Year Archives: 2024

[ad_1] Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need …

[ad_1] The average age of the global commercial airline fleet has reached a “record” of 14.8 years, according to IATA, as supply-chain challenges frustrate the industry’s growth and decarbonisation efforts. Outlining its latest forecasts on 10 December, the industry association said that new aircraft deliveries have fallen sharply from the high of 1,813 units in 2018, with this year’s predicted total of 1,254 marking a 30% shortfall from expectations as the year began. That left the age of the fleet this year …

[ad_1] Cambodia Angkor Air is to supplement its fleet with three ATR 72-600s, as it prepares to undergo a rebranding. The carrier operates Airbus A320-family jets as well as ATRs for regional flights. It had indicated earlier this year that it intended to sell two of its ATR 72-500s – manufactured in 2010 – from September, and lease three ATR 72-600s from May 2025. ATR says the three aircraft will be acquired by Chinese lessor HNCA Aviation Financial Leasing, part of a Henan-based civil …

[ad_1] Alaska Air Group plans to launch its first flights from the US West Coast to Asia in 2025, part of a broader network shift the carrier says will strengthen its hubs and make it a more formidable nationwide player. The network changes, revealed by executives on 10 December during an investor conference, are possible thanks to Alaska Air’s September acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, a deal that brought the company its first widebody jets – Airbus A330s and Boeing 787s. “This is a …

[ad_1] A Spirit Airlines executive argues that major US carriers have sought to put the discounter “out of business” as it faces imminent de-listing from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).  Spirit’s stock will be de-listed from the NYSE on 16 December, confirming the struggling carrier’s earlier prediction that it would be dropped from the world’s largest exchange amid bankruptcy proceedings.  The NYSE notified the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the decision in a 5 December filing, which notes that all existing …

[ad_1] Scandinavian crew resource specialist AAP Aviation Group is aiming to expand into providing European narrowbody services under long-term capacity provider agreements for airlines. AAP chief executive Espen Hoiby tells FlightGlobal that the company, which already offers crew resourcing solutions to airlines, has the groundwork in place for an air operator certificate (AOC) in Norway and is now looking to secure a launch customer for the operation. “We are ready to do this, but we need to team up with an airline,” he …

[ad_1] United Airlines is seeking to bolster its transpacific dominance with a newly proposed route to China from the West Coast of the USA.  The Chicago-based carrier filed on 2 December with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) an application to operate thrice-weekly, year-round flights from Los Angeles International airport to Beijing. The proposed flights would be operated with Boeing 787-9 aircraft and launch 1 May, per DOT approval. United’s website shows that the flights are not yet available for booking.  United requests “seasonal flexibility …

[ad_1] Aeroflot is claiming to be the first Russian carrier to introduce aircraft under wet-lease, following a change in the country’s air transport regulations. The airline has reached a preliminary agreement to take three Airbus A330s operated by Moscow-based Ifly. Ifly uses both A330-200s and -300s. Aeroflot says the Ifly wet-lease will bring to 15 the number of A330s in its fleet. It intends to use the aircraft on domestic services to destinations in eastern Russia, including Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Aeroflot chief Sergei Alexandrovsky …

[ad_1] Air New Zealand expects to operate seven Boeing 787-9s with new cabin interiors by end-2025, as retrofit works on its first aircraft continue apace. Airline chief Greg Foran, speaking to reporters in Singapore, says the airline is hoping to operate its first retrofitted 787 in mid-February next year. Foran was in Singapore visiting the facilities of ST Engineering, who are undertaking retrofit works for 14 Air New Zealand 787s. Thereafter, a second 787 will be inducted in February for a cabin refresh, and …

[ad_1] Qantas’s first Airbus A321XLR has entered final assembly, paving the way for its delivery in April next year. The aircraft, to be registered VH-OGA (MSN12323), is the first of 28 A321XLRs that Qantas has on order. It will replace Qantas’ Boeing 737-800s over the next decade. Qantas will also be the first Asia-Pacific operator of the variant, which entered commercial service in November with Spanish operator Iberia. Calling it a “significant milestone” in its fleet renewal plans, Qantas says the new aircraft will …

[ad_1] Canberra’s most recent aviation white paper has underlined the challenges facing new entrants in Australia’s airline market and reiterated the government’s view that slot reform is needed at Sydney airport. While observing that the country’s aviation sector has rebounded strongly from the coronavirus pandemic, the white paper observes that conditions are still difficult. It points to Regional Express’s (Rex) entry into administration in July after it attempted to enter Australia’s domestic market, shortly following the collapse of low-cost carrier Bonza earlier …

[ad_1] Russian carrier Azimuth Airlines has disclosed that the fire involving one of its Yakovlev Superjet 100s at Antalya resulted from fuel on the apron spilled from a damaged tank, but insists the aircraft itself did not burn. The twinjet, operating flight A45051 from Sochi on 24 November, had been stable on its approach, the carrier indicates, but was subjected to “unpredictable windshear” as it landed, causing a hard touchdown. Azimuth says the captain – the flying pilot, with over 12,500h – kept …