Aviation

  Sydney / AFP A two-hour flight from Sydney to London is a step closer to reality after the latest successful test on Wednesday of hypersonic technology in the Australian desert. A joint US-Australian military research team is running a series of 10 trials at the world’s largest land testing range, Woomera in South Australia, and at Norway’s Andoya Rocket Range. ...

Lagos / AFP A lack of jet fuel has led to the disruption of local and international flights in Nigeria, airlines said on Wednesday, warning travellers of cancellations. Arik, the country’s largest airline, said in a statement that scarcity of aviation fuel in the last few weeks had reached “alarming” levels due to an ongoing shortfall in imports. “Due to the ...

  Washington / Bloomberg Frustrated travellers are turning to the complaint box in growing numbers as long lines and delays getting through airport security result in missed flights. Complaints filed on such topics as courtesy and processing time surged in March to the highest levels in the past year, according to the Department of Transportation’s monthly Air Travel Consumer Report ...

  New York / Bloomberg You are now free to enjoy your in-flight entertainment, uninterrupted. The world’s largest airline, American Airlines Group Inc., plans to stop on-board announcements of connecting gate information as flights prepare to land. The change, effective May 17, is a concession that technology has rendered the announcements moot, as passengers now travel equipped with an array ...

Tokyo / Bloomberg Aircastle Ltd. and its Japanese partner are planning to purchase as many as 10 new narrow-body jets in deals with airlines as the lessor bets on growing demand for travel in Asia. The jets may cost as much as $400 million, Chief Executive Officer Ron Wainshal said in an interview in Tokyo Tuesday. Stamford, Connecticut-based Aircastle formed ...

  Singapore / Bloomberg & AFP The creation of the world’s biggest alliance of low-cost airlines may signal that some of Asia’s struggling budget carriers are headed for the altar. The Value Alliance, announced on Monday, stretches from Japan to Australia and includes Singapore Airlines Ltd.’s Scoot and Nok Airlines Pcl in Thailand. The aim is to sell tickets, or even ...

  Washington / Bloomberg Southwest Airlines Co. pilots, frustrated after four years of unsuccessful contract talks, asked the carrier to guarantee it won’t force them to fly Boeing Co.’s newest 737 before the plane is negotiated into a new agreement for the 8,000 workers. Adding the 737 Max before it’s listed in a labour deal would violate a provision of ...

  Washington / Bloomberg Delta Air Lines Inc., the second-largest U.S. carrier, is trimming planned growth in the second half of this year to help counter rising fuel prices and weak foreign economies. It’s also delaying deliveries of four wide-body aircraft. The carrier will hold expansion to less than 2 percent while reducing domestic capacity increases to 2.5 percent in ...

  Paris / Bloomberg Airbus Group SE disclosed a cracking issue in its A400M military transport aircraft and said its government customers must inspect the planes and make fixes if necessary. The issue doesn’t impact flight safety, the European planemaker said. The issue was first identified in 2011 in tests before the plane went into service, Airbus said in an ...

  Bloomberg Singapore Airlines Ltd. is fighting to prevent travellers from switching to Emirates Airline, which is offering luxuries like on-board shower, while budget carriers are chipping away at the coach class. The result: The lowest yield from passengers in six years. Yields, or the revenue earned from a passenger for flying a kilometer, was 10.6 Singapore cents in the ...