Short Takes
September 2nd 2014
Airlines: Hawaiian Airlines has said it sees “a real benefit” from the lower capital costs of the A330-800neo over other models and hopes the aircraft’s additional range could potentially open up new markets for the airline in East Asia. Read More » Etihad will fly its new B787-9 aircraft to Dusseldorf, Doha, Washington DC, Mumbai, Brisbane and Moscow from December throughout June, 2015. Xi’an-based Joy Air has placed an order for 60 MA60 aircraft with AVIC Xi’an Aircraft Industry Co. worth US$437 million at current list prices. Philippine Airlines has announced it would not exercise an option to acquire eight of the 20 A321neo it had agreed to purchase last year. Royal Jordanian has received the first of 12 ordered B787-8 and will put it on its Bangkok, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur routes from October 1. Qantas has decided to hang on to its profitable Qantas Frequent Flyer programme after talks of selling it to raise capital. Qantas and Virgin Australia have received regulatory approval to allow passengers to keep their digital devices on even during take-off and landing.
Airport: The Capital Airports Holding of China has approved the development of a second international airport at Beijing. LENKE AeroConsult has been given the task to develop an operational concept for the new airport due to open at the end of the decade. Darwin International Airport’s traffic has increased by 4.5%, with international traffic achieving double-digit growth of 14% in FY2013-14. Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport has experienced a 12% year-on-year increase in passenger numbers in June, while cargo was up 23%. Dubai International Airport has reported a 6.2% growth in first-half 2014 despite the refurbishment of two runways, which resulted in a 26% reduction in flights in May and June. Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport has registered 12% more passengers and 5% more cargo in June compared to the same period a year earlier.
Lessors: BOC Aviation has placed its largest aircraft order in its 20-year history when it ordered 50 B737 MAX 8s, 30 B737-800NGs and two B777-300ERs valued at US$8.8 billion at current list prices.
Routes: Airnorth, the Australian regional airline, has started services to Cairns from Darwin, becoming its 13th destination from the Northern Territory Airport. The flights operate via existing network point of Gove, with the sector between Gove and Cairns also being a new route. Cathay Pacific has announced a new daily four-class B777-300ER service from Hong Kong to Boston from May 2, 2015. The new route will be the first direct air link between the two cities. Etihad will send an A380 to Sydney from June 1, 2015. Lucky Air has begun weekly B737-800 flights between Kunming and Taichung. Qatar Airways will increase frequencies between Doha and Dubai to 18-daily from October 26. Singapore Airlines will roster a 471-seat A380 to Auckland from October 27. SpiceJet has started thrice-weekly flights between Bagdogra and Kathmandu using a B737-800.
