Bombardier will perform heavy maintenance and refurbish 59 Bombardier-built REGINA commuter trains, improving safety and comfort for every passenger’s journey in Sweden
Latest contract highlights Bombardier’s position as industry-leading mobility services provider in the Swedish market
Mobility technology solution provider Bombardier Transportation announced today that it has signed a new services contract with AB Transitio, Sweden’s rail vehicle leasing company, to perform heavy maintenance and refurbish 59 BOMBARDIER REGINA Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains. The contract is valued around SEK 280 million ($30 million US, €27 million euro) over a period of five years. Deliveries of the newly refurbished trains is planned to start in mid-2020 with pre-series deliveries and will continue until mid-2024.
“With this new contract, Bombardier is expanding its services footprint in Sweden by maintaining the REGINA EMU trains operated by regional and private rail authorities, as well as refurbishing these trains to bring safe and reliable service to over millions of passengers across Sweden every year,” said Marina Sundman, Chief Commercial Office, Nordics Region, Bombardier Transportation. “We are proud to deepen our long-term relationship with AB Transitio and we are more committed than ever to delivering our range of service solutions to help customers maximize value from their assets.”
Around 20 years ago, our local teams designed and built these vehicles which are appreciated by the local rail operators. Today, more than 100 REGINA EMU trains operate across Sweden’s rail network in various car configurations, each train having travelled an average of 200.000 km per year in regional and intercity traffic, supporting the public transport authorities from south to the upper north of Sweden.
In addition to undertaking heavy maintenance on 59 REGINA EMU trains (54 trains of 2 cars and 5 trains of 3 cars each), our teams will also be involved in technical and comfort upgrades such as changing interior carpets, exterior paint, passenger seats refurbishment, interior lighting, installing additional pantograph with control equipment and new headlights.
This project marks a milestone in the development of our refurbishment activities and contributes to placing Bombardier as the leader of this market segment in Sweden. Bombardier is an important player in Sweden’s rail industry as a leading supplier of metros, trams, high speed trains, signalling systems and services.
BRUSSELS, Dec 5 (Reuters) – An association representing minority investors in Brazil is lobbying European antitrust regulators to spike a deal between planemakers Embraer SA and Boeing Co, calling it a killer acquisition.
Aurelio Valporto, the head of minority investor association Abradin, said the European Commission should block Boeing’s proposed $4.2 billion purchase of 80% Embraer’s commercial passenger jet division or demand hefty concessions.
“What will be left from Embraer won’t survive, and even if it was possible to survive, Embraer wouldn’t be able to produce any aircraft with 50 passengers or more,” Valporto said in an interview late on Wednesday, arguing that Embraer and Boeing planes compete in the marketplace.
Embraer’s commercial jet division focuses on the 70 to 150-seat segment, competing directly with the CSeries jets designed by Bombardier Inc, a division that was bought by Europe’s Airbus SE.
Boeing aims to take control of Embraer’s commercial jet business, its most profitable, to compete directly with Airbus in the market for planes with fewer than 150 seats.
Embraer said in a statement on Thursday that the deal will “serve the interests of shareholders by enabling Embraer to expand markets and increase sales.” The deal was backed by around 97% of Embraer’s shareholders earlier this year.
Valporto complained about the deal to the European Commission two months ago, saying it hurt competition in the Brazilian aerospace industry, and on Wednesday took his grievance to antitrust officials in Brasilia.
The deal has already been approved by regulators in the United States, China and Japan. If it closes, Embraer will receive dividends from its remaining 20% stake in the commercial jet business, but will have to rely more heavily on its business jets and defense divisions to turn a profit. Those two divisions have posted losses in recent quarters.
The European Commission, which launched a full-scale investigation into the deal in October, declined to comment.
Boeing said it and Embraer had been engaged with the European Commission and other global regulatory authorities since late last year.
“We continue to co-operate with the European Commission and CADE as they assess our transaction and look forward to a positive resolution,” a spokesman for the company said.
