Virgin Australia’s share price dipped below 10 cents on Monday – days after credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded its outlook to negative.
The drop represents an enormous fall from a high of $2.19 in February 2007. Virgin played down the developments, claiming any speculation of the future of the business was “untrue and misleading”.
Last week, Australian Aviation reported that the wider group announced a $97 million half-year loss and its intention to cut its Tigerair fleet.
The Northrop Grumman unmanned aircraft system MQ-4C Triton has been deployed to the Pacific for the first time.
The deployment of the platform will give the US Navy greater maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data to inform critical decision making in one of the most strategically important regions in the world.
Unmanned Patrol Squadron One Nine, or VUP-19, will operate out of Guam as part of Task Force (CTF) 72, 7th Fleet, and is the first squadron to operate the MQ-4C.
VUP-19, nicknamed the ‘Big Red’, was established on October 1, 2013, and later commissioned on October 28 2016.
Getting unmanned systems out in front of manned aircraft and ships in the Pacific is one of the US Navy’s highest priorities.
This is in response to the emergence of China as it has expanded and reinforced its integrated web of sophisticated anti-access/area-denial capabilities in the South China Sea.
Doug Shaffer, Vice President and Program Manager of Triton program at Northrop Grumman, said the deployment was a significant milestone in the MQ-4C Triton program.
“Our partnership with the US Navy has been crucial in developing this system that will help commanders build a better common operational picture,” he said.
Triton’s ability to fly at high altitude and remain airborne in excess of 24 hours allows commanders to surveil a larger maritime area than ever before.
Designed to operate in a manned-unmanned teaming concept, Triton provides viability over massive swaths of ocean and littoral areas, enabling manned aircraft such as the US Navy’s P-8 Poseidon to focus on anti-surface and anti-sub-surface warfare.
The Triton is the US Navy’s newest and most technologically advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform
Its autonomous suite of maritime sensors allows operators to detect, track, classify and identify vessels on the ocean or in the littorals in some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
Australia is committed to the purchase of the Triton for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with the prospect of six aircraft to be added to the RAAF’s inventory as part of the AIR7000 program.
Designed to operate in conjunction with Australia’s planned fleet of 12 manned P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft, the Tritons will provide a quantum leap in the nation’s surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
The first of the RAAF’s Triton aircraft is expected to be introduced into service in mid-2023, with all six aircraft to be delivered and in operation by late 2025, based at RAAF Edinburgh, South Australia.
The RAAF investment in the Triton program is $1.4 billion.
The facilities and crew required to operate, train and maintain the fleet will be part of the initial $1.4 billion investment, which includes $364 million on new facilities at RAAF Bases Edinburgh and Tindal (in Northern Territory).
Fleet of 75 six-car commuter trains, designed and engineered locally in Australia, are already increasing transport capacity and ridership in Queensland
With 70 per cent of Queensland’s future population growth targeted in the South-East region, the NGR fleet will bring a significant capacity increase to meet the growing demand for rail services
The last of 75 trains enters service in Queensland, Australia
Mobility technology solution provider Bombardier Transportation recently celebrated the introduction into passenger service of the final New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) train for the Queensland Government. In addition to delivering the 75 commuter trains, Bombardier will also maintain the entire fleet at its Wulkuraka maintenance centre near Ipswich, Queensland for a period of 32 years.
“Our highly efficient commuter cars have been performing well, providing passengers in Queensland with a safe and comfortable ride. Bombardier is providing mobility solutions through its NGR and Gold Coast projects, helping the Queensland Government deliver its economic and public transportation development programs,” said Wendy McMillan, President, South East Asia and Australia, Bombardier Transportation.
She added, “This significant milestone of the last NGR train delivery in Queensland was achieved thanks to close collaboration between Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Queensland Rail, Bombardier and our partners. Bombardier has created more than 2,000 local jobs across the industry and supply chain throughout this project.”
The trains have been rigorously tested and commissioned to the highest requirements of TMR and Queensland Rail at the Wulkuraka maintenance facility. In addition, they have travelled more than eight million in-service kilometres and conducted over 150,000 passenger journeys since the first trains started service in December 2017.
