Bonus bundle: BA crash scrutinized; Midwest Air cuts jobs, outsources flights; Iberia mulls alliances; Big Airbus order

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

Crash of popular Boeing 777 scrutinized
From USA TODAY: "British investigators are sifting through mounds of flight data to find out why a jet's engines suddenly refused to increase power, causing a Boeing 777 to crash just short of a runway at London's Heathrow Airport. Flight 038 from Beijing to London had 152 people aboard, 19 of whom suffered injuries. … Before Thursday's crash, there had never been an accident that destroyed a 777, a long-range twin-engine jet introduced in 1995. The jets have logged 3.5 million hours, according to Boeing. 'It's a mystery from what I see so far,' said Dennis Lessard, chairman of the Aeronautical Science Department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz." See the full story.

Midwest Air cutting jobs, outsourcing regional flights
From last week's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: "Midwest Airlines will cut about 380 jobs from its subsidiary Skyway Airlines as it moves to outsource all of its regional flights, a growing segment of its business. But the job cuts have arrived anyway. Months after AirTran was sent packing, Oak Creek-based Midwest Air announced Wednesday that it is eliminating about 400 positions and hiring Utah-based SkyWest Airlines Inc. to handle all of its Midwest Connect regional flights. It's a money-saving move for Midwest Air, which operates Midwest Airlines and Midwest Connect. … "

"In 2007 SkyWest, based in St. George, Utah, began flying 50-seat regional jets under the Midwest Connect name. The remaining routes, mainly using 32-seat jets, were still staffed by employees of Skyway Airlines Inc., the Midwest Air subsidiary that operates Midwest Connect." See the full story. Or check out the Journal-Sentinel's follow up story, in which the paper writes Midwest CEO "Timothy Hoeksema defended the move as a difficult, but necessary, cost-saving measure."

Iberia open to defecting from British Air alliance
From Reuters: British Airways will need to offer an attractive partnership to Iberia or risk it defecting to rivals Air France or Lufthansa, the Spanish airline's biggest shareholder said on Tuesday. Miguel Blesa, chairman of Caja Madrid, which owns 23% of Iberia, said the carrier did not need to change partner, but made it clear that Iberia, a recent BA takeover target, was not unconditionally wedded to British Airways. 'If British offers something significant to the future of the company during conversations that have just started, it would appear a perfect agreement. If not, we will look for other alliances,' Blesa told reporters after unveiling his bank's full-year results." See the full story. 

Airbus lands big South American order
From The Associated Press: "Brazil's TAM airline announced Monday that it has signed a contract to buy 46 Airbus jets, including 22 extra-wide-body A350s. The European-made A350 is a competitor to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. TAM Linhas Aereas SA said in a statement that the order is worth $6.9 billion at list prices, although most airlines obtain deep discounts from plane makers. The largest airline in Latin America's biggest nation, TAM has been moving to expand its overseas routes. The addition of the A350s to TAM's fleet marks the first time that the plane will be used in South America, and it will allow the carrier ‘to continue the successful expansion we have already had’ with smaller Airbus jets, said TAM chief executive David Barioni Neto." See the full story.

Photo credit: Wreckage of a Boeing 777 that suffered engine failure and crash landed at Heathrow Airport, London, on Jan. 17. By Sang Tan, AP

787 delay could cost Boeing as airlines scramble to cope

Qantas apparently will seek compensation from Boeing after U.S. planemaker announced its latest delay to its 787 Dreamliner program. "Qantas said it could claim for damages in certain circumstances and would discuss the issue with Boeing in coming weeks," Reuters writes. Qantas also sought damages from Airbus as compensation for delays with the A380. Reuters writes Japanese carrier ANA –- the launch customer for the 787 –- will not seek compensation, though Air Transport World says ANA "is assessing the delay's effect on its expansion plans and will speak with Boeing regarding late fees once that analysis is completed."

The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) writes that "in a terse statement Thursday, a spokesman for All Nippon Airways (ANA) … described the delay as 'deeply regrettable.' The spokesman said All Nippon was only formally informed overnight that it will have to wait until early 2009 for the aircraft." Boeing's delays are also causing consternation among U.S. carriers. Northwest and Continental had both hoped to use the 787 on key routes to Asia, including on lucrative China flights. Continental CEO Larry Kellner says the airline will now have to pull planes of other routes to start its newest China route in 2009. Northwest had expected to receive its first 787 in August, but now will not fly one until at least mid-2009.

Airbus' record number of orders falls short of Boeing's

Airbus posted a record number of orders in 2007, but it was not enough to unseat Boeing. The U.S. planemaker outpaced Europe's Airbus by 72 orders last year, Reuters reports. Airbus said it received 1,341 aircraft orders in 2007, compared to 1,413 for Boeing. "These are enormous numbers; it was a staggering year," Airbus chief Tom Enders said to journalists. Enders predicted new-aircraft orders would decline in 2008, saying that Airbus now must focus on meeting its delivery targets this year. Its schedule calls for more than 470 aircraft –- including 13 A380 superjumbo jets -– to be delivered to customers this year. "Now it becomes a question of how we manage the backlog," Enders is quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

Boeing to be hit by more 787 delays, reports say

UPDATE (as of 10:10 a.m. ET on Wednesday): The Associated Press writes: "Boeing said Wednesday that it was going to push back the inaugural flight for its much-anticipated 787 Dreamliner jet by as much as three months, delaying the plane's test flight until the end of the second quarter to allow additional time to assemble the massive aircraft. The latest delay means Boeing won't be able to begin delivering the airplane until early 2009, instead of late 2008. The Chicago-based aerospace company had hoped the 787's first flight would be conducted sometime at the end of the first quarter."

Boeing is expected today to announce another round of delays to its Boeing 787 Dreamliner program. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer says the "embarrassing setback" could mean a delay of up to another three months and deliver "a blow to the company's credibility on Wall Street." The Dreamliner's first flight has been pushed back several times, slipping to this fall after originally scheduled for this summer. Now, the 787 is not expected to fly until June, according to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required). "Further delays would likely make it impossible for Boeing to meet its goal of delivering 109 airplanes by the end of 2009. If that occurs, the company may have to pay millions of dollars in penalties to airlines for missing delivery deadlines," the Journal writes.

Boeing is currently scheduled to deliver its first 787 to Japan's ANA later this year, but that now appears likely not to come until 2009, according to Bloomberg News. The Journal writes that "to save money, Boeing gave unprecedented control over the development of important parts of the 787 to a wide network of suppliers world-wide. In many cases, those suppliers stumbled, leading to months of parts shortages and technical problems." Aviation analyst Scott Hamilton tells The Seattle Times: "This delay is starting to cross over into Airbus A380 territory. Airbus' problems were in-house production issues On the 787, the production issues are outside of Boeing and so harder for Boeing to control."

Bonus bundle: Near collision in Atlanta; More 787 sales; Biofuel on Virgin Atlantic; Earnings outlook; AA opposes mediation

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

'Passenger jets within seconds of collision at Hartsfield'
That's the headline from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free registration), which writes: "A Mexico-bound Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 came within a few seconds of colliding with a smaller commuter jet Friday in Atlanta as the smaller jet crossed a runway in front of the larger craft, which was going more than 100 mph on a takeoff roll. The incident, which occurred about 10:30 a.m. at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, has sparked a formal investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration, said FAA regional spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen. Bergen said initial indications suggest the pilots of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 876 to Greensboro, N.C., improperly taxied across the runway after controllers in the Hartsfield-Jackson tower ordered the plane to stop short." See the full story.

Boeing sells more Dreamliners
From Bloomberg News: "Gulf Air, Bahrain's loss-making national carrier, and Boeing signed a $6 billion agreement for the delivery of 24 Dreamliner aircraft to begin in 2016, airline spokesman Adnan Malik said. The deal includes a firm order for 16 787-8 planes worth $3.4 billion and options for another eight, Malik said by phone from Bahrain. The carrier is also considering alternatives from Boeing, the world's second-largest commercial planemaker, and Airbus to fly short-haul routes and could order a total of 45 new planes including today's order, he said." See the full story.

Virgin Atlantic to test biofuel
From CNN/Dow Jones: "Virgin Atlantic Airways next month will be the first commercial carrier to go green in the fuel tank, testing biofuel as a way to reduce carbon emissions. The British airline … plans to conduct a test flight from London to Amsterdam, using a mix of 20% biofuel and 80% conventional jet fuel, in a Boeing 747 aircraft. The airline is working with Boeing, and General Electric, which makes aircraft engines, to create 'hybrid' aircraft, similar to the cleaner fuel concept for hybrid automobiles, said Virgin spokesman Paul Charles. Neither the aircraft nor its engine will need to be modified to use the biofuel. … No passengers will be aboard the flight." See the full story.

Earnings will be scrutinized for clues to industry's health
From The Dallas Morning News (free registration):"When airlines start reporting earnings this week, analysts will be listening as much for what the carriers are going to do as for what they just did. With concerns that an economic slowdown will reduce demand, the investment community will pay particular attention to whether airlines plan to cut the number of seats flying. They'll also be listening closely to the airlines' view of the economy and whether they'll be able to keep increasing fares to keep pace with their rising costs. 'Sharply higher energy prices, we believe, will continue to pressure airlines to raise fares and/or cut capacity, which should lead to higher average fares,' James Parker, airline analyst at Raymond James, said in a report to investors last week. 'However, relatively large fare increases will be required to offset the rate of fuel cost increase.' " See the full story.

AA opposes mediation
From The Associated Press: "American Airlines said Monday it opposes a request by the pilots' union to bring a federal mediator into contract talks, which have lasted more than a year with little visible progress. The nation's largest airline was expected to oppose the union request. The union can still ask the National Mediation Board to intervene. Union officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Allied Pilots Association asked the company last week to support bringing in a mediator. But an airline executive said Monday that direct bargaining between the company and union would be better." See the full story. Or check out The Dallas Morning News (free registration) for more coverage.

Bonus bundle: AA pilots push mediation; Record year for Embraer; Domestic flights cut; AA and SWA are busiest

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

American's pilots ask for mediation in contract talks
From The Associated Press: "The pilots' union at American Airlines pushed Thursday for a federal mediator to help in contract negotiations between the two groups, which have been talking for more than a year but produced few signs of progress. American … rejected a union proposal for pay raises of about 50% but hasn't made a counter offer, union officials say. The Allied Pilots Association asked American on Thursday to join its request for help from a federal mediator. The company indicated it was unlikely to go along. Union leaders said they would give management until late Monday to respond before contacting the National Mediation Board, which could take over negotiations or tell the parties to keep talking face-to-face." See the full story.

Embraer delivers record number of jets in 2007
From Reuters: "Embraer delivered a record 169 planes in 2007, helped by surging demand for its popular regional and executive jets, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer said on Wednesday. Embraer's previous delivery record was 161 planes in 2001, before the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States led to a prolonged slump in air travel that left the aviation industry reeling. In 2006, Embraer delivered 130 aircraft.  … Embraer delivered 130 commercial jets last year, 45 of them in the fourth quarter. Just seven were ERJ 145s, an old-style commuter plane that can seat up to 50 passengers. The remaining 123 came from Embraer's family of next-generation regional planes known as E-jets, which are flown by carriers such as JetBlue Airways and US Airways." See the full story.

Airlines retrench on domestic growth
From Reuters: "The U.S. airline industry is retrenching as routes that made sense a year ago are unlikely to be profitable amid soaring fuel prices and a U.S. economy that may be teetering towards a recession. JetBlue Airways became the latest U.S. airline to rein in growth plans when it said on Monday that it would slow capacity expansion this year. The move underscores the dwindling opportunities for U.S. airlines. 'It stands to reason that with higher energy costs and the inability to recover those, more and more of the domestic network is going to be unprofitable,' said airline consultant Robert Mann." See the full story.

AA, Southwest are busiest U.S. carriers
From the Dallas Business Journal (free registration): For the first 10 months of 2007, Southwest Airlines carried more domestic passengers and more total system passengers than any other U.S. airline, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. American Airlines carried more international passengers on the U.S. system than any U.S. carrier, said the bureau. A record total of 646.1 million domestic and international passengers flew on U.S. airlines during the first 10 months of the year, an increase of 3.6% compared to the same period in 2006." See the full story.

Bonus bundle: More 787 delays?; Frontier profit warning; San Jose looking for airlines

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

Report: Boeing 787 Dreamliner may face further delays
From Reuters: "Boeing faces a further three-week delay on its new 787 Dreamliner, a respected industry blog reported Wednesday, as the plane maker hustles to meet its end-March deadline for getting the plane in the air for the first time. A delay would be an embarrassing blow for Boeing, which only last month insisted the 787 was on track to meet its revised schedule. In October, Boeing put back first delivery of the plane by at least six months due to production problems. 'Internal schedules show the overall assembly calendar for Boeing's Dreamliner One around three weeks behind the revised schedule,' a post on FlightBlogger said Wednesday, citing unnamed sources in Everett, Washington, where Boeing's 787 facilities are located." See the full story. Or check out the full FlightBlogger post.

Frontier predicts wider loss than forecast
From The Associated Press: "Frontier Airlines on Tuesday warned it would post a wider-than-expected loss in the third quarter because of storm-related expenses in December and fewer passengers on some routes to sunny destinations. It was the second time in the past month that Frontier has revised its forecast for the October-December quarter. It predicted a pretax loss ranging between 78 cents and 88 cents a share excluding special items. That compared with Dec. 5 guidance of a pretax loss of 58 cents to 68 cents per share excluding special items. … (Frontier CEO Sean Menke) also noted traffic was weaker than anticipated on some non-Denver routes to sunny destinations such as Memphis-to-Orlando. The airline previously announced it will eliminate those routes as of Thursday." See the full story.

San Jose worries about flat passenger growth
From last week's San Jose Mercury News: "In recent months, San Jose airport officials have watched in dismay as airline after airline -- Cathay Pacific, Virgin America and Indian start-up Kingfisher -- skipped over San Jose to launch flights elsewhere. With risk-averse airlines flocking to larger airports such as San Francisco, some observers have raised questions about how exactly San Jose is going to achieve the kind of steady passenger growth it is counting on to pay back the $725 million it borrowed this summer for a massive expansion project. The airport also has been counting on growth in order to keep airline fees low and to ensure that the $1.3 billion upgrade doesn't have to be scaled back so much that it disappoints passengers …" See the full story.

Boeing sets record for plane orders in 2007

"Boeing blew past an order record it set two years ago, selling 1,413 commercial jets in 2007 while delivering 441 planes, its best showing in six years." That's from The Associated Press, which says the U.S. planemaker continued to be paced by its workhorse 737 model. Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner model was the company's second best-selling model, though the 787 is not yet past flight testing. Despite the good news for Boeing, AP says "analysts expect rival Airbus SAS to come out ahead on both orders and deliveries" when it announces its full-year totals. Regardless, analysts predict slower sales for both companies in 2008, saying the current pace of plane orders is likely not sustainable.

Bonus bundle: Antitrust group targets Midwest-NWA tie-up; NYC congestion talks advance; What's coming in 2008?

Antitrust group concerned about NWA-Midwest tie-up
From the Orlando Sentinel's tourism blog: "A Washington-based nonprofit dubbed the American Antitrust Institute says the proposed acquisition of one-time AirTran target Midwest Air Group by an investor group including Northwest Airlines 'raises potentially troubling competitive issues.' ... 'This combination could fundamentally change the intensity of rivalry between Northwest and Midwest, despite assurances by Northwest's management that the brands will continue to compete,' Diana Moss, an Antitrust Institute vice-president, wrote in a white paper released today." See the full story.

Coming today: FAA may move to limit flights in NYC area
From The Associated Press: "Controlling the number of flights during peak periods at three New York City-area airports is one of the measures the government may propose to ease chronic air travel delays across the nation. Only LaGuardia Airport limits its number of scheduled flights. Airline executives expect the government to impose such restrictions on John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey. Government officials are expected to announce Wednesday their plan to ease congestion at the three airports. A committee advising the Transportation Department has also recommended the appointment of a 'czar' to oversee the troubled New York air space." See the full story.

Don't forget about Newark in NYC congestion talks, N.J. senators say
From Travel Weekly (free registration): "With the Federal Aviation Administration expected to roll out a strategy to reduce air traffic congestion over major New York-area airports (today), two lawmakers in the Senate have introduced a bill that offers a competing plan to cut delays. Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), co-sponsors of the bill (S. 2493), contend the FAA's airspace reorganization plan, which could include flight caps at Kennedy Airport, would result in more traffic at Newark Airport." The New Jersey senators apparently are concerned that any New York changes will not take New Jersey's Newark Liberty International into consideration. See the full story.

Changes for better on horizon for fliers in 2008
That's the headline from USA TODAY, which writes: "Luggage may be no lighter and the gate agent may be no less rude in the new year, but 2008 promises improvements on several fronts for air travelers. After more than a decade of expansive promises and hot sales, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner should actually fly. Airfield improvements at Chicago O'Hare should cut down the average time of delays. And better X-ray machines may help airport screeners move the lines a bit faster. The USA TODAY travel staff looks ahead to innovations that road warriors will see in 2008..." They include in-flight WiFi, the expected start of Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights, better technology for airport screening, airport expansions and a new aviation pact with Europe. See the full story.

Bonus bundle: No more Wi-Fi refuge; Pilots now can fly until 65; Schedule OK for 787; Higher fares and fuller flights

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

Biz travelers about to lose last Wi-Fi refuge
From The Associated Press: "Warren Adelman's colleagues know him as 'Thumbs': Like many executives, he is adept at checking e-mail on his BlackBerry and does it almost constantly. Unable to do so during flights, Adelman welcomes business trips as 'an opportunity to decompress a little bit from the constant flow of e-mail, perhaps catch up on a book. It's one of the few downtime environments you get in this day and age,' said Adelman, president and chief operating officer of GoDaddy.com, a registration company for Internet domain names. An invasion of his sanctuary is imminent, though, as airlines around the world start to offer in-flight Internet services." JetBlue began flying its first jet with limited Wi-Fi access this week. See the full AP story.

Pilots can now fly until 65
From the Chicago Tribune (free registration): "Ending an airline industry controversy that has smoldered for a half-century, President Bush signed a bill Thursday that raises the retirement age for commercial pilots to 65 from 60, a standard observed by the rest of the world. Pilots say the new law reflects the reality that today's 60-year-olds are physically fit enough to continue flying, and their experience shouldn't be taken out of the cockpit." Read the full Tribune story.

Boeing says 787 schedule will stick
From The Wall Street Journal (subscription required): "Boeing said it is ironing out production problems with its delayed 787 Dreamliner aircraft even as it works with suppliers to increase production by the middle of next year. Speaking during a quarterly update on the 787 program, Boeing Commercial Aircraft chief Scott Carson said the Chicago aerospace company remains on track to fly its first Dreamliner in the first quarter of next year and deliver the plane to its first customer, All Nippon Airways, by the end of next year. He also confirmed Boeing's plan for full-rate aircraft production in 2008 and 2009." Read the full Journal story (subscription required).

Blog: Brace for 'higher fares and even more crowded flights'
From Tom Belden's Road Warrior blog in The Philadelphia Inquirer (free registration): "Analysts, the folks who work for Wall Street investment houses trying to determine whether to buy or sell airline stocks, were pleased because several major carriers are trimming their capacity, or the number of seats for sale, next year. The high price of fuel is the primary reason. Even if an airline isn't actually reducing what's for sale, it won't be growing as much as it said previously that it would. That means two things for most customers: higher fares and even more crowded flights." Read the full blog.

Boeing: Expect a 737 replacement plan by 2012

Boeing will settle on a replacement plan for its 737 jet by 2012, a company spokesman told The Associated Press last week. AP says the company first "seriously" began considering a replacement last year for the jet, which has accounted for more than 6,000 sales since the model debuted in 1967. Boeing spokeswoman Sandy Anger said the U.S. jetmaker "must ensure it has the right set of breakthrough technologies in engines, aerodynamics, materials and other systems" to better the 737's efficiency before it unveils plans for a new model. When could such a jet be flying? Anger said Boeing hopes that could be "sometime in the middle of the next decade — give or take a couple of years."

Bonus bundle: Performance turnarounds at US Air, Northwest?; No A380s for Air Canada; Fatal crash in Turkey

Read on for today's "bonus bundle," which are quick quotes from the media involving recent aviation stories.

US Airways points to Thanksgiving as proof of turnaround
From The Arizona Republic: "US Airways, hoping to send a signal that its operations are improving, is trumpeting its on-time performance during the Thanksgiving travel rush. The Tempe airline said that between Wednesday and Sunday, 86.6% of its flights on average arrived within 14 minutes of their scheduled time. That was the best of any Wednesday-Sunday period since the America West-US Airways merger two years ago. US Airways also said it completed 99.6% of scheduled flights and had fewer mishandled bags than expected. Airlines don't usually tout their performance over such a short period - Northwest is the only other major airline to issue a news release with Thanksgiving stats -- but US Airways has a lot to prove this year." Read the full story.

'Northwest has near perfect Thanksgiving period'
That's the headline from the Memphis Business Journal (free registration), which writes: "Northwest Airlines canceled only three flights during the five-day Thanksgiving travel period, reaching a completion factor of 99.94%. Northwest carried about 558,000 passengers during the busy five-day holiday weekend. The Eagan, Minn.-based carrier touted its performance over the Thanksgiving holiday as 'stellar,' saying 78% of its flights landed within 14 minutes of anticipated arrival times. Northwest canceled three out of its 4,900 domestic flights over the weekend. It had three days without any cancellations." See the fully story.

'Air Canada in no great hurry to acquire world's largest plane'
That's the headline from The Record of Kitchener, Ontario, which writes: "Air Canada doesn't appear to be in any hurry to pick up the world's largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380. … Philippe Jarry, the head of market development for Airbus, admitted the aircraft doesn't appear to be a priority for Air Canada. 'Their fleet focus has been towards smaller airplanes,’ he told reporters (earlier this month) at an airport news conference. 'They bought lots of A330s, A340s and the (Boeing) 787 … we will probably have to wait for their next investment phase.' Read the full story.

56 believed dead in Atlasjet crash in Turkey
From The Associated Press: An Atlasjet plane crashed on a rocky mountain shortly before it was due to land in southwest Turkey early Friday, killing all 56 people on board. The cause was not immediately known. Pieces of wreckage and personal belongings, including suitcases, clothing and magazines, were strewn across the hillside. The plane's fuselage lay amid boulders and pine trees. The MD-83, carrying 49 passengers and seven crewmembers, took off from Istanbul around 1 a.m. headed to Isparta on a flight of about one hour, but went off the radar just before landing at the airport. See the full story.

Hawaiian turns to Airbus to replace 767s, add far-flung destinations

"Formerly faithful Boeing customer Hawaiian Airlines has joined the rank of Airbus customers with an order for 12 Airbus wide-bodies." That's from The News Tribune of Tacoma, Wash., one of several media outlets reporting on an aircraft order by Hawaiian that will help it phase out its Boeing 767 jets. The Associated Press says the order calls for "Hawaiian to buy six wide-body A330-200 aircraft and six extra wide-body A350XWB-800 planes. The airline would also have purchase rights for an additional six A330-200s and six A350XWB-800s." The first A330 would be delivered to Hawaiian in 2012 and the first A350 in 2017. Air Transport World writes "the agreements also 'pave the way' for the airline to lease additional A330s beginning in 2009."

"This is a stunning deal," aviation consultant Scott Hamilton tells The Honolulu Advertiser. "What this says to me is that they are starting a lot of long-range nonstop service from Hawaii." Indeed, Hawaiian CEO Mark Dunkerley confirmed that the order would help "open new markets." He citied Hong Kong and Singapore as possible examples, but the new jets could also be part of a plan by Hawaiian to add cities in eastern North America, according to the media reports. Currently, Hawaiian's only mainland U.S. destinations are in West Coast states. New foreign destinations are also expected to be a target for Hawaiian, which will add Philippine service next year and has previously applied (unsuccessfully) for Shanghai flight rights, according to the Advertiser.

Why did Hawaiian opt for Airbus? The News Tribune says "some of the airline's reasoning … may have to do with availability of suitable Boeing aircraft. The popularity of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner (more than 700 sold) may have meant that Hawaiian would have had to wait until 2014 or beyond to acquire a 787. Boeing's 777, which is larger than the A330, may have been too large for Hawaiian's needs." As for the order, Hawaiian's Dunkerley tells the Advertiser: "We're not going to challenge a 400-plus aircraft United Airlines, but in terms of airlines of our scale, this is an indication that we want to grow substantially."

Airbus brings A380 to Minnesota; Is NWA the target?

Airbus brought its A380 to Minneapolis/St. Paul yesterday as part of the superjumbo jet's latest North American tour. Airbus officials showed off the jet to executives from Minnesota-base Northwest. The Associated Press writes Airbus executives insisted the stop "isn't a sales call," though the news agency adds that "no one flies here in November for the scenery." Airbus spokesman Clay McConnell said the A380 tour is simply meant to show off the A380's capabilities to all interested parties, which includes airlines, airports and passengers. Still, NWA executives were among about 200 that Airbus treated to an A380 demonstration flight yesterday, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune (free registration).

"I wouldn't say it's an effort to convince them," McConnell said. "The aircraft really speaks for itself." NWA CEO Doug Steenland described the A380 as a "tremendous technological accomplishment," according to the Star Tribune. AP adds that NWA "seems like a perfect A380 customer, since the airline, along with United, flies more people to Asia than any other U.S. carrier, the kind of long-haul, high-volume flights the A380 is designed for." Still, the airline has not yet ordered any -– nor does it appear close to doing so. "We don't have any specific intentions right now, but the airplane will be here for a long time and as things progress, we'll obviously give it consideration," Steenland said.

On the contrary, NWA currently plans to be the launch customer for the 787 Dreamliner, made by Airbus rival Boeing. The carrier hopes to receive its first 787 in early 2009. As for the A380, some industry observers say that while it's unlikely NWA will order the jet now, Airbus could be angling for future sales. "Northwest clearly has the routes where a 380 could possibly be appropriate. There's enough from a salesman's standpoint to just keep the issue on the table," Edmund Greenslet, publisher of The Airline Monitor, said to AP. "Maybe it doesn't come to fruition for 5, 10 years. Who knows?"

With new jets on order, US Airways mulls Europe routes from the West

US Airways announced plans to add seven Airbus A330-200 jets to its fleet. The Arizona Republic says they are "in addition to 10 already on order and largely destined for the East Coast, which is closer to Europe and has a bigger base of business travelers and a larger pool of vacationers."  The airline says it ordered the jets to help it meet its target of adding up to four international destinations a year between 2009 and 2011. US Airways also noted in its employee newsletter that the A330-200 has a range that could allow it to add new international gateways "and provide the potential to add intercontinental service from our West Coast hubs" in Phoenix or, possibly, Las Vegas.

Still, any European routes from the carrier's West Coast hubs would require multiple aircraft, says US Airways spokesman Andrew Nocella. Citing Nocella, the Republic writes the airline "needs at least two A330-200s per route" because flights from the West Coast would take too long to fly a round-trip in the same day. "It's almost twice the investment to do it out of here" instead of from the East Coast, Nocella says. "That's a much higher hurdle for us to jump over." US Airways' current A330-300 models don't have the range for trans-Atlantic flights from the West -- 5,100 nautical miles, compared to 6,750 for the A330-200s -- according to data supplied by US Airways.

Big China order could vault Airbus past Boeing

Airbus announced this morning that it has secured a deal to sell 160 commercial jets to China. The "ground-breaking" deal "is likely to mean the plane maker overtakes Boeing, its fierce U.S. rival, in total orders for commercial aircraft this year," the Times of London writes. "Airbus' biggest-ever contract with China will see it supply 110, A320 jets and 50 of the slightly larger A330 planes. Ten of the A330's will go to China Southern Airlines, the nation's largest carrier," the Times adds. The New York Times (free registration) says that with the deal, "Airbus now closing in on its goal of matching Boeing … in sales in China, the world's second-biggest market for commercial passenger aircraft behind the United States."

Still, despite the competition between the two manufacturers, sales have soared at both Boeing and Airbus. Both have secured record orders this year, according to the New York Times. "This is a remarkable golden era for aircraft sales," Martin Craigs of Aerospace Forum Asia, a Hong Kong-based aviation lobbying group, says to the New York Times. Ad for today's order, The Associated Press says that some industry observers say Airbus' decision to build a plant in China may have helped influence the order there, where Boeing has long been the dominant jetmaker.

More 777s will be flying to Amsterdam

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines says it has ordered three Boeing 737s and two extended-range Boeing 777s. "With its most recent order, KLM has six 777-300ERs on order and is scheduled to take delivery of its first one in the first quarter of next year. KLM's current fleet includes 15 777-200ERs, some of them owned, others leased," The Associated Press writes.

Florida to 'get a visit' from the A380

Don't rub your eyes if you think you see an Airbus A380 today in Orlando. The Orlando Business Journal (free registration) says "the world's largest passenger airliner … will be arriving at Orlando International Airport Tuesday afternoon from Montreal as part of its world tour to prove airport compatibility." Orlando will be "the 60th stop on the world tour and the only airport in the Southeast United States to get a visit," the publication says. Minneapolis/St. Paul and Los Angeles are also set to get the A380 this time around. The A380 is scheduled to be in Orlando until Thursday. So far, no A380 customers have put the superjumbojet on its schedule for a U.S. route.

