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Story by Qantas, Image by Airbus

Qantas is adding further capacity to the US with the launch of direct flights between Melbourne and Honolulu starting in early May of 2025*.

On sale from today, the new service will boost capacity to the USA by adding more than 40,000 seats per year to the Hawaiian capital, in addition to existing Sydney to Honolulu services with Qantas and Jetstar which collectively operate eight times per week. The new Qantas flights will operate three times per week with an Airbus A330 aircraft.

Coincing with the launch of the new Qantas service, Jetstar will cease its current twice weekly Dreamliner 787 Melbourne to Honolulu flights from 30 April 2025, with the aircraft to be depolyed on another long-haul route.

The Qantas route announcement comes as the Flying Kangaroo launches a 7-day North and South America Red Tail Sale, with more than 50,000 seats discounted across the Qantas network from today.

Economy sale fares start from $1,049 return, with more than 30 routes on sale, including Sydney and Brisbane to Los Angeles ($1,199), Sydney to Vancouver ($1,599), Melbourne to Honolulu ($1,049) and Melbourne to Dallas ($1,699).

*Subject to government and regulatory approval.

StoryImage and Story from Alstom

August 29, 2024 – Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed a contract with Captrain Polska – an independent railway operator offering transport services throughout Europe. Alstom will deliver 3 third-generation Traxx Universal locomotives, which will serve the intermodal operations. The units will be homologated in at least six countries, including Poland, Germany, Austria, France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The Alstom site in Kassel, Germany, will be responsible to produce the units. The locomotives’ car-body shells will be manufactured at the Alstom facility in Wrocław, Poland.

The Traxx Universal locomotives have been approved in 20 countries, where they cover a total annual distance of more than 300 million kilometres. The third-generation multi-system units can reach a top speed of 160 km per hour and can handle heavier trains compared to other locomotives in the same class. They offer a flexible design based on a strong, modular platform approach compatible with many applications (single or multi-country freight and passenger transport) and available in various configurations (AC, DC and multi-system). The units will be equipped with the leading signalling system Onvia (formerly known as Atlas), Alstom’s onboard solution for the European Train Control System (ETCS). This system offers the most extensive coverage across various countries and lines. During the warranty period, Alstom will be ECM (Entity in Charge of Maintenance) and undertake preventive maintenance for the locomotives. As part of the contract, Captrain Poland employees will also be trained to perform maintenance on the locomotives themselves.

Since 2000, Alstom has produced over 5,700 locomotives, that have started operation and have been used in many European countries, as well as in Asia, North America and Africa. Alstom is the leading locomotive services provider, maintaining more than 2,450 locomotives around the world, including over 600 Traxx locomotives.

Image and story from Alstom

São Paulo, Brazil, August 29, 2024 – Alstom, a global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, celebrates a decade of operation of Line 15-Prata of the São Paulo Metro, a pioneer in monorail technology in Brazil and Latin America. Since its opening on August 30, 2014, the line has played a key role in transforming urban mobility in the metropolis, connecting densely populated areas to the city center and significantly reducing travel times.

lstom designed, manufactured, installed and delivered the existing fleet on Line 15, as well as the onboard and trackside signalling. The 27 Innovia™ 300 trains supplied for the line are equipped with the Cityflo™ 650 signalling system, which allows flexible integration with auxiliary systems such as passenger information panels, closed-circuit television and telecommunications. It also features a regenerative braking system, an intelligent energy management system and LED lighting.

The Line 15’s monorail also features driverless technology using track markers for guidance, positioning and collision prevention of trains. Another technical resource is transmitters responsible for locating and identifying the time required for opening platform doors, which results in more efficient operations and a better experience for passengers when boarding/landing. The trains are also equipped with advanced fire extinguishing systems to ensure safety.

Mojave Desert, California, August 26, 2024 Press release – Today, XB-1 successfully completed its second flight at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California with Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg at the controls. The landing gear was retracted and extended for the first time. The XB-1 team also assessed aircraft handling qualities, and demonstrated a new stability augmentation system, or roll damper.

Image from Alstom

August 19, 2024 – Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed a contract to refurbish CrossCountry’s Voyager trains, transforming the on-board experience for customers. The contract, valued at around £60 million (€70 million) will see the trains receive an interior refresh, including new seats and tables – while their exteriors will be repainted in CrossCountry’s new livery.

The work will be carried out at Alstom’s historic Derby Litchurch Lane facility and encompasses 312 cars, comprising 136 Voyager (Class 220) and 176 Super Voyager (Class 221) vehicles respectively. 252 cars belong to the existing CrossCountry fleet, while an additional 12 trains, totalling 60 additional carriages, will be added following their release from Avanti West Coast.

Additional enhancements will see the trains fitted with new carpets, improved lighting and a new passenger counting system. Sustainability will be at the heart of the refurbishment; the Voyager’s new seats will be at least 95% recyclable and 98% recoverable, while lighter materials used throughout the trains will help reduce fuel and carbon emissions.

Design work will commence immediately, with physical work in Derby set to commence from next year until 2027. Around 100 Alstom staff will work on the contract, supported by many more in the company’s UK supply chain.

Seattle, Washington, August 15, 2024, PRNewswire – Boeing (NYSE: BA) and EL AL Israel Airlines today confirmed the Israeli flag carrier finalized an agreement for up to 31 737 MAX jets, supporting the airline’s plans to renew its fleet of Next-Generation 737 airplanes.

With the 737 MAX family, EL AL will achieve the best per-seat economics in its class, improved environmental performance and increased passenger comfort. In particular, the 737 MAX will reduce fuel use and emissions 20% compared to the airplanes it replaces and have a 50% smaller noise footprint.

EL AL’s 737 MAX order follows its purchase earlier this year of three additional 787-9 airplanes with options for six more as the airline further expands its 787 Dreamliner fleet. The carrier will take delivery of a new 787-9 this year and plans to receive two more new 787-9s on lease in the coming years.

Image from Embraer

Perth, Australia, August 13, 2024 – Virgin Australia has placed a firm order with Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) for eight E190-E2 small narrowbody aircraft as part of its fleet renewal plan. The order will see the E190-E2, the world’s most fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft with the lowest noise emissions, complement the airline’s larger narrowbodies and replace its long-serving Fokker fleet. The order will be reflected in Embraer’s Q3 backlog and deliveries are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025.

The announcement event will be attended by the Deputy Premier of Western Australia and Treasurer, Minister for Transport and Minister for Tourism, the Honorable Rita Saffioti. Virgin Australia’s E190-E2 fleet will be based in Perth and operated by Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA). The aircraft has a flying range of around six hours and is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PW1900G engines.

Building upon the years of operational excellence of the first-generation E-Jets, the E190-E2’s enhanced aerodynamics, novel wing design, and new technologies deliver significant improvements in carbon emissions and fuel burn. It has been certified to fly with blends of up to 50% SAF and has demonstrated through test flights the engine’s operability with 100% SAF.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may 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.

Cairns, Queensland, Australia, August 12, 2024 – Image from Wikipedia