News from FlightGlobal – Page 2378
-
News
Cathay's mixed fleet cuts costs of crews
Cathay Pacific Airways claims that mixed-fleet flying on its Airbus Industrie A330s and A340s has yielded crew-cost savings of up to 25%. The Hong Kong-based airline is a world leader in two-engine/four-engine mixed-fleet flying. Capt John Bent, Cathay's flying training manager (policy), says that, following the initial costs ...
-
News
Two UK freight carriers prepare for widebodies
HeavyLift Cargo Airlines, and Hunting Cargo are working towards the introduction of widebodied freighters later this year to meet possible express-parcels carriers' requirements and their own needs. HeavyLift is finalising plans to introduce two Airbus A300B4 freighters this year, while Hunting says that it is considering the acquisition ...
-
News
First Ilyushin Il-96T is rolled out at Voronezh
The first series production version of the Pratt & Whitney PW2000-powered Ilyushin Il-96, a-96T freighter, was rolled out at the VASO plant in Voronezh on 26 April. The Russian prime minister, Victor Chernomyrdin, attended the ceremony, stressing the political significance of the event. Twenty of the PW2337-powered aircraft ...
-
News
Lufthansa 747 'Classic' digital cockpit retrofit is certificated
The first Boeing 747 "Classic" to be retrofitted with a digital cockpit has been certificated by the German civil aviation authority. The aircraft, an ex-United Airlines 747SPbelonging to the Brunei royal family, was modified by Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Germany (Flight International, 26 June-2 July, 1996). It has ...
-
News
MEA expands Airbus fleet as 747s are sold
Middle East Airlines (MEA) is planning a major expansion of its Airbus Industrie fleet following the sale of its three ageing Boeing 747s. The three Boeing 747-200 Combis, delivered new to the airline in 1975, have been sold to the US freight airline American International Airways (AIA) for ...
-
News
R-R will speed up Trent 8100
Rolls-Royce has reached agreement with Boeing to advance the development and certification of its planned 445kN (100,000lb)-thrust Trent 8100 growth engine by nine months, allowing the powerplant to enter service on the proposed 777-200X and -300X derivatives by 2001. The revised Trent 8100 schedule is contained in a ...
-
News
Financial results
Company Period Net US$ mil Comp period Sales US$ mil % change Cathay Pacific Y Dec 31 492.5 385.0 4,187 6.3 China Airlines* Y Dec 31 46.6 45.0 1,887 ...
-
News
India equity ban is shaky
The only consolation the world's air transport industry can take from New Delhi's decision to bar foreign carriers from investing in India's airlines is that the country finally has a firm policy in place. The problem is that the imminent collapse of the government could soon open up the whole ...
-
News
Battle of wills
Washington has changed tactics on Japan. When President Clinton wrote to Prime Minister Hashimoto last September to urge that Japan and the US replace their contentious bilateral with a new open skies agreement, that represented a change of thinking in Washington. For eight years the administrations had insisted on Tokyo's ...
-
News
Korea opens with a catch
South Korea, long considered a non-starter in US efforts to forge open skies in Asia, is hinting that it may yet join the party, but Seoul's insistence on preconditions is likely to sit awkwardly in Washington. A Korean transport ministry official says his country is willing to sign ...
-
News
Latin cargo tempts Asia
Access to unlimited beyond rights is one of the main goals for the US in its global drive for open skies and now Asian carriers are discovering there may yet be benefits in return, in the booming Latin American cargo market at least. China Airlines will become the ...
-
News
Lessors look to go it alone
Leading aircraft lessors are seeking outside capital in unprecedented amounts to fund their aggressive portfolio expansions. Boullioun Aviation Services typifies the new trend. In the past it would occasionally privately place part of a single plane transaction with an outside financier. Otherwise it relied on parent Sumitomo Trust ...
-
News
LOTs of luck at third try?
The management at LOT has got its hands full. Not only is this year crucial for the third attempt at a partial sell-off but the Polish carrier is also introducing five new aircraft, resulting in the biggest single capacity hike ever. After the government blocked the first attempt ...
-
News
When the wolf's at your door
Edward Faberman, executive director of the newly formed Air Carrier Association of America, makes an unusual Red Riding Hood, but he is certain he is looking into the eyes of cleverly disguised wolves. Faberman uses chilling language to describe the actions of the US major carriers against their ...
-
News
MAS bids to stop malaise
Amid criticism of high debt levels and excessive ambition, Malaysia Airlines has announced the biggest capital restructuring in its history, aimed at raising US$2.2 billion for new aircraft purchases and investment at Kuala Lumpur's new airport. MAS chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli, says a one-for-one bonus share issue, ...
-
News
Eagle eyes regional jets
The long-running dispute between American Airlines management and its pilots seems likely to be resolved this month, but at a high cost to the airline. In return for compromises on the issue of regional jets, the pilots have won a wage increase that is almost double that of the previous ...
-
News
French force unions down
The French may still be demanding liberté but there's less égalité and fraternité as unions resist management attempts to force the lower working conditions of Air France and Air Liberté on to their members at Air France Europe and TAT respectively. Pilots and ground staff from Air France ...
-
News
Euro agents fight change
European travel agents are portraying their attempts at resisting the rising tide of commission cuts as a case of the biblical slaying of Goliath by David and, in most cases, they are right. But the tables are reversed in the case of low-cost operator Ryanair, which is one of the ...
-
News
BA hires and fires equally
British Airways has agreed concessions with one main union but the others may not comply so easily as the carrier launches a recruitment drive to hire 1,300 pilots and 2,000 cabin crew. Ground staff of the transport workers' union, TGWU, voted in favour of a three-year proposal at ...
-
News
Having fun in Brussels
As Sabena throws itself into revamping its shaky operations it had better remember to watch its back. Both Virgin Express and City Bird are attacking the flag carrier's Brussels base with gusto. The two airlines claim to be revolutionising the services on offer in Europe with a cheap, ...