United seeks 737 replacement, but Boeing says there are 'no plans'

United is pushing planemakers Airbus and Boeing to come up with plans for a new narrow-body plane model, according to a Bloomberg News report in the Chicago Tribune (free registration). United says it would like to add "the narrow-body equivalent" of a Boeing 787 or an Airbus A350 to its domestic fleet, United CFO Jake Brace says. But even if such a plane did come onto the market, Brace points out that it likely wouldn’t be ready for delivery until 2015, at the earliest.

"We've got the fleet we have, and we'll have it for several years to come," Brace said. Bloomberg says "United's oldest aircraft are 18-year-old 737s." As for Boeing, spokeswoman Sandra Angers says "we are talking to our customers on a one-on-one basis to get insights on what the requirements would be, but there are no plans to replace the 737 at this point. This is still very much a study."

Saudi prince adds A380 to the 747 already in his private collection

There's apparently nothing too good for the Saudi royal family –- including the Airbus A380 superjumbo jet. Reuters says Prince Alwaleed bin Talal "has become the first person to buy the ultimate status symbol — his own A380 superjumbo jet." Airbus made that announcement today, saying the billionaire Saudi prince is the "mystery buyer" of a VIP version of the A380 also dubbed as the "Flying Palace." The buyer's identity had been closely guarded for months, but Airbus unveiled the identity to coincide with the Dubai Air Show. The price of the prince's A380 was not released, though the non-discounted list price for airlines buying the jet is more than $300 million, Reuters says.

Still, owning such a big jet may not be a big deal to the prince. He also owns a Boeing 747-400, though that's not as big as the A380, which now holds the distinction of being the world's largest commercial aircraft. Forbes magazine pegs Prince Alwaleed –- Citigroup's largest individual shareholder –- as the world's 13th richest person. Reuters notes "Prince Alwaleed confirmed the order despite seeing $2.5 billion wiped off his personal fortune the past month due to a slide in the shares of … Citigroup." Who could be next non-airline owner of an A380? "Aviation experts say it is only a matter of time before big spenders like Chelsea soccer club owner Abramovich are courted by Airbus and rival Boeing," Reuters writes.

By Karim Sahib, AFP/Getty Images.

'Largest-ever aircraft' order boosts Airbus in rivalry with Boeing

Airbus may be poised to pass Boeing in the annual race for new aircraft orders following a day of whopping jet orders at the Dubai Air Show. "Airbus … and its engine-makers have so far clocked up orders at the biennial Dubai Air Show of $46.5 billion, including options," while Boeing has racked up $30.4 billion, Reuters writes. The value of the orders are at list prices, though airlines typically negotiate discounts. Still, the orders are topping today's airline industry headlines

The biggest headline grabber? That would be Emirates, which placed an order valued at nearly $35 billion and one described by The Associated Press as "massive" and "historic." Emirates' order, which will nearly double the size of its current passenger fleet, calls for 93 new aircraft -– 78 from the European planemaker and 12 from U.S. rival Boeing. In addition, Emirates placed an option to buy 50 additional Airbus planes. "This is the largest-ever aircraft commitment in civil aviation made by any airline in a single order," Emirates chief Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said in a statement.

Calling Emirates' order a "setback for Boeing's new 787 jetliner," the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says the carrier "ordered 70 A350 jets and 11 superjumbo A380s." By contrast, the paper says Boeing "was basically shut out, settling for confirmation of Emirates' previously booked order of 12 777-300ERs." Airbus' A350 model is a direct competitor to Boeing's 787. The Post-Intelligencer says when asked why Emirates went with Airbus, President Tim Clark said: "The 787-9 wasn't suitable for us, and the 787-10 wasn't available to us." Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Scott Carson responded: "Obviously, Boeing would like to win every venture we're involved in. We didn't have the airplane they wanted at this time."

Airbus' strong showing so far at the Dubai Air Show could also help propel it past Boeing in "the annual orders race," The Seattle Times writes. But Boeing hasn't performed poorly. AP notes that Qatar Airways ordered 27 Boeing 777 jets as "part of its plan to double its 58-strong fleet to 110 aircraft by 2010." And despite the Airbus-Boeing rivalry, both have gotten a boost from recent orders -- especially those from the Middle East. "With their economies booming amid soaring energy prices, oil-rich Middle East nations, in particular the United Arab Emirates, have been plowing money into ambitious airline expansion programs that are a boon for the aircraft manufacturers," AP writes.

Photo courtesy of Emirates.

Mixed bag: Boeing nears sales record, 787 schedule 'optimistic'

U.S. planemaker Boeing is on pace for a sales total that Reuters says would "smash last year's record" and "prove that airlines' demand for new aircraft shows no sign of slowing." Boeing's year-to-date sales figures –- which include this week's 17-jet order from Cathay Pacific -– have soared to 956, according to Reuters, which points out Boeing has performed especially well in the "lucrative" market for widebody jets. "That means Boeing is quickly closing in on last year's record tally of 1,044 net orders, with next week's Dubai Airshow promising further purchase announcements. At this time last year, Boeing had fewer than 800 orders for the year," Reuters says. The news agency adds "Boeing handily beat Airbus" for total orders last year, but says 2007 "promises to be a closer contest."

Despite strong sales, however, Boeing faces concerns over schedule projections for its highly anticipated Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The latest warning comes from comments made by the CEO of AerCap Holdings, one of the world's biggest plane-leasing groups. "Before 2008 is over, the delay (on the 787) may be a little more than what Boeing currently admits to," AerCap chief Klaus Heinemann said to Reuters on Thursday. "The current assessment of the delay by Boeing is generally viewed in the market as an optimistic assessment." If 787 delays do end up being worse than expected, Reuters writes "the issue could prove costly for Boeing if it has to compensate airlines for late deliveries, as Airbus did for delays of up to two years on its A380 superjumbo."

Emirates fleet hits the century mark; carrier has big plans for 777

Fast-growing carrier Emirates announced today that it has taken delivery of its 100th passenger aircraft, a long-range Boeing 777-300ER. The addition brings Emirates' fleet to a total of 111 aircraft, if 11 cargo planes are included.

In a press release, the United Arab Emirates-based carrier says its "fast-expanding fleet, which has added one new aircraft per month on average, now comprises 53 Boeing 777s: two Boeing 777-200LRs, nine 777-200s, 12 777-300s, and 30 777-300ERs. Emirates currently operates Boeing 777-300ERs on the two non-stop New York-Dubai flights and will fly a new Boeing 777-200LR on its new non-stop service from Houston to Dubai, launching Dec. 3. The airline is set to become the largest Boeing 777 operator in the world with another 45 of this aircraft type on order."

Photo: Dubai International Airport, courtesy of Emirates.

'U.S. airlines put off buying new planes'

That subject likely won't surprise anyone who has flown on a big U.S. carrier recently, but it's the headline from a Saturday story in The New York Times (free registration). The Times writes "the fleet of big jets operated by nine major domestic airlines has aged steadily since 2002, according to Airline Monitor, an aviation research firm. The average age was 10.6 years at the end of 2002, and it has risen each year, hitting 12.2 years at the end of 2006. Domestic airlines largely stopped ordering new planes after Sept. 11, 2001, shrinking their fleets to adjust to a drop in demand."

Collectively, the number of new-jet orders by the biggest U.S. carriers does not yet appear to be enough to reverse the trend in the near future. "In essence a new generation of jetliners — bigger, more comfortable, more fuel efficient — is largely bypassing domestic airlines and their customers," the Times says. CreditSights analyst Roger King predicts the trend will endure for about five more years, adding: "The fleet is aging almost one-for-one with the calendar." The biggest impact of the aging fleet, however, may simply come down to aesthetics. The Times writes "older planes are safe, experts said," thanks mostly to federal oversight on aging aircraft since a 1988 incident put the subject in the spotlight. Today, older planes are subjected to increased inspection and maintenance procedures, the Times says.

But the older planes are being noticed by fliers, with many complaining the older jets are dingy and dirty. Indeed, the Times points out that "airplane cleaning became something of a lost art during the industry's deep post-Sept. 11 swoon. Airlines are increasing the frequency of cleaning again, but still have some catching up to do." The Times adds the older jets "contribute to the general unpleasantness of air travel these days" and says "they are often noisier and less comfortable than newer models. They are delayed by mechanical problems more frequently than new planes and often have built-up grime in passenger spaces."

So with profits now returning to most big airlines, why aren't they ramping orders for new jets? The Times says U.S. "airlines could afford to buy more planes" but that most are using available cash "to pay down debt or as a financial cushion after lean years when much of the industry took a tour through bankruptcy court." Demands to share in profits are also coming from both labor and shareholders, something that obviously dents the prospect for buying new jets.

United fleet renewal unlikely to start before 2009

Count the nation's second-biggest carrier among the big U.S. airlines with an aging fleet (see above). And that's not likely to change in the near future. United "expects to make few fleet changes in 2008 and may perhaps slightly reduce its aircraft inventory as it maintains a rigid focus on controlling cost," writes aviation website flightglobal.com. "The fleet we have right now is the fleet we're going to want next year," says United CFO Jake Brace.

During the third quarter, flightglobal.com says United "channeled capital expenses away from buying new aircraft to completing refinancing deals and paying down debt. United spent $150 million to purchase three previously leased aircraft at more favorable terms." If the company looks to expand, Brace says "we could adjust upward with some additional regional capacity. [But] with fuel this high it's unlikely we're going to want to do that."

Photo by Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY.

It's official: Airbus A380 enters commercial service

Singapore Airlines completed its first commercial A380 flight this morning "with 455 passengers, some of them ensconsed in luxury suites and double beds," The Associated Press reports. The seven-hour flight –- appropriately numbered Singapore Airlines Flight 380 -– went from Singapore to Sydney, Australia. AP says "passengers clapped as the plane disengaged from the dock on schedule at 8 a.m. More cheers broke out 16 minutes later as the double-decker plane, powered by four Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines, soared into the nearly cloudless sky, tinged pink by the light of the early morning sun. Flight attendants handed out champagne and certificates to passengers, some of whom paid tens of thousands of dollars in an online auction for the seats to be part of aviation history."

On board, the Times of London says "passengers turned (the) long-haul flight into an airborne party."  What were the highlights? Singapore's premium seats –- which the carrier bills as "a class beyond first" -– drew a lot of attention. The Sydney Morning Herald/AFP says that section's 12 "suites are compartments featuring a full-length bed behind sliding doors, sheets by French design house Givenchy and television screens the width of a briefcase. Couples can even put two suites together to make a double bed." Julian Hayward, a Briton living in Australia, sat in the "beyond first" section, something he got for his $110,000 bid for a seat on the inaugural flight. The experience was "everything you can imagine," he says to AFP.

Others remarked on how quiet the A380 was. "I was impressed," California resident Thomas Lee tells the Times. The paper writes Lee "was invited by Singapore Airlines as a special guest because he was also on the maiden flight of the Boeing 747 nearly four decades ago." Lee says: "The 747 was a lot louder." For travelers hoping to snag an A380 seat on a future Singapore flight, Bloomberg News says "suites will cost at least 20% more than a first-class ticket on a Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400, the company said. Economy seats on the Singapore-Sydney route will cost about $1,000."

Airbus was about two years late in delivering the A380 to Singapore, but that does not seem to have dampened the airline's desire for more. "We have already returned to Airbus once to upsize our order for the A380," Singapore Air CEO Chew Choon Seng tells The Wall Street Journal (subscription required). "This delivery will take us to the end of the decade."

Photo credit: The Airbus A380 superjumbo taxis before take off from Singapore's Changi Airport. By Vivek Prakash, Reuters.

A380 set for first flight, but don't expect U.S. trips soon

From USA TODAY: "Jason Speer plans to be part of history on Thursday in Singapore when he and about 470 other travelers board the first-ever commercial flight of the new Airbus A380. But the 32-year-old Chicago-area manufacturing executive and aviation enthusiast is likely to remain for many years among a relatively small group of Americans to experience travel aboard the massive double-decker A380."

"No U.S. carrier has ordered one, and the rollout of the superjumbo worldwide promises to be slow. Only 13 of the planes are scheduled to be built in 2008. Another 25 are scheduled in 2009. After trying to sell the plane for seven years, Airbus, its European manufacturer, has only 189 orders. 'There's about a dozen cities in the world that can truly accommodate this big of an airplane,' says Richard Aboulafia, aviation manufacturing analyst at The Teal Group in Fairfax, Va. 'London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney — cities like those. You probably won't even see this plane in Chicago, at least not regularly, or any time soon.'" Read the full story.

NWA's international fleet gets younger, but DC-9s still flying

Long known for having one of the oldest domestic fleets in the USA, Northwest is now touting an international fleet that it claims is one of the youngest in North America. The carrier took delivery of its 32nd Airbus A330 aircraft this week, "which primarily is used on flights to Asia and Europe," the Minneapolis Star Tribune (free registration) writes. The new aircraft are part of NWA's $6 billion fleet-renewal plan, which also calls for new Boeing 787 Dreamliners to be delivered to the airline in late 2008 or 2009. The Associated Press notes that as recently as 2000 NWA "was still flying 40 DC-10s, some of them built in the late 1960s, and 21 Boeing 747-200s. Those are all gone now."

Northwest's 32nd A330 is "the final aircraft of an order that began deliveries in 2003," AP writes.  NWA CEO Doug Steenland says: "With this delivery we now have the youngest international fleet of any North American carrier." He adds that the A330 "is 30% more fuel efficient than the DC-10 airplanes that it's been replacing." In response to rising fuel costs, Steenland says NWA -– and other big carriers -– have begun to adjust the business plans. Steenland tells the Star Tribune airlines "have all reduced domestic capacity, and I think that has created a better alignment between supply and demand," he said. 

For U.S. routes, however, AP says NWA has "less to show off on its domestic fleet. … While Northwest is quickly modernizing its regional service with new 76-seat jets, much of its mainline domestic flying is still done with DC-9's, which generally seat around 100 people. Steenland tells the St. Paul Pioneer Press (free registration) that the airline will likely hold off until next on making a decision on replacing that aging aircraft model. He tells the newspaper NWA's decision on a replacement aircraft will depend –- in part –- on if whether there are "technology developments down the road worth waiting for." For example, the development of a new 100-seat aircraft made of lighter carbon composites could be an attractive option, Steenland says. NWA's 108 DC-9s have an average age of 35 years, the Pioneer Press says.

Sizing up the A380

The Airbus A380 could seat 853 passengers in a typical all-economy-class configuration. "A stretched version expected to be developed in the future could seat more than 1,000 passengers," Reuters writes in an extensive list of facts that it says "sizes up the A380." Among the others: British airport operator "BAA alone has budgeted $917.8 million to build larger facilities to handle the planes; The A380 is the second-biggest plane ever built; It is topped by (Russia's) six-engine Antonov An-225 Mriya cargo plane, of which only two have been built; With typical first class, business and economy cabins, the A380 will seat 555 passengers. A 747 laid out the same way seats 416." Check out Reuters' list for more A380 facts.

And those clamoring for photos should head to the BBC's website for an A380 slideshow. The first slide doesn't appear to work, but advancing to slide No. 2 seems to get it started.

'Well worth the wait:' Airbus delivers first A380

European planemaker Airbus delivered its first Airbus A380 this morning, handing the plane off nearly two years late to launch-customer Singapore Airlines, The Associated Press reports. "Until now, the A380 has been Airbus' baby. Today we are here to celebrate this beautiful mature aircraft coming of age," Airbus President Thomas Enders said at this morning's "handover ceremony," which AP says included "a sound and light show." Airbus designed its double-decker jet to seat about 550 in a typical configuration, though Singapore Air has configured its A380 to seat just 471, according to CNN.

Still, Enders acknowledged the fallout from the A380's delayed debut. "I realize how unsettling these last times, particularly the last 18 months, have been," Enders said, publicly thanking Airbus' A380 customers for their patience and support. As for Singapore Airlines, CEO Chew Choon Seng said the A380 was "well worth the wait." Airbus' Enders said the boosting production to meet its demand for the jet "remains our greatest challenge for the next few years."

On that note, Bloomberg News writes that Airbus "has yet to convince investors it will overcome production delays and reverse losses." Scott Babka, an analyst at Morgan Stanley in London, told Bloomberg he thought the initial A380 delivery was "an important step in marketing the plane, but I wouldn't say it takes them out of the woods. The next step is showing they can ramp up to a full production rate of 40 a year by 2010.'' Airbus originally projected it would break even on the A380 with its 270th delivery of the jet, but that break-even number has ballooned to 420 following the model's costly delay problems. AP says Airbus currently "has logged 189 orders or firm commitments for the plane."

BREAKING NEWS: Boeing says it will be late with 787 deliveries

Boeing's Dreamliner model will not be delivered on time, after all. The Associated Press is reporting that the company is "delaying initial deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner by six months due to continued challenges in completing assembly of the first airplanes, the company said Wednesday. Boeing said deliveries that had been scheduled to begin next May will be pushed back to late November or December 2008. The first flight, already pushed back once from the initial target of earlier this fall, now is anticipated around the end of the first quarter of 2008."

Boeing had been scheduled to deliver its first 787 to Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways this May, but that will now slide to late next year. Previously, Boeing had steadfastly said it would be able to meet the May delivery date even as delays began to creep into its production schedule. The company first acknowledged such delays this summer, according to AP. Despite the new delivery date, however, Boeing says it does not expect the delay to significantly effect its earnings for next year.

"We are disappointed over the schedule changes that we are announcing today," Boeing CEO Jim McNerney is quoted as saying by AP. "Notwithstanding the challenges that we are experiencing in bringing forward this game-changing product, we remain confident in the design of the 787, and in the fundamental innovation and technologies that underpin it." Airbus, Boeing's European rival, has suffered catastrophic financial consequences after delays of about two years to its massive A380 superjumbo jet. That model is finally expected to make its first flight this month for Singapore Airlines.

Aviation buffs bid on pieces of the Concorde

Looking for that perfect conversation piece to impress your friends? How about a 1.2-tons of landing gear from the Concorde? Or what about a "a Mach-monitoring speedometer," also from the Concorde? The Associated Press says those "are perhaps the standout pieces on sale at a four-day auction in France" where hundreds of spare parts of the now-grounded supersonic jet are being sold to the public. AP says the auction got off to "a bumpy start" today after event organizers had to remove five smoke detectors from the bidding "amid concerns about radiation risk." Not to fear, however. AP says "aerospace buffs were unfazed," making a Concorde filling valve the first item to go. It sold for $638, more than double what organizers had expected.

"This sale is aimed at two types of buyers: collectors who are crazy about the Concorde, but also nostalgic people looking for a last souvenir of the supersonic jet," says auctioneer Marc Labarbe. The pieces up for bidding "aren't just mechanical parts, they also have an aesthetic dimension — all while bearing one of the best trademarks: Concorde." Among the other items up for bid are cockpit gauges, a cabin oven, plate-and-silverware sets and a Concorde toilet seat. AP says the proceed of the auction "will go toward a planned airplane museum and park in Toulouse." As for landing gear, that's being valued between $2,800 and $4,200.

New Amsterdam route buoys DFW's international service

Beginning March 30, Dutch carrier KLM begins daily nonstop service between Dallas/Fort Worth and Amsterdam. The carrier will operate one daily round-trip flight on the route using Airbus A330-200 jets with 30 business-class seats and 221 in coach. The new service is seen as a victory for Dallas/Fort Worth International, which the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (free registration) says "has been working for several years to woo KLM and finally closed the deal in recent weeks." The paper notes DFW "spent more than $1.4 billion on (a) new terminal in the hopes of attracting more international carriers." Pieter Elbers, KLM's senior vice president of networks, tells the Star-Telegram "we felt like the time was right. We're expanding into the U.S. again, and DFW is naturally one of our first choices."

Elbers tells The Dallas Morning News (free registration) that business traffic will be crucial to the route, though he adds some leisure traffic is expected. "We do see both components," he says. "Obviously, markets with very little business potential are difficult to operate. That's why we as an alliance are not operating into Orlando, for example. That's more a leisure destination. The whole schedule is geared to the business traveler." KLM is part of the SkyTeam frequent-flier alliance that includes Northwest, Delta and Continental as U.S. members. In a press release, KLM notes its DFW service will be operated "in cooperation with" codeshare partner Northwest Airlines. "In North America, we're the face of KLM," Nathaniel Pieper, vice president of alliances for Northwest," says to the Star-Telegram.

"This is what our International Terminal D is all about –- bringing new international service and choices to our 60 million passengers. That is why we built this building -- to be a magnet for new international business and tourism opportunities for North Texas," DFW CEO Jeff Fegan says in a press release. "Our international service continues to expand, and now with a record number of international destinations (38) for our passengers, we're poised to add even more new service in the future."

New jetliners .... from Russia, with high hopes

Could flying on a Russian-made jetliner become as common as boarding on a Boeing 737 or a Bombardier regional jet? "The Kremlin is hoping so," writes Forbes.com, which says Russia "has added commercial aviation to the growing portfolio of global industries that it is hoping to become a major player in." Russia appears to be staking its commercial aviation hopes on a jetliner called the Superjet 100, which was officially unveiled this week along "massive ambitions for the plane," Forbes says. The plane is the first-ever commercial aircraft for Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi, a company that Bloomberg News notes is "better known for warplanes."

Deputy prime minister and presidential hopeful Sergei Ivanov was among a number of influential Russian politicians on hand for the high-profile launch of the Superjet 100. Reuters says Sukhoi hopes to sell as many as 1,000 of its Superjet planes, with up to 700 of those going to foreign carriers. Reuters writes President Vladimir Putin "wants to revive Russian aviation, shattered by the collapse of the Soviet Union, as a way of touting the country's growing industrial and technical might." Russia hopes "to secure at least 10% of the world airliner market with new passenger jets and to take third place among aircraft-producing countries by 2015-2018."

Media reports say versions of the Superjet will seat as few as 78 passengers on smaller models and as many as 120 on bigger variants. Bloomberg says "while smaller variants already unveiled will compete with planes from Bombardier of Canada and (Embraer) of Brazil," the larger model announced this week "may take sales away from the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 series." Sukhoi CEO Mikhail Pogosyan, however, says his company does not plan to compete with Airbus and Boeing in the market for larger jets. Rueters notes that "Boeing advised Sukhoi on the concept of the Superjet."

AP says the Superjet will help replace the "fast-aging" fleets of Tupolev Tu-134s, Yakovlev Yak-42s "and other Soviet-era designs (that) fail to meet (modern) international standards." The Superjet will have a range of about 2,800 miles. "We have every right to call it a Superjet," Ivanov is quoted as saying by The Moscow Times. "The Superjet is more than a plane, it is a priority project," he adds. (Check out a Superjet 100 photo gallery on CNET News.com.)

Photo credit: Both photos of Sukhoi's Superjet 100 on Sept. 26 in Russia's far-eastern city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur. By Yuri Maltsev, Reuters.

British Airways order analyzed as part of Boeing vs. Airbus battle

British Airways' announced to day a big new plane order (see below), a move that caps "one of the most closely watched and hard-fought competitions between Airbus and The Boeing Co. in several years," writes Seattle Post-Intelligencer aerospace reporter James Wallace. He says "although the order represents another big endorsement for the 787 from one of the world's best-known airlines, Boeing did not score the big win that it was hoping for. Boeing was offering British Airways its new 747-8 Intercontinental, but the airline instead opted for the bigger A380."

So far, Wallace says, Lufthansa is Boeing's only customer for the 747-8 Intercontinental. Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group aviation-consulting firm tells Wallace that a BA order for the 747-8 "would be nice to have" for Boeing. "But for Boeing, this is not exactly a struggling business case," he adds. The Post-Intelligencer's Wallace writes that while "much attention has been focused on the 747 vs. A380 battle, the British Airways campaign also featured an important showdown between the Dreamliner and the redesigned Airbus A350 XWB (extra-wide body)."

He writes the "the decision by British Airways to go with Boeing's 787 will be seen by some in the industry as a setback for the A350." The Teal Group's Aboulafia predicts to Wallace that "it is very unlikely there will eventually be a carrier of any consequence without 787s." Boeing already has 710 firm orders from 50 customers for the 787, according to Wallace.

BA places largest aircraft order in 9 years, says A380s poised to fly to West Coast

British Airways today placed its largest aircraft order in nine years, dividing its order between U.S. jetmaker Boeing and European rival Airbus. BA ordered 24 Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets and 12 Airbus A380 superjumbo jets, with options for 18 additional 787s and 7 more  A380s. Despite the spilt order, however, Reuters says BA "ended decades of loyalty to Boeing's 747 jumbo" with the A380 order.

The Associated Press adds the newly ordered jets will allow BA "to replace 34 of the airline's long-haul fleet of Boeing 747-400s," with delivery of the new aircraft expected between 2010 and 2014. AP says the move allows BA to "to expand its capacity by up to 4% per year and give it more flexibility in tailoring its future capacity growth."

Industry observers tell AP the orders will help BA keep up with rivals –- such as Virgin Atlantic –- that have been more aggressive this decade in expanding and refreshing their long-haul fleets. AP notes "Virgin's passenger total grew 16% last year, eight times the growth at BA." Bloomberg News adds that the new jets could also help BA "fend off business-only carriers." JP Morgan analyst Chris Avery says "British Airways needed to grow or face profit stagnation. BA has not expanded its long-haul fleet since 9/11, while competitors such as Virgin and the new business-class carriers have.'' As for BA's A380 order, Marketwatch.com describes that as giving Airbus' " A380 program a major shot in the arm."

How will BA use its new aircraft? CEO Willie Walsh says the A380s will be used at London Heathrow, helping BA boost capacity at an airport where landing and takeoff slots are extraordinarily difficult to come by. Reuters says the A380 will fly between London and the U.S. West Coast and to destinations such as Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa. The 787s "will be used to open up new routes and increase the frequency of flights on existing ones," Reuters adds. (See brief above for related content.)

Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP.

Nostalgic flight commemorates Air Canada's 70th birthday

Aviation buffs in Vancouver and Seattle were treated to the sighting of a rare aircraft this week. The historic plane –- a Lockheed L-10 Electra –- landed yesterday at Seattle's Boeing Field, arriving from Vancouver on a flight commemorating Air Canada's 70th anniversary.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes that the L-10 Electra is the same type "that Amelia Earhart was flying when she disappeared in July 1937 on her attempted around-the-world flight. On Sept. 1 that year, just a couple of months after Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan went missing over the Pacific, another Lockheed L-10 Electra landed at Boeing Field. It carried two passengers in wicker seats, and mail from Vancouver, B.C. The flight was the first by fledging Trans-Canada Air Lines."

Trans-Canada today is known as Air Canada and the L-10 Electra that reenacted its original flight is the only one in the world still flying, according to the Post-Intelligencer. "You'll see smoke coming out of the engines -- that's normal," Capt. Jim Mason told what The Province newspaper of Vancouver called "a skeptical media entourage" as the group boarded the flight. "It's got the best air-conditioning of any plane. We just open the window," Mason added with a laugh. The Vancouver Sun adds that the L-10 Electra flight "is a big change of pace from the Boeing 777s and Airbus A340s he flies for a living." The Sun says Mason is part of a volunteer crew that helps maintain Air Canada's L-10 Electra. "It's all done on days off but it's worth it to keep the heritage of TCA alive," Mason said about the aircraft.

Photo courtesy of Air Canada/Brian Losito.

PHOTO GALLERY: Lockheed L-10 Electra, by The Province.

PHOTO GALLERY: Specialty aircraft designs, by USA TODAY.

Delta adding 777s

In case you missed this from last week, Delta will exercise options to buy two Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free registration). The 777s are to delivered in 2008 and 2009 and will help Delta with its international expansion. The Journal-Constitution says "with the move, disclosed in a securities filing Wednesday, Delta has eight of the big jets on order for delivery through 2009. That will double the airline's current fleet of eight 777s."

Singapore's A380 eBay auction raises $1.25M for charity

Singapore Airlines says it raised $1.25 million by auctioning off seats through eBay on its inaugural round-trip flight on the A380 superjumbo jet. The carrier will be the first in the world to put the A380 into commercial service next month. Singapore's first A380 flight will fly from Singapore to Sydney on Oct. 25 and return Oct. 26. The carrier is selling nearly all of its seats on that round-trip flight and donating the proceeds to charity. "Luxury suites on the Sydney-Singapore leg and 24 seats in the business and economy classes in both directions remained up for auction until the end of this week," The Associated Press says. Flightglobal.com says the most expensive seat in the inaugural round-trip went for $100,380 while the cheapest was sold for $560.

Meanwhile, Singapore says it will use its first A380 for its daily round-trip service between Singapore and Sydney. The A380 will replace one of the three Boeing 747-400 aircraft it currently flies the route with, according to Singapore Air. Singapore also announced its layout for the A380 (see below).

Singapore Airlines unveils 471-seat layout for A380

Singapore Airlines, the world's first carrier to fly the A380, has released its configuration plans for its model of the superjumbo jet. Air Transport World notes the airline had previously announced its planned capacity –- 471 seats –- but now has offered more details. In a press release, Singapore says its A380s will be configured with "12 Singapore Airlines Suites (on the main deck), 60 Business Class (on the upper deck) and 399 Economy Class seats (on both decks)."