The EU has voiced concerns the deal would remove Embraer, the world’s third-largest commercial aircraft maker, from the industry, an indication that it may demand significant concessions from Boeing.
The EU regulator halted its investigation last month while waiting for Boeing to submit data on the deal.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee in Brussels Additional reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Matthew Lewis)
MILAN (Reuters) – Italian tax authorities believe that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles <FCAU> underestimated the value of its U.S. business by 5.1 billion euros following Fiat’s phased acquisition of Chrysler, according to a company filing and a source close to the matter.
The audit, which concerns transactions dating back to 2014, could result in FCA having to pay back taxes for $1.5 billion, the source added, confirming a report by Bloomberg.
FCA said in its third-quarter report that the tax authorities had issued to the company a final audit report in October this year “which, if confirmed in the final audit assessment, could result in a material proposed tax adjustment related to the October 12, 2014 merger of Fiat SpA into FCA NV.”
It said the issuance of a final audit report starts a 60-day negotiation period, which ends with the issuance of a final audit assessment expected to be received by the end of December 2019.
“The company believes that its tax position with respect to the merger is fully supported by both the facts and applicable tax law and will vigorously defend its position,” it said in the third-quarter report.
A spokesman for Italy’s tax agency declined to comment.
“At this time, we cannot predict whether any settlement may be reached or if no settlement is reached, the outcome of any litigation. As such, we are unable to reliably evaluate the likelihood that a loss will be incurred or estimate a range of possible loss,” Fiat said.
News of the tax probe comes at a delicate time for Fiat Chrysler, which is finalizing talks with PSA, the maker of Peugeot and Citroen, over a planned $50 billion merger to create the world’s fourth-largest automaker.
(Reporting by Silvia Aloisi in Milan; Editing by Anil D’Silva)
(Reuters) – Nine people were killed and three were injured in an airplane crash in the U.S. state of South Dakota, the Associated Press reported late on Saturday, citing authorities.
The aircraft, a Pilatus PC-12, carrying 12 people on board, was bound for Idaho from South Dakota before it crashed around noon on Saturday, the news agency said, citing National Transportation Safety Board’s Peter Knudson.
The cause for the crash has not yet been determined, the report said.
Reporting by Akshay Balan in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Raju Gopalakrishnan
Leading leisure carrier exercises options for 10 MAX 8 jets for fleet renewal and growth
SunExpress CEO: “Have full confidence Boeing will deliver us a safe, reliable and efficient aircraft.”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — SunExpress is exercising options for 10 additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes to continue renewing its fleet and growing its position in the leisure travel industry, the airline and Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today at the Dubai Airshow.
The purchase, valued at $1.2 billion according to list prices, adds to a previous SunExpress order for 32 MAX airplanes.
“We have a long standing, strong and trustful relationship with Boeing and thus we decided to turn our option into an order. We stand behind our strategic decision to phase the 737 MAX into our fleet for all of its economic and ecological advantages, mid- and long-term,” says Jens Bischof, CEO of SunExpress. “We have full confidence that Boeing will deliver us a safe, reliable, and efficient aircraft. However, it goes without saying that this requires the undisputed airworthiness of the model, granted by all relevant authorities. Our utmost priority at SunExpress is and has always been safety.”
The airline, which specializes in offering direct connections between Europe, Turkey and popular holiday destinations, has achieved significant growth in recent years as it steadily expanded its fleet of mainly Boeing 737 airplanes. Last year, SunExpress’ passenger count climbed to nearly 10 million across roughly 100 destinations.
“We are honored and humbled by the trust that SunExpress has placed in our team at Boeing. They have been a wonderful partner over the years, demonstrating every day the efficiency and reliability of the Boeing 737 across their growing network,” said Stan Deal, president & CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We regret the impact the MAX grounding has had on SunExpress and their passengers. The Boeing team is working hard to safely return the airplane to service and providing the capacity for SunExpress to continue serving as the backbone of air travel in the Turkish tourism industry.”
