Short Takes
May 25th 2015
MANUFACTURERS: Airbus has started final assembly of the first of 70-on-order A350s for Singapore Airlines. The CFM International (CFMI) LEAP-1A-powered Airbus A320neo has completed its maiden flight in Toulouse. Read More » The LEAP-1A is one of two engine choices for the neo; the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered neo achieved first flight in last September.
CODESHARES: China Eastern Airlines and Alitalia have expanded their partnership as the Mainland carrier added its ‘MU’ designator to Alitalia’s Milan (MXP)-Shanghai, as well as its Rome-Catania, Milan (MXP) and Venice services. Air China and Ethiopian Airlines have strengthened their collaboration as the African carrier placed its ‘ET’ code on six Air China ex-Beijing domestic routes, in addition to two ex-Guangzhou and two ex Shanghai (PVG) domestic services. The carriers also agreed that Ethiopian would codeshare on Air China’s new Beijing-Addis rotation from October 25. ETIHAD has added its ‘EY’ designator to eight additional American Airlines domestic services ex Dallas.
MRO: Heico Corp. has reported that net sales for the second-quarter ended April 30 increased 3% year-on-year to $291 million, while profit jumped 17% to $33 million. Heico said it expected sales and profits to grow 8-10% this year as it is “actively pursuing numerous acquisition opportunities”. Direct Maintenance and Etihad Airways have further extended their partnership, with Direct providing line maintenance in Entebbe, Uganda.
ROUTES: Malaysia AirAsia will add a four-weekly Kuala Lumpur-Utapao service from July 15, a thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur-Kaohsiung flight from July 16, and a four-weekly Johor Bahru-Bangkok (DMK) from July 17, all using the A320. Air New Zealand will increase frequency on the Auckland-Perth route from daily to eleven-weekly from December 11, with the additional rotations operated by the B767-300ER. The Kiwi-carrier has now also opened reservation for its new five-weekly Auckland-Houston B777-200ER route to be launched December 15. From March 27, China Airlines plans to increase capacity to double-daily B747-400 operations on the Taipei-Okinawa route. Dragonair will launch a twice-weekly Hong Kong-Hiroshima A321 service from August 16. Emirates Airline will replace the A330-200 with the B777-300ER on the Dubai-Warsaw service starting December 1. Ethiopian Airlines has postponed its second-daily Mumbai-Addis Ababa B787-8 operation from June 2 to October 25. Etihad Airways will increase frequency on the Abu Dhabi-Bangkok route from 21- to 27-weekly beginning July 1. Garuda Indonesia has added a four-weekly Ambon-Sorong ATR72-600 service. Hawaiian Airlines will terminate its thrice-weekly Honolulu-Sendai-Sapporo B767-300ER rotation from October 1, and instead fly to Sapporo non-stop. Korean Air has started a weekly seasonal A330-200 charter between Incheon and Zagreb. Kuwait Airways has delayed its A330 inaugurals to Rome and Paris to June 15. From November 1, Qatar Airways will deploy the A350-900 on its twice-daily Doha-Munich route. tigerair Taiwan will launch a thrice-weekly Taipei-Okinawa A320 service beginning June 29. Xiamen Airlines will increase frequency on the Xiamen-Osaka route from thrice-weekly to daily, and start a new six-weekly Fuzhou-Osaka service, both using the B737-800, effective July 1.
