Aviation News

Recent news about major problems with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has made me very concerned about the safety of the world’s stock of commercial aircraft. I read on the BBC website a summary of the Dreamliner’s problems. They include cracked windshields, computer malfunctions, battery breakdowns, fan shaft failures, fuel spills, oil leakages and more. 

The entire airline industry has been in a crisis state over the past four years, and the future continues to look uncertain. 

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has obtained an approval for securing financing from its lenders and bankers to roll over its huge debt. 

SilkAir (Singapore) Private Limited, Singapore Airlines’ regional arm, has placed an order for 54 Boeing 737s – 23 Next-Generation 737-800s and 31 737 MAX 8s.

Singapore Airlines has announced that it will stop its long haul nonstop flights to Newark and Los Angeles in late 2013.  

A bigger and improved Boeing 787 Dreamliner could be gracing the skies within the next 5 years. 

Silk Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, has announced that it has signed a letter of intent to purchase 68 Boeing aircraft valued at about $5 billion at current prices. The agreement includes an order for 31 Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft, 23 Boeing 737-800s, and purchase rights for another 14 aircraft. 

A Ryanair 737 recently took off on a scheduled flight despite passengers reporting the aircraft had struck another aircraft on the ground.

On 2 August 2012, United Airlines celebrated the rollout of its first Boeing 787-8 at Boeing’s Everett, Washington plant. The airline is the US launch customer for the type and will take delivery of the aircraft in September 2012.

British Airways, the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom is in negotiations with Airbus regarding the delivery of its first batch of A380s. British Airways placed an order for 12 Airbus A380s in 2007, with delivery set for between 2013 and 2016.

German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Investigation, known as Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) in German, has announced that it is investigating a distress call made by Air Berlin pilots on May 5, 2012. 

A Boeing MD-83 owned by Dana Air, a low budget commercial airliner, crashed soon after taking off near Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, on 3 June 2012. The aircraft was flying to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

The Association of European Airlines (AEA) has announced that its members will record a loss of €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion) in 2012. 

On 20 June 2012, Ryanair, which owns 29.4% of Aer Lingus stock, made a surprise bid for the remaining shares in Aer Lingus. Ryanair plans to offer €1.30 per share, valuing Aer Lingus at about €694m.

Oneworld has announced that SriLankan Airlines will join the alliance in 2013.

As part of its continued investment plan, United Airlines has ordered 150 Boeing 737s in a deal worth $14.7 billion. 

American Airlines has announced that it is considering adopting a new look for its jets. Captain Jim Dees, fleet captain for American Airlines' Boeing 777s and future 787s, announced the company’s plans to update its livery while on a tour of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner at Dallas-Fort Worth airport. 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes stopped producing Boeing 757 in 2004 in favor of the 737 due to a growing preference for smaller aircraft in the industry. The narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner is the largest single-aisle passenger aircraft built by Boeing.

Lufthansa and Air Lease Corp (ALC) are competing to be the launch customer for Boeing's 787-10X.

Pinnacle Airlines, a US regional carrier, has filed for bankruptcy protection in an effort to deal with its escalating debt.

Qantas Airways Limited has chosen LEAP-1A, a high-bypass turbofan engine by CFM International, to power its 78 Airbus A320neo aircraft, currently on order. 

The financially struggling Air India has received a new ‘lifeline’ – the Indian Government has approved a $5.8 billion (Rs300 billion) restructuring loan to save the airline.

AirAsia, a Malaysian-based low-cost airline, is set to purchase Indonesia’s Batavia Air in a deal that will enable AirAsia to control a bigger share of the expanding Indonesian market. The deal will also boost AirAsia’s competitiveness against other low cost carriers in the local market, including Citilink, Mandala Air and Lion Air.

Boeing is optimistic about prospects for its new jumbo, the 747-8I. The aircraft manufacturer is confident that sales for the 747-8I will increase soon.

Jet2.com Limited, a British low-cost airline, has announced that it earned £21.7 million ($34.1 million) profit for the full year to 31 March 2012, which is a 10% decline on profits achieved in the previous year.

Ryanair has announced that by 1 October 2012, it will have canceled 34 weekly services to and from Morocco, which is about a third of its flights, due to a dispute over airport charges.

SITA, the leading specialist in air transport communications and information technology, has announced that it has implemented some changes to its lost baggage tracing service in order to customize it for Chinese speakers.

Russian airline UTair Aviation, commonly known as Utair, has placed an order for 20 Airbus A321 aircraft. This is the airline’s first order for Airbus aircraft.

An Agni Air Dornier 228 crashed on 14 May 2012 while trying to land at Jomson Airport, Nepal, killing 15 of 21 people on board.

A new industry report has been issued, warning of an imminent crisis in the European defence industry.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG, a launch customer of the 747-8 Intercontinental (747-8I), received its first 747-8I on April 25, 2012. On 4th May 2012, the airline announced that it will operate the 747-8I on its long-haul markets where demand is weak for economy class seats.

Boeing Commercial Airlines has revealed several design details for 737 Max. 

Swedish and Norwegian authorities are investing the 15 March 2012 crash that killed five crewmembers on board a Royal Norwegian Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft.

Bhoja Air Flight 213, a Boeing 737-236, crashed on 20 April 2012, killing all 127 people onboard. The aircraft, which was flying from Karachi's Jinnah International Airport, crashed as it approached Benazir Bhutto International Airport in the capital Islamabad. The aircraft crashed as it tried to land in a thunderstorm.

Russia’s UTair Flight 120, an ATR 72-200, crashed about 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from Roschino International Airport in Tyumen, Western Serbia, on 2 April 2012. Out of the 43 people on board, 31 were killed. Twelve people who survived sustained serious burns and injuries.

Aeromexico, also known as Airways of Mexico, has signed an agreement with Boeing for purchasing 90 Boeing 737-8 Max and 10 787-9s, in a deal worth nearly $11 billion.

Air Asia has announced that it is interested in placing an order for 100 Bombardier CSeries CS300 jets in a 160-seat configuration.

Boeing has received federal approval to certify the 787s it manufactures at its new production line in North Charleston, South Carolina. 

A new Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 crashed on 9 May 2012 near Mt Salak, Indonesia, killing all with 45 people onboard. The aircraft disappeared from the radar about an hour after taking off from Jakarta. 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its June 2012 forecasts for the airline industry. Based on its analysis, the IATA decided to keep the global profit forecast for the year unchanged at combined industry profits of $3 billion.