U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced $17 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants to eight airports around the country to reduce the use of conventional fuels and improve air quality.
“This program supports President’s Obama’s efforts to combat climate change and reduce aviation’s carbon footprint,” said Secretary Foxx. “These funds will help airports around the country make the necessary investments that will reduce fuel costs and help protect the environment.”

The grants, awarded through the FAA’s Voluntary Airport Low Emission (VALE) program, will enable the airports to purchase equipment that will allow aircraft to shut off their auxiliary power units while parked at the gate and instead connect to a cleaner central heating and cooling system, saving fuel and reducing emissions. The funds come from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

“The FAA encourages airlines and airports to find creative ways to reduce aviation’s impact on the environment,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We applaud these airports for their efforts to make their facilities environmentally friendly members of the community.”

Through VALE, airports are reducing ozone emissions by approximately 370 tons per year, which is equivalent to removing 20,604 cars and trucks off the road annually.
For more information about the program, including a list of eligible airports and projects, go to the VALE web site:www.faa.gov/airports/environmental/vale.

The airports that received VALE grants include:
Albuquerque International Sunport, $464,000 – The project will improve air quality in the area by providing funding to purchase and install charging units for ground support equipment.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, $45,000 – The project will improve air quality in the area by providing funding to convert diesel-fueled vehicles to compressed natural gas.
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth (Alabama) International Airport, $2,847,790 – The project will help improve air quality in the area by providing funding to purchase and install efficient electric air handling equipment such as air conditioning and heating units in the terminal.

Boston General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport, $2,000,000 – The project will provide funding to purchase and install low-emission airport equipment, such as pre-conditioned air units and associated systems, to improve air quality in the area.

Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, $2,179,006 – This project will improve air quality in the area by providing funding to purchase and install low-emission airport equipment, such as pre-conditioned air units and associated equipment.

San Diego International Airport, $3,109,162 – This project will improve air quality in the area by providing funding to purchase and install low-emission airport equipment, such as pre-conditioned air units and associated equipment.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, $3,547,527 – The project will improve air quality in the area by providing funding to purchase and install low-emission airport equipment, such as pre-conditioned air units and associated equipment.
Syracuse Hancock International Airport, $2,885,400 – The project will improve air quality in the area by providing funding to purchase and install low-emission airport equipment, such as pre-conditioned air units and associated systems.

VALE is designed to reduce all sources of airport ground emissions in areas of poor air quality. The FAA created the program in 2004 to help airport sponsors meet their air quality responsibilities under the Clean Air Act. Through VALE, airport sponsors can use AIP funds and passenger facility charges to acquire low-emission vehicles, refueling and recharging stations, gate electrification, and other airport air quality improvements.

Since 2005, the FAA has funded 56 VALE projects at 33 airports, which represents a total investment of $161 million in clean airport technology. That amount includes $129 million in federal grants and $32 million in local airport matching funds.

AIP provides $3.35 billion in annual funding for projects that are vital to maintaining the safety, capacity, and environmental stewardship of our nation’s airports. More than 3,300 airports are eligible for AIP grants benefiting commercial passengers, cargo operations, and general aviation activities throughout the nation.
-Courtesy FAA

AMSTERDAM, – Boeing [NYSE: BA], through its subsidiary AerData, today announced that Monarch has chosen AerData Secure Technical Records for Electronic Asset Management (STREAM) and transition services for its fleet of 36 Airbus A320s in readiness for lease transition.

“We are pleased to have signed up to STREAM,” said Nils Christy, Monarch Chief Operating Officer. “As we look ahead to our first Boeing 737 MAX 8 arriving next year it is very important to have a seamless transition. This service will be a great asset in the countdown to delivery and the move to the new Boeing fleet.”

STREAM allows for smooth and efficient transition of aircraft and easy remarketing by airlines, lessors and MROs. A secure and web-enabled system, STREAM allows for the management of records relating to the entire history of aircraft and associated assets, and it is proven to save cost over the life of an aircraft and during redelivery.

“AerData is thrilled to expand our partnership with Monarch, supporting their end-of-lease program through STREAM and the expertise of our technical services team,” said Matt Bull, AerData Chief Executive Officer. “The combination of the professional Monarch team, innovative AerData software and our talented services team will ensure smooth and efficient fleet transition.”

About AerData
AerData, a Boeing Company, provides lease management, records management, engine fleet planning and audit and inspection software as well as technical and back office services for aircraft and engine operators, lessors and MROs. AerData is part of the Digital Aviation and Analytics business unit within Boeing Global Services.

Germanwings announces with the deepest regret that, according to the information currently available, its Airbus A320 aircraft operating Flight 4U 9525 from Barcelona to Düsseldorf suffered an accident above the French Alps at around 11:00 local time today (Tuesday 24 March). According to current information, there were 144 passengers and six crew members on board.

Everyone at Germanwings and Lufthansa is deeply shocked and saddened by these events. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the passengers and the crew members.

In coordination with the Luftfahrtbundesamt (Germany’s aviation authority), the other German airlines and the German aviation industry association (Bundesverband der deutschen Luftverkehrswirtschaft), the airlines of the Lufthansa Group are to adopt a new cockpit occupancy procedure as a precautionary measure. Under the new procedure, two authorized persons must be present in the cockpit at all times during a flight.

The passenger airlines of the Lufthansa Group will adopt the new procedure as soon as possible, in due consultation with their national aviation authority.

The Lufthansa Group is also expanding its safety structures. In addition to the safety pilots at each of its member airlines, the new position of Group Safety Pilot has been created until further notice. The new post will be assumed with immediate effect by Captain Werner Maas, who will hold it in parallel with his current function as Safety Pilot of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Captain Maas will have overarching groupwide responsibility for examining and further refining all flight safety-relevant procedures in his new capacity, in which he reports directly to Group CEO Carsten Spohr.

MONTREAL, – Air Canada and United Airlines today announced a joint business agreement for the Canada-U.S. transborder market, building on their long-standing alliance, that will give more flight options and better flight schedules to customers traveling between the two countries. Customers will be able to connect to 38 codeshare destinations in the U.S. and eight of the most popular cities in Canada — all while enjoying the benefits of the carriers’ MileagePlus® and Aeroplan loyalty programs. The agreement will also strengthen and grow both carriers’ networks and help accelerate their COVID-19 recovery.

Air Canada and United Airlines Expand Relationship to Make Transborder Travel Easier, With More Choice (CNW Group/Air Canada)
Air Canada and United Airlines Expand Relationship to Make Transborder Travel Easier, With More Choice (CNW Group/Air Canada)
“United is a world-class airline and we are pleased to significantly expand our well-established partnership to further enhance the customer journey between Canada and the U.S. by offering more choice, greater convenience and an improved airport experience,” said Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President of Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada. “This agreement marks a new phase in our evolving relationship that will speed the recovery from the pandemic and strengthen both carriers. It will also enable us to optimize our hubs and schedules and to broaden our global network connectivity to maintain our leadership in the market.”

“With this new agreement, we are further strengthening our long-standing partnership with Air Canada,” said Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances at United. “As international travel continues to recover, this expanded partnership will provide an enhanced experience for all transborder travel.”

Customers who search for flights between the U.S. and Canada on United’s or Air Canada’s websites and apps will find more flight options scheduled at more convenient times. Codeshare between the two carriers will also be expanded and members of both the MileagePlus and Aeroplan programs will have more accrual and redemption options.

In 2019, the U.S.-Canada transborder market was the second largest international passenger air transportation market in the world and the largest international market for both Canada and the U.S., as measured by seats.

Air Canada and United already cooperate in the transborder market, according to the terms of their existing U.S. antitrust immunity. Under the joint business agreement, subject to compliance with U.S. and Canadian regulatory and antitrust requirements, the two airlines will now be able to:

Coordinate their networks and schedules, enabling the carriers to offer customers more choice, including more flights throughout the day and more access to each airline’s seat inventory.

Enhance codeshare on transborder flights, excluding certain U.S. leisure markets and territories. The carriers anticipate customers will be able to connect to 46 transborder codeshare destinations with more than 400 daily frequencies in 2022 – with opportunities to add more codeshare destinations for domestic routes within Canada and the U.S.

Sell seats on each other’s transborder flights and share revenue on flights between hub markets (where regulatory authorities and antitrust requirements allow), allowing the carriers to grow their overall capacities.

Align customer policies for greater consistency and enable the seamless provision of onboard products, establish airport co-locations where available and provide extra value to each carriers’ frequent flyer programs.

Allow the two carriers to work closer together to advance their sustainability objectives.
The implementation of an expanded partnership builds on the existing close cooperation of the two carriers and previously acquired regulatory approvals. United and Air Canada are also founding members of Star Alliance and a transatlantic joint business agreement with the Lufthansa Group.

About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2022. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 51 airports in Canada, 51 in the United States and 86 internationally. It is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax, which in 2021 gave Air Canada awards for the Best Airline Staff in North America, Best Airline Staff in Canada, Best Business Class Lounge in North America, and an excellence award for managing COVID-19. Through its leading travel loyalty Aeroplan program, Air Canada offers the ability to earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental rewards. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada’s passenger flights and cargo-only flights with its fleet of Boeing 767-300 freighters. Air Canada has committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050.

About United
United’s shared purpose is “Connecting People. Uniting the World.” From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers’ favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world’s best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol “UAL”.

Air France expects to operate 47% of its flights on Thursday 25 September 2014, given an estimated 62% of pilots planning to strike. Today, Wednesday 24 September, Air France expects to operate 47% of its flights. The flight schedule is updated 24 hours in advance.

Air France regrets this situation and is making every effort to minimize the inconvenience this strike action may cause to its customers. Air France asks its customers to check on www.airfrance.com that their flight is operating before going to the airport. The flights displayed as maintained for Thursday 25 September will operate.

Air France once again recommends its customers with a flight reservation between 15 and 30 September to postpone their trip or change their ticket at no extra cost. 7,000 Air France employees are doing all they can to assist customers. Since last week, 2.6 million texts and messages have been sent to inform customers due to travel between 15 and 30 September, individually and in real time.

If the strike action continues beyond Thursday 25 September, the flight schedule will be adjusted accordingly. Customers will be informed of the potential impact the day before departure. However there may be other disruption and delays.

HOW TO POSTPONE YOUR TRIP
Regardless of ticket type, Air France is offering all its customers on flights operated by Air France between 15 and 30 September the opportunity to:

• Modify their ticket to reschedule their flight up to 16 October 2014 inclusive, free of charge, subject to available seats when choosing their rescheduled flight.

Or

• Receive a voucher valid for one year on Air France or KLM to postpone their trip beyond 16 October 2014, to change their destination or departure airport, or to cancel their tickets:

– at www.airfrance.com in the “Review/modify your reservations” section, on the Company’s mobile websites,
– via Twitter using #Airfrance, at Facebook.com/airfrance, by calling 0800 240 260 (available from France and overseas departments) or on +33 1 57 02 10 58 (from abroad), or from customers’ usual retailer.

Customers whose flight is cancelled will receive a full refund.

USEFUL TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS
Air France has the “AF Connect” service, which informs its customers directly and in 13 languages ​​all over the world on their mobile phone or by e-mail. To be notified personally by AF Connect, Air France invites customers to update their contact details (mobile number and/or e-mail) in their reservation file on the Air France website or in their Flying Blue profile. It is possible to consult and update these details at any time on this website in the “Review / modify your reservations” section and on our mobile websites.Before going to the airport, customers are advised to check flight information, 24 hours before departure:- www.airfrance.fr, in the “Flight schedules” section- the website mobile.airfrance.com – the Air France app available on iPhone, Android Windows Phone and BlackBerry#TousMobilisés #AtYourService www.airfrance.fr

THE STRIKE ACTION
The pilots’ strike has been disrupting flight operations for seven days now, with catastrophic consequences for the Company’s customers, staff and financial situation. Alexandre de Juniac and Frédéric Gagey wish once again to thank all staff who have rallied round in France and around the world to support and assist customers in this unprecedented situation. The Company wishes once again to present its sincere apologies to its customers.

This strike generates an operating loss of up to 20 million euros per day, plus customer compensations and the impact of the gradual recovery in traffic in the days following the return to normal operations. Once the dispute is over, the Group will update its EBITDA target for the 2014 financial year.

Negotiations with the pilot unions, notably the SNPL, have taken place daily. Since the beginning of the strike action, Alexandre de Juniac and Frédéric Gagey have spent over 40 hours in meetings with pilot representatives. Every day, they have been submitting new constructive proposals to resolve this conflict. On their part, the pilot unions have not put forward any proposal demonstrating their willingness to find a solution.

Management can only note that talks have reached a deadlock situation.

Management also wishes to reassert that Air France-KLM’s development on the low-cost market in Europe is both strategic and urgent for the Group’s future, given that this market is fast-expanding and our competitors have adopted particularly offensive strategies on the French market.

The ambition set out in the Perform 2020 growth and competitiveness plan remains intact. The pilot unions have stigmatized the Transavia project by fuelling unfounded fears of “delocalization” and “social dumping”, which have never been at stake. Management regrets these mistaken interpretations, but has taken note of the concerns expressed.

Alexandre de Juniac, Frédéric Gagey and the managerial teams have since taken the following measures:

Postponing the plan to create Transavia subsidiaries in Europe (outside France and the Netherlands), while entering into extended talks about the project and building together the necessary guarantees by the end of the year.

A comprehensive negotiation and explanatory process with Air France and KLM unions will be set up. As for Air France, this process will begin as soon as the next Central Works Council meeting takes place, scheduled for 25 September 2014.

FASTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRANSAVIA PROJECT IN FRANCE
The expansion of Transavia in France is vital for Air France, notably in order to defend the Group’s position at Orly, as highlighted by the experts’ report published in July 2014 and supported by the SNPL. It is now urgent to implement this plan.

The project was presented to the unions of each staff category over a year ago, but was not finalized within the framework of the talks underway. The pilot unions’ demand to use, on the Transavia network, Air France pilots employed under Air France conditions and to replace the existing 44 Boeing 737s by Airbus A320s, would inevitably lead Transavia France to failure. The compromise solutions proposed by management have all been rejected.

In these conditions, if the pilot organizations do not agree to the economic and social terms and conditions of the project put forward, Management will be forced to begin the formal procedure for denouncing the agreement to create Transavia France (signed in 2007). This agreement currently restricts the development of Transavia France; its withdrawal will make it possible to implement the project more quickly.

The aim is to rapidly equip Transavia in France with additional aircraft beyond the 14 currently in the fleet. It should be remembered that this project included the creation of a thousand jobs over the next 5 years, including 250 jobs for French pilots. It will now be possible to hire staff faster. The project will, as expected, be primarily open to Air France pilots on a voluntary basis.

Moreover, Management confirms that the development of Transavia in France is not intended to impact Point to Point activity on the French domestic network. Transavia will not feed the Air France hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

“To remain in the race in Europe, we have no alternative than to rapidly expand Transavia. We are now taking every measure to explain and accelerate its growth out of France. The Air France-KLM Group is reaffirming its aim of reaching a fleet of more than 100 Transavia aircraft by 2017,” said Alexandre de Juniac. Frédéric Gagey continued: “These decisions must enable us to restore calm within the company and end the strike that has lasted too long for Air France, its customers and its staff.”

Discover all the latest Air France news in real time wherever you are on the free iPhone application on the corporate website and on smartphones at http://mobile-corporate.airfrance.com/en

Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia today announced a partnership to investigate options for locally produced aviation biofuel.

The trans-Tasman alliance partners are issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to the market to explore the opportunity to procure locally-produced aviation biofuel.

Air New Zealand Chief Flight Operations and Safety Officer Captain David Morgan says the airline recognises the impact aviation has on the environment and this RFI is a key initiative under its carbon management programme.

“By working in partnership with our alliance partner Virgin Australia we hope we can stimulate the local market, drive innovation and investment and potentially uncover a sustainable biofuel supply suitable for our respective operations,” says Captain Morgan.

Virgin Australia Head of Sustainability Robert Wood says the airline is committed to stimulating the development of a sustainable aviation biofuel industry in the region.

“Aviation biofuel offers a significant opportunity for the aviation industry to reduce emissions whilst also building long-term fuel security for the sector,” says Mr Wood.

“We are seeing the development of the aviation biofuel industry accelerate internationally but that is not yet the case for our region. We are confident that our collaboration with Air New Zealand to procure a large volume of aviation biofuel will de-risk investment in the sector, creating high-tech, high-skilled jobs in the region.”

Both airlines are committed to ensuring that aviation biofuel delivers environmental, social and economic benefits, and respondents to the RFI are encouraged to address these principles.

Interested parties have until 30 May 2016 to express their interest.

Airbus and its Chinese partners, namely the Tianjin Free Trade Zone Investment Company Ltd. (TJFTZ) and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), have signed a framework agreement on setting up an A330 Completion and Delivery Centre (C&DC) in Tianjin, China, taking the partnership between Airbus and China a further step forward following the successful establishment of an A320 Family Final Assembly Line and Delivery Center in the Chinese city.

The agreement was signed by Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO, Yang Bing, President of the TJFTZ and Pang Zhen, Vice President, Commercial Aircraft, AVIC representing the Chinese parties, at the Airbus site in Toulouse, France. The signature was witnessed by visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls. Premier Li has had a tour of the Airbus facility, accompanied by Prime Minister Valls after they have presided over a Europe-China Economic Forum held in Toulouse.

The framework agreement firms-up the Letter of Intent signed by the three parties last year.
“Building on our successful cooperation with China, highlighted by the A320 Family Final Assembly Line in Tianjin, our partnership keeps growing and expanding. The signature of this framework agreement on the A330 Completion and Delivery Centre will open a new chapter of strategic cooperation on wide-body aircraft with China. Together, we will develop new facilities and capabilities, and attract new suppliers and businesses in China,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO.
The A330 C&DC Tianjin will be located near the site of the Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line in Tianjin. The C&DC will cover the aircraft completion activities including reception, cabin installation, aircraft painting, engine run and flight test, as well as aircraft delivery and customer flight acceptance.

Under the project, the A330 Family aircraft to be completed at the A330 C&DC Tianjin will be assembled in Toulouse but will be painted and have their cabin furnished and installed in Tianjin.

On the same occasion, Airbus has also signed a Letter of Intent with AVIC on cabin development cooperation and procurement frame contract with Zhejiang Xizi Aerospace Fastener Co., Ltd for design, development, manufacturing, and supply of standard fastener parts.

At present, the in-service Airbus fleet with Chinese operators comprises over 1,150 aircraft (over 150 A330 Family and over 980 A320 Family aircraft). In the 20 year period between 2014 to 2033 Airbus forecasts a demand in China for more than 5,300 new commercial aircraft over 100 seats plus freighters.

Following a review of its operations, and in light of developments in aircraft and engine technologies, Emirates is reducing its A380 orderbook from 162 to 123 aircraft. Emirates will take delivery of 14 further A380s over the next two years. As a consequence and given the lack of order backlog with other airlines, Airbus will cease deliveries of the A380 in 2021.

Emirates has also decided to continue growing with Airbus’ newest generation, flexible widebody aircraft, ordering 40 A330-900 and 30 A350-900 aircraft.

“As a result of this decision we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis to sustain production, despite all our sales efforts with other airlines in recent years. This leads to the end of A380 deliveries in 2021,” said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders. “The consequences of this decision are largely embedded in our 2018 full year results”.

“The A380 is not only an outstanding engineering and industrial achievement. Passengers all over the world love to fly on this great aircraft. Hence today’s announcement is painful for us and the A380 communities worldwide. But, keep in mind that A380s will still roam the skies for many years to come and Airbus will of course continue to fully support the A380 operators,” Tom Enders added.

“The A380 is Emirates’ flagship and has contributed to the airline’s success for more than ten years. As much as we regret the airline’s position, selecting the A330neo and A350 for its future growth is a great endorsement of our very competitive widebody aircraft family,” said Guillaume Faury, President of Airbus Commercial Aircraft and future Airbus CEO. “Going forward, we are fully committed to deliver on the longstanding confidence Emirates is placing in Airbus.”

Airbus will start discussions with its social partners in the next few weeks regarding the 3,000 to 3,500 positions potentially impacted over the next three years. However, the ongoing A320 ramp-up and the new widebody order from Emirates Airline will offer a significant number of internal mobility opportunities.

The BelugaXL has entered into service, providing Airbus with 30% extra transport capacity in order to support the on-going production ramp-up of commercial aircraft programmes.

The aircraft, which is an integral part of Airbus’ industrial system, made its first operational flight on 9 January. This is the first of six BelugaXL to begin work alongside the BelugaST predecessors, with the additional aircraft being introduced between 2020 and 2023.

Launched just over five years ago, in November 2014, the entry into service milestone marks yet another successful achievement for the internal aircraft programme that was awarded Type Certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in November 2019, following an intensive flight test campaign that saw the BelugaXL complete more than 200 flight tests, clocking over 700 flight hours.

At 63 metres long and 8 metres wide, the BelugaXL has the largest cargo bay cross-section of all existing cargo aircraft worldwide. The BelugaXL can carry two A350 XWB wings compared to the BelugaST, which can only carry one. With a maximum payload of 51 tonnes, the BelugaXL has a range of 4,000 km. (2200nm).

The BelugaXL is based on an A330-200 Freighter, enabling the re-use of existing components and equipment, and is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. The lowered cockpit, the cargo bay structure and the rear-end and tail were newly developed jointly with partners, giving the aircraft its distinctive look.

The BelugaXL is the latest addition to Airbus’ transportation portfolio. While air transport remains the primary method for transporting large aircraft components, Airbus also uses road, rail and sea transport to move parts between its production sites. Like the BelugaST, the aircraft will operate from 11 destinations in Europe, continuing to strengthen industrial capabilities and enabling Airbus to deliver on its commitments.

Featuring one of the most voluminous cargo holds of any civil or military aircraft flying today, the Airbus Beluga offers a unique way to transport oversized air cargo. Also known as A300-600ST Super Transporter, the company’s five existing Belugas play a key role in keeping its production and assembly network operating at full capacity, with the fleet’s overall pace of operations – managed by the Airbus Transport International (ATI) subsidiary – growing to support production ramp-ups.

In 2020, Airbus began phasing in its fleet of six new-generation BelugaXL versions – which will operate in parallel with the five in-service A300-600STs before replacing them completely.

TORONTO, April 30, 2021 /CNW/ — AirSprint Inc., the Canadian authority in Fractional Jet Ownership, has published a new white paper examining business aviation’s future and key considerations when exploring a pilot career with this alternative to commercial aviation. ‘Your Future In Private Aviation: What to expect from a career in business aviation and why now is the perfect time to get started’ provides information, career case studies and salary ranges to help educate future pilots about the world of private aviation.

