SWISS to serve new Daxing International Airport with start of 2020 summer schedule

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is to switch its Zurich-Beijing services from the present Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) to the new Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX). The change will be made with the start of the 2020 summer schedule at the end of March. 

The move will offer travellers more attractive timetables on the route. The eastbound service will leave Zurich late in the afternoon and arrive in Beijing just after 09:00 on the following day. The westbound flight will depart from Beijing at 11:00 and arrive in Zurich at 15:35 on the same day. SWISS serves Beijing daily in summer and five times weekly in winter. The route is operated using Airbus A330 equipment.

Source: AviTrader

Airbus shares hit record high as Boeing now suggests June return to service of 737 MAX

As Airbus shares hit a record high on Wednesday, January 22, the planemaker’s North American rival, Boeing, has just announced that certification of the beleaguered 737 MAX may not be obtained until June. As a result, while Airbus shares were heading in one direction, those of Boeing and also of many of its customers and suppliers fell on disclosure of this latest news. 

Airbus shares peaked at €139.32 at 1215 GMT on Wednesday, while those of TUI Group and Norwegian fell by 5% and 1.7% respectively. A spokesman for Norwegian said: “We are continually taking steps to minimize any disruption to the journeys of our passengers during our summer 2020 program.” Back in December TUI had warned that if the 737 MAX was not flying and fully operational by May 2020, anything up to €400 million could be wiped off its annual earnings. 

As far as Boeing’s suppliers were concerned, the share price of Safran and the U.K.’s Senior which make the engines for the 737 MAX with General Electric, also fell. British Airways parent firm IAG which confirmed a non-binding order for 200 MAX jets last June is “still progressing with Boeing”, Chief Financial Officer Steve Gunning told Reuters in Dublin. “I think we’re still confident Boeing will get this back in the sky,” Gunning said, adding that the 2024 delivery timeframe left IAG with some room for maneuver. 

Another top 737 MAX buyer, Ryanair, declined to comment, though its chief marketing officer had said earlier this month that the Irish budget carrier had thought it was possible it might take delivery of up to ten 737 MAXs by April

Source: AviTrader

Airbus expands European A321 production capacity to now include Toulouse facility

With production of the wide-body A380 jet coming to a close in the near future and just fiveremaining aircraft due for delivery, Airbus has turned its attention to expanding production facilities for the increasingly popular A321 Family narrow-body jet.

The European planemaker has revealed plans to convert its Toulouse A380 line into a ‘digitally-enabled’ production line for the more popular A321 range of aircraft. At the present moment Airbus produces A321s at both Hamburg, Germany and Mobile, Alabama, USA. The A320neo Family is the world’s best-selling single aisle with over 7100 aircraft sold to over 110 customers.

Within this Family, the A321XLR is the latest evolutionary step which has been developed to meet market needs for even more range and payload, creating more value for the airlines. From 2023, it will deliver an unprecedented Xtra Long Range of up to 4,700nm and a 30% lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous-generation competitor aircraft.

By mid-2022 the current A380 Lagardère facility in Toulouse will accommodate a digitally-enabled A321 line as a step to modernize the A320 production system in Toulouse. The new facilities will provide more flexibility for A321 production, while keeping the overall single aisle industrial capacity in Toulouse flat.

“We are enjoying an unprecedented high demand for our winning A320neo Family and especially its A321 Long Range (LR) and Xtra Long Range (XLR) derivatives,” said Michael Schoellhorn, Airbus Chief Operating Officer. “In order to optimize the industrial flow, we have decided to increase our global A321 production capacity and flexibility as well as to establish a next-generation Final Assembly Line in Toulouse.”

Source: AviTrader

Boeing 737 MAX Production halt

The assembly line in Renton, Washington, has stopped building Boeing's bestselling plane, the company confirmed late Monday.

Boeing announced plans to temporarily halt production for an undetermined period in December, but it had not previously announced a precise day for the shutdown.

Boeing will not furlough or lay off workers because of the shutdown, but pain will ripple through its supply chain and could hurt America's economic growth. The shutdown will make restarting production and recovering from the crisis more difficult for Boeing once it finally gets permission for the plane to fly again.

The 737 Max has been grounded since March following two fatal crashes that killed all 346 people on board.

Although Boeing couldn't deliver the 737 Max planes to customers, the company continued to build the jets, albeit at a slightly reduced pace of 42 a month.

It now has about 400 completed jets parked in Washington and Texas, waiting to be delivered to airlines around the world.

The shutdown could also hurt the US economy

Source: fliegerfaust.com

Airlines and Airports React to Virus Outbreak in China

The recent outbreak of a flu-like virus in China is creating a ripple effect across global markets, sending shares tumbling as airlines and airports heighten passenger screening measures ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Hong Kong-listed shares of state-owned airlines China Eastern and China Southern plummeted 6.7 percent and 6.51 percent, respectively, on Tuesday while Cathay Pacific dropped 4.07 percent. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ANA) slipped to 2.97 percent and 2.16 percent, respectively, while Australian carrier Qantas fell 1.7 percent.

