News from FlightGlobal – Page 2373

  • News

    Star bursts on to scene

    1997-06-01T00:00:00Z

    United Airlines and Lufthansa have moved alliance building into a new era with the launch in mid-May of the five carrier Star Alliance, which attempts to present the passenger with a more uniform product while retaining individual brands. At presstime, details were scarce but the carriers were keen ...

  • News

    Direct links see change

    1997-06-01T00:00:00Z

    They've done it by sea, and now Taiwan is searching for ways to ease its self-imposed ban on direct air links with the People's Republic of China. In an historic but short voyage in late April, the first ships carried cargo directly across the straits. Each side has ...

  • News

    Wolf stalks, unions resist

    1997-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Frustrated by the lack of progress in labour negotiations and under pressure to cut costs, US Airways chairman and chief executive officer Stephen Wolf has launched an 'efficiency programme' that includes the ending of jet services to nine US cities, the grounding of 22 aircraft, and consolidation in maintenance and ...

  • News

    UK quick to labour point

    1997-06-01T00:00:00Z

    The new UK government has put Washington to shame by moving rapidly to bring itself up to speed with the complex issues surrounding the proposed British Airways-American Airlines alliance and the related US-UK open skies discussions. Within a week of a landslide election victory for the Labour party ...

  • News

    Commission cuts hit the small guys

    1997-06-01T00:00:00Z

    This year's decisions by five US majors to cut commissions for on-line travel bookings in half could result in the collapse of smaller on-line travel agents, leaving this potentially lucrative market in the hands of three major companies. Northwest was the first carrier to cut the commission paid for on-line ...

  • News

    The pros and cons of retiring at 65

    1997-05-28T16:58:00Z

    Sir - The US Federal Aviation Administration has tried to increase the retirement age for US airline captains from 60 to 65, but its efforts were rejected by the self-interest of the US Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), which cannot be truly representative of experienced US pilots' views, as a high ...

  • News

    Air Malta

    1997-05-28T16:23:00Z

    Joe Cappello has been appointed group general manager of the Mediterranean Air Malta Group, reporting directly to chairman Louis Grech.   Source: Flight International

  • News

    New Trent 700 failure

    1997-05-28T14:23:00Z

    The fifth inflight shutdown - the third within in a two-week period - of a Rolls-Royce Trent 700 occurred to a Dragonair A330-300 en route from Malaysia to Hong Kong on 23 May. The aircraft was diverted to Subic Bay in the Philippines. "From first reports, we have no reason ...

  • News

    The pros and cons of retiring at 65

    1997-05-28T09:18:00Z

    Sir - The US Federal Aviation Administration has tried to increase the retirement age for US airline captains from 60 to 65, but its efforts were rejected by the self-interest of the US Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), which cannot be truly representative of experienced US pilots' views, as a high ...

  • News

    All change

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    The final countdown has begun to tick over Chinese rule over Hong Kong. With the clock ticking away, senior airline executives in the colony have been engaged in a last-minute game of musical chairs, before the Union Jack is hauled down on 30 June. The end-of-year departure of ...

  • News

    Maintenance DirectoryPart 2, Africa, Asia and Australasia

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    The growing importance of the Asia-Pacific market for aviation is attracting considerable investment in the region's airframe and engine repair and overhaul capabilities. With large numbers of new Airbus and Boeing aircraft entering service with Asia's carriers, local-airline engineering divisions and third-party maintenance companies are wanting to cash in on ...

  • News

    Consortium bids to link Schiphol with Belgian airports

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    An Irish-Dutch consortium has offered to form an alliance with the Belgian Government to operate the airports of Amsterdam, Brussels and Charleroi as a single entity. The consortium involves Amsterdam Schiphol of the Netherlands and Aer Rianta of Ireland - each with a 50% share. The ...

  • News

    Kai Tak engine strike

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    A Nippon Cargo Airlines Boeing 747-200 was damaged when its No 1 engine hit the ground during a 17 May attempted landing at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport. After the captain had elected to go-around, the aircraft returned for a safe landing 17min later, according to Kai Tak air traffic ...

  • News

    EC threatens to ban Boeing/MDC imports

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    The European Commission (EC)has told Boeing that its proposed merger with McDonnell Douglas (MDC) will lead to the resulting company holding a "dominant" position in global markets, and has threatened to ban imports of Boeing/MDC aircraft to European Union markets if its objections are not satisfied. A letter ...

  • News

    ARIA claims selecting Western aircraft was 'mistake'

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    Aeroflot-Russian International Airlines (ARIA) made a "mistake" in attempting to base its fleet around Western-built aircraft, says Valery Okulov, the airline's general director. "In the past, we thought we could work on the basis of Western aircraft, but we now know that was a mistake. We cannot base ...

  • News

    Air Ukraine closes on Western fleet

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    Air Ukraine expects to introduce the first of at least five Western-built airliners later this year as it seeks to replace its fleet of ageing Soviet-built aircraft. According to Sergey Goncharenko, corporate secretary of the Kiev-based airline, contracts are expected to be concluded soon with Airbus Industrie and ...

  • News

    Thai order

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    Thai Airways International has ordered four A330-300s and five A300-600Rs, completing the airline's fleet plans. Delivery of the A300-600Rs is set for early 1998, adding to the 23 A300s it operates. The A330s will begin arriving in mid-1998, bringing the total of the type in the Thai fleet to 12. ...

  • News

    Airbus will limit A3XX engine choice

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    Airbus Industrie says that it will give airlines a choice of two engines only for the 550- to 650-seat A3XX. Three are now being offered: the Rolls-Royce Trent 900, a Pratt &Whitney PW4000 derivative, and a new engine from General Electric Pratt &Whitney Engine Alliance. "We are evaluating ...

  • News

    ANZ drops Rolls for GE on next 747-400

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    AIR NEW ZEALAND (ANZ) has switched its allegiance from Rolls-Royce to General Electric for its next Boeing 747-400, due for delivery in 1998. The flag carrier opted for GE's CF6-80C2 over R-R's proposed RB.211-524G/H-T improved turbofan. The decision is a setback for the UK manufacturer's effort to sell ...

  • News

    British Midland plans a foray into third-party maintenance market

    1997-05-28T00:00:00Z

    British Midland is planning a major expansion into the third-party maintenance market, with the formation of British Midland Engineering, a new subsidiary company based at East Midlands Airport in the UK. The airline is also setting up a separate ground-handling company to expand its services in this area. ...