Singapore adds that its business- and coach-class cabin products are modeled on those launched in late 2006 on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The carrier adds its new Singapore Airlines Suites "will be unveiled at the delivery of the A380 in October, and will feature the ultimate inflight luxury, in a class beyond First."

Flightglobal.com posts images of Singapore's A380 layout on its website. The publication adds the images show that "there are four main cabins on the main deck of the aircraft, with 'Suites' class at the front and three economy cabins with 311 seats stretching to the rear in 3-4-3 configuration. Much of the upper deck is filled with the 60 business class seats in 1-2-1 configuration in two cabins, followed by 88 economy seats, most of them in 2-4-2 configuration." Check out the layout images at flightglobal.com.

Horizon schedule in disarray after safety warning grounds Q400s

Alaska Air subsidiary Horizon Air canceled more than 100 flights today after aircraft manufacturer Bombardier advised airlines to ground some Q400-model turboprops. Bombardier asked airlines to ground about 60 of the 160 Q400 aircraft currently used for commercial flying after two incidents in Europe raised safety concerns. Landing gear failures were noted in both accidents, though there were no fatalities. "All Q400s with more than 10,000 cycles -- comprising a takeoff and landing -- should be grounded until they're inspected, Montreal-based Bombardier said today," Bloomberg News writes.

Horizon flies 19 Q400s and told The Associated Press that grounding the aircraft will force the cancellation of about 25% of its daily flight schedule. Horizon officials worried delays could linger. "Based on the amount of time that the aircraft may have to be out of service, that could impact further flights today or in the coming days," Horizon spokeswoman Caroline Boren said this morning. Cities that had Horizon flights canceled included: Spokane, Bellingham and Pasco, Wash.; Portland and Eugene, Ore.; Boise and Idaho Falls, Idaho; Billings, Bozeman and Kalispell, Mont.; Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, and Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta.

Alaska Air added 14 flights to help Horizon pick up the slack, and Horizon said it was doing all it could to find accommodations for passengers affected by the Q400 cancellations. Meanwhile, despite the incidents, the Bombardier may see only limited fallout, some industry analysts suggested. Cameron Doerksen of Versant Partners in Montreal said Bombardier has had "teething problems" with its twin-engine Q400. "This is clearly some bad press, but I don't think it will impact an airline's decision to buy the plane," he added.

Emirates president says 787 delay inevitable

"It would have been a miracle for Boeing to have flown the 787 on time," Emirates President Tim Clark tells Air Transport World (ATW) for a story on the publication's website. Clark adds to ATWOnline that any possible delay with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner model would not be a factor as Emirates looks at both 787 and the Airbus A350 for future orders. Clark tells ATWOnline he thinks the 787 will be "one of the finest aircraft ever built. … If you think about it, there is just so much new technology in the 787; it is no surprise at all there is a short delay and the supply chain has let [Boeing] down." Though Boeing still says its first 787 will be delivered on time for commercial service in May, the company has pushed back its planned flight tests by several months.

Clark also talked to ATWOnline about the company's efforts to work with Boeing on a version of the 747. ATW writes Clark "is bullish that the company will get the 747-8I right for the Emirates range specification. … When Boeing stretched the -8I to the same length as the 747-8F, it traded extra capacity for range, which did not suit Emirates' ultra-long-range missions from Dubai." ATWOnline says Boeing is working to reduce the model's weight so Emirates can fly a year-round Dubai-Los Angeles flight with a passenger capacity of 400. 

Will airports get their 'payback' for the A380?

Many of the first airlines that will fly the Airbus A380 are choosing to put fewer seats than first projected on their versions of the jet, a move that could be bad for airports, according to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required). Early A380 customers such as Singapore Air and Qantas are outfitting their A380s with fewer seats than the 555-seat average first projected by Airbus. Instead, the early A380 customers appear to be hoping that a more spacious seating configuration will woo elite high-fare customers. The Journal says "that isn't ideal for hub airports such as London's Heathrow and New York's John F. Kennedy. They and others have invested huge sums into accommodating the A380 based on the assumption it will help them expand passenger traffic without adding to congestion or breaching limits on aircraft movements."

The Journal says the reduced number of passengers now expected to fly on the first batch of A380 flights likely will dampen the financial boost airports first expected from the superjumbo. The paper says that's "because the charges that airports levy on airlines are normally based on the number of passengers being flown in or out on each airplane." The lower passenger number also means fewer potential customers at the airport who might otherwise purchase duty-free goods, food, drinks and other items that generate revenue for airports. "Airports can justifiably feel disappointed," Doug McVitie of aerospace consulting firm Arran Aerospace tells the Journal. "To get the payback on that [investment], they need the passengers," he adds.

787 testing falls behind, but Boeing says 1st delivery still on track

There's been a new delay announced for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner model. Flight-testing on the fast-selling 787 now won't start until between mid-November and mid-December. The Associated Press says that is "months later than originally planned" and is "because it's taking longer than anticipated to get the first plane ready, the head of the company's commercial airplanes unit said Wednesday." Boeing had already pushed pack its first planned testing of the 787 to October after initially hoping to begin testing as soon as late August.

Still, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Scott Carson tells The Seattle Times that the company still thinks it will be able to deliver its first Dreamliner to Japan's All Nippon Airways by May, as scheduled. Mike Bair, head of the 787 program, tells The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) that Boeing has built in "buffer time" to account for items that could take longer than Boeing expected. Bair did acknowledge, however, that Boeing is now about out of buffer time, the Journal says.

Could the pushback spell trouble for Boeing? Perhaps, but the company may be OK for now. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes "several industry analysts agreed that Wall Street is less concerned whether first flight is further delayed. Rather, Wall Street wants to know … how Boeing can stay on schedule for its May delivery date." Boeing's Bair adds: "The most important thing is to meet our commitments and deliver the airplane on time. It is a voyage of discovery. Every time we run into an issue, we deal with it."

Iran: We won't let U.S. sanctions ground aviation fleet

Expect to see more Russian-made jetliners flying in the skies of Iran as U.S. sanctions affect Iran's aviation sector. The Associated Press writes that "U.S. sanctions ban the export of advanced technology to Iran, including spare parts for its fleet of U.S.-built Boeing aircraft. Pressure from Washington has also limited the transfer of equipment for Iran's European-made Airbus planes." Because of that, the Russian market now appears to be Iran's best option for updating the nation's commercial aviation fleet, Iranian aviation chief Saeed Hesami is quoted as saying to Iran's official IRNA news agency.

AP cites "a string of crashes in recent years involving Russian-made aircraft that have killed hundreds of people," but Iranian officials seem undeterred. "We have no option but to buy Russian planes because we have to meet the air transportation needs of the nation," Hesami tells IRNA. "Iran won't allow ... U.S. sanctions to ground its aviation fleet."

Man pays more than $100,000 for seats on first A380 flight

The highest bid –- so far –- for a spot on the inaugural flight of the Airbus A380 has come in at $100,380. That's what The Associated Press says an Australian businessman paid for a pair of seats on Singapore Airlines' first A380 flight between Singapore and Sydney. The airline is auctioning off spots on the 471-seat jet's inaugural Oct. 25 flight and will donate the proceeds to charity. Singapore's sale of its "first batch" of 102 seats on the flight has raised about $400,000, according to Channel NewsAsia. Other high bids from the auction's first round included a $5,000 "fare" for a coach seat. 

As for the Australian businessman, the Telegraph of London identified him as Julian Hayward, who says the one-way flight is well worth the bid. "It's been so long since we've had an aeronautical feat of engineering -– the 747 or even Concorde. I'm extremely excited to have the opportunity to be the first ever passenger, and even better that charities are benefiting from the maiden flight," he tells the paper. The Telegraph says the normal cost of a one-way Singapore Air flight to Sydney on the A380 is expected to be $3,391. Bidding for the remaining seats on the Singapore-to-Sydney flight ends this week, while the auction for seats on the return flight starts today and will run through Monday.

Boeing gets big order from China Southern

Boeing got a big order late yesterday from China Southern Airlines, which said it would buy 55 Boeing 737 jets. China Southern said it needs the aircraft to meet growing demand and to renew its fleet. China Southern is China's largest carrier by fleet size, and its newest order will be a mix of B737-700 and B737-800 jets, according to The Associated Press. Delivery of the new jets will come between May 2011 and October 2013. China Southern has been on a buying spree the past year, having previously ordered 37 B737-800s, six Boeing B777F freighters and 20 Airbus A320s.

Singapore to take its first A380 flight on Oct. 25

Singapore Airlines, which will be the world's first airline to fly the Airbus A380, will take its first delivery of the superjumbo jet on Oct. 15, the carrier announced this morning. Singapore's A380 delivery will be more than a year late because of production problems at Airbus, The Associated Press reports. Singapore's A380 will be handed over to the airline at a ceremony in Toulouse, France. Singapore said its first A380 will be configured with 471 seats in three classes. The airline has scheduled its inaugural A380 flight for Oct. 25, flying from Singapore to Sydney. The carrier will auction off all seats on eBay and donate the proceeds to charity.

Boeing 787's first flight falls behind schedule, paper reports

The first flight of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner model will be delayed, The Seattle Post Intelligencer says it has learned from "people familiar with the matter." The paper says the 787's first flight will now come in October, later than the September goal that Boeing executives had been shooting for. The Post-Intelligencer writes that the "delay will make it even more challenging and problematic to complete an aggressive flight-test program and get the new jet certified by regulators and delivered on time." The paper's sources say the main issue appears to come from the complexity of installing and integrating the aircraft's operational systems.

Will the delay threaten Boeing's delivery schedule for its first 787s? The Post-Intelligencer notes that Boeing CEO Jim McNerney acknowledged last month that the Dreamliner production schedule could slide to October. But, at the time, he said "we feel we could still deliver the plane on time even if we pushed a little beyond (the end of September). But that's not the plan. The plan is to fly by the end of September." The Post Intelligencer writes that "it is not clear how far into October it will be before the 787 is ready to fly." One source tells the paper "we are talking about more than a few days." Boeing would not confirm that the first flight has been pushed into October, saying only that the company still expects to deliver its first 787 on time in May.

Boeing pushes back Dreamliner's first flight, but says 787 won't be late

Boeing has pushed back the maiden flight of its 787 Dreamliner until late September, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Boeing had previously said it hoped to get the 787 in the air by late August or early September. With the first flight now pushed back until the second half of September, The Seattle Times writes Boeing is left with a "bare eight months, maybe fewer, to complete the tests before the first scheduled delivery." Says Boeing CEO Jim McNerney: "It is aggressive, but it hangs together. And so off we go, and we think we can do it." McNerney tells the Post-Intelligencer that Boeing still expects to deliver its first Dreamliner on time to All Nippon Airways in May.

Today's photo: Is that a new kangaroo at Qantas?

The picture here shows a Qantas 767 passenger jet, left, with the new version of Qantas' flying kangaroo logo at Australia's Sydney airport Tuesday. The Qantas jet passing from the right has the current logo. AP writes that Qantas -- Australia's national carrier -- "unveiled it's new logo ... in Sydney Tuesday."

The Herald Sun of Melbourne says it's the "first change to the flying kangaroo livery in more than 20 years when the airborne marsupial lost its wings." The paper writes "the new kangaroo … has been reshaped to include giant feet and a rather distended belly, all in the name of the airline remaining 'contemporary and relevant.' " The Sydney Morning Herald says "the change in logo was needed to accommodate a new carbon-fiber panel on the 450-seat Airbus A380. It will take six years to repaint all Qantas's 188 aircraft." Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti tells the Morning Herald there are some "no-paint areas" on the A380. "If we had to have overlaid the old logo, it would have chopped off the feet of our kangaroo," he says. "We believe it didn't need radical redesign," Borghetti adds.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) writes that Qantas "became the first airline yesterday to unveil plans for the interior of the new super-jumbo Airbus A380s, showing off perks such as leather ottomans in first-class sections and electronically operated partition screens in business class. … Qantas says it will offer 450 seats in four different classes. The upper deck of its A380s will have 72 business-class seats, each with an 80-inch pitch -- the distance between each seat and the one directly in front of or behind it -- and a cocoon-style bed that lies flat. … Business passengers will have their own lounge with a self-service bar and sofas. The upper deck also will include 32 seats in Qantas's new premium economy class," the Journal says.

Photo By Mark Baker, AP. Click on the photo for a bigger image, or visit this link to a photo at airliners.net.)

Seats on world's first A380 flight to be sold through eBay

You'll have to use eBay if you want a ticket for Singapore Airlines' inaugural flight on the Airbus A380. In October, Singapore will become the world's first carrier to put the A380 superjumbo into commercial service. "In response to requests from people all over the world to be passengers on the first flight, Singapore Airlines will auction the seats on global online marketplace, eBay," Singapore Air says in a statement. The date of the first flight has not yet been set, though the airline expects to announce that soon. Once that is set, its auction will begin a few weeks before the flight. The airline will donate the proceeds to charity.

Those with winning bids will receive "a personalized ceremonial certificate confirming they were part of the first commercial A380 flight," The Associated Press reports. Singapore Air CEO Chew Choon Seng says snagging a seat on the flight "will be a moment in aviation history. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, on an aircraft that will mark a new chapter in air travel." Singapore says would-be A380 fliers can pre-register for more information at the airline's website.

United, AA latest to upgrade international biz-class cabins

United unveiled an overhaul to its international business-class section today, saying it would add amenities such as lie-flat seats, larger personal TVs, iPod adapters and noise canceling headphones. United's move comes as U.S. carriers increasingly target high-yield international travelers, especially those who buy expensive business-class tickets. "For those prepared to pay more money for value, we've been very much targeting improving the product," Graham Atkinson, United's executive vice president and chief customer officer, is quoted as saying by the Rocky Mountain News. "This is the epitome of that strategy. We believe it takes us well ahead of U.S. competitors and right up there with the best in the world."

The Associated Press cites figures that claim about 10% of business travelers pay as much as $10,000 per ticket for international business-class seats. Adding to that data, United's Atkinson tells AP that a recent survey by that company found 36% of the airline industry's revenue comes from just 8% of its customers. United expects to have its entire 97-plane international fleet of widebody 767s, 777s and 747s upgraded by 2009. Despite the overhaul, however, AP says United is a "relative latecomer in offering such extensive international service."

Meanwhile, The Denver Post writes that "with United's addition of lie-flat seats, it is reducing the number of first-class and business-class seats and maintaining or increasing the number of economy seats on overseas routes. The move could make it more costly to fly in style," the paper says. Henry Harteveldt, an analyst at Forrester Research, explains in the Post that fewer business-class seats mean it could become harder for customers to snag them at a discount or through an uprade. Bloomberg News writes that United "is betting that selling more coach tickets will make up for thinning out premium seats that require more room and sometimes go to travelers who aren't paying top fares."

American also made a business-class announcement this afternoon, unveiling its next-generation Boeing 777 business class seats at the National Business Travel Association conference in Boston. AA says its 777 business-class upgrades include lie-flat seats "with 5 independent motors," adjustable media players and a "unique track forward feature allowing passengers to move forward for added privacy."  The upgrades to AA's 47 Boeing 777s are expected to be completed by next year, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (free registration) wrote in a story last week that previewed today's news.

LAN Chile latest to put in big order for 787

Chile's LAN Airlines became the latest carrier to place a big order for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner model, saying it wants 32 of the jets by 2016. LAN says the deal -- which it values at about $3.2 billion -- would be the biggest investment in its history, The Associated Press reports. "This historic investment assures the future growth of the company," CEO Enrique Cueto said in a statement. LAN plans to use the 787s both to replace aging long-haul jets in its fleets and to eventually grow and add more international routes.

U.S. airlines could face Herculean task in replacing aging planes

Wondering when U.S. airlines will begin renewing their aging fleets? So is USA TODAY, which writes that "after a brutal half-decade in which the USA's airlines rang up $35 billion in losses, they're again profitable. But … the little money they're making isn't nearly enough to cover what they'll need to rejuvenate and enlarge their fleets in the next two decades. If projections by the plane-making giants, Airbus and Boeing, are to be believed, U.S. airlines could need as many as 9,000 new jets in the next 20 years. That could cost the industry nearly $1 trillion," the paper says. (Related item: How the big airlines stack up in fleet orders)

There may be some urgency to the issue. USA TODAY writes that "failure to launch the enormously expensive process soon could relegate the big U.S. carriers to flying antiquated aircraft for years while their foreign and low-cost domestic competitors fly newer, more fuel-efficient jets. The planes flown by the USA's six largest conventional network carriers are now, on average, 13.3 years old, according to industry tracker Back Aviation Solutions. That's the oldest ever for this group of airlines."

Well-maintained aircraft can fly safely for three decades or longer, but Randy Baseler –- who earlier this year retired as Boeing's chief airplane salesman -– says that eventually their upkeep becomes more expensive than buying replacements. He tells USA TODAY that the big U.S. airlines "are starting to get themselves in a bind. If they don't start taking deliveries now, they're never going to get caught up. They could end up with an even larger fleet that needs replacement in an even more desperate way." USA TODAY writes that Baseler points out that with a typical delivery rate of two per month, American would need 15 years to completely replace its 300 MD-80s, 1980s-era jetliners that compose about 45% of its fleet."

Airlines must get in line for 'sold out' aircraft

One of the toughest tasks for U.S. airlines looking to renew their aircraft fleets (see above) could simply be snagging a place in line. USA TODAY writes that "because of the worldwide scramble for new airliners, waiting to begin fleet replacement and expansion is a fast-expiring option for U.S. carriers. Boeing and Airbus are mostly sold out through 2010, with some models effectively sold out into 2013." The paper adds Continental "needed to secure its place in the already long delivery line for (Boeing 787) Dreamliners to avoid being stuck 15 years from now with uncompetitive old planes. That's why it ordered 20 Dreamliners in late 2004, and raised that order to 25 in May."

The 787 won't even make its first flight until later this year, and the last five ordered by Continental wont join the airline's fleet until 2013. "Normally, we wouldn't commit to aircraft as far out into the future as we committed to those last five 787s. But when we saw the demand being what it had become, we decided to go ahead," Gerry Laderman, Continental's treasurer and vice president of finance, tells USA TODAY. (Related item: How the big airlines stack up in fleet orders)

How the big airlines stack up in fleet orders

So, as U.S. airlines struggle with plans for fleet renewal (see above), which carriers are flying the oldest planes? USA TODAY writes that "among the big carriers, Northwest Airlines has the oldest fleet as measured by average age: 18 years, according to the company." But the paper adds that "not all big carriers face the same challenge. Continental continued to take deliveries of new planes in the post-9/11 era and has the youngest fleet of the bunch. Average age: less than 10 years." Another big U.S. airline, US Airways, made news last month at the Paris Air Show when it ordered 92 new Airbuses at an estimated cost of $10 billion. For more detailed information, check out this USA TODAY chart that shows "how the big airlines stack up in fleet orders."

Boeing nears 700 firm orders for the Dreamliner

Boeing racked up more than 50 new orders for its 787 Dreamliner model Friday and Saturday, giving the company a big boost as it unveiled the jet to the public. Air Transport World (ATW) says Australian carrier Qantas ordered an additional 20 787s on Friday. And, on Saturday, Air Berlin ordered 25 while ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Company of Kuwait signed on for 10, according to The Associated Press. ATW adds that it has "learned that Qatar Airways is the customer for 30 previously unidentified aircraft" and says that Qantas' order makes it "the 787's No. 1 airline customer with 65 orders. Overall, the number of orders for the long-haul Dreamliner has risen to 742, comprising 677 firm and 65 yet to be inked. Options and price rights lift the total to 1,082," ATW adds.

Where will Air Berlin fly with its new 787s?

Commenting on its decision to purchase 25 Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets (see above), European discounter Air Berlin says in a press release: "Long focused primarily on the low-fare market, Air Berlin will add long-haul destinations, with the ultra-efficient 787 serving as the cornerstone of its twin-aisle, long-haul fleet." The airline plans to take delivery of its first 787 in 2013.

With the new orders, however, it wasn't immediately clear if Air Berlin intends to fly the 787s on long-haul routes within Europe or whether the airline has ambitions to expand into new markets such as North America or Asia. Reuters notes the "midsized, long-range 787s ... can easily reach Asia and the United States from Germany." Flightglobal.com quotes Air Berlin CEO Joachim Hunold as saying the 787 will "secure a long-term future of the Air Berlin Group's long-haul capability," though Hunold says the jets will serve as fleet replacements.

Air Berlin also made news today with its stock rising nearly 5% on rumors that rivals Ryanair or Air France-KLM could be readying a takeover bid for the carrier. AP says "analysts, however, dismissed the idea of a takeover by either airline. They noted that Ryanair's business model of using smaller airports conflicted with that of Air Berlin, which flies to both big and small airports, and Air France-KLM has been focused on its own network." An Air Berlin spokesman told Reuters this morning that "we still know nothing about takeover plans for Air Berlin by others."

Airbus CEO: 'Today is Boeing's day'

In what it calls a "a rare tip of the hat to the competition," The Associated Press writes "Airbus congratulated Boeing on the 787, whose commercial success has chipped away at the edge the European plane maker once held over its Chicago-based rival." In a letter to Boeing chief Jim McNerney, Airbus co-CEO Louis Gallois says: "Even if tomorrow Airbus will get back to the business of competing vigorously, today is Boeing's day — a day to celebrate the 787. Today is a great day in aviation history. Whenever such a milestone is reached in our industry it is always a reflection of hard work by dedicated people inspired by the wonder of flight."

Reuters puts that in perspective, writing "Airbus and Boeing are the subject of a long-running EU-U.S. trade row over subsidies, and often jab at each other in the press. But the European company is most likely glad to cede the spotlight to Boeing since it puts pressure on the Chicago-based company to actually deliver the finished plane to customers. Airbus learned the dangers of over-exposure when its A380 superjumbo — unveiled amid massive celebration in 2005 — later stumbled on wiring problems, putting it two years behind schedule."

Dreamliner unveiled in 'aerospace-industry debutante party'

Boeing yesterday unveiled its first all-new jet since 1995, showing the public its 787 Dreamliner model in what The Wall Street Journal described as (subscription required) "the equivalent of an aerospace-industry debutante party." The paper says "amid fanfare usually associated with the visit of a pope or a president, the ceremony at its Everett, Wash., manufacturing facility was to be broadcast world-wide on satellite TV in nine different languages. In the Seattle area, Boeing was expecting so much interest that it has rented out the Seattle Seahawks' football stadium so that those who aren't on the 15,000-person A-list to witness it personally at the factory can watch on a giant screen."

The Seattle Times says "Boeing pulled out all the stops (even) … at Qwest Field, enlisting a marching band to greet guests entering the stadium and tossing beach balls into the crowd to build enthusiasm. The pep rally-style party served its purpose. The 22,000 Boeing employees, retirees and their guests who watched the live simulcast Sunday afternoon cheered, clapped and shouted as if they were watching the actual rollout at the Everett plant."

The New York Times (free registration) says that "in a nation where pocket-thin technology and Hollywood movies have hyped their way to consumer obsession," Boeing emerged as "an unlikely rival for the public imagination" with its Dreamliner rollout. The Chicago Tribune (free registration) writes that former news anchor Tom Brokaw -- who served as the event's emcee -- "described the new jet as a 'rock star,' and it looked the part with its gleaming blue-and-white paint scheme as it was towed in front of the behemoth plant here where the Chicago-based company assembles its long-range aircraft."

Related items: 787 chronology; 787 facts; 787 rivals, suppliers and buyers.

Throughout the day, Today in the Sky will provide more reaction on the 787 rollout from the world's media. Stay tuned …

Photo credit: These attendees check out the 787 in person. By Ted S. Warren, AP.

Audio snafu among few problems at Boeing's 787 rollout

Though the day appeared to go largely as planned, not everything went perfectly for Boeing. The Seattle Times writes that "one glitch at the Qwest Field party was the erratic audio streaming from (Boeing's plant in) Everett. The sound, though not the video, echoed and sometimes skipped, making it hard to understand television journalist Tom Brokaw, emcee of the main event. Because of the audio, it was also difficult to hear the multiple international speakers — Boeing's suppliers — who were sometimes talking in a different language anyway."

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer also observed that glitch, writing: "The Qwest Field celebration of the debut of Boeing's most technologically advanced airliner was broadcast over a sound system, however, that was anything but cutting edge. The crowd, smaller than Boeing had expected, had to listen as best it could through a choppy, distractingly echoing, occasionally unintelligible loudspeaker system. It mangled some of the remarks of former NBC 'Nightly News' anchor Tom Brokaw, who served as master of ceremonies at the Everett factory."

Boeing deliveries hit 6-year high as 787 rollout nears

The second quarter was a good one for Boeing, which says it delivered 114 commercial airplanes during the April-to-June quarter. The Associated Press writes "the deliveries ran the aerospace company's total through the first half of the year to 220, leaving it on target to reach its full-year estimate of 440 to 445. Boeing's deliveries for the quarter included 86 737s, 21 777s, four 747s and three 767s.The last time it had a higher total was the fourth quarter of 2001 when it delivered 144 commercial jets."

And Boeing is poised for even bigger news this weekend. Reuters says "Boeing unveils its lightweight 787 Dreamliner on Sunday, the first commercial jet predominantly made of carbon-composite materials and the planemaker's first all-new airliner in more than a decade." Sunday's calendar date, of course, is 07-08-07. In advance of that, several publications have run interesting stories looking ahead to the Dreamliner debut.

In a story headlined "How Boeing transformed the aviation industry," MSNBC writes: "Not since Boeing ushered in the jet age with its 707 in 1954 has there been such hoopla over a new passenger airplane. For the 787 — the company’s first all-new jet since the 777 was unveiled in 1994 — Boeing has rented an entire football field to simulcast the rollout, which will be emceed by broadcaster Tom Brokaw."

Scott Strode, 787 vice president of Airplane Definition and Production, tells MSNBC "the 787 not only will revolutionize air travel, it represents a new way of building airplanes." MSNBC adds: "Gone are the noisy factory floors with handkerchief-clad mechanics clanging away on shiny metal. Today's 787 'manufacturing technicians' carry hand-held computers with airplane specs that aid in joining together major airplane sections — fuselage, wings, horizontal stabilizer and vertical fin — in cleaner, quieter assembly bays."

Fortune Small Business (FSB) says the "Dreamliner is aptly named. When it lifts off the runway at Seattle's Boeing Field for its first test flight this summer, it will carry the dreams of more than 900 small subcontractors that helped create it. With 584 copies on order as of June, it's the fastest-selling new plane in the history of commercial aviation and will keep Boeing and its suppliers busy for a decade or longer."

FSB adds that "Boeing's new manufacturing template has captured the imagination of the aerospace industry. Recently officials from Airbus told analysts that the company will up its outsourcing to become more competitive." Teal Group Aerospace consultant Richard Aboulafia says that "for any company that wants to be successful in aerospace manufacturing, Boeing's new strategy is the way forward … which is ultimately good news for small business."

Related items: 787 chronology; 787 facts; 787 rivals, suppliers and buyers.

AA accelerates jet deliveries

Reuters writes that American Airlines "on Thursday said it has moved up the delivery of six additional Boeing 737-800 aircraft into the first half of 2009. The carrier said in March it pulled forward the delivery of 47 Boeing 737-800 aircraft under a previously existing purchase commitment with Boeing." Reuters adds that AA "intends eventually to replace its 300 aging, gas-guzzling MD-80s. The MD-80 is no longer manufactured and consumes more fuel than the 737 models."

Paris airport gets new terminal for superjumbos

Paris' Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport opened a new terminal today that "will cater to 8.5 million passengers a year and was designed to handle the forthcoming Airbus superjumbo jet," Reuters writes. The Airbus A380 -– set to enter service later this year –- will be the world's largest commercial jet. Several airports in the USA and elsewhere have had to make upgrades to be able to accommodate the aircraft.

As for the new Paris terminal, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was on hand to help open the $868-million facility. "A country that doesn't have projects is a country without ambition, a country that does not have a future," Sarkozy said. Reuters writes that "Paris airports operator Aeroports de Paris (ADP) says the new terminal area, which is the size of 40 soccer fields, will be able to process 26 planes simultaneously when it is fully operational later this year, including six A380 superjumbos. … The new boarding area, called the 'Parisien Gallery,' will be reserved for national flag carrier Air France and its international partners in the SkyTeam Alliance."

The addition to Charles de Gaulle will also help ADP "pursue its ambition to become Europe's main hub," Reuters says. Sarkozy added that if the greater Paris region "wants to remain a financial center that counts, if it wants to remain a scientific center, if it wants to remain neck-and-neck with London for attracting corporate headquarters, it must develop Roissy."

Boeing boosts plane prices as costs rise

Boeing will raise the list prices of its aircraft by about 5.5% to keep pace with its costs for labor and materials, The Associated Press reports. The price hike will include the U.S. planemaker's popular 787 Dreamliner model, which is "sold out" through 2013 and is expected to start flying commercially next year. The price increase is "generally consistent with the inflation rate for manufactured goods," Boeing spokesman Jim Condelles tells AP. In calculating the increase, Condelles says rising labor costs were a greater concern than materials costs, though he adds that both were factors in raising prices.