The 737 MAX 8 is part of a family of airplanes that offer 130 to 230 seats and the ability to fly up to 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 kilometers). With improvements such as the CFM International LEAP-1B engine and Advanced Technology winglets, the 737 MAX provides operators a 14% improvement over today’s most efficient single-aisle airplanes and extended range to open up new destinations.
(Reuters) – The collapse of British travel operator Thomas Cook left hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers abroad and forced governments and insurers to coordinate a huge operation to get them home.
FILE PHOTO: Passengers are silhouetted in front of a closed service counter of travel agent Thomas Cook and airline Condor at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, September 24, 2019. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
The company ran hotels, resorts and airlines ferrying 19 million people a year to 16 different countries.
Here is a summary of the impact of the collapse in different countries and efforts to salvage parts of the group:
GERMANY
Thomas Cook’s German tour business filed for insolvency on Wednesday in a move aimed at separating its brands and operations from its failed parent, and it said it was in talks with potential new investors.
The German government said it was considering an application for a bridging loan from Thomas Cook Germany, a day after it said it would guarantee a 380 million euro ($418 million) bridging loan for Condor, the British group’s German airline.
The company is in contact with the German foreign ministry, insurers and other partners to get customers home. Zurich Insurance, which provided insolvency cover to Thomas Cook Germany, will cover the costs for those on holiday.
About 97,000 holidaymakers were still stranded on Thursday.
AUSTRIA
Thomas Cook Austria, which belongs to the German unit, also filed for insolvency on Wednesday, with the aim of continuing in business.
THE NETHERLANDS
The Dutch unit of Thomas Cook canceled all travel booked through Thomas Cook Netherlands and subsidiary Neckermann.
A Dutch court on Wednesday granted Thomas Cook Nederland B.V., a Netherlands-based subsidiary, protection from creditors. It employed roughly 200 staff.
POLAND
Thomas Cook’s Polish unit, Neckermann Polska, said on Wednesday that it has filed for insolvency. Poland regional authorities says around 3,600 customers of Neckermann Polska are still abroad.
BELGIUM
Thomas Cook’s Belgian unit ceased carrying passengers on Tuesday and liquidated two businesses, seeking protection from creditors and ultimately a buyer for Thomas Cook Retail Belgium.
It still has some 13,400 customers on holidays abroad.
NORDICS
Several planes operated by Thomas Cook Scandinavian Airlines have not been able to take off because their leasing contracts remained with the British parent, Danish subsidiary Spies said.
It was not immediately clear how the situation would be resolved.
Thomas Cook’s Nordic business said on Monday it would continue to operate as it is a separate legal entity from its London-listed parent and added that it was looking for new owners.
The Nordic business consists of two legal entities, Thomas Cook Northern Europe and Thomas Cook Scandinavian Airlines, and is also known as Ving Group.
The business operates under several brands: Ving in Norway, Spies in Denmark, Tjäreborg in Finland, as well as Ving and Globetrotter in Sweden.
BRITAIN
Emergency flights had brought 14,700 people back to the United Kingdom on 64 flights on Monday, and around 135,300 more were expected to be returned over the next 13 days, Britain’s aviation regulator said.
More than 70 flights were scheduled to operate on Wednesday to bring back 16,500 people.
MEXICO
The collapse of British travel firm Thomas Cook will not have a “significant impact” on Mexico’s tourist industry as it only represents about 0.4% of the sector’s foreign income, the Mexican tourism ministry said on Tuesday.
BULGARIA
Thomas Cook’s collapse poses a serious challenge to Bulgarian tourism, with dozens of Black Sea hotels facing losses totaling tens of millions of dollars as negotiations for the next summer season take place, its tourism minister said on Tuesday.
TUNISIA
Tunisian tourism minister Rene Trabelsi told Reuters that 4,500 Thomas Cook customers are still on holiday in Tunisia.
The British government repatriated about 1,200 tourists via planes sent to Tunisa’s Enfidha airport, and another 4,000 still in Tunisia will return after their holidays.
