The US National Transportation Safety Board, continuing its investigation into the cause of the 15 January ditching of a US Airways A320 into the Hudson River in New York City, said the left engine was found to contain bird remains. The right engine was earlier judged to contain organic material confirmed as bird remains. … [Read more...] about NTSB confirms bird remains in US Airways' engines
Air Cargo Asia
Fraport sells Germany's Hahn airport for €1
Fraport AG has sold Frankfurt-Hahn, one of Germany's leading all-cargo airports, for the symbolic price of €1. The company, which also owns Frankfurt-Main airport, Europe's biggest cargo hub, sold its 65 per cent stake in Hahn to the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Fraport said the deal, effective 1 January, ends all its financial obligations to Hahn, which had operated at a loss for several years. Traffic at Hahn fell 11 per cent in 2008 from the previous year to just under … [Read more...] about Fraport sells Germany's Hahn airport for €1
Dubai lessor cuts 787 order
Dubai-based lessor, LCAL, established in 2004 to buy and lease 787s, cut its Dreamliner order from 21 aircraft to five. The 16 cancellations are another blow to the ongoing troubles surrounding the Dreamliner and are valued at US$2.8 billion. This is the second big 787 order cut revealed in the last two weeks after Russia's S7 confirmed last week that it had cancelled its order for 15 Dreamliners. … [Read more...] about Dubai lessor cuts 787 order
China air traffic growth slows to single digits
China's air travel growth fell into single digits, the first time in five years, as a slowing economy hit air travel demand, according to official data. Chinese carriers handled 4.03 million tonnes of cargo last year, up 0.3 per cent from a year earlier, and 191.91 million passengers last year, up 3.3 per cent from 2007, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said on its website. Passenger traffic in December rose 8.2 per cent to 15.67 million, but freight volume fell 15.2 per cent to … [Read more...] about China air traffic growth slows to single digits
China Eastern: breakeven 2010, profit 2011
China Eastern Airlines is targeting a breakeven 2010 and a profitable 2011, newly appointed Chiarman Liu Shaoyong said this week, adding that the carrier is open to consolidation and a potential merger with Shanghai Airlines. The carrier hopes to offset the impact of heavy losses for 2008 by selling off its stakes in certain units and cutting orders for new planes, the Wall Street Journal reported. Liu Shaoyang, the company chairman, admitted that the chances of turning a profit this year are … [Read more...] about China Eastern: breakeven 2010, profit 2011
SAS cuts freighter unit
SAS, Scandinavia's biggest airline, is set to cease freighter services and shrink other cargo operations as part of a radical restructuring to stem losses and retain its independence in the fast consolidating European airline industry. The part state-owned carrier said in future its freight unit, SAS Cargo, "will focus on selling belly cargo capacity for the group's airline operations." It said other activities would be discontinued or outsourced to third parties. SAS will also sell Spirit Air … [Read more...] about SAS cuts freighter unit