U.S. and European airline shares also saw declines on Tuesday as investors recalled the economic fallout from China's Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2002/2003, which killed nearly 800 people globally and led to a recession in Hong Kong. Delta Air Lines slid 5.2 percent, United Airlines lost 5.1 percent, and American Airlines dropped 3.8 percent. Meanwhile, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa each saw shares slip around 2 percent.

Chinese authorities on Tuesday confirmed the new coronavirus outbreak had killed six people in China’s central city of Wuhan, bringing the total number infected to nearly 300. By mid-afternoon Tuesday, the U.S. reported its first case of the virus, after a Washington state resident traveling back from Wuhan came down with the pneumonia-like illness. Authorities have also confirmed cases in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.

Considered one of the largest human migration events in the world, scores of Chinese travelers will take to the skies this Saturday for Lunar New Year, igniting concerns over a global pandemic.

While public health officials have yet to advise on travel and trade restrictions, the World Health Organization (WHO) will convene on Wednesday to determine whether to declare a global health emergency. The international agency applied an emergency designation last year, following an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo.

Fearing worldwide disruption, airlines and airports have increased screening of passengers traveling from high-risk areas. Scores of airports in Asia, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Thailand, have enacted a string of measures ranging from thermal screening to imposing a health declaration form system. Countries sharing borders with China, including Vietnam, have also tightened security checks given the high volume of cross-border flows.

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific is allowing cabin crew to wear face masks on routes to mainland China but has yet to extend that permission to international flights.

Farther afield, Australia, Italy, Canada, and the U.S. have all introduced screening measures for passengers arriving from Wuhan.

Australian health authorities confirmed on Tuesday that a Brisbane man had been tested for the virus but was later released.

Source: ainonline.com

Airbus is one step closer to pilotless commercial flights

Airbus seems to be one step closer to launching the pilotless commercial flights. The manufacturer revealed the pictures of one of its passenger jets testing computer-controlled autonomous takeoffs.

The tests were conducted at the Toulouse Blagnac airport on December 18 with an A350-1000.

Two pilots monitored the takeoffs and were ready to take over if needed. Airbus said eight takeoffs were carried out for testing purposes.

We moved the throttle levers to the take-off setting and we monitored the aircraft. It started to move and accelerate automatically maintaining the runway centerline, at the exact rotation speed as entered in the system. The nose of the aircraft began to lift up automatically to take the expected take-off pitch value and a few seconds later we were airborne, said Airbus Test Pilot Captain Yann Beaufils.

The technology behind the automatic takeoff is different from the Instrument Landing System (ILS) currently performed by modern jets.

The system is using image recognition technology installed directly on the aircraft. Airbus says the next step is to test automatic vision-based landing and taxi sequences by mid-2020.

Autopilot takeoff is an important milestone for Airbus' Autonomous Taxi, Take-Off & Landing (ATTOL) project intended as the first stage of AI (Artificial Intelligence) controlled pilotless commercial flights.

However, two crashes involving the Boeing 737 MAX in late 2018 and early last year, have raised questions about the future of automation in commercial flights.

MCAS, the stall prevention system of the 737 MAX series jets, repeatedly pushed down the nose of the aircraft due to the faulty AOA (Angle of Attack) data and caused two 737 MAX 8 jets to crash within five months.

But the industry is keen to materialize pilotless flights in the near future to lower their operating costs.

In a research paper published by Swiss bank UBS, the institution has claimed that a pilot is typically in full control of a passenger plane for an average of just 7 minutes on each flight.

UBS also predicted that single-pilot commercial and cargo flights could take place in five years.

The report says the shift to one operating pilot in the cockpit would lead up to a $15 billion saving in annual pilot, training, fuel and insurance costs.

But one survey conducted by UBS in 2017 uncovered that 63% of air travelers are not eager to fly with a pilotless aircraft

Credit: Airlinerwatch

New video footage reveals UIA Flight 752 was hit by two missiles

A new video footage revealed that Ukrainian Flight 752 was hit by a missile before it crashed.

The video was reportedly recorded by a security surveillance camera. It shows the missiles were fired from a mobile air defense near Tehran eight miles away from the aircraft.

The new video explains why the aircraft’s transponder stopped squawking while it was still flying. The transponder stopped working when the first missile hit the aircraft.

Transponder failure is no longer an excuse for Iranian authorities. The
Previous videos and statements by the Iranian authorities made global public to assume that the Ukrainian Boeing 737 was hit only by one missile.

How Flight 752 was hit?
In the early hours of Jan. 8, Iran targeted the US bases in Iraq with ballistic missiles as a response to an American drone strike, which killed the Iranian Revolution Guards commander General Qassim Suleimani.

Iranian defense units were most likely on high alert during that time against a possible U.S. counter-attack. Four hours later from the missile attacks, Flight 752 operated by Ukraine International Airlines took off from Imam Khomeini International Airport at 6:12 a.m.

