CHICAGO, July 1 (Reuters) – Southwest Airlines expects it will have to remove the grounded Boeing Co 737 MAX jets from its flying schedule beyond the current Oct. 1 re-entry date following the discovery of a fresh safety issue, Chief Executive Gary Kelly told employees on Monday.
Last week, Boeing said that it would take until at least September to solve 737 MAX software issues – later than airlines had been expecting – after U.S. aviation regulators uncovered a new problem during simulator sessions.
“I’m sure this will cause us to have to take the MAX out of the schedule beyond Oct. 1,” Kelly said in an internal update, adding that the company would also see “what other modifications we might need to make our plans for this year because it’s obviously extending well beyond what I had hoped.”
Kelly did not elaborate on the possible modifications. So far, the Texas-based airline has tried to substitute its MAX routes with spare aircraft but has still been forced to cancel about 115 daily flights.
American Airlines Group and United Airlines Holdings , the other two U.S. carriers that operate the 737 MAX, have removed the jetliner from their flying schedules until early September.
The three airlines are expected to provide more details on the financial toll of a prolonged MAX grounding during second quarter results later in July.
Boeing’s fast-selling narrowbody was grounded worldwide in March following two deadly crashes within five months.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
PARIS, June 28 (Reuters) – Air France-KLM said its separate Air France and KLM airline units would be swapping over some remaining orders from Boeing and Airbus, in a move which Air France KLM said would help its fleet run more efficiently.
The swap means that in the 2021-2023 timeframe, the six remaining Boeing 787 ordered for Air France will be transferred to KLM, and the current 7 Airbus A350-900s on order for KLM will be transferred to Air France.
“This is the first step towards harmonizing and simplifying the Air France-KLM Group fleet at its two major airlines,” said Air France KLM CEO Benjamin Smith.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; editing by Michel Rose)
Carrier to fly super-efficient, long-range 787-9 on new non-stop international routes
SEATTLE, June 26, 2019 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] today delivered the first 787-9 Dreamliner for Turkish Airlines, which plans to use the airplane’s fuel efficiency, range, reliability and size to operate new non-stop international routes such as Bali, Bogota-Panama, Washington and Atlanta.
“Turkish Airlines has been committed to continuously expanding its range of services on and off-ground as it grows in reach and flies to more international destinations than any other carrier in the world. With this goal in mind, we’re thrilled to reach new horizons with the addition of the 787-9 Dreamliner to our fleet flying from our new home, Istanbul Airport,” said M. İlker Aycı, Turkish Airlines’ Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee. “The aircraft’s advanced technology, fuel efficiency, and passenger-centric cabin design will all help us remain the first choice for travellers and provide our loyal flyers across the globe with a best-in-class experience for years to come.”
More than 80 customers around the world have ordered more than 1,400 Dreamliners since the program’s introduction, making it the fastest-selling widebody jet in history. The 787 Dreamliner allows airlines to reduce fuel use and emissions by 20 to 25 percent and serve far-away destinations. The combination of fuel efficiency and long range has helped airlines flying the 787 family of airplanes save more than 36 billion pounds (16 billion kilograms) of fuel and open more than 235 non-stop routes.
As part of the 787 Dreamliner family, the 787-9 is powered by a suite of new technologies and a revolutionary design. It can fly 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 km) in addition to carrying more cargo and allowing airlines to profitably grow routes. The airplane allows operators to achieve better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the previous airplanes in its class.
Turkish Airlines’ Dreamliner has seating capacity for 300 passengers, including 270 economy class seats and 30 business class seats. The carrier’s 787 includes long haul economy class seats and business class monuments produced in Turkey by Turkish suppliers.
“Turkish Airlines’ growth has been remarkable in recent years, both in expanding flight options and supporting Turkey’s aviation industry. We are honored that Turkish Airlines is embarking on its next chapter of expansion with the 787 Dreamliner,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for The Boeing Company. “We are confident that the Dreamliner’s unmatched fuel efficiency, performance and passenger-pleasing comforts will contribute to the airline’s reputation as a five-star airline.”
About Boeing
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. The company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth. www.boeing.com
About Turkish Airlines
Based in Istanbul, Turkish Airlines carried 75,2 million passengers last year. The national flag carrier of Turkey currently operates direct flights to 311 destinations in 124 countries, as the only airline that flies to more countries and international destinations in the world. Turkish Cargo, the successful sub-brand of Turkish Airlines, is the world’s fastest-growing air cargo carrier considering the cargo volumes, new flight destinations, and expanding cargo fleet. It serves customers in more than 300 destinations including 88 dedicated direct cargo flights in over 120 countries.
Kitty Hawk,the flying car company backed by Google’s Larry Page and led by Udacity co-founder Sebastian Thrun, has struck a deal with aerospace giant Boeing.
The terms of the strategic partnership are vague. But it appears the two companies will collaborate on urban air mobility, particularly around safety and how autonomous and piloted vehicles will co-exist.
Kitty Hawk’s portfolio of vehicles includes Cora, a two-person air taxi, and Flyer, a vehicle for personalized flight. The partnership is focused on the fully electric, self-piloting flying taxi Cora, according to the announcement.
