RTX's Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power 11 Airbus A220 aircraft for Air Niugini

Pratt & Whitney and Air Niugini have finalized engine and aftermarket agreements for the GTF engines that will power the airline's fleet of 11 Airbus A220 aircraft. Pratt & Whitney will provide a full suite of support services with a 12-year EngineWise® Comprehensive agreement. With this order, Air Niugini becomes a first-time GTF customer.

"GTF engines offer unmatched payload and range, enabling Air Niugini to open new routes internationally, while benefitting from industry-leading fuel efficiency, and we look forward to supporting the airline's fleet in the years ahead," said Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney.

"This is an exciting time for Air Niugini as we modernize our fleet," said Gary Seddon, chief executive officer of Air Niugini. "By upgrading next-generation aircraft with the most efficient engines, this will revolutionize travel for our passengers, ensuring significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions, while expanding our route offerings and enhancing passenger experience."

Air Niugini is the national carrier of Papua New Guinea based in the capital Port Moresby. It operates an extensive domestic network as well as internationally to Australia, Asia and the Pacific. The airline's new fleet will deliver more capacity and greater reliability throughout its network.

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Alaska Airlines unveils stunning lounge in San Francisco

Alaska Airlines is proud to announce the grand opening of its newest Alaska Lounge at San Francisco International Airport’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1. The modern and spacious 11,000-square-foot space delivers on our promise to enhance our network of lounges and offers an unparalleled pre-flight experience with a welcoming West Coast vibe, open spaces bathed in natural light and warm finishes.

“Today’s unveiling of our elegantly designed Lounge at SFO represents the culmination of over two years of dedicated commitment to enhance the way we care for our guests,” said Sangita Woerner, senior vice president of Marketing and Guest Experience at Alaska Airlines. “Our Lounges redefine the premium travel experience, providing top-tier amenities and ample space to escape the hustle and bustle of the airport, whether you’re travelling with Alaska or our oneworld and global airline partners.”

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Airbus partners with Avolon to explore future of hydrogen aviation

Airbus has announced a new partnership with aircraft lessor, Avolon, to study the potential of hydrogen-powered aircraft, marking the very first collaboration of the ZEROe Project with an operating lessor.

Announced at the Farnborough Airshow, Airbus and Avolon will investigate how future hydrogen-powered aircraft could be financed and commercialised, and how they might be supported by the leasing business model.

Airbus is putting significant resources into exploring how the industry can introduce hydrogen-powered aircraft and how it works on the ground with airports and airlines. The development of a viable hydrogen ecosystem is a key enabler of the industry’s goal to reach near zero emissions.

Paul Geaney, President and Chief Commercial Officer, Avolon, commented, “Joining the ZEROe Project is another step in Avolon’s sustainability journey and we look forward to building on our long-standing partnership with Airbus to consider how the next generation of aircraft will be financed and commercialised. It will take a wide ecosystem of contributors to overcome the challenges of hydrogen powered commercial flight, and Airbus is playing a crucial role in bringing partners together. While we continue to focus on supporting our customers in modernising their fleets with lower emissions aircraft, it is also vital we look beyond that at what can further drive our industry’s decarbonisation.”

Airbus Vice President ZEROe Project, Glenn Llewellyn, said, “There is real value in bringing together industry players to help solve the challenges facing aviation. We know we can’t solve decarbonisation alone and welcome Avolon’s expertise and worldwide leadership in the aircraft leasing business. Working together to consider how the transition can be commercialised and financed for airline customers is crucial to success.”

Further information about Airbus’ hydrogen journey can be found here.

