Must read – Page 68
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InterviewAirbus Americas CEO optimistic in 2021 uptick, predicts ‘morphing’ of industry
The top Airbus executive in North America thinks industry conditions will improve at least incrementally in 2021 but that aerospace companies and airlines will emerge from the downturn changed in ways yet unknown.
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OpinionWhy 777X certification could be just part of Max crisis collateral damage
Alarming details that emerged in the aftermath of the 737 Max grounding about Boeing’s behaviour during the certification process has created a crisis of confidence unparalleled in the aviation industry. And no one – not just Seattle – should underestimate the extent of mistrust and the time it could take to heal the deep wounds.
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NewsIsrael-UAE to talk direct flights but airspace issues remain
Normalisation of diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates opens the possibility of flights between the two countries – although a timeframe has yet to emerge and other complexities remain unresolved. The UAE and Israeli governments have jointly stated that tourism and “direct flights” will be among the ...
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NewsA350 launch-aid tweaks fail to persuade US to ease tariffs
US authorities are unconvinced by recent Airbus claims that amended A350 launch-aid agreements equate to implementation of a World Trade Organization ruling to remove subsidies. Airbus had aimed in July to bring an end to the long-running transatlantic dispute on civil aircraft subsidies by adjusting French and Spanish A350 launch-aid ...
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AnalysisAirline safety review January-June 2020
Nothing has been normal about air transport operations during the first half of this year, so analysis is subjective. But, our semi-annual review of global flight safety points to a period that may not have matched the high standards of recent years
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NewsTailwind indicated before Air India 737’s fatal ‘table-top’ overrun
Indian investigators probing the fatal Boeing 737-800 overrun at Kozhikode are likely to examine whether tailwinds might have further complicated a night landing in wet conditions, at an airport classified by the country’s regulator as ‘critical’ owing to its table-top design. At least 18 occupants of the Air India Express ...
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NewsSimulated evacuation must adapt to bag-retrieval menace: inquiry
UK investigators believe evacuation simulations for aircraft certification are inadequate, and should be adapted to provide a more realistic model of passenger behaviour, particularly regarding retrieval of cabin baggage. Obstruction of evacuation routes by passengers’ stopping to collect personal belongings has long been a concern of safety regulators, and remains ...
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OpinionWhy Virgin Galactic is still attracting investment despite continued losses
Having taken 15 years and counting to get its rocketplanes in service, Virgin Galactic is now talking about supersonic jet travel; don’t book a flight just yet, but keep an eye on the share price
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Airline BusinessAirline losses mount for second quarter after revenues collapse
Airlines routinely posted losses deeper than the revenue they brought in during the April-June quarter, as the virtual grounding of international scheduled services wiped out much of their business.
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NewsLufthansa strives to restore long-haul network as it foresees 2024 recovery
Lufthansa Group is aiming to offer 50% of prior-year capacity on its long-haul network and 55% on short-haul in the fourth quarter of this year. But the German-based operator says it expects a “clearly negative” adjusted EBIT figure in the second half of the year, and therefore a “further significant ...
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In depthHow global A330 MRTT fleet stepped up during crisis
In common with its A400M Atlas stablemate, the Airbus Defence & Space A330 multi-role tanker transport has come into its own during the coronavirus pandemic, with multiple nations demonstrating the adapted widebody’s operational versatility.
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Airline BusinessAirline coronavirus recovery tracker: August 2020 update
Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including traffic and capacity in passenger and cargo markets, airport passenger throughput, in-service and stored fleets, jet fuel costs, and share price trends for the world’s largest groups.
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NewsVirgin Australia moves to all-737 fleet, cuts staff as it exits administration
Virgin Australia will operate only Boeing 737s, focusing on its domestic and short-haul networks, as it enters a post-administration future with new owner Bain Capital. As part of the “resetting…to meet lower global and Australian demand”, the carrier, which entered voluntary administration in April, will also be cutting about ...
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NewsTrigana 737F captain dismissed go-around call before hard-landing accident
Indonesian investigators have determined that a Trigana Air Service Boeing 737-300F captain dismissed go-around suggestions during a visual approach in poor weather, before a hard landing that destroyed the aircraft’s undercarriage and caused it to veer off the runway. The twinjet (PK-YSY) was conducting a visual approach to Wamena airport’s ...
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NewsFAA proposes four design changes to 737 Max in new AD
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has suggested four key design changes to the beleaguered Boeing 737 Max in order to address safety issues that led to its almost 17-month grounding following two fatal crashes that killed 346 people.
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NewsSpaceX Crew Dragon splashdown signals US human spaceflight return
The USA has returned to the human spaceflight business following the successful return to earth of the SpaceX Crew Dragon today, carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley.
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NewsBA axes A318 premium service that took over Concorde flight number
British Airways is to axe its premium Airbus A318 transatlantic service from London City to New York JFK, as part of its re-organisation to deal with the air transport crisis. The operation had already been halved to a single aircraft, after BA transferred the other A318 used on the route ...
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Airline BusinessAirlines left doubting if enough people can, or will, travel in 2020
The industry’s relief at being able to ramp up services as the second half of 2020 began is quickly being replaced by concern that the coronavirus is likely to weigh more heavily on demand than previously thought.
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NewsAirbus trims A350 rates again as crisis becomes ‘visible’ in second quarter
Airbus is trimming A350 production rates, to five aircraft per month from six, in a further adjustment to its output in the face of weak air transport market demand. The airframer has disclosed that some 145 commercial aircraft went undelivered during the first half of this year, as a result ...
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NewsIATA pushes airline recovery to 2024 amid ‘surprisingly weak’ restart
Demand for air travel is unlikely to reach 2019 levels until 2024, according to revised figures from IATA, which cites “unexpectedly weak” traffic during the current restart of services.