The aircraft climbed at 8,000 feet in three minutes before it was shot down by two Russian-made Iranian anti-craft missiles. The aircraft kept flying and circling over Tehran after it was shot by the first missile and its transponder stopped squawking.

A second missile hit the aircraft within 30 seconds and it crashed narrowly missing the village of Khalaj Abad near Tehran.

Here is the link to the video

Iranian officials said the air defense unit mistook the passenger jet for a cruise missile. Iran first declared the aircraft crashed due to a technical problem. Iranian authorities later had to take responsibility for the mistake, after video footage have begun circulating on social media, showing the moment plane was being hit by a missile.

Iran blamed the US for the tension and pointed out human error for missile launch

Source: airlinewatch

Etihad aims for zero carbon emissions by 2050

Abu Dhabi’s state carrier will also bring down emission levels to 50% by 2035, its chief executive says

Abu Dhabi’s state carrier Etihad Airways plans to cut carbon emissions to zero by 2050 and to 50 per cent by 2035 as part of its expanded commitment to environmental sustainability, its chief executive said on Wednesday.
The airline will start new internal initiatives as well as collaborate with industry partners to reach the new targets.

“The global focus on the environment and the urgency of reducing carbon emissions has never been greater,” Tony Douglas, group chief executive of Etihad Aviation Group said.

“Etihad Aviation Group, together with its partners, is taking an active role in reducing the impact of aviation on the environment through initiatives ranging from optimised fuel management to sustainable financing practices.”

Recent sustainability initiatives taken by Etihad Aviation Group include continued induction of the latest-generation, most fuel-efficient aircraft, including additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

Etihad also became the first airline to secure commercial funding conditional upon compliance with the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. In partnership with First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Global Markets, Etihad recently secured 150 million Euros (Dh614m) to help finance the development of a multi-storey ‘eco residence’ for cabin crew living in Abu Dhabi.

The airline is also partnering in the development of sustainable aviation fuels as well as commitment to reduce single use plastics by 80 per cent by 2022.

The airline also started greenliner programme, in which the airline’s entire fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft will be used during normal scheduled flights as ‘test beds’ for sustainable products and practices, Etihad said on Wednesday.

The entire air transport industry, from airlines and suppliers to airspace providers, was responsible for helping to reduce aviation’s emissions, and solutions needed to be holistic and coordinated, not isolated and sporadic, Mr Douglas said.

He also said the new midfield terminal, which is expected to open “very shortly” will be one of the finest, designed based on environment friendly principles.

Etihad Airways which is in the midst of turnaround plan, is aiming to become profitable by 2023. The carrier teamed up with Air Arabia to jointly set up Abu Dhabi’s first low-cost airline to capitalise on growing demand for budget travel and back the capital’s tourism ambitions.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will operate out of Abu Dhabi International Airport and is expected to bolster Etihad’s turnaround plans. UAE cabinet earlier this month approved it as a national airline.

Source: thenational.ae

Boeing loses crown of world's biggest plane maker as 737 Max crisis bites

The Chicago-plane maker delivered only 380 jets in 2019, much lower than the total 863 aircraft delivered by its competitor Airbus

Boeing lost the title of the world’s biggest plane manufacturer to its rival Airbus after its aircraft deliveries slumped to a record 11-year-low.

The grounding of its best-selling 737 Max jet continues to haunt the Chicago-based company that delivered only 380 jets in 2019, which is less than half of the total 863 aircraft delivered by its rival, based in Toulouse, Boeing said.

The aircraft manufacturer, which factors in cancellations and conversion to earlier orders in its calculation, said it received only 54 new orders in the 2019 financial year – its lowest in decades.

Last year, Boeing received 893 new orders, data posted on its website showed. The airplane manufacturer said customers cancelled an order for three 787-9 aircraft in December 2019 and another for a 787-8 jet.
Airbus this month, said it received a net of 768 orders in 2019 after cancellations.

Airbus’s ascent to the top spot was anticipated after Boeing endured a tough year, following the grounding of its best-selling narrow-body 737 Max jet, which was involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people.
The incidents – which occurred just months apart – led to multiple regulatory and criminal investigations that eventually pulled the 737 Max from operation. The crashes dented passengers’ confidence while resulting in heavy monetary loss for Boeing’s customers.

Boeing recently removed its chief executive Dennis Muilenburg, replacing him with chairman David Calhoun, in the hope of regaining trust.

However, there is no visibility on when the Max jets will take to the skies again after new safety and regulatory concerns surfaced.

The 10-month grounding of the 737 Max hurt Boeing’s deliveries as it had to shut down production of the jet at the beginning of this month. The order backlog for its long and short-distance commercial jets at the end of December stood at 5,400.

Aircraft manufacturers receive most of their revenue when jets are delivered – minus accumulated progress payments – making final delivery crucial for their finances.

Reuters citing analysts estimates that Boeing has been losing around $1 billion (Dh3.67bn) a month on the back of the grounding. It reported an almost $3bn negative free cash flow in the third quarter. Its fourth-quarter figures are due on January 29.

