Airbus
- Business News
Boeing acquires Spirit AeroSystems in US$4.7bn all-stock deal
Boeing announced the acquisition of its troubled supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, in an all-stock deal valued at US$4.7 billion, following extensive negotiations. This move comes as Boeing seeks to address significant safety and regulatory challenges affecting both companies. The total value of the transaction, including Spirit’s last reported net debt, is approximately US$8.3 billion. According to Boeing, each share of Spirit…
- Thailand News
Thai Airways airbus to retrofit A320s with reclining seats
In a groundbreaking move for aviation luxury in the Asia-Pacific region, Airbus has inked a deal with Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) to retrofit its fleet of 20 A320ceo aircraft with premium reclining business class seats. This marks Airbus’ first-ever cabin retrofit for a single-aisle fleet in this part of the world. This initiative is part of THAI’s broader…
- Thailand News
Thai Airways takes off on an Airbus A380 farewell flight
Amidst a pandemic–induced slump, Thai Airways decided to bid farewell to its Airbus A380 fleet, spelling the end of an era in the skies. According to a report by Aerotime Hub, the Thai flag carrier is offering its superjumbos to the highest bidder until September 12, marking a conclusion to their service. Remaining grounded since the early days of the…
- Thailand News
Thai VietJet Air partners with global cargo giant for Asian expansion
Thai VietJet Air has announced a groundbreaking partnership with ECS Group, in a move to reshape its cargo operations across Asia. Under the terms of the agreement, ECS Group’s subsidiary, AVS GSA Thailand, will spearhead the cargo contract, leveraging the expansive network of ECS across the region. This landmark deal, sealed on February 1, empowers Thai VietJet Air with access…
- Technology News
Flying taxis ready for takeoff inside three years
Flying taxis are the future, and not just a science fiction fantasy, right? Imagine, it’s raining, the road is gridlocked and you’re going nowhere fast trying to flag down a taxi outside of Terminal 21, EmQuartier or Central World. The taxi drivers that do stop won’t turn on their meters and are charging 300 baht to take you to Phrom…
- Bangkok News
AirAsia plane lands on wrong runway in Bangkok
Today, Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority – or CAAT – reported a “serious incident” which took place earlier this month. On May 4, an AirAsia Airbus A320-200 landed on the wrong runway at Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport. The Thai AirAsia aircraft departed Ranong city at 12:43 and landed on Don Muang’s unassigned 21L runway at 13:36, instead of the 21R runway…
- Tourism News
Emirates A380 to return to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to meet increased demand
The A380 is to return to the skies over Bangkok as Emirates upgrades capacity on flights to the capital to meet increased demand. TTR Weekly reports that Thailand’s recent re-opening to vaccinated tourists from approved countries has led to strong demand, with around 10,000 arrivals registered at Suvarnabhumi every day. In order to add capacity and frequency to its services,…
- World News
Singapore Airlines launches 60 minute A380 flights
It’s designed to ferry lots of people long distances, in an ultra-quiet flying experience. So flyers would be used to flying the huge Airbus A380 from LA to London, Bahrain to Frankfurt, Melbourne to Hong Kong. The massive super jumbo airliner wasn’t designed for a short 1 hour hop. But that’s exactly what Singapore Airlines have planned now they’re getting…
- Tourism News
The world aviation industry suffers Annus Horribilis | VIDEO
In the Asia-Pacific, where the affect of Covid-19 has been lower (at this stage), the passenger load was 30-40% down, compared to last year. Overall, international flights for the latter part of 2020 are down 75% year on year. The world’s aviation industry has been profoundly affected by the border closures and restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic…
- Thailand News
20 more people suspected of being involved in corruption at Thai Airways
20 people are suspected of corruption and mismanagement within the national airline that led to massive losses for Thai Airways International. The news, announced by police and deputy head of the commission investigating the airline, Saroj Nimaroen, comes as little surprise to anyone who has been following the demise of Thailand’s legacy airline over the past decade. The airline is…
- Food
Miss airplane travel? Here’s some flight experiences that don’t leave the ground
Since international travel is still on pause, some are getting their flight experience on the ground. Airplane cafes and flight experiences are becoming more and more popular. Thai Airways has not only opened a pop-up café to sell airplane food, but they are also offering flight simulations to the public. The stimulator flying experiences start at 12,000 baht for 30…
- Tourism News
Will the Flying-V be the shape of passenger travel in the future?
