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Virgin Australia’s Convertible Check-In Desks Do Both DIY and Full-Service

Virgin Australia has installed SITA’s new flexible passenger check-in technology at its new domestic terminal at Perth Airport. The new common-use hybrid desks can switch from self-service bag drop mode to full-service traditional check-in counters, as required. SITA’s new solution lets airlines adjust the type of service offered for a flight based passenger preferences an...

TAM Is the First Airline in the Americas to Get Airbus’ Next-Gen A350

TAM Airlines, Brazil, has received the first Airbus A350 XWB ever delivered to the Americas, and becomes the fourth airline in the world to operate this next-generation, energy-efficient aircraft. “We are pioneers in bringing this aircraft to the region, and its arrival in the Americas reinforces our constant commitment to maintaining one of the youngest and most innovative fleets in the...

Air Namibia passes AOC auditing

Air Namibia's Air Operator Certificate has been renewed by the directorate of civil aviation after months of auditing, New Era reports. Angeline Simana, director of civil aviation, issued the certificate last week, leaving the carrier to continue its commercial operations.   The carrier will continue to fly to Botswana, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho, Swazi...

Qatar initiates Rafale contract

The contract for the purchase of 24 Rafale aircraft by Qatar from Dassault Aviation came into force. © Dassault Aviation Signed in Doha on 4th May 2015, in the company of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and Mr. François Hollande, President of the French Republic, the contract represents a new milestone in the strategic partnership bet...

Walking on a plane’s wings takes more than just a prayer

The world’s only aerobatic formation wing-walking team, the Breitling Wingwalkers, is in the UAE and competing in this year’s Al Ain Air Championship. The British team consists of two 1930s Boeing Stearman bi-planes in bright orange colours, two experienced pilots and two incredibly fit ladies who ride on top of the plane while doing daring stunts. The pilots, Martyn Carrington a...

Alas Uruguay signs deal with Sabre

Alas Uruguay is the newest participant airline within the Sabre travel marketplace. Under a long term technology and e-commerce agreement, the airline will distribute fares via the Sabre GDS. Alas Uruguay will leverage industry-leading air commerce capabilities developed by Sabre. The airline will also benefit from real-time connectivity to 425,000 agents using the Sabre global distribution sys...

Biofuel-Only Flights In Store For Seattle-Tacoma International

Major US Airport Looks Ahead To Cleaner, Greener Future A major biofuels trial will take place at Seattle-Tacoma International next year, potentially paving the way towards an all-biofuels-based future for the airport. One of the United States’ most active airports may in future become a biofuels-only facility, with feasibility trials set to soon start there. A three-way MOU (Memora...

Icelandair Reaches 3 Million Passenger Mark for 2015

This week, Icelandair reached another exciting milestone as Embla Waage became the 3 millionth passenger to fly with the airline in 2015. The 12-year old Icelander was about to board flight FI212 to Copenhagen with her family when she was greeted by IcelandairCEO, Birkir Hólm Guðnason. She was presented the exciting news along with flowers, a gift certificate, and a special thanks from...

Porter Takes a Break From Winter and Lands First Flight in Orlando-Melbourne

Porter Airlines has arrived in the Sunshine State of Florida, marking the first day of seasonal weekly service that continues until April 30, 2016. Passengers on the sold out flight enjoyed non-stop service from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Orlando-Melbourne International Airport. “Orlando-Melbourne is now our most southern destination. This route provides a convenient connection...

British Airways price fixing fine overturned

A total fine of nearly €790 million placed on British Airways, Air France-KLM and several other airlines was overturned by the General Court of the European Union on the grounds of “inconsistencies” in the original decision. The original ruling by the European Commission (EC) “describes a single cartel, constituting a single and continuous infringement. “However,...

