Tag Archives: Boeing

Will the Boeing 777X be moved out of the Seattle area after the IAM members vote down a long-term contract extension?

Boeing’s (Chicago) machinists rejected an eight-year labor contract extension yesterday that would have let Boeing build the company’s newest jetliner in Washington State. The IAM members voted down the extension by 67 percent. The extension would have secured an estimated 20 years of work building the proposed 777X. This vote may now permanently alter the relationship between Boeing and the Seattle area. The vote will now open a new opportunities for non-union areas like Charleston, South Carolina and other areas to build the new jetliner.

The driving issue for the union was the preservation of their pensions.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes quickly issued a statement from President and CEO Ray Conner after a long-term contract extension was voted down by the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District 751.

“We are very disappointed in the outcome of the union vote. Our goal was two-fold: to enable the 777X and its new composite wing to be produced in Puget Sound and to create a competitive structure to ensure that we continue market-leading pay, health care and retirement benefits while preserving jobs and our industrial base here in the region. But without the terms of this contract extension, we’re left with no choice but to open the process competitively and pursue all options for the 777X.

I’d like to thank Governor Jay Inslee and the Washington state legislature for all their efforts in this process. We had hoped for a different outcome.”

Read the analysis by Reuters: CLICK HERE

Xiamen Air takes delivery of its 100th Boeing jet

Xiamen Air (Xiamen Airlines) (Xiamen) has reached a significant milestone. On November 12 in Seattle, Boeing delivered a brand new 737-800 airplane to Xiamen Airlines, a SkyTeam member. It is the 100th plane in the airline’s all-Boeing fleet. Boeing 737-85C B-5688 (msn 41792) was handed over at the special event (pictured).

Xiamen Airlines commenced service in 1985 with two Boeing 737-200s serving three cities. The carrier is now China’s sixth-largest, serving 218 domestic routes as well as 26 international and regional routes. With delivery of the Boeing 737-800, Xiamen Airlines’ fleet now consists of 100 aircraft. It is China’s only all-Boeing fleet and one of the world’s youngest, with an average age of 5.08 years.

Over the next two years, Xiamen Airlines plans to add 30 more Boeing 737-800s and six more Boeing 787s, expanding its fleet to 136 airplanes, and to expand globally by gradually forming a route network that radiates across the Asia Pacific region and connects with Europe and the U.S.

Xiamen Airlines’ expects to keep growing of its Boeing fleet beyond 2016. The carrier has just signed Letters of Request to buy 70 Boeing 737NGs and Boeing 737MAXs. By 2020, the fleet will grow to more than 200 airplanes.

Xiamen Airlines’ rapid growth is a testament to the tremendous growth of China’s airline business. In 1972, China established the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) as the only player in aviation, with only nine registered aircraft in the fleet. At the end of 2012, China had more than 40 airlines, with an industry-wide fleet exceeding 2,000 aircraft.

Boeing projects investments of nearly $800 billion in China for the purchase of 5,580 new commercial aircraft during the next 20 years. It would account for 16% of global demand, and reflects an average requirement of nearly 200 single-aisle and over 60 wide-body aircraft each year.

Top Copyright Photo: Boeing.

Xiamen Airlines:

Bottom Copyright Photos: Ivan K. Nishimura/Blue Wave Group. B-5688 passes through Honolulu on the long delivery flight.

Second Photo: A close-up of the special markings.

Delta welcomes the settlement agreement between the DOJ and AMR-US Airways Group

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) issued the following statement in response to the settlement of litigation brought by the U.S. Department of Justice challenging the merger of American Airlines and US Airways.

“Delta welcomes the settlement agreement and looks forward to the opportunity to acquire slots that will be divested under the agreement, particularly at Washington-Reagan National Airport. Delta is the airline best positioned to continue competitive nonstop flights from Reagan National to small- and mid-sized cities that could otherwise see service reduced or eliminated, which should be a strong consideration in the divestiture.”