Source: thenational.ae

Ryanair is now largest airline in Europe

The airline also reached an occupancy rate of 96%. This output marks the budget carrier as the largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers transported in a year.

The year 2020, however, seems to be more complicated for Ryanair. The Irish operator already said that it wouldn't be able to reach its growth target in 2020 due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the 737 MAX jet.

Ryanair might not take delivery of its first 737 MAX aircraft before October, the chief executive Michael O’Leary said in Berlin on January 3rd during an interview.

The Irish budget carrier has 135 737 MAX on order with Boeing waiting to be delivered. The Irish CEO had previously said that his company would not take delivery of the aircraft in July or August because it is the busiest time of the year for Ryanair.

We were meant to have 58 planes by the summer. That went down to 30, then 20, and then 10 and the latest is maybe only five. We may only get the first jets in October 2020, O’Leary said.

In contrast to other airlines that have already agreed on compensation with Boeing, including Turkish Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and TUI Fly, O’Leary said he would only discuss the compensation with the US aircraft manufacturer after the expected 737 MAX jets were delivered to the Irish airline.

United Airlines last month delayed its 737 MAX flights until June, the longest period that any U.S. carrier has scheduled for keeping the aircraft on the ground.

The 737 MAX, Boeing’s fastest-selling aircraft in the company history. But the aircraft has been since March 2019 following two fatal crashes which killed 349 people.

Boeing 737 MAX Wiring Is Now Under Scrutiny

Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed on Sunday they are reviewing a wiring issue that could potentially cause a short circuit on the grounded 737 Max.

Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Sunday the U.S. planemaker "identified this issue as part of that rigorous process, and we are working with the FAA to perform the appropriate analysis. It would be premature to speculate as to whether this analysis will lead to any design changes."

The New York Times reported Boeing is reviewing whether two bundles of wiring are too close together, which could lead to a short circuit and potentially result in a crash if pilots did not respond appropriately.

The FAA said in a statement Sunday the agency and company "are analyzing certain findings from a recent review of the proposed modifications to the Boeing 737 MAX." The agency added it will "ensure that all safety related issues identified during this process are addressed."

Boeing is currently working to design separating the wiring bundles if necessary and conducting extensive analysis to establish if the electrical fault could occur in a real-world scenario, a company official said.

Officials said the FAA had directed Boeing to complete an audit in December. The wiring issue could push back the return of the Max, the officials added. Reuters has reported previously the FAA is not likely to approve the plane until at least February and might not until March or later.

The FAA flagged the wiring issue as potentially "catastrophic." It is possible other protections like shielding, insulation and circuit breakers could prevent the short circuit, a company official said.

Boeing will halt production of the 737 Max this month following the grounding in March of its best-selling plane after two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people.

Last month, Boeing's board fired Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg after repeatedly failing to contain the fallout from the crashes that tarnished its reputation with airlines and regulators.

The crisis has cost Boeing $9 billion, and has hurt suppliers and airlines.

Boeing is struggling to mend relations with the U.S. and international regulators it needs to win over to get the jet back in the air.

Separately, U.S. and European regulators are expected to return to Iowa this week to review a software documentation audit of the 737 Max that was not completed last year, officials said Sunday. FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency are scheduled to meet in Seattle this week and then return to Rockwell Collins facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa next weekend to review the audit.

Key Points

The New York Times reported Boeing is reviewing whether two bundles of wiring are too close together, which could lead to a short circuit and potentially result in a crash if pilots did not respond appropriately.

The FAA said in a statement Sunday the agency and company "are analyzing certain findings from a recent review of the proposed modifications to the Boeing 737 MAX."

Boeing is currently working to design separating the wiring bundles if necessary and conducting extensive analysis to establish if the electrical fault could occur in a real-world scenario, a company official said.

Source: cnbc

Air Canada and WestJet won't fly their 737 MAXs before March

Montreal, Canada - Air Canada and WestJet, two biggest airlines of Canada have announced that they would keep their grounded Boeing 737 MAX jets off their flight schedules until March.

The decision of Canada's two major airlines is expected to affect passengers already booked for flights in spring and reduce options for travelers looking to book flights in the coming months.

Air Canada said it recently opted to push back the return of the Boeing jet through March 31. WestJet said it has pulled its 13 Max planes from the schedule until March 4.

The federal government banned the 737 Max from the skies last March following two fatal crashes in five months that saw the plane grounded worldwide.

The airlines’ decision marks the latest in a series of delays that have reduced revenue and capacity and bumped up costs for the carriers, which have had to spend more on leases for aircraft that are less fuel-efficient.

The 36 Max aircraft was slated to make up one-quarter of Air Canada’s narrow-body fleet by the end of this 2019, with 14 more initially scheduled to arrive this year. WestJet was on track to receive two last year and two in 2020.

Delivery has now been put off pending a green light from regulatory authorities, including the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

Both carriers would have expected by now to have started to harvest and reap the rewards of a transition to that fleet type, said Robert Kokonis, president of Toronto-based consulting firm AirTrav Inc.