Police question Shoreham air show disaster pilot Andy Hill

The 51-year-old is interviewed under caution, four months after vintage jet he was flying crashed on A27. Shoreham pilot Andy Hill has finally been quizzed by detectives about the air disaster that killed 11 people, police revealed on Friday. Four months after the fatal crash, the 51-year-old was interviewed under caution in connection to the tragedy when the vintage jet he was flyingcrashed...

Appeals court: Airline pilots can’t ride share like Uber

Service offered by Boston-based Flytenow violates flight regulations, court rules Private pilots can’t offer flight-sharing services to the public using an internet model similar to those developed by Uber and Lyft, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. The ruling upholds a decision earlier this year by the Federal Aviation Administration that said the service offered by Boston-based F...

Flashback Friday: 80th Anniversary of the Douglas DC-3

This week marked the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the Douglas DC-3, considered to be the first airliner capable of turning a profit by transporting passengers alone. The Design work of the DC-3 began in 1934, upon request of C.R. Smith, president of American Airlines, who wanted a longer DC-2 that would carry more passengers, and another with railroad-type sleeping berths, to car...

Etihad adds weekly services to Philippines

Etihad Airways will add three new weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Manila from 1 May 2016, offering a total of 17 return flights per week.  Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, said the new services would enable Etihad Airways to offer guests more choice when travelling between the Philippines and the UAE. “The Abu Dhabi-Manila route is on...

Finnair to add additional seats to its Airbus narrow body fleet

Finnair has announced this plan to add extra seats to its Airbus narrow body fleet: Due to a growing need for feeder traffic capacity, Finnair has decided to improve the space efficiency of its current Airbus narrow-body fleet, operating mainly on its European routes. According to the plan, seats will be added to the aircraft primarily without changing the leg space available to the passenger,...

Russian government agrees to bail out UTair Airline

The Russian government is stepping in to support UTair Airline with Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev signing a resolution guaranteeing RUB9.5 billion ($138.6 million) to help secure loans. UTair faced financial difficulties in 2014 due to economic changes and a decrease in passenger demand. It reported a 2014 net loss of RUB61.66 billion ($1.09 billion). In February 2015, it was announced...

Op-Ed: Amazon Prime Air – Attack of the Drones?

This is an Amazon Prime Air delivery vehicle, it has a range of fifteen miles: (Photo Credits: Amazon) But, because it has Jeremy Clarkson as its spokesman, I don’t care. I use Amazon all the time. After all, I lead an esoteric life of hermitage, I hate brick and mortar stores, I order incredibly hard-to-find books on Russian aviation and local traffic terrifies me. ...

Royal Saudi Air Force to acquire 30 An-178 transports

Saudi Arabia has tentatively signed for 30 examples of the developmental Antonov An-178 tactical transport, in a deal that could eventually see the Kingdom producing the aircraft locally. Detailed in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Antonov and Saudi company Taqnia Aeronautics, the deal will see the partners deliver the aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force. It further builds on t...

Lufthansa trials UAV at Frankfurt

Lufthansa has flight-tested an unmanned air vehicle at Frankfurt airport as the airline plans to employ the technology for aerial surveillance purposes for third-party customers. Together with airport operator Fraport and German air navigation service provider DFS, Lufthansa has tested a remote-controlled, camera-equipped UAV around runway 07L/25R, northwest of the...

Second Bell 525 joins test campaign with three following in 2016

Bell Helicopter’s first 525 “Relentless” commercial helicopter now has a companion on the test and certification campaignwith Flight Test Vehicle-2 (FTV-2) joining the programme last week, the company confirms. The company says it remains on track to achieve certification of the 9.1t super-medium-class helicopter in 2017, with three more developmental 525s coming online i...

New appointment for easyJet

easyJet has appointed Jacky Simmonds as Group People Director and that she will join the airline on 4 January 2016. Prior to this appointment Jacky was TUI Group’s Global Human Resources Director, having worked for TUI for fifteen years. She is also a non-Executive Director of Wolseley PLC where she is Chair of the Remuneration Committee. Jacky will succeed Alita Benson who has been the a...