AP writes that "as of last Thursday, a new 787 could cost anywhere from $146 million to $200 million, about 6% higher than 2006 list prices. … Prices for Boeing 737s, which have racked up more than 7,000 orders over more than 40 years on the market, jumped to a range of $50 million to $85 million, from a range of $47 million to $80.5 million in 2006. Boeing's list prices, based on different configurations for each type of aircraft, are considered the starting point for negotiations with airlines."

Airbus says 'we're back' after record air show; Boeing is unfazed

With nearly 700 orders for its aircraft this week, Airbus set a record for orders at the Paris Air Show, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "Airbus unveiled deals involving over 700 planes including more than 300 firm orders, edging ahead of the U.S. company which entered this week's Paris air show well ahead," Reuters writes. But "if Boeing has been rocked by this week's stack of new plane deals announced by rival Airbus, it certainly isn't showing it," Reuters adds.

"Our longstanding policy is not to store up order announcements for an air show. We used the show to confirm that the 787 Dreamliner remains on schedule for first delivery in May 2008 and we look forward with growing excitement to the 787 roll-out on July 8," a Boeing spokesman tells Reuters. Still, Airbus secured 425 firm orders this week that would be worth $61 billion at list prices, according to Airbus Chief Commercial Officer John Leahy. "I think what it really says is 'We're back'," he says. Reuters writes Airbus' "highlights included Singapore Airlines firming a tentative deal from last year for 20 of the newest Airbus, the A350 XWB due in 2013, and a deal for 80 of the planes from Qatar Airways."

But despite Airbus' strong tally at the biennial Paris Air Show, Reuters says "analysts expressed some skepticism this week, noting many deals were tentative, were conversions of earlier pacts, or involved unknown carriers." Though orders from Singapore and Qatar were large, both just cemented earlier commitments. "Airbus' announcements otherwise relied heavily on lesser-known carriers such as Jazeera Airways and Afriqiyah Airways," Reuters writes. "Have you heard of any of these airlines?" one London-based analyst asked rhetorically to Reuters. The news agency adds many analysts "note influential carriers such as British Airways and Germany's Lufthansa — both expected to commit to either the 787 or A350 this year — were scarce at Paris."

Related item: Paris Air Show photo gallery

Airbus slips past Boeing for 2007 plane orders

After more than a year of rough news for Airbus, MarketWatch.com writes that "Airbus regained some much-needed momentum at the international Paris Air Show this week." Reuters says "after a frenzied four days of deals at the Paris Air Show, Europe's Airbus appears to have booked enough orders to move ahead of rival Boeing in the sales race this year." AP writes that "Thursday's sales brought Airbus to at least 600 firm orders for the year so far, including some 400 firm orders this week. Boeing has booked a total of 510 firm orders during 2007, according to an update on the company's website Thursday."

After several years of trailing its European rival in plane orders, Boeing moved back ahead of Airbus in 2006 and held a large lead in orders this year up until this week's Paris Air Show. AP says that "while Airbus hopes the heavy order flow this week will boost its credibility among customers, the company is still expected to report another big loss this year. Worker morale is low, as Airbus pushes ahead with job cuts and factory sell-offs as part of its Power8 restructuring plan, meant to recoup losses from the A380 delays." 

Boeing: 737 replacement not a priority

That's the word from the Paris Air Show. DowJones/CNN writes that "Boeing, at its main press conference, reinforced sentiment that a replacement for its single-aisle 737 is not a priority, saying it doesn't expect a new aircraft for at least seven years. Instead the U.S. manufacturer hinted it could make modifications to the 777, in response to the threat posed by the largest of the A350XWBs."

Why all the hype for the Paris Air Show?

The Associated Press puts that in perspective, writing that "planemakers often reserve big announcements for the air shows held on alternate years in Le Bourget (France) and Farnborough, on the outskirts of London, to ensure maximum impact. The announcements usually include a mix of firm orders, which mean a deposit has been made and binding contracts signed, and memorandums of understandings for future orders."

As for this year's Paris show, AP says "Airbus continues to hold a strong lead in the overall tally at Le Bourget so far after announcing a raft of orders on Monday and two more on Tuesday for a total of nearly $50 billion at list prices. Boeing has booked orders worth around $13.2 billion. Airbus also used the air show as a platform Tuesday to reassure investors and customers that it is back on track after the A350 difficulties and problems with its flagship double-decker A380."

Boeing scores win over Airbus with major order for Dreamliner

In a move it calls a "major coup," AP writes that Boeing today announced "the original launch customer for its rival Airbus' planned A350 had signed up for another 50 of its own flagship 787 Dreamliners." AP adds that "Airbus has been fighting to win back support for its entry in the lucrative market for medium-sized long-range jets where it is up against the Dreamliner since it was forced into a redesign of the A350 by unhappy customers."

AP says "the most vocal of those" unhappy customers was Stephen Udvar-Hazy, CEO of the California-based International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC), which is the world's top airline leasing company. "ILFC's deal with Boeing, announced at the Paris Air Show . . . makes the company the biggest customer for the 787 with 74 firm orders," AP writes, noting that Udvar-Hazy hinted more orders may be on the way. So far, AP is reporting 600 firm orders for the 787, which is sold out through 2013, while Airbus' A350 model has just over 100 orders.

"The tussle between Airbus and Boeing for customers for the A350 and the 787 is at the heart of long-running rivalry between the pair," AP writes. The news agency adds that "Airbus sales chief John Leahy on Tuesday dismissed suggestions that Airbus had been forced to heavily discount its prices for the A350 to lure back customers after the problems with the jet." However, the news hasn't been all bad for Airbus. The company had a banner first day at the Paris Air Show, securing a firm deal from Qatar Airlines for 80 A350s and a preliminary deal with US Airways for an additional 22 A350s.

How old is that plane? Is it time for U.S. carriers to start buying new aircraft?

With finances of U.S. airlines improving, Reuters writes that carriers "are balancing their need for newer, more fuel-efficient planes with the need to place expensive orders at the optimal time. For years, experts have said the time is at hand for a flood of U.S. orders. Those orders have yet to materialize, however, as carriers wait for financial stability and a more modern narrow-body plane." Airline consultant Michael Roach takes stock of U.S. airline fleets by saying: "The average age of the fleet is amazing, and it's time to start serious renewal."

So, what's the holdup? Roach thinks some airline may be delaying orders to wait for what Reuters calls "the next wave of narrow-body technology that is not due for several years." Roach says: "I think there's a lot of reluctance on the part of the carriers to go out and buy a lot of an already obsolete aircraft." At American, the USA's biggest carrier, the airline has accelerated the deliveries of 47 Boeing 737-800 jets that will help it begin replacing its less fuel-efficient MD-80 aircraft. Still, AA CFO Tom Horton tells Reuters he thinks the "industry needs to be very careful about allocating further capital until they can prove they can get a return on that capital."

Reuters says that of the USA's traditional carriers, "Continental Airlines has the youngest fleet with an average age of 10 years old, according to Fitch Ratings data." John Greenlee, Continental's managing director of fleet planning, says. "We've been very disciplined over the last 10 years. It does pay to have that advantage as a younger fleet." The oldest fleet? That would currently be Northwest, where the average aircraft is about 18 years old. Reuters notes that NWA "is in talks with unnamed makers to replace its DC-9 aircraft, which are at least 25 years old."

Bombardier, Embraer deny report on possible Airbus pact

Canada's Bombardier and Brazil's Embraer are each denying reports that either is considering a partnership with Europe's Airbus to make 100- to 120-seat commercial jets. Bombardier and Embraer are two of the world's biggest regional-jet makers while Airbus typically manufactures larger jets. "That's just speculation," Bombardier Aerospace spokesman Marc Duchesne tells the Toronto Globe and Mail about a German paper's report on the possible Airbus partnership. The Globe and Mail writes that the Financial Times Deutschland "also referred to unsourced reports that ... Bombardier and Embraer, as well as unnamed Chinese or Russian manufacturers, are 'potential contenders' as partners" for Airbus. An Embraer spokesman responded: "I have not heard about this."

The 737 flies no more for Air France

Air France flew its last Boeing 737 flight on Monday. The carrier says in a press release that it has retired the 737 from its fleet, with a Paris-Turin flight marking the jet's final run for the French airline. Air France says "89 passengers (11 in … business and 78 in … economy) flew on AF1703 for the return journey." The carrier's press release adds that "the Boeing 737 was the first aircraft in the Air France fleet to require only two pilots. At the end of the nineties, Air France operated 50 Boeing 737-200s, -300s and -500s, on European and North African routes, with the latter two models inaugurating the series of 737NG (new generation)."

Will your airline be flying Mitsubishi Regional Jets?

A Japanese company is set to enter the growing list of commercial aircraft makers. The Associated Press writes that "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will exhibit a mock-up of the cabin of Japan's first commercial jet in decades at the Paris air show later this month, company officials said Monday. The manufacturer wants to gauge interest for the proposed airliner — known as the Mitsubishi Regional Jet — which would come in 70-seat and 90-seat versions, project general manager Masakazu Niwa said."

Niwa says Mitsubishi hopes to have the jet in service by 2012, adding "around 20 to 30 airlines" have expressed at least casual interest. If Mitsubishi were to move ahead with its jet, it would have to compete against Canada's Bombardier and Brazil's Embraer –- the two leading regional aircraft makers.

AP writes that "China is also developing a midsized jet, the ARJ-21, which has a seating capacity of 78-85 and is due to start flying next year. Japan currently has no homegrown large-scale aircraft maker, although Japanese manufacturers have been supplying Boeing with parts for decades." Project manager Junichi Miyakawa says the Mitsubishi Regional Jet will be at least 20% more fuel efficient than competing models because it would make extensive use of lightweight composite materials and feature a new engine design.

Airbus A380 will fly with 644 seats, one airline says

Dubai-based Emirates will equip some of its Airbus A380 superjumbo jets to "carry a jaw-dropping 644 passengers," writes the Gulf News of the United Arab Emirates. Emirates is one of the largest customers for the A380, and is expected to receive the first of the nearly four dozen A380s it has ordered next year. The Gulf News writes that "Maurice Flanagan, vice chairman and group president, said Emirates will design its A380s in three separate seating configurations tailor made to different routes. The highest density configuration will seat 644 in business and economy with no first class."

The newspaper says the airline will fly a 490-seat, three-class version of the A380 on routes from Dubai to New York, Melbourne and Sydney, "while so-called '11-hour routes' such as Dubai-London will also have three classes and carry 514 passengers." Flanagan tells Gulf News that "we'll fill the planes. At the moment, there are destinations where we just can't get the seats for them -- New York and Heathrow, for example."

David Field, an editor with Airline Business magazine, tells Gulf News that he thinks Emirates is breaking new ground with its A380 layouts. "There have been some 500-seat configurations (for the A380), but no other airline has announced more than one configuration, and no one has announced anything over 550 seats." But Field warns that Emirates' plans for multiple A380 configurations also has some risk. "The more complexity you add to different configurations, the more pitfalls you set up all the way down the line," he says. "Granted, they have a big fleet, but airlines in the U.S. who have dedicated one fleet type to a specific route have always run into problems. What happens when an airplane gets sick?"

Related item: Today in the Sky's Airbus A380 photo gallery

NWA affiliate Mesaba to launch 76-seat jets

Northwest regional affiliate Mesaba is expected to launch the first of its new 76-seat Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900) aircraft Thursday. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (free registration) says Mesaba's new CRJs "will include first-class cabins with 12 seats and coach cabins with 64 seats -- four seats in a row, two on each side of the aisle." The paper adds "the twin-engine CRJs will take the place of the four-engine Avros that were phased out of Mesaba's fleet. The carrier will continue flying Saab turboprops and CRJs that seat 50 passengers."

Air Transport World (ATW) writes "the aircraft features a newly designed cabin interior and lower operating costs," according to Bombardier. A Mesaba flight crew operated a trial flight yesterday at Washington Dulles. (The) first revenue flight for [Mesaba] will start in Minneapolis/St. Paul and continue to Dallas/Fort Worth, Fargo and Chicago Midway," ATW writes, citing a Northwest spokesperson. "This is a very proud day for us," John Spanjers, Mesaba Airlines president and COO, says in a statement.

Boeing gets first 787 order from Russia

Orders for Boeing's fast-selling 787 "Dreamliner" model keep coming in. The latest is from Russia's S7 Airlines, which says it has ordered 15 787s, according to The Moscow Times. The order by the Siberia-based carrier -– Russia's largest domestic airline and formerly known as Sibir –- comes just five weeks after it ordered 10 Boeing 737-800 jets, Reuters reports. AP writes the 787 order "is welcome news for Boeing in Russia. The U.S. plane manufacturer's efforts to reach a major deal with Aeroflot (Russia's top international carrier) have been stymied by what some analysts say is the chill in relations between Washington and Moscow."

The New York Times (free registration) notes that "Boeing has pulled ahead of Airbus elsewhere, but the Europeans are seen as having an edge in Russia because a Russian government bank is a part owner of Airbus's parent company." Olga Kostrubina, a spokeswoman for Boeing in Russia, tells the N.Y. Times: "We're happy. It will benefit our customer. They say they chose the airplane because it is the best-fitting aircraft for their airline."

The N.Y. Times says Boeing now has 584 orders for the 787. And there could be more Russian orders coming to both Airbus and Boeing. Russia's aviation sector has produced commercial jets in the past, but industry observers say Airbus and Boeing appear more likely suppliers in today's market. "This is the future trend in Russian aviation," Yelena Sakhnova, an analyst with Deutsche UFG, tells the Moscow Times. "Russia doesn't produce this type of planes."

More changes set for troubled Airbus jet

That's according to Air Transport World, which writes that "Airbus is set to make yet another design change to its A350 XWB, this time dumping composite panels on an aluminum frame for an all-composite barrel. Pressure from major customers such as Emirates and ILFC is believed to be the catalyst for the pending revamp." ATW adds that "many at Airbus have been concerned that the A350 XWB 'would be blown away' if Boeing turned to an all-composite 777 that could be built and enter service before the A350. With its rival capitalizing on a technology that eventually will flow through to both a 777 and a 737 replacement, Airbus must choose whether to move forward with an all-composite barrel or be left behind." The A350 has languished amid overhauls and redesigns for nearly three years.

AirTran orders 15 more Boeing 737s

AirTran announced Wednesday an order for 15 new Boeing 737-700 series aircraft. The carrier expects the jets to be delivered in 2011-12. AirTran currently operates 132 aircraft, 45 of which are Boeing 737-700 series aircraft and 87 of which are Boeing 717-200 aircraft. CEO Joe Leonard says the order "will provide the needed aircraft that will allow the airline to move forward with our strategic expansion while maintaining our business model."

Emirates to be world's top 777 operator

Emirates will soon be the world's top operator of Boeing 777 aircraft, according to The Economic Times of India. According to the report, Boeing spokesman Brian Walker says: "We have on average one 777 aircraft coming off the production line every month for Emirates for the next five years. They will soon become the largest 777 operator in the world." The paper cites the United Arab Emirates' Khaleej Times for the information in its report.

Photos of Singapore A380 emerge online

Those eager for a glimpse of what the Airbus A380 will look like once it begins flying for commercial carriers should check out aviation website Flightglobal.com. The site shows what it says are pictures of the first Singapore Airlines A380 to emerge from the paint shop. Flightglobal.com notes that "several passenger windows in the forward lower deck have been blanked off, suggesting that SIA has opted for an innovative first-class cabin design." The publication says "the aircraft will now undergo more testing on the ground before its cabin systems are tested in flight this summer." SIA is expected to take possession of its first A380 this October.

Emirates orders four more Airbus A380s

After watching orders pile up for rival Boeing's 787 Dreamliner model, Airbus got a bit of good news for its A380 superjumbo jet earlier this week. The Associated Press writes that "Emirates Airlines announced Monday it would buy four more of the world's largest passenger planes from Airbus, after the European aircraft maker said it would compensate the Dubai state-owned carrier for a two-year delay in delivering 43 of the A380 superjumbos. At 47 planes, that makes it Airbus' largest outstanding order." AP adds the move could indicate "the strained relationship between Airbus and Emirates" may be on the mend. Emirates chairman Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum had previously said his airline's rapid growth planes were shackled by Airbus' A380 delays.

Boeing CEO: We're on pace to overtake Airbus

Boeing's strong performance during the past year seems to have CEO Jim McNerney feeling good about his company's prospects. The Boeing chief says the company "turned the corner" in 2006 and predicts it will overtake rival Airbus as the world's largest commercial airplane maker within a year, according to The Associated Press. AP says McNerney was speaking "at the company's annual shareholders meeting at a time when Boeing is enjoying almost unparalleled success in its commercial aircraft and defense businesses and distancing itself from the scandals of recent years."

Boeing took more orders in 2006 than Airbus, but the European company still delivered more aircraft for the year. Asked if Boeing would retake the title for most deliveries, McNerney said: "The math would say end of this year, beginning of next." But, at the same time, he's not predicting Airbus' demise. "They have gone through some difficulties the last couple of years, but we've had times in our history where we've run into difficulties. I'm convinced they'll get through them and they're going to be the formidable competitor they've been over the last couple of decades," McNerney is quoted as saying by AP. "I don't exult in their difficulties at all," he adds.

US Airways: Dreamliner 'mystery buyer' report is premature

That's according to The Charlotte Observer (free registration), which includes this paragraph in an earnings recap about US Airways: "Executives said a report in The Times of London this week that it had agreed to buy Boeing 787 Dreamliners instead of the Airbus A350 XWB is premature. Parker said the airline is still in negotiations for new widebody planes. Chief Financial Officer Derek Kerr said the airline wants its international fleet to be either all Boeing or all Airbus."

The 787 'mystery buyer' is unmasked, paper says

Qatar Airways is the so-called "mystery buyer" of 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says it has learned. The paper writes that Boeing first "posted the order on its Web site two weeks ago, but did not identify the customer. An announcement of the Qatar 787 order is expected to be made at the Paris Air Show in June, according to several sources familiar with the deal. Qatar also is the key launch customer for the competing Airbus A350 XWB (extra wide body). The fact that it is going to order the Dreamliner might be viewed by some as a surprise, but it's not the first time the airline has ordered both Boeing and Airbus jets," the Post-Intelligencer adds. Just yesterday, a report in a British paper spurred speculation that the mystery buyer may be US Airways.

That Post-Intelligencer's report comes as Qatar Airways appears to be making a push to broaden its international presence -- perhaps an effort to help it emerge from the shadow cast by fast-growing Middle East competitor Emirates. The Gulf Times writes that the carrier will launch an effort “promote its new U.S. routes to New York and Washington, D.C.," at an upcoming Middle East travel convention in May. Qatar is scheduled to begin flights from the Qatari capital of Doha to New York on June 28 and to Washington on July 19. 

Is US Airways the 787 'mystery buyer?'

Boeing may have just scored another big blow against rival Airbus if a report in today's Times of London turns out to be true. The paper writes that it "understands that US Airways will announce an order for between 20 and 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners within the next 48 hours. The deal will be worth between $3.2 billion and $4.9 billion at list prices. The ... carrier had previously ordered 20 A350s from Airbus but has opted to go with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner instead," the paper writes. Don't be surprised if the Times' report sparks speculation that US Airways could be the unidentified "mystery buyer" that emerged last week with an order for up to 30 787 jets.

The Times adds "the A350 was redesigned last year after airlines told the manufacturer (Airbus) that its offering was not as good as Boeing's 787. US Airways had been expected to upgrade to the A350XWB, as the new design is called, but it has instead shifted allegiance to Boeing," the Times says. If the Times' report proves true, it also would appear to contradict reports from earlier this month saying that US Airways had decided to stick with the A350. Stay tuned …

More airlines line up for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner

Two more big order announcements have come in for Boeing's hot-selling 787 Dreamliner model. Reuters writes that "Air Canada has exercised existing options and purchase rights for an additional 23 Boeing 787 … airplanes, bringing its total orders for the aircraft to 37 from 14, the company said Tuesday. … That makes the airline North America's biggest customer for the Dreamliner, the company said. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2010." Air Canada says the revised order will allow it to replace nearly all of the Boeing 767s in its fleet.

Meanwhile, CNN reports that "Virgin Atlantic has joined the growing band of airlines snapping up the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. At a press announcement on Tuesday the airline's chairman Sir Richard Branson also indicated that Virgin aims to be the first airline to power its aircraft with alternative fuels. Virgin Atlantic is ordering 15 of the 787-9 Dreamliners, the largest so far of any European airline -- with options to order another eight 787-9s and purchase rights on a further 20 aircraft."

Reuters adds that the "orders from Virgin Atlantic and Air Canada ... mark an important victory in Europe and North America over European rival Airbus in the lucrative market for wide-body planes. In the past few years, Asian and Middle Eastern airlines have taken the lead in ordering 787s."

Will reverse-facing seats be installed in widebody jets?

"The dreaded middle seat in coach may never be the same on long international flights." That's from USA TODAY, which writes that "Britain's Premium Aircraft Interiors Group, or PAIG, has introduced the Freedom Economy Seat, a three-seat row that flips the middle one backward. PAIG also has a four-seat row in which the middle two face backward. The configuration, introduced at a trade show in Germany last week, promises to minimize or eliminate the current problems of coach passengers bumping elbows, knees and especially shoulders, typically the widest part of the body. Freedom seats also would give passengers at least two more inches of legroom than conventional seats, PAIG says."

PAIG's Ben Bettel says not only would the new design give passengers more room, but he says it will allow airlines to fit 10 passengers across in the coach sections of widebody planes like the Boeing 777. Increasing that from the typical configuration of nine-across seating could allow airlines to add more than 20 seats per flight. "It's a win-win situation for the passenger and the airline," Bettel says. "But," USA TODAY asks, "will travelers be OK with a stranger staring back at them 2 feet away?" Bettel tells the paper that concern could be addressed with fold-out privacy shields that would be built into head rests. He adds that "no one will be watching your movie or looking at what's on your laptop screen."

Photo courtesy of Premium Aircraft Interiors Group.

More speculation on 787 'mystery buyer'

Today in the Sky reported yesterday that a 'mystery buyer' that is said to have ordered 30 of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner jets. The Seattle Post Intelligencer broke that story, saying that its source claimed the buyer was not a U.S. airline. But today's Air Transport World (ATW) writes "other sources at Boeing" say "that may not be the case." ATW also writes that it "has learned that the 30 aircraft are the smaller 787-8s and that US Airways, assumed to be an eventual A350 customer, still may be in the market for the 787." ATW adds that industry observers say sales of Boeing's hot-selling 787 could hit 700 by the time the jet first flies on July 8.Currently, Boeing has sold 567 of its Dreamliner jets.

Mystery buyer orders 30 Boeing 787s

There's apparently a $5 billion "mystery buyer" that has signed on to purchase 30 of Boeing's hot-selling 787 "Dreamliner" models. Aerospace reporter James Wallace of the Seattle Post Intelligencer writes that "the order was quietly placed on Boeing's 2007 order tally [last week], and the company is not talking. A source familiar with the order said the identity of the customer is being closely held within Boeing until the airline is ready to disclose the order, which could happen at the Paris Air Show in June." Wallace notes that 30 787-8 models would fetch nearly $5 billion at list prices.

Whoever the new buyer is, it will already be among Boeing's top 787 customers. "So far, only three airlines have placed orders for 30 787s or more: Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, and Australia's Qantas Airways," The Associated Press writes. To date, Boeing has sold 544 787 jets to nearly four dozen customers, AP adds. The 787 is expected to make its first flight this summer and to enter commercial service next year. As for the mystery buyer, Wallace says his source says the customer is not a U.S. airline. He adds: "The unusually large and hush-hush order raises speculation that it could be from one of the key airlines considering the 787 or the Airbus A350 XWB (extra wide body). These airlines include heavyweights British Airways, Lufthansa and Emirates."

US Airways to stick with Airbus order, report says

After previously saying it was considering canceling its order for Airbus' long-delayed and redesigned Airbus A350 jet, US Airways apparently will stick with the A350 after all. US Airways CFO Derek Kerr said last month that "the A350 today is not the plane we ordered" and added that the carrier would consider buying Boeing's 787 model instead. But today, Air Transport World (ATW) writes on its website that it "understands that US Airways has opted to stay with the A350 rather than swapping to the 787 and will buy more A330s to plug the capacity gap." ATW did not cite a source for that information.

Alaska phases out 737-200 'mud hens'

Alaska Airlines has retired its fleet of Boeing 737-200s that the airline flew on far-flung routes in the state of Alaska. Affectionately nicknamed "mud hens," The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) writes that the jets "were designed to land on short runways, and on gravel and ice. They guzzle gas and trail black smoke from their engines. Their cockpits lack the digital controls, advanced navigation aids and computerized maps that guide newer planes around mountains and other hazards. Passengers disembark from the rear on fold-out stairs." The pilots who flew the jets referred to themselves as the Arctic Eagles.

Now, the Journal says, as Alaska Air "expands its routes, it is sending the roughly 60 pilots onto newer aircraft that they'll have to fly to California, Mexico and the East Coast as well as the Alaskan destinations." Perhaps surprisingly, some of those Arctic Eagle pilots say they're not entirely enthusiastic about flying to the warmer destinations, to airports where congestion and air-traffic control oversight are much different than on the Alaska routes. "We were just a different breed of cat in Anchorage," Capt. Kevin Earp, a 26-year veteran, tells the Journal.

The Journal adds that "because of the tough conditions they faced, mud hen pilots had to endure rigorous training to learn to spot local landmarks, understand extreme weather conditions and perform landings with rudimentary airport beacons." Says Capt. Earp: "You pass that training program, you had a lot to be proud of."

And the flights served by the mud hens sounded interesting, according to the Journal's well-fleshed out story on the topic. The paper writes that "pilots liked to tease out-of-state tourists by announcing the imminent crossing of the Arctic Circle. Just as the plane passed over the line, pilots goosed the controls to make the plane wobble, producing the 'Arctic bump.' The airline banned the practice after a passenger complained, but many pilots smile coyly when asked if they still do the bump." Or, there's the story about a passenger who brought onboard "the head of a freshly killed black bear in a plastic grocery bag."

Boeing passes 500 orders for new 787, may speed production

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner model passed another milestone this week after Japan Airlines (JAL) tacked on five additional 787-8 jets to an existing order. That, Air Transport World writes, brings JAL's order to 35 total 787s and pushes "Boeing's total Dreamliner sales to more than 500 if new orders from unidentified customers are included." AP writes that the "intense demand continues to push a likely speedup of production rates" of the 787 at Boeing, according to company officials.

"We've clearly captivated the world's airlines with this airplane," 787 program chief Mike Bair is quoted as saying. AP adds that "Boeing has been studying ways to increase its production rate for the 787, which is scheduled to make its first flight around late August and enter commercial service next year. The manufacturer hopes to wrap up its research and make a production-rate decision this summer, Bair said. But any speedup would only occur after the first 112 airplanes are produced in 2008-09, he said."

When will we see the Boeing 787?

On 7/8/07 -- or July 8, 2007 -- of course. Reuters writes that "Boeing plans to debut its much-anticipated 787 Dreamliner model on July 8 at an event at its assembly plant in Everett, Wash. … At the event — to be held on 7/8/07, according to American dating conventions — the public will be able to see the aircraft fully assembled for the first time." Reuters adds that the first test flight for the 787 currently is planned for late August and the first delivery for May 2008. Boeing "has racked up roughly $70 billion in orders in about three years on the market" and is "sold out" of the jet through 2013, according to Reuters.

Photo: A graphic artist's view of theBoeing 787-8.

American speeds up order for 47 Boeing 737s

After much talk about how American would replace its aging fleet of gas-guzzling MD-80s, the airline has finally made a move to speed up the delivery of 47 Boeing 737-800 jets it has on order from Boeing.

"The first three planes will arrive in early 2009. The remaining 44 will be delivered by 2012, although American declined to give details," The Dallas Morning News (free registration) writes. That speeds up the delivery schedule by about four years. TheStreet.com says the new 737s to burn about 25% less fuel than their current MD-80s, which make up about half of the airline's fleets. "It's long overdue," industry analyst Robert Mann tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (free registration). "They can use the extra seats, and they can use the fuel savings."

"It's the first time since 1996 that American has planned a significant purchase of new airplanes. The airline delayed most of its new aircraft orders after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the downturn in the airline industry," the Star-Telegram adds. Still, the Morning News notes that the 47 737s "will make only a small dent in replacing American's fleet of 325 MD-80s –- whose average age is 17 years -– but the deal leaves the door open for the carrier to consider Boeing's next generation of narrow-body aircraft."

As for not forging ahead with plans for even more 737s, The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) adds that AA "also must strike the right balance between adding current-generation Boeing 737s and next-generation aircraft, which would be even more cost-efficient but likely not available until 2015. An airline with too many of the older planes could be at a competitive disadvantage. American is already at a disadvantage on its unit labor costs, which are among the highest of any U.S. airline." And any future orders may not necessarily be with Boeing. The Seattle Times writes that AA CFO Tom "Horton went on to say that American is talking to both Boeing and Airbus about the next generation of single-aisle aircraft."

AA order could foretell huge spate of jet orders

AA's decision to expedite orders for 47 Boeing 737 jets (see above) could just be the tip of the iceberg. The Associated Press writes that "the moves by the world's largest airline likely herald a surge in orders for new planes from the Boeing and Airbus from long-established 'legacy' carriers, including several that have been through or remain in bankruptcy reorganization proceedings and now operate aging fleets, analysts told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer."

