Aviation

  Kourou / AFP Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket launcher successfully sent two telecoms satellites, one for a US-based communications service provider and one for an Indonesian bank, into space. They were launched from Kourou, in French Guiana, at 6:38 pm (2138 GMT), according to launch company Arianespace. It was the third launch of the year, placing into orbit the Echo ...

  Los Angeles / Bloomberg The self-proclaimed godfather of the aircraft-leasing industry, Steven Udvar-Hazy, is stepping down as chief executive officer of Air Lease Corp. Udvar-Hazy, 70, will become executive chairman of the board on July 1, Air Lease said in a statement. John Plueger, 61, the chief operating officer of the commercial-aircraft leasing company, will take over as CEO. ...

  New Delhi / Bloomberg Used Airbus Group SE A380 superjumbos are being offered at a 40 percent discount to the $2 million-plus monthly rental rate for a new plane as leasing firm Doric seeks to spur demand for the second-hand jets. Doric is in talks with a number of potential operators for a tranche of double-deckers that could be ...

  New York / Bloomberg The biggest US airlines missed their chance to lock in the cheapest energy costs in more than 12 years after jet fuel surged as much as 80 percent since January. The fuel on the US Gulf Coast was trading at $1.37 a gallon on Friday, up from less than 80 cents on January 20, the ...

  Bengaluru / Tribune News Service Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Basic Trainer Aircraft, the HTT-40, made its maiden flight, just three years since its design phase, a record of sorts for the public sector company which has otherwise been associated with long delays in aircraft development. Built at a cost of Rs.350 crore, the HTT-40 will help the Indian Air ...

  Seoul / Bloomberg Singapore Airlines Ltd. will restart nonstop flights to the US three years after it stopped the services, ending the reign of United Airlines as the only carrier flying direct between the two nations. Singapore Air will start a daily nonstop flight from the city-state to San Francisco on Oct. 23 using Airbus Group SE A350-900 aircraft, ...

  Johannesburg / Bloomberg Fastjet Plc’s new chief executive officer said he may replace the African discount carrier’s planes with smaller ones and move its head office to a city somewhere on the continent from London to help end losses. The Airbus Group SE A319 jets used by Fastjet may be too large for the markets they serve, Nico Bezuidenhout ...

  Tehran / Bloomberg Iran is preparing to unveil a historic agreement for Boeing Co. jetliners within days that could be valued at about $25 billion. The transaction would be the first struck by the planemaker since sanctions were lifted in January and would require US government approval. An order listed at $27 billion announced by Europe’s Airbus Group SE ...

  Port Louis / Bloomberg National carrier Air Mauritius will take delivery of a new plane this month and another next year, additions that will boost the reach of its fleet of 12 jets, Chairman Arjoon Suddhoo said. Founded in 1967, Air Mauritius currently operates a fleet of four Airbus Group SE A340-300C, two A340-300E, a pair of A330-200, two ...

  Berlin / Bloomberg Deutsche Lufthansa AG is closely monitoring its flights to Nigeria as the aviation industry awaits payment of about $600 million in outstanding air fares in the country, which is struggling to cope with depleted U.S. currency reserves. The German carrier has made “minor adjustments” to winter flights to Africa’s biggest economy, Claus Becker, managing director for ...