A trusted source of Asia-Pacific commercial aviation news and analysis


FEBRUARY 2018

Week 8

Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific

By Dominic Lalk

Airbus and Qatar Airways wrote history on Tuesday when the first A350-1000 was officially handed over to the Qatari national carrier during an elaborate ceremony in Toulouse. The delivery of the aircraft also marked the last day for Fabrice Brégier as Airbus Commercial Aircraft president and COO. Separately, Philippine Airlines has said it was evaluating an order for the largest A350XWB variant.

In the interim, Pratt & Whitney’s deficient GTFs continue causing significant delays to A320neo deliveries. HK Express and S7 Airlines are expecting substantial operational disruptions as a result.

In other news, SIA Group has posted a healthy US$530 million profit for the first nine months; Lucky Air will soon take delivery of two additional A330-300s; HNA Group has sold down its shareholding in Tianjin Airlines; and CFM International has named Sébastien Imbourg its new executive vice president.

Airbus delivers maiden A350-1000 and bids farewell to Brégier Read More »

 

News

HK Express, S7 Airlines expect A320neo delivery delays after Pratt GTF EAD

HK Express and Russia’s S7 Airlines expect significant A320neo delivery delays as a result of last week’s European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD), which called for the grounding or significant curtailing of operations of Pratt & Whitney GTF-powered A320neo Family aircraft. Read More »


 

News

Tianjin Airlines receives cash injection

HNA Group subsidiary, Tianjin Airlines, has received a RMB400 million (US$65 million) cash injection from one of its minority shareholders, Tianjin Bonded Zone Investment Co., to alleviate a recent liquidity crunch at the parent group and its affiliates. Read More »


 

News

Emirates firms MoU for up to 36 additional A380s

Emirates Airline has firmed up an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 20 additional A380s and 16 further options. Read More »


 

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News

Lucky Air to receive two A330s in March

HNA Aviation’s low-cost carrier, Lucky Air, will take delivery of two A330-300s in March. Read More »


 

News

SIA Group reports US$530 million net profit

Singapore Airlines Group (SIA Group) has posted a S$711.1 million (US$530 million) net profit for the first nine months of its 2017-2018 fiscal year, a 43% year-on-year improvement. Read More »


 

News

PAL readies for A350-900 arrival and mulls -1000 order

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is “considering” the A350-1000, the largest variant of the A350XWB Family, airline president, Jaime Bautista, has told Reuters. Read More »


 

News

ACCC signals green light for Qantas-Emirates partnership reauthorization

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has given interim approval to the renewal of the partnership between Qantas Airways and Emirates Airline for another five years, albeit with some conditions revised. Read More »


 

News

ACCC reauthorizes Jetstar subsidiaries cooperation

Following draft reauthorization of the Qantas Airways-Emirates Airline partnership, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has also approved the continued cooperation between Australia’s Jetstar Airways and its three Asian subsidiaries, Singapore’s Jetstar Asia Airways, Vietnam’s Jetstar Pacific and Jetstar Japan, for five years through to March 31, 2023. Read More »


 

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People

CFM names new executive VP

CFM International this week announced the appointment of Sébastien Imbourg as executive vice president, replacing François Bastin, who has been appointed executive vice president of commercial engine programmes at Safran Aircraft Engines (SAE). Read More »


 

Short Takes

Routes: Air Astana will replace the A320 with the A321 on the daily Almaty-Beijing route from June 20. Read More »