All articles by Alfred Chua – Page 124
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NewsAirAsia to take no new aircraft this year
The AirAsia Group is “relooking” its orders for Airbus aircraft, as it gears up for return to service across its various networks. The airline group also confirmed that it will not be taking delivery of any new aircraft for the rest of the year, and targets a fleet size ...
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NewsChinese carriers flag worsening financial impact amid Q1 losses
China’s three largest carriers have warned of deeper financial impact from the coronavirus outbreak, as they each swung to significant first-quarter losses. Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines all warned of “adverse” and “severe” impact on their first-half financial results, pointing towards “uncertainty” in the development of ...
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NewsGA Telesis gets CAAC certification for CRJ900 landing gear MRO
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has certificated GA Telesis for landing gear MRO services at the latter’s Miami facility. This paves the way for the company to repair and overhaul Bombardier CRJ900 landing gears belonging to China Express Airlines. GA Telesis and China Express signed a ...
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NewsChinese carriers shift more operations to Beijing Daxing
The third wave of operational transfers to Beijing’s Daxing international airport has taken place, with China Eastern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines shifting to the Chinese capital’s newest airport. China Eastern states that from 26 April to 2 May, it will gradually move 57 daily flights from Beijing Capital to ...
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NewsComac makes first jet delivery after resuming production
Comac has delivered its 24th ARJ21 regional aircraft, the first aircraft to be delivered since the Chinese airframer resumed work following the coronavirus outbreak. The aircraft, registered B-604F, was delivered to Chengdu Airlines. Comac states that the aircraft is managed by lessor ICBC Financial Leasing. The aircraft is ...
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AnalysisAmid pandemic hit, whither Asia-Pacific’s mega airport projects?
Asia-Pacific is home to a number of mega airport projects, from Changi’s fifth terminal, to Hong Kong’s three-runway system. As the coronavirus outbreak continues to wreak havoc on the industry, is it time to give the mega airport concept a rethink?
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NewsAirbus withdraws from MRO JV with Thai Airways: report
Airbus has reportedly backed out of a joint venture with Thai Airways to build a new MRO campus at Thailand’s U-Tapao airport. A report from local newspaper The Nation cites Thai Airways Technical executive vice president Cherdphan Chotikhun as saying that the European airframer had withdrawn from the cooperation as ...
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NewsIATA warns of more airline failures in Asia-Pacific
More carriers in the Asia-Pacific region could fall as a result of the coronavirus crisis, if governments fail to step in with relief measures. Highlighting the “worsening” impact of the pandemic on carriers in the region, airline body IATA also identified eight countries which are most at risk. These countries ...
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NewsAustralia unveils agricultural freight export network amid disrupted supply chains
Australia has rolled out a freight export service network, aimed at re-establishing global supply chains and accelerate exports of agricultural and fisheries exports to key overseas markets. The network comprises 15 airlines, freight service providers and freight forwarders, such as Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Emirates and FedEx. The Australian ...
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NewsChinese airline market faces consolidation: HSBC
Consolidation among Chinese carriers appears likely, given the “unprecedented challenges” that the global airline industry is facing. A HSBC Global Research report into the Chinese airline industry says it does not “rule out the possibility of further consolidation”, adding that the three largest Chinese carriers — Air China, China ...
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NewsST Engineering clinches $589m in Q1 aerospace contracts
ST Engineering reiterates that its order book “remains robust” despite the coronavirus outbreak. The Singapore-based company adds, however, that it is in discussion with customers about deferments or cancellations. For the quarter ended 31 March, ST Engineering’s aerospace unit clinched about S$838 million ($589 million) in contracts, ...
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NewsHAECO rolls out passenger cabin freight stowage solution
HAECO’s cabin solutions unit has launched a new stowage concept which will allow airlines to combine passengers and cargo in the main cabin. The concept comes amid depressed passenger traffic due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has led to a growing number of carriers using passenger aircraft to fly ...
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NewsBig Japanese 787 suppliers suspend operations
Boeing’s Tier 1 manufacturers in Japan have suspended 787-related operations, following the US airframer’s factory closures in the USA due to the spread of the coronavirus. Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Subaru’s aerospace unit both announced the closure of their 787-related factory lines from 20 April until May. Kawasaki’s ...
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NewsChinese carriers warn of ‘substantial’ Q1 loss from pandemic hit
Two of China’s largest airlines have warned of a “substantial loss” for their first-quarter financial results. Both China Eastern and China Southern Airlines flagged the financial hit in their monthly traffic results for March, where they note that even with “timely measures” taken to mitigate the of the coronavirus outbreak, ...
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NewsVietJet secures repayment deferral on aircraft loans
Low-cost carrier VietJet has managed to secure deferrals of loan repayments for aircraft purchases from most of its lenders. VietJet states that it has been “working hard” with its suppliers, local and foreign financial institutions to cut 30-70% of prices and service fees, and to extend payment terms. ...
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NewsPost-pandemic demand recovery ‘impossible to predict’: Cathay
March proved to be yet another month of weak traffic figures for Cathay Pacific, which states that it is “impossible to predict” when passenger demand will recover from the coronavirus crisis. Commenting on its traffic results for March, Cathay adds that it is not seeing any improvement so far in ...
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NewsHAECO gains GE90 fan case MRO capability
HAECO’s composite services unit has added the GE90 engine to its fan case overhaul capabilities. The unit, based in Jinjiang in China, will provide preventive maintenance inspections and associated repairs for fan stator modules on the engines, which power Boeing 777-300ERs. “The scope of work includes ultrasonic inspections ...
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Airline BusinessEarly retirements in crises: a new normal?
Across the world, airlines are considering bringing forward the retirement of older aircraft types. When the coronavirus outbreak finally abates, the question will remain if these accelerated retirements represent an anomaly, or a “new normal”.
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NewsCAAC warns that air traffic return will be slow
While some capacity has been restored for Mainland China flights, it is likely to remain low for the foreseeable future. In its monthly update, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) states that “the volume of flights…may continue to to operate at low levels in the future”, as the ...
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NewsVietJet mounts freighter flights with passenger jets
Vietnamese low-cost carrier VietJet Air has begun flying passenger freighter flights, as it gradually begins resuming domestic passenger service. The airline states in an update that it is operating about 10 cargo flights daily, with services to points within Vietnam and to Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia. ...