With the plethora of bad news stories from the commercial aviation sector, seeds of doubt have been planted for pilots and travellers alike. If there’s one thing industry experts agree upon, it’s that aviation is a cyclical business. Its highs and lows have been tied to significant world events throughout history, and it has suffered or prospered accordingly. And as commercial aviation plans its eventual recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, private aviation is already filling the void.

“Currently, we have a tale of two stories. On the one hand, airlines have become less appealing as people look for safer travel alternatives due to COVID-19,” said James Elian, President & CEO of AirSprint. “On the other, airlines have contracted, decreasing frequency and cutting routes – essentially driving people to investigate private aviation.”

For those considering a career as a pilot or other aviation professional, the outlook is bright for private aviation. The sector offers stable employment, steady advancement, and diverse flying experiences. “Job security is remarkable at AirSprint. I’ve been through the slowdown of the late 2000s, and now COVID. Job security is not on my mind, and that is exclusive to this company,” said David Brickell, Embraer Praetor 500/Legacy 450 Captain with AirSprint.

Without doubt, aviation is a cyclical business, and the next upswing is already underway – led by private aviation. It’s a good time to get on board.

About AirSprint
AirSprint Private Aviation is a privately held company with offices in Toronto, Montréal and Calgary. AirSprint maintains the largest fractional fleet of private aircraft in Canada, a jet collection of Embraer Praetor 500s, Embraer Legacy 450s, Cessna Citations CJ3+ and Cessna Citations CJ2+. AirSprint proudly flies Canadians from coast-to-coast including service from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and the Maritimes. AirSprint provides discerning Canadians with a better choice for optimizing their time by enhancing the private jet ownership experience with industry leading safety standards, exceptional turn-key service and increased flexibility; everything personalized for the Owners’ individual travel needs. All at a fraction of the cost. AirSprint.com

Contac
Scott Wenz
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
AirSprint Inc.
Ph. 403.669.7530
sdw@airsprint.com

Related Images
airsprint-embraer-legacy-450.jpg
AirSprint | Embraer Legacy 450 Arrives in Springbank, Alberta
One of AirSprint’s eight Embraer aircraft comes in for a landing at Springbank Airport, located in the Rocky View County.

SOURCE AirSprint Inc.

Montreal – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on governments to urgently find alternatives to recently announced measures by the United States and the United Kingdom to restrict the carry-on of large electronic items on certain flights departing the Middle East and North Africa.

The Case for Alternative Measures
“The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to mitigate. Even in the short term it is difficult to understand their effectiveness. And the commercial distortions they create are severe. We call on governments to work with the industry to find a way to keep flying secure without separating passengers from their personal electronics,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO

De Juniac made this demand in a speech to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations in which he highlighted the need to maintain public confidence in the security of the global aviation industry which safely and security operates an average 100,000 flights a day.
“With the measures now in place, our passengers and member airlines are asking valid questions. Why don’t the US and the UK have a common list of airports? How can laptops be secure in the cabin on some flights and not others, including flights departing from the same airport? And surely there must be a way to screen electronic equipment effectively? The current situation is not acceptable and will not maintain the all-important confidence of the industry or of travelers. We must find a better way. And Governments must act quickly,” said de Juniac.

IATA Calls for Better Coordination and Information Sharing
IATA also expressed frustration at the process used by governments to put in place the security measures which was woefully lacking. “The industry came together quickly to implement the new requirements. That was a challenge because there was no prior consultation and little coordination by governments,” said de Juniac.

IATA has long called for better information sharing and coordination on security measures among governments and with the industry.
“While governments have the primary responsibility for security, we share the priority of keeping passengers, crew and aircraft secure. To do that effectively intelligence is king. And it needs to be shared amongst governments and with the industry. It’s the only way to stop terrorists before they get near an airport, let alone aircraft,” de Juniac.

Moreover, cooperation between industry and governments yields a better result. “Airlines don’t want access to state secrets. But if airlines understand the outcome governments want, they can help with the operational experience to deliver that result effectively and efficiently,” said de Juniac.

International Cooperation
UN Security Council Resolution 2309 recognized the need for coordinated international efforts to fortify aviation security and supported the development by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of a Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP). At the 39th ICAO Assembly states asked ICAO to fast track the development of GASeP. “The need for such a plan has been made very clear by wide gaps in the measures taken by governments in recent days. States need to lend their full support to ICAO in developing GASeP quickly. And even before that can be achieved, there is an early opportunity to make a real improvement to international cooperation on security. In May ICAO member states will consider amendments to Annex 17 of the Chicago convention that would require information sharing. The security experience of recent years should compel States to support this,” said de Juniac.

First and foremost, IATA promotes safe, efficient, economical and sustainable global connectivity by air. To achieve that, we seek borders that are open to people and to trade. Without that, the positive impact of connecting people, goods, markets and ideas through air transport cannot be realized.

I believe that aviation is the business of freedom. It liberates people to live better lives. So we are deeply concerned with political developments pointing to a future of more restricted borders and protectionism. These deny the benefits of globalization to which aviation has made an enabling contribution.

Some argue that the tide of globalization has not lifted all boats equally. While acknowledging that view, it is undeniable that the world has become more prosperous with growing trade and travel. Aviation is proud of the role it plays in making this happen by safely transporting over 50 million tonnes of cargo and nearly four billion passengers annually.

Second IATA has a unique global view. With our 265 members we set global industry standards and facilitate their implementation. It’s critical for a global industry that simply could not function with different systems and standards for each airport or destination. Because the rules are basically the same the world over, the 100,000 flights operating today will do so safely and efficiently.

We share this duty with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is also headquartered here in Montreal. The work that we have done in partnership with ICAO over more than seven decades is the foundation of the globally-connected world in which we live.

Third, IATA is involved in the global air transport business. Like all trade associations, we advocate for our industry. But we do much more.
On behalf of the industry we operate services that are critical for a global business. That includes our financial settlement systems, which annually process well over $350 billion, and the IATA Operational Safety Audit, which is the global standard for airlines in this most important area.

And to support the industry we provide products and services such as consulting, business intelligence and training.

Aviation in Montreal
With our headquarters here, IATA is a proud member of the Montreal aviation community.
The community is a strategic economic asset for Montreal. Along with IATA and ICAO, Montreal is also home to international organizations representing airports, pilots and air traffic controllers. Two of IATA’s four Canadian members are based here–Air Canada and Air Transat. Calin Rovinescu, President and CEO of Air Canada, is a past Chairman and current member of IATA’s Board of Governors. Bombardier and CAE are among the six IATA Strategic Partners located here. Aéroports de Montreal operates great airports served by some 30 airlines, most of which are IATA members.
Air connectivity is the key to success for any modern economy. Montreal’s diverse community and business interests are well-connected to world markets. And work that is done in this city is shaping aviation globally.

Aviation also plays a critical role in Canada’s economy—supporting nearly 600,000 Canadian jobs. Canada relies on an efficient air transport industry to link its vast geography and connect it to the world. Railways were a key to Canada’s nation-building 150 years ago. Today aviation—the business of freedom—is existential for Canada’s success and growth.

A transformative 15 years
Aviation in Canada and around the world has been through a transformative decade-and-a-half.
The way we travel is being changed by technology

Airlines’ financial performance is improving
And the air transport industry has emerged as a leader in managing its climate change impact
Let’s take those one at a time, starting by thinking about how you travel today. You use an e-ticket, probably check-in on-line and you may use a mobile boarding pass to navigate through the airport. All of that technology was introduced in the last decade. And it is built on innovative thinking and IATA’s global standards.

Now we are modernizing how airlines sell their products through travel agents with global standards built for the internet age. It is a project called New Distribution Capability, or NDC. The name may sound bland, but it will progressively enable a richer and more transparent shopping experience. I am confident that it will unleash product innovations and options for travelers that will once again profoundly change how people travel.

These innovations are not only making life better for travelers, they are also contributing to a great turnaround story in airline financial performance.

Between 2011 and 2014 airlines were profitable even as the price of crude oil hovered around US$100/barrel. And in 2015 there was a great breakthrough. For the first time in history, airlines earned a profit in excess of the industry’s average cost of capital. In 2016 airlines collectively made a record profit of $35.6 billion.

It is still, however, an incredibly tough business. Total industry revenues were some $701 billion. So the global net profit margin was just 5.1%. Put another way, on average airlines made about $9.43 per passenger. That is a lot less than what most governments—including Canada—take from passengers in taxes!

We expect this year to be another strong year—although a little down on 2016 as a result of higher oil prices.
Aviation continues to grow to meet the world’s thirst for travel. This year we expect passenger numbers to reach 4 billion and over 55 million tonnes of cargo will be delivered to markets around the world by air. By value, that accounts for just over a third of goods traded internationally.

By 2035 passenger numbers are forecast to reach 7.2 billion. The air transport industry has stepped up to the challenge of doing that sustainably. Aviation’s goal is to stabilize net emissions from 2020 with carbon neutral growth. And by 2050 we will cut our net emissions to half the levels of 2005.

We will achieve these goals with a combination of technology improvements, better operations and more efficient infrastructure. These measures, however will not come in time to realize carbon neutral growth from 2020.

So the industry united to ask governments to impose a global Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (also known as CORSIA) from 2020. Under the leadership of ICAO, governments agreed. And that historic achievement was reached a few blocks from here in the ICAO building in October last year.

Pause and think about this. I am not aware of any other industry that has asked to be regulated in a similar way and with real costs. It is quite remarkable. This gives aviation a strong platform to make demands on governments—to replace environmental taxes and charges with CORSIA, to remove inefficiency from air traffic management and to incentivize the use of sustainable alternative fuels.

In the Canadian context, that means:
Removing the patchwork of provincial environment measures so that there is alignment with CORSIA.
Creating more projects like the partnership at Montreal-Trudeau for the production of 400,000 litres of sustainable aviation fuels annually.
And continuing to be a recognized leader on air traffic management with the success of Nav Canada. In fact we are promoting it as the model for much-needed corporatization of US air traffic management.

Challenges
I am optimistic about the future of aviation. But it would be naïve not to acknowledge that there are challenges. I will spend a few minutes about one of our biggest global challenges—security—before addressing specific policy issues in Canada.

Security
For everybody in the aviation industry, safety and security are paramount. Government regulators and the industry have worked hand-in-hand to build an industry that last year performed 40.4 million safe flights. There were ten fatal accidents. Each is a tragedy and we strive to do ever better. You can, however, be assured that flying is the safest way to travel long distances.

Flying is also secure. But it’s a real challenge to keep it that way as some tragedies demonstrate. Airport attacks in Brussels and Istanbul, an aircraft shot down over a conflict zone and an aircraft nearly destroyed by an explosive smuggled on board are all in recent memory.

Recognizing this, last September the UN Security Council challenged ICAO to deliver a Global Aviation Security Plan. It’s needed and the industry is aligned to support a coordinated approach to security, including a measure requiring states to share information. ICAO, however, can only fulfil that vital need with the active support of its member states.

While governments have the primary responsibility for security, keeping passengers, crew and aircraft secure is a common priority with industry. To do that effectively information, or intelligence, is king. And it needs to be shared among governments and with the industry. It’s the only way to stop terrorists before they get anywhere near an airport or aircraft.

And I should emphasize, airlines don’t want access to state secrets. But if airlines understand the outcome governments want, they can help with their real world operational experience to deliver the result effectively and efficiently.

Last week’s ban on large electronics for flights to the US and the UK from some airports is worth reflecting on. The industry came together quickly to implement the new requirements. That was a challenge because there was no consultation and little coordination by governments.

Now, along with our customers we are asking some questions that underpin confidence in our security measures:

Why don’t the US and the UK have a common list of airports?
How can laptops be secure in the cabin on some flights and not others…..especially on flights originating at a common airport?
And surely there must be a way to screen electronic equipment effectively at airport checkpoints?

The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to mitigate. Even in the short term it is difficult to understand their effectiveness. And the commercial distortions they create are severe. We call on governments to work with the industry to find a way to keep flying secure without separating passengers from their personal electronics.

Aviation in Canada
Turning to Canada, the biggest aviation challenge can be summed up in one word—competitiveness. Canada’s airlines compete vigorously domestically and internationally. Unfortunately they do so in a regulatory framework that in some cases seems more focused on generating direct revenues for the government than on enabling aviation’s social and economic benefits.

We had some good news in the Federal Budget last week. Over-collection of security charges has been addressed. The provision of security services should not be a profit center for governments. And all travelers will certainly appreciate the additional investment to reduce security queues.
It would be good if that same thinking could be applied to address the issue of Crown Rents charged on airports. The Canadian government has already pocketed about C$5 billion as the historical landlord of airport property. That’s a C$5 billion disincentive to travel, to visit this wonderful country or to plan a business trip. We recently estimated the positive economic impact of eliminating Crown Rents as boosting GDP by over C$300 million annually, creating more than 4,000 jobs and generating an additional C$111 million in tax receipts.

Unfortunately, current government considerations on airport privatization could make things worse.

Let me be completely unambiguous. Canada will regret it if the crown jewels are sold.
Airports should focus on enabling economic vibrancy in the communities they serve. That means providing sufficient capacity, with high service levels at affordable costs so that airlines can develop connectivity. Community owned airports—as is the case in Canada today—have every incentive to do so. Private companies, however, have a different goal which is to maximize profits for their shareholders.

We have not seen a regulatory framework anywhere in the world that has been able to successfully balance profit and public interest over the long-term. But we have seen airport privatization dent a country’s competitiveness by increasing the costs of mobility and compromising service levels.
You don’t have to take my word for it. Just look at the top airports and most dynamic air transport markets—Singapore, Hong Kong, Doha, Seoul, or Dubai. Not one is in private hands.

Fortunately, airport privatization did not appear in last week’s Federal Budget. And we all hope that Transport Minister Marc Garneau’s motivation to defend the interests of travelers will keep the idea on the back-burner permanently.

I am impressed by the government’s openness to dialogue. That was clear in the review of the Canada Transport Act. So I am also hopeful for policy outcomes that aim to strengthen Canada’s competitiveness in air transport. That aligns with our industry’s call for Smarter Regulation. Essentially Smarter Regulation describes policy measures that create value by efficiently solving real problems with minimal compliance costs. And that enhances competitiveness.

The first step, and possibly most important one, in building Smarter Regulation is dialogue. Being an optimist, I hope that the Government’s openness to dialogue will point it towards Smarter Regulation principles on issues as diverse as passenger rights, tax levels, and infrastructure development.

The Business of Freedom is Important
It’s important that Canada gets its aviation policy right. As I said earlier, aviation is the business of freedom. It matters to real people—linking them with loved ones and helping them to expand beyond their local horizons. Aviation has the power to transform economies by connecting global markets. Aviation can preserve the enormous benefits of globalization in a skeptical world. And aviation can make Canada an even more prosperous and competitive nation.

These are certainties even in times of great change. I am confident that the Montreal aviation community will continue to be the driving force for the safe, secure, sustainable and profitable development of global aviation. We all have a stake in the business of freedom.
Thank you. Merci.

SEATTLE and SAN FRANCISCO, April 4, 2016 Highlights:
Deal combines two leading airlines known for outstanding customer service and low fares.
Alaska Airlines expands its California presence, while creating new opportunities for growth and competition.
Expanded route network benefits customers, with 1,200 daily departures.
Transaction is expected to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share in first full year, increases annual revenues 27 percent to more than $7 billion and offers $225 million total net synergies annually at full integration.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ to welcome Virgin America Elevate® members.
Company headquarters to remain in Seattle.

Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE: ALK), parent company of Alaska Airlines, and Virgin America, Inc. (NASDAQ: VA) today announced that their boards of directors have unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement, under which Alaska Air Group will acquire Virgin America for $57.00 per share in cash. Including existing Virgin America indebtedness and capitalized aircraft operating leases, the aggregate transaction value is approximately $4.0 billion. With an expanded West Coast presence, a larger customer base, and an enhanced platform for growth, Alaska Airlines will be positioned to provide more choices for customers, increase competition and deliver attractive returns to investors.

The combination expands Alaska Airlines’ existing footprint in California, bolsters its platform for growth and strengthens the company as a competitor to the four largest U.S. airlines. Combining Alaska Airlines’ well-established core markets in the Pacific Northwest and the state of Alaska with Virgin America’s strong foundation in California will make Alaska Airlines the go-to airline for the more than 175,000 daily fliers in and out of Golden State airports, including San Francisco and Los Angeles.

For Virgin America customers, service will expand in the thriving technology markets in Silicon Valley and Seattle. The combined airline will also offer more frequent connections to international airline partners departing Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In addition, this transaction will open up growth opportunities in important East Coast business markets by increasing Alaska Airlines’ access to slot-controlled airports like Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the two primary New York City-area airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

“Our employees have worked hard to earn the deep loyalty of customers in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, while the Virgin America team has done the same in California. Together we will continue to deliver what customers tell us they want: low fares, unmatched reliability and outstanding customer service,” said Brad Tilden, chairman and CEO of Alaska Air Group. “With our expanded network and strong presence in California, we’ll offer customers more attractive flight options for nonstop travel. We look forward to bringing together two incredible groups of employees to build on the successes they have achieved as standalone companies to make us an even stronger competitor nationally.”

David Cush, Virgin America president and CEO said, “Our mission has always been to create an airline that people love – and we accomplished that while changing the industry for the better. Joining forces with Alaska Airlines will ensure that our mission lives on, and that the stronger, combined company will continue to be a great place to work and an airline that focuses on an outstanding travel experience.”

“Today’s merger announcement of two great airlines coming together provides both pilot groups with an outstanding opportunity to benefit from the growth of the expanded Alaska Airlines’ route network,” said Captain Chris Notaro, chairman of the Alaska Airlines MEC of the Air Line Pilots Association. “We would like to welcome the professional pilots of Virgin America to the Alaska family and we look forward to a common goal of building a new joint pilot group that will benefit from a stronger and more prosperous airline that we have helped build.”

“Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are both known for providing an exceptional in-flight experience, thanks in large part to the dedication of our respective flight attendants,” said Jeffrey Peterson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Master Executive Council at Alaska Airlines. “The combination of these two award-winning airlines provides an exciting opportunity for our members and for the Virgin America flight attendants, or Inflight Team Members. We look forward to joining together and building on our legacies of customer satisfaction to the benefit of both companies’ passengers.”

A Larger Network, More Choices and an Enhanced Mileage Plan
The transaction brings together two airlines that consistently earn customer admiration and the highest industry accolades:

Alaska Airlines has been ranked #1 among the nine largest carriers in the United States by The Wall Street Journal for overall operational performance for three years in a row, while Virgin America has placed #2 in the same study for the past two years.
Virgin America has been voted “Best Domestic Airline” in both Travel + Leisure’s Annual World’s Best Awards and Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for the past eight consecutive years.
Alaska Airlines has been ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers” by J.D. Power for eight years running, and has been ranked #1 for on-time performance six years in a row by FlightStats.
Virgin America has been rated #1 for the past three years in the annual Airline Quality Rating report, an annual study of U.S. domestic airline performance based on public data submitted to the Department of Transportation and conducted by professors at Wichita State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Alaska Airlines has been named the most fuel-efficient airline by the International Council on Clean Technology for the last six years.
The combined airline will retain its safety-centric, employee-focused culture:

Alaska Airlines and Virgin America both have been named among America’s ‘best employers’ by Forbes, which annually ranks 500 U.S. companies based on responses to a survey of American workers.
Both Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are listed on the International Air Transport Association’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry, the globally recognized benchmark for the airline industry. Alaska Airlines has been on the registry for 10 years and Virgin America has qualified for six years.
Alaska Airlines expects that Virgin America’s Pilots, Inflight Teammates, Guest Services Teammates and maintenance technicians will be protected in the combination.
Together, the combined airline will have:

1,200 daily departures, with hubs in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anchorage, Alaska, and Portland, Oregon.
Approximately 280 aircraft, which include regional planes, with an average age of 8.5 years.
Virgin America’s fleet of 60 Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft boast three classes of service, in-flight WiFi and power outlets on every flight, as well as personal, touch-screen seatback entertainment.
Following closing, Alaska Airlines will welcome Virgin America Elevate loyalty program members into its Mileage Plan, ranked #1 by U.S. News and World Report. With Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, members are able to redeem award miles for travel to more than 900 destinations worldwide, rivaling global alliances. Until the transaction closes, both loyalty programs will remain distinct – with no short-term impact on members. Upon closing, the programs will be merged. Alaska Airlines is committed to ensuring that loyalty members of both airlines maintain the same high-value rewards they’ve come to enjoy in both programs – with access to an even larger network.

Attractive Returns for Shareholders
Under the terms of the agreement, Alaska Air Group will acquire Virgin America for $57.00 per share in cash, representing a total equity value of $2.6 billion. The combined company expects to achieve $225 million annually in total net synergies at full integration. One-time integration costs are expected to be between $300-350 million. The combined airline is projected to have annual revenues of more than $7 billion. Alaska Air Group expects the transaction to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share in the first full year, excluding integration costs.

The transaction builds on both companies’ strong financial performance. In 2015, Alaska Air Group achieved a record full-year adjusted net income of $842 million, which increased 47 percent over 2014. Alaska Airlines also grew passenger revenues by 5 percent year-over-year, and has increased dividend payments 175 percent since initiation in 2013. In 2015, Alaska Airlines added 20 new markets and 10 new cities to its growing network and 11 new aircraft. As of March 31, 2016, Alaska Airlines had $1.6 billion in unrestricted cash and short-term investments.

Since its successful IPO in 2014, Virgin America has reached a number of milestones, most recently reporting a record annual year-over-year net income of $201 million, an increase of 139 percent in FY 2015, the highest in company history. In 2015, Virgin America also outperformed the industry in domestic unit revenue growth and began growing the airline with 10 new aircraft deliveries.

Preparing for Takeoff
The combined organization will be based in Seattle under the leadership of Tilden and his senior leadership team, who collectively have nearly 15 decades of combined airline industry experience. Until receiving regulatory approval to close, Tilden and Cush will co-lead a transition team, which will develop a specific integration plan.

Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are two of the most respected aviation brands in the United States (and globally in the case of Virgin). While the companies apply for a single operating certificate, Alaska will maintain its new, refreshed brand and will work closely with Virgin America to learn more about the award-winning Virgin America brand and customer experience. And over the next few months Alaska will explore with the Virgin Group how the Virgin America brand could continue to serve a role in driving customer acquisition and loyalty to get the best from both brands.

The merger, which has been approved unanimously by the boards of directors of both companies, is conditioned on receipt of regulatory clearance, approval by Virgin America shareholders and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. The companies expect to complete the transaction with regulators’ approval no later than Jan. 1, 2017.

Advisors
BofA Merrill Lynch and UBS Investment Bank acted as lead financial advisors to Alaska Airlines on the transaction. Cowen & Company also acted as a financial advisor to the company. Evercore Group LLC acted as financial advisors to Virgin America. O’Melveny & Myers LLP acted as legal advisors to Alaska Airlines, and Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisors to Virgin America.