If it is the case that every individual aircraft has got to be inspected as well, then that’s a long process because the FAA is lacking in those resources. The grounding has not just scrambled schedules and piled on costs, but hampered growth plans.

WestJet and Air Canada, like a lot of other carriers around the world, have been eyeing the Max…to open up a whole new series of routes that hitherto were not economical for a larger wide-body or were not within the range of a regular narrow-body,
Kokonis said.

Southwest Airlines and American Airlines have scrubbed the once heavily coveted plane from their schedules until early-to-mid April, while United Airlines has put off its return until early June.

I would be very surprised if either of those March dates are possible,
Kokonis added, referring to Air Canada and WestJet.

Air Canada’s 12 undelivered Max aircraft now sit on Boeing lots, delaying the company’s hiring of pilots — it currently has about 400 Max pilots, relegated to training for the time being.

We have been continuously monitoring the situation and adjusting our schedule accordingly, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said in an email.

Neither Canadian airline would disclose if it was willing to join American Airlines in sharing part of potential compensation from Boeing with employees.

Last month Boeing suspended production of the 737 Max as hopes of getting one of its flagship jets back in the air continued to fade.

The Max 8 crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia killed a total of 346 people on board, including 18 Canadians.

Source: Airline Watch

Russian Government Bank Funds SSJ100 Shipments to Aeroflot

Aeroflot operates a fleet of 49 SSJ100 airliners and is expecting to add another 100.

An initial batch of five Sukhoi SSJ100 airliners has been shipped to Russia's state-backed Vnesheconombank (VEB) for subsequent delivery to flagcarrier Aeroflot. The deliveries were made during the last week of December and form part of a 100-aircraft order placed by Aeroflot with the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Corp (SCAC) back in September 2018.

According to SCAC and Russia's ministry of trade and industry, the remaining 95 aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2026.

Aeroflot, which already has 49 SSJ100s in its fleet, will operate the new aircraft in a two-class configuration for 12 business and 75 economy passengers.

The Russian government has effectively underwritten the deal through its continued financial support for VEB, which now acts as a so-called state development corporation.

Implementation of the the Aeroflot order, “will provide loading for the manufacturing facilities of the Russian aircraft manufacturers and give momentum to development of regional airports… leading to higher mobility of the population," said Denis Manturov, Russia's minister for industry and trade.

Although Aeroflot signed the core deal almost 16 months ago, it appeared unable or unwilling to come up with the necessary funds. But at the airline’s supervisory board meeting on October 24, 2019, directors approved the purchase of the first five aircraft.

The Aeroflot board also decided to launch a competition among financiers for the right to structure or fund the deal. At the time, Aeroflot signaled a preference for taking the majority of the additional Superjets on operational lease terms stretching over 12 years.

Aeroflot CEO Vitaly Saveliev commented that his company remains the largest operator of Russian-made airliners and that it continues to see its role as supporting local aircraft manufacturers

However, after independent financial groups showed no interest in backing the transaction, the Kremlin instructed the Russia’s largest financial institutions to raise the money under the leadership of VEB.

When presiding over the VEB supervisory board on October 30, 2019, Russian Prime minister Dmitry Medvedev instructed the company to acquire the 100 SSJs for the purpose of leasing them to Aeroflot.

“This project is, without a doubt, of national importance, as it is intended for further development of the [local] aircraft manufacturing and the network of regional routes," Medvedev explained at the time.

Responding to this call, VEB chairman Igor Shuvalov said his institution is unlikely to fund the entire deal alone. Instead, it may create a pool of investors and also use funds from the Russian state budget. Shuvalov further explained: “Raising funds for the 100 Sukhoi Superjet acquisition for subsequent lease to our flagcarrier, Aeroflot, has been the most important and yet the most difficult [transaction]. The respective project is going to be of a comprehensive nature, requiring both [additional] capital and liquidity for VEB. The funding required is $3.8 billion.”

Reportedly, VEB asked for certain guarantees to be issued by the Russian government or for other forms of state support to be provided, and these now have been secured. In particular, Rostec, the state-backed group that controls Russia's United Aircraft Corp and its SCAC subsidiary, has promised the required funding guarantees for the deal, including residual costs, at the minimal depreciation rate of 40 percent over 12 years in operation.

On December 13, VEB announced that it reached an agreement with Sberbank (the savings bank of the Russian Federation) on joint funding for 10 more SSJ100s. This agreement will serve as a template for further similar transactions.

Source: ainonline.com

Safest low-cost airlines 2020 revealed

AirlineRatings.com has released its latest rankings.

When booking a flight with a low-cost airline you find yourself looking at what is missing from a comparable flight with one of the big carriers.

Leg room, baggage allowance and free meals are the obvious areas of concern when paying a much cheaper fare, but what about the safety record?

Of course, on routes in remote areas, there may not be an alternative, but for travellers who do have the choice it can put the mind at ease if they know they are flying with a reputable airline with an excellent safety record.

