05 Feb 2018

USA Aviation Industry Newsletter 5 February

Airline executives praise US agreement with Qatar over subsidies Airline executives and labor unions praised the agreement reached between the Trump administration and Qatar aimed at settling a feud over airline subsidies, under the arrangement, Qatar will publicly disclose its financial transactions and participate in an external audit in an effort to promote transparency, according to the State Department. Ethiopian to connect Addis Ababa and Chicago with thrice weekly service Ethiopian Airlines announced that it will commence direct flight from Addis Ababa to Chicago effective from 2 June three times weekly operated by Boeing 787s. FXE Is First GA Airport To Receive Automated CBP Kiosks U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has installed automated passport-control kiosks at its facility at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), making it the first dedicated general aviation (GA) airport in the country to be so equipped. FXE, which handles nearly 170,000 operations a year, was also the first GA airport to introduce the Global Entry kiosk, which allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to expedite U.S. entry. Japan Airlines and Alaska Airlines Expand Codeshare Network Japan Airlines (JAL) and Alaska Airlines have agreed to expand their existing codeshare partnership, which will provide customers with an enhanced network to travel between Japan and cities in the U.S. Through the agreement, JAL's customers will have more flight options and access to key U.S. West Coast gateways, reservation and ticket sales for the new codeshare flights will start from tomorrow, pending government approvals. Ontic Gets U.S. Nod for Singapore MRO BBA Aviation's Ontic Engineering & Manufacturing unit is continuing to expand its reach in the Asia-Pacific region with FAA approval for its Singapore maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility. The U.S. approval joins similar authorizations from Singapore, China, Thailand, Malaysia, and the European Aviation Safety Agency, and is among a number of certifications that Ontic is pursuing for the Singapore facility. ST Aerospace Secures Interior Reconfiguration Contract from Air Canada for its 787 Fleet ST Aerospace announced it has secured a contract from Air Canada to perform interior reconfiguration services on part of the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. This cabin reconfiguration contract follows a long-term agreement with Air Canada, announced in June 2017, for heavy maintenance services on the Canadian operator’s 787 fleet. U.S. Airline Execs Defend Capacity-addition Plans U.S. major airline executives insist that their plans to increase capacity more sharply than in recent quarters signal a desire to capitalize on assets, not a precursor of revenue-eating market-share battles. While mid-single-digit capacity increases might not seem extensive considering that global available seat miles (ASMs) increased 6.4 percent in the first 11 months of 2017, it marks a notable change for the largest carriers in the mature U.S. market. Systemwide U.S. domestic capacity as measured in ASMs rose about 3.6 percent through the first 11 months of 2017, the most recent International Air Transport Association figures show. U.S. Aerospace Delegation Includes 170 Exhibitors The U.S. aerospace industry has a major presence at Singapore Airshow 2018, with more than 170 exhibitors, an array of aircraft on static display, and a large interagency delegation featuring senior leaders from the Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce and the Federal Aviation Administration. "America’s robust participation in the Singapore Airshow 2018 is another clear reflection of our unwavering commitment to the region," said Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, interim chargé d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Singapore. UPS Commits To Purchase 14 Additional 747-8F Freighters And Orders 4 New 767s UPS announced it has ordered 14 Boeing 747-8 cargo jets and four new Boeing 767 aircraft to provide additional capacity in response to accelerating demand for the company’s air services. The aircraft will be delivered on an expedited schedule, building on the company’s 2016 order of 14 Boeing 747-8 freighters. All 32 of the jets will be delivered by the end of 2022. Xiamen Airlines and GE sign MoU to strengthen strategic cooperation Xiamen Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GE to further strengthen the strategic cooperation between the parties. Zhao Dong, President of Xiamen Airlines and Bill Fitzgerald, Vice President and General Manager of GE Aviation's Commercial Engine Operations. The MoU will cover several areas including fleet management support and services, digital solutions, leadership training and aviation health management programs, as well as intra-industrial alignment and cooperation to support the globalization of Xiamen Airlines. Acumen Aviation © 5 February All Rights Reserved.