Microsite and multimedia assets
Additional details about the transaction, including multimedia assets, are posted at www.FlyingBetterTogether.com and include:

A video featuring Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden discussing the announcement;
A blog post with Tilden’s take on merging the two West Coast airlines;
Customer and investor FAQs; and
High-resolution, broadcast quality b-roll footage and images.
Investor and Media Conference Call and Webcast

Executives from Alaska Airlines and Virgin America will host a call for the investment community and media today at 5:30 a.m. Pacific time/8:30 a.m. Eastern time to discuss the transaction. To access the conference call, please dial 1-800-300-0356 FREE, referencing conference ID # 82998792. A slide presentation and the live audio webcast will be available and archived on the investor relations section of the Alaska Air Group website approximately one hour after the call concludes.

About Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together with its partner regional airlines, serves more than 100 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers” in the J.D. Power North American Airline Satisfaction Study for eight consecutive years from 2008 to 2015. Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan also ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Airline Loyalty/Rewards Programs” for the second year in a row in the J.D. Power 2015 Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

About Virgin America
Known for its mood-lit cabins, three beautifully designed classes of service and innovative fleetwide amenities — like touch-screen personal entertainment, WiFi and power outlets at every seat, Virgin America has earned a host of awards since launching in 2007 — including being named the “Best U.S. Airline” in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards years and “Best Domestic Airline” in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for the past eight consecutive years. For information, visit www.virginamerica.com.

Yesterday, British Airways flew just a handful of aircraft out of Heathrow. On a normal day we would fly more than 300. What we are facing as an airline, like so many other businesses up and down the country, is that there is no ‘normal’ any longer.

The global aviation body, IATA, has said that the industry has never seen a downturn this deep before, and that full year industry passenger revenues could plummet 55% compared to 2019, while traffic falls 48%.  Many airlines have grounded all of their planes. Sadly, we will see some airlines go out of business with the resulting job losses.

Our very limited flying schedule means that revenues are not coming into our business. We are taking every possible action to conserve cash, which will help us to weather the storm in the short-term. We are working closely with partners and suppliers to discuss repayment terms; we are re-negotiating contracts where possible; and we are considering all the options for our current and future aircraft fleet. All of these actions alone are not enough.  

In the last few weeks, the outlook for the aviation industry has worsened further and we must take action now. We are a strong, well-managed business that has faced into, and overcome, many crises in our hundred-year history. We must overcome this crisis ourselves, too. 

There is no Government bailout standing by for BA and we cannot expect the taxpayer to offset salaries indefinitely. Any money we borrow now will only be short-term and will not address the longer-term challenges we will face.

We do not know when countries will reopen their borders or when the lockdowns will lift, and so we have to reimagine and reshape our airline and create a new future for our people, our customers and the destinations we serve. We have informed the Government and the Trade Unions of our proposals to consult over a number of changes, including possible reductions in headcount. We will begin a period of consultation, during which we will work with the Trade Unions to protect as many jobs as possible. Your views matter and we will listen to all practical proposals.

The scale of this challenge requires substantial change so we are in a competitive and resilient position, not just to address the immediate Covid-19 pandemic, but also to withstand any longer-term reductions in customer demand, economic shocks or other events that could affect us. However challenging this is, the longer we delay difficult decisions, the fewer options will be open to us.

I want to pay tribute to the thousands of British Airways colleagues who are playing a vital role in the global response to the Covid-19 crisis. Whether you are supporting our repatriation flights or the transport of essential cargo; or one of the hundreds of colleagues volunteering with organisations such as the NHS, you have my sincere respect and thanks.

This has been a difficult message to write and one I never thought I would need to send. I know how tight-knit the BA family is, and how concerned you will be, not just for yourself but for your colleagues, too. We must act decisively now to ensure that British Airways has a strong future and continues connecting Britain with the world, and the world with Britain. 

Thank you.

Alex

FORT WORTH, Texas, – American Airlines has signed a codeshare agreement with Mexico City-based Interjet, adding new service to key destinations in Mexico.

The new codeshare arrangement with Interjet will give American Airlines customers seamless connecting service within Mexico. American will codeshare on Interjet flights from Mexico City to five key destinations – Huatulco, Villahermosa, Merida, Tuxtla Gutierrez, and Oaxaca. American and Interjet will submit an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for regulatory approval of the proposed codeshare cooperation.

“We are excited about offering new destinations in Mexico,” said Kurt Stache, American’s Senior Vice President – Alliances and Partnerships. “This new codeshare relationship with Interjet strengthens our presence in this important and growing market.”

Over the past few years Interjet has grown substantially and operates more than 1,800 weekly flights to 38 cities throughout Mexico as well as destinations in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.

“We’re excited about this new partnership with American Airlines,” said José Luis Garza, Interjet’s CEO. “We’re proud to be the airline that will open these new destinations in Mexico for American Airlines customers.”

The new agreement allows AAdvantage® members to earn miles on codeshared flights operated by Interjet.

American has proudly served Mexico for more than 72 years and currently operates up to 115 daily flights to 20 destinations in the country from Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia and Phoenix.

American provides more service than any other airline between the United States and Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class. In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US Airways on Twitter @USAirways

FORT WORTH, Texas, – American Airlines and Korean Air have signed an agreement to begin codesharing. Pending regulatory approval, Korean Air will place its code on American Airlines flights between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, South Korea.

“The new codeshare cooperation with Korean Air is an important milestone in growing our relationships with carriers around the globe to provide customers access to the destinations they value most,” said Kurt Stache, American’s senior vice president – Alliances and Partnerships. “This is the next step in strengthening our position in Asia, allowing us to win new customers in the region. We look forward to a strong relationship with Korean Air.”

“We look forward to a successful relationship with American Airlines,” said Yong Soon Park, Korean Air’s Senior Vice President of International Affairs and Alliance. “We are delighted with this partnership which will provide our customers with better access between Korea and the U.S. and to destinations throughout North, Central and South America.”

Once approved, the two carriers plan to sell codeshare flights for travel beginning in April 2015. The new agreement will allow Korean Air SKYPASS members to earn miles when traveling on American-operated flights between DFW and ICN.

American began serving Seoul in May 2013. Through American’s extensive network from Dallas/Fort Worth, customers traveling from South Korea have one-stop access to nearly 200 additional destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean and Latin America.

American’s route between DFW and Seoul is operated with a Boeing 777-200 aircraft. The airline is retrofitting all 47 of its 777-200s to refresh the cabins and enhance the premium experience on international flights. The retrofitted 777-200 features a Business Class product designed especially for American’s customers, with a fully lie-flat seat, direct aisle access and a private flying experience. The plane has a modern interior – including a walk-up bar – with unique lighting, a dramatic archway and a spacious look.

About American Airlines
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class. In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US Airways on Twitter @USAirways.

About Korean Air
Korean Air, established in 1969, is one of the world’s top 20 airlines and carried more than 23 million passengers in 2013. Korean Air operates in excess of 430 flights per day to 126 cities in 45 countries on six continents with a fleet of 155 aircrafts including ten A380s. With its modern aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees, Korean Air offers customers safety, convenience and comfort. Korean Air’s award-winning offerings of Korean and Western meals and state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system provide passengers with a memorable inflight experience. The airline is a founding member of the Sky Team airline alliance which together with its 20 members, offers its 612 million annual passengers a worldwide system of more than 16,000 daily flights covering 1,052 destinations in 177 countries. Korean Air introduced the double-decker A380 aircraft to its fleet in 2011 and made the interior more spacious than any other airline, with just 407 seats spread across three classes, with the top deck dedicated to ‘Prestige’ business class. The design also features the world’s first onboard ‘Duty Free Showcase’ and three bar lounges. More on Korean Air’s programs, routes, frequencies and partners is available at www.koreanair.com.

FORT WORTH, Texas and REDMOND, Wash., May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — American Airlines and Microsoft Corp. are partnering to use technology to create better, more connected experiences for customers and American Airlines team members, supporting the robust operations of the world’s largest airline. As part of the partnership, American will use Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud platform for its airline applications and key workloads, significantly accelerating its digital transformation and making Microsoft one of the airline’s largest technology partners.

With travel and tourism this year expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels, the companies are preparing for a future where consumers expect their travel experience to mimic the rest of their lives — more connected, more personalized and more on demand than ever.

Through their partnership, American and Microsoft aim to use data and digital technologies to meet customer demands while also streamlining business processes to give American team members the tools that enable a smoother travel experience for consumers. For example, the companies envision a future where every aspect of the customer experience and airline operations will be optimized using advanced analytics and other digital technologies — from enhanced bag tracking and automatic rerouting of flights based on weather conditions to using digital twins to simulate operations at major hubs and proactively adjust to increase efficiencies.

“Reliably operating thousands of flights around the world to take customers to hundreds of destinations is critical to American, which is why the airline has chosen Microsoft’s technology to support our applications,” said American Airlines Chief Information Officer Maya Leibman. “With the power of Microsoft Azure, American can innovate and accelerate its technology transformation, giving our team members augmented tools to provide our customers with an enhanced travel experience.”

“As the airline industry continues to transform, building a digital technology foundation in the cloud will be essential for future resilience,” said Judson Althoff, EVP and chief commercial officer, Microsoft. “Through our partnership, American Airlines is taking a forward-thinking, cloud-first approach to using data, AI and our collaboration platforms to reimagine not only its own operations but the experiences of its employees and customers.”

Already, American and Microsoft are progressing toward innovative and transformational experiences for airline employees and customers.

Using data to streamline operations and reduce travel pain points
When an aircraft lands at American’s largest hub, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), reaching the gate quickly is critical to running a smooth operation. American and Microsoft are applying the power of AI, machine learning and data analytics to reduce taxi time, saving thousands of gallons of jet fuel per year and giving connecting customers extra time to make their next flights. Built on Azure, American’s intelligent gating program provides real-time analysis of data points, including routing and runway information, to automatically assign the nearest available gate to arriving aircraft. Previously, gating decisions for American’s 136 gates at DFW required more manual involvement from gate planners. Now, the program can look at multiple data points simultaneously for the hundreds of daily arrivals, saving more than a minute of taxi time per flight. That adds up to 10 hours of reduced taxi time per day, lower fuel usage and decreased CO2 emissions.

Enhancing frontline collaboration to drive better customer experiences
For a flight to leave on time takes many team members behind the scenes. Every day, maintenance personnel, ground crew, pilots, flight attendants and gate agents work together to ensure that each flight departs on time. Until recently, these team members — who are always on the move and rarely tied to a desk — relied on accessing information via desktop computers or laptops. American and Microsoft created the ConnectMe app, which team members can access from any mobile device via a Microsoft Power Apps-enabled app in Microsoft Teams. With information now at its fingertips, American has accelerated airplane turn times at gates and connected thousands of frontline team members through a single platform.

Creating a cloud platform for the future of airline operations
Running the world’s largest airline is no small feat. Now, through American’s partnership with Microsoft, the airline will migrate and centralize strategic operational workloads — such as its data warehouse and several legacy applications — in one Operations Hub on Azure, becoming one of the first global airlines to embrace a comprehensive cloud strategy for all its business areas. With its Operations Hub on Azure, American plans to save costs, increase efficiency and scalability, and progress toward its ambitious sustainability goals.

In addition to their cloud partnership, the companies are deepening their relationship to support Microsoft employee travel. Through the highly preferred partnership with American, Microsoft employees will receive new, enhanced benefits when they choose American or its alliance partners for their business travel. Furthermore, American and Microsoft may use Microsoft employee feedback to inform future innovations to continue driving a more connected, seamless and personalized travel experience.

About American Airlines Group
To Care for People on Life’s Journey®. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL, and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rapidresponse@we-worldwide.com; Andrea Koos, American Airlines, (817) 247-4748, mediarelations@aa.com

FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines and Qantas Airways plan to significantly expand their joint business by adding new service between the U.S. and Australia. New routes between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Sydney Airport (SYD), operated by American Airlines, and between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and SYD, operated by Qantas, will provide customers with expanded options when traveling between the two regions.

Through this enhanced alliance, American will begin operating a daily, nonstop flight between LAX and SYD on Dec. 17, 2015, further strengthening its global network and its world-class LAX hub. Beginning Dec. 20, 2015 Qantas will begin operating service between SYD and SFO, expanding the airlines’ joint network to another key market for business and leisure customers. Services will initially operate on peak days and ramp up to six times per week in January 2016. Pending regulatory approvals, this expansion represents the natural evolution of the collaboration between American and Qantas, with revenue-sharing and other agreements that provide the airlines with a platform for closer commercial ties and an even more seamless customer experience on routes between North America and Australia/New Zealand. The closer and more integrated relationship also provides opportunities for future growth into trans-Pacific markets not currently served by either airline, such as New Zealand.

“Qantas has been a fantastic partner through oneworld and our joint business relationship, and strengthening those ties has provided us with a solid foundation to introduce American-operated flights into the Australian region,” said Doug Parker, chairman and CEO of American Airlines. “Our customers have asked us to expand to important business destinations across the Pacific, and flying our flagship aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER, to Sydney will provide another world-class travel experience from our key gateway at LAX.”

“For over 20 years, we’ve worked in partnership with American to give our customers the best network on both sides of the Pacific,” said Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Group. “We are excited to take the alliance to a new level and expand our services to new destinations including San Francisco – Australia’s biggest unserved direct corporate destination. We are seeing strong growth in numbers of visitors to Australia and look forward to carrying more travellers from the U.S. across our extensive domestic and international network in the South Pacific.”

Through their joint business, American and Qantas provide increased connectivity to destinations beyond their key gateways. Customers traveling from Australia can access more than 150 destinations throughout North America on American’s extensive network from Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and San Francisco. This includes transcontinental service to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) from LAX and SFO on the only true three-class aircraft flying those routes, the Airbus A321T. From LAX, customers can connect on to more than 50 destinations. American has added service to seven new destinations from its LAX hub over the past year, including Atlanta, Belize, Edmonton, Guadalajara, San Antonio, Tampa and Vancouver.

Customers traveling from North America have access to nearly 60 additional destinations throughout Australia and New Zealand when connecting from Qantas trans-Pacific routes from Sydney.

American’s new service between Los Angeles and Sydney will be operated with the state-of-the-art, three-class Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft features all-aisle access, fully lie-flat seats and a walk-up bar in the premium cabins; Main Cabin Extra seating provides more legroom; and all seats feature personal, in-seat entertainment screens with up to 250 movies, over 180 TV programs and more than 350 audio selections, international Wi-Fi capability and universal AC power outlets and USB ports.

Qantas will operate its service between Sydney and San Francisco with a reconfigured Boeing 747-400 that has the same style interiors found on its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. It features the award-winning, fully-flat Skybed designed by Marc Newson in Business Class, custom-designed seats with ergonomic cushioning in Economy Class and the latest inflight technology with large in-seat screens in every cabin offering more than 1,500 entertainment options. Qantas’ SYD-LAX route will continue to operate with the A380.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with regional partners, operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. This year American topped Fortune Magazine’s list of best business turnarounds and its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

About Qantas Airways
Qantas is the world’s second-oldest airline. Founded in the Queensland outback in 1920, it is Australia’s largest domestic and international airline and is recognised as one of the world’s leading long-distance carriers, having pioneered services from Australia to North America and Europe. The Qantas Group today offers services across a network spanning more than 200 destinations in 53 countries, including Australia and those served by codeshare partner airlines. Renowned for its excellence in safety, customer service, operational efficiency and technical innovation, the flying kangaroo is a symbol of contemporary Australia. Customer benefits include a global network, up to four travel classes, a leading loyalty program in Qantas Frequent Flyer, award winning inflight meals and entertainment, airport lounges and strong relationships with partner airlines. Qantas was awarded Best Airline Australia-Pacific in this year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards and was also ranked in the top ten best airlines globally.

MIAMI – In the next step to co-locate operations across the combined network, American Airlines Group Inc. today announced that US Airways will join American Airlines’ operation at Miami International Airport’s North Terminal, Concourse D on Wednesday, March 12. After its last departure the night of Tuesday, March 11, US Airways will end operations at the South Terminal, Concourse J. The move will help facilitate a more seamless experience for customers starting or ending their travels in Miami or connecting on flights at the airline’s hub.

All US Airways ticketing and check-in, baggage services and customer service operations will begin working out of Concourse D the morning of March 12. US Airways ticketing and check-in counters will be located on Level 2, conveniently located next to American’s ticketing and check-in location. US Airways flights will operate out of gates in nearby Concourse E, with easy access to connecting flights on American Airlines in both the D and E Concourses.

With the move, US Airways Club members will now have more convenient access to two American Airlines Admirals Club lounges at Miami International Airport in Concourse D. For more information about American’s Admirals Club lounges, visit www.aa.com/admiralsclub. Eligible US Airways customers departing from Concourse E can also access American’s Premium Lounge with Iberia and British Airways, located in Concourse E just beyond the security checkpoint on the fifth floor.

All US Airways flights leaving Miami will depart from the South Terminal, Concourse J on March 11. Customers traveling on American and US Airways should continue to check in for flights and conduct business with the airline operating their flight.

American and US Airways provide approximately 350 daily departures to 121 destinations in more than 40 countries/territories from their combined hub at Miami International Airport.

For more information on American’s and US Airways’ operations at Miami International Airport, visit www.aa.com/findyourway or www.usairways.com/findyourway.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn and redeem miles for travel and everyday purchases as well as flight upgrades, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and other retail products. American is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, whose members and members-elect serve 981 destinations with 14,244 daily flights to 151 countries.

FORT WORTH, Texas, – American Airlines plans to add eight new routes throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America later this year, further strengthening its position in these key regions and providing customers with increased options when traveling to these destinations. Expanded service includes new flights to Mexico City International Airport (MEX); General Rafael Buelna International Airport (MZT) in Mazatlan, Mexico; Curacao International Airport (CUR); Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay, Jamaica; Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ); Gregorio Luperon International Airport (POP) in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; and Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) in Quito, Ecuador, pending regulatory approvals.

“As the premier carrier to Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America with flights to 85 destinations, these additions highlight our commitment to providing our customers with a network that is second to none,” said Art Torno, American’s senior vice president for Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. “We are committed to each country we serve, and these new routes allow us to contribute to and further promote travel and tourism to and from the region.”

American also plans to reinstate its service between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and Simon Bolívar International Airport (CCS) in Caracas, Venezuela, on Dec. 17. Flights will operate five times per week with Boeing 757 aircraft. Those flights are now available for bookings.

Customers traveling to these destinations will have the ability to connect through American’s hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and New York from nearly 200 destinations worldwide. With these new routes, American will operate more than 1,750 weekly flights throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America –more service than any other airline.

In addition to the 85 destinations throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, American has served Cuba since 1991 with charter flights from Miami and Tampa to five destinations in Cuba – Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Havana, Holguín and Santa Clara. For more information about American’s charter service to Cuba, please visit aa.com/visitcuba.

American is investing $2 billion in planned improvements to give customers a superior travel experience around the world. These capital investments include fully lie-flat seats; international Wi-Fi; more in-flight entertainment options and power outlets and a new, modern design for Admirals Club lounges worldwide.

American is taking delivery of more than 100 new aircraft this year, giving it the youngest fleet of any U.S.-based network carrier. Aircraft to be delivered in the coming years include the Airbus A320 and A320neo family, A350-900, Boeing 737, 737 MAX, 777-300ER and 787, which will make American’s fleet even younger, more modern and fuel efficient.

About American Airlines
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with regional partners, operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. This year American topped Fortune Magazine’s list of best business turnarounds and its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

American Airlines (Nasdaq:AAL) today announced it will begin selling Basic Economy fares in addition to the wide range of Main Cabin fares currently offered. These no-frills tickets provide a simple and affordable way to experience American’s network, and provide customers the option to pay for the services they want.

Basic Economy fares will go on sale in February in 10 select markets, with the first flights occurring shortly thereafter and expansion to additional markets expected later this year. Not every American Airlines flight will offer Basic Economy fares.

“American Airlines now has something to offer every customer, from those who want simple, low-price travel to those who want an ultra-premium experience via First Class,” said American Airlines President Robert Isom. “Importantly, this new fare product also gives American the ability to compete more effectively with the growing number of ultra low-cost carriers.”

Here’s a look at what Basic Economy customers can expect:
In-flight experience – The same in-flight experience that all Main Cabin customers receive today, including free entertainment options, soft drinks, and snacks, and the same seats.

Seat assignments – Made automatically and only when customers check in. Paid seat assignments can be purchased 48 hours before the flight.

Upgrades – Not permitted, regardless of elite status level.

Bags – One personal carry-on item that fits under the seat (such as a purse or small backpack) is allowed. No overhead bin luggage may be brought on board. Larger carry-ons such as a rollerboard bag must be checked at the ticket counter for the applicable checked-baggage charge. Basic Economy customers who bring more than an under-seat personal item to the gate will incur regular checked baggage charges plus a $25 gate service charge per bag.

Elite customers and eligible AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will be allowed to bring one personal item, one rollerboard, and they maintain their current free checked bag allowance.

Boarding – Basic Economy customers will comprise the last boarding group and will be seated in the Main Cabin. Elite customers and eligible AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will continue to receive Priority or preferred boarding even when purchasing this fare.

Tickets – Non-refundable, non-changeable. Use it or lose it. No same-day flight change or same-day standby.

AAdvantage – Full AAdvantage miles and Elite Qualifying Dollars may be earned when purchasing these fares; however, only one-half Elite Qualifying Mile will be earned per mile flown, and one-half Elite Qualifying Segment per segment flown.

American is committed to helping every customer find the ticket price and service that’s best for his or her travel needs. Multiple disclosures will spell out the attributes of a Basic Economy ticket at the time of purchase on aa.com, and when utilizing the airline’s reservations phone centers or when booking through a travel agent or online travel site. In addition to clear disclosures at the time of purchase, Basic Economy customers will also receive reminders as their travel day gets closer, including at check-in kiosks at the airport.

“Our goal is to make sure that all customers have the opportunity to purchase a ticket on American that works for their specific needs,” continued Isom. “We will work hard to ensure transparency, provide clear explanations of these fares, and we look forward to continuing to offer a wide variety of services to our customers.”

FORT WORTH, Texas, – American Airlines is taking the first step in the evolution of its award-winning AAdvantage® loyalty program. In the second half of 2016, the program will shift how customers earn award miles from distance flown to dollars spent. Award redemption rates will be adjusted with some award levels increasing, while others will be decreasing. Additionally, American will offer the best elite-qualifying mile multipliers in the industry and simplify the elite qualification process to better reward customers.

“American Airlines has spent the last two years being singularly focused on integration. Now we’re at a point where we can begin to look ahead and lay the foundation for the future of the AAdvantage program to ensure we’re rewarding our most loyal customers with the benefits they value the most,” said Suzanne Rubin, President of AAdvantage. “We seamlessly integrated our programs in 2015, and we’re excited about the opportunities that the program will offer our customers in the years to come.”

