A new domestic South African airline launched on Wednesday, betting on low operating costs and oil prices to withstand an industry crisis that has left national flagship SAA struggling to survive and sunk other low-cost carriers. The new carrier, Lift, part-founded by former Uber Africa executive Jonathan Ayache and Gidon Novick, who ran low-cost flyer…
British Airways’ last Boeing 747 aircraft has operated its last flight earlier today. The aircraft completed a short, four-mile flight from Cardiff Airport to eCube Solutions in St Athan to be preserved. The aircraft painted in retro ‘Gold Speedbird’ livery took off from Cardiff at 13:37. British Airways’ Director of Flight Operations, Captain Al Bridger,…
China’s aviation regulator is recommending cabin crew on charter flights to high-risk Covid-19 destinations. China’s aviation regulator is recommending cabin crew on charter flights to high-risk Covid-19 destinations wear disposable diapers and avoid using the bathroom to reduce the risk of infection. The advice comes in a 38-page list of guidelines for airlines to prevent…
Virgin Atlantic has sold two of its 787-9 Dreamliners to Griffin Global Asset Management, which is backed by Bain Capital. Virgin Atlantic is expected to generate up to 70 million pounds ($92.8 million) in cash from the sale-and-leaseback of these two Boeing 787-9s. According to data from Planespotters.net, the following four Boeing 787s were owned…
Terminal 4 to remain closed at Heathrow as passenger numbers collapse. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye says one million people traveled through the airport in November compared to seven million last year.
Heathrow Airport staff are to go on strike again this month for three days. Baggage handlers, airside staff and security staff walked out earlier this month on December 1 for 24 hours. They are also planning to go on strike again on December 14 and on December 17 and December 18. As many as 4,000…
A woman is suing Spirit Airlines over a “noxious, burning odor” that caused a plane she was on to make an emergency landing. On Tuesday, Mary Vincent Randall filed a lawsuit against Spirit Airlines in Manhattan Supreme Court over the smell, saying it caused her “serious and permanent injuries.” Randall was one of 220 people…
Commercial flights with Boeing 737 Max jetliners resumed Wednesday for the first time since they were grounded worldwide nearly two years ago following two deadly accidents. Brazil’s Gol Airlines became the first in the world to return the planes to its active fleet, using a 737 Max 8 on a flight from Sao Paulo to…
Boeing on Tuesday said it logged more cancellations than orders for its 737 Max plane last month, just as carriers are preparing to return the jets to service following two deadly crashes. Boeing said customers including Virgin Australia and lessor Air Lease canceled orders for 88 Max planes. Virgin Australia, however, changed its order to…
Watch the reveal of Dassault Aviation’s newest business jet from Bordeaux-Merignac, France, hosted by noted aviation journalist, Miles O’Brien. It’s an exclusive look nose to tail, cockpit to cabin, of a game-changing aircraft, the most advanced of the Falcon line yet says Dassault Aviation.
Boeing CEO David Calhoun has ruled out removing the MAX name from its troubled 737 jet. “There is no rebranding going on,” affirms Boeing CEO Calhoun “There’s nothing cute going on.” Calhoun’s comments came as Irish carrier Ryanair, already a solid 737 MAX customer with 135 orders placed, announced on December 3 that it would…
Chuck Yeager, a former U.S. Air Force officer who became the first pilot to break the speed of sound, had Monday. He was 97. Yeager died Monday, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement, calling the death “a tremendous loss to our nation.” He was “the most righteous of all those with the right…