Scott Hamilton, an aviation industry consultant whose Leeham website keeps readers up to date on the Airbus-Boeing rivalry, tells the Post-Intelligencer: "The U.S. legacy carriers can't put off for much longer ordering replacement planes, and that's what we are starting to see." As examples, the paper notes that US Airways is considering an order for as many as 60 single-aisle jets while Continental and Northwest have already put in orders for Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner model.

Northwest 747 finds a place in the Smithsonian

In case you missed this story from earlier this month, the St. Paul Pioneer Press (free registration) says that a piece of Northwest's first 747 is headed to the Smithsonian Institute. The paper writes that the Smithsonian "is installing the plane's nose section in a new exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum's Air Transportation Gallery … . Visitors will be able to cross a second-floor bridge to the nose section mounted on a wall and walk inside it." The Smithsonian has a page on its website detailing both the exhibit and 747's reconstruction.

The A380: A first-hand look from Washington Dulles

I got my first look at Airbus' massive A380 today at Washington Dulles International Airport, and -- as promised -- I took pictures to share with Today in the Sky readers.

First, the plane does really look that big from that outside. From the inside, the scale of the massive jet wasn't quite as obvious -– at least not until we descended the spiral stair case in the back to go to an entire second level of the jet. But, on the first level the A380's width was obvious -- as you would probably expect from what will be the world's largest commercial jet.

While the two separate levels were impressive, I also couldn't help but feel like the seats in this A380 model felt very much like -– well -– regular airplane seats. One noteworthy feature was the generous height of the ceiling on the jet's lower level, enhanced by the A380’s subtle lighting along the cabin walls. The upstairs cabin was a bit cozier, though it still felt every bit like a long-haul wide body jet. The coolest part of the upstairs may have been the passengers' lounge at the head of the cabin. However, that lounge may or may not make it on future A380s. The layout I saw was configured by Airbus as a suggestion for how its customers could design their versions of the plane. Check out the photo gallery to see more. 

Another interesting feature from this morning's tour was that the A380 was on display just a short distance from one of United's Boeing 747s. The 747, of course, will lose its title as the world's largest passenger jet once the A380 officially enters commercial service. (Kudos to reader hr007 for alerting us with a comment from a previous post to look for the A380-747 comparison!) And, for those of you wondering, Airbus says the A380's wing span is 261.6 feet and has a maximum takeoff weight of 617 tons. "During take-off the [A380's] wing will flex upward by over 13 feet," the jet maker says in a press release

A380 wins mixed reviews on early U.S. flight

I wasn't the only USA TODAY staffer to check out the A380 since it came to the USA last week. USA TODAY's Laura Bly was aboard the A380's inaugural U.S. flight into New York JFK last week. Here's some of what she had to say in her story on the subject. (See my account above).

"Shadowed by more than 60 reporters and photographers, passengers rate the seat-back entertainment systems, cabin lighting (it changes colors to mimic day and night) and air quality (which offers more humidity than standard cabins). They clamber to the upper deck on a staircase wide enough for two or three passengers standing side by side. They belly up to a curved bar, and marvel over a tail-mounted camera beaming real-time views of the fuselage and curved wings so massive that 70 cars could park atop each one. Wide-eyed passenger Christian Ernst, a Lufthansa co-pilot on the behemoth's baby cousin, the A318, jokes, 'My entire wing is almost as big as these flaps,' the hinged sections that spread downward on takeoff and landing."

"Takeoff is smooth and surprisingly swift; the A380 requires less runway space than a Boeing 747. But shortly after Lufthansa's flight attendants complete the first meal service, coach passengers on the capacious main deck encounter a rude reality check. ‘A queue for the loo,’ one flier sighs as she stands in a line stretching 12 deep for a cluster of lavatories. (The entire aircraft holds 15.) 'Some things never change.' "

And what do the experts think about the A380?

Aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia of The Teal Group tells Bly that he thinks the A380 is "somewhere between hubristic and outright folly," adding it could be relegated to "a footnote in aviation history." While sitting in a business-class seat in the A380's upper deck, NBC Today travel editor Peter Greenberg tells Bly: "I still need someone to tell me if this plane is going to make a positive difference in my life." Bly says Greenberg, "like other skeptics, … questions whether strained airports can handle so many fliers descending at once on gate areas, immigration counters and baggage carousels." Greenberg suggest to Bly that "the jury is still out."

Check out Bly's full account of her flight on the A380, and take a spin through another USA TODAY photo gallery of the A380.

Today in the Sky checks out the A380

I'll be on board the A380 this coming Monday is it makes its stop at Washington's Dulles International Airport. I'll be given a tour of the massive jet, and I'll have my camera and notepad in hand. Officials from both Lufthansa and Airbus will be on hand. Though I don't know how much access I'm going to have Monday morning, use our comments section to submit any questions you'd like me to investigate regarding the A380. I can't promise answers to all of your questions, but I'll do my best. Check back Monday late morning for an update from my visit.

Checking out the A380 at Dulles may not be easy

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is warning aviation enthusiasts that good views may be hard to get when the Airbus A380 makes its visit to Dulles International Airport Sunday and Monday.

On it's website, the authority says: "Lufthansa Airlines and Airbus are bringing the A380 to Dulles Airport for a 'route-proving flight' next week. The aircraft is expected to arrive at Dulles some time after 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 25 and depart some time after 9 p.m. on Monday, March 26. The organizers of this event have not made arrangements for the general public to view the aircraft, its takeoffs or landings. Public areas of the airport do not offer a good view of the A380 when it is parked on the airfield. The airport will be operating normally throughout this event. If you come to the airport, please be mindful of passengers who will be traveling those days and do not park in unauthorized areas."

EU: U.S. gave Boeing $23.7 billion in illegal aid

The European Union leveled claims on Thursday that "the U.S. federal government and two states are supplying Boeing with 'lavish' subsidies that will eventually reach $23.7 billion," The Associated Press writes. The EU contends "that the payments are already providing the American plane manufacturer with a massive advantage over rival Airbus," AP adds. The EU's complaints mirror a competing unfair subsidies charge being lobbed from this side of the Atlantic.

Reuters writes that "the world's two largest economies have brought separate cases alleging illegal assistance to their aircraft industries in what is the biggest commercial dispute ever to come before the global trade arbitrator (the World Trade Organization). The United States accuses Europe of granting $100 billion in illegal aid to Airbus over the years of which it will seek the immediate return of some $4.5 billion if it wins. No ruling in the case against Airbus is expected before September, with a verdict in the Boeing case due in early 2008," Reuters adds.

American Airlines CEO discusses MD-80 replacements

American Airlines is nearing a decision on replacing its aging MD-80 jets, reports Air Transport World (ATW). Citing CEO Gerard Arpey, the publication says AA will make a fleet-renewal announcement "in short order." While speaking yesterday at the JP Morgan Aviation and Transportation Conference in New York, ATW writes that Arpey also "conceded that the carrier's more than 300 MD-80s burn too much fuel. He said 737NGs may be a viable replacement." Arpey says the "shocking price" of fuel in the past few years "has forced us to be much more vigilant about how much fuel we consume." But Arpey adds that the airline's recent restraint in adding capacity -– along with its nearly full planes –- gives the carrier "some flexibility regarding fleet renewal," ATW writes.

Photo credit: An AA MD-80 flies into the sunset after taking off from Dallas/Fort Worth. By John Gress, Reuters.

A380 could be a tough sale for U.S. airlines

Despite all the hype over the U.S. debut of the Airbus A380 superjumbo, the world's largest passenger jet is so far finding little traction among U.S. airlines, with none yet signing on to buy one. But the are two American carriers that experts think could consider the A380. The Chicago Tribune (free registration) writes that United and Northwest "are considered the two likeliest purchasers in an otherwise tough market for the superjumbo jet." Neither carrier would comment on the possibility.

"But analysts expect the airlines to take a serious look at the jet as they rebuild their fleets over the next several years, since both United and Northwest are the only major U.S. carriers flying Boeing 747 jumbo jets, the largest plane on the market until the A380 was developed," the Tribune writes. However, others say the U.S. will be a difficult market for the A380. "You've got maybe two airlines that could conceivably be interested, and they're both bankruptcy-types that at this point have no real means for ordering such fleets," Paul Nisbet, an aerospace analyst with JSA Research, says to the Tribune.

And, of course, there's competition from U.S.-jetmaker Boeing, which the Tribune says "stepped into the breach with fuel-efficient makeover of its decades-old 747 jumbo jet" after Airbus' A380 fell significantly behind in its production schedule. So, will the A380 ever become a commercial success? The jury's still out, says Howard Rubel of investment bank Jefferies and Co. "It's too early to write an obituary for the 380, and too soon to declare it a success," he says.

A380 heads for Chicago, but be careful if you try for a glimpse

After making its much-ballyhooed U.S. debut yesterday with near-simultaneous landings in New York and Los Angeles, the massive Airbus A380 today will visit Chicago O'Hare. But while large crowds showed up to witness the spectacle in both New York and Los Angeles, Chicago residents may not want to do the same. The Chicago Tribune (free registration) writes that "Chicago officials are warning that police will ticket drivers who attempt to park on roads near O'Hare when the eight-story A380 touches down" around 1:50 p.m. ET.

"People should not be pulling over on the roads trying to take a look at the plane. The Police Department will be shagging people away," Jim Szczesniak, deputy commissioner for operations at the Chicago Department of Aviation, says to the Tribune. For those determined to catch a glimpse, however, the Tribune says that "perhaps the best chance to see the A380 on Tuesday will be when it crosses the Lake Michigan shoreline somewhere between Evanston and Waukegan, according to air-traffic controllers responsible for guiding the plane to O'Hare. The plane will cross the shoreline at an altitude between 7,000 and 11,000 feet."

A380 would cost a bundle at the gas pump

Amid all the media coverage of today's U.S. debut by the Airbus A380, several interesting factoids have been published about the massive jet. One of those comes from The Associated Press, which writes the A380 "burns about one gallon of gas per passenger every 80 miles and can fly about 8,000 nautical miles." (A quick calculator conversion reveals that an 8,000 mile flight with 550 passengers would burn a whopping 55,000 gallons of gas, at least based on AP's description.)

As to what U.S. cities should passengers expect the A380 to eventually fly to, Mario Heinen, the head of Airbus' A380 program, says: "Both JFK and LAX, as well as Chicago O'Hare International and Washington Dulles International ... are key future destinations for the A380."

Photo credit: The Airbus A380 taxis after landing at JFK International Airport in New York. By Shannon Stapleton, Reuters.

Thousands at LAX react to A380 landing

"Thousands of spectators inside and outside the airport" were on hand at Los Angeles International this morning to witness the first West Coast landing of the massive Airbus A380 jet, the Los Angeles Business Journal writes. The Los Angeles Times (free registration) adds that "airplane buffs gathered near LAX in the predawn hours to claim prime viewing spots for the A380's arrival -- a plane Airbus is banking on as the future of aviation with its huge passenger capacity and 9,300-mile range. Several hundred spectators gathered atop an airport parking structure near Terminal 1 for the occasion."

For those on hand, the Times describes the mood by saying "long moments went by without sight or sound of the aircraft and an incoming Boeing 747 teased the crowd into thinking the A380 was on final approach." Aviation enthusiast and onlooker Mark Gagne, 19, told the paper: "The anticipation is killing me. My heart can't take it. Look, my knees are shaking." The superjumbo jet finally landed around 9:30 a.m. local time. As the A380 landed, 88-year-old Gerald Peebler was among the crowd that had gathered to witness the spectacle. Peebler flew a B-17 bomber in World War II. On seeing the A380, he said to the Times: "This is a step up. That's a big boy."

Photo credit: The A380 landing at Los Angeles International. By Reed Saxon, AP

It's official: The A380 is on U.S. soil

Airbus' superjumbo A380 jet is on the ground in the United States. One of the first reports comes in from The Associated Press: Here's what the news agency had to say: "The latest jetliner to claim the title of world's biggest passenger aircraft completed its maiden voyage to the United States on Monday, flying on football field-length wings and a prayer that the American airline industry will want to buy the double-decker jumbo jet. The four-engine Airbus A380 touched down at Kennedy International Airport without problems at about 12:10 p.m., to the cheers of onlookers gathered to watch the arrival. As the plane taxied, a pilot waved an American flag."

In L.A., CBS Channel 13 writes that "the world's largest airliner made its West Coast debut Monday, touching down at Los Angeles International Airport to complete its bicoastal unveiling for America. The massive Airbus A380 descended out of a dank, gray sky and made a picture-perfect landing just before 9:30 a.m. as spectators cheered from both sides of the airport. About 15 minutes earlier, an A380 touched down on the other side of the country, at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport," the station adds.

A380 in the air, headed for USA; Big crowds expected

The Airbus A380 superjumbo jet is in the air and headed for the United States, where the superjumbo jet is scheduled to make its U.S. debut in near simultaneous landings at New York's JFK airport and Los Angeles. Touchdown is expected around 12:30 p.m. ET. As for the New York flight, The Associated Press writes: "For plane builder Airbus and German airline Lufthansa, the A380's first trans-Atlantic flight with a full complement of passengers on Monday is a chance to show off the superjumbo to potential U.S. buyers and to the airports they hope will be flight bases for the double-decker jet."

Jens Bischoff, Lufthansa's vice president for the Americas, adds that the maiden voyage "is not just a test flight. We're going with a fully loaded plane into Washington (on March 25) and New York (today) and hope to optimize all the opportunities." As for Qantas' L.A.-bound flight, that flight will be operated by Australia carrier Qantas but will not have passengers or any non-cockpit crew.

The A380, which will be the largest commercial jetliner when it enters service for an airline, is expected to draw much attention on its U.S. debut. The New York Daily News says the jet will seat over 500 passengers and weighs 200 tons more than the Boeing 747, currently the largest commercial jet flying. Big crowds are expected in both cities for the A380's arrival. "We're planning for the largest turnout since the Concorde came in 1974," Paul Haney, deputy executive director of airports and security for Los Angeles World Airports, tells the Los Angeles Times (free registration). "This could be huge, and we're doing everything possible to be ready."

Stay tuned to Today in the Sky for additional updates after the A380 lands.

Photo credit: The A380 takes off this morning from Frankfurt, Germany, on its way to New York JFK. By Jochen Guenther, AFP/Getty Images.

Philippine Air orders 777s

Philippine Airlines says it expects to increase service between the USA and the Philippines after announcing an order for two Boeing 777-300 jets. The airline also reserved purchase rights for two more, The Associated Press reports.

Continental affiliate to fly Bombardier turboprops

Continental passengers traveling through the airline's Newark hub soon could find themselves flying onboard Bombardier Q400 74-seater turboprop aircraft. Air Transport World writes that "Pinnacle Airlines yesterday signed a contract for 15 74-seat Q400s plus 10 conditional orders and 20 options. … Aircraft will be operated by Pinnacle subsidiary Colgan Air for Continental Connection." The Wichita Eagle adds that Colgan will operate the planes "primarily at Continental Airlines' hub at Newark Liberty International Airport."

Newer planes, fewer 50-seats to fly at US Airways

US Airways passengers soon may find themselves flying on newer jets. And on fewer 50-seat regional jets.

Bloomberg News writes that the airline is "restarting a push to retire its oldest jets" and "will order 60 aircraft valued at almost $5 billion by the end of April. … US Airways also will decide by April 30 on the future of a pending 2005 order for 20 Airbus A350 wide-body jets, Kerr said." US Airways officials made the announcement at the company's media day Wednesday, adding that the company has resumed its focus on renewing its fleet now that the Delta takeover bid is over. That bid –- if successful -– would have altered the combined carrier's fleet demands, US Airways officials said.

For narrow-body jets, US Airways says the decision will come down to Boeing's 737 line or Airbus' A320 family of aircraft. "The airline hopes to replace 55 737-300s with the new planes between 2008 and 2010. Because they are replacing older jets, the airline does not plan to boost capacity," Bloomberg writes, citing US Airways CFO Derek Kerr. For wide body jets, US Airways is looking at Boeing 787s or the Airbus A350 -- a plane US Airways previously had signed on to buy.

"The A350 today is not the plane we ordered,'' Kerr said. That Airbus model is several years late and is undergoing a redesign. "We need to know what the plane is going to cost and when it will be ready," Kerr added. Airbus' delays would give US Airways an option to cancel its contract, Kerr is quoted as saying by Bloomberg.

US Airways also will lessen its stock of small regional jets, making room for mid-size jets, such as its 86-seat Embraer E190. "What we're trying to do on the (US Airways) Express fleet is up-gauge our aircraft," Kerr told reporters. "Every chance we get to bring in larger aircraft and we reduce the 50-seat aircraft, we do that. ... You will continue to see us getting out of 50-seat aircraft (in favor of) 86-seat and 90-seat aircraft," Kerr said.

Boeing 787 called 'most successful widebody launch ever'

Boeing had a banner day Monday, racking up a whopping $4.5 billion in commercial plane orders. The U.S. aircraft manufacturer hit that total after "Continental Airlines upped an existing order and operators from Russia and Kuwait agreed to buy more planes," CNN/Reuters reports. In particular, Boeing has been boosted by the sales of its new fuel-efficient 787 Dreamliner model, which is expected to enter commercial service in 2008. Boeing confirmed 11 new 787 orders Monday according to The Associated Press, which adds that "the deals widened [Boeing's] lead over European rival Airbus, whose competing A350 widebody is five years behind the 787 in development."

Analyst Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group tells AP that the soaring orders for Boeing's 787 establish that model as "the most successful widebody launch in the history of the industry." So far, Boeing has received 475 orders for the 787. "They're over a year away from first delivery and closing in on 500 orders. That's unprecedented," Aboulafia says. Reuters adds that "the orders underline airlines' excitement" about the 787 while also keeping the "pressure on European rival Airbus, which has seen its share of the lucrative wide-body and freight markets slide dramatically." The "new carbon and titanium jet … will be able to service fast-growing routes between the United States, Asia and Europe, promising big fuel savings due to its lower weight," Reuters adds.

Expect more big jets, fewer RJs, report says

Good news if you don’t like regional jets. Airlines are figure to be ordering less of those small jets in the coming decade, according to the Boyd Group's annual Global Fleet Demand and Trend Forecast. The Boyd Group is a Colorado-based aviation consultancy. Joe Sharkey of The New York Times (free registration) cites that report: "Of the estimated 11,000 new commercial jetliners that will be added to global fleets over the next 10 years, more than a third will be new-model 'mainline cabin' planes with standard-size cabins of 75 to 125 seats."

Sharkey adds that "new mainline cabin airliners, like the Embraer E190 and E195 models, which seat 98 and 108 passengers respectively, are classified in a niche between small cabin-size regional jets and standard commercial airline workhorses." As for regional jets, the Boyd forecast predicts demand for those "will taper off to almost zero by 2012" thanks to their declining economic efficiency and unpopular cramped cabins. New planes may become more common as well. The Boyd Group projects nearly half of the new planes ordered over the next 10 years will be used to replace aging aircraft still in service.

Boeing looking at 'all-new 737,' report says

Is Boeing ready to revamp its Boeing 737 model?

The Times of London writes that "Boeing is trying to push its advantage over Airbus, its ailing rival, with an all-new design for the biggest sector in the world's aircraft industry. The Seattle jet maker has started negotiations with global airlines over the future design of the Boeing 737 as it seeks to dominate the [trillion-dollar] market for the workhorse of the skies in future decades." The paper says Boeing CEO Jim McNerney has confirmed talks are underway with airline customers "on what they want from a revamped 737."

The Times sources tell it that there are two early prototypes for what a revamped 737 could entail. One is a wider twin-aisle version, while the other is a shorter jet with a single aisle. "These have been dubbed Fat Boy and Little Boy," the Times writes. The paper adds that "McNerney has also confirmed that the new 737, which will appear in the middle of the next decade, is likely to have a carbon fibre fuselage to make it more fuel-efficient and more environmentally friendly."

The Times notes that while Boeing rival Airbus is "busy sorting out problems with its A380 and designing the A350," Boeing could jump to a big advantage by staying ahead of customers' demands on its wildly popular 737 model. "Airlines love this plane and Boeing has to keep that interest," says Doug McVitie of Arran Aero-space.

More Dreamliners for Continental

Continental Airlines announced this morning that it intends to buy five additional Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets. That increases the number of 787s Continental has on order to 25 from 20. The Associated Press writes that "the additional planes will help [Continental] expand its international service and will replace less efficient wide-body jets. Financial terms were not disclosed."

Continental also announced plans to "convert 12 of [its] original order for 787-8s into 787-9s. That means Continental now has a total of 17 787-9s on order and eight 787-8s," Reuters writes. The news agency adds that the "the 787-8 version is designed to carry 210 to 250 passengers on routes of 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles. The larger, more expensive 787-9 can take 250 to 290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles."

AA may acquire 737s to replace MD-80s

American may opt for Boeing 737-800s to replace the aging 300 MD-80 jets it currently has in its fleet. AA CFO Tom Horton says to expect an announcement "in the near future," Bloomberg News reports. "American, the world's largest carrier, would be able to get planes such as the 737-800 in 15 to 18 months," Bloomberg writes, citing AA's Horton. Bloomberg adds: "An MD-80 replacement is vital because the jets burn at least 20% more jet fuel than new 737s, Horton said." The 737-800s already account for 77 of the 672 large jets in AA's fleet. "The 737-800 is Boeings most sought after model accounting for 952, or 61%, of the total 737 order backlog of 1,512 planes," Bloomberg notes.

Airbus sales slump hits five-month low

There are more problems for Airbus. This time it's an apparent sales slump. Reuters writes that "new plane orders for [the] European jetmaker … fell to a five-month low of seven aircraft in February." Of those orders, none were for any of Airbus' wide-body models. That marked the first time since September that Airbus had failed to log any wide-body orders in a month. Reuters adds that "Airbus plane orders have been increasingly dominated by lower-margin single-aisle jets as it wrestles with development problems in its 200-350 seaters and its delayed superjumbo."

Photo credit: A TAP Portugal Airbus A340 wide-body jet takes off from Lisbon in 2001. By Jose Manuel Ribeiro, Reuters.

JetBlue E190s to be sidelined for fixes; delays not expected

JetBlue will start taking each of its Embraer E190 jets out of service tomorrow to fix a software glitch, though the carrier will do so in a way it says will not cause any delays or cancellations.  The jets will be fixed as they come into a JetBlue maintenance facility in Nashville for routine maintenance work, according to New York Newsday. The process is expected to last through April.

As for the software glitch, Bloomberg News cites airline spokeswoman Jenny Dervin in saying the glitches have produced erroneous instrument readings, though it adds that none affect the safe operation of the jets. Bloomberg says the "software troubles led to the Embraers being flown about 10% less each day than planned," hurting JetBlue's profit margins in using the model.

Douglas Runte, an analyst with RBS Greenwich Capital Markets, says: "The E190 is an aircraft with more than its share of teething pains." But, he adds "we expect that these problems can be resolved.'' A JetBlue spokesperson tells Air Transport World (ATW) that "we knew as a launch customer of the 190 that we would have to identify and resolve some problems over the course of the first couple of years of the aircraft's life. We are taking this aggressive stance because we need to fix our operation and need all of our aircraft operating to our expectations."

To avoid cancellations while the E190s are fixed, JetBlue will pay ExpressJet to operate four of its 50-seat Embraer E-145s on certain JetBlue routes, ATW reports. While the fixes are being made, ExpressJet will fly daily flights for JetBlue on the following routes: Boston-Buffalo (1 daily flight); Boston-Washington Dulles (2); New York JFK-Richmond (2); and New York JFK-Columbus (1). "JetBlue is contacting passengers about the plane change and giving them $25 (U.S.) travel vouchers," writes the Toronto Star. "They are learning from the Valentine's Day meltdown,'' George Hamlin of Hamlin Transportation Consulting says to Bloomberg. "They want to get the problem fixed and accommodate their passengers.''

Can they fly to Asia? US Air considers buying jets from Air Canada

With US Airways considering adding service to Asia (see below), the airline would have to acquire aircraft that have the range to make it across the Pacific. The Philadelphia Inquirer (free registration) writes that the airline "has been talking to ... the parent of Air Canada, about buying or leasing Airbus A340 jets that Air Canada expects to begin replacing this year, Bloomberg News reported. The four-engine A340 has a range of more than 8,000 miles. US Airways spokesman Philip Gee said the airline has talked to several potential sellers of long-range planes, but hasn't decided what it would use if it gets the Philadelphia-Shanghai route."

Yet another 8-hour flight delay snares fliers

There's been another report of a long tarmac delay -– this time an "8-hour ordeal" on United Airlines, the Chicago Tribune (free registration) reports. The paper tells of an incident from Saturday at O'Hare International that occurred as the season's latest winter storm blew through Chicago and the Midwest.

"No flight fared worse in that storm than UA907," the Tribune writes. "The Boeing 757 languished on the tarmac for seven hours before the pilots finally canceled the flight. It took another agonizing hour to get the plane back to the gate, where exhausted and frustrated passengers stumbled off the jet after midnight."

"What is striking," the Tribune adds, "is that United's marathon flight to nowhere occurred as the airline industry pledged to take better care of grounded passengers after a Feb. 14 storm left JetBlue Airways passengers stranded on planes at New York's [JFK] International Airport for up to 10 hours."

So, what led to the delay? Apparently, an aircraft change on the O'Hare-to-San Francisco flight meant switching to a smaller jet, which meant some first-class passengers had to be bumped to coach. Then, the time it took to resolve the complaints of the downgraded fliers meant "the difference between [the flight] leaving before a snow-and-ice storm raked O'Hare and getting caught in the mess that ensued," the Tribune says.

United tells the paper that it is trying to call all 181 passengers on board Flight 907 to apologize. It is also offering travel vouchers of up to $500. Though the Tribune writes that customers on board "remained calm," it adds that "to passengers, the experience was torture because every time departure seemed possible, the plane would need to be de-iced again."

David Castelveter -– a spokesman for the airline trade group Air Transport Association –- tells the Tribune that such events "are extremely rare situations" despite all the recent media attention on the topic. As for United, it says only 25 of the 140,000 flights it's flown since Dec. 1 were delayed by more than three hours. As for Flight 907, United spokeswoman Jean Medina tells the Tribune: "Our aim is to get our passengers to their destinations safely, and we apologize for the length of time one of our flights was on hold with passengers on board."

A380 about face clears Los Angeles' second-city blues

Los Angeles International will not have to play second fiddle to New York JFK after all. In a change from previous plans, Airbus' new A380 jet -– the world's largest commercial plane –- will now make nearly simultaneous landings at both LAX and JFK when the superjumbo makes its U.S. debut March 19.

The Associated Press writes that "Los Angeles officials recently had been upset to learn that Airbus decided to inaugurate A380 flights to the United States with an initial landing in New York. Local officials contended Airbus was reneging on a promise to make the first U.S. stop in Los Angeles, which kept a promise to speed up construction of a new $9 million gate for the giant jet."

The Los Angeles Times (free registration) says "the about-face came after the city's airport agency and Qantas Airways sent strongly worded letters to Airbus executives in Toulouse, France, demanding that they reconsider a recent decision to take the first U.S. test flight of the Airbus A380 to New York and then on to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport." In a press release, the Los Angeles World Airports authority says that "while at LAX, the [A380] crews will test airfield maneuvering, mating (docking) at a terminal gate, and ground-handling services and equipment including fueling."

Restructuring Airbus to shed 10,000 jobs

Airbus will cut 10,000 jobs over the next four years, something The Associated Press says is part of a new restructuring plan "aimed at helping the planemaker recover after delays to its A380 superjumbo and other setbacks." Dubbed "Power8," AP says the plan "was first announced last year after a two-year production delay to the double-decker A380 wiped 5 billion euros ($6.6 billion) off profit forecasts for 2006-2010. The program aims to claw back the same figure in cost reductions over the period and generate 2.1 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in annual savings in later years." Airbus added that it had taken a big hit by the weakness of the U.S. dollar, the currency in which it prices its planes. As a result, the company plans to "shift more of its supplier costs and contract work to dollar-linked economies," AP says.

Bombardier to launch new regional jet model

Despite their pariah status among frequent fliers, regional jets show no signs of disappearing from the world's fleets anytime soon. Canadian manufacturer Bombardier has committed to develop a new 100-seat version of its CRJ according to a Financial Times report carried by MSNBC.   

France's Brit Air and Italy's My Way Airlines have signed on as the launch customers, with 38 firm orders for the new model, which is scheduled to enter service in 2009.

The report notes that "Bombardier has been hit by weakening demand for its ageing family of regional jets in the face of growing competition from Brazil's Embraer."

But the new model promises more than extra seats -- Canada's Financial Post adds that the maker is also "widening its windows, improving cabin lighting and increasing the size of luggage bins" to alleviate the "claustrophobic" effect of previous regional jets. 

-- Ben Abramson

Yet more controversy for the A380

The Airbus A380 is set to make its U.S. debut next month when a test flight of the world's largest commercial jet lands at New York's JFK Airport on March 19. That announcement has officials at Los Angeles International Airport seething, reports the Los Angeles Times (free registration). But "there was more than just second-city jealousy in their reaction," explains the Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif. The Times adds that "Airbus told Los Angeles World Airports officials last year that it would bring the A380 to LAX on its maiden U.S. flight if the airport expedited construction of a $9-million gate to accommodate the 555-seat jetliner. That flight initially was set for August 2006, but the plane has experienced manufacturing problems, forcing Airbus to delay deliveries to airlines."

