U.S. ultra-low-cost carrier Avatar Airlines gears up to acquire 10 Boeing 747-400

BOCA RATON — Ultra-low fare newcomer Avatar Airlines has stretched its wings across the globe and extended a letter of intent to Thai Airways to acquire 10 long-haul Boeing 747-400 aircraft. Avatar plans to operate scheduled service between major city pairs throughout the United States and Hawaii with routes including popular domestic vacation destinations and large family-oriented attractions. (www.airlinerwatch.com) Plus d'info...

Mesa Airlines Renews Contract with American Airlines for 5 More Years

Mesa Airlines renewed a long standing contract with American Airlines for 5 more years until December 31st, 2025. Mesa will operate 40 CRJ-900 aircraft under the American Eagle brand. (www.bizjournals.com) Plus d'info...

Delta CEO gives airline workers free travel passes as thank-you for work during pandemic

After a turbulent 2020 for the airline industry, Delta is thanking employees for their work during the pandemic with free travel. Delta CEO Ed Bastian, in a Monday memo to employees obtained by Fox News, said they would be gifted two passes for any travel destination of their choice for their work during COVID-19. (www.foxnews.com) Plus d'info...

World’s Longest A350 Flight? ‘Merkel One’ Flies Non-Stop To Australia

Recently the German Air Force has been putting its new Airbus A350, registered 10+03, to the test. (simpleflying.com) Plus d'info...

Emirates Expects To Fly 100+ Airbus A380s By Early 2022

Emirates hasn’t flown many of its A380s since the pandemic began. With large numbers of A380 pilots already laid off, there was concern that much of the fleet might never return to service. However, in an interview today, president of the airline Sir Tim Clark said that he fully expects all the A380s flying by the first quarter of 2022. (simpleflying.com) Plus d'info...

GE warns of more job cuts at aviation business amid sluggish recovery

General Electric Co on Tuesday warned of more job cuts at its aviation unit, citing a lengthy recovery for the airline industry from the impact of the coronavirus crisis. The job cuts are the latest setback for the aviation sector, with the industry’s woes expected to last into 2021 even as U.S. regulators ended a 20-month grounding of Boeing Co’s MAX 737 jets and COVID-19 vaccine developers reported positive data. “As we continue to closely monitor market conditions, we are examining a range of… (www.reuters.com) Plus d'info...

A forgotten hero of a forgotten war

An aerial engagement on 18 November, 1952, pitting one F9F-5 Panther against seven superior MiG-15s resulting in four MiGs down. This engagement is unmatched in either the Korean War, the Vietnam War or since then.Yet, the story is just beginning to reach the audience it deserves. (www.avgeekery.com) Plus d'info...

Delta Cargo shuts Chicago airport facility for 9 days

Internal problem at O'Hare forces temporary shut down of cargo operations for Delta Cargo. (www.freightwaves.com) Plus d'info...

Japanese Government Suggests Merging ANA & Japan Airlines

A Japanese government advisor has suggested that ANA and Japan Airlines should consider merging as the crisis continues. (simpleflying.com) Plus d'info...

How EASA’s 737 Max requirements differ from the US FAA’s

While the European airworthiness directive to modify the Boeing 737 Max for return-to-service are the same as those issued by the US FAA, some of the operational requirements will differ. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has invited comments on its proposed directive, which will enable operators of the twinjet to re-introduce it to passenger service after its grounding in March last year. Although the required design updates will parallel those of the FAA – meaning European- and… (www.flightglobal.com) Plus d'info...

GOL (GOLL4) resumes flights to Jericoacoara, Caldas Novas and Cabo Frio

Routes will be connected with São Paulo from December 2020 and with quick access to other destinations in Brazil... (cmsherbert.blogspot.com) Plus d'info...

Volga-Dnepr Grounds Antonov 124 Fleet Following Crash

ussian cargo airline Volga-Dnepr has grounded its fleet of Antonov An-124 aircraft. According to the airline, the grounding is a proactive and pre-emptive decision following a near catastrophe earlier in November for the An-124 RA-82042. (simpleflying.com) Plus d'info...

JetBlue To Target Los Angeles Operations With 75 Daily Flights By 2025

JetBlue’s move out of Long Beach had been a long time coming (simpleflying.com) Plus d'info...

Air India To Launch 1st Bengaluru-San Francisco Direct Flight From January 11

Passengers from Bengaluru can soon fly non-stop to San Francisco as national carrier Air India is set to launch a twice weekly service, scheduled to commence from January 11, 2021. This would be the first non-stop flight between Bengaluru and the United States, connecting the worlds two tech hubs the original Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley of India, Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru,said in a release. This is a significant milestone for Bengaluru Airport and would transform the… (www.ndtv.com) Plus d'info...

Solving the dry ice challenge for COVID vaccine

SkyCell says it will begin manufacturing an airfreight container that takes less ice, enabling flights to be loaded with more COVID vaccines. (www.freightwaves.com) Plus d'info...

EASA Releases Boeing 737 MAX Proposed Airworthiness Directive For Public Comment

It’s more good news for the Boeing 737 MAX as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has released their Proposed Airworthiness Directive (PAD) for public commentary. (www.gatechecked.com) Plus d'info...

Emirates’ Boss Has ‘No Idea’ When Boeing Will Deliver 777X Jet

Emirates remains in the dark about when Boeing Co. will deliver its new 777X jet after a series of delays as the model is yet to be certified. “I have no idea,” President Tim Clark said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Wednesday. “They were due to be delivered this year in June, then it was 2021, then it was 2022. It hasn’t finished its certification program yet, both airframe and engine.” (www.msn.com) Plus d'info...

Prior maintenance shortfalls blamed for PIA flight 661 crash

What should have been a normal final flight for the day of December 7, 2016, resulted in a fatal crash that investigators attempted to unravel for four years. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight 661 claimed the lives of 47 people, 42 passengers and five crew members, as an ATR 42-500 operated its sixth flight of the day from Chitral Airport (CJL) to Benazir Bhutto International Airport (ISB), Islamabad, Pakistan. (www.aerotime.aero) Plus d'info...