Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific
By Dominic Lalk
Indonesia is reeling from the fatal crash of a Lion Air B737 MAX 8. At press time, the MAX’s black box had been recovered and was being examined. It has been speculated that the stricken airliner suffered from technical issues in the 13 minutes it spent in the air after take-off from Jakarta’s main airport. All 189 passengers and crew died in the crash. Lion Air suspended its technical director and several engineers who declared the three-month-old jet airworthy.
China’s ‘Big Three’ airlines have reported significant declines in net profits for the first nine months of their fiscal years, blaming higher fuel costs and foreign exchange fluctuations for the results. Also on the Mainland, the HNA Group is reported to be trying to offload its 60% share in Lucky Air to China Eastern Airlines.
In other news, Scoot has confirmed it will receive B787-10s from parent Singapore Airlines’ order book with Boeing, ATR has delivered its first 72-600 to Japan Air Commuter and CDB Aviation will lease three A320neo to Vietnamese start-up, Bamboo Airways.
Black box recovered from crashed Lion Air B737 MAX 8 Read More »
News
Net profits decline at China’s ‘Big Three’airlines
The Mainland’s ‘Big Three’ carriers - Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines – have reported significant drops in net profit for the first nine months of their fiscal years. Read More »
News
HNA selling Lucky Air to China Eastern?
Cash-strapped HNA Group is in the process of selling one of its most prized assets, low-cost carrier Lucky Air, the Financial Times reported this week. Read More »
News
Japan Airlines subsidiary accepts first ATR 72-600
Japan Air Commuter (JAC), a Japan Airlines (JAL) Group subsidiary, took delivery of its first ATR 72-600 last Monday. Read More »
News
Bamboo Airways leases A320neos from CDB Leasing
Vietnamese start-up, Bamboo Airways, missed its October 10 inauguration after failing to obtain all the relevant permits in time for the launch flight Vietnamese media has since reported the airline aims to start operations “before the end of the year”. Read More »
News
SMBC Aviation Capital this week announced the establishment of SMBC Aviation Capital Hong Kong Limited. Read More »
News
Scoot to add B787-10s to fleet
Singapore Airlines (SIA) low-cost subsidiary, Scoot, will introduce the B787-10 to its fleet, Scoot CEO, Lee Lik Hsin, told media during the airline’s inaugural A320neo flight from Singapore to Bangkok this week. Read More »
News
Singapore Airlines latest Asia-Pacific carrier to launch to Seattle
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has set its sights on Seattle, a destination that Cathay Pacific Airway ad Japan Airlines intend to add to their networks. Read More »
News
China Eastern’s first A350 takes off
The first of 20 China Eastern Airlines on-order A350-900s performed its maiden flight this week. Read More »
People
NATS appoints Ben Kiff as Asia-Pacific director
NATS, the UK air traffic services provider, this week announced that its director for the Middle East, Ben Kiff, has been promoted to director for both the Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Read More »
Short Takes
Communications: Mahata Aero Technologies (MAT), an Indonesian wireless technology provider, and Garuda Indonesia, have reached an agreement to provide high speed inflight broadband to the carrier’s aircraft in conjunction with Inmarsat, Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Systems. Read More »