FRANCE
The French arm of the business said on Tuesday it was asking the French commercial court of Nanterre for creditor protection
Thomas Cook France will hold a meeting of its works council on Thursday about a plan to declare insolvency and to start a recovery procedure.
French organization Entreprises de Voyage said that about 10,000 French tourists could be affected by the bankruptcy.
SPAIN
The collapse has affected 53,000 Britons in Spain, Spanish Acting Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto told reporters.
The ministry has been in touch with German and Swedish authorities to ensure Thomas Cook subsidiaries continue to operate at least for the winter season, she added.
GREECE
A Greek tourism ministry official told Reuters that about 50,000 tourists were affected.
CYPRUS
Cyprus says 15,000 Thomas Cook customers were stranded on the island.
HUNGARY
Thomas Cook’s Hungarian unit Neckermann Magyarorszag said it was continuing its operations and all passengers would be able to return from abroad as planned.
It said its financial situation was stable and its assets were sufficient guarantee that its passengers would not suffer any financial damage. It said passengers should contact its offices directly about upcoming flights.
RUSSIA
Thomas Cook’s Russian tour operator subsidiary, Intourist, said the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook will have no impact on clients, Executive Director Sergei Tolchin told Interfax.
TURKEY
The Turkish Ministry of Tourism said it will provide support for local companies affected by the Thomas Cook collapse.
The head of the country’s Hotelier Federation said about 45,000 tourists from the UK and elsewhere in Europe are in the country.
MOROCCO
Morocco’s tourism ministry said it had created a crisis unit to handle the fallout from Thomas Cook’s collapse. Thomas Cook operated two flights to Marrakesh a week. No official numbers were given.
EGYPT
Thomas Cook operator Blue Sky Group said that 25,000 reservations in Egypt booked up to April 2020 had been cancelled. Blue Sky currently has 1,600 tourists in Egypt’s Hugharda resort.
INDIA
Thomas Cook India said it had been unaffected as it has been a separate entity since August 2012.
All six people on board an Airbus H125 (AS350B3e) civilian helicopter that crashed in northern Norway on Saturday afternoon have died, the police reported on Sunday. According to reports, the helicopter was operated by the Norwegian company Helitrans. There were five passengers from Norway, all in their early twenties, plus a Swedish pilot. One survivor found at the crash site southwest of Alta later passed away at the hospital.
The crash occurred in Skoddevarre, near Alta, Finnmark. The helicopter was operating local sightseeing flights during the “Høstsprell” local music festival.
OTTAWA
(Reuters) – As Boeing Co and global airlines work to restore public
confidence in the 737 MAX after two deadly crashes, they will have a
play book they can use.
This
is not the first time that Boeing has faced a crisis after launching a
new plane with innovative technology. In 1965, three Boeing 727-100
passenger jets crashed in less than three months in the United States
while coming into land, killing a total of 131 people.
Like
the 737 MAX, the three-engined 727 was billed as one of the most
advanced aircraft of its time. Boeing introduced the 727 in 1964 and
portrayed it as a more efficient alternative to the standard four-engine
jets of the day, with new features designed to make the 727 easier to
operate from short airfields.
The
727’s wing flap system, which provides extra lift at low speeds, was
unusually large and sophisticated, which allowed the plane to descend
more quickly than other rivals and avoid buildings and other obstacles
close to runways.
Investigators
looking into the crashes discovered that some pilots did not fully
understand the flap system and were therefore allowing the planes to
descend at too great a speed.
“There was nothing wrong with the airplane… (but) if you didn’t really pay a lot of attention to it you could build up an immense sink rate,” said Bill Waldock, a professor of safety science at the U.S-based Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He uses the 727 accidents as part of a case study.
Aviation
authorities ordered more training for pilots but allowed the planes to
keep flying despite calls from some politicians to ground them.
Boeing made some modifications to the flight manual and to the procedures for flying the airplane on final approach.