Earning Award Miles
In the second half of 2016, when traveling on flights marketed by American, members will begin earning award miles based on the price of the ticket purchased (base fare plus carrier-imposed fees, excluding government-imposed taxes and fees) and that member’s elite status level.

AAdvantage members will receive five miles for every U.S. dollar spent on the base fare and carrier-imposed fees. Gold members will receive seven miles, Platinum members will receive eight and Executive Platinum members will receive 11 miles per dollar spent.

Award miles for travel on most flights marketed by partner airlines will be based on a percentage of the flight distance and the booking code purchased. More details will be announced in 2016.

Until the new award mile earning structure takes effect, members will still earn award miles based on the distance flown. American is extending its bonus miles promotion that allows members to earn even more on purchased First or Business class tickets. More information can be found at aa.com/moremiles.

Award Redemption Levels
In March 2016, some award redemption levels will be reduced by as much as 40 percent, and AAdvantage members will continue to book award travel on any day of the year without any blackout dates. For tickets booked on or after March 22, award redemption levels to popular destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America will be reduced, and MileSAAver awards for flights 500 miles or less in the U.S. and Canada will be redeemable for as low as 7,500 miles one way (plus any applicable taxes and carrier-imposed fees). Award redemption levels on other routes, such as some flights to Europe and Asia will increase due to changes to market pricing and demand.

“A significant percentage of our flights are less than 500 miles, so offering a lower MileSAAver option only makes sense for our customers,” said Rubin. “Other routes will be adjusted to match increased customer demand, including routes that feature our world-class A321T and 777-300ER aircraft.”

AAdvantage Elite Qualification
Beginning January 2016, the AAdvantage program will offer two simple ways to qualify for elite status – Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) or Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs) at the same thresholds as today. Elite-qualifying points will be discontinued. Members will earn more EQMs for purchasing higher fares, and EQSs will still be awarded for each eligible flight segment flown. American will offer the most generous multipliers in the industry.

The rates at which members earn EQMs on eligible partner airlines can be found on aa.com.

Beginning with the 2017 membership year, elite status will be valid through January 31 of the following year.

Upgrade Programs
The AAdvantage program provides complimentary, auto-requested upgrades for all elite members on domestic flights 500 miles or less, and AAdvantage Executive Platinum members receive complimentary, auto-requested upgrades on all domestic flights regardless of length.

With the higher EQM earn rates in 2016, beginning March 1, Gold and Platinum members will earn four 500-mile upgrades for every 12,500 EQMs earned during the membership year. The cost of a 500-mile upgrade will be 40 dollars when purchased online, at the airport or from an agent.

Beginning January 1, 2016, Executive Platinum members will receive four systemwide upgrades upon qualification for the 2017 membership year, with the opportunity to earn up to four more based on flight activity – two for every 50,000 EQMs earned above the 100,000 EQM threshold up to 200,000 EQMs.

The AAdvantage program was the first loyalty program in the industry, created in 1981. It has seen several changes over the decades and will continue to evolve to offer the best program for its members based on the access and rewards they desire most. As the initial phases roll out in 2016, American is committed to sharing its plans with customers as clearly and as soon as practicable. Additional details about the 2016 AAdvantage program are available at aa.com/aadvantage2016.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines. Together with regional partners operating as American Eagle, American offers an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. This year American Airlines Group Inc. topped Fortune Magazine’s list of best business turnarounds and its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines is refreshing the look and expanding the reach of its flagship in-flight magazine, American Way. Starting with the January issue which features the Foo Fighters on the cover, the redesigned publication appears on all flights operated by US Airways as well as American. American Way reaches 193 million people annually.

“The revitalized American Way comes as American makes a huge investment in the customer experience with improvements to our aircraft, our lounges and the airports we serve,” says Fernand Fernandez, vice president – Global Marketing, American Airlines. “We’re excited about what’s ahead for the magazine. Its fresh approach appeals to a wide range of our customers who love to see the world from a variety of perspectives.”

American in September announced its partnership with global travel media company Ink to re-launch the monthly magazine with a mix of entertaining and informative content and a fresh eye on design. The January magazine launches with a double cover edition featuring rock star David Grohl and the band Foo Fighters.

American Way’s updated look includes new sections such as POV, in which the magazine’s writers and editors offer their opinions of cultural, lifestyle and travel trends. Another new section, Maps & Legends, each month will reveal a writer’s unique look at a travel-related topic. The inaugural section features the best BBQ joints in Texas according to a bona fide aficionado – the Barbecue Editor of Texas Monthly.

Ink has also brought American Way into the digital age so that fans can read its award-winning content via mobile devices whether they’re relaxing during a flight or reading on the ground.

The digital expansion includes a revamped americanway.com website as well as a first-ever American Way mobile app, both of which let readers share select content via Facebook, Twitter, email and other options.

“We are honored to be launching the new edition of American Way magazine,” says Marisa Beazel, vice president – Publishing, Ink, which creates award-winning media and builds innovative technology for airlines and rail partners. “Millions of loyal customers every week will sit back, relax, enjoy a good read and browse through a great lifestyle magazine – be it to learn something new, plan their next trip or be inspired to make a new purchase. With more editorial features than ever before, American Way unlocks one of the strongest markets available to the world’s advertisers. This new edition of the magazine marks yet another great moment for American.”

Though American Way will have a different look and feel to it, longtime magazine fans will still find their favorite features.

“Air Mail,” the popular collection of readers’ letters to the editor, for example, will remain a key component in the front of the magazine. Fans will also still find the Sudoku and the crossword puzzles.

In addition to American Way, American will soon introduce the updated versions of its two other magazine titles: Nexos, the bimonthly airline magazine written in Spanish and Portuguese, and Celebrated Living, the industry’s first quarterly publication for premium cabin customers. The new issues of the redesigned publications will begin appearing on flights in February and March, respectively.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class. In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US Airways on Twitter @USAirways.

FORT WORTH, Texas – As a part of its $2 billion investment to give customers a world-class travel experience, American Airlines will upgrade its regional fleet by adding Gogo inflight wireless services to all two-class regional jets. Nearly 250 of American’s regional aircraft will have inflight wireless Internet service installed by 2016. With this installation, the world’s largest airline will have the largest fleet of connected regional jets.

“We’re investing in a more competitive and consistent customer experience across our regional, domestic and international network,” said Andrew Nocella, American’s chief marketing officer. “Adding inflight Wi-Fi to our two-class regional jets will give our customers what they want – comfort, connectivity and a world-class travel experience. We have new regional aircraft entering our fleet every month, and combined with the amenities and services we’re adding to our existing fleet, American is going to deliver a regional product that’s better than our competitors.”

American currently has nearly 850 aircraft with Gogo services and leverages Gogo’s air-to-ground (ATG) service and its next generation ATG-4 technology. Approximately 70 of these 850 aircraft are two-class regional jets.

“As the first airline to offer our inflight Wi-Fi, American knows customers value being able to remain connected and entertained while flying,” said Michael Small, Gogo’s president and CEO. “We’re excited be a part of American’s efforts to enhance the customer experience by expanding our connectivity services to more of its regional aircraft.”

Having ordered more than 500 new aircraft – with nearly two planes arriving each week through 2016 – American will offer customers the youngest fleet of any U.S.-based network carrier. New aircraft deliveries include 90 large regional jets, the Embraer 175 and Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen. These modern and fuel-efficient 76-seat jets provide customers with a top-tier regional product with First Class, Main Cabin Extra and Main Cabin seating, larger overhead bins, more spacious lavatories and leather seats with adjustable headrests.

The American Eagle and US Airways Express regional networks operate about 2,600 daily flights for American Airlines and US Airways, respectively. These flights serve 240 destinations throughout the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Mexico. Eventually all regional service will be operated under the American Eagle brand and livery.

American marked the one-year anniversary of its merger earlier this week by announcing more than $2 billion in investments to give its customers a world-class travel experience. These investments include expanding inflight entertainment and connectivity. The airline is adding satellite-based Internet access to its international fleet including all Boeing 777s and 787s, Airbus A330s, and retrofitted Boeing 767-300s and 757s. New 737s, nearly all new A321s, as well as retrofitted A319s also will have power ports in every row. All new widebody deliveries, including 777-300ERs and 787s, come with power at every seat, allowing customers to charge their laptops and personal electronic devices from gate to gate. American also will be investing in fully lie-flat seats, more inflight entertainment options, a new, modern design for Admirals Club lounges worldwide, and an upgraded assortment of complimentary healthy food, cocktails and more.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class. In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US Airways on Twitter @USAirways.

About Gogo
Gogo (NASDAQ: GOGO) is a leading global aero-communications service provider that offers inflight Internet, entertainment, text messaging, voice and a host of other communications-related services to the commercial and business aviation markets. Gogo has more than 2,000 commercial aircraft equipped with its services on more than 10 major airlines. More than 7,000 business aircraft are also flying with its solutions, including the world’s largest fractional ownership fleets. Gogo also is a factory option at every major business aircraft manufacturer.

Gogo has more than 800 employees and is headquartered in Itasca, IL, with additional facilities in Broomfield, CO, and various locations overseas. Connect with us at www.gogoair.com and www.business.gogoair.com.

FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines is marking Black History Month by paying tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen with an exclusive screening of the award-winning documentary “The Luft Gangster: Memoirs of a Second Class Hero” at the company’s C.R. Smith Museum.

“The Luft Gangster” has not been released to the public, but the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum, in partnership with the Airpower Foundation and several of American’s Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs), will host an invitation-only screening on Wednesday, Feb. 3. In attendance will be American Airlines Capt. Eugene Richardson, III, who is the son of Tuskegee Airman Eugene J. Richardson, Jr.; Gwenelle Spann, the widow of Tuskegee Airman Lt. Calvin Spann; and American Airlines President Scott Kirby.

The film chronicles the life and struggle of retired Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, a Tuskegee Airman and former prisoner of war. During World War II, Lt. Col. Jefferson, now 93, fought for his country and was taken as a POW by the German Army. When he was released and returned home at the end of the war, he encountered racism, bigotry and segregation.

“The unsung and unappreciated heroes like my father have allowed me to enjoy an amazing career in aviation,” said Capt. Eugene Richardson, whose story is featured in the February issue of American Way. “I’m proud to honor him and his fellow Tuskegee Airmen by sharing their story with the next generation of aviation professionals.”

Students from the Irving High School ROTC will perform a presentation of colors at the Wednesday event. American and the Airpower Foundation will also screen the documentary at Grapevine High School and Colleyville Heritage High School on Wednesday.

Throughout the month of February, American’s in-seat inflight entertainment systems will showcase critically acclaimed African American films and TV programs, including “The Luft Gangster.”

Additionally, on Saturday, Feb. 20, as part of the Saturday at the Smith program series, the C.R. Smith Museum will hold its sixth annual Celebration of Black Aviation featuring author and historian C.B. Rice. American’s African American Diversity Network EBRG will host local students at the event.

American is also a proud sponsor of The HistoryMakers, which since 1999 has worked to preserve and make widely accessible the untold personal stories of both well-known and unsung African Americans. The HistoryMakers’ one-of-a-kind archives are now housed in the Library of Congress, providing future generations a first-hand look into the lives of many who have helped shape our nation. In March, American will debut HistoryMakers episodes in its in-seat entertainment offerings, giving customers access to a portfolio of video oral histories of prominent African Americans, starting with “An Evening with Berry Gordy.”

American has long been recognized for its diversity efforts, including being named in the 2015 Black EOE Journal’s Best of the Best for Top Diversity Employers, Top Supplier Diversity Programs and Top LGBT Employers. Additionally, the airline’s Diversity Advisory Council was named one of the top 25 councils in the nation for the seventh consecutive year and American recently received the highest possible rating in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for the 14th consecutive year.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

FORT WORTH, Texas, – American Airlines today officially welcomes its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. American took delivery of the airplane, a 787-8 with registration number N800AN, on Thursday at Boeing’s factory in Everett, Washington, and it is scheduled to arrive in Dallas/Fort Worth on Friday afternoon.

American’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner departing on its maiden test flight on Jan. 6, 2015.
“We are committed to delivering a fantastic product for our customers with the continuation of our unprecedented fleet renewal program and more than $2 billion in improvements in the customer experience,” said Doug Parker, American’s chairman and CEO. “The 787 makes our fleet younger and more modern and it will open up new possibilities to connect our customers to the places they want to fly.”

“We’re proud that American Airlines has chosen the 787 to be a key part of its fleet renewal plan,” said Ray Conner, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We appreciate American’s confidence in the airplane and know the Dreamliner will open exciting new routes for American’s customers.”

American has placed firm orders for 42 Boeing 787 aircraft, with the right to acquire an additional 58. American will take delivery of both the 787-8 and 787-9 as part of the 42 firm orders. American expects its first 787 to enter revenue service in the second quarter, flying domestically between American’s hubs for several weeks before being launched on international flights.

The 787 will bring new benefits to American’s network and customers. It has an onboard experience unlike any other airplane and provides improved aerodynamics, advanced engine technology, reduced maintenance requirements, better fuel efficiency and lower overall operating costs.

American already has the youngest fleet of the U.S. global network carriers, with an average aircraft age of 12.3 years. In 2015, American plans to take delivery of an average of two new aircraft per week. These new deliveries will make American’s fleet even younger, more modern and more efficient and will provide a solid foundation for continued improvements in technology, products and services.

American is in the midst of more than $2 billion in planned improvements to give customers a superior travel experience around the world. These investments include fully lie-flat seats on international long-haul aircraft; international Wi-Fi; more in-flight entertainment options and power outlets; a new, modern design for Admirals Club lounges worldwide; and an upgraded assortment of complimentary healthy food, cocktails and more. In addition to taking delivery of hundreds of new planes, American is retrofitting its entire fleet of Boeing 777-200s and selected 767-300s, 757-200s and Airbus A319s to refresh the cabins and enhance the experience on domestic and international flights.

For more information on American’s fleet renewal efforts, visit aa.com/newplanes.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class. In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US Airways on Twitter @USAirways.

American Airlines and Qantas have filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking approval to form a joint business to better serve customers flying between North America and Australia and New Zealand.rnrnThe proposed joint business will significantly improve service, stimulate demand and unlock more than $300 million annually in consumer benefits that are not achievable through any other form of cooperation, including:rnrnUp to $221 million in value from expanding codesharing between American and Qantas – opening more connections to more destinations.rnUp to $89 million in value by offering a wider range of fare classes across each other’s networks, including lower fares and discounts. rnThe joint business will also give American and Qantas the opportunity to launch additional routes between the U.S. and Australia and New Zealand, including new flights to city pairs currently not served by either carrier.rnrnAn expanded relationship will encourage significant improvements in the overall customer experience, including additional frequent flyer benefits and investments in lounges, baggage systems and other infrastructure designed to better serve the carriers’ joint customers.rnrnAll these benefits will stimulate significant demand for new travel – generating up to 180,000 new trips between the U.S. and Australia and New Zealand every year.rnrnCritically, if the joint business is not approved, American and Qantas will have no choice but to further reduce codesharing on their networks. This will jeopardize the number of services and routes each carrier flies between the U.S. and Australia and New Zealand.rnrnFor example, Qantas may be forced to reduce the frequency of, downgauge or potentially cancel its A380 service between Sydney and Dallas/Fort Worth, and American may further reduce its services between Los Angeles and Sydney and Auckland. These routes rely on codeshare support from each airline’s feeder network via their respective hub cities to be economically viable.rnrnAmerican and Qantas look forward to working together to deliver new routes, a more seamless travel experience and greater access to lower fares under a joint business.rnrnAbout American Airlines GrouprnAmerican Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, whose members serve more than 1,000 destinations with about 14,250 daily flights to over 150 countries. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.rnrnAbout QantasrnQantas is Australia’s largest domestic and international airline connecting Australians to the world. It is widely regarded as one of the world\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s most respected full-service airlines and one of the strongest brands in Australia, with an outstanding reputation for excellence in safety, customer service, operational efficiency and technical innovation. The Qantas network spans 46 countries across Australia, Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa and almost flies to 60 destinations throughout Australia. The U.S. is one of Qantas’ most popular destinations routes, with its first Trans-Pacific flight taking place in 1954 to San Francisco. Qantas offers more non-stop flights per week between the U.S. and Australia than any other airline with direct flights from Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Dallas/Fort Worth, Honolulu and Vancouver, and more than 120 codeshare city pairs across the U.S., Canada and Mexico from Qantas gateways.rn

GLASGOW, Scotland, – New technology aircraft and jet fuel made from waste: the global air transport industry has outlined how to meet its new long-term climate goal during Transport Day events at the UN COP26 in Glasgow. This confirms the commitment of the world’s airlines, airports, air traffic management and the makers of aircraft and engines to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in support of the Paris Agreement. Aviation is one of the only sectors to have made such a global commitment.

Analysis detailed in the Waypoint 2050 report outlines credible paths for the air transport sector to reach net-zero carbon. The industry says a mix of new technology including potentially shifting to electricity and hydrogen for some shorter services; improvements in operations and infrastructure; and a transition to sustainable aviation fuel by mid-century would provide a majority of the carbon reductions. Remaining emissions could be captured using carbon removals measures.

Speaking at a COP26 event with the UK Government today, Haldane Dodd, Acting Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group said: “Aviation has increased its ambition in line with the need for all sectors of the economy to pursue rigorous climate action. Despite having endured the greatest crisis in aviation history, this net-zero 2050 goal shows that our sector has placed climate action as one of its highest priorities.”

A complete shift away from fossil fuels for air transport around mid-century would be possible, with sustainable aviation fuels made from waste resources and rotational cover crops gradually transitioning towards fuels generated from low-carbon electricity. Importantly, the shift to sustainable fuels will enable green energy industry opportunities in nearly every country, sustaining up to 14 million jobs worldwide.

“Our analysis shows several scenarios, with new technology options such as electric and hydrogen aircraft for the short-haul fleet, to a complete shift to sustainable aviation fuel for medium- and long-haul operations. We have identified the building blocks needed and the scale of the challenge is substantial, but with supportive government policy and the backing of the energy sector, it can be done.”

“National government policy measures focused on innovation and energy transition are vital. We also urge the member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to support adoption of a long-term climate goal at the 41st ICAO Assembly in 2022, in line with industry commitments.”

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682205/ATAG_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Air Transport Action Group

CONTACT: Haldane Dodd, +41 22 770 2981

Lafayette, Louisiana – August 27, 2014 – Bell Helicopter commenced construction of its facility in Lafayette, LA, where the company will assemble its newest commercial helicopter, the Bell 505 Jet Ranger XTM. Governor Bobby Jindal, Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel and others joined Bell Helicopter’s President and CEO, John Garrison, to commemorate the occasion today at the Lafayette Regional Airport.

The new 82,300-square-foot, $26.3 million hangar facility will be built on a 14.5-acre site. Bell Helicopter will lease the facility from the Lafayette Regional Airport. The project is funded by the State of Louisiana and the company plans to invest $11.4 million in equipment and tooling. Bell Helicopter expects to begin hiring employees for the new facility by 2015, and assembly operations are expected to start by 2016 following certification of the facility and the aircraft. The facility is expected to create 115 new jobs in Lafayette, and LED estimates the aerospace project will result in an additional 136 jobs, for a total of more than 250 new jobs in Acadiana.

“We are delighted that construction of a world-class aerospace assembly facility is underway in Lafayette and that skilled Louisiana workers will be producing the standard-bearer for a vital segment of the commercial aviation market,” said Governor Jindal. “Companies like Bell Helicopter are recognizing what Louisiana offers the top employers of the future: a best-in-the-nation business climate, an outstanding workforce, a tremendous infrastructure and a quality of life like no other. For those reasons, Louisiana is becoming the investment state of choice for expanding businesses from around the world. We are excited that hundreds of Louisiana families will benefit from the advanced aerospace assembly operations that will take place here in Lafayette.”

To date, Bell Helicopter has received more than 200 purchase agreements for the Bell 505. The five-seat, single-engine, turbine helicopter leverages Bell Helicopter’s proven technology and nearly half a century of experience defining the short light single market with the original Bell JetRanger.

“We have received tremendous interest and support from our customers for this aircraft, confirming it was absolutely the right product for the market at this time,” said John Garrison. “The groundbreaking of the Bell Helicopter facility in Lafayette is a significant milestone toward aircraft production and delivery. The support provided by the state of Louisiana as well as their exceptional workforce training programs will help ensure the facility and our future workforce are operationally ready and able to quickly ramp up to meet our production demands.”

Work on the new Lafayette facility began Monday, Aug. 18 and the company is currently on schedule to meet the June 1, 2015, deadline for certificate of occupancy.

“We have a great relationship with the municipalities at the airport, and we are engaging people early on in the process to avoid any potential roadblocks,” said Paul Watts, general manager of the Bell Helicopter Lafayette Aircraft Assembly facility. “We have set an aggressive timeline for ourselves, but are confident we can meet it.”

In addition to creating 115 new jobs at the Bell 505 assembly facility, Bell Helicopter will maintain more than 60 existing jobs in the region associated with two existing facilities that perform rotor blade and composite repair and overhaul.

Assembly of the first Bell 505 test aircraft is progressing at Bell Helicopter’s commercial assembly facility in Mirabel, Canada, and first flight is expected to take place by the end of 2014. Type Certificate activities with Transport Canada and Production Certification activities with the Federal Aviation Administration are also underway.

With a cruise speed of 125 knots (232 km/h), range of 360 nautical miles (667 km) and useful load of 1,500 pounds (608 kg), the Bell 505 is designed to be safe and easy to fly while remaining affordably priced. The customer-driven design of the aircraft places safety, performance and affordability at the forefront, blending proven systems with advanced technology and a sleek, modern design. The Garmin G1000H Integrated Avionics Suite provides pilots critical flight information at a glance to maximize situational awareness. Pilot workload is further reduced by the Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine with dual channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC).

SEATTLE, – Boeing (NYSE: BA) delivered 762 commercial airplanes in 2015, 39 more than the previous year and most ever for the company as it enters its centennial year.

“The Boeing team has worked hard to achieve strong performance,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. “Our team did a fantastic job achieving higher deliveries and getting our products to our customers as quickly and efficiently as possible. This will continue to be our focus.”

In 2015, Boeing recorded 768 net orders, valued at $112.4 billion at current list prices. At year end, Boeing held 5,795 unfilled orders from customers worldwide.

“We had a solid year of orders in 2015, maintaining a strong, balanced backlog that will help ensure a steady stream of deliveries for years to come,” said Conner.

Worldwide demand for air travel has continued to be robust, said Randy Tinseth, Vice President, Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“Global passenger traffic in most key regions is increasing,” said Tinseth. “Our customers continue to perform well in the marketplace and we’ll continue to support them with the industry’s best products and services.”

