News from FlightGlobal – Page 2305

  • News

    PIA: Turning It around

    1999-02-24T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/KARACHI PIA's decision to enlist the help of the US-owned Sabre Group was a brave move in Pakistan's politically fickle environment. The airline contends that its decision, endorsed at the highest political level, is central to turning the national carrier around and one which it is convinced will pay ...

  • News

    Flightwest delivery

    1999-02-24T00:00:00Z

    Flightwest Airlines has taken delivery of the first Fokker 100 on the Australian register. The aircraft was bought from Chase Manhattan Bank and refurbished by KLM. A second aircraft is due to be delivered in late March. The two aircraft will be used to launch non-stop services from Brisbane to ...

  • News

    Piston power gets a boost in Asia

    1999-02-24T00:00:00Z

    Australian light utility aircraft manufacturer Gippsland Aeronautics believes that it could increase production of its new utility passenger and agricultural aircraft to around 200 a year by 2002. Managing director George Morgan says assessments suggest an unexpectedly large market for piston-powered commercial utility aircraft. Morgan believes "bush operators" have ...

  • News

    Augsburg eyes Dash 8-Q400

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Doyle/TORONTO Lufthansa franchisee Augsburg hopes to secure deal for larger aircraft by April Augsburg Airways has entered negotiations with Bombardier Aerospace for five Dash 8-Q400 turboprops after selecting the type for its 70-seater requirement. Meanwhile, the fast-growing German regional has converted options into firm orders for ...

  • News

    Routes

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Swissair is to suspend some flights to Hong Kong, citing high user charges at Chek Lap Kok Airport. The Swiss flag carrier's two weekly Boeing MD-11 Zurich-Mumbai, India-Hong Kong services are to stop operations from 24 March. Lauda Air, SAS, United Airlines and Varig have already reined in some Hong ...

  • News

    Ryanair launches routes and aims to double fleet

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Caroline Mclaughlin/LONDON Ryanair expects to double its number of 737s within four years Ryanair, Europe's largest low fare airline, is to launch six new routes to destinations in three countries. The routes are part of an expansion plan which will see the airline double its fleet within ...

  • News

    Slump in Taiwanese passenger numbers could spark mergers

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Brent Hannon/TAIPEI Taiwan's seven major airlines saw passenger numbers fall by more than 10% in 1998, compared with the previous year, making further consolidation within the ailing industry a strong possibility over the next 12 months. Passengers carried fell to 16.67 million - 10.4% down on 1997 figures ...

  • News

    Mexicans eye narrowbody offers

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Airbus Industrie and Boeing are in negotiation with Cintra, the holding company which manages Aeromexico and Mexicana, on a crucial fleet replacement contract that could prove vital for future campaigns throughout Latin America. The Mexican campaign, which centres on the immediate need for a replacement for Aeromexico's ageing McDonnell ...

  • News

    Brussels steps in to control European pilot duty hours

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    David Learmount/London The European Commission has taken over responsibility for flight time limitations regulations, which protect flightcrew from dangerous levels of fatigue. Brussels has removed control of the regulations from the European Joint Aviation Authorities requirements for operations (JAR Ops) and intends to introduce new legislation which ...

  • News

    Gulf carriers eye regional and global links

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/BAHRAIN With increasing fragmentation in the Gulf market, the key airlines - Emirates, Gulf Air and Qatar Airways - are examining their future partnership strategies and flirting with the global alliance groupings. Meanwhile, Oman Air is establishing a regional shuttle and seeking co-operation, rather than confrontation, ...

  • News

    BA stumbles

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Falling yields from business travel on transatlantic routes helped put British Airways into the red for the three months to 31 December, the carrier's first quarterly loss for nearly four years. BA made a pre-tax loss of £75 million ($123 million), compared with profits of £80million for the same period ...

  • News

    Alliance becomes SA Alliance

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Michael Wakabi/Kampala Alliance Air has acquired a Boeing 767-200ER on a three-year renewable lease from shareholder South African Airways (SAA), replacing the ageing 747SP the Uganda-based carrier has operated for the past four years. The two airlines also started a codesharing agreement with effect from 6 February. ...

  • News

    Boeing firms up design for latest 737 model

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Boeing has finalised the design of the fourth major member of the Next Generation 737 family, the -900, which is due to enter service with Alaska Airlines in April 2001.The 180-seat aircraft will be stretched by 2.6m (8.5ft) overall, taking it to 42.1m in length - or roughly 2.7m longer ...

  • News

    Condit warns of take-over threat to Boeing

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Boeing chairman Phil Condit has warned that the giant may be potentially vulnerable to a take-over as a result of its low share price, the Seattle Times reports. Quoting managerial sources, the newspaper says that Condit shared his concerns with senior colleagues at an annual meeting early last month. ...

  • News

    Diamond DA40 approval slips back to year end

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Diamond Aircraft has pushed back certification of its DA40 four-seat single by 12 months. The piston-powered aircraft will enter service by the end of this year. Test flights of three pre-production prototypes of the 135kW (180hp) Lycoming-powered DA40 are continuing from Diamond's base in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. A production-conforming ...

  • News

    Pan Am Academy snaps up SimCom

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Continuing its rapid expansion, Pan Am International Flight Academy (PAIFA) is to acquire training company SimCom International. SimCom, which operates simulator centres in Orlando and Vero Beach, Florida, and Scottsdale, Arizona, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of privately owned PAIFA. Miami-based PAIFA, which is building new simulator ...

  • News

    Embraer reveals additions to regional jet family

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Embraer has unveiled plans for 70 and 90-seat additions to its family of regional jets. The surprise move is designed to signal to potential customers and risk-sharing partners the Brazilian manufacturer's firm intent to compete in this market. The company has announced the "pre-launch" of ...

  • News

    Marketplace

    1999-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Gemini Air Cargo has acquired three British Airways Boeing DC-10-30s in a deal arranged by Curtis and Xavian. The aircraft will be converted by Alenia's Aeronavali facility in Naples. The Italian company is also expected to convert an ex-Varig DC-10-30 acquired by Belgium-based Skyjet from Mitsui. Aerospatiale's Sogerma Maintenance ...

  • News

    Trains oust planes

    1999-02-10T10:01:00Z

    KLM has stopped 33 scheduled round trips a week to Amsterdam Schiphol from the cities of Groningen and Enschede, reacting to pressure from the Dutch Government to abandon domestic flights in favour of train travel. KLM says the decision was influenced by the business advantages of freeing take-off slots at ...

  • News

    ERJ-145 LOT

    1999-02-10T09:58:00Z

    LOT Polish Airlines has ordered a pair of Embraer RJ-145 regional jets, with a further three on option. The aircraft will be used exclusively on international operations to Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Delivery of the two Embraers is set for July and August, with the next three due to ...