Short Takes
April 29th 2016
AIRLINES: Mainland conglomerate, the HNA Group, the parent of Hainan Airlines, will buy U.S. headquartered Carlson Hotels, the owners of the Radisson hotel chain. In 2016, the HNA Group has purchased technology logistics group, Ingram Micro, and Swiss airline catering company, Gategroup. Read More »
MANUFACTURERS: Boeing Co. has reported a 9% drop in quarterly profit, hurt by a $156 million after-tax charge related to the KC-46 aerial refuelling tanker. Following the write-off, Boeing earned $1.22 billion in the quarter ended March 31, compared with $1.34 billion, a year earlier. Revenues grew 2% to $22.63 billion, while commercial deliveries decreased 4.3% to 176. The FAA is calling for modifications to certain GE Aviation GEnx-1Bs on B787s, as well as revised guidance to pilots operating these Dreamliners, to mitigate possible “engine damage due to fan ice shedding.” The adjustments must be completed by October 1, and could potentially affect 29 carriers and 176 aircraft globally.
MRO: Ameco has carried out its first A321 Sharklet retrofit in Chengdu. The Chinese MRO also said it has begun performing winglet modifications on Boeing aircraft at its Beijing base. Avtrade has expanded its inventory consignment contract with AFI KLM E&M to include storage and trading more than 7,500 AFI KLM E&M owned serviceable components and consumables at its UK headquarters for parts provisioning, sale, exchange and lease for A320 Family, A340, B737, B747, B777, CRJ and Embraer jets.
ROUTES: Air Mauritius will launch a weekly Mauritius-Guangzhou A340-300 route starting July 12. Beijing Capital Airlines will launch twice-weekly A320 services, each, from Shenyang to Okinawa, Shizuoka and Osaka starting May 15-18. China Southern Airlines will start a four-weekly Guangzhou-Toronto B777-300ER rotation from August 3. Chongqing Airlines will add a four-weekly Chongqing-Phuket A320 route starting May 7. Hong Kong Airlines will double frequency on the Hong Kong-Hanoi A320 route from five- to ten-weekly beginning May 15. Qatar Airways will launch a daily Doha-Atlanta B777-200LR service on June 1. Scoot will launch a daily Singapore-Chennai B787-8 service from May 24, replacing Tigerair’s ten-weekly A320 operations. SilkAir will launch a thrice-weekly Singapore-Vientiane-Luang Prabang A320 flight commencing October 31. Taiwan’s V Air has launched a thrice-weekly Taipei-Okinawa A320/A321 route.
CABIN INTERIORS: The FAA is calling for more than 10,000 Zodiac Aerospace seats (model numbers 4157, 4170 and 4184; installed on CRJ700s, -900s and Q400s; ERJ 145s, -170s and -190s and B717s) to be removed from service, citing design flaws that could cause injury if a passenger was thrown against the seatback.
