As expected the Dubai Airshow opened today with a record breaking order book. Within three hours of opening, the show’s order tally reached US $162.6 billion – surpassing its previous record of US $155 billion record set in 2007 – with deals coming from Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, flydubai and Qatar Airways. The opening order came from Abu Dhabi-based Etihad …

By BA Staff Boeing forecasts that airlines in the Middle East will require 2,610 new airplanes over the next 20 years, worth an estimated $550 billion. While one-third of that demand – 900 airplanes – will replace today’s fleets, 66 percent of the demand is expected to be driven by the rapid fleet expansion in the region. According to the …

By BA Staff Delta Air Lines will increase service at Boston’s Logan International Airport with daily year-round and seasonal service to the following seven destinations, including three new markets. Their services will include: New daily service to Jacksonville, Fla. and Richmond, Va., operated by Delta Connection carrier Endeavor Air using 76-seat, two-class CRJ-900s, effective March 3, 2014 and March 6, …

By BA Staff Airline consumer complaints filed with DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division during the first nine months of this year were down 14.1 percent from the first nine months of 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released. From January to September 2013, the Department received 10,439 consumer complaints, down from the total of …

By BA Staff Emirates will boost the children’s content on its in-flight entertainment system, ice Digital Widescreen (information, communication, entertainment) in December Children on an Emirates flight in December have more than 50 hours of kid-friendly TV and new features on ice Digital Widescreen include Nickelodeon featuring Bubble Guppies, Spongebob and Team Umizoomi, and new and updated channels dedicated to …

by Devesh Agarwal From top, clockwise, Boeing CGI of Etihad 787-10, 777-8X, 777-9X United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) national carrier, Etihad Airways PJSC, kicked off the Dubai Air Show with a massive order for 56 wide-body Boeing aircraft with options to purchase for an additional 26 aircraft taking the quantity up to 82 at a list price valuation of $25.2 billion. …

by Devesh Agarwal Manufacturer, Boeing has delivered the second P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to the Indian Navy. The first P-8I was delivered in May. The P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing has developed for the U.S. Navy. Indian Navy’s second P-8I IN-320 departs for India The two aircraft are currently …

By BA Staff S.A.T., the holding company of the Berlin-based German carrier Germania, has taken delivery of its first out of two A321s on order. Both aircraft are equipped with Airbus’ wing tip fuel saving devices, called Sharklets. The airline has already been operating eight A319 successfully since 2011. The new Germania A321 will operate exclusively for Alltours, one of …

By BA Staff Boeing and Xiamen Airlines celebrated the 100th airplane to join China’s only all-Boeing carrier. Formed in 1984 as China’s first joint venture between CAAC and a municipal government, Xiamen Airlines started services in 1985 with two Boeing 737-200s serving three cities. The carrier has grown into China’s sixth largest carrier serving 218 domestic routes and 26 international …

By BA Staff Passengers on Alaska Airlines flights can begin enjoying the use of their tablets, book readers, games and other personal electronic devices from gate to gate starting Saturday morning. Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of marketing said: “Our customers have long wanted to be able to read a book, listen to music or watch a movie on …

By BA Staff Boeing and the U.S. Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) have entered into an overarching public-private partnership that will streamline supply chain contracting, saving money and speeding up execution by as much as 10 months. The partnership – the first of its kind – allows the three Air Force logistics complexes that are under the AFSC to immediately …

By BA Staff Boeing has delivered a 777-300ER (Extended Range) jet to GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) for lease to Ethiopian Airlines. The 777-300ER 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. Mesfin Tassew, Chief …

By BA Staff The newest themed airplane in Alaska Airlines’ fleet flew into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, featuring one of America’s most beloved and rusty tow trucks. Adorned with the familiar images of Disney-Pixar’s animated Cars characters Mater, Lightning McQueen, Guido and Luigi, the colorful Boeing 737-800 named “Adventure of Disneyland Resort” celebrates Alaska’s partnership with Walt Disney’s original theme park. …

By BA Staff Boeing, as part of its continuing partnership with the National Museum of the United States Army, has launched the online Soldiers’ Stories video gallery, which features male and female veterans describing their experiences in service. The videos can be found on the Army Historical Foundation’s website and on Boeing’s Tribute Page. In addition to honouring these stories …

by Devesh Agarwal The aviation enthusiast community may not have too much respect for The Economic Times newspaper when it comes to technical accuracy when reporting aviation related stories, but hats off to a great article that goes in to the depths on how the deal for a 24% stake by Etihad Airways in Jet Airways was negotiated and struck. …

by Devesh Agarwal On Tuesday, beleaguered Indian carrier, Jet Airways cleared its final hurdle in its $397 million quest to sell a 24% stake to Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways PJSC, when the Competition Commission of India (CCI), cleared the deal paving the way for the Naresh Goyal promoted Jet to receive desperately needed cash from the deal. The Union …

By BA Staff B-52H. Photo courtesy US Air Force Boeing will continue to increase the B-52 bomber’s effectiveness and versatility under a new U.S. Air Force contract that calls for the aircraft’s smart weapons capacity to expand by 50 percent. Under the $24.6 million agreement, Boeing will develop a modification to existing weapon launchers so the aircraft can carry smart …

By BA Staff The second Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner completed a successful 4-hour, 18-minute first flight.  The airplane, known as ZB002, departed Paine Field in Everett, Washington State, USA, at 8:06 and landed at 12:24 local time at Seattle’s Boeing Field. As the only 787-9 test airplane to be fitted with elements of the passenger interior, ZB002 will test systems such …

By BA Staff The board of directors of Alaska Air Group has approved a quarterly cash dividend of 20 cents per share to all shareholders of record as of Nov. 19. The dividend will be paid on Dec. 4. Air Group paid a quarterly dividend of 20 cents per share in August, the first time since 1992 that the company …

By BA Staff Boeing has named Ted Colbert chief information officer and vice president of the company’s Information Technology organization. Colbert, who was formerly vice president of the Boeing Information Technology Infrastructure organization, replaces Kim Hammonds, who is leaving the company. Colbert, 39, will report to John Tracy, Boeing chief technology officer and senior vice president of Engineering, Operations & …