Aviation

  Bloomberg Virgin Galactic’s new spaceship has made a successful first glide flight, a key step after a deadly crash of its predecessor two years ago, the spaceflight company said. The new SpaceShipTwo, dubbed VSS Unity, was hoisted aloft by carrier airplane WhiteKnightTwo VMS Eve from the Mojave Air & Space Port in California, the company said on Twitter. Released ...

  Bloomberg Philippine tycoon Lucio Tan will consolidate his airline ventures as he focuses on expanding his flagship PAL Holdings Inc. and increase its appeal to potential buyers. PAL will acquire another company owned by Tan called Zuma Holdings & Management Corp. through a share-swap agreement, valuing the whole deal at 8.24 billion pesos ($166 million), the company said in ...

  Bloomberg Private suites, butler service, onboard showers, closets full of pajamas … international airlines have launched plenty of flashy amenities in their first- and business-class cabins in recent years. But the perks on the ground are just as exciting. One trend we’re excited to see on the uptick? Full-service spas in airlines’ premium lounges, often with a high-end cosmetic ...

  Bloomberg Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA won approval to expand flights to the U.S. using an Irish subsidiary, paving the way for the carrier to offer discount trans-Atlantic fares over the objections of domestic carriers and unions. The Department of Transportation found Ireland-based Norwegian Air International fit to serve U.S. destinations, according to a regulatory order on Friday. The decision ...

  Bloomberg Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Asia’s biggest international carrier that’s conducting a critical review of its business, said senior staff won’t receive any salary increase for 2017 amid a challenging environment. Non-managerial staff in Hong Kong, where the carrier is based, will get a 2 percent salary raise for next year and a discretionary bonus equivalent to a month’s ...

  Washington / AFP The parent company of United Airlines will pay a $2.4 million fine after reviving a money-losing air route to please a now-disgraced New Jersey politician, US market regulators announced. The penalty by the Securities and Exchange Commission follows a $2.25 million fine imposed earlier this year by federal prosecutors in the bribery case. United’s chief executive ...

  Bloomberg After losing more than $50 billion in the decade following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, U.S. airlines have been enjoying some financially robust times of late. On the front lines, airline employees are reaping billions of dollars in wage and benefit increases, plus profit-sharing plans that spell record payouts amid record income. At almost $81,000, average airline worker ...

  Bloomberg United Continental Holdings Inc. may convert a $12.4 billion order for Airbus Group SE’s largest twin-engine jet to smaller long-range models. It’s also interested in a new Boeing Co. 737 Max that’s still on the drawing board. Those are among the multibillion-dollar changes under consideration as a new management team reviews the Chicago-based carrier’s order portfolio and revamps ...

  Bloomberg Deutsche Lufthansa AG sought to defuse an escalating pilots strike by offering an improved wage deal as well as a show of humility. The German airline proposed a 4.4 percent raise plus a bonus that will exceed 20,000 euros ($21,200) per pilot on average, dropping a demand for employee concessions on benefits. In a move away from more ...

  Bloomberg Fastjet Plc is considering expanding in South Africa as new Chief Executive Officer Nico Bezuidenhout evaluates growth opportunities for the unprofitable discount airline and says the continent’s most industrialized economy is too big to stay out of. While the Africa-focused carrier already connects Johannesburg with its hubs in Tanzania and Zimbabwe, it has no internal services in South ...