In addition to the orders and deliveries, the company marked a number of other milestones in 2015:
Five customers received their first 787 Dreamliners, including Oman Air, Scoot, American Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Vietnam Airlines
The 747 team delivered the 100th 747-8, the 767 program received its largest single order ever from FedEx and the 777 program announced a 2 percent fuel improvement package
The newly expanded Seattle Delivery Center opened its doors to pave the way for increased 737 production
The first 737 MAX rolled out of the factory in December
The 787-10 team completed detailed design of the newest member of the 787 family, while the 777X reached firm configuration, allowing the team to begin detailed design of parts, assemblies and other systems for the airplane

“Our newest development products are on schedule and poised to provide world-class value to our customers,” said Conner. “We could not have accomplished all we did in 2015 without the support and hard work of our employees, suppliers, partners and the community.”

JAKARTA, Indonesia, June 12, 2023—Boeing [NYSE: BA] has signed an agreement with AirNav Indonesia to explore initiatives to further enhance the safety and efficiency of Indonesia’s national air traffic management system.

Improving airport and flight operations can help increase the safety and sustainability of Indonesia’s aviation system through more efficient movement of aircraft and reduced fuel use.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) brings together Boeing’s engineering expertise with the Indonesian government’s key initiatives in airspace management, training and air traffic management strategic planning. Boeing and AirNav will work closely with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Indonesia, local airlines, airport operators and other aviation stakeholders in the country.

“AirNav Indonesia is focused on making sure that our airspace system adopts and maintains the highest levels of safety while fostering the growth of Indonesia’s civil aviation industry,” said Mdm. Polana B. Pramesti, President Director of AirNav Indonesia. “Airspace capacity and air traffic management is a shared interest between Boeing and AirNav and a natural space where we need to cooperate. We look forward to this collaboration with Boeing.”

“With its emerging market economy, Indonesia is home to one of the largest aviation markets in Asia,” said Mike Sinnett, senior vice president and general manager of Product Development for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We’re committed to supporting Indonesia’s civil aviation industry and excited to work with AirNav to explore lasting solutions that safely and sustainably enhance Indonesia’s air traffic management system.”

Boeing and Indonesia have worked in partnership for over 74 years to support the development of aerospace and defense capabilities in the country through training, supply chain, and collaborations. Today, Boeing’s presence in Indonesia covers commercial aviation, defense, space, supply chain, and academia partnerships.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Learn more at www.boeing.com.

# # #

Contact
Swetha Mahesh
Boeing Southeast Asia Communications
+65 9824 4836
swetha.mahesh@boeing.com

Boeing Media Relations
media@boeing.com

PALMACHIM AIR BASE, Israel, Jan. 7, 2014 – The next-generation Arrow 3 interceptor, co-developed by Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) MLM Division, has completed its second successful flight test, further demonstrating its ability to enhance Israel’s multi-tier anti-ballistic missile defense strategy.

Arrow 3 is the latest interceptor for the Arrow Weapon System jointly developed by Israel and the United States. It can be launched earlier after threat detection and engage threats at higher altitudes outside the Earth’s atmosphere than previous interceptors.

“This successful flight test, 10 months after the first, is an important milestone in the decade-long partnership between IAI and Boeing in the Arrow program, and a demonstration of the effective solutions that come from global cooperation in the face of evolving threats,” said Bill Dickerhoff, Arrow program director for Boeing.

The flight was conducted by the Israel Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency during a test of Israel’s national missile defense system. It began on Jan. 3 at 7:58 a.m. local time when the Arrow 3 interceptor launched from an Israeli test range and flew in accordance with its mission profile before terminating as planned over the Mediterranean Sea.

The Arrow system is the world’s first operational, national missile defense system. Prime contractor IAI-MLM is responsible for interceptor development and production and system integration. Boeing co-develops and co-produces the Arrow 3 interceptor and provides interceptor components for the in-service Arrow 2.

This Press Release is courtesy BOEING.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 20, 2014 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Samsung will collaborate on ways to incorporate the latest mobile technology into Boeing’s new Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft.

Under an agreement announced today at the 30th Space Symposium, Boeing and Samsung will start identifying how mobile technology can be used to improve CST-100 crew and mission operations. The initial results are expected to be outlined later this year.

“Just as they’ve done on Earth, mobile tools and devices will enhance the way we operate in space day-to-day, making mission operations more efficient,” said Chris Ferguson, director of crew and mission system for the Boeing Commercial Crew Program.

“Like any other person doing his or her work, an astronaut values connectivity and the ability to share experiences,” added Ferguson, who piloted the final space shuttle mission for NASA in 2011.
The Boeing CST-100 spacecraft was developed as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The CST-100 will accommodate up to seven passengers or a mix of crew and cargo to low-Earth orbit destinations.

Featuring an innovative weld-less design and a pressurized vessel that can be reused up to 10 times, the CST-100 capsule features Boeing’s LED “Sky Lighting.”

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 56,000 employees worldwide.

This news is courtesy of www.boeing.com

CHICAGO, – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Saudi Arabian Airlines Holding Co. (Saudia) yesterday signed a broad collaboration agreement allowing the companies to pursue possible partnership opportunities in the areas of defense and commercial aviation that will benefit customers and generate new business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “We are pleased to sign this collaboration agreement with Boeing to support the transformation process Saudia is going through, and hope both Saudia and Boeing will get the anticipated commercial, economic and social benefits out of such collaboration,” said Khalid Almolhem, director general, Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Boeing and Saudia will explore areas of cooperation in pilot and aircraft maintenance training, rotorcraft support, management and leadership training and manufacturing focused on the expansion of local presence and aerospace skill development in country. “This agreement builds on the well-established relationship between Boeing and Saudia and will enable us to enter into some exciting future business ventures,” said Jim O’Neill, president, Global Services & Support, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “We look forward to collaborating with Saudia and expanding our training and service offerings for our customers.” “This agreement will bring together the expertise of our companies and is aligned with our efforts to further strengthen and grow the local industry in the Kingdom,” said Ahmed Jazzar, president of Boeing Saudi Arabia. “Boeing’s relationship with Saudia has spanned decades, and today we have come together to forge a path that will generate benefits for our companies and the people of Saudi Arabia for generations to come.” The partnership between Saudia and Boeing began nearly 70 years ago with a gift of a DC-3 Dakota to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Boeing has a track record of working closely with its civil and defense partners in Saudi Arabia to bring innovative new technologies and cutting edge knowledge to the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabian Airlines started out in 1945 with the single twin-engine DC-3, which was given to King Abdul Aziz as a gift by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This was followed with the purchase of two more DC-3s, which formed the nucleus of what was to become one of the world’s largest airlines. Today Saudi Arabian Airlines operates more than 500 domestic and international flights a day with a fleet of 139 aircraft, including the latest and most advanced wide-bodied jets presently available: B747-400s, B777-200s, Airbus A320,321, 330, MD-11s, ERJ.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.boeing.com

SEATTLE — In a first-of-its-kind series of tests, Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the University of Arizona determined airlines’ current cleaning solutions effectively destroy the virus that causes COVID-19. Boeing completed the testing as part of its Confident Travel Initiative (CTI) to support customers and enhance the safety and well-being of passengers and crews during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Testing was conducted on an unoccupied Boeing airplane against a live virus called MS2 over the summer. The University of Arizona, Department of Environmental Sciences correlated those results to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in a protected laboratory environment.

“While these cleaning solutions had been tested in other environments, an airplane behaves differently. It was critical for us to evaluate and confirm the chemicals and techniques we recommend for our customers’ use are effective and battle-tested,” said Mike Delaney, who leads Boeing’s CTI efforts. “By working with the University of Arizona, we were able to employ their world-renowned expertise in virology to do exactly that.”

The bacteriophage virus MS2 is safe and harmless to humans and more difficult to kill than SARS-CoV-2. Scientific and industry studies have used the MS2 virus for many years, but never before in an airplane cabin. The University of Arizona provided the MS2 virus and analyzed test results.

“This study allowed us to test and validate, for the first time, that disinfecting solutions kill SARS-CoV-2 on an airplane,” said University of Arizona microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba. “It’s important to recognize we’re not only talking about SARS-CoV-2, but also other viruses and microorganisms.”

The study placed MS2 at strategic high-touch points throughout the cabin, including on seat tray tables, arm rests, seat cushions, stowage bins and inside the lavatory and galley. Technicians disinfected each area with various products and technologies. Chemical disinfectants were applied through two means: manual wiping and with an electrostatic sprayer, a device that applies a fine spray of an approved liquid disinfectant. The tests also measured how well Boeing’s ultraviolet wand and antimicrobial coatings worked. Antimicrobials are long-lasting coatings that destroy germs and viruses on surfaces.

The University of Arizona analyzed each area post-disinfection to determine effectiveness. The results showed various levels of effectiveness, but ultimately all the recommended products, methods and technologies successfully destroyed the MS2 virus.

Boeing and the University of Arizona continue to test recommended cleaning methods in a lab against SARS-CoV-2 and other similar viruses to further validate their efficacy.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

London, – Boeing today announced a regionalized leadership structure in Europe, to streamline its corporate presence and drive business growth. The new structure aligns Boeing corporate leaders across the Continent into a unified team and integrates the company’s strategy development and government affairs initiatives at a regional level.

“These changes sharpen Boeing’s strategic focus on Europe, make us more efficient in how we operate and emphasize localized decision making on a pan-European basis,” said Marc Allen, president of Boeing International. “Boeing has long benefited from Europe’s tradition of innovation and excellence, with ties dating back 80 years. Building on this legacy, Boeing Europe will press forward in developing new, local business and partnership platforms to increase our global competitiveness.”

Effectively immediately, the positions of the following executives are expanded accordingly:

Sir Michael Arthur, president of Boeing United Kingdom and Ireland, will have an expanded leadership role as president of Boeing Europe.Arthur will continue to head Boeing in the U.K. and Ireland from London, but in the regional leadership role will also lead the company’s European strategy and operations, strengthening regional alignment and improving operating efficiencies.

Brian Moran is named vice president of Boeing Europe for government affairs and will report to Arthur. Already focused on EU and NATO relations in Brussels, Moran will have expanded regional responsibilities. He will work closely with Boeing’s national offices across the Continent to build and manage an integrated government affairs strategy at the pan-European level.

Antonio de Palmas is named managing director of Southern Europe and will report to Arthur. He will continue to lead Boeing Italy, while also taking responsibility for enterprise growth and productivity initiatives in Spain, Portugal and Greece and for Boeing Defense Space & Security marketing and business developments efforts in those countries.

Additionally, effective June 1, Mark Nieuwendijk becomes director of strategy and market development for Boeing Europe. He will help to design and implement the company’s pan-European growth, productivity and partnerships strategy across Europe. Currently, he is the co-managing director of AerData, a Boeing subsidiary, which Nieuwendijk co-founded, that sells software platforms and data services to aviation lessors and airlines.

Under the regional structure, the leaders of Boeing France and Boeing Germany & Northern Europe will report through Arthur.

SHANGHAI, – Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today it has expanded its training capabilities at its Flight Services campus in Shanghai to support customers in the region. Included in the new offerings are a Next-Generation 737 full-flight simulator and a state-of-the-art 737 maintenance training classroom.

“We are pleased to help our customers be more efficient and provide programs to ensure pilots and technicians are trained to the highest standard,” said Stan Deal, senior vice president, Boeing Commercial Aviation Services.

The Boeing Shanghai Flight Services campus also includes one 747 full-flight simulator, one 757/767 full-flight simulator and one 787 full-flight simulator.

“With the growth of new low cost carriers in China, the need for additional training capabilities to support all our customers in the country is crucial,” said Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services.

According to the 2015 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook, 100,000 pilots and 106,000 technicians will be needed in China through 2034.

China leads the Asia-Pacific region for demand of new commercial airplane deliveries over the next 20 years. By 2034, 6,330 new airplanes worth $950 billion will be needed for China, according to Boeing’s 2015 Current Market Outlook.

Boeing Flight Services provides flight, maintenance and cabin safety training to more than 400 customers through its network of 16 campuses on six continents. Flight Services also offers a range of services to support training centers, including simulator data packages and hardware, software modeling, and training operations and schedule management, as well as pilot provisioning services such as ferry flight support and flight crew line assist.

CHICAGO, Boeing [NYSE: BA] today provided advance notice to nonunion employees participating in the company’s defined benefit pension plans that they will transition in 2016 to a company-funded defined contribution retirement savings plan.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, Boeing will make cash contributions each pay period to employees’ retirement savings through a new defined contribution component of the 401(k) plan. All benefits earned in the current traditional pension plan prior to the transition will be paid to employees in retirement, and the company will continue to match employee savings in an existing 401(k) plan.

The transition covers roughly 68,000 employees, including managers and executives, who participate in the main Boeing and subsidiary defined benefit pension plans. Retirees already receiving pension benefits are not affected by this change.

“Our objective in making this transition is twofold: continue providing an attractive, market-leading retirement benefit contributing to employees’ retirement security, while also assuring our competitiveness by curbing the unsustainable growth of our long-term pension liability,” said Tony Parasida, senior vice president of Human Resources and Administration.

Notice of the impending change is the latest in a series of steps the company has taken to address the challenges created by defined benefit pension plans. For example, all nonunion employees hired since 2009 and new hires of 28 unions have been moved to defined contribution plans, which help Boeing to better predict and manage financial risks, while still providing its employees a market-leading retirement benefit.
Similar changes were also included in contract extensions ratified this year by members of the company’s biggest union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751 in Seattle and IAM District 837 in St. Louis.

The new benefit will supplement employees’ defined benefit pensions earned through Dec. 31, 2015. All pension benefits earned through the end of 2015 are the employees’ to keep. The credit-based portion of employees’ defined benefit pension will grow with interest credits until employees begin receiving their pension benefit.
Features of the transition plan include:
A three-year transition benefit to employees’ 401(k) accounts equal to 9 percent of their eligible income in 2016, 8 percent of income in 2017 and 7 percent of income in 2018. (Eligible income includes base salary, incentive pay and shift differential, if applicable.)
Pay-period contributions to 401(k) accounts of 3 percent to 5 percent of eligible income, depending on age, beginning in 2019.
Access to free, personal retirement counseling services for up to two years.
Access to seminars and online retirement planning modeling tools to help employees reach their retirement goals.
Upon initiating retirement benefits, employees will receive the combined value of their company-funded defined pension benefit and new defined contribution benefit, along with existing 401(k) voluntary retirement savings, the company’s matching contributions to those savings, as well as Social Security benefits, when eligible.

The company expects the changes to have an immaterial impact on 2014 core (non-GAAP) earnings. GAAP earnings for 2014 will also include a non-cash pension curtailment charge of approximately $110 million that will be recorded in the first quarter. The $110 million charge is in addition to previously announced $140 million and $80 million non-cash charges also being recorded in the first quarter for changes to retirement plans under the contract agreements with the IAM 751 and IAM 837 unions.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.boeing.com

New Delhi, – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay will convene a summit on aerospace innovation in New Delhi on Oct. 16, 2015.

Bringing together thought leaders and stakeholders from government, industry, academia and research institutions, the summit will focus on India’s role in the second century of aerospace by exploring ideas that are redefining the future of aerospace and examining the transformative nature of new technologies in space and aviation.

The event is part of a special series of forums and celebrations Boeing is organizing around the world as it approaches its centennial in 2016. The Boeing story began in 1916 after Bill Boeing flew in a barnstormer’s floatplane over Lake Washington, later remarking, “I think we can build a better one.”

“As we look to our second century in business, it is clear that India has the talent, technology and entrepreneurial resources to play a pivotal role in the evolution of the aerospace industry,” said Boeing Chairman Jim McNerney, who will participate in the summit. “Boeing is working with local companies to help strengthen all aspects of the Indian aerospace industry, including manufacturing, sourcing, engineering, and research and development.”

Government, industry and academia, added McNerney, play a central role in spurring innovation while helping to shape economic and business environments around the world.

Pratyush Kumar, president, Boeing India, said that with India’s aerospace sector ready to take off, New Delhi provides the perfect place to exchange ideas such as India’s disruptive technological innovation; how to create an aerospace environment to realize the full potential of “Make in India;” how space exploration will continue to change life on Earth; and, finally, what it takes to create a highly skilled aerospace manufacturing workforce.

“We are thrilled to convene this summit in India to accelerate the development of the aerospace sector, which is critical for meeting objectives of the ‘Make in India’ program and harnessing India’s full potential for aerospace and defense,” said Kumar.

Additional details, including speakers, topics and logistics, will be announced next month.

About The Boeing Company
Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners, military aircraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communication systems. Boeing has a 100-year tradition of aerospace leadership and innovation, and continues to expand its product line and services to meet emerging customer needs. A committed partner – contributing to India’s commercial air connectivity and defense modernization – Boeing is accelerating its engagement with India and catalyzing the development of its aerospace ecosystem. Further collaboration in manufacturing, innovation and skill-development will ensure solid growth in India, as Boeing accomplishes its century in aerospace innovation. For more information, visit http://www.boeing.co.in/.

CHICAGO — The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) today named Jinnah Hosein as the company’s vice president of Software Engineering, effective immediately. In this newly created role, Hosein will report to Greg Hyslop, Boeing chief engineer and senior vice president of Engineering, Test & Technology, and will focus on further strengthening Boeing’s focus on software engineering across the enterprise.

“The continued advances in software makes excellence in software engineering an imperative for our business,” said Hyslop. “Jinnah will be charged with defining and leading Boeing’s strategy for software engineering, which includes providing capabilities, technologies, processes and secure and accurate systems to meet the needs of all our customers across the entire product life cycle.”

Hosein will lead a new, centralized organization of engineers who currently support the development and delivery of software embedded in Boeing’s products and services. The team will also integrate other functional teams to ensure engineering excellence throughout the product life cycle.

“Safety, quality and integrity underpin the mission of our software engineering team, and building on this solid foundation, Jinnah will be a transformational leader for Boeing,” said Dave Calhoun, Boeing president and CEO. “Jinnah’s broad experience and fresh perspective will elevate our performance and accelerate the important work we’ve already begun in this area.”

Hosein brings extensive experience as a software engineering leader across several innovative, high-tech companies. He joins Boeing after serving as vice president of Software Engineering for Aurora, a self-driving vehicle company, in Palo Alto, California. He led the company’s software organization for the development of those vehicles and developed Aurora’s high-integrity software life cycle to deploy autonomous architecture to on-road vehicles.

Previously, Hosein held leadership roles at SpaceX, where he led software development for Falcon, Falcon Heavy, Dragon, Crew Dragon and other flight vehicles, and at Tesla, where he helped develop autopilot software. In addition, he served as Google’s director of software engineering for cloud networking and was one of the original members of Google’s Site Reliability Engineering team.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As a top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

MANASSAS, Va., Boeing [NYSE: BA] yesterday successfully completed the first test flight of its autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype in Manassas, Virginia. Boeing NeXt, which leads the company’s urban air mobility efforts, utilized Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to design and develop the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and will continue testing to advance the safety and reliability of on-demand autonomous air transportation.

The PAV prototype completed a controlled takeoff, hover and landing during the flight, which tested the vehicle’s autonomous functions and ground control systems. Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight, as well as the transition phase between vertical and forward-flight modes. This transition phase is typically the most significant engineering challenge for any high-speed VTOL aircraft.

“In one year, we have progressed from a conceptual design to a flying prototype,” said Boeing Chief Technology Officer Greg Hyslop. “Boeing’s expertise and innovation have been critical in developing aviation as the world’s safest and most efficient form of transportation, and we will continue to lead with a safe, innovative and responsible approach to new mobility solutions.”

Powered by an electric propulsion system, the PAV prototype is designed for fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing, with a range of up to 50 miles (80.47 kilometers). Measuring 30 feet (9.14 meters) long and 28 feet (8.53 meters) wide, its advanced airframe integrates the propulsion and wing systems to achieve efficient hover and forward flight.

“This is what revolution looks like, and it’s because of autonomy,” said John Langford, president and chief executive officer of Aurora Flight Sciences. “Certifiable autonomy is going to make quiet, clean and safe urban air mobility possible.”

The test flight represents the latest milestone for Boeing NeXt. The division works with regulatory agencies and industry partners to lead the responsible introduction of a new mobility ecosystem and ensure a future where autonomous and piloted air vehicles safely coexist. In addition to the PAV, the Boeing NeXt portfolio includes an unmanned fully electric cargo air vehicle (CAV) designed to transport up to 500 pounds (226.80 kilograms) and other urban, regional and global mobility platforms. The CAV completed its first indoor flight last year and will transition to outdoor flight testing in 2019.

“Boeing was there when the aviation industry was born and in our second century, we will unlock the potential of the urban air mobility market,” said Steve Nordlund, vice president and general manager of Boeing NeXt. “From building air vehicles to airspace integration, we will usher in a future of safe, low-stress mobility in cities and regions around the world.”

To learn more and watch the flight, please visit boeing.com.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based logistics and training.

BERLIN, Nov. 17, 2017 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Aircraft Philipp Group GmbH today signed a five-year contract to manufacture machine parts for the global fleet of the H-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter at its facilities in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. This is the first Boeing contract with Aircraft Philipp Group, which joins Boeing’s significant supplier base of more than 35 companies in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg and almost 100 companies in Germany.

“Aircraft Philipp is a competitive, quality supplier partner, and we welcome them to our global supply chain,” said Michael Hostetter, Boeing Defense, Space & Security director of Vertical Lift Programs in Germany. “Our cooperation with Aircraft Philipp is indicative of the specialized capabilities of German industry, which enables long-term, sustainable partnerships with Boeing.”

As a way of further expanding its supplier base in Germany, Boeing hosted a unique training workshop in May 2017 to familiarize German industry with Boeing’s source selection and bid process. The event was attended by 23 companies, including Aircraft Philipp.

“I am very proud to sign the first contract with Boeing, to start another milestone in our company history and to continue according to our slogan: ‘Every flight a part of us’ – now also for the outstanding workhorse Chinook H-47!” said Rolf Philipp, CEO of Aircraft Philipp Group.

“Boeing has consistently grown its supplier network and engagement in Germany over the past years,” said Dr. Michael Haidinger, managing director of Boeing Germany and Central & Eastern Europe. “Today, all of our commercial, and many of our defense and space programs fly with technology or parts “made in Germany.” And with the recent opening of the expanded Boeing Research Office in Munich, we are investing in the development of innovative and efficient materials and production technologies together with partners in Bavaria and across Germany.”

Boeing is seeking to develop additional partnerships with German industry for the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) competition and is committed to bringing opportunities from across the Boeing enterprise, not only work on the Chinook. The requirements for Chinook helicopters in Germany may result in additional activities being done in Germany and additional work to be done by our existing, qualified supply base.