Last year, Bombardier Transportation signed a contract for $335.7 million AUD with the Queensland Government to deliver modifications to the NGR trains currently being introduced to the South-East Queensland rail network. Bombardier is leading the Qtectic consortium contracted to deliver the NGR project and will undertake the work to upgrade the trains in line with the government’s revised design specifications with an industry partner. The NGR core project team led by TMR, Queensland Rail and Bombardier Transportation worked closely together with the disability sector to ensure the upgraded trains meet the needs of all Queenslanders. Queensland’s train fleet will be one of the most accessible in the country once the upgrades are complete.
Bombardier has been investing in Australia for more than 70 years. As a trusted rail industry partner with over 1,000 local employees, Bombardier designs, engineers, manufactures and maintains rolling stock across Australia, along with providing signalling, rail equipment, asset management and through-life support to customers and operators.
Airline partners with G’Day USA for Red Cross relief efforts
FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines donated $100,000 to help Australia recover from devastating bush fires that have burned more than 27 million acres to date. The donation, which was made through the Australian diplomacy program G’Day USA, will benefit the Australia chapter of the Red Cross.
“We are all affected by the heartbreaking images of the wildfires in Australia,” said American Airlines President Robert Isom. “American is proud to do what we can to assist in the recovery.”
This year, G’Day USA brought awareness and raised funds to assist with the Australian bush fires. The event is typically a celebratory dinner that honors the special relationship between Australia and the United States.
American also activated the airline’s disaster response fundraising platform, where customers and team members can assist those in need. From now through Jan. 31, AAdvantage® members can earn 10 miles for every dollar donated to the Red Cross with a minimum $25 donation.
“One of the best things Americans can do to support our friends in Australia is keep their travel plans and make new ones,” Isom said. “The Australian economy relies on its tourism business and nearly all the popular sites in Australia are unaffected by the fires.”
You can make your donation to the Australian bush fire recovery efforts by visiting the Red Cross website.
*** BE SURE TO SELECT – “AUSTRALIA BRUSHFIRES” BELOW THE – “I WANT TO SUPPORT” QUERY TO ENSURE YOUR DONATION REACHES TO CORRECT RECIPIENT!!! ***
A Boeing 737 Max aircraft taxis the runway at the Renton Municipal Airport in Renton
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Papua New Guinea carrier Air Niugini has updated its contract with Boeing Co <BA> to delay the delivery of its four 737 MAX jets on order until at least 2024, the airline’s chief executive said on Tuesday.
The carrier had been due to receive its first 737 MAX this year.
Air Niugini Chief Executive Alan Milne told Reuters the delay would give the airline more time to complete a broader review of its fleet plans, including a replacement for its smaller Fokker jets.
“This will then determine if the MAX is still appropriate for Air Niugini, or whether another Boeing product would better suit as a replacement for the 737/767,” he said, in reference to older models in the airline’s fleet.
Milne said it was possible the 737 MAX orders could be switched to the smaller Embraer SA <ERJ> E2 family if Boeing’s deal to buy the bulk of the Brazilian planemaker’s commercial division closes.
“Air Niugini is a valued Boeing customer and we are working closely with the airline to meet its evolving fleet requirements,” a Boeing spokesman said. “Unfortunately, we do not disclose ongoing customer discussions and have no further comment.”
Some other Boeing customers, including Malaysia Airlines, Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd <VBHLF> and Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA’s <NWARF> leasing arm have also postponed the delivery of 737 MAX jets since the model was grounded globally last March after two fatal crashes.
Boeing confirmed on Monday that it has temporarily halted production of the 737 MAX in Washington State in recent days. The company had said in December it would halt production at some point this month.
(Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Paul Simao and Sam Holmes)
São José dos Campos, Brazil, December 30th, 2019 – Air Kiribati, the flag carrier of the Republic of Kiribati, received today its first E190-E2 jet. Embraer announced the contract with the Government of Kiribati, in partnership with its national airline, Air Kiribati, in December 2018. The airline ordered two E190-E2s and has purchase rights for two more.
“Aviation is critical for any island nation and Kiribati is no exception. Our Government has made the conscious decision to take into our hands the opportunity to unlock economic prosperity for our people and our nation through the purchase of these two aircraft,” said Hon. Willie Tokataake, Minister for Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development of the Kiribati Government. “The arrival of our first jet today is the culmination of three years of vision, strategic thought, government focus, research, evaluation, hard work, commitment, partnership and a good measure of problem solving.”
