Month: October 2020

HomeOctober 2020

Government defends public funding of SAA rescue plan

South Africa’s government has defended its R10.5 billion ($640 million) funding of South African Airways’ rescue plan, insisting that the financing will help finalise the restructuring and assist the selection of a strategic equity partner. It is dismissing criticism of...

Continue Reading  

Airbus cuts undelivered aircraft to 135 as production converges

Airbus has reduced to about 135 the number of aircraft it has been unable to deliver as a result of the air transport crisis. The airframer insists it has managed, over the third quarter, to achieve convergence between production and...

Continue Reading  

Airbus delivers first A330-800s with handover to Kuwait Airways

Airbus has delivered its first A330-800s, both aircraft being handed over to Middle Eastern operator Kuwait Airways. The -800 is the smaller of the two A330neo family members. Kuwait Airways had ordered eight of the twinjets, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent...

Continue Reading  

EU targets common protocol for Covid testing of travellers

The European Commission is preparing common passenger testing, quarantine and tracking practices for member states to help ensure safe travel as it battles the Covid-19 pandemic. “Free movement within the EU and the border-free Schengen area are prized achievements of...

Continue Reading  

Airbus acknowledges ‘white-tails’ among inventory of stored aircraft

Airbus has acknowledged that its inventory of undelivered aircraft includes a number of ‘white-tails’, but stresses that the proportion is relatively small. The airframer put the undelivered total at 135 by the end of September, down from 145 at the...

Continue Reading  

Hong Kong eyes November launch for travel bubble with Singapore

Hong Kong expects its proposed air travel bubble with Singapore will start in November, allowing passengers to travel between the two destinations without a 14-day quarantine. “The aim is that within the next month, we can introduce the air travel bubble...

Continue Reading  

Airbus shifts timeline for potential A320neo ramp-up to third quarter 2021

Airbus has shifted the timeframe for a potential ramp-up of single-aisle production to the beginning of the third quarter of 2021. Speaking during a third-quarter briefing, Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury said the airframer had “pushed to the right” the...

Continue Reading  

Mi-8AMTs dispatched to Borneo for firefighting work

Russian Helicopters has launched a test programme to assess operations of the Mi-8/171 family of helicopters in Indonesia. The company has already dispatched rotorcraft to the Indonesian section of the of the island of Borneo, where they have been used...

Continue Reading  

Max absence has propped up 737-800 values and utilisation rates: Ascend

Although the grounding of the 737 Max has been a disaster for Boeing, its absence has had the effect of propping up utilisation levals and values for the earlier-generation 737-800. Although the grounding of the 737 Max has been a...

Continue Reading  

US Marine Corps buys six more Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopters

The low rate initial production lot four contract is worth about $550 million to Sikorsky. The US Marine Corps signed a contract to buy six more Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters on 26 October. The low rate initial production...

Continue Reading