Europe – Page 291
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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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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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NewsEHang partners with Seville to launch urban air mobility initiative
Chinese electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer EHang has joined forces with the Spanish city of Seville to develop and launch the country’s first urban air mobility (UAM) service.
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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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NewsLauda halts all flights until 8 April
Ryanair’s Austrian subsidiary Lauda has suspended all flights until 8 April. The Vienna-based airline has been serving more than 100 destinations across some 30 European countries and has stations in German cities Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, Spanish island Majorca, and Croatian city Zadar. Source: Lauda Cirium fleets data shows ...
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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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NewsL-39NG passes key fuselage strength test
Aero Vodochody’s L-39NG has passed fuselage strength tests, as the company works towards certification of the advanced jet trainer. Using the fuselage of aircraft 7002, which is earmarked for static trials, the test saw the structure initially taken to the limit load, which corresponds to the maximum possible load during ...
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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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NewsBank expects Lufthansa Group to make €1.5bn operating loss in 2020
Credit Suisse is forecasting that Lufthansa will make an operating loss of €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) this year, and is advocating a move toward leasing aircraft as a means of improving the group’s cash position. The bank had previously predicted an adjusted EBIT of €2.2 billion. Source: Austrian ...
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NewsNorwegian to cancel 85% of flights and temporarily lay-off 90% of staff
Norwegian is suspending a big majority of its services and laying off 7,300 employees as it seeks to weather the coronavirus outbreak. “The Covid-19 situation is escalating by the hour and due to stagnating demand and enforced travel restrictions by authorities worldwide, Norwegian will gradually cancel most of its flights ...
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Airline BusinessEurope’s carriers lurch into full crisis-mode as capacity slashed
From the moment the World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 13 March stated that Europe was now the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, further drastic cuts to air travel in the region seemed an inevitability.
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NewsVirgin Atlantic to cut 80% of flights and ground 75-85% of fleet
Virgin Atlantic will reduce its flight schedule by 80% and park three-quarters of its fleet by 26 March, in addition to asking staff to take eight weeks of unpaid leave as it seeks to conserve cash and safeguard its future. The UK carrier says it is taking the “drastic measures” ...
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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 ...