News from FlightGlobal – Page 2266

  • News

    Atlantic seeks to end limit on regionals jets

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) is pressing United Airlines for unlimited use of regional jets under 50 seats as it places a conditional order with Fairchild Aerospace for up to 110 328/428JETs to replace British Aerospace Jetstream 32 and Jetstream 41 turboprops. The United Express carrier wants to phase out ...

  • News

    KAL launches $200 million safety reforms

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/SEOUL Korean Air (KAL), desperate to restore its credibility after a string of crashes, is embarking on a $200 million reform programme to boost safety. The airline hopes this will lead to resumption of codeshare agreements with Air France, Delta Air Lines and Air Canada, which have ...

  • News

    Virgin makes plans to be bigger in Asia

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/SHANGHAI Virgin Atlantic Airways chairman Richard Branson has mapped out plans for a major expansion of the UK carrier's Asian route network over the next few years while conceding that its aim of establishing a US domestic subsidiary looks unlikely to become a reality. Speaking in Shanghai during ...

  • News

    New York start-up strikes blue note

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    JetBlue Airways is the name selected by New York-based US start-up New Air, formed by Morris Air founder David Neeleman. Backing worth $125 million in capital is coming from US-based entrepreneur George Soros, through his company Private Equity Partners Fund, and Weston Presidio Capital and Chase Capital Partners. The ...

  • News

    China Eastern nears decision on MD-11 fleet replacement

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/SHANGHAIChina Eastern Airlines is finalising plans to order new long-haul aircraft to replace its Boeing MD-11s, as it agrees a new delivery schedule for 10 A320s with Airbus Industrie. China Eastern operates five Boeing MD-11 passenger aircraft and a single cargo version, but will remove the type from its ...

  • News

    Gemini set to double cargo capacity

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Gemini Air Cargo plans to double the number of freighters it operates by the end of 2000 from nine aircraft. The increase is the result of major US investor The Caryle Group acquiring a majority stake in the carrier. "Caryle will be an excellent financial partner in the next ...

  • News

    Routes

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Air Canada has launched thrice-weekly Vancouver, Canada-Taipei, Taiwan non-stop schedules using Airbus Industrie A340s, in harmony with codeshare partner EVA Air's three Boeing 747 nonstop flights. Delta Connection Atlantic Southeast Airlines is introducing jet services between between Atlanta and Austin, Houston and San Antonio on 1 August using 50-seat Canadair ...

  • News

    Star Alliance pursues French and German rail options

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Julian Moxon/PARIS French railway company SNCF is considering a move that could see it become the first "non-airline" member of the Star Alliance - although it has not yet dismissed alternative options which could see it do a "train/plane" deal with a single airline, or open its route network ...

  • News

    Airports

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Aeroports de Paris, the operator of Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, has signed a partnership agreement with Chateauroux-Deols Airport to study the potential of the latter to handle increased freight traffic. Chateauroux-Deols is located in the Paris area and offers a 24h operation. Passenger numbers at London Luton Airport ...

  • News

    Marketplace

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Cathay Pacific has signed a short-term, wet-lease agreement with Atlas Air for a single Boeing 747 freighter. The deal is the airline's first with the US freight leasing specialist. Denver-based Frontier Airlines has leased two ex-Winnair 737-200 Adv for 51 months and an ex-TACA Boeing 737-300, all from Swedish lessor ...

  • News

    SAA's cost cutting turns loss into profit

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    South African Airways (SAA) has revealed a R51 million ($8.32 million) profit for the 12 months to the end of March. The state-owned airline, which last month agreed to sell a 20% shareholding to SAirGroup of Switzerland, recorded a R244 million loss the previous year. The turnaround in fortunes ...

  • News

    SabreTech faces ValuJet murder charge

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC SabreTech, the maintenance contractor for the former ValuJet Airlines, says it will "vigorously defend" itself against murder and manslaughter charges brought by Florida state prosecutors. It also faces federal grand jury criminal indictments. The charges relate to the crash of a ValuJet McDonnell Douglas ...

  • News

    Boeing tackles winglet erosion in MD-11 modification package

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing plans to complete work by the end of the year on improvements to tackle long-standing operational problems on the MD-11. They include new coatings to prevent excessive erosion to the winglets, modifications to stop skin cracks and changes to system fittings and valves to prevent ...

  • News

    China Southern begins merger talks with Air China

    1999-07-21T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/SHANGHAI China Southern Airlines has confirmed that it has held talks with flag carrier Air China over a possible merger that would bring together two of the country's three biggest airlines. China Southern says that its parent, Southern Airlines Group, has held preliminary talks with Air China which ...

  • News

    Mesa's preference for 35-seat regional jet favours Embraer

    1999-07-14T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/WASHINGTONMesa Air Group wants early delivery of a new 50-seat regional jet. It has an additional requirement for a smaller complementary aircraft, giving the Embraer RJ-145 the edge over the competing Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-200. Phoenix, Arizona-based Mesa plans soon to announce the acquisition of up 40 new ...

  • News

    BM widens the field for Fokker replacement

    1999-07-14T00:00:00Z

    British Midland (BM) is widening its evaluation of 100-seat aircraft to replace its Fokker 70/100 and warns that, with the increasing number of new types becoming available, Boeing will have to make a "very attractive offer" to win the UK carrier's order for its 717 twinjet. The airline has ...

  • News

    Routes

    1999-07-14T00:00:00Z

    Japan Airlines (JAL) plans to codeshare with Iberia on Amsterdam-Madrid and Amsterdam-Barcelona routes from October. JAL and KLM co-operate on the Amsterdam-Spain routes, but this would end if the JAL/Iberia link is confirmed. Continental Airlines launched the first non-stop connection between Cleveland, USA, and London Gatwick, UK, on 1 July, ...

  • News

    Carriers put transpolar plans on ice

    1999-07-14T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC North American carriers are being forced to shelve plans for new non-stop direct services between US and Asian destinations as infrastructural and political problems delay the opening of transpolar routes . Trial flights over the North Pole have stopped only 12 months after the inaugural ...

  • News

    EasyJet gains Gatwick foothold

    1999-07-14T00:00:00Z

    EasyJet is to begin its first services from London Gatwick this year. London Luton-based low-fares carrier easyJet has been seeking to gain access to the capital's other airports - Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted - and will use its Gatwick slots to launch daily scheduled services to Geneva for the winter ...

  • News

    Aerospatiale Matra tanker deal sparks Raytheon exclusivity row

    1999-07-14T00:00:00Z

    Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Aerospatiale Matra's partnership with Lockheed Martin on an air-to-air refuelling aircraft based on an Airbus Industrie aircraft violates an exclusive agreement between Raytheon and Airbus to develop and market a militarised Airbus A310-300, Raytheon officials claim. In April, Raytheon Systems and Airbus teamed on the ...