The airport has pushed ahead with expedited upgrades. "We are taken aback, to put it mildly, that Airbus is not living up to its commitment to have the A380 touch down at LAX first," Paul Haney of Los Angeles World Airports wrote in an e-mail to Airbus North America that was obtained by the Times. The airport was apparently hoping to use such a media-friendly opportunity as a high-profile way to "boost the image of the outdated airport and its oft-criticized facilities," the Times writes. As for Airbus, the company says it had to let Lufthansa call the shots since the flight is being operated as a trial flight for that carrier. But the Times quotes a Lufthansa spokeswoman as saying Airbus "is in charge … they are operationally responsible for these flights."

Delta to get 30 new regional jets

In case you missed this story from last week, The Associated Press reports that Delta received bankruptcy court permission to buy 30 Bombardier regional jets. In a January court filing, the airline said that 76-seat, two-class jets "will permit Delta to expand into new markets that it cannot now profitably serve and to upgrade, where appropriate, markets being served with smaller aircraft." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free registration) adds that Delta plans to use the jets "at its Atlanta, Cincinnati and Salt Lake city hubs." AP writes that Canadian planemaker Bombardier said the order for 30 "CRJ900 regional jets is valued at about $1.1 billion. If all options are exercised, the value of the contract could rise to $2.3 billion, the company said. ... The deal is related to Delta's decision in August to reconsider which regional carriers will provide it with connecting flights in some markets."

Air Jamaica to become an all-Boeing airline

That's according to Travel Weekly (free registration), which says the Caribbean carrier's recently unveiled five-year business plan calls for "swapping its current fleet of 15 Airbus aircraft for an all-Boeing 757 fleet beginning later this year." Paul Pennicook, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Air Jamaica, tells Travel Weekly the first routes to get 757 service will "probably be the routes from New York [JFK] to Montego Bay and Kingston [Jamaica] and from Toronto to Kingston." He says the 757 is "more suited to our mission. It carries 188 passengers and has much more room for baggage. It will carry a larger payload and fly a longer route much more efficiently." The switch to 757s will begin later this year and will come on a "staggered basis over an 18- to 24-month period," Travel Weekly writes.

Airbus claims A380 production breakthrough

After a slew of production problems that have left the world's largest passenger aircraft two years behind schedule, Airbus has claimed a breakthrough in assembling the A380's electrical system. The European manufacturer now says it will deliver the first finished aircraft to Singapore Airlines in October. Forbes.com quotes Airbus spokesman Tore Prang: "We have finished the electrical installation ... We have handed the aircraft to the cabin equipment team to install the first A380."

Wiring the behemoth aircraft for lighting, in-flight entertainment, aircraft operating systems and more has proven far more complex than Airbus anticipated. But the publication also speaks to an A380 skeptic. "Under no circumstances has the wiring issue been totally resolved," Doug McVitie, a former Airbus employee, tells Forbes.  McVitie also points to problems with the A380's weight that could threaten the October delivery date.

The troubles with the A380 have cost Airbus' parent company around $6 billion and caused some airlines, such as Emirates Airline, to question their commitments to purchase the aircraft. Still, Forbes notes that the mega-jet could be saved by the fact that it doesn't have a direct competitor, as rival Boeing has focused largely on developing the mid-size 787 Dreamliner.

-- Ben Abramson

Inside Boeing's new 747-8

Boeing unveiled last week a mock-up of the interior of its new 747-8 Intercontinental model, which the Seattle Post-Intelligencer describes as "a world of soft curves, blue mood lighting and a sweeping entryway designed to take the boredom out of flying."

Taking cues from the design work done on the 787 Dreamliner model, Boeing says it's striving to make airline interiors more passenger friendly. Klaus Brauer, whom the paper describes as "Boeing's interior design guru" points out that travelers are likely to have had a series of unpleasant experiences prior to boarding, so they should be greeted with an environment that is "spacious, inviting and relaxing." Boeing's website features photos of the entryway and cabin.

The new model will be Boeing's largest passenger jet, with a seating capacity of around 467 people, 51 more than the current 747 line. At the time it launches in 2010, it will be world's second largest passenger plane, after the 555-seat Airbus A380. The Post-Intelligencer characterizes the 747-8 as "a comeback kid for the 747 line, once thought to be a relic."

-- Ben Abramson

Photo courtesy The Boeing Company

Book: Airbus CEO dropped trousers for key U.S. plane deal

Jean Pierson, the former chief of European plane-maker Airbus, "dropped his trousers to seal a key U.S. plane order in 1997," Reuters reports. The news agency says the account comes from the book "Boeing versus Airbus," which is set to be published Tuesday. As for Pierson's episode, Reuters writes that Airbus was negotiating with then-US Airways chief Stephen Wolf on a 400-plane deal. "At the last minute, … Wolf started arguing for a 5% discount on the selling price," Reuters says. And, according to the book, "Pierson began slowly lowering his trousers and saying 'I have nothing more to give.' He then allowed the trousers to fall around his ankles." Wolf is said to have responded by saying: "Pull up your pants. I don't need any more money." Reuters writes that "shortly afterward, US Airways announced the purchase of 124 single-aisle Airbus A320 family jets with options for 276 more, a stab into the heart of Boeing's competing 737 program. It put the European company on track to overtake Boeing in global orders only two years later."

Boeing bounces back against odds

USA TODAY takes a look at the successful year Boeing had in 2006. The paper writes that "after years of ethics scandals and competitive setbacks, aerospace giant Boeing is on a winning streak. Neither its rivals nor its past sins seem to be slowing it down. Last week, Boeing announced it booked a record number of commercial airplane orders in 2006, almost certainly surpassing the annual airplane sales of France-based Airbus. In a blow to the USA's national pride, Boeing in 2001 lost its lead in annual sales of commercial aircraft to its European rival."

"For five years, as Boeing grappled with the post-9/11 industry downturn and its own disgraces, it looked doubtful it would retake the lead. But last year, the fortunes of the companies reversed.
Behind Boeing's 2006 sales surge: its innovative 787 Dreamliner, the continuing popularity of its workhorse 737, and production and management blunders by Airbus. The good news for Boeing, whose stock price soared 26% in 2006, doesn't stop with its commercial airplane division. This month, years after being caught cheating to win an Air Force contract, Boeing will get another shot at that $20-billion-plus program for aerial refueling tanker jets," the paper writes.

"We have had a good year," Boeing CEO Jim McNerney told USA TODAY in recent interview at Boeing headquarters. Check out the full article for more.

Embraer 190s land at US Airways

US Airways took delivery of its first Embraer 190 aircraft this past Monday, with the second of the jets expected to arrive on Christmas Day, according to airline spokesman Phil Gee. US Airways has placed firm orders for 25 E190s. In a newsletter to employees, US Airways says "the 190 will be a mainline aircraft, serving the niche markets that are too large for a regional jet, but don’t quite have the demand of a Boeing 737 or Airbus A319." The carrier will configure its E-190s with 11 first-class seats and 88 in coach. There will be no middle seats. The jets are expected to enter commercial service for US Airways on Feb. 11, and will initially fly between Philadelphia and markets such as Boston, Hartford, Dallas/Fort Worth, Manchester (N.H.) and Providence.

Boeing reaches milestone with 600th 777 jet

Boeing last week delivered its 600th 777 aircraft. With that, Boeing's 777 "program reached the milestone after 11 years in service, faster than any other twin-aisle airplane program in history," writes airline news site AvioNews.com. The landmark 600th 777 went to Singapore Airlines. With 61 777s now in its possession, that carrier has the world's largest 777feet. Sixteen additional 777-300ERs are still to be delivered to the carrier. Meanwhile, the delivery of the 600th 777 comes during a banner year for Boeing. The U.S. aircraft manufacturer "appears set to surpass Airbus in terms of orders for the first time in six years," according to newratings.com.

A380 sets off fuel tank concerns

In case you missed this story from yesterday's USA TODAY, the paper reports that there are possible safety concerns regarding Airbus' new A380 superjumbo jet. "Federal accident investigators and safety advocates say they are worried that the Airbus A380 double-decker jet will be exempt from new U.S. rules designed to prevent fuel tank explosions like the one that downed TWA Flight 800 in 1996," the paper writes. That comes after European officials say they will not require the A380 to adhere to those rules because they do not agree with them. Any domestic airlines that buy the A380 would be require to follow the U.S. laws. But, USA TODAY writes, "if Europeans do not adopt the rule, foreign carriers would be free to fly A380s into this country without updating the jet's fuel tanks."

That has safety advocates in the USA concerned. "There is no explanation other than it's a stiff arm in the face of safety," says Jim Hall, an aviation lawyer who chaired the NTSB during the TWA investigation. For its part, USA TODAY says that Airbus argues its jets don’t need the extra fuel-tank measures since none of its tanks have ever exploded. Also, the company claims its A380 fuel tanks "are not flammable enough to be subject to the proposed rules," according to USA TODAY. In addition, Airbus spokesman Clay McConnell also notes that the A380 does not have a fuel tank in its fuselage, "which is what blew up on TWA 800," writes USA TODAY. Despite the concerns, the A380 superjumbo jet model was officially declared safe to fly commercial flights on Tuesday.

A380 superjumbo jet is cleared to fly

Airbus' A380 superjumbo jet model was officially declared safe to fly commercial flights today, a development that Reuters says caps "six years of development marred by delays in deliveries to airlines." Both the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave their OK to the jet today at a ceremony at Airbus' French headquarters. "It's a great day for aviation.... The size of this aircraft is indicative of just how big dreams can be," FAA Administrator Marion Blakey is quoted as saying at the event. The approval was the last official hurdle Airbus had to clear for the jet. The company is scheduled to deliver the first plane to Singapore Airlines in October.

Reuters adds that "the 555-seat, double-decker [A380] aircraft comes of age as a mammoth addition to the world's airliner fleet despite production delays hampering deliveries." Those lengthy delays angered several important Airbus customers and sparked talk of penalties or even the cancellations of some orders for the A380. The Associated Press adds that "the A380's clearance for commercial takeoff offered some much-needed good news for Airbus — which has fallen behind rival Boeing on orders this year."

Some of Northwest's DC-10s going to ATA

Northwest's DC-10s may not "fly off into the sunset" as quickly as thought. The bankrupt airline has reached a deal to sell seven of its DC-10s to low-cost carrier ATA Airlines. Northwest refused to say how much the deal was worth, claiming those details would hurt its efforts to sell its remaining DC-10 equipment to other buyers if revealed. "Following the proposed sale to ATA, Northwest will only have one DC-10 airframe, 15 spare engines, miscellaneous flight-training equipment, and other equipment and spare parts unique to the DC-10 fleet," writes the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (registration required). The DC-10 had once been a key component for Northwest's fleet, with the carrier at one time including two dozen DC-10-30s, according to The Associated Press. NWA has been selling off its DC-10s in favor of new and more fuel-efficient aircraft. It was not immediately clear if ATA intended to use the new jets for its scheduled commercial service or -- probably more likely -- for its military or charter operations.

Demand soars for older wide-body jets

The Boeing 767 could be sticking around a little bit longer than some expected. The Chicago Tribune (free registration) writes that the jet "was supposed to be obsolete" and "headed for a dusty desert parking space." But now, it and other widebody aircraft are suddenly in high demand. The paper writes that "a global shortage of widebody aircraft, and the recent production and design problems involving two yet to be launched Airbus wide-bodies, has turned the hulking 767 and other old models into hot commodities, even as ...Boeing mulls shutting down its 767 production line." The Tribune notes that lease rates for the 767 have more than doubled and says there are no 767-300 series jets available for rent anywhere in the world, according to Back Aviation Systems, which monitors the market. The surge in demand also has spread to Boeing's 747 and Airbus' A330 models.

And if your airline wants a 777? "Forget about it," the Tribune writes. "You've got a perfect storm right now with the delay of the A380 and the attendant delay of the A350," Glen Langdon, president and CEO of Langdon Asset Management, tells the Tribune. Langdon, whose firm buys and sells aircraft, calls it "a significant problem." It's also becoming a problem for airlines that want to add long-range flights on high-yield international routes. To add such flights, carriers must be able to snag a plane out of what's becoming an increasingly tight inventory of twin-aisle jets that are also capable of flying 5,000 miles or farther. "It's very difficult today to get your hand on airplanes," Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and CEO of rapidly expanding Emirates, says to the Tribune.

Boom forces Boeing to say: 'Sorry, we're sold out'

Sales at Boeing are so strong that the company increasingly has to tell customers that it's "sold out," The New York Times (free registration) reports. Among Boeing's customers to get that response is Southwest, which wanted to add two planes to a recent order of 80 Boeing 737s. Boeing told Southwest it was unable increase the order, but did let the low-cost giant know about two "slightly used" 737s that Ford Motor was looking to get rid off, the Times says. "No one is more important to Boeing than Southwest," says Edmund Greenslet, publisher of the trade publication Airline Monitor. "If Boeing is not willing to raise production and build for Southwest, you can be sure they won't accommodate anyone else." So, why would Boeing say "no" instead of finding a way to ramp up production?

"With aviation booming and airlines lining up to buy Boeing planes, the company is trying to manage what could be too much of a good thing," the Times writes. It says Boeing "is trying to avoid mistakes of the past. In the last aviation boom, in 1997 and 1998, Boeing gorged itself on orders, but its production lines could not keep up and ground to a halt. Nevertheless, the company flooded the market with too many planes and ultimately had to sell them at cut-rate prices." That led to write-offs of more than $4 billion in 1997 and 1998 and cost the jobs of more than 20,000 workers. "In this hot market, it would be easy to be consumed with the desire to sell anything to people walking through the door who want to buy and push our production system to the point where you could break it," Scott Carson, CEO of Boeing Commercial Aviation, tells the Times. "It's much harder to say, 'I'm sorry, we're sold out.' "

Collateral damage for Boeing in US Air-Delta merger?

US Airways' proposed takeover of Delta could affect more than just the two airlines. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (via The Salt Lake Tribune website) notes that the merger may also impact aircraft manufacturer Boeing. "Delta is one of Boeing's best customers and is expected to order Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner," the paper writes. "US Airways is a key North American carrier for Airbus and has already ordered the Airbus A350, which will compete against the Dreamliner. In exchange for that 20-plane deal, Airbus agreed to invest in US Airways," the Post-Intelligencer adds. Says Byron Callan of the Prudential Equity Group: "The deal could raise the stakes between Boeing and Airbus for twin-aisle sales as we assumed Delta would be a natural customer for the 787." US Airways has not yet detailed what types of aircraft it would get try to get rid of in a merger with Delta, though the carrier says plans call for a fleet that contains both Airbus and Boeing jets.

'DC-10 about to fly off into sunset'

That's the headline from USA TODAY, which notes that the days are numbered for U.S. commercial service on DC-10 aircraft. "Northwest Airlines, the last U.S. operator of the DC-10 in scheduled passenger service, is transitioning to the Airbus A330, a newer, more efficient plane packed with the latest in passenger comfort and entertainment features. It flew its last DC-10 in international service on Oct. 29 and will fly its last domestic flight on Jan. 8," the paper writes. "And with that, the era of scheduled passenger service aboard three-engine jumbo jets will close," adds USA TODAY. But some DC-10s are still flying. USA TODAY notes that 446 DC-10s were built (including 60 sold to the Air Force as air-to-air refueling jets) and says that 170 are still in use, mostly for cargo. "There's an old saying in the airline business that (McDonnell) Douglas builds ... a strong airplane," says Ken Burnham, a former chief pilot at United. "I can see them being around another 20 years."

Want to read more about the DC-10? Check out Dan Reed’s USA TODAY story.

Airbus boosts A320 production as A350 decision looms

Airbus will announce on Friday whether it will give the OK to move ahead with its mid-sized A350 model, Reuters reports. Airbus had to go back to the drawing board to redesign the A350 after the company's original model was outsold by Boeing's 787 "Dreamliner" by as nearly 4-to-1 margin. The A350 "is the European aerospace firm's biggest gamble since the launch of its double-decker A380 superjumbo and aims to counter Boeing's dominance of the fast-growing market for fuel-efficient long-haul twinjets carrying 200-350 people," Reuters writes. The A350 redesign, however, is thought to have cost Airbus at least twice the original $5 billion it spent in development costs. Nonetheless, Reuters says "the A350 is seen as crucial to Airbus's future since it addresses a market of several thousand planes over the next 20 years compared with A380 sales of less than 200 so far."

Will Airbus move ahead with the jet? The Times of London thinks so, writing today that "sources close to the company said that the board almost certainly will give the A350 the go ahead." In other Airbus news, The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) writes that Airbus will boost production of its A320 family of single-aisle jets to 36 planes a month, up from the current 30. Single-aisle jets have been selling well recently for both Boeing and Airbus, and Airbus' decision to increase production in its A320 family could deliver a much-needed boost in the company's cash flow. But the Journal calls the decision a "potentially risky move to boost sales of jetliners amid troubles with new models."

Boeing 737s may be in Iraqi Airways' future

Iraqi Airways apparently has its sights set on acquiring five Boeing 737 jets in an effort to expand. According to The Associated Press, an English-language statement in the Iraq's pro-government daily Al-Sabah says "companies authorized to sell such aircraft are invited to submit their tenders" by Dec. 4. Iraqi Airways resumed service in 2004 following the U.S.-led invasion and currently flies to several Middle Eastern nations as well as to domestic destinations.

FedEx cancels A380 order

FedEx Corp. has delivered more bad news for Airbus. The cargo giant canceled its order for 10 of the European manufacturer's A380s, marking "the first customer to retract an order for the new jumbo double-decker plane that has been dogged by numerous delays," according to an Associated Press report carried by Chron.com.

The firm will instead order 15 new Boeing 777 freighter models, with an option to buy 15 more. "The availability and delivery timing of this aircraft, coupled with its attractive payload range and economics, make this choice the best decision for FedEx," FedEx Chairman and CEO Frederick W. Smith told the AP.

While previous A380 customers such as Emirates Air and Virgin Atlantic have expressed concern over the mega-jet's production delays, FedEx is the first flying firm to bail on the troubled model. As with previous negative news reports on the A380, Shares of EADS, Airbus' parent company have fallen today, while Boeing's stock price has climbed.

Want a new Boeing 787? Get in line and wait

Amid a Seattle Post-Intelligencer report about the production schedule for Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner and the company's efforts to reduce the weight of the new craft comes this impressive tidbit: "Delivery positions for the 787 are essentially sold out until 2013."

Boeing has received 432 "firm orders" for the 787, which a company spokesman indicates is "better than any of Boeing's previous new airplane programs at this point in the development process." Russian carrier Aeroflot recently failed to firm up its order for 20 of the 787s and as a result was pushed to the back of the line.

The report notes that large components from Boeing's manufacturing partners are expected to arrive at the firm's assembly plant in Everett, Wash., as early next February, and the first 787 is expected to roll off the line in the summer of 2007.

Airbus woes not limited to A380

The current spate of problems at Airbus aren't confined only to its struggling A380 superjumbo jet program. In a blow for the European jetmaker, Emirates this week reportedly decided to cancel an order for up to 20 of the long-range A340-600 jets it had ordered from the jetmaker. "Emirates delayed the delivery in March after Airbus proposed making an enhanced version of the high-gross-weight variant of the plane. Emirates President Tim Clark said at the time that the airline did not want to take delivery of an aircraft that would overtaken by a better model," Reuters reports. That was followed by a quote this week by Emirates spokesman Mike Simon, who offered no further explanation when he said: "We will not be taking delivery of these planes."

Airbus also is losing ground with airlines that were once loyal customers. In Latin America, Boeing inked a deal with TAM, the largest Brazilian airline and the top Airbus customer in Latin America. "The deal is important for Boeing because it breaks the stranglehold Airbus has had on the airline's business in recent years. Boeing said the international airline would become the first Latin American carrier to operate the long-range 777-300ER," writes The Wall Street Journal (subscription required). The Seattle Post-Intelligencer adds that "in picking the Boeing jet, TAM rejected the A340-600 offered by Airbus. That's another setback for Airbus, which has seen sales of its A340 family of planes almost disappear. … With fuel prices sky high, airlines have said they favor the two-engine 777 over the four-engine A340," the paper writes. TAM already has an order for an Airbus A350 mid-size jet, but The Seattle Times says the carrier needed the 777s right away to fly new routes to Europe.

And Airbus was dealt more bad news on its A380 superjumbo jet, which has been beset by problems that have put Airbus nearly two years behind schedule on the model. The latest comes from Japan Airlines (JAL), which said early this week that it does not plan to consider buying the A380. "The A380 is a completely controversial concept to the present aviation market," JAL CEO Haruka Nishimatsu says according to the Malaysia Star, which cites a report in the Financial Times. "The A380 has a much bigger problem than the 787 in terms of delivery," Nishimatsu says. The Star writes that the JAL CEO believes the A380 runs "counter to a trend in the market whereby most carriers preferred to purchase more fuel-efficient, mid-sized planes such as Boeing 787s."

However, there is some good news for Airbus. On Sunday, Australian carrier increased its order for Airbus's A380 jets to 20, an increase of eight.

So long, DC-10s; Northwest turns to A330s

Northwest retired its last DC-10 from international service on Sunday when Flight 55 completed its Amsterdam-to-Minneapolis/St. Paul run. On average, the airline's DC-10s are more than 25 years old, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune (free registration). Northwest still flies the jet between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Honolulu, though the carrier is scheduled to pull its last DC-10 off that route on Jan. 8. One Northwest traveler pleased with the phaseout is John Basek of Memphis. "I love the DC-10s, and I've flown them forever," he tells the Memphis Commercial Appeal (free registration). "But Northwest's were getting just a little tired." Replacing the DC-10s on the trans-Atlantic routes will be Northwest's new Airbus A330 jets.

"The newer Airbus planes include more amenities for passengers -- better seating, on-demand video offerings and the like. They also save Northwest about 30% on fuel costs and have lower maintenance costs," writes the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (free registration). Talking about the A330, the Commercial Appeal says, "Northwest unveiled the gem of its fleet … in 2003, promoting its 176-degree lie-back business class seat (flatter than any in the industry)." The carrier now has 22 A330s in service. Airline spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch says the A330 "has catapulted Northwest ahead of all of its domestic competitors in two of the leading areas that drive consumers' choice of airlines for international flights -- seat comfort and in-flight entertainment." The Star Tribune notes that "Northwest's key competitors -- American, United, Delta and Continental -- serve Europe primarily with the Boeing 767 and 777, both much younger models than a DC-10."

Photo credit: File photo via The Associated Press.

Skybus signals 'ambitious plans' with 45-jet order

Skybus Airlines -- a startup carrier that hopes to begin flying by this spring -- has signed a contract to buy 65 A-319 jets from Airbus, The Columbus Dispatch reports. The European aircraft manufacturer says the order is one of the biggest it has ever received from a U.S. start-up. "The two sides declined to discuss the value of the contract. Aircraft deals are highly negotiable, based on the size of the order, the exact configuration of the aircraft and how eager a company is to beat out the competition. Based on the A319's typical list price of more than $45 million, the deal would be valued at about $3 billion," the Dispatch writes. AFP put the value of the order at up to $3.9 billion. Skybus has said it plans to run a discount operation based on the model that has helped Ryanair become one of Europe's biggest carriers. The airline would use Columbus, Ohio, as its headquarters and primary base, according to most reports. 

"I have to say, this is a huge order," Gary Doernhoeffer, a lecturer in aviation at Ohio State University, tells the Dispatch. "It took JetBlue five or six years to get to this level. If you want to go out and make a splash as a startup airline, this is the way to do it. This is like the cannonball off the high dive." Adds Doug Abbey of the airline consulting firm the Velocity Group: "This sends a signal to the market that they have ambitious plans. Clearly, they either see vast potential that either isn't being met, or is being met poorly." But, not all industry observers are convinced Skybus will be a success. "They might want to call the bankruptcy attorneys right now," says Mike Boyd of the Boyd Group. "If the rumors we're hearing about them flying to secondary cities and flying connecting flights through Columbus are true, I just don't see it. Overall, the market for regularly scheduled, low-cost service is picked clean. It’s not like Southwest is some bloated competitor. It's the wrong time to get into that business."

Northwest to start flying 787s in 2 years

Northwest says it will begin flying Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" jets beginning in October 2008. The airline made that announcement last week after reaching "agreements with Boeing and engine maker Rolls-Royce for the delivery of 18 of the planes over three years," The Associated Press says. Northwest, operating in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, has not decided whether it will lease or buy the aircraft. AP writes that "Northwest is the first North American carrier to place an order, but Chicago-based Boeing says 34 airlines have ordered 432 of the planes, worth more than $68 billion."

The Chicago Tribune (free registration) says that the 787 order could give "Northwest a leg up on cash-strapped U.S. carriers like United Airlines, which hasn't added new aircraft to its fleet in years." As one would expect, Northwest says it plans to fly its 787s on Asian routes and on a few of its other overseas routes. The carrier also says the Dreamliners could allow it to expand its trans-Pacific offerings, The New York Times (free registration) reports. Northwest's international fleet is currently made up of mostly Boeing 747s and Airbus A330s, according to AP. Northwest plans to configure its 787s with 36 business-class seats and 185 in coach.

Bombardier may revive plans for midsize jet, analyst says

By year's end, Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier could restart its dormant plan to build a new passenger jet that seats between 110 and 130 passengers. "Jacques Kavafian, analyst at Research Capital, said Bombardier may launch the $2 billion C-Series program for the the 110- to 130-seater in conjunction with its proposed $300 million plan for a 98-seat stretch version of its 86-seat CRJ900," Reuters writes. Bombardier believes that there will be a global market for roughly 5,000 100- to 135-seat aircraft over the next two decades. "Many of the aircraft built in the past to serve the lower end of the range, 100 to 120 seats, are not economical, and the world's leading jet makers, Boeing and Airbus have not been successful in filling the gap," Reuters reports, citing Kavafian. He says that without a new jet model, Bombardier could face a decline in its share of commercial jet market.

Boeing stretches new 747, increases seating capacity

Boeing is stretching the passenger model of its 747 jumbo jet so that it can add 17 extra seats. The Associated Press writes that the move "will bring the new plane a tad closer to the seating capacity of rival Airbus' massive A380." With the change, the capacity of Boeing's 747-8 Intercontinental model will jump to 467 from 450. Randy Baseler, vice president of marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, made the announcement in a recent corporate blog posting. With the changes, the jet is expected to measure 250 feet, 8 inches -– the same length as Boeing’s freighter version of the new model. AP notes that "the new 747 is still a far cry from the A380, which can seat 550 people in a typical three-class configuration. But the move narrows the gap between the two and could help Boeing attract more customers. Baseler said in his Web posting that the company is still aiming for customers wishing to replace older 747s."

Delta to be U.S. launch customer for 777-200LR

Flightglobal.com reports that Delta will become the USA’s first customer for Boeing’s 777-200LR aircraft. "The two -200LRs are converted from a 777-200ER order previously placed with Boeing," the website writes. The new jets could be delivered "in the 2008 to 2010 time frame," Delta says.

Bad press continues for Airbus after latest change at the top

Following numerous snafus with its A380 superjumbo jet, Airbus has lost its second CEO in three months. Reuters/Airwise writes that Christian Streiff resigned "Monday after his plan to resolve delays to the A380 superjumbo offended Germany and opened a rift with (Airbus) parent EADS." Reuters cites "an industry source" in adding that "Streiff's position had become untenable after he exposed deep flaws in Airbus's industrial methods and raised the prospect of sensitive job cuts without adequate political cover." Among the issues thought to have caused trouble for Streiff was his description of Airbus's Hamburg, Germany, plant as "the weakest link" in the A380 production process. That, Reuters says, prompted an "icy" response from Germany, which has a stake in Airbus. "I hope that (my resignation) will provide a salutary shock that forces a rethink about how Airbus is governed," Streiff reportedly told France's Le Figaro newspaper.

Airbus's new chief, Louis Gallois, followed Streiff's resignation by issuing a warning today that "painful" job cuts are possible at the European planemaker, according to Reuters. And despite the problems that have hounded the A380, he said the he thinks the A380 remains a great aircraft. Meanwhile, the latest change in Airbus's leadership has kept the bad press coming for Airbus. "Never let it be said that the folks at Airbus and the Elysée learn from their mistakes," The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) writes in an editorial today. The paper adds that "yesterday's move to hand the reins of the troubled plane maker to a career French civil servant is yet more proof of self-destructive Gallic arrogance. Government meddling is the chief reason Airbus is in freefall from its spot as the world's No. 1 maker of large civil aircraft. Years of making decisions based on political rather than business rationale have put the company in its current bind."

JetBlue sells five A320s

German charter carrier Blue Wings has bought five Airbus A320 aircraft from JetBlue, with the planes scheduled to be in their new owner's hands by November. "In July, JetBlue said it expected a gain of about $6 million from the sale of the planes in the third quarter. New York-based JetBlue is selling the planes to cut capacity as part of a turnaround plan," Reuters writes. Three-year-old Blue Wings is based in Dusseldorf and plans to begin regularly scheduled service in 2007. Reuters reports that the carrier ordered 20 Airbus A320 planes for $1.4 billion over the summer.