To date, Boeing has delivered more than 900 H-47 Chinook helicopters that are in operation in 20 countries, including eight NATO nations — Canada, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the U.S. — allowing for increased interoperability between NATO nations during joint training and deployment operations worldwide.

About Boeing in Germany:
Boeing has been an active partner in the German aerospace industry for decades. With 600 employees in Germany, Boeing supports an additional 12,000 jobs through its suppliers and partners. In 2016, Boeing and its supply chain partners spent almost US$1.3 billion with nearly 100 suppliers located across Germany. Boeing invests in a growing portfolio of research and technology projects with German industry, universities and research organizations, and engages in industrial partnerships with companies of all sizes across Germany that benefit the local economy. (www.boeing.de Twitter: @BoeingDACH)

About Aircraft Philipp Group:
Aircraft Philipp Group GmbH is an owner-managed, medium-sized group company with over 50 years of experience in precision machining, manufacturing ready-to-install metal components and assemblies for the aviation and aerospace industry.

As a German based company with strategic partnerships in Israel and India Aircraft Philipp Group is a globally positioned supplier specialized in the precision machining and sheet metal forming of aluminum, titanium and other alloys used in aeronautics. Aircraft Philipp supplies components for almost all the projects being carried out in the international aviation and aerospace industry. (https://www.aircraft-philipp.com/de/gruppe/)

CHICAGO, The Boeing (NYSE: BA) board of directors today declared the company’s quarterly dividend will increase 20 percent to $1.71 per share. The board also replaced the existing share repurchase program with a new $18 billion authorization.

“Boeing’s strong and growing cash flow allows us to deepen our commitment to provide competitive returns to our shareholders, while continuing to invest in our people, innovation and growth,” said Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg. “To support our balanced cash deployment strategy, our team remains focused on improving operating performance as we deliver on our substantial order backlog and work to capture a larger share of the growing aerospace market.”

With the latest increase to the dividend, Boeing has raised its quarterly dividend more than 250 percent over the past five years. The company has consistently paid dividends to shareholders each quarter for more than 75 years. The new dividend will be payable March 2, 2018, to shareholders of record as of February 9, 2018.

The company this year has repurchased $9.2 billion worth of its shares from the $14 billion authorization approved in December 2016. The new repurchase program replaces the existing one, bringing the total authorization to $18 billion.

“Our cash deployment plans are the product of our disciplined cash management efforts and reflect ongoing confidence in our financial strength and the long-term outlook of our business,” said Greg Smith, Boeing chief financial officer and executive vice president of Enterprise Performance & Strategy.

The timing and volume of repurchases are at the discretion of Boeing management, however it is expected that repurchases under the new share authorization will be made over the next 24 to 30 months.

TEL AVIV, Israel – Boeing strengthened the Israeli aerospace industry by nearly $1 billion (3.5 billion Israeli shekels) in the last three years, according to the latest data from the Industrial Cooperation Authority (ICA) within Israel’s Ministry of Economy and Industry.

Boeing’s multiple cooperation projects with Israeli companies helped drive this growth.  The company committed to a long-term strategy for developing Israel’s aerospace industry in 2018, as part of an umbrella agreement with the Ministry of Economy and Industry. Since then, Boeing has directed at least 35 percent of the contract value from Israeli government defense procurements to Israel-based companies and suppliers. The agreement is also a testament to the ICA’s commitment to bridge the gap between small and medium-sized (SME) businesses and multinational corporations.

“This agreement is definitely an opportunity, a vote of confidence, especially these days and a declaration of intent by a leading international business corporation in the capabilities of the local Israeli industry and its products,” said Ziva Eger, ICA chief executive. “By nurturing strategic partnerships such as these, we will continue to promote the Israeli economy forward.”

Boeing has worked in coordination with the Production and Procurement Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, as well with the Manufacturers’ Association of Israel, to train and develop SMEs on the path to becoming Boeing suppliers. Boeing has assessed and provided training to over 60 Israeli SMEs. Recent examples include:

• Israel Aerospace Industries major structures work for the F-15 program; avionics and spare parts for the V-22 Osprey, the T-38 Talon and T-45 Goshawk;
• Elbit Systems providing sensors, processors and displays on many Boeing platforms, including the helmet mounted display, DIRCM systems and the electronic warfare suite for the H-47 Chinook;
• Key contracts and expertise sharing with small and medium Israeli suppliers, including RADA Electronics Industries Ltd., Sapphire, Ashot Ashkelon Industries, TAT Technologies Group and BAZ Airborne;
• Innovative development projects with small companies such as ALGOLiON and Assembrix.

“Boeing’s partnership with Israel extends more than seven decades and the country has a robust and capable industry that can provide global support to both defense and commercial businesses,” said Maria Laine, Boeing vice president, International Strategic Partnerships. “Boeing and the Israeli government’s considerable investment in the aerospace industry will continue to serve as a growth accelerator in the country and as a bedrock for customers and suppliers to develop lasting partnerships.

BRISBANE, Australia — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has successfully completed the first suite of synchronised unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight tests using new on-board autonomous command and control technology developed by Boeing in Australia.

Conducted at a regional Queensland airfield, the test flights saw five UAV test beds equipped with Boeing’s new on-board system safely complete in-air programmed missions as a team without input from a human pilot.

The milestone comes six months after establishing the company’s largest international autonomous systems development program in Queensland.

“What we’ve created here in Australia has the potential to transform the use of unmanned vehicles for civil, commercial and defence applications – whether that be in the air, on the ground or out at sea,” said Shane Arnott, director of Boeing Phantom Works International.

“This capability will be a huge driver of efficiency and productivity. By safely teaming unmanned systems with human operated systems, we keep people away from dull, dirty and dangerous tasks so they can focus on activities that machines can’t or shouldn’t do.”

Boeing’s partnership with small and medium-sized enterprises helped drive rapid design, development and testing of this autonomous technology. In just two months, Boeing engaged small-to-medium enterprises and vetted and issued AU$2.3 million in contracts with 14 Queensland businesses.

Over the coming months, the Boeing Australia team will incorporate and test more advanced behaviours on high-performance air vehicles before exploring other domains such as unmanned ocean vehicles.

This activity is delivered in partnership with the Queensland Government as part of Boeing’s Advance Queensland Autonomous Systems Platform Technology Project.

For 100 years, Boeing has led manned and unmanned technology innovation and integration from sea to air to space. Visit www.boeing.com for more information. Follow Boeing Australia on Twitter: @BoeingAustralia.

SEATTLE, July 31, 2017 — Boeing [NYSE:BA] and flydubai today celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first 737 MAX 8, making the Middle East carrier the first in the region to operate Boeing’s newest single-aisle airplane.

Today’s delivery is the first of 76 737 MAX airplanes the airline will be adding to their all-Boeing fleet of Next-Generation 737s.

“We are delighted to receive our first Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from our order made at the Dubai Airshow in 2013,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai. “This marked the largest single-aisle Boeing aircraft order placed in the Middle East. With this new chapter, we are looking forward to continuing our work with Boeing as we benefit from increased efficiency and are able to offer an enhanced customer experience.”

flydubai currently operates a fleet of 58 Next-Generation 737-800s and has built a network of more than 95 destinations in 44 countries, from Russia in the north, Czech Republic in the west, Thailand in the east and Tanzania in the south.

“flydubai’s growth in just nine years has been remarkable and Boeing is honored to have been part of this journey,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister. “This delivery marks another significant milestone in our partnership. We are confident that the market-leading efficiency and reliability of the 737 MAX will play a key role in flydubai’s continued success and complement its current Boeing fleet.”

The 737 MAX family has been designed to offer customers exceptional performance, flexibility and efficiency, with lower per-seat costs and an extended range that will open up new destinations in the single-aisle market.

“As the first MAX customer in the region, we look forward to the further fuel and operating efficiencies that this aircraft will bring to our young modern fleet,” said Ken Gile, Chief Operating Officer, flydubai. “Our flight crew share our excitement in operating one of the most highly anticipated commercial aircraft to enter service on our network.”

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, Boeing Sky Interior, large flight deck displays, and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating more than 3,800 orders to date from 89 customers worldwide.

ARLINGTON, Va., – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Air Force recently demonstrated that multiple aircraft and ground stations can efficiently and securely communicate using the Boeing-developed Talon HATE airborne networking system.

During flight testing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Talon HATE pods on two F-15C aircraft enabled test pilots to share information through the military’s Link 16, Common Data Link and Wideband Global SATCOM satellites.

The tests also validated intra-flight datalink network capabilities used by F-22 aircraft.

Pilots using the system can transmit information quickly between the F-15C and other Air Force aircraft and weapon systems, enabling efficient information sharing in real time.

“We’ve completed developmental flight test,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Bradley, Air Force Talon HATE manager. “We look forward to fielding this system, not only to immediately provide aircrews with actionable information faster and at a higher quality, but also to help the Air Force learn important lessons for the employment of tactical gateway systems in the future.”

“This aerial network is a giant leap forward in tactical fighter capability with real-time connectivity and expanded information sharing,” said Paul Geery, vice president, Phantom Works Mission Solutions and Boeing’s Talon HATE program manager. “We are now demonstrating secure datalink connections between F-15Cs and F-22s in a way that integrates information for the pilot into a common operating picture.”

Boeing will conduct additional tests later this year with advanced sensors, which will offer improved aircraft targeting capabilities.

WASHINGTON, Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced details for $54 million in grants and philanthropic sponsorships to nonprofits in the U.S. and around the globe. As part of the company’s pledge to invest in local communities following the enactment of the tax reform legislation, the investments include new or accelerated partnerships with organizations that improve STEM education, enhance transition and health services for veterans and their families, and enrich local communities.

“This investment is yet another example of how Boeing is putting tax reform to work,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Already, we have expanded our ‘Dollars for Doers’ matching program to reward employees who give their time and resources in support of causes important to them. With these additional charitable and philanthropic contributions, we are on track to surpass $200 million in total community giving in 2018. That’s a significant sum and shows how our company is driving innovation, supporting our people and improving Boeing communities around the world.”

The investment package will help launch Boeing’s new “First to Mars” initiative – a comprehensive experiential learning framework that encourages interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and inspires the next generation to see the future in space as their future with Boeing. Charitable dollars will also support the national scaling of innovative veterans’ health and wellness programs administered by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and the National Center for Veterans Services (NCVS). Funds have also been allocated for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and TreePeople to assist with tree reforestation efforts on the U.S. West Coast following the devastating 2017 wildfire season.

The accelerated grant and sponsorship payments enabled by this investment will provide the company and recipient organizations with greater flexibility in funding future philanthropic activities.

“Given that Boeing is already an exceptional supporter of the Kennedy Center, these most recent gifts are a welcome and exceedingly generous surprise,” said Deborah F. Rutter, President of the Kennedy Center. “With these gifts, Boeing has signaled its deep belief in the bright future that lies ahead as the Kennedy Center moves towards the opening of The REACH in 2019, and our 50th anniversary in 2021. Through inspired leadership giving, Boeing is a vital and valued supporter in helping the Center to realize its mission as the nation’s cultural center.”

As part of the broader tax reform package, Boeing officials said the company would introduce additional charitable investment and employee benefits programs throughout 2018.

A full list of recipient organizations can be found below.

Today’s announcement also coincides with the launch of the 2018 Boeing Global Engagement Portfolio – the annual document that takes an in-depth look at the company’s philanthropic and charitable impact throughout the year. Within its pages are highlights of Boeing’s numerous activities that inspire tomorrow’s innovators, support veterans and military families, and build dynamic, thriving communities.

“From Seattle to Singapore, Dallas to Delhi and places in between, Boeing and our more than 140,000 employees are building the future and inspiring the dreamers and doers of tomorrow,” said John Blazey, vice president, Boeing Global Engagement. “With the depth and breadth of our employees’ skills and passion for giving, our professional networks and partnerships, and our financial resources, Boeing drives positive and meaningful change in myriad communities around the globe.”

The Global Engagement Portfolio highlights include:
In 2017, Boeing employees volunteered 400,000 hours in their communities – the equivalent of more than 16,600 days.
More than 400 Boeing employees and retirees mentored more than 10,000 students during the 2018 FIRST Robotics season.
Boeing employs more than 20,000 veterans representing ~ 15% of our total workforce.
Since 1992, Boeing commercial airplanes have delivered a total of 1.6M pounds of food and supplies worth more than $17M via our Humanitarian Delivery Flight program.
See how Boeing is making a difference for Our Future, Our Heroes and Our Homes by visiting the 2018 Boeing Global Engagement Portfolio at Boeing.com/community.

Boeing Grant Recipients:

A Better Chance, Inc.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Academy for Urban School Leadership

Chicago Cubs Baseball Club LLC – Veterans Home & Away

American Bar Association Young Lawyers

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

District of Columbia College Access Program

The National Ability Center

Engineers Without Borders

The National World War II Museum

Hostage US Inc.

The Nature Conservancy

Marine Corps Heritage Foundation

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago

TreePeople

National Academy Foundation

Tsinghua Education Foundation-Schwarzman Scholars

National Center for Veterans Studies – The University of Utah

Washington University in St. Louis

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts

The George W. Bush Institute

The HistoryMakers

About The Boeing Company:
Through purposeful investments, employee engagement and thoughtful advocacy efforts, Boeing and its employees support innovative partnerships and programs that align with the company’s strategic objectives, create value and help build better communities worldwide. Boeing’s efforts are focused on improving access to globally competitive learning, contributing to workforce and skills development, and supporting our military and veteran communities.

Chicago-based Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in more than 150 countries.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Boeing [NYSE: BA] is committing $250,000 to assist with recovery and relief efforts in the aftermath of wildfires in the Texas panhandle and western Oklahoma.

Funding from the Boeing Charitable Trust will support the following organizations:

$100,000 to the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Disaster Relief Fund for assistance funds for impacted ranchers in Texas and Oklahoma.
$75,000 to American Red Cross for aid when disasters strike, ensuring those impacted have the ability to seek safe refuge, feed their family members and have access to compassionate care.
$75,000 to Amarillo Area Foundation’s Panhandle Relief Fund to support ongoing recovery efforts in impacted communities.

“Boeing’s contributions are a reflection of our commitment to the places we call home,” said Ziad Ojakli, executive vice president of Government Operations at Boeing. “We’re glad we can provide support as communities come together for recovery and healing in the aftermath of the wildfires.”

“The Amarillo Area Foundation’s Panhandle Disaster Relief Fund is being used to address the immediate needs of those impacted by the devastating wildfires in our region. We are currently focused on food, water, shelter, and clothing,” said Clay Stribling, President/CEO. “We will also be working closely with regional providers to address long term needs like grief and trauma counseling, livestock and agriculture losses, first responder organizations and their readiness, and other needs that arise as we more closely identify the damage done to our communities.”

“The loss from wildfire damage is insurmountable for many cattle raisers without the support and generosity from those like Boeing,” said Arthur Uhl, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President. “We are grateful for Boeing’s recognition of the important rural communities in the Southwest and the ranches and people that steward our open space and livestock. We look forward to placing their donation to the TSCRA Disaster Relief Fund in the hands of cattle raisers impacted by the wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma.”

In addition to corporate charitable investments, Boeing employees give to their local communities by participating in volunteer and charitable gift match programs. Consistent with Boeing employee gift match programs, the company will match qualifying employee contributions made in support of wildfire relief efforts.

Disaster recovery and relief efforts in Texas and Oklahoma align with Boeing’s ongoing commitment to the communities where the company has a presence. Boeing employs approximately 11,000 people and has provided a combined $20.6 million in charitable contributions over the last five years in these two states. In 2023, Boeing donated $5 million to humanitarian relief and recovery efforts globally.

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As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers.

ARLINGTON, Va., – Boeing’s [NYSE: BA] Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program successfully completed its first key review with the U.S. Air Force, validating program technical requirements prior to the design and development phase of America’s next intercontinental ballistic missile system.

The November review established the baseline for the GBSD, which will replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and continue the nuclear deterrence mission for generations to come.

Boeing completed the System Requirements Review about two months after being awarded $349 million to mature the GBSD system design under a Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction contract.

“The Air Force set clear system design requirements early in the acquisition process,” said Frank McCall, Boeing director of Strategic Deterrence Systems and GBSD program manager. “Thanks to this straightforward guidance, the Boeing team was able to focus on options that would meet those requirements and provide the capability needed to deter an evolving threat.”

“We concentrated on modularity and affordability to enable efficient government ownership of the system through 2075 and beyond,” McCall added.

Boeing’s design addresses the replacement of the entire ICBM system, including new flight systems, weapon system command and control (WSC2), and launch systems within existing Minuteman silos.

Now that the requirements baseline has been set, Boeing will move through a series of cost-capability studies, weighing affordability against configuration options to come up with a GBSD solution that is capable, flexible and affordable.

Boeing will present its Preliminary Design Review to the Air Force in 2020.

For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, Brazil, Oct. 10, 2023 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] announced today the opening of its Engineering and Technology Center in Brazil, one of 15 Boeing engineering sites around the world that develop advanced technology to drive aerospace innovation. Based in São José dos Campos (SP) where the company began operations in 2014, the engineering center is an expansion of Boeing’s strategic investments in Brazil, where it employs about 500 engineers supporting current and future programs.

“Boeing’s longstanding partnership with Brazil dates back more than 90 years, and during that time, we have collaborated with the Brazilian aerospace industry and community to tap into the incredible technical abilities and problem-solving skills of Brazilian engineers,” said Lynne Hopper, vice president of Boeing Engineering, Strategy and Operations. “Their expertise strengthens our commitment to engineering excellence and positions us to tackle the next generation of challenges in our industry.”

At an event with employees and key stakeholders, Boeing shared several new strategic investments in the country. Among them, Boeing signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the state of São Paulo focused on aerospace technological development including:

Support for education focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
Promoting a joint agenda of industrialization and innovation
Enhancing and strengthening the talent pipeline throughout Brazil’s aerospace ecosystem, with an emphasis on increasing diversity
“São Paulo has all the conditions to strengthen aerospace technological development, an important sector that drives the economy of the state. With this MOU, we aim to generate more jobs and income for our state, which is one of the main purposes of the partnership with the private sector, a directive of Governor Tarcísio de Freitas,” says Jorge Lima, Secretary of Economic Development of the State of São Paulo.

With the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), Boeing announced funding to extend their sustainability partnership to develop the third phase of the SAFMaps database to understand the feasibility of the most promising inputs for SAF production in specific areas in Brazil.

“Supported by Boeing, the development of SAFMaps as an innovative web platform lead by Unicamp is focused on helping accelerate sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) production in Brazil. The project, led by the university, currently includes 13 Brazilian states with the greatest potential for biomass production. It also integrates essential information about potential raw materials, aligning with international regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse-gas emissions with the goal of achieving even more sustainable aviation,” said Arnaldo Walter, the Mechanical Engineering professor who leads the project at Unicamp.

Boeing also announced the company’s first internship program in Brazil for students in their final year of engineering studies. Interns will apply knowledge through projects in a global and multicultural environment with mentoring from experienced professionals. The initiative is aligned with the company’s global strategy to contribute to engineering excellence in countries where it operates.

“We want to offer the best internship program in Brazil for students who want to build a solid and prominent career in the aerospace industry. Brazil has a rich aviation history, with universities that are reference points in the engineering sector,” said Humberto Pereira, director of the Boeing Engineering and Technology Center.

For years Boeing has actively collaborated to strengthen Brazil’s aerospace ecosystem in various areas including:

Secured more than 30 invention disclosures and patent applications since its establishment in the country in 2012
Investing more than $5 million dollars in partnerships with institutions focused on STEM education, impacting five million students and training thousands of teachers
In the area of sustainability, working for more than a decade in collaboration with universities, public institutions and non-governmental organizations to enable decarbonization of the aerospace sector
Focusing especially on SAF and recognizing the pioneering role and expertise of the country in biofuels
Investing $2 million dollars in initiatives that maximize social, economic, and environmental benefits for communities involved in development of raw materials for SAF
Working alongside National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) and Department of Airspace Control (DECEA) on operational safety projects
“Our investments in Brazil are extensive and reflect the fact that Boeing considers the country a strategic partner in solving some of the biggest challenges in the global aerospace industry,” said Landon Loomis, Boeing president for Latin America and the Caribbean and vice president of Global Policy. “By expanding our collaboration in Brazil, the country also can play a larger role in meeting global demand for commercial airplanes valued at $8 trillion over the next 20 years.”

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As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at https://jobs.boeing.com/boeing-in-brazil.

SINGAPORE, Boeing (NYSE: BA) says strong economic and passenger growth will be main drivers of new airplane demand in the Asia Pacific region. Boeing estimates the region’s airlines will need an additional 12,820 airplanes valued at $1.9 trillion, representing 36 percent of the world’s new airplane deliveries over the next 20 years. “Asia Pacific economies and passenger traffic continue to exhibit strong growth,” said Randy Tinseth, vice president, Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes during a media briefing before the opening of the Singapore Airshow. “Over the next 20 years, nearly half of the world’s air traffic growth will be driven by travel to, from or within the region. The Asia Pacific fleet will nearly triple, from 5,090 airplanes in 2012 to 14,750 airplanes in 2032, to support the increased demand.”

Boeing’s data projects that passenger airlines in the region will rely primarily on single-aisle airplanes such as the Next-Generation 737 and the 737 MAX, a new-engine variant of the market-leading 737, to connect passengers. Single-aisle airplanes will represent 69 percent of the new airplanes in the region. “New low-cost carriers and demand for intra-Asia travel have fueled the substantial increase in single-aisle airplanes,” said Tinseth. “Fuel-efficient airplanes like the Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX help the growing number of low-cost carriers operate more efficiently and provide affordable fares to the emerging middle class.”

For long-haul traffic, Boeing forecasts twin-aisle airplanes such as the 747-8 Intercontinental, 777 and the 787 Dreamliner will account for 28 percent of new airplane deliveries. Boeing’s recently launched 787-10 and 777X also will support the demand for fuel-efficient twin-aisle airplanes in the region. Singapore Airlines already ordered 30 787-10s helping launch the program at the 2013 Paris Air Show and Cathay Pacific recently ordered 21 777-9X airplanes.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.boeing.com

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 13, 2017 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] forecasts that airlines in the Middle East will need 3,350 new airplanes over the next 20 years, valued at an estimated $730 billion. Boeing presented its 2017 Current Market Outlook (CMO) for the region during the Dubai Airshow.

“Traffic growth in the Middle East is expected to grow at 5.6 percent annually during the next 20 years,” said Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The fact that 85 percent of the world’s population lives within an eight-hour flight of the Arabian Gulf, coupled with robust business models and investment in infrastructure, allows carriers in the Middle East to channel traffic through their hubs and offer one-stop service between many cities.”

Twin-aisle airplanes are expected to make up nearly 50 percent of the new airplanes in the Middle East, and more than 70 percent of the value at $520 billion. Both percentages are significantly higher than the global average. The strong long-term demand for widebody airplanes was reinforced at the show as Emirates Airline announced a commitment to purchase 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners in a deal valued at $15.1 billion at current list prices.