In the case of the 737 MAX 8, Boeing is working on software and training updates. [L3N21C0FP]
Alan
Hoffman, a U.S. aviation historian and retired transportation lawyer
who has researched the 727 accidents, said given the publicity over the
recent crashes, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration would only
allow the 737 MAX 8 planes to fly again if the regulator is convinced
the fixes worked.
“The
airplane will go back into service and unless something else crops up
there will be no further problems and a year from now this will all be a
dim distant memory,” he predicted by phone from St Louis, Missouri.
Boeing was not immediately available for comment.
In
contrast to the swift grounding of the 737 MAX 8 after the recent
second accident, just two days after the third fatal 727 crash, in
November 1965, the Civil Aeronautics Board said there was no reason to
ground the plane.
“It
passed very rigid certification tests … before it was put into
service and nothing has turned up in our investigation to cause us to
doubt its stability,” the board said.
Those
words did not immediately reassure many travellers. Indeed, passengers
had started to boycott the airliner after the crashes began.
“For
a period of six months or so a lot of 727s were flying with half full
cabins,” Waldock said by phone from Prescott, Arizona. Still, the 727
crisis passed.
The
plane eventually became one of Boeing’s best sellers and was in
widespread use for another 30 years. By 2003, virtually all had been
retired as airlines moved away from the 727’s loud and thirsty engines.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Joe White and Cynthia Osterman)
We know lives depend on the work we do, and our teams embrace that responsibility with a deep sense of commitment every day. Our purpose at Boeing is to bring family, friends and loved ones together with our commercial airplanes—safely. The tragic losses of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610 affect us all, uniting people and nations in shared grief for all those in mourning. Our hearts are heavy, and we continue to extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board.
Safety is at the core of who we are at Boeing, and ensuring safe and
reliable travel on our airplanes is an enduring value and our absolute
commitment to everyone. This overarching focus on safety spans and
binds together our entire global aerospace industry and communities.
We’re united with our airline customers, international regulators and
government authorities in our efforts to support the most recent
investigation, understand the facts of what happened and help prevent
future tragedies. Based on facts from the Lion Air Flight 610 accident
and emerging data as it becomes available from the Ethiopian Airlines
Flight 302 accident, we’re taking actions to fully ensure the safety of
the 737 MAX. We also understand and regret the challenges for our
customers and the flying public caused by the fleet’s grounding.
Work is progressing thoroughly and rapidly to learn more about the
Ethiopian Airlines accident and understand the information from the
airplane’s cockpit voice and flight data recorders. Our team is on-site
with investigators to support the investigation and provide technical
expertise. The Ethiopia Accident Investigation Bureau will determine
when and how it’s appropriate to release additional details.
Boeing has been in the business of aviation safety for more than 100
years, and we’ll continue providing the best products, training and
support to our global airline customers and pilots. This is an ongoing
and relentless commitment to make safe airplanes even safer. Soon we’ll
release a software update and related pilot training for the 737 MAX
that will address concerns discovered in the aftermath of the Lion Air
Flight 610 accident. We’ve been working in full cooperation with the
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Transportation
and the National Transportation Safety Board on all issues relating to
both the Lion Air and the Ethiopian Airlines accidents since the Lion
Air accident occurred in October last year.
Our entire team is devoted to the quality and safety of the aircraft
we design, produce and support. I’ve dedicated my entire career to
Boeing, working shoulder to shoulder with our amazing people and
customers for more than three decades, and I personally share their
deep sense of commitment. Recently, I spent time with our team members
at our 737 production facility in Renton, Wash., and once again saw
firsthand the pride our people feel in their work and the pain we’re
all experiencing in light of these tragedies. The importance of our work
demands the utmost integrity and excellence—that’s what I see in our
team, and we’ll never rest in pursuit of it.
Our mission is to connect people and nations, protect freedom,
explore our world and the vastness of space, and inspire the next
generation of aerospace dreamers and doers—and we’ll fulfill that
mission only by upholding and living our values. That’s what safety
means to us. Together, we’ll keep working to earn and keep the trust
people have placed in Boeing.