Northwest orders 72 jets to fly Airlink flights

"Passengers should expect to see new planes on Northwest Airlines' commuter flights starting next year." That's from the Detroit Free Press, which is one of several publications reporting that the carrier has placed an order for 72 new regional jets. Northwest ordered 36 Embraer 175s that will fly for Compass, Northwest’s brand new regional subsidiary. Northwest also placed an order with Bombardier for 36 CRJ-900 jets, which will be flown by a Northwest Airlink partner to be determined at a later date, according to Aviation Daily. Both jets are configured to hold 76 passengers and have two classes of seating. The orders "intensify the stakes in a bidding war among regional carriers to fly the Bombardiers" for Northwest and represent "a major milestone in the carrier's planned emergence from Chapter 11," writes the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (free registration).

"Northwest also said the new 76-seat jets will allow it to offer new service in markets … where demand falls between its 100-seat DC9-30 planes and its 50-seat CRJ200s," the St. Paul Pioneer Press (free registration) writes. Why the split order between Embraers and Bombardier? The Star Tribune notes that the new orders come as Northwest "is meeting with manufacturers to discuss options for replacing its aging 100-seat DC-9s." Industry consultant Michael Boyd speculates to the paper that Northwest could be thinking of replacing those DC-9s with 100-seat Embraers. "What we have here is Northwest signaling that its DC-9 fleet will probably be replaced with Embraers," Boyd says. If that turns out to be the case, Boyd tells the paper that he thinks it would be easy for Northwest to move pilots from the 76-seat Embraers just ordered to a 100-seat version that the company would acquire at a later date. As for the immediate impact of the new 76-seat jets, the Free Press notes that the 72 planes "primarily will replace the 69-seat Avro RJ85s, which are an average of 7 years old. Mesaba Airlines has been flying those planes, but Northwest is phasing them out of Mesaba's fleet.”

New round of delays could spell trouble for Airbus superjumbo

Airbus is poised to admit today that its beleaguered Airbus A380 program now will fall nearly two years behind schedule, Reuters reports. And that apparently has some of the superjumbo's top buyers rethinking their orders. Emirates, for example, was informed by Airbus of an additional 10-month delay for its A380 delivery dates. Emirates -- the top buyer of the A380 -- responded by saying that airline's order is now "up in the air," according to The Associated Press. Emirates President Tim Clark adds: "Our first aircraft will now arrive in August 2008. This is a very serious issue for Emirates and the company is now reviewing all its options." Airbus A380 program was already about a year behind schedule when the latest problems came to light. "Virgin Atlantic Airways also said the delay could affect its order for six superjumbos," AP writes. Reuters cites "one newspaper report" as saying that Airbus may now deliver just two A380s in 2007 -– down from its original projection of 20-25. Just in June, Airbus had downgraded its projected 2007 delivery estimate to nine.

Even a hint of losing Emirates as a customer would likely have huge repercussions for Airbus's A380 program. Emirates is Airbus's single-largest buyer for the A380, accounting for about a third of the company's orders for the superjumbo, according to Reuters. Airbus's A380 issues could spill over into other areas at the company. CNN writes that the A380 woes have started "eating into cash Airbus needs to redeploy to its A350 project." And beyond practical issues, the troubled A380 could be leading to a crisis of confidence at the European jetmaker. German publication Spiegel addresses that idea, writing that "the superjumbo A380 was supposed to become a symbol for Airbus's superiority and Boeing's decline. But it hasn't turned out that way. Instead, the prestige project could turn in to a symbol for the Europeans' aerospace downfall."

Big 787 order for Boeing

Singapore Airlines has signed a deal to buy 20 Boeing 787-9 "Dreamliner" jets with options for 20 more, The Associated Press reports. Based on list prices, the deal would be worth $4.52 billion. Singapore plans to fly the 787s on routes to north Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. AP says the carrier expects the planes -– which have a range of 8,600 to 8,800 nautical miles -– to be delivered between 2011 and 2013.

Caribbean Star adds news planes to fleet

Caribbean Star Airlines completed fleet overhaul in which the Antigua-based carrier took delivery of four new Q300 Dash-8 Model 315 aircraft, Travel Weekly (free registration) reports. Skip Barnette, CEO of both Caribbean Star and its sister carrier, Caribbean Sun, had this to say to the publication: "The smell of a new car is nice, but the smell of a new aircraft is on another level, particularly here in the Caribbean where it's been several years since new aircraft have been put into service." Caribbean Star also removed two Dash-8 100s from its fleet, which now stands at 11 aircraft –- all with a 50-seat capacity, according to Travel Weekly. The carrier offers 637 weekly flights to 12 Caribbean destinations and one in South America. Both Caribbean Star and Caribbean Sun have a frequent-flier alliance with US Airways that lets customers earn US Airways miles for flights within the Caribbean.

Big 737 order for Boeing

European discount giant Ryanair placed an order Friday for 32 Boeing 737-800 aircraft -– an order worth $2.25 billion, based on list prices. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2008. Reuters says the order is part of a plan by Ryanair to become Europe's largest airline by doubling its passenger numbers by 2012. With the new order, Ryanair has ordered a total of 281 737s from Boeing.

Delay to A380 could impact other Airbus models

Delays to Airbus' A380 superjumbo jet also could be having an impact on one of the planemaker's other aircraft models. Air Transport World (ATW) writes that the "entry-into-service date" for Airbus' A350 XWB model "appears to be sliding 6-12 months owing to the ongoing A380 wiring difficulties." Previously, Airbus had said at the Farnborough Air Show that the first A350 variant to enter service would likely be in mid-2012. However, ATW says sources at Airbus tells it that "the program is likely to slip into 2013 because all the engineering talent is focused on the A380." But in some good news for Airbus, ATW reports in a separate story that the wake turbulence for its A380 model may not be as serious an issue as first feared.

FedEx to replace 727s with 757s

Cargo giant FedEx announced Tuesday that it will be replacing its fleet of old Boeing 727s with another model Boeing no longer manufactures, the 757. A Bloomberg report carried by the Orlando Sentinel indicates that the "bigger, more fuel-efficient 757s can carry 20 percent more cargo and cost 25 percent less to operate than the current jets." The first replacement aircraft will enter service in 2008 with the entire 727 fleet to be phased out by 2016.

FedEx currently operates 94 727s, but hasn't indicated where it would find the almost 90 used 757s it needs to replace them. According the Boeing website, the company manufactured its last 727 in August of 1984, and delivered its final 757 in November of 2005.

-- Ben Abramson

Is Boeing planning to build a regional jet?

Earlier this week, Boeing told Bloomberg News (carried via The Globe and Mail) that it's thinking about making single-aisle, 80- to 100-seat jets -- similar to the Embraer jets that JetBlue's flying to smaller markets.

"We're looking at the business case," Stephen Ford, a Boeing executive told Bloomberg Tuesday at an aviation conference. He said the airplane segment is doing "extremely well" and that more competition is needed.

So far, Brazilian company Embraer and Canada's Bomardier are the only ones making 80- to 100-seat regional jets. But Russian, Chinese and Japanese companies are eyeing the market, too, says aviation consultant Scott Hamilton of Seattle-based Leeham Co.

So, does that mean the market's booming?

Well, maybe. Airlines are expected to order as many as 4,000 80-to-100-seat jets, Hamilton says, and that's "nothing to sneeze at." But the real reason he suspects that Boeing -- and probably Airbus -- are eyeing the market has nothing to do with dominating the market for small jets. Instead, he thinks it's "strictly a tactical move" aimed at discouraging Embraer and Bombardier from getting into the larger jet market.

"If Bombardier and Embraer are already at the lower end of the market, it doesn't take too long for them to get ambitious," says Hamilton, who publishes an online newsletter about Boeing and Airbus. Larger jets like "the 737 and A320 are the bread and butter airplanes for Boeing and Airbus."

-- Barbara De Lollis

Airbus admits it: A380 to miss another deadline

After a week of speculation, it's official: Airbus' A380 superjumbo jet will face another production delay, company officials confirmed today. CNN Money/Dow Jones reports that Airbus' parent company "on Thursday disclosed that its A380 super-jumbo program would be further delayed because of continuing wiring issues."

How long? Dow Jones writes that Airbus officials say "it's too early to gauge the financial impact of the latest setbacks or to set a new delivery schedule for the aircraft." And even the announcement of the latest delay apparently didn't go off as planned. Reuters writes that "there was initial confusion over the announcement because (Airbus parent company) EADS erroneously re-issued the June profit warning at the same time as sending news agencies the bona fide new release" about the A380 schedule adjustment.

Though none of the A380’s initial customers were quoted in either the Reuters or the CNN Money story, several airlines affected by the delays have already voiced their displeasure with the Airbus schedule gaffes. And Singapore Airlines -– a top early customer for the A380 -– has apparently changed one of its promotion tag lines from "First to fly the A380 in 2006" to simply "First to fly the A380."

More delay reports surface on Airbus A380

It looks like there could be some legs to last week's reports that Airbus' troubled A380 jet could face yet another round of production delays. AFP reported Wednesday that "sources inside the company" warned that "the Airbus A380 superjumbo airliner is heading for probable new delivery delays." One source inside Airbus, who declined to be named, told AFP that "a halving of deliveries next year seems logical in view of the industrial difficulties arising from adaptation of electric cabling to the specific requirements of customers." AFP said a second unnamed company source told it that Airbus had started to tell trade union representatives of "this trend of a new delivery delay". AFP’s reports mirror another story Wednesday that appeared in the French financial newspaper Les Echos, which reported that A380 deliveries could be delayed by by "as much as six months." Officially, however, Airbus would not confirm the latest delay reports. One company spokeswoman called the reports "speculation" and said Airbus would disclose more when its board of directors meet on Sept. 29. 

Boeing pulling in more new orders than Airbus

European aircraft maker Airbus received 222 new orders for planes during the first eight months of 2006, "less than half the number reported by arch-rival Boeing," AFP reports. According to data monitored by the news service, Boeing had received 548 orders in the eight months dating to Sept. 5. But, AFP writes, when “measured by the number of deliveries, Airbus leads its U.S. rival with 283 aircraft delivered to clients in the first eight months compared with 258 for Boeing.” AFP adds that Airbus has been “hit by a series of setbacks in the first half of the year and was mired in bad publicity linked to production problems with its superjumbo A380 project and weak sales of its A350 mid-sized jet.”

Airbus A380 could face another round of delays

It appears that there could be additional delays for Airbus’s already troubled A380 superjumbo jet, according to various media reports. Mike Turner –- chief of BAE Systems, which owns 20% of Airbus’s parent –- is quoted by the BBC as saying that he “would not be surprised if there were more delays” with the A380. Air Transport World (ATW) also reports on the subject, writing that “Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qantas are bracing for further delays in the delivery of the first batch of A380s.” The publication adds that at least one source suggests that the A380’s “problems with the wiring required for airline customization are worse than expected and another delay may be announced soon.” ATW says that “it is understood” that Airbus management will meet next week to evaluate the latest problems and “how to deal with them.”

The Airbus A380 has already been delayed by about a year because of various problems, something that’s forced the resignation of some the firm’s top executives. Marketwatch.com writes that new Airbus CEO Christian Streiff “is conducting an internal study of the company's programs and production systems” and plans to publicly release his findings later this month. As for further delays, Singapore Airlines had expected to be the first carrier to take delivery of the A380 later this year. But, ATW writes, March 2008 “now is considered more likely.” Singapore Airlines spokesman Stephen Forshaw says Airbus has not informed the airline of any additional delay. He acknowledged that any additional backups with the A380 problem would be frustrating, but added "we probably don't have a lot of choice." A spokesperson for Emirates tells ATW: "We are aware of the rumors but have not engaged with Airbus, and as far as we are concerned, we are waiting to take delivery of our first A380 in October 2007."

New entertainment system for Boeing 737

Boeing has delivered its latest 737-800 model with state-of-the-art personal entertainment systems, but you'll have to take an intra-Asia flight if you want to try them.

Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal tells Cheapflights.co.uk his airline will be "the first 737 operator both in India and the world to offer this service to its customers." The system offers movies, games and flight data displayed on seven-inch monitors in seatbacks in economy class and nine-inch monitors mounted in the arms of business-class seats. The report indicates that Boeing has three more customers for the new in-seat video system, but fails to identify the airlines.

-- Ben Abramson

Another glitch for Airbus's A380

Airbus had to cancel a test run of its A380 superjumbo jet in mid-flight because of a fault with the landing gear controls, AFP reports. The A380 was scheduled to fly this morning from Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France, to Tozeur in southern Tunisia. "Shortly after take-off the crew noted a discordance between two light signals, making it impossible to know whether or not the main landing gear was lowered," an Airbus spokeswoman told AFP. “That sparked the launch of a security mechanism stopping the undercarriage from being retracted, and it returned to land without difficulty in Toulouse." The plane turned back after 34 minutes of flight, according to airport authorities in Tozeur. The A380 was headed to Tunisia to "complete a series of tests in hot climates," Airbus officials said. AFP writes that “the technical glitch is the latest of several to be detected on board the A380.” Airbus has already announced this year that deliveries of the superjumbo would be delayed by up to seven months because of other technical difficulties with the aircraft. Now, AFP says only nine A380s are slated for delivery in 2007. The A380 was designed by Airbus to carry 555 to 840 passengers and has been a major focus of the company's business plan for the future. 

Winemakers fear new rules will hurt business

Travelers toting cardboard carrying cases from California wineries were once a common sight at Bay Area airports. Now "some vineyard owners in Napa and Sonoma Counties are worried the new federal regulations will keep out-of-staters from buying their product," according to a report from KESQ.

In response, some vineyards are offering free storage boxes to pack bottles in luggage or reduced or free shipping to the purchaser's home. But several states restrict the shipping of wine, so the report concludes "the best bet is to include your wine with checked-in luggage."

-- Ben Abramson

737 still going strong

With all the recent fanfare for Boeing's new "Dreamliner" 787 model, the 737 aircraft continues its impressive lifespan. The Seattle Times reports that the first of Boeing's new 737-900ER models came off the assembly line on Tuesday -- the first of 60 destined for Indonesia's Lion Air. The new aircraft will carry 215 passengers with a range of 3,100 miles. The report notes that the "737 product line competes fiercely with the Airbus A320 family," and that the new model will "go head-to-head with the A321."

Boeing claims that the 737-900ER weighs 10,000 pounds less than an A321, which should make the model cheaper to operate. And while both manufacturers are studying replacement options for their single-aisle planes, Boeing has more than 1,300 backlogged orders for various 737 models and no replacement is likely until at least 2012. In addition to Lion Air's order, Continental has ordered 12 of the new jets and Turkey's Sky Airways another three.

-- Ben Abramson

Embraer expands capacity of E-170s and E-190s

Brazilian jet-maker Embraer announced last week that it would introduce higher-capacity variants of its 170 and 190 jet models, Air Transport World reports. The changes, which would not necessitate structural changes or new testing, would boost the capacity of the E-170 to 80 seats (up from 78). The E-175 would gain two seats for a total of 88, while E-190 would rise to 114 seats (up from 108). Embraer’s 195 model would have a version with 122 seats, up from 118. "Embraer has identified a growing demand for high-capacity configured E-Jets," company executive Luiz Sergio Chiessi is quoted as saying by ATW. "We are talking mainly about low-cost and regional carrier applications. For an operator choosing a 114-seat Embraer 190, for instance, the revenue potential can be increased by up to 14% when compared to the standard all-economy, 32-inch pitch, 100-seat configuration."

Airbus takes new approach to battle Boeing’s 787

European jet-maker Airbus announced today that it will revamp its A350 jet model in an effort to compete with Boeing’s hot-selling 787 Dreamliner. Noting that Airbus orders are trailing Boeing by a 4-1 margin,  Bloomberg News writes that Airbus “will revamp its mid-size, long-range A350 design” by “building an all-new $10 billion plane.” The company “already has 100 firm orders for the A350. But in recent months some key customers have become quite vocal about their disappointment with the aircraft, asking for modifications that would make it more competitive against Boeing's 787 Dreamliner,” Reuters writes.

Jean Botti, the chief technology officer for Airbus parent EADS, says the redesigned A350 “will be bigger, lighter and cheaper” than the company’s previous versions, according to MarketWatch.com. With the changes to the A350, Airbus now says it expects the plane to enter commercial service by 2012. On a separate note, new Airbus CEO Christian Streiff issued a public apology for the production delays that have marred the delivery schedule for the company’s A380 superjumbo jet.  Streiff is quoted by Bloomberg as saying Airbus is "learning to be humble, learning to change our bad habits and learning in many areas of this perfect company where we need to improve.''

Photo: A computer-generated image provided by Airbus offers the first glimpse of what its revamped A350 model may look like. From AFP/Getty Images.

Boeing: World airlines will need 27,000 planes in next 20 years

U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing upped its 20-year industry forecast, predicting that airlines will demand more than 27,000 new aircraft over the next two decades. That figure is about 5.8% higher than Boeing predicted just last year. If global sales hit Boeing’s estimate, that would represent aircraft sales worth about $2.6 trillion by the world's jetmakers, according to Air Transport World. "We're forecasting a continued strong long-term demand for new airplanes," says Randy Baseler, Boeing's chief of marketing. He tells Bloomberg/the Seattle Post Intelligencer that Boeing's increased forecast comes as the company expects the "accelerated retirement" of less fuel-efficient planes by airlines struggling against high oil prices. Also feeding the expected growth is surging demand for air travel in Asian markets like India and China.

Baseler also reconfirms Boeing’s strategy of shying away from superjumbo jets, saying the company will instead focus on fuel-efficient intermediate-sized jets. "We believe small planes are the more important market," he says. "Passengers are bypassing mega-hub airports, which results in a decreased need for very large airplanes." Boeing has staked much of its future on twin-aisle medium-sized planes, such as its 777 and 787 models. Airbus also produces similar jets to those Boeing models. But unlike Boeing, the European jetmaker has focused much of its current efforts on its A380 superjumbo jet –- a 555-seat aircraft that’s designed to fly customers between major hubs. Baseler says Boeing won’t try to match Airbus’ A380 with a competing model. "Twin-aisle airplanes will dominate the world fleet, providing more frequencies and increased non-stop service," he says.

Airbus reports sharp drop in plane orders

The recent spate of bad news for Airbus continued today as the European manufacturer reported that it had secured orders for 117 new aircraft in the first half of 2006. That figure is less than half the 276 orders Airbus recorded during the same period last year, and even more ominous for Airbus, less than 25% of the 480 new-plane orders reported by rival Boeing as of July 5.

Fueling the decline for Airbus were “production delays to its A380 superjumbo, and weak sales of its planned A350,” according to The Associated Press/Chron.com. The widebody A350 will soon undergo an extensive redesign to compete with Boeing’s 787 “Dreamliner” – Boeing has 69 orders for its new model this year, while the A350 has just 13 new buyers. 

Despite the new numbers, “Airbus still turned out more jets than Boeing in the first half -- as it has each year since 2003 . . . But the latest orders suggest Airbus may lose its lead in coming years.”

More 787s coming to North America

Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner model will be flying for another North American carrier. AeroMexico plans to lease three 787-8s from the International Lease Finance Corp., reports Air Transport World (ATW). AeroMexico’s 787 deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2010.  The planes will the replace the airline’s 767s and will be used on flights to Europe and Asia. The publication notes the AeroMexcio recently took delivery of two Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. "With similar speeds, mission capabilities and cockpit commonality, the combination of the 787 with the 777 will provide AeroMexico with optimum fleet flexibility on long-range missions," says John Wojick, a regional sales representative for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. (Photo: A computer-generated image provided by Boeing from 2005 shows the company's new series Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Via AP.)

NWA to speed up retirement of DC-10s

Northwest Airlines plans to speed up the retirement of the last 12 DC-10s in its fleet. The jets will be phased out over the next seven months, reports Air Transport World (ATW). The publication adds that Northwest is the “last major U.S. passenger airline to operate the type.” The DC-10s will be replaced by new Airbus A330s for trans-Atlantic routes while Boeing 747-400s will be returned to service to fly trans-Pacific routes, according to ATW. Northwest currently flies seven routes with DC-10s, though all but one will be phased out by Oct. 31. Northwest will continue to use DC-10s on its daily Minneapolis/St. Paul-Honolulu route through Jan. 8. On routes where Northwest will switch to the A330s, the carrier could save up to 30% in fuel costs, reports the Memphis Business Journal. The paper says that an A330 flying from Memphis to Amsterdam could hold an additional 25 passengers while burning 6,100 fewer gallons of jet fuel (each way) when compared with a DC-10.

Lawmaker: No U.S. tax dollars for Airbus jumbo jet

There are more problems for Airbus and its troubled A380 superjumbo jet.  The latest comes from U.S. Rep. John Mica -- a Florida Republican and chairman of the House aviation subcommittee. The influential lawmaker says he wants to bar federal funds from being spent on the airport upgrades that would be needed to accommodate Airbus’ giant-sized jet, Reuters reports. "Until a U.S. airline chooses to acquire and operate the passenger version of the A380, foreign airlines that operate A380 passenger service to and from the United States should pay for any needed infrastructure improvements at the airports they serve," Mica says in a statement.

According to the Financial Times/MSNBC, Mica says using funds from the federal Airport Improvement Program to help airports facilitate the A380 would be "patently unfair" -- especially given U.S. charges that Airbus has received unfair public subsidies for the aircraft's development. Citing a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, Mica says that it could cost close to $1 billion for upgrades at airports that are currently considering A380-related improvements. Others, however, say the actual upgrade cost will likely be much less. Upgrades would be needed by some airports to accommodate the size of the A380, which includes a 262-foot wingspan and a maximum takeoff weight of 1.2 million pounds. “In some cases,” Reuters writes, airports “may have to widen runways and taxiways and restructure gate areas to handle” operations by the Airbus superjumbo. Airbus’ A380 has already run into significant turbulence over production delays.

Photo: Spectators in southwestern France cheer the Airbus A380 on its maiden flight in 2005. By Francois Mori, AP.

Boeing's 747 may see new commercial demand

Boeing is considering a stretch version of its 747-8 jetliner that would compete with Airbus’ A-380 superjumbo. Air Transport World (ATW) writes that “Boeing is coming under growing pressure to boost capacity on the 747-8 Intercontinental by two seat rows as airlines start to look at it as a possible alternative to the A380.” Flight International adds Boeing is considering the capacity increase after "requests from some airlines for additional capacity, ... primarily from Asian carriers." ATW adds: “Increasing the length of the dash 8 to that of the 747-8F adds 20 seats. Moving galley carts into the overhead space would add another 30, lifting seating capacity to 500 in the standard Boeing configuration compared to 416 for the 747-400 using the same rules. Currently the passenger variant has (an 11.8-foot) stretch while the freighter is stretched by (18.3 feet).”

Photo: An undated artist's rendition from Boeing that shows its new 747-8 freighter. Via AFP/Getty Images.

Qantas CEO: A-380 delay will cost Airbus

Airbus continues to deal with the fallout from a series of production delays involving its new A-380 superjumbo jet. The latest comes from Australian carrier Qantas, which ordered 12 A-380s from the European planemaker. The production delay has Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon speaking out about compensation from Airbus: "We won't just seek it, we will get it." Dixon didn’t comment on the amount being sought, but said that the airline is “looking and talking to Airbus about replacement aircraft" in the meantime, according to the Houston Chronicle/AP. "We have contracts and conditions that require Airbus to compensate us based on delivery timetables and many of those have been activated," he added. Other A-380 customers, such as Singapore and Emirates, have also hinted that they'll seek delay-related compensation. Meanwhile, in more bad news for Airbus, plane lessor International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) said this week that it's considering canceling its order for 10 A-380s, according to Air Transport World. ILFC CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy says Airbus' delays mean the ILFC could likely do so without penalty.

Report: JetBlue close to deal to sell 5 A-320s

JetBlue appears to be close to a deal to sell five of its Airbus A-320 jets, according to Newsday/Bloomberg News. Following its second-consecutive quarterly loss, the carrier in April announced plans to scale back growth and sell between two and five of its A-320 aircraft. JetBlue CEO David Neeleman said he "is very pleased with" the pending sale. He added: "It's not certain, but it's in the works.” He did not say who the buyer might be. With the sale of the A-320s, JetBlue’s capacity growth this year would fall to 20%-22% -- down from the airline’s original projections of 28%-30%. Neeleman predicted a similar growth rate for next year, but said it was possible the company could consider selling additional jets “in the future if the need warranted it.”

Investors reward Boeing, punish Airbus

Boeing shares closed up 6.5% Wednesday after rival Airbus announced delays in the production of its new Airbus A-380 superjumbo jet, USA TODAY reports. Shortly after Airbus announced it delays with the massive A-380, Boeing confirmed that it secured a large order for its mid-size 787 “Dreamliner” model. Reuters/Airwise writes that Airbus’ “delay comes on top of almost identical problems last year, further hurting Airbus' credibility with customers. Airbus is already struggling to keep up with Boeing, whose new 787 has been beating Airbus's rival A-350 in the market for mid-sized planes.” As you might expect, Airbus shares headed in the opposite direction of Boeing’s, finishing Wednesday down 26% on the Paris exchange. "I am extremely sorry for all of you and the investors who have placed confidence in EADS," Airbus co-CEO Noel Forgeard told analysts in a conference call.

Airbus hits jumbo-sized snags over massive A-380

Airbus appears to be running into jumbo-sized problems with its superjumbo A-380 aircraft, a jet that some say Airbus has bet its future on. The latest snafu came Tuesday when the European jetmaker announced that it will not be able meet its delivery targets for the plane. The company says it still expects to deliver the first A-380 to Singapore Airlines by the end of the year, as scheduled. But USA TODAY writes that “because of production troubles, Airbus now projects nine deliveries in 2007, down from the 20 to 25 previously projected. The 70 jets the company now expects to deliver in 2008 and 2009 are about 10 fewer than previously expected.” That prompted a strong backlash from investors in Airbus, with the company’s stock plunging more than 30%.

Airbus’ A-380 customers aren’t happy about the revised schedule either. Singapore Airlines, which has ordered 10 A380s, plans to seek compensation for the delays. Reuters notes that “Airbus already faces tens of millions of euros in penalties to airlines from earlier slipped deadlines.” Singapore also followed up the A-380 delay by publicly announcing a big order from Airbus rival Boeing. The airline detailed plans to purchase 20 Boeing 787-9s with options on another 20.

Singapore officials say the move was not related to A-380 delay, though some wonder if the timing reflected the airline's frustration over the bungled Airbus schedule. Though not directly competing aircraft models, Boeing's 787 and Airbus A-380s are currently the flagship jets being touted by each company. So far, sales of the 787 have far exceeded the A-380. Other A-380 customers –- including both Emirates and Malaysia Airlines -– say they’re now “reviewing” their orders with Airbus for the superjumbo jet.

Report: 747 'mystery' order is linked to Qatar Airways

Yesterday, Today in the Sky told you that a “mystery buyer” purchased a Boeing 747. That marked the first sale of the 747 in nearly four years, according to USA TODAY. Today, however, Air Transport World sheds some light on who that buyer may be. The publication writes that the “747-8 Intercontinental order booked last week is a VIP transport for a Middle East-based buyer. ... According to sources in London, the order is linked to the order for 20 777s also booked last week. That order is believed to be for Qatar Airways.”

Mystery buyer for 747

Once the undisputed king of international air travel, Boeing's 747 is in the news today for just a single order. USA TODAY reports that the airline has sold a passenger model of the 747 for the first time in four years. The article notes that while passengers "favor the safety and comfort of the four-engine 747 . . . the planes have fallen out of favor in recent years with airlines looking to trim operating costs." The manufacturer launched a modernized, more fuel-efficient version of the aircraft last year -- the 747-8 -- which has spurred 18 new orders from cargo carriers. But with competition from the new Airbus A380 and Boeing's upcoming Dreamliner model, the 747's future as a passenger carrier appears limited.

-- Ben Abramson

Boeing flush with 787 sales, but it’s a slow month at Airbus

Boeing’s new 787 “Dreamliner” apparently has proven to be so popular with airlines that the jetmaker is considering doubling the production capacity of the "fast-selling" jet, Reuters reports. Boeing is set to deliver its first 787 to an airline customer in 2008, but the model is already “sold out” through 2010. Strong sales are making 2011 look as if it could also be a sellout for the 787. "There are still a lot of people who want planes," says Randy Baseler, Boeing's vice president of marketing for commercial planes. "We are studying a production increase on the 787. We could make an announcement as early as this summer." Just this week, Continental declared plans to add 10 more 787s to its fleet. Meanwhile, it’s a different story at Airbus. The European aircraft manufacturer –- and Boeing’s top rival -- reported its slowest month of the year on Wednesday, with orders for just six aircraft in May, Reuters/Airwise writes.

Photo credit: An artist rendition of a Boeing 787-9 in Air New Zealand livery. Image via Boeing/AFP/Getty Images.