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Delta’s Boeing 757-232 N6713Y (msn 30777) is pictured in action at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Delta Air Lines:

American and US Airways settle with the Department of Justice giving up 52 DCA slot pairs and 17 LGA slot pairs, paving the way towards a merger

AMR Corporation (Dallas/Fort Worth), the parent company of American Airlines, Inc., (Dallas/Fort Worth) and US Airways Group, Inc. (US Airways) (Phoenix) today announced that the airlines have settled the litigation brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the States of Arizona, Florida, Michigan and Tennessee, the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and the District of Columbia challenging the merger of AMR and US Airways. The companies also announced an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) related to small community service from Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA).

Tom Horton, chairman, president and CEO of AMR, and incoming chairman of the board of the combined company, said, “This is an important day for our customers, our people and our financial stakeholders. This agreement allows us to take the final steps in creating the new American Airlines. With a renewed spirit, we are about to create the world’s leading airline that will offer, along with our oneworld® partners, a comprehensive global network and service by the best people in the business. There is much more work ahead of us but we’re energized by the challenge and look forward to competing vigorously in the ever-changing global marketplace.”

Doug Parker, chairman and CEO of US Airways, and incoming CEO of the combined airline, said, “This is very good news and we are grateful to all who have made it happen. In particular, we are thankful to our employees, who throughout this process continued to believe in a better future as one airline and who voiced their support passionately and consistently. We also want to thank the elected officials in the states and communities we serve, the business leaders in our hub cities, and the thousands of customers who endorsed and supported this effort. Thank you as well to the U.S. Department of Justice, the state attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Transportation. We are pleased to have this lawsuit behind us and look forward to building the new American Airlines together.”

Under the terms of the settlement, the airlines will divest 52 slot pairs at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) and 17 slot pairs at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA), as well as certain gates and related facilities to support service at those airports. The airlines also will divest two gates and related support facilities at each of Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Dallas Love Field, Los Angeles International Airport, and Miami International Airport. The divestitures will occur through a DOJ approved process following the completion of the merger. Despite the divestitures, the new American is still expected to generate more than $1 billion in annual net synergies beginning in 2015, as was estimated when the merger was announced in February.

After completion of the required divestitures, the combined company expects to operate 44 fewer daily departures at DCA and 12 fewer daily departures at LGA than the approximately 290 daily DCA departures and 175 daily LGA departures that American and US Airways operate today. The divestitures required by the settlement are not expected to impact total employment at the new American.

To ensure much of the service currently operated by the carriers to small- and medium-sized markets from DCA is maintained, the new American has agreed with the DOT to use all of its DCA commuter slot pairs for service to these communities. The new American intends to announce the service changes that will result from the divestitures in advance of the sale of the DCA and LGA slots, so that the airlines acquiring those slots have the opportunity to maintain service to those impacted communities.

In the settlement agreement with the state Attorneys General, the new American has agreed to maintain its hubs in Charlotte, New York (Kennedy), Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago (O’Hare), Philadelphia, and Phoenix consistent with historical operations for a period of three years. In addition, with limited exceptions, for a period of five years, the new American will continue to provide daily scheduled service from one or more of its hubs to each plaintiff state airport that has scheduled daily service from either American or US Airways. A previous settlement agreement with the state of Texas will be amended to make it consistent with today’s settlement.

Completion of the merger remains subject to the approval of the settlements by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and certain other conditions. The companies now expect to complete the merger in December 2013.

Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl/AirlinersGallery.com. American Airlines’ Boeing 767-323 ER N376AN (msn 25445) touches down in Zurich.

American Airlines:

US Airways:

How to repair a damaged Boeing 787-8

Boeing (Chicago) is currently repairing the damaged Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 ET-AOP (msn 34744) at London’s Heathrow Airport. As previously report, the new airliner was damaged by fire on July 12, 2013.

According to this report by The Seattle Times, Boeing’s repair team is gluing a giant composite plastic skin patch inside a temporary building surrounding the rear section of the aircraft. The tail has been removed.

Boeing builds the fuselage as a single piece so this repair is very delicate and intricate for this new technology. The repairs should take five weeks.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Read the initial report of the fire: CLICK HERE

Follow-up report on the fire by the AAIB: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com. ET-AOP is undergoing this delicate repair inside this specially-designed and fabricate housing which surrounds the rear fuselage.