More than half of the total deliveries in the Middle East will be single-aisle airplanes such as the 737 MAX. Operators in the region will need 1,770 single-aisle airplanes valued at $190 billion, driven by the growth of low-cost carriers.

Boeing’s presence and support for the Middle East also includes Global Services, the company’s third and newest business unit that is expanding its service capability offerings to better support the region’s airlines and aircraft.

Global Services is focused on bringing innovative solutions to market quickly within four capability focus areas: supply chain, engineering, modifications and maintenance, digital aviation and analytics, and training and professional services. Boeing’s services expertise, global reach, and strong customer in-country partnerships, position the company to compete and win.

“From training the next generation of pilots to creating tailored solutions and everything in between, the combined commercial and defense services market is estimated at $2.6 trillion over the next 10 years and includes strong opportunities in the Middle East,” said Tinseth.

Around the world, Boeing has forecasted long-term demand for 41,030 new airplanes, valued at $6.1 trillion. These new airplanes will replace older, less efficient airplanes, benefiting airlines and passengers and stimulating growth in emerging markets and innovation in airline business models.

For more information on Boeing’s Current Market Outlook please visit:
http://www.boeing.com/cmo

CHICAGO, April 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] projects global and diversified funding will continue to flow into the aircraft financing sector as the aviation sector navigates the global pandemic and vaccine deployment continues to accelerate.

Boeing’s analysis of the current aircraft financing environment. (Boeing image)
“Financiers and investors understand the industry’s resilience and the long-term fundamentals that make aircraft a valuable asset class,” said Tim Myers, president of Boeing Capital Corporation. “Despite the unprecedented impacts of COVID-19 on the global aerospace industry, there generally continues to be liquidity in the market for our customers, and we expect it to further improve as travel begins to rebound.”

The 2021 Current Aircraft Finance Market Outlook (CAFMO), the first published since 2019, reflects Boeing’s near-term view of market dynamics and assesses financing sources for new commercial airplane deliveries. Due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, the 2021 CAFMO excludes its customary one- and five-year industry financing projections.

“Industry fundamentals continue to show varying degrees of strength in different markets depending on the regional trends of the global pandemic,” Myers said. “We expect that capital will continue to be routed into the sector by established players and as new entrants seek opportunities during the industry’s recovery.”

The 2021 CAFMO reports the aircraft financing environment ended 2020 with enough liquidity to finance deliveries, but with stresses particularly in the bank debt and tax equity markets. The 2021 CAFMO, an introductory video and regional financing data is available at www.boeing.com/CAFMO. Select highlights include the following:

– At the industry level, commercial aircraft delivery funding volume totaled $59 billion, a 40% decrease from 2019 levels.

– The top sources of Boeing delivery financing were cash, bank debt and capital markets, and 100% of Boeing deliveries were financed by third parties.

– Aircraft lessors executed a significant volume of sale-leaseback transactions, and the industry-wide leased fleet climbed to 46%.

– Capital markets for aviation volumes were 70% higher than 2019.

– Commercial banks shored up the aviation industry’s need for liquidity early in the pandemic, but long-term bank debt became one of the less utilized forms of financing.

– Institutional investors and funds continued to seek aviation exposure, stepping up as some financiers paused and sector credit spreads widened.

– Export credit agencies remain a small but important funding source during the pandemic.

– Credit-enhanced financing saw further progress as a complementary funding source, totaling to 4% of the financing mix for Boeing deliveries.

The Boeing 2020 Commercial Market Outlook, a separate annual 20-year forecast addressing the market for commercial airplanes and services, projects passenger traffic growth at an average rate of 4% per year. The global commercial fleet is expected to reach 48,400 by 2039, up from 25,900 airplanes today.

SEOUL, South Korea, — Boeing (NYSE: BA) projects air cargo traffic will grow at an annual rate of 4.7 percent over the next 20 years, with global air freight traffic expected to more than double by 2033. The company released its biennial World Air Cargo Forecast at the International Air Cargo Forum and Exhibition earlier today.

“We see strong signs of a recovery as air freight traffic levels continue to strengthen after several years of stagnation,” said Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The air cargo market is now growing at nearly the long-term rates.”

World air cargo traffic began to grow again in second quarter of 2013 with growth reaching 4.4 percent for the first seven months of 2014, compared to the same period a year earlier. If this trend continues, 2014 will be the highest growth year for the air freight industry since 2010.

Much of the weak air cargo growth in the previous years can be attributed to two principal causes – an underperforming world economy and lackluster trade growth, particularly in those traditional commodities served by the air cargo industry.

The new Boeing forecast shows Asia-North America and Europe-Asia will continue to be the dominant world air cargo markets with the most traffic volume. Intra-Asia, domestic China and Asia-North America markets are expected to have the fastest rates of growth over the next 20 years.

With increased air cargo traffic, the world freighter fleet is also expected to grow with deliveries of 840 new factory-built airplanes and 1,330 passenger to freighter conversion airplanes. More than 52 percent of those deliveries are expected to replace retiring airplanes and the remainder used for growth.

More than 70 percent of the new factory-built airplanes scheduled to deliver between 2014 and 2033 are forecast to be large freighters, such as the 747-8 and 777.

“Boeing is committed to the cargo industry like no other company,” said Tinseth. “Our complete lineup of efficient, highly capable freighters are well positioned to continue to carry more than half of the world’s air cargo traffic as the market continues to strengthen.”

The World Air Cargo Forecast 2014/2015 is available at http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/cargo and the full text is downloadable in PDF format. Boeing has published the biennial World Air Cargo Forecast as an individual report since 1986.

CHICAGO, March 15, 2018 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced its investment in Fortem Technologies, Inc., a Salt Lake City, Utah-based company developing advanced radar systems for unmanned and manned aircraft.

Fortem Technologies offers airspace awareness solutions using low size, weight and power radar to ensure safe operations of unmanned aerial vehicles. Fortem’s TrueView radar technology helps UAVs detect and avoid other aircraft and airborne objects beyond visual line of sight — a key capability for future autonomous air vehicles.

“Radar technology is a necessary and trusted element as we continue to strengthen autonomy capabilities for a variety of commercial and urban mobility applications,” said Steve Nordlund, vice president of Boeing HorizonX. “Safety is paramount in our approach to the responsible introduction of future air vehicles. Fortem’s radar systems will help as we pave the path to emerging markets of autonomous flight.”

Founded in May 2016, Fortem has developed a suite of radar systems and radar-enabled product solutions to help unmanned aircraft and pilots safely operate in an increasingly crowded airspace. Its TrueView radar systems enable autonomous aircraft to perform various logistics applications, including cargo transport, package delivery and large infrastructure inspections.

“With support from Boeing and others, Fortem can scale more quickly to support continuous improvements in airspace safety,” said Timothy Bean, CEO of Fortem Technologies. “We look forward to continue working with Boeing as they develop autonomous air vehicles.”

Boeing HorizonX Ventures participated in this Series A funding round, which included follow-on investments by Data Collective (DCVC) and Signia Venture Partners. This is Boeing HorizonX Ventures’ second investment in autonomous systems technology since the fund was established in April 2017.

The Boeing HorizonX Ventures investment portfolio is made up of companies specializing in technologies for aerospace product and manufacturing innovations, including energy storage, advanced materials, augmented reality systems and software, machine learning and hybrid-electric propulsion. Boeing HorizonX also seeks unique business opportunities and non-traditional partnerships for the company’s aerospace technology using disruptive innovations and business strategies.

Chicago-based Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in 150 countries.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Boeing [NYSE:BA], Etihad Airways, Takreer, Total and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology today announced they will collaborate on a new initiative to support a sustainable aviation biofuel industry in the United Arab Emirates.

BIOjet Abu Dhabi: Flight Path to Sustainability will engage a broad range of stakeholders to develop a comprehensive framework for a U.A.E. biofuel supply chain. This initiative will focus on research and development and investments in feedstock production and refining capability in the U.A.E. and globally.

Etihad Airways showed the promise of this homegrown effort yesterday with a 45-minute demonstration flight in a Boeing 777 powered in part by U.A.E.-produced sustainable aviation biofuel. The biofuel was partially converted from plants by Total and refined into jet fuel by Takreer, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC). U.A.E. is now among a handful of countries that have produced and flown on their own aviation biofuel, which emits at least 50 percent less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel over its lifecycle.

“In collaboration with our key partners, our goal is to support and help drive the commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel in Abu Dhabi, the region and also globally,” said Etihad Airways President and CEO James Hogan. “We have made some important first steps in this process and our continued focus will be to develop further initiatives such as this which will facilitate the availability of sustainable aviation biofuels for Etihad Airways in the coming years.”

Boeing and Etihad Airways are also among the founding partners of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium, hosted by the Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi. The consortium has been researching and developing salt-tolerant plants that would be raw material for the same refining processes used to produce renewable fuel for the Etihad Airways flight.

The flight and BIOjet Abu Dhabi announcement lead into Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the World Future Energy Summit. These activities and Masdar Institute’s aviation biofuel research are aligned with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which seeks to develop sustainable energy sources to diversify the U.A.E. economy and increase workforce opportunities for Emiratis.

“With further commitment and investment, the U.A.E., a global leader in commercial aviation, is well-positioned to lead efforts to make our industry more sustainable,” said Jeffrey Johnson, president, Boeing Middle East. “Boeing works with partners around the world to advance sustainable biofuel development and sees great opportunity for BIOjet Abu Dhabi to have a positive impact in the U.A.E. and globally.”

“Takreer is proud to have been involved in refining this aviation biofuel at its Abu Dhabi research center,” said Takreer CEO Jasem Ali Al Sayegh. “We support the concept of using biofuel as a sustainable aviation fuel for a cleaner future in line with ADNOC’s sustainability policy. We see this strategy as complementary to our future plans in meeting the rapid growth in demand for jet fuel in the country and the region in view of the expansion of the operations of airlines here.”

Etihad Airways is an airline industry leader in supporting the development of lower-carbon renewable fuels. A member of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG), the airline operated the Gulf region’s first biofuel flight in January 2011 with a Boeing 777 delivery from Seattle to Abu Dhabi powered by a blend of petroleum-based and certified plant oil-based jet fuel.

Boeing collaborates with airlines, research institutions, governments and other stakeholders to develop sustainable biofuel supply chains around the world, including the United States, Middle East, China, Brazil, Europe and Australia.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.boeing.com

SAN ANTONIO — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has launched a new interactive experience highlighting the excitement and wonder of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. The Boeing Aerospace Adventure at the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT) offers students of all ages a place where they can learn more about STEM and careers in aerospace.

The 2,400-square-foot exhibit invites participants to design, build, modernize and take flight with hands-on activities and games that showcase the limitless possibilities of aerospace. Learners of all ages are invited to “Become the next Boeing Aerospace Adventurer” as they explore Boeing aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster, Starliner space capsule and the Boeing ecoDemonstrator.

“This exhibit showcases the exciting world of aerospace while also emphasizing the critical need for a future talented and skilled workforce,” said Kim Smith, vice president of Global Operations, Quality and Program Management for Boeing Global Services. “By investing in students and collaborating with the museum and educators, we are building a strong talent pipeline that will shape the future of aerospace.”

The exhibit is a gateway that opens young people’s eyes to a world of opportunities, said Jim Perschbach, president and CEO, Port San Antonio.

“The resources and time spent creating this experience, along with the ongoing collaboration between educators and teammates including Boeing and the museum, are true investments in people,” Perschbach said. “This is also an opportunity to raise San Antonio’s tech innovation profile even higher.”

The San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT) expects to engage an estimated 150,000 students annually through field trips, weekend activities and summer camps. Other aviation and space technology experiences at the Port campus, such as exhibits on autonomous vehicle technologies, lunar settlement systems, cybersecurity, and simulated security operations centers complement the Boeing display.

Boeing, through donations to the Port-affiliated Kelly Heritage Foundation, has funded a range of grants this year to support aerospace education and workforce development in south Texas. These grants include space, computer and drone/aerospace education, offering unique opportunities for students to explore and engage with the world of aerospace. The Kelly Heritage Foundation receives net proceeds from the Boeing Center at Tech Port to fund additional educational and workforce development programs in aerospace and advanced technologies.

Nearly 7,000 Boeing teammates work to protect, connect and explore our world and beyond in Texas. With key locations in Plano, Dallas and Irving, the most sizeable Boeing footprint is in San Antonio, where Boeing is the largest aerospace employer in the area. This historic city is home to more than 3,000 teammates, nearly half of whom are veterans of the armed forces. In addition to providing aircraft maintenance and modification for some of our most iconic products, including the C-17, F-15 and B-52, Boeing also provides service to the U.S. Executive Fleet.

Admission to the Boeing Aerospace Adventure and SAMSAT is free of charge. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The museum will be closed on Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and New Year’s Day (Jan. 1).

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About Boeing:

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers.

About Port San Antonio:

The Port is a vast 1,900-acre technology innovation campus. It is home to a large array of employers—including globally renowned industry names and a growing number of locally headquartered startups—focused in driving forward new technologies in aerospace, cybersecurity, defense, space exploration, robotics and other advanced fields. Organizations at the Port directly employ 18,000 people from across the community, yielding a regional economic impact of over $5.6 billion annually. The Port is also a member of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP).

In the heart of the Port’s campus is the Boeing Center at Tech Port—an expansive state-of-the-art, multi-use facility. The Boeing Center at Tech Port is home to the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology’s (SAMSAT) as well as an innovation hub, food court, concert arena and e-gaming facility.

The Port also houses the Kelly Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that honors Kelly Air Force Base’s legacy and the future of the campus that encompasses much of the former military facility—today known as Tech Port—by raising and distributing funds to support life-changing educational and career opportunities.

SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, BRAZIL, – Boeing [NYSE:BA] today opened a new research and technology center to work with leading Brazilian researchers and scientists to develop aerospace technologies.
The new Boeing Research & Technology-Brazil (BR&T-Brazil) center is focused on sustainable aviation biofuel development, advanced air traffic management, remote sensing, advanced metals and bio-materials, and support and services technologies. The center is located in the São José dos CamposTechnology Park.

“As part of Boeing’s long-term commitment to Brazil, Boeing Research & Technology-Brazil will focus on collaborative R&D that will benefit Brazilian companies and the people of Brazil, while supporting Boeing’s technology development goals,” said Donna Hrinak, president of Boeing Brazil.

“Recognizing the talented and growing base of technology expertise and research capability in Brazil, we are excited to open the BR&T-Brazil research center,” said Al Bryant, vice president of Boeing Research & Technology-Brazil. “The center will strengthen our relationship with Brazil’s R&D community in ways that grow Brazil’s capabilities and meet the country’s goals for economic and technology development.”

The center’s staff will initially conduct and coordinate ongoing projects with the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and University of Sao Paulo (USP), companies such as Embraer and Brazil’s Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) and National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
The new facility is Boeing’s sixth advanced research center outside of the United States, joining centers in Europe, Australia, India, China and Russia.

“BR&T-Brazil will connect research activity that we have underway throughout the world,” said Paul Pasquier, Boeing Research & Technology vice president of Global Technology. “Brazil has some of the most innovative technologists in the world, and this center will prove as a catalyst for enabling global collaboration that will mutually benefit Brazil and Boeing.”

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. Boeing’s history in Brazil dates back to 1932, when Boeing delivered 14 F4B-4 fighters to the Brazilian government. Boeing delivered its first commercial airplane to Brazil in 1960 and continues to deliver fuel-efficient products and services to Brazilian airlines TAM and GOL.In Brazil, Boeing has offices in São Paulo and Brasilia. Boeing Research & Technology collaborates with customers, suppliers, universities and research-and-development agencies throughout the world to provide a broad base of innovative and affordable technologies for Boeing’s business units. For more information, please visit www.boeing.com.br.

SHEFFIELD, United Kingdom, Boeing [NYSE: BA] today welcomed guests from industry, government, partners, suppliers and the local community to celebrate the opening of its new Fabrication factory in Sheffield. The new factory, the company’s first manufacturing site in Europe, makes actuation system components for the 737 and 767 jets from raw materials sourced in the UK. At full capacity, Boeing Sheffield will produce thousands of parts each month, which will be shipped for assembly in Boeing’s Portland plant in Oregon, United States.

“We appreciate all the community support for Boeing’s new advanced manufacturing factory in the UK. This is a fabulous example of how we are engaging global talent to provide greater value to our customers,” said Jenette Ramos, Boeing senior vice president of Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Operations. “In Boeing Sheffield, we are building on longstanding relationships and the region’s manufacturing expertise to enhance our production system and continue to connect, protect, explore and inspire aerospace innovation.”

Boeing Sheffield manufactures more than 100 different high-tech actuation components for the 737 and 767 wing trailing edge. Actuation systems move the flaps at the back of the wing to provide extra lift at low speeds during takeoff and landing. The 6,200-square-metre facility represents a Boeing investment of more than £40 million, placing the world’s largest aerospace company at the heart of Sheffield City Region’s growing Global Innovation Corridor. A total of 52 employees, including experienced mechanics, engineers and more than 20 apprentices, make up the current Boeing Sheffield team.

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Greg Clark said: “Boeing choosing the heart of South Yorkshire as its first European home is testament to our capabilities, talent pool and strong manufacturing supply chains which are vital to job creation and creating value for local economies.

“We are leading the world in UK aerospace manufacturing and through our modern Industrial Strategy, we, along with industry have committed to invest £3.9 billion in aerospace”

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: “It’s excellent news that Boeing has opened its first European factory here in the Sheffield City Region. Boeing’s choice of location is a strong sign of confidence in our advanced engineering excellence, confidence in our workforce and strong manufacturing heritage, and confidence in the cutting-edge collaborations between university and business that enable us to lead the world.

“Boeing Sheffield will also be a key part of our region’s ‘Global Innovation Corridor’, creating a connected set of research and business interactions based on the advanced manufacturing and engineering strengths we have here in the region, and linking people, places and ideas. The opportunities for our communities, for businesses, for researchers and for the workforce of the future are limitless.

“This opening of this new facility is hugely significant for South Yorkshire, the wider Northern Powerhouse, and indeed for the UK.”

The company chose to highlight 13 UK-based suppliers who have partnered with Boeing on this significant expansion in the UK. Amongst the suppliers, Aeromet International Ltd, a Worcester-based supplier of advanced aluminium and magnesium cast parts will provide Boeing Sheffield with high-strength, complex and multi-core aluminium cast parts. In addition, Maher Ltd, a first-time supplier to Boeing, will supply bespoke steel bar and pre-machined components made of UK-sourced steel from Liberty Speciality Steels, located three miles from the new Boeing factory.

Also recognised was MetLase Ltd, a first-time supplier to Boeing, which is based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park Technology Centre in Rotherham and which is Boeing Sheffield’s tooling and fixturing partner. Mettis Aerospace Ltd, a designer and manufacturer of precision forged and machined components from Redditch, will supply Boeing Sheffield with steel alloy precision-forged components. The other partners are AMRC Training Centre, D5 Architects, JF Finnegan, Mills CNC, Mitutoyo, Mott MacDonald, Nikken, Starrag and WFL.

Cllr Julie Dore, Leader of Sheffield City Council said: “The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre is a world class facility at the heart of our region’s economy. It has seen fantastic success and we are delighted to be home to Boeing’s first European facility. Boeing Sheffield will manufacture more than 100 different components for its 737 and 767 aircraft here.

“Boeing Sheffield adds to some of the globally leading names that are part of the AMRC and we have worked in partnership with Rotherham Council and the University of Sheffield for many years to develop our region’s Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District. We are committed to strengthening these partnerships moving forward to ensure we do what needs to be done to deliver on a scale where advanced manufacturing creates the high skill high wage manufacturing jobs in the numbers that will provide a strong base for our economy.

“One of our top priorities is to provide the opportunities for young people in Sheffield. That’s why it is so welcome not only to see such globally renowned brand like Boeing here, but their commitment to local apprentices who will make up much of the workforce and the opportunities they are offering for our young people to work for global engineering giants.”

Boeing established a presence in South Yorkshire in 2001 when the company co-founded the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with the University of Sheffield in Rotherham. Boeing Sheffield is a direct result of this longstanding and successful relationship with the AMRC and its world-class research and development. The company has initiated a major new research programme with the AMRC to develop new manufacturing techniques that can be applied to the new Boeing Sheffield facility.

About Boeing
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. Boeing employs more than 2,200 people across the UK at numerous sites, from Glasgow to Gosport, and contracts with more than 250 UK suppliers, spending £1.8 billion ($2.3 billion) with tier 1 suppliers based in the UK in 2017. More than 29,000 people are employed as a result of Boeing UK operations, its purchases and the spending of those employed directly or in its supply chain. In 2018 Boeing celebrates 80 years of partnership with the United Kingdom, the Armed Forces, British manufacturing and the air transport industry. Today the UK remains a critically important market, supplier base and a source of some of the world’s most innovative technology partners. For more information visit www.boeing.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @BoeingUK.

LONDON, – Boeing [NYSE:BA] introduced today a digital records management capability to its Maintenance Performance Toolbox suite of products that will optimize maintenance operations and reduce costs for airlines.

The Maintenance Performance Toolbox Records module provides an industry standard platform to manage scanned and digitally produced maintenance and flight records.

The new tool eliminates the operational challenge of managing cumbersome, paper-based maintenance records, working in tandem with other Maintenance Performance Toolbox application solutions to increase efficiencies related to both day-to-day airline maintenance operations and the management of leased airplanes.

“Automation of the maintenance record keeping process is a new and essential component of our Maintenance Performance Toolbox and we are pleased to provide airlines with the foundation for establishing more efficient maintenance operations,” said Per Norén, vice president, Digital Solutions, Boeing Digital Aviation – a business unit of Commercial Aviation Services. “Our new records solution lowers costs related to daily records and the end of lease management, as well as eliminating redundant processes and reducing delays in aircraft maintenance processes. This new system truly allows airlines to unlock the potential of fleet-wide digital records management.”

The Records module creates intelligent digital maintenance documents, featuring dynamic records search capabilities. The record-keeping tool improves airline maintenance workflow capabilities and ties into maintenance planning solutions, establishing systems that work in concert to further enhance the automation of processes and overall efficiency.

Simple access to the Records module provided through the Boeing Maintenance Performance Toolbox application offers an operational advantage for airlines seeking integrated solutions for all their technical documentation management needs. This includes more than 160 customers that currently use the Maintenance Performance Toolbox suite. Boeing also offers access to records management capabilities for non-Toolbox customers through subsidiary AerData’s STREAM digital aircraft records application.

FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, — Boeing (NYSE: BA) marked 40 years as an exhibitor at the Farnborough International Airshow this week by highlighting its innovative, efficient commercial airplanes and its advanced defense capabilities.