After all, not all can afford to take a seat in business class on an Airbus A380 as they buckle up for an hours-long trip across continents.

The safety and product rating website AirlineRatings.com has released its top 10 safest low-cost airlines for 2020 list from the total of 405 airlines it monitors.

Sharjah-based Air Arabia made this year's list, having not been included last year.

The low-cost sector in the UAE is set for expansion this year after Etihad Airways and Air Arabia agreed in October to set up Abu Dhabi’s first low-cost airline to capitalise on growing demand for budget travel.

The new airline, dubbed “Air Arabia Abu Dhabi”, will operate out of Abu Dhabi International Airport and is set to start operations by the second quarter.

And it was then confirmed last month that Wizz Air, Eastern Europe's biggest low cost airline which also made the top 10 list, had signed a preliminary agreement with Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company to form a local carrier.

The venture, known as Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, will operate a fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft and plan to start operating in the second half of 2020.

Was 2019 a safe year for flying?
It was one of the safest, according to the Aviation Safety Network.
The independent organisation, which compiles annual statistics, recorded a total of 20 fatal airliner accidents, resulting in 283 (occupant) fatalities.

This made it the seventh safest year by number of fatal accidents and third safest in terms of fatalities.
Thirteen of the accidents involved passenger flights while six were cargo.

The most deadly accident was the
Ethiopian Airlines crash involving a Boeing 737 Max in March in which 157 lost their lives. The 737 Max fleet has since been grounded, having also been involved in a fatal crash in Indonesia in October 2018.

How are the safest low-cost airlines chosen?
AirlineRatings.com said all of the 10 airlines have all passed the stringent International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and have excellent safety records.

"IOSA is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. It looks at more than 1000 audit parameters and airlines are re-evaluated every two years," it wrote.

It added that many low cost airlines are not part of Iata and have not undertaken the audit.

“Those LCC’s that have decided to use IOSA show an additional commitment to safety,’’ said AirlineRatings editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas.
Other factors for the decision making include:
• results of audits conducted by the governing body of aviation, The International Civil Aviation Organisation
• whether they are on banned lists
• a fatality-free record for the past 10 years.

Source: thenational.ae

Air Peace receives 3rd IOSA certification

Air Peace has received its third International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification.

Mr Stanley Olisa, the Corporate Communications Executive of Air Peace, stated this in a statement he released to newsmen on Thursday in Lagos.

He said that the new certification had reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to safety and set the tone for the aviation sector in 2020.

Olisa said that this development came on the heels of the airline’s announcement of flight operations from Lagos to Ibadan, Kano and Owerri.

The airline had set a record when it obtained its first IOSA barely two years into its operations and was, subsequently, inducted as a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the airline, Mrs Toyin Olajide, said that the certification was another feather added to Air Peace’s cap.

According to her, it confirms the airline’s uncompromising adherence to safety standards in line with global best practices.

“The exercise this time around was tougher than what obtained in previous years.

“But, we scaled through the hurdles of every phase of the certification process due to our unwavering drive to keep raising the bar in our operations,” she said.

She also reassured the flying public of the airline’s resolve to continue to comply with best safety standards and promised more seamless connectivity and an expanded route network in 2020.

Olajide applauded the IATA for its efforts at ensuring that stakeholders in the aviation sector globally comply with stipulated safety standards.

She said that the airline would continue to blaze the trail in Africa’s aviation landscape.

“Air Peace has attained an enviable position as West Africa’s leading airline.

“It will continue to raise the bar in flight services by ensuring 100 percent compliance with all safety codes as required by the industry’s regulatory bodies,” she said.

Also, the Director of Audit Programmes at IATA, Catalin Cotrut, congratulated Air Peace on the successful completion of the audit.

He implored the airline to always comply with the standard reporting responsibilities in accordance with the IOSA Programme Manual (IPM) Section 7.7.1.

IATA Operational Safety Audit Programme is an internationally recognised and accepted system designed to evaluate the operational management and control systems of airlines.

Source: pmnewsnigeria

Airbus Overtake Rival Boeing for first time since 2011 as 737 Max crisis drags on

Airbus grabbed the title of world's biggest plane maker from its embattled US rival Boeing in 2019 after it delivered a forecast-beating 863 aircraft in the last year.

The Toulouse-based plane manufacturer won the top spot for the first time since 2011, as the crisis surrounding Boeing's grounded 737 Max drags on into 2020, Reuters reported, citing airport and tracking sources.

Airbus did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by The National on Thursday.

The victory for Airbus, which reverses the ranking in the duopoly between the giant aerospace rivals, was anticipated after a tough year for the Chicago-based plane maker. The grounding of Boeing's best-selling narrowbody jet after two fatal crashes that killed 346 people had a profound impact on the company and the aviation industry. The disasters and their aftermath led to multiple regulatory and criminal investigations, hurt airline operations, disrupted suppliers and dented traveller confidence in the plane. Boeing ousted its chief executive Dennis Muilenburg, replacing him with chairman David Calhoun, in the hope of regaining trust.