Norwegian to open a new base at Madrid next summer

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) continues its expansion in Europe and opens new base in Madrid for the summer of 2014. Norwegian will open six new routes from Madrid to Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki, Hamburg, Warsaw and London.

The base in Madrid is Norwegian’s fifth Spanish base along with Alicante, Malaga, Las Palmas and Tenerife.

Six new routes from Madrid from June 2014:

Norwegian will have two Boeing 737-800 aircraft at the base in Madrid. In addition, 100 employees will be recruited locally and six new routes launched.

Madrid – Stockholm
Four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, starting June 4, 2014

Madrid – Oslo
Three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, starting June 3, 2014

Madrid – Helsinki
Three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting on June 4, 2014

Madrid – Hamburg
Four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, starting June 4, 2014

Madrid – Warsaw
Twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, starting June 3, 2014

Madrid – London
Daily from June 2, 2014

Madrid – Copenhagen
Increases from three to four times a week between April and June 2014. As of July 2014 there are flights daily between Madrid and Copenhagen.

Copyright Photo: Richard Vandervord/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-86N LN-NOQ (msn 32658) departs the runway at London (Gatwick).

Norwegian:

Delta and Virgin Atlantic outline their schedule plans for the summer of 2014

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) today outlined details of a new joint venture flight schedule beginning summer 2014, aligning their services and offering more flight choices for travelers on both sides of the Atlantic.

The two airlines are putting the customer at the forefront of their partnership with the new schedule that starts March 30, 2014, combining their slots at London Heathrow to offer maximum customer convenience, particularly for business travelers.

Beginning, April 2, 2014, Delta will move its arrival and departure terminal for several important business markets to join Virgin Atlantic in Heathrow Terminal 3. This includes its London to New York-JFK, London to Boston, and new London to Seattle/Tacoma services and means the two airlines will co-locate on all its New York and Boston flights to London Heathrow. The move will allow for convenient connections and a seamless customer experience for customers flying with Virgin and Delta, including access to Virgin Atlantic’s award winning Clubhouse for all business class passengers.

Delta, in cooperation with Virgin Atlantic, will also operate a second daily service between London Heathrow and Detroit Metropolitan Airport effective June 1, 2014. The service will be particularly appealing to corporate customers needing an early morning arrival into London while offering more schedule choice for customers between London and the U.S. Midwest.

This additional flight will complement Delta’s previously announced new West Coast route between Seattle/Tacoma and London Heathrow, which will launch on March 29, 2014.

Virgin Atlantic is also making significant schedule changes. It is moving its VS1 Heathrow to Newark service from a late afternoon departure to a morning departure. This flight will be particularly attractive to business travelers: it will allow ‘same-day meetings’ to be held in the New Jersey area, while an earlier departure on the return flight means passengers can be in central London for the start of the working day.

This service is part of nine daily flights between London Heathrow and the New York area by the joint venture partners. The new schedule will include departures every 30 minutes during the early evening peak and then hourly until 10.30 p.m. from New York-JFK to London Heathrow and a spread of seven daily flights from London Heathrow to New York-JFK, including two late afternoon and early evening departures. It also includes two conveniently timed departures to and from Newark.

Virgin Atlantic has also retimed its Heathrow to Boston service to depart two hours later in the afternoon. This offers more flexibility for the two airlines’ customers with Delta’s Heathrow to Boston service departing in the morning. Virgin Atlantic’s evening departure from Boston will also move two hours later, giving greater schedule choice to travelers.

In September, Delta and Virgin Atlantic welcomed the decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to approve the carriers’ joint venture by granting antitrust immunity on routes between North America and the UK. This ruling confirmed the clear consumer benefits of the partnership, enabling the airlines to deepen their cooperation, offering more flight choices for travelers on both sides of the Atlantic and improving the travel options for business customers in the New York to London market.

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Delta’s Airbus A330-223 N855NW (msn 621) arrives in Los Angeles.

Delta Air Lines:

Virgin Atlantic Airways:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Eddie Maloney/AirlinersGallery.com. Virgin Atlantic Airways’ Boeing 747-443 G-VROS (msn 30885) lands in Las Vegas.

