Short Takes
November 10th 2017
Airlines: Air New Zealand will install more than 5,500 Bluetooth devices across its cargo containers and pallets in an effort to better track its shipments and equipment. Read More » Emirates Airline will unveil its new first class product at the Dubai Airshow on Sunday and debut the product on flights to Brussels and Geneva from December 1. Thai VietJet Air this week became the 12th Thai-registered airline to get recertified by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, in line with ICAO standards. Vistara plans to launch its maiden international flights in the second half of 2018.
GDSs: Garuda Indonesia has extended its longstanding IT partnership with Amadeus, renewing its commitment to the Altéa Suite, Amadeus’ passenger service system (PSS). Hong Kong Airlines has signed a “multi-year agreement” for Sabre’s MIDT Network Plus data package.
Leasing: BOC Aviation and Qatar Airways have entered into a purchase and leaseback agreement for three B777 300ERs.The aircraft are currently operating at the airline.
OEMs: Airbus’A350-1000 has successfully completed its functional and reliability testing, bringing the aircraft a step closer to type certification, expected later this month. ATR has committed to the ATR72 Freighter programme, following an order for 30 firm orders and 20 options for the type from FedEx. StandardAero Aviation Holdings and Airbus SE have finalized the acquisition by StandardAero of Vector Aerospace Holding SAS from Airbus.
Routes: AirAsia will increase frequency on the Kuala Lumpur-Kunming A320 route from daily to double daily starting December 19; and it will launch a four-weekly Bintulu-Singapore A320 route on December 27. AirAsia X plans to launch a thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur-Jaipur A330-300 route on March 25. Jet Airways will launch a daily Goa-Abu Dhabi B737-800 route on December 10. Malaysia Airlines will increase frequency on the Kuala Lumpur-Surabaya B737-800 route from four-weekly to daily beginning December 2. Nok Air has added a four-weekly Don Mueang-Zhengzhou and a twice-weekly Don Mueang-Nantong B737-800 scheduled charter route. NokScoot will launch a thrice-weekly Don Mueang-Xian B777 route on November 22. Shenzhen Airlines will add a daily Guangzhou-U-Tapao A320 flight from November 27. Thai AirAsia will launch a daily Don Mueang-Chengdu A320 service on February 1. Tianjin Airlines has confirmed the launch of twice-weekly Tianjin-Zhengzhou-Sydney A330-200 flights commencing January 29.
