Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific
By Dominic Lalk
At Airbus, the company has announced that CEO, Tom Enders, had advised the Airbus board that he does not wish to seek another term as chief executive officer beyond his current contract to April 2019. In the same announcement, Airbus Commercial Aircraft COO and president, Fabrice de Bregier, said he would step down in February next year.
Orient Aviation this week named Shinichiro Ito, chairman of ANA HOLDINGS Inc. its 2017 Orient Aviation Person of the Year for his outstanding contributions to the airline company and the industry writ large.
In Hanoi, Vietnam Airlines disclosed it is considering an order for the A350-1000 or B777X to launch nonstop flights to the U.S. from 2019. Further south, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Airlines – led by new CEO, Captain Izham Ismail, did another 180 turn on its A380s with the announcement that the aircraft would remain in the mainline fleet.
On Thursday, China and the UK agreed to raise the number of direct weekly flights between the two countries by 50%, to 150 a week.
In other news, Airbus must deliver at least 109 aircraft this month to hit the lower range of its 2017 delivery target, Boeing delivered the second Dreamliner to Qantas Airways and Mitsubishi Aircraft is likely to lose 10% of the MRJ order backlog if an order from Eastern Air Lines is cancelled.
Vietnam Airlines mulls U.S. routes with A350-1000 or B777X Read More »
News
Airbus announces departures of Enders and Bregier
At press time, the Airbus board of directors announced that the company’s CEO, Tom Enders (59), had decided against remaining at Airbus beyond his current contract and that Airbus Commercial Aircraft COO and president, Fabrice Bregier (56), would be succeeded by current CEO Helicopters, Guillaume Faury, (49), in February. Read More »
News
China and UK raise cap on flights by 50%
Mainland China and the UK have raised the cap on the number of flights permitted between the two countries by 50%, to 150 a week. Read More »
News
Air New Zealand leases A330/A340 capacity amid Trent 1000 issues
Auckland-headquartered Air New Zealand was thrown a curveball last week when two of its B787-9s had to be grounded to carry out urgent maintenance on the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines powering the aircraft. Read More »
News
Airbus must deliver 109 aircraft in December to hit 2017 target
Throughout the year, Airbus has maintained its delivery target of 700-720 aircraft in 2017. Read More »
News
Australia’s Qantas Airways this week took delivery of the second of eight on firm order B787-9s. Read More »
News
Malaysia Airlines reports “steady progress” and changes A380 strategy
Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) has said it “experienced a tough third quarter with stiff competition, rising fuel and adverse foreign exchange movements”. Read More »
News
Orient Aviation names Person of the Year
The Orient Aviation Media Group has named Shinichiro Ito as its 2017 Orient Aviation Person of the Year. Read More »
News
Mitsubishi to lose major MRJ order?
Following years of delays, Mitsubishi Aircraft may lose almost 10% of the MRJ programme’s backlog if a report in the Nikkei Asian Review that suggested U.S. carrier, Swift Air, may cancel its order for up to 40 MRJ-90s turns out to be true. Read More »
News
Cathay Pacific to launch Washington DC next year
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways is expected to launch the first nonstop route between Hong Kong and the U.S. capital, Washington D.C., in 2018, the South China Morning Post reported this week. At a distance of 8,150nms, the Dulles service will be Cathay’s longest route. Read More »
News
Small Planet Cambodia launched
This year has been by far the most dynamic 12 months in the modern Cambodian aviation. Read More »
People
AirAsia appoints new CEO, reshuffles top management
Low-cost conglomerate, AirAsia Berhad, has announced the appointment of Riad Asmat as CEO. Read More »
People
Jayne Hrdlicka quits Qantas Group
Jayne Hrdlicka this week resigned from the Qantas Group, where she is currently CEO of Qantas Loyalty and digital innovation, to head up The a2 Milk Company, an Australian dairy producer. Read More »
Short Takes
Routes: Air Busan has added thrice-daily Ulsan-Gimpo and twice-daily Ulsan-Jeju A320 flights. Read More »
