News from FlightGlobal – Page 2192

  • News

    JAL set for video on demand

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Emma Kelly/LONDON Sextant In-Flight Systems aims to have audio- and video-on-demand (A/VOD) equipment in revenue service with Japan Airlines (JAL) next month. JAL is equipping seven Boeing 747-400s with Sextant's mSeries interactive in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. The mSeries, previously called the Multi-media Digital Distribution System, was installed on the ...

  • News

    IATA chief takes gloomy view of airline industry's outlook

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/RIO DE JANEIRO International Air Transport Association (IATA) director-general Pierre Jeanniot has delivered a downbeat assessment of the airline industry's immediate prospects, while listing a series of challenges which give cause for concern as the industry enters the next century. Speaking at the association's 55th annual general ...

  • News

    JAS restructure takes effect as rivals report mixed results

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Japan's "big three" carriers have revealed mixed financials for the 12 months ending on 31 March. Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA), the country's two largest carriers, both saw operating revenue shrink marginally last year, while Japan Air System (JAS) was able to report a ...

  • News

    Lufthansa Technik looks for cuts as wages rise

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Doyle/HAMBURGLufthansa Technik (LHT) is launching a renewed efficiency drive as it struggles to increase profits in the face of rising personnel costs created by this year's pay deal. The new collective bargaining agreement will saddle the German aircraft maintenance company with "a burden of over DM84 million [$45 million]" ...

  • News

    Bidding hots up for stake in South African Airways

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Final bids for an equity stake in South African Airlines (SAA) are due to be received by the middle of this month, with three airlines - or airline alliances - in the running, as is a major international investment group. An internal communication from chief executive Coleman Andrews listed ...

  • News

    BA faces rivalry in quest to enlist Eastern European allies

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    British Airways is facing stiff competition from rivals in its attempt to enlist Eastern European allies through equity transactions. Only a year ago, the UK flag carrier was clear favourite to conclude privatisation deals with Malev of Hungary and LOT Polish Airlines. Now, both companies say the conditions BA is ...

  • News

    21st century vision

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Led by its president, Alan Mulally, Boeing Commercial Airplanes is learning to make more aircraft with fewer people Guy Norris/SEATTLE Alan Mulally (left), Boeing Commercial Airplane's president, gestures to a wall festooned with charts, graphs and yellow stickies, and asks: "Does it look familiar to you?" This is ...

  • News

    Snecma M88

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Qualification of the basic Snecma M88-2 was completed in early 1996, with the first production engine delivered at the end of the same year. The M88-2 has a thrust-to-weight ratio of 8.5, producing 11,250/16,850lb of dry/afterburner thrust (50/75kN). The engine has proved extremely reliable in flight tests to-date, by early ...

  • News

    Brierly to increase ANZ stake

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Brierly Investments has revealed plans to increase its stake in Air New Zealand (ANZ) to 60%. Sources say the move is aimed at resolving potential conflict between the carrier and Singapore Airlines (SIA) over ownership of Ansett Australia. The strategy would see SIA's majority shareholder, Temasek Holdings, increase its ...

  • News

    Cathay sick-out escalates as airline feels rising cost

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    The Cathay Pacific Airways pilots' "sick-out" is costing the airline millions of dollars daily, and forcing it to wet-lease aircraft from 10 carriers in an attempt to minimise disruption. The action began on 28 May with the cancellation of three flights by pilots who called in sick, claiming excessive ...

  • News

    The dimensions debate

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    The case for a new generation of larger 70-to 100-seat class regional jets is clear. But debate continues on the optimum cabin configuration, the degree of cross-family commonality and correct cockpit system philosophy. Much is riding on each of the manufacturers getting it. The battle over aircraft cross-sections is ...

  • News

    Ultimate power

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Sole sourcing is being debated as the battle to power Boeing's 777-200X/300X moves into a decisive phase Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES It is time again for cards to be put on the table in the power battle between the industry's "big three"- General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce. Unlike previous ...

  • News

    Cut and thrust

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    After much deliberation, Airbus has launched its attack on the 100-seat market with a cut back, Pratt & Whitney PW6000-powered, A320 derivative Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON The journey to Airbus Industrie's entry into the 100-seat market has been long and sometimes controversial. The consortium took its time studying the smaller end of ...

  • News

    Regional ramp up

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/SAN ANTONIO/TORONTO/WASHINGTON DC The regional aviation industry is in a state of transition. Airlines have bade farewell to major manufacturers such as Fokker, Jetstream and Saab, together with an increasing number of their turboprop aircraft. They have been replaced by Bombardier, Embraer and Fairchild, offering a range of new, ...

  • News

    Fairchild poised for US 428JET order

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/SAN ANTONIOFairchild Aerospace plans to announce a $1.5 billion launch order for the 428JET regional jet, along with additional 328JET sales, at the Paris air show. The company has refused to identify the customer, but it is widely believed to be US carrier Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA). San Antonio-based ...

  • News

    UAE lease firm ready for launch

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON A new Gulf-based leasing and charter company is under formation, ready for launch at November's Dubai air show. The business is being set up by the Qatar-based Gulf Falcon Leasing Group, headed by Qatar Airways founder Sheikh Hamad Al-Thani. "We are forming two companies that ...

  • News

    Marketplace

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Air Sicilia is adding two Fokker F28 Mk4000s on lease from Montenegro Airlines. Royal Air Maroc has taken delivery of two Boeing 737-800s, leased for three years from GE Capital Services. The two aircraft are supplementing the Casablanca-based carrier's own Next Generation 737s on its European, African and Middle East ...

  • News

    Routes

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Australia has decided not to open its domestic market to foreign carriers, but is to increase the number of overseas carriers allowed to serve gateways such as Cairns and Canberra. Singapore Airlines regional subsidiary Silk Air has launched its first Indian route, with twice-weekly Airbus A320 services to Trivandrum. US ...

  • News

    TAECO completes work on second Xiamen hangar and eyes third

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/XIAMEN Chinese maintenance, repair and overhaul specialist Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering (TAECO) is studying further expansion as it prepares to commission its second new hangar. "We are in the process of consideration and evaluation for a third hangar here," says TAECO assistant managing director John Chi. Provided ...

  • News

    Boeing and P&W study high-thrust option for 777-200ER

    1999-06-09T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing and Pratt & Whitney are studying the use of the 98,000lb-thrust (436kN) PW4098 turbofan on the 777-200ER in bids to win key competitions with El Al and LanChile, which are seeking new long-range fleets. The PW4089 is in the final stages of flight testing on ...