Is Evergreen International Airlines planning to close its doors on November 30? The company says no but is exploring other options

Evergreen International Airlines (McMinnville, Oregon and Marana, Arizona) despite a public denial by its founder and CEO that the rumors are false, it has been reported in the local Oregon media as planning to lay off 131 employees and ceased operations on November 30. The company recently sold off its helicopter division as we reported as it attempts to reorganize and seek new “strategic alternatives” and partners.

It is unclear if the Evergreen Wings and Waves Waterpark and the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum would also be affected if any final decision is made.

Read the full report from the The Oregonian: CLICK HERE

The company is privately held and issued this statement:

As has been previously reported in the press, Evergreen’s business has been adversely impacted over the past several years by decreased demand in military spending and weakness in global economic markets. Management has moved to aggressively address these challenges, including through the divestiture of businesses and assets and the significant reduction of secured debt. Evergreen is in discussions with its significant constituencies and is exploring available strategic alternatives with those constituencies. While Evergreen generally does not comment on market rumor or conjecture, rumors that a decision has been made to cease operations at this time are false. Evergreen remains committed to continuing to address the current business environment with its customers.

Delford M. Smith
Chief Executive Officer,
Evergreen International Aviation, Inc.

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Evergreen International Airlines’ Boeing 747-230F N490EV (msn 24138) touches down in Stockholm (Arlanda).

Evergreen International Airlines:

Lufthansa Cargo takes delivery of its first Boeing 777F freighter, will enter service on November 19 to New York

Lufthansa Cargo (Frankfurt) finally accepted its first Boeing 777F freighter, the pictured 777-FBT D-ALFA (msn 41674) on November 8. D-ALFA arrived at the Frankfurt base the following day. The new freighter will enter revenue cargo service on November 19 with nonstop service to New York (JFK).

Video: Behind the scenes at Lufthansa Cargo (in German):

Lufthansa Cargo:

Ethiopian Airlines takes delivery of its first Boeing 777-300 ER via GECAS, enters service today

Boeing (Chicago) has delivered a 777-300 ER (Extended Range) jet to GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) for lease to Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa). The 777-300 ER is now the largest airplane in the Ethiopian flag-carrier’s fleet and will provide it with increased capacity and improved operating economics on key routes from its base in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

The pictured 777-36N ER ET-APX (msn 42101) was handed over on November 7 as scheduled.

Ethiopian’s first 777-300 ER will seat nearly 400 passengers in a two-class configuration and perfectly complements its existing fleet of six 777-200 LR (Longer Range) airplanes by providing additional capacity and flexibility on popular routes, such as Guangzhou, Washington, D.C. and Dubai.

The 777-300 ER can fly up to 7,825 nautical miles (14,490 kilometers) and is equipped with GE90-115B engines, the world’s most powerful commercial jet engine. Ethiopian’s 777-300ER also features the Boeing Signature Interior that offers wider seats, wider aisles, more headroom and more seating flexibility.

Ethiopian currently serves 76 destinations across five continents and was recently awarded African Business of the Year at the annual African Business Awards. The carrier’s partnership with Boeing stretches back over six decades, with a current fleet of nearly 50 Boeing airplanes that includes Next-Generation 737s, 757s, 767s, 777s, and 787 Dreamliners and a cargo fleet that includes 757s, 777 Freighters and a MD-11.

The airline issued this statement:

Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing and most profitable African airline, took delivery of the first of its four Boeing 777-300 ERs on November 7, 2013. The Boeing 777-300 ER is the largest aircraft in the airline’s fleet with 400 passengers seating capacity.

Ethiopian Boeing 777-300 ER will operate in its dense routes such as Guangzhou, Washington D.C., Dubai and Luanda. The aircraft is scheduled to serve the Addis Ababa – Luanda route three times a week, as of November 10, 2013, and three times a week on the Addis Ababa – Guangzhou route, as of November 15, 2013.

Ethiopian, which is a multi-award winning Pan-African carrier as the Passenger Choice “Best Airline in Africa” and the SKYTRAX “Best Staff Service in Africa” of 2013, will phase in three additional B777-300ERs in January 2014, May and June 2015.

Ethiopian Airlines: