News from FlightGlobal – Page 2140
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News
Uganda slashes services ahead of SAA takeover
Michael Wakabi/KAMPALA Ailing Uganda Airlines has reduced its services to a minimum in anticipation of its takeover by South African Airways (SAA) in March. A top-level meeting between Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni and an SAA delegation last month appeared to iron out remaining obstacles to the deal. Uganda is to ...
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SIA/Virgin work out fine print
Chris Jasper/LONDON Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Virgin Atlantic are hammering out the details of their recently agreed deal. Under it, the Asian giant takes a 49% stake in the UK holding company, which owns Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Sun and cargo operation Virgin Aviation Services. The £600 ...
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El Al resists US pressureand opts for Trent
Israeli flag carrier El Al is buying Rolls-Royce Trent 800s to power three Boeing 777-200ERs on firm order, despite efforts by the US Government to have the powerplant selection overturned in favour of the General Electric GE90 (Flight International, 15-21 December 1999). The R-R Trent-powered 777s will be delivered ...
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Olympic takes 717s on Bavaria lease
Olympic Aviation accepted two Boeing 717-200s at Long Beach, California, on 7 January and plans to begin services with the new aircraft by the end of this month. The 717s have been leased from Bavaria International Aircraft Leasing, which placed firm orders for five aircraft in May 1998. Four of ...
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777-100X revived to counter A330 at Singapore Airlines
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing is looking at reviving the shelved 777-100X shrink derivative as a counter to Airbus Industrie's A330-200 and its proposed -100 variant ahead of an expected Singapore Airlines (SIA) request for proposals (RFP) for an A310 replacement. SIA is expected to release ...
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WestJet looks to replace 737-200s
WestJet Airlines is talking to Airbus Industrie, Boeing and leasing companies about replacing its 14 Boeing 737-200s from next year, as it expands services to eastern Canada. The Calgary-based low-cost carrier is evaluating 100-130-seat twinjets, including the Boeing 737-600/700 and the Airbus A318/A319. A decision is expected during the ...
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Ansett plans major regional merger
Ansett Australia is planning to merge its three regional subsidiaries - Kendell Airlines, Skywest Airlines and Aeropelican Air Services - into a single carrier. It will take over a significant chunk of the mainline airline's regional operation, based around British Aerospace 146s. Ansett has also replaced senior management and ...
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BA studies CityFlyer transfer in Gatwick route shake-up
Chris Jasper/LONDON Andrew Doyle/MUNICH British Airways is considering a radical restructuring of its London Gatwick-based operations that would see all routes of less than 800km (430nm) - or around 35% of services - transferred to its CityFlyer subsidiary. The move, among several under consideration, aims to exploit the lower ...
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Kitted for flight
UK kit-maker Europa Aircraft is revolutionising personal aircraft Kate Sarsfield/KIRKBYMOORSIDE In little over a decade, Europa has evolved from an airline pilot's ambitious dream and has become arguably the most successful kit aircraft manufacturer in the world. In its short history, the internationally acclaimed aerospace company has chalked up more ...
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Shaping up
Competitive pressure is pushing Boeing's product development group to the fore Guy Norris/SEATTLE As it enters the 21st century, Boeing faces its toughest challenge. After dominating global commercial aviation for over 40 years, it ended the 1990s under threat on all fronts from Airbus Industrie. Boeing's product development (PD) group ...
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In Brief
LOT qualifies for Swiss deal SAirGroup's $33.7 million purchase of a 10% stake in in the Polish flag carrier LOT was officially signed in November. The purchase will be combined with a share issue, increasing SAir's stake to 37.6%. Financial assets from the share issue, equalling close to $150 ...
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JetBlue prepares for February launch
JetBlue Airways has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320 and expects another one soon as it gears up for an early February take-off. The 10 aircraft to be delivered this year will sport three different livery patterns using various shades of blue - the favourite colour of chief executive ...
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Meridiana seeks strategic partner after labour deal
Italy's second-largest carrier, Meridiana, has appointed the UK's Lloyds Bank to advise it on seeking a European strategic airline partner. The airline's president Franco Trivi expects a deal to be agreed within six to eight months. Long-established Meridiana had run the risk of losing market share to new rivals, ...
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Peru's skies make room for another domestic starter
Yet another small airline has launched domestic flights in Peru. Aviandina, which won its operating certificate in mid-November, started flying a 10-city network from Lima the next day, using two leased Boeing 727-100s and one Boeing 737. This latest start-up brings to eight the number of local airlines scrambling ...
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Routes
Down Mexico way Continental Express, the regional subsidiary of Continental Airlines, plans to start a service from its hub at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport to San Luis Potosi, Mexico, next March, subject to government approval. By adding San Luis Potosi, Continental and Continental Express will serve 18 destinations ...
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Virgin moves on Australia
DAVID KNIBB SEATTLE Richard Branson's decision to launch a low-cost domestic Australian airline is the biggest threat yet to the Qantas-Ansett duopoly During a whirlwind tour of Australia, Richard Branson announced that Virgin Australia would start mid-year with five Boeing 737s that could quickly grow. Focusing initially on the busy ...
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China tax threatens leasing company growth
A new Chinese tax on aircraft operating leases is emerging as a potential threat to leasing companies hoping to profit from expectations that China's airline industry will grow at a faster-than-average rate over the next 20 years. The new withholding tax was quietly introduced by the Chinese Government, effective ...
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China, Japan go regional
NICHOLAS IONIDES ATI/SINGAPORE After their success in the USA and Europe, regional jet aircraft makers have at long last cracked two important, but untapped, markets in Asia - China and Japan. Hainan Airlines has become China's first carrier to operate scheduled regional jet services after receiving the first of at ...
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Investors emerge for Ansett New Zealand
News Corporation's efforts to sell Ansett New Zealand may have better luck with a new group of New Zealand investors than it has had over the past 12 years with Qantas Airways. News Corp and Qantas were unable to agree on a price, and there is no assurance the ...
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In Brief
Asiana offer Asiana Airlines expects to raise 375 billion won ($325 million) through an initial public offering of 50 million shares. Shares were made available early in December ahead of a listing on South Korea's secondary Kosdaq share market at the end of the month. Public and institutional investors ...