Click the link below for the full story and video!
CHICAGO (Reuters) – United Airlines said on Wednesday it has decided to remove the Boeing 737 MAX from its flying schedule until Sept. 3, leading to about 1,900 total flight cancellations in August.
The Federal Aviation Administration earlier said it has identified a new potential risk that Boeing Co must address on its 737 MAX before the jet can return to service.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chris Reese)
Upgraded Boeing 767-400s will have new Delta One business class seat.
Delta Premium Select also expands to more markets.
Delta Air Lines will offer improved cabin experiences for customers starting this fall through the launch of its new business class seat offering more comfort and privacy, plus the expansion of its international premium economy cabin, Delta Premium Select to new markets in Europe and South America.
The new cabins will be fitted on the 767-400 fleet and bring all four branded seat products – Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin – to this aircraft for the first time. The aircraft have initially been scheduled on select flights between Atlanta and London Heathrow starting November 12, 2019, followed by a number of additional European and South American markets. Select flights to London, Zurich and Brussels on this aircraft will be available for purchase starting this weekend with additional markets for sale in the coming weeks.
Here is a full overview of the markets the new 767-400 aircraft will fly:
Route (airport code)
Effective Dates
Atlanta (ATL) – London Heathrow (LHR)
Nov. 12
New York-JFK (JFK) – London Heathrow (LHR)
Nov. 16
Boston (BOS) – London Heathrow (LHR)
Nov. 20
New York-JFK (JFK) – Zurich (ZRH)
Dec. 8
New York-JFK (JFK) – Brussels (BRU)
Jan. 30
Atlanta (ATL) – Brussels (BRU)
Feb. 22
New York-JFK (JFK) – São Paulo (GRU)
2Q 2020
Detroit (DTW) – London Heathrow (LHR)
2Q 2020
Minneapolis (MSP) – London Heathrow (LHR)
2Q 2020
Portland (PDX) – London Heathrow (LHR)
2Q 2020
Atlanta (ATL) – Munich (MUC)
2Q 2020
New York-JFK (JFK) – Nice
2Q 2020
Atlanta (ATL) – Zurich (ZRH)
2Q 2020
Atlanta (ATL) – Buenos Aires (EZE)
2Q 2020
”Our investments in our Boeing 767-400 fleet reflect our continuous effort to elevate each aspect of the international customer experience,” said Steve Sear, Delta’s President — International and E.V.P. — Global Sales. “We understand that our customers want to curate their own travel experience and offering four cabins allows for more choice while continuing to align our products across the Delta fleet.”
Delta is investing millions of dollars in its widebody long-haul fleet to give customers greater choice when they travel. The 767-400 refit follows the introduction of the Delta One suite and Delta Premium Select on its Airbus A330-900neo, Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
Here are some more details on Delta’s new cabins:
Delta One
The cabin will feature a new seat customized for this aircraft, which offers extra privacy through high sides and a divider between the two middle seats in the 1-2-1 configuration. There will be 34 seats in total.
The memory foam-cushion seats will also feature personal stowage areas, customizable ambient lighting and 18″ wide, high-resolution in-flight entertainment screens.
New self-service area for customers to enjoy snacks and beverages at their leisure throughout the flight.
Delta Premium Select
Delta’s premium economy cabin, Delta Premium Select, will have 20 seats in a 2x2x2 configuration.
It is a separate cabin between Delta One and Main Cabin, offering customers dedicated service, plated meals on Alessi serviceware, TUMI branded amenity kits, and LSTN noise-canceling headsets.
Seats, with memory foam cushions, will be 19″ wide with up to 38″ pitch and 7″ recline. The seats will also feature an adjustable leg rest and footrest, along with a larger IFE 13.3″ screen than found in Comfort+ and Main Cabin.
Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin
New, wider seats with memory foam cushions and adjustable headrests for improved comfort on long-haul flights.
10.1” seatback screens to enjoy the 1,000+ hours of entertainment available on-demand via Delta Studio.
Furthermore, the aircraft will also be fitted with Delta’s own in-flight entertainment system created by Delta Flight Products. The first-of-its-kind system combines wireless technology with state-of-the-art tablet displays mounted into the back of the seat. The system debuted on Delta’s A220 fleet and is also rolling out on the new A330-900neo fleet before coming to the 767-400 aircraft as part of the interior refit.
In addition to the expected customer experience and cost benefits, wireless IFE also helps reduce the airline’s environmental impact. The wireless streaming technology enables the reduction of about one pound of wiring per seat when installed on an aircraft. This means Delta’s modified 767-400 fleet will save about 1,330 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.
Visit the Delta link below for a video presentation of the new cabin layouts!
53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport
PARIS (Reuters) – U.S. arms makers say European demand for fighter jets, missile defenses and other weapons is growing fast amid heightened concerns about Russia and Iran.
The U.S. government sent a group of unusually high-ranking officials including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to the Paris Airshow this year, where nearly 400 U.S. companies were showcasing equipment as the United States and Iran neared open confrontation in the Persian Gulf.
