Thomas Cook Group’s collapse resulted in a £481 million drain on the protective Air Travel Trust Fund, leaving the fund with sparse resources, a UK National Audit Office investigation states. While the Civil Aviation Authority expects the fund to remain in surplus, the investigation points out that it ...
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NewsGearbox replacement order broadened to non-ETOPS PW1100Gs
US regulators have extended a directive to replace the gearbox and control software of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines, to encompass powerplants not used for extended twin-engined operations (ETOPS) flights. The US FAA had already ordered removal and replacement of the main gearbox assembly on the engines as well as ...
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NewsEl Al puts most personnel on two months' leave
Israeli flag-carrier El Al has put 5,500 personnel on unpaid leave until the end of May, following the cuts to its network in the face of the coronavirus crisis. El Al employs some 6,350 staff overall. It has been holding talks with the Israeli ministry of finance regarding government support ...
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NewsWindtunnel tests to start on new Russian blended-body concept
Russian analysts have developed an improved model for a proposed blended-body twinjet passenger aircraft, which is to be submitted for research and testing. Studies of potential “flying wing” configurations have been examined for several years, using models with various tail and engine designs, says the Moscow-based Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. Previous ...
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NewsCopenhagen converts two runways to aircraft parking zones
Copenhagen airport’s operator is allocating two of its three runways to aircraft parking while the coronavirus crisis persists, as airlines seek to ground large proportions of their fleet. The operator says it expects a “high double-digit” number of aircraft to be parked at the Danish capital hub “before long”, and ...
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NewsPressured SA Express suspends services until further notice
South African regional carrier SA Express is suspending operations until further notice, in response to various pressures on the airline. While it mentions the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, SA Express indicates this is only one consideration behind its decision, attributing the suspension to “adverse recent developments”. The airline had ...
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NewsBrussels Airlines to shut down for a month
Brussels Airlines has become the latest carrier to shut down services in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, suspending all scheduled flights for a month. It says the services will be gradually wound down and then halted on 21 March and will not restart until 20 April. “We need to ...
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NewsSwiss bolsters senior management to face coronavirus fallout
Swiss has shored up its management teams in order to provide greater corporate stability as the Lufthansa Group carrier deals with the consequences of the coronavirus outbreak. It has installed Markus Binkert as its chief financial officer – a position which had been left vacant – and appointed Thomas Frick ...
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NewsAlitalia to be renationalised under broad emergency decree
Italy’s government has indicated that it will renationalise struggling flag-carrier Alitalia as part of a broad set of emergency measures in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The government says, in a decree published on 16 March, that the epidemic is being formally recognised as a “natural disaster and exceptional event”. ...
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NewsFourth MC-21 flown to Moscow test centre
Russian airframer Irkut has flown its fourth flight-test MC-21-300 to Moscow to participate in the certification campaign for the twinjet. The aircraft, fitted with Pratt & Whitney PW1400G engines, was ferried with a crew of two pilots to the Gromov institute at Zhukhovsky airfield. It has been fitted with a ...
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NewsOutbreak halts talks on London Southend stake sale
London Southend airport operator Stobart Group has disclosed that it has been negotiating sale of a minority share in the airport, but that discussions have been suspended as a result of the coronavirus uncertainty. The discussions had signalled a value for the airport of £700-800 million, says the company, referring ...
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NewsAirbus halting French and Spanish production for four days
Airbus is to halt production across its French and Spanish facilities for four days to give the company time to implement strict hygiene measures in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The airframer says the decision follows introduction of new procedures in both countries intended to contain the illness. Airbus says ...
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NewsEU plans 30-day travel ban and state aid framework
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has unveiled proposals for a 30-day restriction of travel to the European Union, as well as development of a framework for state aid to affected businesses. Von der Leyen says EU member states have been taking measures intended to reduce pressure on the ...
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NewsWet-lease operator EuroAtlantic to take 787s
Portuguese wet-lease specialist EuroAtlantic Airways has signed for a pair of Boeing 787-8s, becoming the first operator of the type in the country. The carrier is taking the twinjets from AerCap, the leasing firm states. It says the two used aircraft will be delivered to EuroAtlantic in the spring of ...
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NewsStartled 747 excursion crew delayed cutting power after engine stall
Dutch investigators have concluded that a Boeing 747-400ERF crew was startled by an engine compressor stall during the take-off roll, and consequently failed to reduce thrust in time to prevent a runway excursion. The Turkish-registered MyCargo Airlines aircraft had been operating from Maastricht, bound for Jeddah, on behalf of Saudia ...
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NewsIAG not seeking state aid as Virgin appeals for government credit
IAG has not approached governments for state aid to assist the company through the coronavirus crisis, chief executive Willie Walsh has disclosed. Speaking during a 16 March briefing, Walsh said the company had not followed other individual carriers in seeking financial assistance from governments. “Governments would expect airlines to look ...
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NewsIAG looks at recruiting passenger jets to serve critical freight lines
IAG is considering recruiting some of its passenger aircraft for air freight operations, to ensure that essential cargo supplies are maintained as the coronavirus crisis persists. Chief executive Willie Walsh, speaking during a 16 March briefing, said that governments “need to appreciate” that there is a strong cargo demand, and ...
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NewsIAG to accelerate retirement of older BA and Iberia aircraft
British Airways and Iberia parent IAG is considering accelerating the retirement of older aircraft in the fleet – including some Boeing 747-400s and Airbus A340-600s – as part of the capacity-reduction measures being introduced to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking during a 16 March briefing, IAG chief executive Willie ...
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NewsTUI seeks state guarantees as travel market collapses
Leisure group TUI is applying for state-aid guarantees to support its business until it can restore normal operations, after suspending most of its travel operations. TUI says it is halting the “vast majority” of its package travel, cruise and hotel activities to assist with the efforts to counter the coronavirus ...
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NewsIAG delays management changes as it braces for 75% capacity cut
British Airways and Iberia parent IAG’s management team is to remain in place for the time being, to help steer the company through the coronavirus crisis, as it prepares to cut capacity by 75% for April and May. IAG chief Willie Walsh is delaying his retirement, and his successor – ...