Fleets – Page 992

  • News

    Malaysia Airlines gears up for overhaul on 777 service-entry

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    Malaysia Airlines (MAS) plans to begin implementing an overhaul of its operations, to coincide with the entry into service of the Boeing 777-200IGW this year. The sweeping changes will include a rationalisation of MAS aircraft and engine types, with the phasing out of some of its Boeing 747-400/300s, ...

  • News

    Philippine cargo airline aims to start up services in April

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    Philippine Aeronautics Development (PADC) and a Japanese ground-handling company have reached an initial agreement to establish a new Filipino cargo airline to operate between the two countries, in competition with FedEx. State-owned PADC has signed a memorandum of understanding with International Airline System Service (IASS) to launch the ...

  • News

    Airbus wins A330 orders from Swissair, Austrian and Sabena

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    In a flurry of pre-year-end activity, Airbus Industrie announced orders from eight airlines, covering virtually its entire aircraft range, the most significant of which is the joint selection by Swissair, Sabena and Austrian Airlines of the A330-200 for their long-haul-fleet needs. The deal, which is not yet covered ...

  • News

    South Koreans are ready to sign up for A3XX risk-share

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    Airbus Industrie hopes to conclude its first risk-sharing agreement on the 500- to 800-seat A3XX later this month, with all four South Korean aerospace manufacturers taking a share of development and manufacture of the aircraft. The consortium's large-aircraft division senior vice-president, Jurgen Thomas, says that a deal including ...

  • News

    GE wins Asiana 747/767 order

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    General Electric has secured a consolation prize from Asiana Airlines in the shape of additional Boeing 747 and 767 engines, following its recent loss to Pratt & Whitney of a much larger powerplant deal for the Boeing 777 and Airbus Industrie A330. The deal covers new CF6-80C2 engines ...

  • News

    Blue Dart aims to create more capacity

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    Blue Dart Aviation is planning to increase capacity in the next few months, with the acquisition of additional aircraft and the introduction of more routes. The Indian express-package operator, the country's FedEx global service partner, is evaluating bigger aircraft for its fledgling fleet, and considering additional routes. A ...

  • News

    Egyptair introduces the A340-200

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    Egyptair has begun operating the first of three Airbus A340-200s, alongside an existing A340-300 leased from Gulf Air. The 260-seat Airbuses were ordered in 1995, along with three General Electric GE90-powered Boeing 777s, to supplement its long-haul fleet and replace the airline's fleet of Airbus A300B4s and Boeing 767-200s. ...

  • News

    BAfrees USAir and prepares to intensify American fight

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    British Airways has finally agreed to sever its partnership with USAir, putting its shareholding in the US carrier up for sale and planning to draw the marketing alliance to a close by April. The news increases pressure on BA to push through its new alliance with American Airlines, ...

  • News

    Silk purse

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    SilkAir has experienced more than its fair share of turbulence since its establishment in 1989 as Singapore's regional carrier. After years of sustained losses, the carrier is on course to make a full recovery and is planning for a brighter future. Following a wide-ranging restructuring of its fleet ...

  • News

    Air transport

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    If 1996 was the year in which aircraft orders at last started rolling again from the world's airlines, then 1997 is due to be the year in which airliner manufacturers begin to increase production rates in earnest. Despite two years of growing backlogs, deliveries from Airbus, Boeing and ...

  • News

    AI(R) courts Saab for new regional-jet programme

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    Aero International (Regional) (AI(R)) has made what are described as "serious overtures" to Saab Aircraft to join the European consortium as a risk-sharing partner in its forthcoming regional-jet programmes. While neither side will confirm the talks officially, it is understood that British Aerospace, one of the three existing ...

  • News

    Airlines

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    There can be little doubt that one of the recurring themes running through the world airline industry in 1997 will be the continued US-leddrive towards world open skies. In its wake, expect further manoeuvring among carriers to strengthen transpacific and transatlantic alliances. Arguably, the most significant (and certainly ...

  • News

    Polls leave Thai with Bill

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    A change of government has rubbed salt into Thai Airways International's wounds. Lack of political clearance forced the carrier to postpone its US$4.7 billion fleet revamp and accept penalties of some $40 million. The latest setback for the mostly state-owned carrier comes on top of disastrous fourth quarter results which ...

  • News

    Boeing pulls off twin coup

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    Boeing is turning up the heat on rival Airbus with two groundbreaking deals. The US manufacturer has signed American Airlines up to a 22-year exclusive pact and removed its only domestic rival by pulling in McDonnell Douglas to help in the design and development of future widebodies. Reaction ...

  • News

    China puts on the squeeze

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    China is having mixed success in its aviation policy. Despite easing the moratorium on aircraft orders, Beijing is now having to curb international capacity growth for fear of Chinese carriers losing out to their foreign counterparts. But the authorities are having more success in their drive for domestic consolidation. ...

  • News

    Beijing spurs triple listing

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    Three Chinese airlines are pressing ahead with plans for initial public offerings, but at presstime it was unclear whether they would beat the 1 January deadline. Missing that date would mean they would have to include another year's audited financial results in their share prospectuses. Following the Civil ...

  • News

    Wheeling out the service

    1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

    For major airlines seeking high-margin travellers, customer service will be a key to profitability. Still, Philip Festa says pressures within the industry are threatening to squeeze carriers' service levels. Customer service is now the norm throughout almost all sectors of commerce: supermarkets, hotels, banks and fast food chains vie ...

  • News

    New 737 launch stresses technology and low cost

    1996-12-18T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/SEATTLE Boeing CLAIMs that it has put itself "ten years ahead" of Airbus Industrie in the short-haul, jet-powered-airliner technology/low-cost stakes with the official unveiling of its first next-generation 737 (a -700) at its Renton plant, near Seattle, Washington, on 8 December. Sales of next-generation 737s ...

  • News

    Boeing delays 747X go-ahead

    1996-12-18T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris and Paul Lewis/SEATTLE Boeing has been forced to delay the 747-500X/600X programme by at least four months because of continuing market uncertainty and the late definition of the General Electric/Pratt & Whitney joint-venture engine. The stretched, rewinged 747 was expected to be given the ...

  • News

    Constellation prefers A320s to 737-300s

    1996-12-18T00:00:00Z

    Constellation International Airlines has switched from its selection of the Boeing 737-300 to the Airbus Industrie A320 to replace its fleet of Boeing 727-200s. The Belgian charter airline will take delivery in April 1997 of two A320s on lease from International Lease Finance, in time for its 1997 ...