Continental orders 34 new jets, eyes growth

Continental Airlines today announced it has placed orders for 10 additional Boeing 787 “Dreamliners.” The Seattle Post-Intelligencer says the order is a “big boost” for Boeing “in its quest to place its Dreamliner with U.S. customers.” As of Monday, Boeing had 350 firm orders for its 787, though many of those orders have come from overseas. Most traditional U.S. carriers have held off on ordering new planes during the recent industry slump, but Continental, which had previously placed seven firm orders for the long-haul 787 prior to today’s announcement, is bucking that trend. The airline also placed orders for 24 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. With the orders, the airline apparently is looking to grow at a time when most legacy carriers are pulling back on capacity. "These aircraft will give us the ability to seize long-haul market opportunities, remove less efficient aircraft from our fleet and maintain our role as a global network leader," Chief Executive Officer Larry Kellner said in a statement. "We continue to target 5% to 7% annual growth in capacity. Our fleet plan remains flexible, permitting us to respond appropriately to market conditions."

Photo credit: Continental planes within view of the Manhattan skyline. By Mike Derer, AP.

Is Boeing winning the battle against rival Airbus?

U.S. jetmaker Boeing could be ready to tip the scales on European rival Airbus, Forbes.com suggests in an analysis piece. The companies are both getting ready to roll out jets that are meant to cater to different visions for the future of air travel. Airbus will have its A380 superjumbo, a plane capable of seating between 550 and 850 passnegers and designed to transport connecting passengers between major hub cities. Boeing, on the other hand, is betting its future on its 787 “Dreamliner” model. That aircraft is meant for point-to-point flights and will seat considerably fewer than the A380, though it also will be able to fly long distances to connect overseas routes. “Each company has made a series of big bets” on the future, with the two companies introducing “fundamentally different products, based on diametrically opposite visions of the future, engaged in a Hatfields versus McCoys battle with billions of dollars at stake,”  Forbes writes.

Forbes says that Airbus’ A380 superjumbo jet A380 “represents a bet-the-house wager on one of the most disliked same-old models of air travel: the hub-and-spoke. … It also presumes that passengers will want to put up with the hassles of changing planes in exchange for the privilege of traveling in a jet-powered cruise liner.” With its 787, however, Boeing sees a different future –- one where “customers prefer more point-to-point flights, flown more frequently, on smaller airplanes,” Forbes writes. The publication adds: “The 787 offers a very different take on the flying experience, too, focusing on comfort rather than perks that could be eliminated by airlines: more standing headroom, larger windows and bathrooms, and a less-pressurized cabin for higher humidity--all features that will benefit passengers regardless of seat configuration.” Cocktail lounges and gyms, the publication notes, are all options Airbus touts for its A380 –- but are things airlines could decide to remove to add extra seats.

Both Airbus and Boeing clearly have differing views for the future or air travel. The company whose view proves the most on target could determine which one emerges over the next decade as the world’s top aircraft maker. So far, sales of Boeing’s 787 are nearly double of those of the Airbus A380.  “Not long ago, it appeared as if Airbus had gained the upper hand,” Forbes writes. But “if Boeing succeeds in winning this battle --and it appears to be well on its way -- it will amount to one of the great reversals of business fortunes. It will also serve as proof of the wisdom of understanding the marketplace well enough to lead, rather than follow.”

Photo credit: A large crowd gathers around to view the new Airbus A380 on May 19 during the International Air Show ILA in Berlin. By Roberto Pfeil, The Associated Press.

Airlines pick extra seats over more room in coach

When Boeing designed its new 787 “Dreamliner,” the U.S. jetmaker envisioned a plane full of ground-breaking passenger comforts. As part of that strategy, Boeing’s original design called for eight seats per row in the coach-class section. The idea was that airlines would configure the seats in a 3-2-3 arrangement that would leave extra room for fliers. But Boeing also made the 787 wide enough that the plane could accommodate nine seats in each coach row, and that’s just the option most airlines seem to be opting for.

“That means travelers will plop into a 17-inch-wide seat, about the same as on today's Boeing 737s and 757s, instead of a 19-inch seat arranged in a new, patented 3-2-3 seating configuration designed to maximize comfort,” writes Scott McCartney, The Middle Seat columnist of The Wall Street Journal (subscription required). Boeing’s 787 will have a number of flier-friendly features, such as bigger windows and storage bins. But McCartney writes that “a big part of the game-changing design was built around the 3-2-3 seating and a wider-than-normal coach seat,” McCartney writes. He notes that other than United and British Airways, most airlines seem to remain skeptical that extra room in coach can generate more revenue. 

Photo credit: A computer generated image shows the Boeing 787 aircraft. From AFP/Getty Images.

Growing Alaska Air adds flights to Texas, Alaska

Beginning June 4, Alaska Airlines will add a third daily flight between its Seattle hub and Dallas/Fort Worth. The new flight features continuing same-plane service to and from Anchorage with a stop in Seattle. With the addition, Alaska Air customers will now have two daily same-plane, one-stop options between Anchorage and Dallas/Fort Worth, according to the Dallas Business Journal.

The announcement comes after CEO Bill Ayer said that the carrier would expand its capacity by 6% this year, adding flights on routes it already flies in addition to new routes and destinations, The Seattle Times reports. The carrier is in the process of switching to an all-Boeing 737 fleet, and is scheduled to take delivery of 39 new 737s through 2008. With its delivery schedule for the new Boeings, the capacity of Alaska's new jets is expected to increase faster than the seat reductions that result from its phaseout of its MD-80 fleet, a process expected to be complete by 2008.

Photo credit: An Alaska Airlines jets takes off from Anchorage last month past a background of the city of Anchorage and the Chucach Mountains. By Al Grillo, AP.

Airbus A380 to make U.K. debut

Airbus’ A380 superjumbo jet is set to make its United Kingdom debut today, landing at London Heathrow to carry out tests, according to AFP. The plane, which has yet to go into commercial service, will be the world’s largest commercial jet. It is expected to seat anywhere between 555 and 840 passengers, depending on the jet’s configuration. So far, 16 airlines have placed orders for the A380. “London will likely be the A380's first European destination when it enters scheduled service later in the year for Singapore Airlines,” AFP writes. The A380 will supplant Boeing's 747 as the world's biggest commercial aircraft.

Concept jets? A glimpse of what Boeing is eyeing for the future

Boeing engineers are working on the next generation of commercial jetliners and they may look little like the planes being flown today, according to internal Boeing documents obtained by The Seattle Times. With prototypes named after Muppets -– Fozzie, Beaker and the Kermit Kruiser –- the Times writes that Boeing’s engineers “are re-imagining the airplane in futuristic configurations that sprout wings, tails and engines in unexpected shapes and places.” One of the proposed jets looks something like the space shuttle, while the Fozzie features a twin-fin tail topped with a vertical crossbar and an engine that is an "open rotor" or "unducted fan" design -- making the plane appear as if it’s powered from the rear by two large propellers. (The pictures can be seen via a link off the story page on the Times’ website).

Despite the exotic look, Boeing has two traditional themes in mind in designing the aircraft. The company is focusing on making its next range of jets either “low-cost” (inexpensive to operate) or “green” (environmentally friendly). Dan Mooney, Boeing vice president of product development, directs the research teams who are working on the new designs, saying they are looking "out beyond 15 or 20 years” to try and envision what airlines might be demanding at that point. Like the concept cars that never make it farther than auto-show display stages, these planes may never end up flying as currently envisioned, but even if the jets’ designs to ultimately become more conventional-looking, Mooney predicts that “there'll be parts of the technology or parts of the configuration that will find their way onto products of the future."

JetBlue ‘gambles’ by adding E190 jet

JetBlue’s decision to add a second type of aircraft in its fleet is “another gamble” that goes “against the grain in the airline industry,” writes TheStreet.com. When JetBlue first got off the ground more than five years ago, it operated a fleet consisting only of Airbus A320 jets. That mimicked Southwest’s successful –- and cost-effective –- strategy of using a single aircraft type. "Simplicity is the key," Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart says. "It is a marvelous thing to have crews that can fly on any airplane at any time, and to have a maintenance department work on a single aircraft type." But in the past year, JetBlue has augmented its previously all-Airbus fleet with the brand-new 100-seat Embraer 190. Most experts agree that adding the second plane type could add complexity and costs, but others believe the move could pay off since the smaller E190 will allow JetBlue to service medium-sized markets that discounters previously have ignored.

Further complicating JetBlue’s effort is that the airline “not only wants to operate two fleet types, it has changed strategies twice” before adding the E190, TheStreet.com writes. “Initially, it (JetBlue) was committed to flying the A320 between New York and about 40 markets, many of them in the East. Then it shifted, pouring resources into the transcontinental and Florida markets. Now, it's returning to the first set of markets, but with a new type of aircraft,” the publication adds. And after JetBlue introduced the E190 in November, the airline suffered immediate problems with the new aircraft type, “caused by overscheduling, late deliveries, delays in equipping the planes to fly and a crew adjustment period.” JetBlue CEO David Neeleman insists the airline has solved those issues. Perhaps a sign of hope for JetBlue, a two-type aircraft fleet has worked for at least one other low-cost carrier: AirTran. "I know we can do it, but I don't know whether they can," AirTran President Bob Fornaro tells The Street.com.

'N.Y. Times' prints correction regarding Airbus's standing-room-only 'seats'

I told you last week about a New York Times report that said Airbus was allegedly proposing standing-room only “seats” where fliers would be strapped into a standing board, “secured” with some type of harness. Airbus subsequently denied that it had pitched such a idea … and now it appears there may be some truth to Airbus’s denial. Here’s the text of a correction from Tuesday’s New York Times that addresses the proposed standing-room seating section allegedly proposed by Airbus …

“A front-page article last Tuesday about seating options that airlines are considering to accommodate more passengers in economy class referred incorrectly to the concept of carrying passengers standing up with harnesses holding them in position. During preparation of the article, The Times's questions to one aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, were imprecise. The company now says that while it researched that idea in 2003, it has since abandoned it. The article also misstated the capacity of the Airbus A380 superjumbo jet. The airliner can accommodate 853 passengers in regular seats; standing-room positions would not be needed.”

Airbus denies report of standing-room-only for passengers

Airbus is flatly denying yesterday’s report from The New York Times that the company has pitched the idea of stand-room-only seating in its A380 super-jumbo jet. A spokeswoman for the airline even went so far as to call the Times report “crap,” according to an online story by CNN/Money. "Our passengers and customers want more and more comfort," says Barbara Kracht a spokeswoman for the European aircraft maker. "We're going in the direction of more comfort, not in that direction." The Times story went on to say that the standing-room-only seating could boost the capacity of the jet up to 853 passengers. Kracht confirms that capacity, but tells CNN/Money that is the maximum capacity for an all coach-class configuration for the A380 -– a configuration that includes seats for everyone. In its story, the Times cites experts that it claims have actually "seen a proposal" on the standing-room-only seating, which was described as a section where passengers would be propped against a padded backboard and held in place with a harness. So far, CNN/Money is the only publication to run a story with Airbus’ denial of the plan. Stay tuned …

Airbus considering standing-room-only airline seats, report says

Editor's note, May 11, 2006: The New York Times has run a correction and editor's note admitting to several problems with its original story on Airbus and standing-room only seats. Below, in its orginal form, is the Today in the Sky recap of that Times article. 

If you think legroom is bad now, then get ready for “standing-room only” seating. The New York Times (free registration) writes that “Airbus has been quietly pitching the standing-room-only option to Asian carriers, though none have agreed to it yet. Passengers in the standing section would be propped against a padded backboard, held in place with a harness, according to experts who have seen a proposal.” One proposal apparently involves Airbus' A380 model, which will be the world’s largest commercial jet when it enters service in the coming years. A “typical configuration” calls for the jet to seat about 500 passengers, but that number could balloon to 853 with standing-room-only seats. (Check out the Times' website to see their graphic showing what such seats could look like.)

"To call it a seat would be misleading," says Volker Mellert, a physics professor at Oldenburg University in Germany, who has studied airline seat comfort and has seen the proposed standing-room-only design. He says that if any airlines ever decided to use such a “seating” configuration, it would most-likely be used only on short-haul flights in densely populated areas like Japan. The Times says an Airbus spokeswoman “played down the idea that Airbus was trying to sell an aircraft that accommodated 853 passengers,” though she would not comment on the “upright-seating proposal.” Would such seats fly in the USA? Apparently, it would be possible. According to the Times, the Federal Aviation Administration requires that passengers only be “secured” for takeoff and landing, but not necessarily “in a sitting position.”

Would you ever consider buying a "standing-room-only" ticket? Is this a good idea, or a recipe for disaster? Share your thoughts with other Today in the Sky readers.

Airlines quest for cash could cramp your legroom

While not as drastic as the “standing-room-only” airline seats (see above), legroom on commercial planes could keep shrinking, The New York Times (free registration) reports. Facing soaring fuel prices and increased pressure to squeeze the maximum amount of revenue out of each flight, airlines are finding ways to squeeze additional seats onto jets -– sometimes by decreasing legroom to add more rows of seats. Another change: Companies that make airline seats have developed stronger, lighter materials that allow for slimmer seatbacks. In theory, that could help airlines add some extra space to each seat. But instead, the Times writes, “the result is an additional 6 seats on a typical Boeing 737 … and as many as 12 new seats on a Boeing 757.”

And on Boeing’s newest 787 model, some airlines are planning to space seats just 30 inches apart in coach class -– about one inch less than the current industry average. "There is clearly pressure on carriers to make the total passenger count as efficient as possible," says Howard Guy of Design Q, a seating design consultancy in England. "After all, the fewer seats that are put on board, the more expensive the seat price becomes. It's basic math." As you might expect, fliers are concerned about shrinking seat space, fearing everything from more competition for tight overhead bin space to cramped conditions. “It seems like every year there is less room for my long legs," frequent traveler Bud Johnson tells the Times. "I'm afraid that's going to continue."

A billion dollars for Boeing? China market big for U.S. jet-maker

Chinese carrier Air China signed an agreement to buy 15 Boeing 737 jets, part of an earlier-disclosed package deal that involved eight Chinese airlines buying 80 737 jetliners, The Associated Press reports. The planes would have a list price of nearly $1 billion -- $982.8 million, to be exact -- though Air China officials says Boeing granted "significant price concessions" in the aircraft purchase, a common practice for big orders. The latest pact underscores just how important a market China has become for U.S. plane-maker Boeing as it vies with European rival Airbus for world dominance in the market. Boeing sold 120 aircraft in China in 2005, and the company expects to approach that number again this year.

Where did all of those Independence Air jets go?

At least four of them will be used on go! -- Mesa Air Group’s inter-island Hawaii start-up. That venture will launch June 9 with four CRJ-200s that Mesa acquired from now-defunct I-Air. As for go!, Mesa CEO Jonathan Ornstein tells Air Transport World that he hopes the unit will reach a passenger-sharing “codeshare” alliance with either US Airways or Delta. Mesa’s go! has touched off a Hawaii fare war with $39 inter-island flights, and he claims early bookings are promising. "If we can run load factors in the 80% range, we're not going to lose much money," Ornstein says.

Airbus 'breaks a leg for safety' on A380

Thirty-three people received "minor" injuries Sunday during what The Associated Press called “a crucial evacuation drill” for Airbus’ new A380 superjumbo jet. The worst of the injuries was a broken leg suffered by one of the 853 people and 20 Lufthansa crew members who exited the plane on slides in a dark hangar. Despite the injuries, Airbus called the test a success because it beat the certification requirement of evacuating the plane in 90 seconds. The test was intended to simulate an emergency landing and the threat of fire. Airbus needed to successfully meet the test’s 90-second requirement to get a license from the European Aviation Safety Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Forbes/AFX reports, though that story put the injury toll at 31. Yet a different injury count (32) came from a Reuters story in the Australian newspaper The Age, which ran the headline "Breaking a leg for safety."

Important safety test for Airbus A380

The largest passenger airliner ever is about to face a crucial milestone. The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports the behemoth Airbus A380 will be subject to a safety test on Sunday to determine "just how many people can make it out of the double-decker . . . jetliner in 90 seconds?"

The drill, in which 900 people must board the aircraft and disembark on cue, will be conducted in Germany in front of European safety inspectors and FAA representatives, and the results "could determine how many passengers the A380 will be certified to carry." Though Airbus designed the A380 to carry as many as 853 people, most airlines plan to configure the new plane for about 500 passengers (a Boeing 747 seats around 400). Singapore Airlines will be the first to bring the A380 into commercial service late this year.

The article also has a fascinating breakdown of the requirements for an FAA safety drill. Among the parameters: Evacuators are not allowed to practice and must be wearing seatbelts at the moment the drill starts; 35% of the test group must be over the age of 50; and at least three people have to carry life-size dolls meant to simulate infants and toddlers. -- Ben Abramson

Airlines cramming more seats on 787 models

Airlines that have purchased Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner model are planning to squeeze more seats on the jets than Boeing expected. That, Reuters writes, could give Boeing a “potentiially decisive advantage" against Airbus. The capacity of the 787 would jump to about 280 from Boeing's initial estimate of 259 if airlines install nine seats per row in coach class rather than the eight Boeing expected. Boeing’s 787 is expected to enter commercial service sometime in 2008, and will go up against Airbus’s A350 model, which the European aircraft manufacturer launched in response to the 787. While Reuters acknowledges that “the narrower seats will disappoint travelers who had hoped the 787 would take another step towards giving economy travelers a little more room,” it also says it could help boost sales of the 787 by lowering the cost per seat on each flight -– a key factor used by airlines in assessing the revenue an aircraft can generate. Airbus’s competing A350 model has a narrower fuselage, making it difficult for airlines to add seats in the way some have planned for 787s.

'AAA for planes'

You know who to turn to when your car gets a flat, but who can an airline call if it has a mechanical problem with a plane? With over 15,000 Boeing and McDonnell Douglas models in service around the world, that's just the question Boeing's trying to address with its recently opened "commercial airplanes operations center."

Seattle Post Intelligencer reporter James Wallace writes today about his tour of Boeing's new facilities. During his visit, "the operations center was dealing with 51 urgent requests involving planes around the world, from 777s to the company's 737 workhorse." This facility represents a serious upgrade for Boeing, from an operation of eight to 12 people per shift with several hours unstaffed, to a 24-hour-a-day operation with as many as 30 engineers and technicians on duty at any time. "We are selling multimillion-dollar machines, and our customers expect good service," explains Boeing executive Lou Mancini.

Boeing's 717 line near the end

Boeing’s last 717 jet model entered final assembly on Wednesday, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The jet will be the 156th one built since Boeing’s 717 program started and is scheduled to be delivered to AirTran in May. That airline has been the top customer for the 717, but has switched new orders to Boeing 737s since Boeing announced it would discontinue the 717 line.

JetBlue CEO offers more on Embraer 190 ‘problems’

Addressing JetBlue’s “hiccups” with its new Embraer 190 jets that were first reported last week, airline CEO David Neeleman says the problems are typical for airlines that are the first customers for a new aircraft type. "We've had some operational issues,” he tells Air Transport World. “When you get a new airplane, you expect to have a few points less in operational flexibility. New aircraft always have less reliability in the first few months. That's a reality." Still, Neeleman says the E-190 is a good fit for the airline, saying the aircraft model will allow JetBlue to expand into markets too small to serve with its larger Airbus aircraft. "We should have given ourselves more time," Neeleman says of the E-190. "We were a little too aggressive in scheduling those airplanes into service."

JetBlue CEO cites hiccups in Embraer plane debut

JetBlue’s aggressive expansion plans may have to slow a little bit, judging by comments made Thursday by airline CEO David Neeleman. Speaking at a conference in New York, Neeleman says the airline has experienced glitches with its new 100-seat Embraer 190 jets –- something that’s forced the low-cost carrier to slow the introduction of the new jets into service. "We have had some operational issues with the airplane," he says. The plane's introduction "certainly hasn't been up to what we thought we could do." Reuters writes that Neeleman suggests the airline may have set a too ambitious schedule for the debut of Embraer 190, with the news service adding that those “problems have coincided with ongoing struggles at JetBlue with late flights."

JetBlue is the launch customer for the Embraer 190, and has pegged much of its aggressive growth strategy on using 100-seat aircraft to fly to medium-sized markets. JetBlue first began flying the jet between JFK and Boston in November, but Neeleman says the E190's reliability has been "a few percentage points less" than JetBlue’s Airbus planes in terms of glitches that delay flights. Meanwhile, JetBlue has been struggling to improve its on-time rating, which had fallen to 63.6% during December. Neeleman blamed that partly on construction near its New York JFK hub.

Major milestone for 737

Final assembly on the 5,000th Boeing 737, the best-selling commercial jet in history, has begun at the company's Renton, Wash., manufacturing plant. An announcement on Boeing's website indicates the 737-700 is destined for Southwest Airlines and will be delivered next month. A fact sheet on the site shows just how ubiquitous the 737 is in the world's skies. According to Boeing, "about 1,250 737s are in the air at all times" and more than 12 billion passengers have traveled on one since the jet entered commercial service in 1968.

Why are there Independence Air jets in eastern West Virginia?

Last week, several of you told me you heard news about Independence Air jets heading for West Virginia’s eastern panhandle. I now have an answer as to why the now-defunct airline's planes were headed there. Seven of Independence Air’s 50-passenger Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets are being temporarily stored at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport in Martinsburg, W. Va., according to The Associated Press. That’s because Aviation Experts International -- which operates at the Martinsburg airport -- has a service agreement to store the seven jets until someone finds a use for bankrupt I-Air’s aircraft. “We don't know what's going to happen with these planes," Aviation Experts chief Bob Creighton says of the jets’ long-term prognosis. Martinsburg is about 70 miles northwest of Washington Dulles International Airport, where Independence Air operated a hub before ceasing operations on Jan. 5.

Boeing says it's busy - but on schedule - with Dreamliner orders

Boeing says it expects 112 of its 787/Dreamliner models to be in the hands of airlines by 2009. The company also says the first one is on schedule to be flying for a commercial carrier by 2008, The Associated Press reports. Mike Bair, Boeing's vice president and general manager of the 787 program, said that if all of Boeing’s tentative commitments come through for the 787, the model could be sold out through the first part of 2012. But he also added that if any of the tentative deals fall through, other airlines could claim production line slots for Dreamliners scheduled to be delivered before 2012.

Midwest's Boeing 717s are 'essentially brand new'

Midwest's fleet of Boeing 717s -- the aircraft that made last night's emergency landing in Boston -- is essentially brand new, writes the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Midwest has ordered 25 of the jets, taking delivery of its first one in 2003. This week, the airline will receive the 23rd of the 25 Boeing 717s it has ordered, says company spokeswoman Carol Skornicka.

Boeing scores big victory against Airbus with $14 billion order

Boeing scored a big blow against European rival Airbus today when Australian carrier Qantas announced it would buy up to 115 Boeing Dreamliner jets, also known as Boeing 787s. The deal could be worth $14 billion -- or more –- for Boeing, and pushes the U.S. company well past Airbus this year as the world’s top aircraft manufacturer. Qantas says fuel efficiency was one of the top reasons it picked Boeing’s Dreamliner model, according to The Associated Press.

Airbus introduced the A350 model as a competitor to the Dreamliner, but sales of the 787 have so far clipped those of  the Airbus model. Airbus spokesman David Voskuhl says his company was disappointed by Qantas' decision to go with Boeing.  "We would certainly have liked to win, but they have decided in favor of the 787 and we would certainly not criticize that." Boeing’s Dreamliner is expected to enter commercial service in 2008, and the A350 in 2010.

Plane-makers plan next supersonic jets

Georgia-based jet-maker Gulfstream Aerospace is working on plans for a 15-seat jet that could fly at supersonic speeds — even over land. The company is one of at least three working on plans for a post-Concorde supersonic jet model, though not all of the proposed planes would have over-land capability, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Why the concern about overland flights? The sonic boom that results from a jet breaking the sound barrier can shatter glass on the ground and has other environmental concerns, something that helped prompt the U.S. government to outlaw overland supersonic flights in 1968. But Gulfstream says it is working on new technology to mitigate the effects of the boom — something that could allow its proposed jet to fly across the USA at speeds of about 1,360 miles per hour.

However, some experts wonder if there would be enough domestic demand for what would likely be expensive supersonic flights within the USA. The Concorde was the last supersonic jet to fly on commercial routes, but even its popular runs between New York and both Paris and London weren’t enough to make it profitable. But, "if you had a supersonic business jet that could fly to Asia, it would be used every day," says Bill Garvey, editor in chief of Business & Commercial Aviation magazine. This summer, it was reported that Japan and France were working on a joint project to create a supersonic jet that could seat up to 300 fliers and fly from New York to Tokyo in six hours.

Sultans of Boeing

Just two weeks after accomplishing the world's longest commercial flight, Boeing has secured an order for 42 new 777s from Emirates airlines, including 10 of the new, record-breaking 777-200LRs. The purchase was announced at the Dubai Air Show. Bloomberg News reports that Boeing earlier inked a deal with China Airlines for 70 737s, giving the manufacturer a big boost in its battle against rival Airbus. The purchase will give Emirates the largest fleet of 777s in operation. The airline, which currently flies non-stops from New York JFK to its hub in Dubai, has made long-haul service its cornerstone. But the fast-growing airline is spreading the wealth, as "Emirates is also scheduled to be the biggest customer of Airbus's A380, a 555-seat plane that will begin service in 2006. Emirates has ordered 43 A380s," Bloomberg reports.

Dreamliner goes on a diet

After "a binge of design tweaks this fall had triggered a rapid weight gain," Boeing put its new 787 on a crash diet. The Seattle Times reports that the manufacturer managed to purge 2,500 pounds from the new aircraft's design in less than two weeks. The move came after warnings from launch-customer All Nippon Airways, which cited reduced fuel consumption as a major factor in the airline's decision to order 50 new 787s.

With sky-high oil prices, weight has become a hot topic for airlines. According to the article, Air Canada recently stripped the paint from one of its 767s to remove 360 pounds from its total weight, a move the airline says will result in a $20,000 fuel savings in just one year. The 2,500-pound weight loss from the new 787 could save up to $39,000 of fuel on just one transcontinental flight. Of course it's all speculation at this point – the 787 isn't slated to fly for the time until 2007, with delivery a year later.

Talkin' travel: Ben looks at the future of RJs, and there's a beef about Wendy's deal

Today in the Sky Reporter Ben Mutzabaugh is out of the office this week on vacation. Instead of the usual Today in the Sky format, Ben will feature a special column highlighting different aspects of the airline industry, with today's column focusing on questions Ben couldn't get to in last week's chat. Today in the Sky will return to its normal format on Nov. 22.

Cincinnati: What do you think is going to happen to all the 50-seat Jet regional airplanes? Second, are more smaller cities not going to have air service at all? Third, are turbo-props the future for small cities short-haul flights?

Ben: Thanks to a number of changes in the airline industry's financial environment, the 50-seat regional jets no longer make sense in many markets where they worked well just a few years earlier. We're going to see a cutback of those jets, and some predict those planes will quickly be snapped up by small carriers in hot airline markets overseas — such as in China and India.

Yes, that does mean service cuts for some small cities. But for most locations, I think it will just mean fewer daily flights and not necessarily a drop in service altogether. There are some cities that are probably too small to support profitable airline service, but many of those markets can also apply for federal subsidies meant to protect air service in those types of markets.

It's official – Boeing has the record

Boeing's attempt to show off its extended range 777 aircraft came to an end just after 8 a.m. ET today after what's thought to be a world-record length flight of nearly 23 hours. The 12,586-mile journey started in Hong Kong and went over the Pacific and North America before landing in London, and will likely be determined as the longest flight ever by a commercial jetliner, according to The Associated Press. The jet used, Boeing's 777-200 LR flight, is one of the company's newest models and is Boeing's direct competitor to Airbus's long-range Airbus A340-500 model. That Airbus jet has a range of 10,380 miles.

Would you take a 23-hour flight?

No airline is yet ready to schedule such a flight, but Boeing is apparently looking to show off the long-range version of its 777 model by flying from Hong Kong over North American before landing in London. That flight, scheduled to take off today, would become the longest flight ever flown by a commercial jet. "We plan to smash the current record," says Captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann, one of four pilots flying the Boeing 777-200LR. The flight is likely an attempt by Boeing to tout its 777 model against Airbus; Boeing's 777-200LR model was rolled at as a direct competitor to Airbus's A340-500, which has a range of 10,380 miles. If successful, Boeing's flight today will travel a distance of 12,586 miles. Boeing tells The Associated Press that officials from Guinness World Records will monitor the flight and be on hand at the flights Heathrow Airport landing.

Room to stretch your legs?

Tired of those cramped 50-seat regional jets? You're not alone. Many travelers say that while those regional jets (RJs) are better than turboprops, they also strongly dislike them for anything but the shortest of flights. But now there's good news for passengers who don't like the 50-seat RJs — they appear to be on the way out, USA TODAY reports. Bombardier — one of the leading RJ manufacturers — says it will suspend production of the jets in January amid declining demand. Airlines are no longer interested in ordering them, and some carriers are trying to unload RJs already in their fleets. The 50-seat models made sense when they were introduced 14 years ago, allowing airlines to fly more people at farther distances than the turboprops they often replaced. But as the reach of the low-cost carriers has spread, fares have dropped in many markets — meaning the legacy carriers and their partners that fly most of the 50-seat RJs in the USA can no longer charge the high fares that once made using those jets profitable. Adding to those woes are fuel costs, which are harder to cover when the fuel cost is spread over just 50 seats. Perhaps sealing the fate for the 50-seat RJs are a new generation of regional jets, which can seat 70 to 100 passengers with a cabins designed to be more comfortable to customers.