Since the first Boeing 707 (Dash 80) had its test flight in 1955, and earlier the UK’s De Havilland Comet in 1949, not much has changed in the way of passenger jet configuration – long, thin fuselage, wings, jet engines hanging underneath, with a big tail and rudder. Since then it’s been a gradual evolution of the same theme (we’ve…
- Northern Thailand News
Korat restauranteur will change your perception of airline food
An entrepreneur in Isaan’s Nakhon Ratchasima province is transforming an old Airbus A330 jetliner (formerly flying with Thai Airways) into a restaurant, hoping his new business will take off after months of being ‘grounded’ by lockdown restrictions enforced by the Thai government. 33 year old Sirikorn Phimparat, manager of Airways Land, says the aircraft is now being refurbished as a…
- World News
Pakistani airliner crashes into neighbourhood, 80 confirmed dead
UPDATE: As of 3:30pm, the death toll in the incident has risen to 97. A Pakistan International Airlines plane carrying 99 people crashed into a crowded Karachi neighbourhood yesterday afternoon after trying twice to land at the airport, according to an eyewitness. Provincial health authorities have confirmed at least 80 dead but it’s not clear whether they included casualties on…
- Economy News
More trouble for ailing Thai Airways as Airbus calls in its debts
Even as struggling national flag carrier Thai Airways strives to come up with blueprint for financial recovery, Airbus is calling in its debts on 30 aircraft rented by the airline. Thailand’s deputy transport minister says the company’s debts were checked on May 15, when documents showed that Airbus is trying to collect debts for rental of 30 airplanes as the…
- World News
Former Garuda Indonesia CEO jailed over aircraft engine rort
A former CEO for Indonesian national carrier Garuda Indonesia has been jailed for bribery and money laundering. The sentence was related to the procurement of planes and engines from Airbus and Rolls-Royce for the airline. Emirsyah Satar has been handed down an 8 year sentence and fined US$1.4 million by the country’s corruption court. Mr. Satar served as CEO of…
- Business News
Thai Airways considers leasing planes and outsourcing cabin staff
In its attempts to restructure the legacy national airline, senior staff of Thai Airways may lease aircraft and cabin staff. The plans are part of fleet and service improvement options as demanded by the Thai Government who had to find 11.1 billion baht over the first 9 months of 2019 to keep the national airline in the skies. According to…
- Transport News
Thai Airways’ pilot under investigation for botched landing at Frankfurt
A Thai Airways International pilot, flying for Thailand’s national flag carrier, is currently being investigated by Germany’s BFU (Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung), the country’s civil aviation investigators, for flying a Thai Airways plane below the standard altitude as the flight he was piloting, was approaching Frankfurt International Airport. The flight had originated in Phuket. The incident has been related through the…
- World News
US will slap tariffs on EU following Airbus trade ruling
PHOTO: Airbus factory in Toulouse, France – Manatour.fr The US is making more trade waves, in addition to its long-running trade war with China. Now it’s taking on the largest trade bloc in the world – the European Union. Aircraft and agricultural items from Europe will now be subject to US tariffs in the latest round of a long legal…
- World News
AirAsia X orders 42 new long-haul Airbus jets
PHOTO: AirAsia’s new generation A330neo will be based at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport – Bernama AirAsia X, the long-haul part of the AirAsia Group, has now finalised a major order with Airbus for 12 more A330-900 and 30 A321XLR aircraft. The contract was signed today by Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, chairman of AirAsia X, along with Guillaume Faury, CEO…
- Travel
Airbus starts manufacturing new A220 in Alabama, US
The new Airbus A220 aircraft was touring south east asian countries, including a visit to Bangkok on Friday, last week. Today the aircraft manufacturers officially began manufacturing the A220 in the US. The first team of A220 production workers began work at Airbus’ Mobile, Alabama-based production facility. Some Thai-based airlines, including Thai Airways, are reported to be interested in the…
- Tourism News
New Airbus A220 drops into Bangkok during Asia Pacific tour
Perfectly timed with Boeing’s woes and uncertainty over its 737 Max aircraft, Airbus is touring the Asia Pacific displaying its new A220-300 jet on a two-week demonstration tour. The new 143 seat aircraft flew executives from leading Thai airlines over Bangkok yesterday to secure some sales, especially Thai Airways who are in the market to freshen up their garage of…
- World News
Mitsubishi testing their new regional jet
PHOTO: The Japan Times Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ new 88-passenger Mitsubishi Regional Jet is testing the skies just as rivals Embraer and Bombardier are moving to sell off their manufacturing operations for jets with up to 160 seats to Boeing and Airbus. At stake, particularly in the market for jets with fewer seats, is US$135 billion in sales in the two decades through…
- Travel
Fly on the ‘Honu’, snazzy new Airbus jumbo design
PHOTOS: Airbus Industrie Japanese airline All Nippon Airways has just taken delivery of the first of three ‘sea turtle’ editions of the superjumbo A380 aircraft. In May, the airline will add the “Flying Honu” to its fleet. The first of the new super jumbo double-decker jets is painted bright sky-blue and displaying a sea turtle design as a ‘honu’. Honu…
- Business News
Airbus scales back in the UK and invests more in Thailand’s new aviation maintenance hub
by Supalak Ganjanakhundee Uncertainty over Thailand’s political situation is apparently less of a concern for Airbus than the political uncertainties in the UK with Brexit looming. Whilst Airbus is pulling out some of its manufacturing in Britain, the European consortium is now looking to Thailand for new maintenance and repair facilities to help service the rapidly growing ASEAN aviation sector.…
- Travel
Airbus signals end to A380 production, end of an era
Emirates Airlines says it’s reducing its Airbus A380 orders from 162 to 123 aircraft. They say this follows a review of its operations and developments in aircraft and engine technologies. The A380 is the double-decker mega aircraft that was developed as a new-age rival to the successful Boeing 747 ‘Jumbo’ jet. Whilst popular for passengers with its spacious size and…