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Living Lab for Innovation in Aerospace

MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport is pleased to announce the creation of the LIA – Living Lab for Innovation in Aerospace. In line with its promise to reinvent the airport model, MET today unveils its innovation strategy. "The MET project is much more than the construction of a new passenger terminal; it is also the ambition to actively contribute to the development of aerospace technologies and the green transition of our industry. With the LIA, we aim to offer the airport as a research platform to the entire innovation ecosystem. This commitment to integrating research and experimentation into our daily airport operations is one of our core pillars of engagement," said Mr Yanic Roy, President and CEO of MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport. From the first flights in 2025, MET will be propelled among the most important airports in Canada, making it a vast and promising interdisciplinary study ground for academic research and technological development. Living Lab is the internationally used term to describe a real-life environment available for research where actors go beyond being study subjects to becoming contributors. Although there is no literal translation in French for Living Lab, these are defined as open innovation research laboratories. The LIA will have three main missions:

Provide access to a unique study environment, including our infrastructures, facilities, and workforce, thus enabling the realization of projects in a real-world setting.

Facilitate the execution of projects by involving our experts and teams, fostering partnerships, and offering project support.

Create and animate a multidisciplinary community of practice composed of international experts to share knowledge and promote innovation in the airport environment.

To launch the LIA's activities, we can count on the leadership and expertise of Professor Mehran Ebrahimi, who has managed to gather support from the greatest experts in Canada and the world to form the advisory and scientific committees of the LIA. Notable collaborations include the Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux (INP), the French Association for Artificial Intelligence (AFIA), Bombardier, the Aerospace Technology Center (CTA), the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), Aéro Montréal, the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS), the International Expertise Center of Montreal in Artificial Intelligence (CEIMIA), the Quebec Aerospace Research and Innovation Consortium (CRIAQ), the University of Montréal (UdeM) and Air France-KLM.

Airbus to boost sustainable aviation fuel production through investment in LanzaJet

Airbus is investing in LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company and producer, in line with its ambition to act as a catalyst for the global development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). 

This investment will support the development of the Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) pathway, an important step required to produce SAF at scale by enabling LanzaJet to further expand its capability and capacity to scale its proprietary Ethanol to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) process technology.

“Sustainable aviation fuels are one of the most important levers available to decarbonise aviation, but their production is still limited. Our partnership with LanzaJet demonstrates Airbus' commitment to work with leading energy technology suppliers to explore innovative production pathways and scale SAF," said Julie Kitcher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Airbus. "This important partnership with LanzaJet underlines the importance of new technologies and cross-sector collaboration to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.”

EVA orders GEnx engines to power Boeing 787 fleet expansion

GE Aerospace announced that following EVA Air's recent deal to purchase four Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft, the airline has placed an order for GEnx engines to power their new aircraft.

"We're thrilled EVA has selected our high-performance GEnx engine to power its fleet expansion," said Russell Stokes, President and CEO, of Commercial Engines and Services, GE Aerospace. "We look forward to ensuring GEnx engines continue providing outstanding economic and operational performance."

Since its introduction in 2011, the GEnx engine family has accumulated over 56 million flight hours. It stands as GE Aerospace's fastest-selling, high-thrust engine to date, with nearly 3,000 engines currently in service or on backlog, including spare units.

"EVA currently operates 15 GEnx-powered Boeing 787s, and they have demonstrated outstanding fuel burn, performance and reliability," said Clay Sun, President of EVA. "The additional engines will help us further expand our fleet to manage our growing route schedule." 

PLAY announces 25% off shoulder season flights

PLAY, a low-cost Icelandic airline operating flights between the United States and Europe, today announced 25% off fall and winter flights to Iceland, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dublin today through 1st August 2024. The discount on PLAY’s already affordable fares increases the payoff of planning ahead, making summer the perfect time to lock in a vacation for the fall and winter seasons.

Booking a European getaway is anything but spur-of-the-moment; according to Expedia, the best time to book international airfare is two months in advance. PLAY’s 25% off fares encourages all travellers to get into the planning mindset for fall or winter trips to “chill” destinations, like Copenhagen or London. Travellers who book now can create an unforgettable experience during shoulder season, enjoying less crowds and lower travel costs. “Type-A” planners can enjoy the spoils of booking ahead, whether grabbing a Stroopwafel in Amsterdam or using their flight savings to splurge on accommodations by the Eiffel Tower during the off season in Paris.

