Thai discloses budget for plan to acquire 15 aircraft
Thai Airways International plans to acquire 15 aircraft from now until 2014 with a budget of 35.5 billion baht ($1.1 billion). Of the 15 aircraft,...

Airlines PNG to step up to larger turboprops
Airlines PNG is actively looking to add higher capacity turboprops. The carrier has 10 Bombardier Dash 8-100s, which are generally 30-seat aircraft. But...

China poised to fly AC313 helicopter
China is preparing to fly its AC313 medium-lift helicopter for the first time in March, leading to certification in 2011, says an official at the manufacturer Avicopter

BAE Systems to help Mitsubishi with MRJ
BAE Systems has signed an agreement with Japan's Mitsubishi Aircraft to provide services for its Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ). Under the contract,...

PICTURES & VIDEO: Boeing's 747-8F lifts off on maiden flight
Boeing's first 747-8F, the largest western-built commercial freighter, has lifted off on its maiden sortie after enduring more than a year of delays.

PICTURE: Turkey's Borajet rolls out first ATR 72
Turkish regional operator Borajet has unveiled its first ex-Alitalia ATR 72-500 in the carrier's new colour scheme. The aircraft, registered TC-YAD,...

Kingfisher hires consulting firm for financial advice
India's Kingfisher Airlines has hired management consulting firm Seabury Aviation & Aerospace to help improve its financial performance. "Seabury has...

Brussels Airport posts 14.2% fall in earnings
MAp Airport' Brussels Airport has posted a 14.2% fall in earnings for 2009. Its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the...

Boeing declares 747-8F ready for maiden flight
Boeing has declared its new 747-8 freighter as ready for its maiden flight, following the completion of high-speed taxiing tests. The aircraft is scheduled...

Beijing airport raises 4.9bn yuan from corporate bonds
Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) has raised 4.9 billion yuan ($718 million) from an issue of domestic corporate bonds. The issue of the...

Singapore and Nepal expand air services agreement
Singapore and Nepal have signed an air services agreement, allowing carriers from both countries to increase passenger and cargo services. Under the...

Turkish to offer in-flight Internet, mobile service on 20 widebodies
Turkish Airlines has become the second publically-announced customer for Panasonic Avionics' global communications suite in a sweeping deal that will see the carrier bring Ku-band satellite-based in-flight high-speed Internet, mobile phone service and live television to a large portion of its long-haul fleet. The Star Alliance member will offer Panasonic's so-called eXConnect, eXPhone and Airborne Television Network solutions on 12 new Boeing 777-300ERS and 10 new Airbus A330-300s beginning in the fourth quarter of this year. The eXPhone solution is offered in partnership with Telenor subsidiary AeroMobile, which is in the process of equipping Emirates' entire fleet with mobile phone connectivity. Pansonic's latest generation in-flight entertainment system, eX2, will also be fitted to Turkish Airlines' 777s and A330s under the contract announced 5 February. Financial terms have not been disclosed. At present, it is also unclear how many Turkish Airlines del

PICTURE: ATR 72-600 makes low-key show debut in Morocco
ATR's new -600 series turboprop made its air show debut at the AeroExpo in Marrakech, Morocco, on 27 January. The test airframe, an ATR 72-600 registered...

Baboo plans to be first into City with Embraer 190
Swiss carrier Baboo is aiming to be the first carrier to operate the Embraer 190 into London City Airport, with a service next week. While British...

Panasonic IFEC gains offerability on Airbus A350 XWB
Airbus has opted to make Panasonic Avionics' in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) solutions line-fit offerable on the A350 XWB, in a move that shows a willingness on the part of Panasonic to meet the European airframer's architectural requirements for the widebody twinjet and an easing of tensions between the two firms. The contract, signed on 4 February at Airbus' headquarters in Toulouse, means that A350 customers will be able to select from Panasonic's cadre of IFEC solutions, including full-cabin audio/video on demand (AVOD) and the firm's global communications suite comprising its Ku-band satellite-based high-speed Internet offering eXConnect, Airborne Television Network, and eXPhone mobile phone service, which is offered via a partnership with Telenor subsidiary AeroMobile. The IFEC equipment will be installed on A350 XWB flight test aircraft MSN002, says Panasonic Avionics CEO Paul Margis. Airbus last year came under fire for not giving line-fit o

Aeromexico slows down expansion of US network
Aeromexico plans to resume service to Atlanta but has dropped Albuquerque and shelved plans to launch Washington Dulles as it continues to realign its North...

BAE Systems agrees massive fines over past misconduct
BAE Systems says it has "drawn a line under the past" after reaching a joint settlement with the UK Serious Fraud Office and US Department of Justice ...

Bombardier warns of falling deliveries in 2010
Canadian airframer Bombardier recorded a 13% drop in overall deliveries for fiscal 2009 ending 31 January, and warns the slide in deliveries will continue...

SINGAPORE 2010: SIA's A380 delivery delayed due to seat problems
The delivery of Singapore Airlines' (SIA) 11th Airbus A380 aircraft has been delayed, after a Japanese seat supplier failed to deliver new seats on time. Delays in the delivery of seats from Koito, based in Yokohama, have also affected Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways' plans to introduce new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Koito is supplying the business class seats on SIA's A380s and the first class seats on the carrier's Boeing 777-300s, which are being retrofitted, says an airline spokesman. "We are aware of issues relating to seats supplied by Koito to several international airlines including SIA. We understand that these issues centre around the validation of paperwork and certification of test data," he adds. The airline's 11th A380 was due to be delivered in January. SIA is hopeful that the aircraft will be delivered within the next two months, says the spokesman. "SIA is working closely with the seat vendor, the relevant regulatory authorities as

SINGAPORE 2010: Fokker to support Dash 8s in Asia
Fokker has decided to support older models of Bombardier turboprops in Asia. The Dutch company already has a similar pact in Europe and North America...