This week’s top air transport stories include United Airlines’ latest order for 100 aircraft and Boom Supersonic moves another step forward to bring the Mach 1.7 Overture airliner into commercial service by the end of the decade.
United Airlines ordered 110 aircraft—50 Boeing 787-9s and 60 Airbus A321neos. Chicago-based United converted previous options and purchase rights into firm orders for the 787-9, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 through 2031. United now has 150 of that type on order. The A321neos are scheduled for delivery from 2028 to 2030.
Boom Supersonic received its FAA G-1 stage 1 issue paper from the FAA, marking a key step in the multi-stage process toward clearing the Mach 1.7 Overture airliner for commercial service by the end of the decade.
In airline news, a consortium including Air France-KLM has been chosen to take a 19.9% stake in Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) by the SAS board of directors as part of its ongoing chapter 11 and restructuring process, in a move that the Franco-Dutch airline group says will help it enhance its position in the Nordics.
Russia’s largest carrier Aeroflot has formally acquired 17 aircraft from Ireland-based lessor SMBC Aviation Capital via an insurance settlement. The deal includes 16 aircraft that belonged to the lessor and one jet which was under SMBC management.
The parent company of All Nippon Airways (ANA) is suspending its cargo partnerships with Lufthansa and United Airlines to help facilitate its acquisition of Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA).
Japan Airlines (JAL) revealed new first- and business-class cabin products for the Airbus A350-1000, which will be used for transpacific flights connecting Tokyo Haneda and New York JFK hopefully before year-end, depending on supply chain delays.
United Airlines pilots ratified a tentative agreement (TA), gaining improvements to pay and benefits and triggering a series of competitive snap-up clauses. Of United’s 16,000 pilots, 97% took part in a vote on the TA, which passed with 82% approval, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) announced Sept. 29.
New York-based JetBlue Airways filed a complaint against the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the European Union seeking U.S. government intervention over planned capacity cuts at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
Malta plans to create a new national airline and shut down the existing flag carrier, Air Malta. The new company will take over on March 31, 2024, bringing Air Malta’s 50-year existence to a close. This follows the ratification by the Maltese parliament of a five-year business plan which outlines the strategic roadmap for the establishment of the new national carrier, to be known as KM Malta Airline.
In more aircraft news, All Nippon Airways (ANA) is broadening its riblet-film studies to a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprop as the airline works to eke-out fuel savings under a sustainability initiative.
Allegiant Air has amended its agreement with Boeing for 737 MAX aircraft, adding options and altering the mix of variants to favor the -8200. The Las Vegas-based ULCC has now agreed to acquire as many as 130 Boeing 737-7 and 737-8200 models in the multi-year deal.
In manufacturer news, CFM International says it is now reviewing records provided by AOG Technics, the UK-based supplier alleged to have sold CFM56 and CF6 parts with falsified certification paperwork. So far CFM and GE Aerospace—a 50-50 owner of CFM along with Safran— have identified 95 falsified documents impacting 126 engines. Of those documents, CFM said 93 are attached to CFM56 parts (92 EASA Form 1s and one CAAC form AAC-038) and two are attached to CF6 parts (FAA 8130s). It will continue to analyze the paperwork turned over by the broker on Oct. 4.
In regulatory news, Korean Air plans to file further documentation to European Union regulators this month to satisfy their concerns about the airline’s proposed merger with Asiana. The EC launched an in-depth investigation of the Korean-Asiana proposal in February. The EC issued its preliminary findings in May, including a statement of objections informing the carriers of its concerns about the effects of the merger on competition. Key approvals are still needed from U.S. and European authorities.
In airport news, The new satellite terminal (SAT-1) at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) opened Sept. 29 to increase the capacity at the overcrowded facility. Costing THB35 billion ($1 billion) to build, the 251,000-m2 SAT-1 will eventually allow BKK’s annual passenger volume to increase from 45 million to 60 million.
In sustainability news, Cathay Pacific Airways chairman Patrick Healy predicted that when China releases a policy for the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), it will make it a “very rational” mix of mandates and incentives, at IATA’s first World Sustainability Symposium, being held in Madrid, Spain.
RTX company Collins Aerospace formally opened the Grid, a $50 million advanced electric power systems laboratory which will be used to develop and test electric motors, controllers, generators, and distribution systems for hybrid-electric and more electric propulsion systems.<\/p>
The first unit to be tested in the 25,000-ft.² lab is the company’s 1-megawatt electric motor and motor controller destined for Pratt & Whitney Canada’s regional hybrid-electric propulsion flight demonstrator—a modified De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 regional turboprop.
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