To sweeten the deal, PLAY’s stayover option stacks a BOGO deal on top of 25% off flights, enabling travelers to visit two destinations for the price of one! They can choose to add up to 10 days in Iceland on the departing or returning flight, expanding their travel experience without increasing their flight budget. An extended stop in the Land of Fire and Ice provides the ideal window to see the Northern Lights, a free experience that lucky tourists can see only during the winter months.

"Budget travellers know that researching and planning ahead pays off in savings, enabling them to get even more out of every trip,” said PLAY CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson. “The ‘shoulder season’ is around the corner, and travelers should book their trips now to snag a discount on PLAY’s already affordable fares for their best trip yet.”

PLAY’s 25% off flight deal includes the airline’s Basic Bundle, a streamlined travel option with a small personal item included in their discounted fare. The deal runs today through August 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. It’s valid for one-way flights on roundtrip bookings to Iceland, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dublin between September 15 to December 15, 2024. Discount is applied to airfare, does not include taxes, fees, and carrier charges.

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Beechcraft King Air special “Crimson Edition” unveiled in honour of 60th Anniversary

Textron Aviation has announced a special edition 60th anniversary option for the iconic Beechcraft King Air 260 and 360 turboprops to celebrate the aircraft’s proud history of being the best-selling business turboprop family in the world. The new “Crimson Edition” King Air features a striking new interior and a vibrant red and silver exterior paint scheme, inspired by six decades of legendary Beechcraft customers and operators. The order book is open for the special edition aircraft, with deliveries beginning in 2025.

“The Crimson Edition of the King Air provides customers with an immersive experience that pays tribute to the turboprop’s renowned legacy, while also featuring modern luxuries and upgrades that showcase the aircraft's ongoing evolution,” said Christi Tannahill, senior vice president, of Customer Experience. “We’re honoured to celebrate a prestigious aircraft that is beloved by so many customers around the world.”

The King Air series aircraft has long been a customer favourite since its introduction in 1964. The legendary turboprop is synonymous with unwavering reliability, exceptional performance and unparalleled versatility, earning the trust and preference of operators worldwide.

New Crimson exterior scheme

One of the first noticeable attributes of the new “Crimson Edition” King Air is the iconic Beechcraft “B” on the aircraft’s tail. The exterior paint scheme showcases a metallic-like crimson, silver and black paint scheme. The aircraft’s new boarding step has hidden fasteners that create a sleeker appearance for entry, and its graphite silver finish perfectly matches the new exterior and interior.

Stunning custom interior

RTX's Ascentia awarded first predictive maintenance customer in Turkey with Freebird Airlines

Freebird Airlines gains a connected ecosystem through real-time data insights

Freebird Airlines has selected Collins Aerospace, an RTX business to add a comprehensive suite of digital solutions enabling the airline to make proactive decisions to improve operations across its A320 fleet of aircraft.

Freebird Airlines will implement Ascentia®, a cloud-based data management and analytics platform designed to provide a holistic view of aircraft maintenance. Freebird Airlines will use the solution to analyze maintenance data that will enable the air service to predict and reduce aircraft on the ground events, lowering maintenance costs and improving the passenger experience.

This new agreement adds to a suite of solutions currently used by Freebird Airlines, including OpsCore™ for aircraft flight tracking, ARINC Hermes™ for smart ACARS message management, and GLOBALinkSM for communication services.

"This collaboration with Collins Aerospace marks a significant step forward in our maintenance operations," said Kerem Güngörmez, maintenance manager at Freebird Airlines. "By leveraging the advanced capabilities of Ascentia and Collins' integrated software solutions, we can enhance our maintenance, repair, and overhaul efficiency, reduce engineering costs, and improve our ability to predict and prevent on-the-ground events. This will ultimately result in a more reliable and cost-effective service for our passengers."

"Our software solutions allow Freebird to digitally transform their operations, using data-driven insights to inform proactive maintenance decisions that provide a high level of operational availability of their fleet," said Nicole White, vice president of Business Development for Connected Aviation Solutions at Collins Aerospace.