Dennis Muilenburg Chairman, President and CEO The Boeing Company
* Norwegian cancels some flights after grounding MAX 8 aircraft
* Airline says it maintains outstanding order for more planes
* Ethiopian crash was second involving MAX 8 since October
* Boeing has expressed confidence in safety of its plane
* Analyst sees limited short-term impact for Norwegian (Adds statement on Dublin-New York replacement aircraft)
OSLO, March 13 (Reuters) – Norwegian Air said on Wednesday it will seek compensation from plane maker Boeing for costs and lost revenue after grounding its fleet of 737 MAX 8 aircraft in the wake of the Ethiopian Airlines crash.
“We expect Boeing to take this bill,” Norwegian said in an emailed statement.
The
Oslo-based airline has 18 ‘MAX’ passenger jets in its 163-aircraft
fleet. European regulators on Tuesday grounded the aircraft following
Sunday’s crash of a similar plane in Ethiopia, which killed 157 people
and was the second crash involving that type of plane since October.
Boeing
Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said on Monday that he was confident
in the safety of the 737 MAX in an email to employees, which was seen by
Reuters.
Industry sources, however, said the planemaker faces big claims after the crash.
Norwegian
has bet heavily on the ‘MAX’ to become its aircraft of choice for
short- and medium-range flights in coming years as the low-cost carrier
seeks to boost its fuel efficiency and cut the cost of flying.
“What
happens next is in the hands of European aviation authorities. But we
hope and expect that our MAXes will be airborne soon,” Norwegian Air’s
founder and Chief Executive Bjoern Kjos said in a video recording
released on social media.
“Many
have asked questions about how this affects our financial situation.
It’s quite obvious that we will not take the cost related to the new
aircraft that we have to park temporarily. We will send this bill to
those who produce this aircraft,” he added.
Idle
planes will add to pressures on the airline, which is making losses
amid intense competition at a time when several smaller European
competitors have gone out of business.
The
carrier has raised 3 billion Norwegian crowns ($348 million) from
shareholders in recent months and said it would cut costs as it tries to
regain profitability this year.
“If
this situation gets solved within the next fortnight, this will not be
very serious for Norwegian,” said analyst Preben Rasch-Olsen at
brokerage Carnegie, adding that seasonally low demand in March likely
leaves spare capacity.
“The little extra costs they are incurring, they can probably get that covered by Boeing,” Rasch-Olsen said.
“But
if this situation continues into the Easter holidays, or May and June,
then it is a problem. They (will) need to get in new planes. And then
comes the costs.”
Europeans
tend to book their summer holidays in May, so the grounding may not yet
affect bookings for the peak season for the airline industry, the
analyst said.
Meanwhile,
Norwegian was maintaining its order for more aircraft of the same type
from Boeing, spokesman Lasse Sandaker-Nielsen said.
Norwegian
is expected to take delivery of dozens more of the ‘MAX’ in coming
years, raising the overall number to more than 70 by year-end 2021,
according to recent company announcements.
Shares in the airline have now dropped 6.8 percent this week as investors worried about the impact of the Ethiopian crash.
They fell by 4.8 percent in early trade on Wednesday but later recovered to trade up 2.7 percent by 1246 GMT.
Norwegian
cancelled some flights on Tuesday, and on Wednesday it cancelled at
least three dozen departures, its website showed, most of which were due
to fly from airports in Oslo, Stockholm and other Nordic cities.
The airline was booking passengers on to other flights and using other types of planes from its fleet to help fill the gaps.
In
a separate statement, Norwegian said it would deploy one of its larger
Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to operate its daily route from Dublin to
Stewart airport north of New York City, replacing the grounded MAX.
($1 = 8.6093 Norwegian crowns)
(By Terje Solsvik and Gwladys Fouche. Additional reporting by Lefteris Karagiannopoulos; Editing by Susan Fenton and Louise Heavens)