The Airbus aircraft delivery figures highlight how far Boeing has to climb to recover its market position.

Airbus, which is grappling with its own industrial problems, beat its forecast of 860 jet deliveries by deploying extra resources until hours before midnight on New Year's Eve in France to reach 863 aircraft for the year, according to Reuters.

Airbus's plane deliveries in 2019 rose 7.9 per cent from 800 aircraft in 2018.

Airbus’s tally, which included around 640 narrowbody aircraft, broke industry records after it deployed thousands of workers and cancelled holidays to complete a buffer stock of semi-finished aircraft waiting to have their cabins adjusted, Reuters said.

Airbus's industrial delays, related to cabin fittings on its A321 Neo jets, have curtailed its ability to take advantage of the market turmoil surrounding Boeing’s 737 Max, grounded globally since March following the two fatal incidents.

Boeing delivered 345 mainly long-haul jets between January and November, less than half the number of 704 achieved in the same period of 2018, when the Max was being delivered normally. For the whole of 2018, Boeing delivered 806 aircraft.

Boeing's ongoing 737 Max woes marked a tumultuous year that forced the aviation industry to grapple with big questions such as whether the plane maker will overcome the Max debacle and if travellers will be too scared to fly on the jet.

Airbus shares rose about 3 per cent to €134 (Dh551) by 4pm UAE time after news of the plane delivery total that toppled Boeing as the world’s biggest jetmaker for the first time in eight years.

The duopoly has been locked in a fierce rivalry to win orders for new jets and claim the top spot in the aviation industry. The two are also in the midst of a World Trade Organisation dispute, accusing each other of being unfairly subsidised by their governments.

Boeing launched its 737 Max re-engined model in response to Airbus’s A320 Neo fuel-efficient single-aisle planes that became an instant hit with airlines.

Source: thenational.ae

Turkish Airlines pockets $225m from Boeing over grounded 737 Max

Turkish Airlines has received $225million in compensation from Boeing to cover losses incurred over the U.S. manufacturer’s grounded 737 MAX aircraft.

The airline’s public disclosure statement to the Istanbul stock exchange did not mention the value of the deal, but Hurriyet newspaper put it at $225 million and said it was received early on Tuesday.

“Turkish Airlines and Boeing came to an agreement concerning compensation for certain losses caused by the grounded and undelivered Boeing 737 Max aircraft,” the disclosure said.

The flagship 737 MAX has been grounded since March after crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people.

Turkish Airlines halted the use of 12 737 MAX aircraft. It was expecting delivery of an additional 12 jets in 2019.

In December, Boeing said it would temporarily suspend production of the 737 MAX starting next year.

Boeing Fired Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg last week amidst the continuing fallout from the crashes which triggered the biggest crisis in the company’s history.

Hurriyet reported that the compensation, including 75 million dollars for spare parts and training, covers losses for 2019.

It also said that Turkish Airlines would receive additional compensation for further losses that it suffers until the planes are operational again.

Earlier in December, Turkish media reported that Turkish Airlines was readying to sue Boeing over the grounded and undelivered aircraft, which forced it to increase fares and cut domestic flights

Source: pmnewsnigeria

Hong Kong aviation authority orders investigation into air traffic control system after New Year’s Day hitch

Hong Kong’s aviation authority has told a contractor to investigate a brief hitch to the air traffic management system on the first day of the new year. Individual workstations of its air traffic management system were “not responsive to commands” in the morning, Civil Aviation Department said in a statement released on Wednesday. The problem prompted technical staff to switch to a fallback system identical to the original one – at 9.10am, it said.A department spokesman said there were some temporary restrictions on departing flights, but “arrivals and [flights over the region] were not affected”.

There was no risk to safety, he added.

He said the air traffic control officers were able to maintain direct voice communication with pilots at all times, as well as monitor and obtain full information of all flights within Hong Kong airspace.

The main system was rebooted, checked by the department’s technical staff then used as a backup. The ultimate fallback system was not activated during the process.

The department did not reveal how long the hitch lasted, only describing it as “brief”.

It said it had tasked the system’s contractor to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report as soon as possible.

Warren Chim Wing-nin, a spokesman for the aircraft division at the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, said the incident did not appear to be high-risk, based on the available information.

“In reality, it is impossible for a system to be completely free from problems,” Chim said. “You can’t say something is abnormal because there are incidents.”
He said factors to be looked into should include why such a problem had happened and whether the problem was similar to those that had happened in the past or a new problem.

Other problems have been reported in the current air traffic management system. In August 2018, radar screens did not show full information for three flights. The department later explained the glitch stemmed from “unexpected data corruption” when the details of a flight route were being processed by the main air traffic management system.

Source: South China Morning Post

Aviation 2019: Major Happenings

The year of 2019 has brought the aviation industry a number of tough challenges, indeed. Issues related to aviation safety, decreasing trust in the most reliable aircraft manufacturers and regulatory authorities, a large number of aviation companies going bankrupt, etc.

