Short Takes
December 11th 2015
MANUFACTURERS: On track for its first flight in early 2016, Boeing has rolled out the first B737 MAX 8 from its Renton - Washington, final assembly plant. Read More » The U.S. manufacturer said the aircraft would undergo pre-flight preparation, before continuing flight test readiness from Renton Field. Airbus Group is exploring the sale of MRO Vector Aerospace Corp., in a deal that could be valued at more than $800 million, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. ATR has received EASA certification for the high-density seating configuration option for the ATR 72-600.
AIRLINES: American Airlines will introduce a premium economy cabin from “late 2016” on its international widebody fleet, complementing its existing first, business, main cabin extra and main cabin offerings. Lufthansa has told This Week in Asia-Pacific Aviation it would receive its first A320neo this month, ahead of Qatar Airways, which was previously announced as the launch customer of the re-engined jet. Indonesia’s Travira Air has taken delivery of its maiden ATR42-600, following a ferry flight from Toulouse to Jakarta Halim airport last weekend.
MRO: Delta TechOps has signed a 13-year agreement with Virgin Australia to perform MRO services on the carrier’s CFM56-7B-powered B737-800 fleet.
ROUTES: Air Madagascar will cancel its Antananarivo-Bangkok-Guangzhou A340-300 service from January 4, its sole link to Asia. Asiana Airlines will terminate its service to Vladivostok on February 1, and it will also cancel services to Bali and Yangon from March 1, due to “weak demand”. British Airways will increase B777 frequency on the Pudong-Heathrow route from daily to ten-weekly on February 20. Cathay Pacific Airways will launch a four-weekly Hong Kong-Gatwick A350 service from September 2. Taiwan’s China Airlines will increase frequency on the Taipei-JFK New York B777-300ER route from three times to five times a week from October 30. China Eastern Airlines will launch a twice-weekly Wenzhou-CDG A330-200 route from January 23 and it will add a thrice-weekly Pudong-Prague service starting April 5. China Southern Airlines will launch a thrice-weekly Urumqi-Lanzhou-Bangkok B737-800 service January 23. Peach Aviation will increase frequency on the Naha-Taipei A320 route from daily to ten-weekly beginning February 19, followed by the launch of a thrice-weekly Naha-Narita service from the next day. Philippine Airlines will launch a twice-weekly Bacolod-Incheon A321 service on December 24. Qatar Airways has increased A320 frequency on the Doha-Abha route from four-weekly to daily, and it increased A320/A321 on Doha-Madinah from daily to double daily. From December 16, Qatar will also increase B777/A319 frequency on Doha-Jeddah from twice to thrice daily, followed by Doha-Riyadh from December 18. Vietnam Airlines will increase frequency on the A321 Ho Chi Minh-Busan route from daily to ten-weekly starting January 1.
TECHNOLOGY: Honeywell has signed an agreement to acquire privately-held Satcom1, the provider of on-board communications routing software and a satellite communications provider of airtime and consulting services.