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Supernal and Sigma Air Mobility Collaborate on AAM Market Development

Supernal LLC – Hyundai Motor Group's (HMG) Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company – and Sigma Air Mobility – a Luxaviation Group company – today announced a joint effort to identify and develop targeted markets for future AAM infrastructure and investments, targeting key markets in South and Southeast Asia and potential opportunities in Southern Europe. The collaboration is intended to leverage the companies' combined expertise to lead in the visioning, launch and scale-up of decarbonized and accessible air mobility networks in these regions, with Sigma operating Supernal electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and providing vertiport development and operations and related services.

Announced at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, the partnership unites Supernal and HMG's expertise in eVTOL design and manufacturing with Sigma and Luxaviation Group's global presence and extensive expertise in aviation fleet and infrastructure operations, training and technical services. Together the two parent companies operate in more than 60 countries, with HMG's global presence in 42 countries and Luxaviation operating in 23.

Supernal is reimagining intra-city mobility through the creation of an eVTOL vehicle that will travel 60 miles and cruise at 120 miles-per-hour to meet the growing demand for efficient transportation options in urban environments. Supernal is displaying S-A2, its full-scale eVTOL vehicle product concept, at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow. Supernal will achieve commercial aviation safety levels and enable scalable manufacturing of its vehicles, aligning its development timeline with the broader ecosystem to enable operators to enter the market in 2028.

Avolon expands CFM portfolio with 150 LEAP-1A engines

       Avolon, a leading global aviation finance company, announced an order for 150 LEAP-1A engines to power 75 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The agreement also includes purchase rights for 150 additional LEAP-1A engines.

"These engines will power our orderbook of A320neo family aircraft and put us in an excellent position to service our customers narrowbody requirements out to 2030 and beyond," said Andy Cronin, CEO of Avolon. "Engine innovation has been one of the key tools to lower emissions and support the industry's decarbonization journey. We are delighted to continue our strong partnership with CFM International, and excited about leveraging their engines to support the transition of our fleet to more fuel-efficient technology."

Avolon, which has been a CFM customer since its launch in 2010, has a portfolio of 323 CFM-powered aircraft, including CFM56 and LEAP, as well as 180 aircraft powered by LEAP engines on order. 

Berniq Airways orders six A320neo Family aircraft to support growth

Berniq Airways, Libya’s airline, has placed a firm order with Airbus for six A320neo Family aircraft. The airline already operates six A320s and intends to further develop its regional and international routes with the additional A320neo Family aircraft.

Waseem Ezzway, Chairman of Berniq Airways said, "We are proud to be the first airline in Libya to order the advanced A320neo Family aircraft. This significant investment marks a new chapter for Berniq Airways as we continue to lead the way in modernizing our fleet and enhancing our service offerings.”

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business said, “It is a pleasure to see Berniq Airways expanding its fleet with the world's best-in-class single-aisle aircraft. The A320neo family will enable Berniq Airways to provide its customers with unparalleled comfort while offering the airline exceptional economic advantages.”

The A320 Family is the world’s most popular single-aisle aircraft having won more than 18,000 orders from more than 300 customers around the world. The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ A320neo Family, offering unparalleled range and performance. By incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo brings a 50% noise reduction and at least 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft, while maximising passenger comfort in the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky.

As with all Airbus aircraft, the entire A320 Family is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The manufacturer is targeting to have its aircraft up to 100% SAF capable by 2030.

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American Airlines to launch automated tag for mobility devices

American Airlines to launch an automated tag for mobility devices, part of an ongoing commitment to improve wheelchair and mobility device handling across its network. Developed in-house by American’s Technology team, the tags are currently used in the airports where American and its regional partners operate.

“American is committed to improving the travel experience for our customers who use wheelchairs and mobility devices,” said Julie Rath, American’s Senior Vice President of Airports, Reservations and Service Recovery. “Streamlining the check-in and tagging process is an industry-leading effort that will help us further improve how we handle wheelchairs for our customers who entrust us to transport their devices on their journey.”

