Short Takes
June 29th 2018
Airlines: An Air New Zealand ATR72-500 has experienced an engine “back firing” incident en route from Napier to Auckland. Read More » An Asiana Airlines A330 and a Korean Air B777-200ER had a minor collision at Seoul’s Gimpo Airport this week. Taiwan’s China Airlines claims it is still “studying” a narrowbody replacement order; no decision on an order split, or otherwise, has been made, the airline said. Nepal Airways has taken delivery of the first of two A330s from Portuguese lessor, Hi Fly. QantasLink has rolled out the first refurbished Bombardier Q300.
Liu Chuanjian, the pilot of Sichuan Airlines flight 3U8633, has been bestowed the honorary title of “CAAC Heroic Captain” after calmly landing an A319 in Chengdu after his co-pilot was sucked halfway out the cockpit window. Liu was awarded approximately US$780,000.
Routes: Air China will launch A350 flights earlier than expected; Beijing-Chengdu A350-900 service is now scheduled from August 1 (previously September 1). Beijing Capital Airlines will add a thrice-weekly Hangzhou-Moscow Sheremetyevo A330-200 rotation commencing July 31. China Eastern Airlines will launch a daily Guangzhou-Bangkok B737-800 route on July 1. Donghai Airlines will start a twice a week Shenzhen-Mandalay B737-800 service on July 9. Korean Air will operate twice weekly Incheon-Krabi A330-300 charters to August 19. China’s Spring Airlines will add a three times a week Guangzhou-Chiang Mai A320 route on July 1. Philippine Airlines (PAL) will increase Manila-Port Moresby A320 service from three to four weekly from September 4 and the Manila-Melbourne A330-300 route to daily beginning October 28. PAL will cancel its three a week Manila-Jeddah A330-300 flights, effective September 18. Qantas Airways plans to increase Sydney-Jakarta A330 services from five to six a week from December 13. The following day, it also will upgrade its Sydney-Singapore A330 service from twice daily to 17 a week. Sichuan Airlines has launched a three a week Chongqing-Danang A321 service. United Airlines will again replace the B737-800 with the B777-200 on Guam-Narita from October 28.