Air Kiribati is the launch operator for the E190-E2 in Asia Pacific. The aircraft will be configured in a dual class layout seating 92 passengers in total, with 12 seats in business class and 80 seats in economy class. Located in the central Pacific, Air Kiribati can now fly longer domestic and international routes than it currently does with its turboprop fleet.
“This is first E190-E2 delivered in the Pacific region,” said Cesar Pereira, Asia Pacific Vice President, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We’re are honored that Air Kiribati selected the E190-E2 as the best fit for the airline’s challenging flying environment. The E190-E2 has cutting-edge technology and is the most fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly single aisle jet in the world. These attributes are extremely important for Kiribati.”
With a maximum range of up to 2,850 nautical miles, the E190-E2 can serve destinations throughout the vast expanse of Kiribati, including nonstop from Tarawa to Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, one of the most challenging routes in the Pacific. The current domestic flight from Tarawa to Kiritimati requires an international stopover in Fiji.
Spanning four time zones and comprised of more than 30 islands, Kiribati is the only country in the world to be in all four hemispheres. Embraer has been present in the Pacific since the first Bandeirante was delivered to a customer in Australia in 1978. The company continues to support operators across Oceania more than 40 years later.
The E190-E2 is the first of three new aircraft types in the E-Jets E2 family, developed to succeed the first-generation E-Jets. Compared to the first-generation E190, the E190-E2 burns 17.3% less fuel and nearly 10% less than its direct competitor. This makes it the most efficient single-aisle aircraft on the market. The E190-E2 generates significant savings for airlines in terms of maintenance costs. It has the longest maintenance intervals – 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit in typical E-Jets utilization. This means an additional 15 days of aircraft utilization over a period of ten years.
The E2 cockpit features advanced Honeywell Primus Epic 2 integrated avionics. Combined with closed-loop fly-by-wire controls, the systems work together to improve aircraft performance, decrease pilot workload and enhance flight safety. From a passenger perspective, the E2 cabin features a comfortable two-by-two layout. The absence of a middle seat enables passengers to have an enjoyable flight experience with more legroom and additional luggage storage space.
Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft up to 150 seats with more than 100 customers across the world. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,500 aircraft have been delivered. Today, E-Jets are flying in the fleets of 80 customers from 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 150-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline network carriers.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) today announced the completion of its previously announced sale to affiliates of Brookfield Infrastructure and GIC.
Under the terms of the sale, each issued and outstanding share of G&W common stock converted into the right to receive $112 in cash. As a result of the completion of the sale, G&W’s common stock ceased trading on the NYSE prior to market open today and will no longer be listed for trading on the NYSE.
“This transaction is an excellent outcome for all G&W stakeholders,” said Jack Hellmann, Chief Executive Officer of G&W. “For our customers, employees, and Class I partners, the long-term investment horizon of Brookfield and GIC is perfectly aligned with the long lives of G&W railroad assets. We look forward to building on G&W’s track record of safety, service excellence and commercial growth as we become an important component of a portfolio of global infrastructure assets.”
About Genesee & Wyoming
G&W owns or leases 119 freight railroads organized in locally managed operating regions with 8,000 employees serving 3,000 customers.
G&W’s six North American regions serve 42 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces and include 113 short line and regional freight railroads with more than 13,000 track-miles.
G&W’s Australia Region serves New South Wales, the Northern Territory and South Australia and operates the 1,400-mile Tarcoola-to-Darwin rail line. The Australia Region is 51.1% owned by G&W and 48.9% owned by a consortium of funds and clients managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets.
G&W’s UK/Europe Region includes the U.K.’s largest rail maritime intermodal operator and second-largest freight rail provider, as well as regional rail services in Continental Europe.
G&W subsidiaries and joint ventures also provide rail service at more than 40 major ports, rail-ferry service between the U.S. Southeast and Mexico, transload services, contract coal loading, and industrial railcar switching and repair. For more information, please visit www.gwrr.com.