New automated tags, replacing the previous manual tags, feature customer- and device-specific data like itineraries, delivery points, device weight, battery type and the number of items removed and taken on board. This additional information will ensure more accurate and consistent information for team members handling the devices and provide enhanced visibility of the devices throughout customers’ travel journeys. The automation also enables the device's information to be more easily shared across frontline team members’ applications, ensuring team members have the right information at the right time.

American has launched multiple improvements across its operation to deliver a positive, more seamless travel experience for customers with wheelchairs and mobility devices. These actions have helped American improve handling of these devices. American’s handling rate for mobility devices improved by nearly 13% from the first half of 2023 to the first half of 2024.

Hands-on training for team members: With the help of an outside organization, American offers in-person mobility device training to its Airport Customer Service and Customer Operations team members and vendor partners, which supplements comprehensive web-based training delivered to all American airport team members.

Investing in airport infrastructure: Wheelchair movers have been deployed and lifts are being installed at the airline’s hubs and other airports with high mobility device traffic, which helps lower the risk of damaging mobility devices and team member injury.

Streamlining the traveller experience: American made it easier for customers to add and maintain wheelchairs and other mobility devices as part of their travel profiles. Starting this fall, customers can conveniently access their saved travel preferences, such as traveling with a mobility device or service animal and apply their details to any upcoming trip when managing on aa.com. Enabling customers to manage these needs digitally ensures the airline has the necessary information to safety and securely transport devices.

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Airports under attack.....

European airports have been warned they now face unprecedented attacks by various eco-terrorist groups such as Just Stop Oil,  Last Generation and Folk Mot Fossilmakten. The campaign groups have sped up their 'international uprising' for the height of summer travel getaways and there are said to be plans for a mass invasion of both Orly and Charles de Gaulle Airports in Paris in the opening days of the Olympics.

Nine Just Stop Oil members have been arrested at London's Heathrow Airport on suspicion of conspiring to interfere with a site of key national infrastructure under the Public Order Act. The group had planned to cut through the security fence in multiple locations and block one of the main runways. 

Scores of flights have been cancelled, delayed or diverted at Cologne-Bonn Airport today after five terrorists from Last Generation glued themselves to the tarmac on the taxiway and all operations had to be halted. 

Oil Kills confirmed that five of its activists had been intercepted at Barcelona El Prat Airport before they could damage too much property. In Finland, other protesters blocked security gates at Helsinki Vantaa Airport and another group Folk Mot Fossilmakten cut through the security fence in Oslo to block a taxiway at Gardermoen Airport before officers removed them some 30 minutes later.

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Pilot survives as 18 people perish in Kathmandu plane crash

The pilot is the only survivor of a plane crash at Nepal's capital, Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. It is understood that eighteen other people perished in the plane crash that appears to have caught fire just after its take-off from the airport on Wednesday.

 

The aircraft, belonging to Saurya Airlines is said to have been carrying out a test flight with 17 company employees and two crew at the time of the crash. The flight was scheduled to go to Pokhara in the country's west, a key tourist hub. 

The flight was part of a routine maintenance check and crashed at around 05:30GMT,  that's about 11:15 local time, just moments after take off.  An eyewitness told the AFP news agency "There was a very loud noise, it sounded like maybe a truck had overturned on the road.  We ran after we saw [the crash]. The plane then hit the ground and caught fire. We were about to run to the site but then there was an explosion so we ran away again,"

"Shortly after takeoff ... the aircraft veered off to the right and crashed on the east side of the runway," the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal advised in a statement.  In videos of the scene, it appears that the aircraft tilted sideways before attempting to level out and hitting the ground, close to the airport. 

Dan Bahadur Karki, a spokesperson for the local police told BBC Nepali 'that the pilot sustained injuries to his eyes and forehead but was not in a life-threatening condition. 

Mukesh Khanal, head of marketing at Saurya Airlines said: The plane was scheduled to undergo maintenance for a month beginning Thursday ... It is unclear why it crashed"

It is understood the aircraft was one of two Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets Saurya Airlines has in its fleet

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