Bloomberg Airbus SE is looking at assembling its newest A330neo wide-body jet in China as part of a bid to win orders for the plane in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Airbus may expand its existing plant in Tianjin to accommodate the model, but a decision hasn’t been made with ...
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Boeing signs $15.7bn deals in Vietnam
Bloomberg Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways and VietJet Aviation JSC signed deals to buy 110 aircraft from Boeing Co. during President Donald Trump’s visit to Hanoi for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Bamboo agreed to purchase 10 787-9 Dreamliners worth about $3 billion, while VietJet’s order is for 100 737 Max planes valued at $12.7 billion, Boeing said. VietJet’s ...
Read More »Cathay Pacific mulls bid for HNA-backed carriers
Bloomberg Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Asia’s biggest international carrier, is studying a bid for stakes in two smaller Hong Kong airlines backed by embattled Chinese conglomerate HNA Group Co., people with knowledge of the matter said. Cathay Pacific has held preliminary talks with HNA about acquiring minority stakes in Hong Kong Express Airways Ltd. and Hong Kong Airlines Ltd., according ...
Read More »Kenya could take complete ownership of national airline
Bloomberg Kenya may consider taking full ownership of its national carrier to effectively ward off competition from other state-owned airlines on the continent and from the Gulf, according to Transport Principal Secretary Esther Koimett. The East African state owns 48.9 percent of Kenya Airways Plc after it converted debt into equity in 2017. The agreement diluted major shareholder Air France-KLM’s ...
Read More »Pilot crunch puts Asia travel boom in trouble
Bloomberg An unprecedented travel boom in Asia has spawned new budget carriers and millions of first-time fliers, but a shortage of pilots is threatening to choke that demand. Bamboo Airways Co. in Vietnam was the latest low-cost carrier to start services this year and more are expected to join the race. In Southeast Asia alone, low cost carriers have about ...
Read More »Air France-KLM plunges most since merger on surprise Dutch stake
Bloomberg Air France-KLM Group fell the most ever after the Dutch government’s surprise decision to buy a stake in the airline raised concern that competing national interests will derail Chief Executive Officer Ben Smith’s efforts to streamline the carrier. The Netherlands purchased a 13 percent holding, a move aimed at gaining parity with influential shareholder France following a power clash ...
Read More »Southwest Airlines blames flight disruptions on ‘deliberate effort’
Bloomberg Southwest Airlines Co., battered by more than a week of flight delays and cancellations from a rash of aircraft maintenance issues, said its investigation has identified a small group of union mechanics that are orchestrating an effort to slow operations. The airline called on the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association to comply with its legal obligation and “take immediate action ...
Read More »Bamboo Airways plans order of 25 Boeing planes this year
Bloomberg Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways plans to order as many as 25 narrow- and wide-body Boeing Co. aircraft this year as the nation’s newest carrier prepares for flights to the US and Europe, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because negotiations are underway. The deal would increase Bamboo Airways’ Boeing fleet to 55. The ...
Read More »Vietnam Airlines weighs buying up to 100 Boeing 737 Max jets
Bloomberg Vietnam Airlines is considering an order of 50 to 100 Boeing Co. 737 Max planes this year to replace its aging fleet of Airbus SE single-aisle aircraft and may also buy long-range jets in preparation for flights to California. The new aircraft will be for delivery between 2020 and 2030, Duong Tri Thanh, chief executive officer of the state-owned ...
Read More »Qantas to recoup fuel bill on strong ticket demand
Bloomberg Qantas Airways Ltd. expects to completely recover higher fuel costs this fiscal year due to strong demand for air travel, even after rising oil prices dented first-half profit. The airline’s first-half underlying profit before tax fell 19 percent to A$780 million ($559 million) from a year earlier but Qantas announced more returns to shareholders with a A$305 million stock ...
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