News from FlightGlobal – Page 2122
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Russian airline passenger numbers continue to slip
Russia's 323 airlines carried 21.46 million passengers last year, says the Federal Service of Air Transport - a 3.9% drop compared with the previous year, and the tenth successive fall since 1990's high of 90.7 million passengers (for Russia alone). Passenger load factors rose by an average 3.5 points, ...
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Swissair in the hunt for Thai following codeshare move
Chris Jasper/ZURICH Swissair is launching a codeshare deal with Thai Airways International in a move that casts doubt over Thai's long-term future within the Star Alliance. The Asian carrier is due to be partially privatised through the sale of a 23% stake - with 14% going to a ...
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Frequency protection
An industry-wide group comprising airlines, airports, pilots, air traffic controllers and regulatory bodies has formed a coalition and finalised an industry position designed to protect aviation's essential radio frequencies, in preparation for the International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conference in May. Meeting in London on 9-10 March, industry associations, including ...
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Routes
United Airlines has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DoT) for two additional weekly frequencies between the USA and China. The airline proposes three daily non-stop links between San Francisco/Chicago and China's key cities. United is also launching a twice-daily non-stop service between Toronto and Denver on 4 May, ...
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Southern Winds warms up Aerolineas with codeshare
Guy Norris/CORDOBA Southern Winds, a fast-growing Argentine regional based in Cordoba, is to begin its first codesharing flights with Aerolineas Argentinas this month as part of plans to expand its fleet to include up to 18 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jets (CRJs). Christian Maggio, general manager of the four-year-old ...
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Workshop
Lufthansa Technik is carrying out post-delivery modifications to 14 Germania Boeing 737-700s to bring them up to the latest production standard. The work, which takes five days for each aircraft, is covered by the manufacturer's warranty and involves the replacement of wiring bundles inside the leading edge of the wing ...
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FAA buoyant on industry future
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC The US Federal Aviation Administration predicts a rosy future for US airlines and commercial airframers, reporting that carriers will ride out the crisis of spiralling fuel prices and generate sustained growth. The latest FAA forecast says a strong world economy will produce an environment conducive to ...
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Low-key liberalisation
Japan has finally deregulated its domestic market. But the airlines are not convinced it will have a major effect on competition Andrzej Jeziorski/TOKYO When deregulation took hold in the USA in 1978, it changed the face of domestic airline travel. It led to an explosion of new airlines - ...
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A320 tops list in ILFC plan for major new purchase
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC International Lease Finance (ILFC) is on the verge of placing a follow-on order with Airbus Industrie for another 50 widebody and narrowbody aircraft. At the same time, the leasing company continues to express interest in the proposed Boeing 777-100X shrink development. The Los Angeles-based leasing ...
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Ayling bails out as British Airways slump takes its toll
Emma Kelly/LONDON British Airways chairman Lord Marshall took over the running of the airline on 10 March with the resignation of chief executive Bob Ayling. Marshall will take on the role of chief executive while a successor is sought. Ayling leaves BA after four years as chief executive and ...
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Upbeat Cathay considers new aircraft order
Andrzej Jeziorski/HONG KONG Cathay Pacific Airways is to announce an order for new aircraft to serve Asian routes by mid-May. The move comes as the Hong Kong carrier revealed what analysts call a "very strong financial result" for last year. David Turnbull, Cathay's deputy chairman and chief executive, ...
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American expands DVD programme
American Airlines has extended the use of personal digital versatile/video disk (DVD) players on its flights and will introduce the new in-flight entertainment (IFE) technology to additional services in July. American became the first carrier to offer passengers individual DVD players on regular scheduled services last September (Flight International, 22-28 ...
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Television to go live on JetBlue
JetBlue Airways will launch Sextant In-Flight Systems/Harris' LiveTV service on its first two Airbus A320s this month. The New York Kennedy-based airline will be the first carrier to introduce the joint venture's live broadcast satellite service and the first to offer live broadcast television service across its fleet. The ...
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Bluetooth potential
Bluetooth wireless technology has been identified as having potential applications for in-flight entertainment. Bluetooth comprises a small transceiver allowing two-way communications between similarly equipped devices within a 10m (33ft) range. IFE applications could include wireless headsets, handsets and telephone devices, with possibilities including linking a passenger's notebook computer to a ...
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SAS closes on interactive IFE
Emma Kelly/LONDON Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) is to decide before the end of this month on the interactive in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for its new Airbus A330-300s and A340-300s. IFE manager Hermine Wachmeister says SAS has completed its evaluations of the final two candidates - Matsushita's new System 3000 ...
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Impulse boost
Australian regional Impulse Airlines is on track to launch operations out of its Newcastle hub following finance giant AMP's assumption of a "significant strategic equity position". Impulse's planned Boeing 717-based expansion was due to be funded from Hong Kong, but cash dried up after Virgin Atlantic unveiled Australian plans, Air ...
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Flightlease and GATX strike SAA deal
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH SAirGroup leasing subsidiary Flightlease and GATX of the USA are to supply the bulk of the 21 Boeing 737-800s being acquired by South African Airways (SAA) to replace its Airbus A320s, A300s and Boeing 767s on medium-haul routes. The decision by SAA in favour of the ...
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Asian industry positions for freighter conversion boom
Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Aerospace companies in Singapore and Taiwan are manoeuvring to claim a greater share of an expected boom in narrow and widebody airliner freighter conversions over the next few years. In Taiwan, Boeing has signed a conversion agreement with Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, Air Asia, China Airlines (CAL) and ...
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Boeing goes ahead with 777 variants but declines to reveal customers
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing is to go ahead with the ultra-long range 777-200LR and -300ER derivatives, previously called the 777 200X/300X. The company plans to deliver the first aircraft in September 2003. News of the long-delayed launch was dampened by Boeing's refusal to name a launch customer. Candidates ...
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Midland determined on long haul
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON British Midland (BM) is adamant that it will begin long-haul services next year, but is tight lipped about its contingency plans should it not receive clearance for transatlantic flights. The airline had expected to be in a position to detail its plans for transatlantic flights from London Heathrow ...