About Brookfield Infrastructure
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is a leading global infrastructure company that owns and operates high quality, long-life assets in the utilities, transport, energy and data infrastructure sectors across North and South America, Asia Pacific and Europe. We are focused on assets that generate stable cash flows and require minimal maintenance capital expenditures. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges. Further information is available at www.brookfieldinfrastructure.com.
Brookfield Infrastructure is the flagship listed infrastructure company of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with over $500 billion of assets under management. For more information, go to www.brookfield.com.
About GIC
GIC is a leading global investment firm established in 1981 to manage Singapore’s foreign reserves. As a disciplined long-term value investor, GIC is uniquely positioned for investments across a wide range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and infrastructure. In infrastructure, GIC’s primary strategy is to invest directly in operating assets with a high degree of cash flow visibility and which provide a hedge against inflation. GIC has investments in over 40 countries. Headquartered in Singapore, GIC employs over 1,500 people across 10 offices in key financial cities worldwide. For more information on GIC, please visit www.gic.com.sg.
Alstom congratulates Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW), on the opening of the CBD and South East Light Rail project and the start of revenue service, returning Light Rail back down Sydney’s George St for the first time in more than 60 years.
Alstom, as part of the ALTRAC Light Rail consortium[1], has been responsible for the integrated light rail system that included the design, delivery and commissioning of 60 Citadis X05 Light Rail Vehicles (LRV), power supply equipment including APS – the wire-free ground-based power supply (over two kilometres), the energy recovery substations – HESOP, signalling, communications, depot equipment and 19 years of maintenance.
The new 12km network has been delivered under a turnkey PPP model that will provide the commuters of Sydney with frequent, reliable, high capacity services running from Circular Quay in the city’s CBD to Central Station, then south east to Randwick. Each LRV has a capacity of 450 passengers – the equivalent of nine standard buses and will move up to 13,500 commuters per hour (6,750 in each direction) during peak times once fully operational. Normal tram services will operate seven days a week between 5am and 1am.
As part of the contract, the consortium has also taken over the operations and maintenance of the existing Inner West Light rail (IWLR) that connects Sydney’s inner west with the Pyrmont peninsula, Darling Harbour and the southern CBD. Alstom is also responsible for the maintenance of the existing system which includes 12 CAF Light Rail Vehicles.
“Alstom is extremely proud to be a part of this iconic project” said Mark Coxon, Managing Director for Alstom in Australia & New Zealand, “This new Light Rail system will transform Sydney and provide a step change in the city’s public transport capability and reliability while protecting the aesthetic appeal of the CBD and improving sustainability of the overall transport network”
[1] Made up of Alstom, Transdev, Acciona and Capella
FILE PHOTO: A passenger stands in front of a window where Qantas planes are parked at Melbourne Airport, Australia
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Qantas Airways Ltd <QABSY> said on Friday it has chosen Airbus SE <EADSY> as preferred supplier for jets capable of the world’s longest commercial flights from Sydney to London, beating rival Boeing Co <BA> after a hard-fought contest.
The choice of up to 12 A350-1000 planes fitted with an extra fuel tank for flights of up to 21 hours cements Airbus as the leader in ultra-long haul flying globally at a time when Boeing is battling delays on its rival 777X programme and a broader corporate crisis following two deadly 737 MAX crashes.
The Qantas flights would begin in the first half of 2023, but remain subject to reaching a pay deal with pilots, who would need to extend their duty times to around 23 hours to account for potential delays and switch between flying the A350 and the airline’s current A330 fleet. A final decision on an order is expected in March, the airline said.
Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said the airline “had a lot of confidence” in the market for non-stop services from Sydney to London and to New York based on two years of flying non-stop from Perth to London, where it has achieved a 30% fare premium over one-stop rivals in premium classes.
“The A350 is a fantastic aircraft and the deal on the table with Airbus gives us the best possible combination of commercial terms, fuel efficiency, operating cost and customer experience,” he said.
Singapore Airlines Ltd <SINGY> operates the world’s current longest flight, nearly 19 hours from Singapore to New York, using an ultra-long range version of the smaller A350-900.
Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer thanked Qantas for its selection in a statement, while a Boeing spokesman said it was disappointed with the decision but looked forward to continuing its longstanding partnership with the airline.
