Aviation

Bloomberg Boeing Co. is buying drone pioneer Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., gaining a portfolio of futuristic technology such as unmanned air taxis that may someday navigate city skies for Uber Technologies Inc. With the acquisition, Boeing is betting that smarter airplanes will dominate flying, with computer algorithms and artificial intelligence playing an increasingly important role in the cockpit. Aurora is ...

Bloomberg Ryanair Holdings Plc Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary made a personal pledge to improve pay and career prospects for the budget carrier’s 4,200 pilots amid concerns about a rebellion in the aftermath of its cancellation fiasco. O’Leary, often dismissive of pilot demands, is seeking to soothe disgruntled cockpit crew with wage increases of as much as $11,700 and loyalty ...

Bloomberg EasyJet Plc is counting on the failure of three rival carriers to help accelerate its expansion into major European markets, bringing a silver lining to a fare war that depressed full-year earnings. The impact of a weaker pound should also ease, while fuel costs are set to decline, Luton, England-based EasyJet said. UK rival Monarch Airlines Ltd., its neighbour ...

Bloomberg The US slapped duties on Bombardier Inc.’s showcase commercial jet for the second time in as many weeks, upholding Boeing Co.’s case that its Canadian competitor sold planes at less than fair value. The Commerce Department imposed a preliminary import duty of 80 percent on Bombardier C Series aircraft based on its finding, according to an emailed statement. The ...

Bloomberg South African Airways has agreed to hire a restructuring expert to help turn around the state-owned airline and meet conditions laid down by lenders to roll over debt, according to two people familiar with the matter. Incoming Chief Executive Officer Vuyani Jarana met with British industry veteran Peter Davies last month and he agreed to help try return SAA ...

Bloomberg Ryanair Holdings Plc Chief Operating Officer (COO) Michael Hickey will step down from Europe’s biggest discount carrier after a management misstep resulted in the cancellation of more than 20,000 flights into next summer. Hickey will step down at the end of October, the airline said. A search to identify and recruit a successor is underway. Ryanair’s botched rosters has ...

Bloomberg The UK is said to see Canada as primarily responsible for the trade dispute between Boeing Co. and Bombardier Inc. because of the level of its state aid to the aerospace company. Publicly, the British government has said that the US imposition of punitive duties on Bombardier is disproportionate, and Prime Minister Theresa May even lobbied US President Donald ...

Bloomberg Ryanair Holdings Plc pilots campaigning for unionisation amid a staffing crisis that’s led to the cancellation of 20,000 flights have been offered financial backing from American Airlines Group Inc.’s cockpit-crew association. The Allied Pilots Association has offered to support Ryanair crews in forming a union or joining an existing body such as the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association, according ...

Bloomberg EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou is launching a takeout delivery service to rival Just Eat Plc, as the British entrepreneur seeks to grab a slice of the UK’s fast-growing online market. EasyFood will let Britons order home deliveries from local restaurants and takeouts through its website or a mobile app. The service will initially target Birmingham and London, with a ...

Bloomberg Japan Airlines Co., which bought its first Airbus SE planes four years ago, is considering adding to its pending order of wide-body A350s as it seeks to increase routes to India and North America. The carrier has ordered 31 A350s scheduled for delivery starting 2019 and has options to buy 25 more. Japan Airlines may use some of these ...