2019 was rich in various events. Although it is natural for a human being to, first of all, remember the negative matters which closely correlate with such names as Thomas Cook, Jet Airways, Joon, Germania, WOW air, Boeing 737 MAX, Ethiopian Airlines, etc. Time to change stereotypes.

2019 has also brought a number of new “first times”, new technologies, new airports, new aircraft programs and maiden take-offs.

With the year of 2019 nearing to an end, let’s review the most impressive achievements and major positive events that happened during this year across the industry.

Tests for World’s Longest Commercial Flight

The first ever flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft took only 12 seconds. In 2019, therefore, Qantas set the goal to launch the longest commercial flight connecting the farthest points of the globe . If this is made reality, the flight will take 20+ hours.

With this ambition in mind, the carrier has completed three tests of the flight to study pilots’, cabin crews’ and passengers’ experience flying such long distances. Also, in the last month of the year Qantas announced the preferred choice of the aircraft: Airbus A350-1000.

Long-Awaited Openings of New Airports in China and Singapore

It was a year of huge openings in the airport’s sphere. In April, 2019, it was Singapore’s long-awaited Jewel Changi Airport which officially opened its gates for travellers. It is a multi-use complex designed to connect three of Changi Airport’s four terminals. Not to be omitted the fact that in 2019 Singapore’s Changi Airport was voted the best in the world.

Meanwhile, in September, 2019, after 45 months of construction, Beijing Daxing International Airport has finally opened its doors to the flying public. The new hub, already nicknamed ‘starfish’ (because of its design), is expected to lessen the pressure put on the Beijing Capital International Airport.

Electrification – Entirely New Page in Aviation History

Aviation is a relatively young industry, counting just a bit over a one hundred years. Nevertheless, the pace of its development is rather astonishing. From a service only for the wealthiest in the beginning of the 20th century, up to inevitably important part of every day life for masses.

In 2019, therefore, the new chapter of the aviation book has been opened with the first flight of a fully-electric commercial aircraft

. It was the DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver, the first all-electric seaplane operated by Harbour Air, that carried six passengers in Vancouver, Canada, in December, 2019.

Worth highlighting the fact that aviation training could be soon also turning electric. In 2019 Norway’s Pilot Flight Academy announced that it is aiming to provide fully-electric aviation education for pilots beginning 2021.

The age of electric planes has just began, however, in the attempts to make the industry more sustainable , it will not take centuries to release more and more all-electric aircraft.

Aviation Makers Turning Green. Target – Zero Emissions

Environmental pollution is one of the central topics globally. Especially in aviation, which represents around two percent of emissions of global carbon dioxide (CO2) , that is roughly equivalent to the overall emissions of Germany.

Thus, the year 2019 was critically important due to environmental reasons. A number of airlines started reporting its emissions, modernising fleets to become more sustainable, changing ordinary aviation fuel into biofuel.

For example, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines together with SkyNRG, global market leader for sustainable aviation fuel, announced it will develop Europe’s first dedicated plant for the production of
sustainable aviation fuel.

Furthermore, in 2019 Norway has set an ambitious goal for its aviation industry: emission-free domestic aviation by 2040.

Turbulent Year on Aircraft Market
For the aircraft market, 2019 has been quite the year. From halt of production to groundings to new programs and first take-offs.

The beginning of the year was marked with the announcement about the end of production of world’s biggest commercial airliner – Airbus A380

In 2021 Airbus will built the last A380 completing its backlog for the type and that would be the finish line for this plane.

Of course, grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has greatly shaken the clear sky within the industry. Multiple troubles, struggling airlines, suffering passengers, however, some new planes have also got into the air.

Among these are Airbus A319neo, the last of the A320neo variants, which completed its maiden flight powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines in April, 2019, and Embraer E175-E2 , which made its inaugural flight in December, 2019.

Apart from the fact that Boeing had one of the most terrible years in its history, there were two secret debuts of brand new planes . Right after the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 Boeing held an internal event aimed at the presentation of its long-awaited Boeing 777X for the company’s employees. Meanwhile in November, the planemaker debuted another aircraft of the 737 MAX family–737 MAX 10.

Also this year, two new commercial aircraft programs have been launched. On the first day of Paris Air Show 2019, Airbus officially unveiled its long-awaited new long-range A321XLR. It was one of the most anticipated events of the year.

Along with a new plane for longer passenger flights, innovation has been also introduced in the regional aircraft market, as well. In October, 2019, ATR announced about that it was approved to develop a brand new STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft: ATR 42-600S.
2020 Next

These are only several major happenings from across the industry for the last 12 months of the decade. At this point, what is the most anticipated event in aviation in 2020?

Airbus A319neo
Airbus A321XLR
ATR 42-600S
Beijing Daxing Airport
Boeing 737 MAX 10
Boeing 777X
Changi Airport
Embraer A175-E2
environment
Harbour Air
sustainable aviation

Source: aviationvoice.com