Lockheed Martin, Boeing and other top weapons makers said they had seen accelerating demand for U.S. weapons at the biennial air show despite escalating trade tensions between the United States and Europe.
“Two Paris air shows ago, there weren’t a lot of orders,” said Rick Edwards, who heads Lockheed’s international division. “Now … our fastest growth market for Lockheed Martin in the world is Europe.”
Many European nations have increased military spending since Russia’s annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014, bolstering missile defenses and upgrading or replacing ageing fighter jet fleets. NATO members agreed in 2014 to move toward spending 2% of gross domestic product on defence.
Eric Fanning, chief executive of the Aerospace Industries Association, said the NATO pledge and European concerns about Russia were fueling demand. “I do think it reflects the increasing provocations of Russia,” he said.
Industry executives and government officials say growing concern about Iran’s missile development program is another key factor. Tehran’s downing of a U.S. drone came late in the air show, but executives said it would support further demand.
“Iran is our best business development partner. Every time they do something like this, it heightens awareness of the threat,” said one senior defence industry executive, who asked not to be named.
Edwards said Lockheed’s F-35 stealth fighter, selected by Belgium, is poised to win another new order from Poland, while Bulgaria, Slovakia and Romania are also working to replace Soviet-era equipment.
Edwards and other executives say they see no impact from the ongoing trade disputes between U.S. President Donald Trump and the European Union.
U.S. Army Lieutenant General Charles Hooper, director of the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), said Europe accounted for nearly a quarter of the $55.7 billion in foreign arms sales his agency handled in fiscal 2018.
Hooper said the U.S. government was making concerted efforts to speed arms sales approvals and boost sales to help arm allies with U.S. weapons.
Ralph Acaba, president of Raytheon Co’s’s Integrated Defense Systems business, said the company was boosting automation and working to deliver the Patriot missile system and other weapons in half the five-year period previously typical.
“Europe is really big for us now, and that’s a big change in just the last few years and even the last 18 months,” he said.
In addition to wooing new Patriot customers, Raytheon is upgrading existing systems for customers like Germany, which is likely to finalize a contract worth potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to the company in coming months.
Thomas Breckenridge, head of international sales for Boeing’s strike, surveillance and mobility programs, is eyeing contracts wins for Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets in Germany, Switzerland and Finland.
“There’s a huge appetite in Europe for defence as a whole,” he said.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Jan Harvey)
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s biggest carrier Korean Air Lines said on Wednesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding to buy 30 Boeing planes for $9.67 billion.
The company said in a statement that it will buy 20 Boeing 787-10s and 10 more 787-9s to add to its existing fleet.
It is the first purchase for a South Korean carrier of a 787-10 model, the largest member of the Dreamliner family, the company said.
(Reporting by Hayoung Choi, Joori Roh; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
PARIS, France, June 18, 2019 – Today Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL; “ALC”) announced the long-term lease placement with Korean Air for ten new Boeing 787-10 aircraft. Scheduled to deliver to the airline starting in 2021 through 2023 from ALC’s order book with Boeing, these ten 787-10s from ALC are the first -10 Dreamliner aircraft to be placed in Korean Air’s fleet.
“As a launch customer for the 787-10, ALC is thrilled to announce this major lease placement introducing the 787-10 to Korean Air’s fleet, a project we have worked on with Korean and Boeing for a long time. The 787-10 will bring new levels of Korean Air’s outstanding service to its passengers, and provide significant revenue benefits to Korean’s global network,” said John L. Plueger, Chief Executive Officer and President of Air Lease Corporation.
“As we continue to innovate our product offering, the 787 Dreamliner family will become the backbone of our long-haul fleet for many years to come,” said Walter Cho, Chairman of Korean Air. “In addition to 25 percent improved fuel efficiency, the stretched 787-10 offers around 15 percent more space for passengers and cargo than our 787-9s, which will be critical to our long-term business goals.”
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL)
ALC is a leading aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. For more information, visit ALC’s website at www.airleasecorp.com.
About Korean Air
Korean Air is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of South Korea, with global headquarters located in Gonghang Dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Korean Air’s international passenger division and related subsidiary cargo division together serve 130 cities in 45 countries, while its domestic division serves 20 destinations. It is among the top 20 airlines in the world in terms of passengers carried and is also the top-ranked international cargo airline. Incheon International Airport serves as Korean Air’s international hub.
PARIS, June 17 (Reuters) – Boeing Co said on Monday it had no plans to change the name of the 737 MAX after news reports that it would be prepared to do so to improve its future marketing.
“Our immediate focus is the safe return of the MAX to service and re-earning the trust of airlines and the traveling public,” a spokesman said in an emailed statement.
“We remain open-minded to all input from customers and other stakeholders, but have no plans at this time to change the name of the 737 MAX.”
Bloomberg News earlier quoted Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith as saying that if Boeing needed to change the brand it would “address” that. The report also said Boeing executives insisted they had no immediate plans to drop the MAX name.
CNBC also reported the comments.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Boeing on April 15 to “Rebrand” its 737 MAX jetliner following two fatal crashes.
(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson, Tracy Rucinski, Edited by Tim Hepher)