Rico Merkert, a transport professor at the University of Sydney Business School, said the A350-1000 fit the Qantas brief well and was the safer choice, given Boeing has recently reported problems such as the grounding of the 737 MAX, structural cracks in 737 NGs and a fuselage split in a stress test of its 777-9.
“The A350 just seems to be a much safer bet,” he said. “And safety is at the core of everything that Qantas does including its brand.”
Airbus no longer provides list prices for aircraft, but based on its 2018 price list, the Qantas order could be worth up to $4.4 billion before heavy discounts that are standard for airline customers.
Citi on Friday estimated the planes would cost A$3 billion (1.6 billion pounds) to $3.5 billion, with the investment likely to be phased over three years.
The selection of the A350-1000 will add to growing doubts over Boeing’s plans to produce the 777-8 that it had proposed to Qantas for the mission.
Boeing had already said the entry into service for the plane, a smaller, longer-range version of the 777-9, would be delayed beyond 2022 but has declined to give a new date, saying it would be based on customer demand.
Customers Emirates and Qatar Airways have indicated they could switch orders for the 777-8 to the 777-9.
The 777-9 is due to enter service in 2021, following delays associated with its GE <GE.N> engines.
The Boeing spokesman said on Friday the manufacturer was focused on the development of the 777-9 and after that it would complete development of the 777-8, with the first delivery scheduled a few years after that.
(Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Sam Holmes and Stephen Coates)
An Airbus A350-1000 performs at the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris
Total of 31 metro trainsets comprising of 248 cars will be manufactured at the company’s state-of-the-art plant at SriCity
Alstom, leader in sustainable and smart mobility, today commenced the manufacturing of metro trainsets for Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) at its factory in SriCity, Andhra Pradesh. The ceremony was preceded by Mr. Alain Spohr – MD, Alstom India & South Asia. The first metro train after testing will be delivered by November 2020.
Alstom’s overall contract with MMRC for Line 3 is worth €452 million. The order includes manufacturing of 31 lightweight, fully-furnished modern metro trains of 8 cars each. Along with rolling stock, Alstom will also execute the power supply contract and equip Line 3 with Urbalis 400, its latest generation of CBTC signalling technology. The scope of the signalling contract includes unattended train operation (UTO), computer-based interlocking and centralised train supervision; an integrated telecom solution comprising of CCTV, passenger information, passenger annoncement and Giga bit network; platform screen doors, as well as the electrical and mechanical supervisory control and data acquisition system (E&M SCADA).
Speaking on the occasion, Alain Spohr, Managing Director of Alstom India and South Asia said, “This will be the new face of transportation for the commercial capital of India. Mumbai is a global city and it is set to get a world-class metro experience. The trainsets are custom-designed for Mumbai. Themed on Dynamic Fluidism that takes inspiration from the city, the train prioritises high interior density layout to maximise space efficiency. The trainsets will be able to accomodate at least 3000 people on a single trip, easing daily commute for Mumbaikars.”
He further added, “As announced earlier, we are on track to double our manufacturing capacity at SriCity – from 240 to 480 trainsets per annum. The factory is currently executing orders for Chennai Metro, Montreal Metro (Réseau Express Métropolitain) and Mumbai Metro Line 3. Alstom recently won a contract with Sydney’s NRT to supply the rolling stock and signalling system for the next stage of Sydney Metro. 23 six-car fully-automated Metropolis trains for the project will be manufactured at our SriCity facility.”
The Aqua Line trainsets will feature a host of safety elements including CCTV cameras, smoke detectors, emergency intercoms, fire extinguishers with wider detrainment doors to quickly evacuate passengers in case of an emergency. The inclusive design of trainsets will serve to the differently-abled individuals with ease of travel and includes dedicated space for wheelchair in every car. The overall exterior and interiors of the trainset are inspired by the undying energy of Mumbai and its people who are always on the move and hustle all day long.
Alstom will also train maintenance and operations staff for the project. It is also the first time that any metro train in India will have 75% motorization, enabling quick acceleration and deceleration thereby bringing about greater efficiency in operations. The trains will also be equipped with regenerative braking system aiding significant reduction in carbon emissions. In addition to the above features, it is the first UTO (Unattended Train Operation) project in Mumbai.