Boeing announced a new 200-seat 737 MAX 8 option that will give airlines up to 11 more seats of revenue. This latest addition to Boeing’s comprehensive product and services line-up will deliver 20 percent fuel-consumption savings compared to today’s Next-Generation 737.

Boeing also announced new details about the interior of the 777X. The new model will build on the award-winning interior of today’s 777 and apply 787 Dreamliner cabin innovations: higher cabin humidity, windows more than 15 percent larger and a cabin that is 16 inches (40.6 cm) wider than the competition, allowing airlines a variety of economy class seat widths.

Boeing unveiled its new Maritime Surveillance Aircraft at Farnborough. The aircraft, based on a Bombardier Challenger 605 business jet, will provide customers with maritime and overland surveillance, anti-piracy, coastal security and search-and-rescue capabilities.

Boeing signed a memorandum of collaboration with Paramount Group to jointly develop defense and security opportunities in key international markets. Paramount Group is Africa’s largest privately owned defense and aerospace business.

Customers demonstrated their strong confidence in the family of Boeing commercial products, announcing orders and commitments for 201 Boeing airplanes valued at more than $40.2 billion at list prices. Additional orders announced this week will be posted today on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website, bringing the number of net orders for 2014 to 783.

“Over 40 years of exhibiting at Farnborough, Boeing has consistently demonstrated its commitment and drive to innovate and develop game-changing products, equipment and services across the commercial and defense sectors,” said Charlie Miller, vice president of International Communications. “Farnborough 2014 was filled with excitement and enthusiasm among our customers, partners and suppliers and strong endorsement of our product line with commercial orders that bring our tally this year to 783.”

Boeing products flying at the show include the new 787-9 Dreamliner, the P-8A Poseidon — a military derivative of the company’s Next-Generation 737-800 — and the multi-role F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter.

Two aircraft from the Boeing-Royal Aeronautical Society “Schools Build a Plane Challenge” will arrive at the show later today. This initiative provides young people in UK secondary schools with the opportunity to learn new skills by building an operational light aircraft from a kit. The two airplanes are scheduled to participate in the flying display on Friday and remain on static display for the public demonstration events.

www.boeing.com

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and China Airlines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the development of the airline’s capabilities to serve the growing maintenance, repair and overhaul market in Asia.

Boeing anticipates providing technical support and maintenance training to China Airlines to enhance its ability to service Boeing products.

In addition, Boeing intends to work closely with China Airlines to qualify it as an approved Boeing supplier, which will enable the airline to bid for work on Boeing’s wide-ranging products and services.

“We are pleased to further extend our partnership with The Boeing Company,” said Ho Nuan-Hsuan, Chairman, China Airlines. “This MOU with Boeing provides a platform that will allow us to enhance the world-class capabilities of China Airlines Group. We look forward to contributing to the steady growth of commercial aviation in Taiwan, as well as the rest of Asia.”

With a growing number of airlines in the Asia-Pacific region selecting Boeing airplanes, China Airlines will have the opportunity to become a qualified Boeing Global Fleet Care service provider in Asia. In addition, Boeing aims to aid China Airlines’ qualification as a potential Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) conversion site, as well as explore training opportunities to develop the airline’s capability as an airframe modification supplier for Boeing’s airplanes.

“China Airlines has been a very important partner to Boeing for more than five decades and this mutually beneficial collaboration will further enhance their capabilities in maintenance and engineering,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This relationship will allow China Airlines to develop and deliver world-class maintenance service to global airline customers, while also adding value to Boeing’s network of global supplier partners.”

With nearly 40 percent of the future market demand for commercial airplanes coming from the Asia-Pacific region, the collaboration with China Airlines in Boeing’s largest market will provide flexibility for global airline customers, while also contributing to Taiwan’s growing commercial aviation industry.

“We are proud to have the support of customers like China Airlines as we enter into this new chapter of services excellence under Boeing Global Services,” said Mike Fleming, vice president Commercial Services for Boeing Global Services. “By working together, we can provide tailored and cost-effective solutions within the commercial aviation industry.”

CHICAGO, July 3, 2019 – Ahead of Independence Day in the U.S., Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced $100 million in funds to address family and community needs of those affected by the tragic accidents of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. These funds will support education, hardship and living expenses for impacted families, community programs, and economic development in impacted communities. Boeing will partner with local governments and non-profit organizations to address these needs. This initial investment will be made over multiple years.

“We at Boeing are sorry for the tragic loss of lives in both of these accidents and these lives lost will continue to weigh heavily on our hearts and on our minds for years to come. The families and loved ones of those on board have our deepest sympathies, and we hope this initial outreach can help bring them comfort,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing chairman, president and CEO.

“We know every person who steps aboard one of our airplanes places their trust in us. We are focused on re-earning that trust and confidence from our customers and the flying public in the months ahead.”

Boeing will release additional information in the near future.

Consistent with Boeing’s regular process for employee charitable donations, company employees will also have the opportunity to make donations in support of the families and communities impacted by the accidents. Boeing will match these employee donations through December 31, 2019.

TUCSON, Ariz., – Boeing (NYSE: BA), elected and community leaders joined together today to celebrate the permanent display of one of the original 787-8 Dreamliner flight test airplanes at the Pima Air & Space Museum.

“Boeing has a strong presence in Arizona and is proud to share this important achievement in aviation history with the community, our employees and visitors,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. “The Pima Air & Space Museum is a world-class facility and has been a great partner throughout the years. It’s the perfect location to showcase this pioneering airplane.”

This particular 787, ZA002, is the second Boeing 787-8 to be produced. The airplane flew for the first time on Dec. 22, 2009, joining what would become a six-airplane flight test and certification program for the 787-8. The primary focus of ZA002 was testing systems performance.

“Aerospace is a cornerstone of Arizona’s economy, creating jobs and business opportunities across the state,” said Governor Doug Ducey. “Boeing’s donation of this state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner is symbolic of Arizona’s rich history and bright future in aerospace, and a strong testament to our commitment to innovation and industry.”

The celebration at the Pima Air & Space Museum included the participation of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, Boeing VP of 787 Engineering Ron Hinderberger and museum Board Chairman Count Ferdinand von Galen.

Coinciding with the 787 induction, the Pima Air & Space Museum also unveiled its new ‘Women in Flight’ exhibit, commemorating the achievements of female aviators over the past century.

“This is an extremely exciting and monumental time for the museum, the Tucson community and Arizona in general,” said Scott Marchand, executive director, Pima Air & Space Museum. “We are honored to be selected by Boeing to be the custodian of such a significant historic next generation aircraft and to be able to display it to the public from the U.S. and around the world.”

ZA002 is the second of three flight test 787-8s Boeing plans to share with communities and future generations of employees and airplane enthusiasts.

About the Pima Air & Space Museum
The Pima Air & Space Museum is one of the largest aviation museums in the world, and the largest non-government funded aviation museum in the United States. The museum maintains a collection of more than 300 aircraft and spacecraft from around the globe—including many rare and one-of-a-kind—and more than 125,000 artifacts. The museum is located at 6000 E. Valencia Road, Tucson, Exit 267 off Interstate 10.

SEATTLE, — Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced it is centralizing customer support for in-service airplanes at its Boeing Commercial Airplanes Engineering Design Center in Southern California, as the company continues to focus on increasing competitiveness while enabling continued growth of the global airline industry.

“We’re creating a single location for customer support at the Southern California design center to ensure that we are well-positioned to support Boeing airplanes in service around the world as the market continues to grow,” said Lynne Thompson, vice president of Customer Support, Commercial Aviation Services, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We will be expanding our presence in Southern California to create a site dedicated to a superior customer experience. This move will allow us to tap into existing engineering talent in California to expand on our outstanding customer support and align resources in a single location.

“At the same time, we will focus our team in the Puget Sound area on helping customers introduce new airplanes – the 787 Dreamliner, the 737 MAX and the 777X – into their fleets,” Thompson added. “We are committed to making this transition seamless to our customers.”

In May 2013, Boeing established engineering design centers in South Carolina, Southern California and Washington state to add engineering capability and capacity as the company scales up to meet unprecedented demand for commercial airplanes and services. At that time, Boeing announced that support for out-of-production airplanes would be based at the Southern California center. Boeing continues to assess current and future work statement for each design center based on capability, capacity, competitiveness and optimization of the Boeing enterprise.

Customer support for the 707, 717, 727, 757, DC-8, DC-9, DC-10, MD-11 and MD-80/-90 models currently is based in Southern California. Customer support for the Next-Generation 737, 747, 767 and 777 models, as well as commercial product support for the KC-46 Tanker and P-8, will transition from Washington to California by the end of 2015.

“Our opportunity for future growth is unprecedented, and the engineering design centers help us be more competitive by building on our team’s talent and capability – across Boeing, the United States and globally,” said Mike Delaney, vice president of Engineering, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We are structuring Boeing’s engineering operations to support future growth, reduce business risks and consistently provide the products and services our customers expect.”

The Southern California Engineering Design Center currently employs about 1,800 people at the company’s Long Beach and Seal Beach sites. With this work placement, employment is expected to increase by approximately 1,000 positions during the next two years.
Of the affected employees in Washington, many will be offered positions with other programs in the Puget Sound area. In addition, employees will have opportunities to apply for new positions in California.

This news is courtesy of www.boeing.com

ST. LOUIS — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has received a one-year contract, which also includes a one-year option for 2020, to continue modernizing the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 fleet under the Service Life Modification (SLM) program. The $164 million contract for FY19 funds the standup of a second SLM line in San Antonio, Texas, complementary to the line established last year in St. Louis.

“The Service Life Modification program is making great strides as we’ve already inducted seven Super Hornets into the program, and will deliver the first jet back to the Navy later this year,” said Dave Sallenbach, program director. “This program is crucial in helping the Navy with its readiness challenges, and will continue to grow each year with the number of jets we induct.”

The San Antonio SLM line is scheduled to receive its first Super Hornet in June, and a total of 23 Super Hornets over the course of this contract. The U.S. Navy fleet consists of more than 550 Super Hornets.

The SLM program extends the life of existing Super Hornets from 6,000 to 10,000 flight hours.

In the early 2020s, Boeing is scheduled to begin installing initial updates to the aircraft that will convert existing Block II Super Hornets to a new Block III configuration.

The Block III conversion will include enhanced network capability, longer range with conformal fuel tanks, an advanced cockpit system, signature improvements and an enhanced communication system. The updates are expected to keep the F/A-18 in active service for decades to come.

For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

LONDON — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and International Airlines Group, the parent company of British Airways, announced the airline has committed to purchasing up to 42 777X airplanes, including 18 orders and 24 options. The airline joins a group of leading carriers that have selected the new 777-9, which will debut next month as the largest and most efficient twin-engine passenger jet in the world.

The commitment, valued at up to $18.6 billion at list prices, will be reflected on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website once it is finalized.

“The new 777-9 is the world’s most fuel efficient longhaul aircraft and will bring many benefits to British Airways’ fleet. It’s the ideal replacement for the 747 and its size and range will be an excellent fit for the airline’s existing network,” said Willie Walsh, IAG chief executive. “This aircraft will provide further cost efficiencies and environmental benefits with fuel cost per seat improvements of 30 per cent compared to the 747. It also provides an enhanced passenger experience.”

British Airways has been modernizing its fleet – one of the largest in the airline industry – to more efficiently serve its extensive global route network. In recent years, the airline has introduced the super-efficient 787 Dreamliner family to replace its medium-sized widebody jets. The new 777-9 will replace British Airways’ larger widebody airplanes, mainly the four-engine 747 jumbo jet.

In ordering the 777-9, British Airways extends a long-running relationship with the popular 777 family. The airline is one of the largest 777 operators with a fleet of nearly 60 of the long-range jet. The airline last year committed to four more 777-300ER (Extended Range) jets via operating lease.

The 777-9 is larger and has a slightly wider cabin than current 777s, which provides the ability to comfortably sit 400-425 passengers in a standard two-class cabin. Powered by 787 Dreamliner technologies, an all-new composite wing, and other enhancements, the 777-9 offers airlines 12 percent lower fuel consumption than competing airplanes. The 777-9 can also fly farther than its predecessors with a standard range of 7,600 nautical miles (14,075 kilometers).

The 777X will also debut a redesigned cabin that incorporates popular 787 features and new technologies. Recently unveiled online, the 777X interior offers larger windows, a wider cabin, new lighting, while providing passengers with a smoother ride, better cabin altitude, humidity, and sound quality.

“British Airways is one of the most iconic international carriers, now in its 100th year of connecting the world with its impressive route network. We are honored that British Airways has selected the 777X as part of its fleet for its next century. Together with the 787 Dreamliner, we are excited for the 777X to help British Airways build on its incredible legacy,” said Kevin McAllister, president & CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 777-9, in particular, simply has no competitor in its class when it comes to efficiency and performance. It is the right-sized airplane for British Airways to efficiently serve long-range routes with heavy passenger demand.”

The selection by IAG and British Airways puts the 777X at 358 orders and commitments from eight customers. Production of the 777X began in 2017, with first flight planned for this year and first delivery expected in 2020.

CHICAGO – Safely returning the 737 MAX to service is our top priority. We know that the process of approving the 737 MAX’s return to service, and of determining appropriate training requirements, must be extraordinarily thorough and robust, to ensure that our regulators, customers, and the flying public have confidence in the 737 MAX updates. As we have previously said, the FAA and global regulatory authorities determine the timeline for certification and return to service. We remain fully committed to supporting this process. It is our duty to ensure that every requirement is fulfilled, and every question from our regulators answered.

Throughout the grounding of the 737 MAX, Boeing has continued to build new airplanes and there are now approximately 400 airplanes in storage. We have previously stated that we would continually evaluate our production plans should the MAX grounding continue longer than we expected. As a result of this ongoing evaluation, we have decided to prioritize the delivery of stored aircraft and temporarily suspend production on the 737 program beginning next month.

We believe this decision is least disruptive to maintaining long-term production system and supply chain health. This decision is driven by a number of factors, including the extension of certification into 2020, the uncertainty about the timing and conditions of return to service and global training approvals, and the importance of ensuring that we can prioritize the delivery of stored aircraft. We will continue to assess our progress towards return to service milestones and make determinations about resuming production and deliveries accordingly.

During this time, it is our plan that affected employees will continue 737-related work, or be temporarily assigned to other teams in Puget Sound. As we have throughout the 737 MAX grounding, we will keep our customers, employees, and supply chain top of mind as we continue to assess appropriate actions. This will include efforts to sustain the gains in production system and supply chain quality and health made over the last many months.

We will provide financial information regarding the production suspension in connection with our 4Q19 earnings release in late January.

On 19 December 2014, the European Union requested consultations with the United States with respect to conditional tax incentives established by the State of Washington in relation to the development, manufacture, and sale of large civil aircraft.

The European Union alleges that the measures constitute specific subsidies within the meaning of Articles 1 and 2 of the SCM Agreement. The European Union also considers that the measures are prohibited subsidies that are inconsistent with Articles 3.1(b) and 3.2 of the SCM Agreement.

On 12 February 2015, the European Union requested the establishment of a panel.

Panel and Appellate Body proceedings
At its meeting on 23 February 2015, the DSB established a panel. Brazil, China, India, Japan, Korea and the Russian Federation reserved their third-party rights. Subsequently, Australia and Canada reserved their third-party rights.

On 13 April 2015, the European Union requested the Director-General to compose the panel. On 22 April 2015, the Director-General composed the panel. On 29 September 2015, the Chairperson of the Panel informed the DSB that it estimated to issue its report within 12 months. On 23 September 2016, the Chairperson of the Panel informed the DSB that the final report was to be circulated to all Members by the end of November 2016.

On 28 November 2016, the panel report was circulated to Members.

Summary of key findings
This dispute concerns legislation enacted in the state of Washington in the United States in November 2013 through Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5952 (ESSB 5952), which amended and extended various tax incentives for the aerospace industry. The European Union identified seven separate tax incentives, including a reduced business and occupation tax rate, credits against business taxation, and exemptions from various other taxes in the state of Washington.

The European Union claimed that those tax incentives are prohibited under Articles 3.1(b) and 3.2 of the SCM Agreement as subsidies that are contingent on the use of domestic over imported goods. According to the European Union, the contingency results from two siting provisions contained in ESSB 5952, namely a First Siting Provision and a Second Siting Provision. In the European Union’s view, the challenged aerospace tax measures are de jure contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods inasmuch as the text of the relevant legislation sets out the prohibited contingency. The European Union also made a secondary claim that the aerospace tax measures are de facto contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods.

The Panel found that, under each of the aerospace tax measures at issue, there is a financial contribution by the Washington State government and a benefit is thereby conferred. The Panel concluded therefore that each of the aerospace tax measures at issue constitutes a subsidy within the meaning of Article 1 of the SCM Agreement.

With respect to the European Union’s de jure claim against the aerospace tax measures at issue, the Panel looked separately at the First Siting Provision and the Second Siting Provision contained in ESSB 5952, to assess whether the European Union had successfully demonstrated the existence of the prohibited contingency in either of the provisions. In this regard, the Panel concluded that the European Union had not demonstrated that, on their own, and based on their express terms, the First Siting Provision or the Second Siting Provision make the challenged aerospace tax measures de jure contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods.

The Panel subsequently considered the two siting provisions acting jointly and concluded that the European Union had not demonstrated that, acting together, the First Siting Provision and the Second Siting Provision make the challenged aerospace tax measures de jure contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods.

With respect to the European Union’s de facto claim against the aerospace tax measures at issue, the Panel considered the joint operation of the First Siting Provision and the Second Siting Provision contained in ESSB 5952, to assess whether the European Union had successfully demonstrated the existence of the prohibited contingency. The Panel concluded that the siting provisions in ESSB 5952, and in particular the prospective modalities of operation of Washington State Department of Revenue’s discretion under the Second Siting Provision, make one of the challenged aerospace tax measures (namely, the reduced business and occupation tax rate for the manufacturing or sale of commercial airplanes under the 777X programme) de facto contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods within the meaning of Article 3.1(b) of the SCM Agreement.

Having found that the reduced business and occupation tax rate for the manufacturing or sale of commercial airplanes under the 777X programme is inconsistent with Article 3.1(b) of the SCM Agreement, the Panel also found that the United States has acted inconsistently with Article 3.2 of the SCM Agreement.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Jan. 3, 2019 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] will upgrade all 17 of Spain’s CH-47D Chinook helicopters to the F-model configuration, adding features such as the digital automatic flight control system, common avionics architecture system and advanced cargo handling to align that country’s fleet with those of other nations.

This is the first order from a non-U.S. customer placed through a contract Boeing and the U.S. Army signed in July. That contract covers six new F-models for the U.S. and options for up to 150 more Chinooks for U.S. and international customers. Deliveries to Spain begin in 2021.

“The Chinook is a versatile aircraft flown by eight NATO nations, including Spain,” said Chuck Dabundo, vice president, Cargo and Utility Helicopters and H-47 program manager. “With this contract, Spain’s Chinook crews will enjoy the platform’s current technology and capability, while the country gets an affordable upgrade that builds on its existing H-47 investment.”

The CH-47F is a twin-engine, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter. In addition to the U.S. Army and Special Operations Forces, Chinooks are currently in service or under contract with 19 international defense forces. It can fly at speeds exceeding 175 mph and carry payloads greater than 21,000 lbs. In 2017, Boeing and the U.S. Army announced development of CH-47F Block II, which will incorporate a new rotor blade, redesigned fuel system, improved drivetrain and structural improvements to the fuselage.

For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 14, 2021 — As global demand for freighters continues to soar, Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced plans to add three conversion lines for the market-leading 737-800BCF across North America and Europe. The company also signed a firm order with Icelease for eleven of the freighters as the launch customer for one of the new conversion lines.

Boeing announced plans to open three new freighter conversion lines and signed a firm order with Icelease for 11 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters. (Photo credit: Boeing)
Boeing announced plans to open three new freighter conversion lines and signed a firm order with Icelease for 11 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters. (Photo credit: Boeing)
In 2022, the company will open one conversion line at Boeing’s London Gatwick Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) facility, its state-of-the-art hangar in the United Kingdom; and two conversion lines in 2023 at KF Aerospace MRO in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.

“Building a diverse and global network of conversion facilities is critical to supporting our customers’ growth and meeting regional demand,” said Jens Steinhagen, director of Boeing Converted Freighters. “KF Aerospace and our Boeing teammates at London Gatwick have the infrastructure, capabilities and expertise required to deliver market-leading Boeing Converted Freighters to our customers.”

“We’re very excited to be expanding our relationship with Boeing,” said Gregg Evjen, chief operating officer, KF Aerospace. “We’ve been working with the Boeing product line for more than 30 years. With our cargo conversion experience, our highly skilled workforce and all the technical requirements already in place, we’re ready to get to work and help serve Boeing’s customers.”

For Icelease, which recently expanded its cooperation with Corrum Capital through a joint venture called Carolus Cargo Leasing, the order for eleven 737-800BCF will be their first converted freighter order with Boeing. The lessor will be the launch customer for conversions at Boeing’s London Gatwick MRO facility.

“We are confident in the quality and proven record of Boeing’s 737-800 converted freighter, and pleased to be the launch customer for their new London MRO facility,” said Magnus Stephensen, senior partner at Icelease. “We look forward to bringing the freighter in to our fleet to serve our growing global customer base operating domestic and short-haul routes.”

Earlier this year, Boeing announced it would create additional 737-800BCF conversion capacity at several sites, including a third conversion line at Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company Limited (GAMECO), and two conversion lines in 2022 with a new supplier, Cooperativa Autogestionaria de Servicios Aeroindustriales (COOPESA) in Costa Rica. Once the new lines become active, Boeing will have conversion sites in North America, Asia and Europe.

Boeing forecasts 1,720 freighter conversions will be needed over the next 20 years to meet demand. Of those, 1,200 will be standard-body conversions, with nearly 20% of that demand coming from European carriers, and 30% coming from North America and Latin America.

The 737-800BCF is the standard body freighter market leader with more than 200 orders and commitments from 19 customers. The 737-800BCF offers higher reliability, lower fuel consumption, lower operating costs per trip and world-class in-service technical support compared to other standard-body freighters. Learn more about the 737-800BCF and the complete Boeing freighter family here.

About Boeing
As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future and living the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Learn more at www.boeing.com.

Boeing’s London Gatwick MRO is a full service maintenance, repair and overhaul facility offering maintenance and repair services, modifications, aircraft transitions, aircraft surveys, and hangar and tooling leasing services.

About Icelease

Icelease ehf, based in Reykjavik, Iceland, is an aircraft lessor, asset management and trading platform. Icelease was originally spun off from Icelandair in 2005 and is now an independent organization owned by its managing partners. Since the spin-off, Icelease has executed more than $5 billion in aircraft acquisitions and disposals in both short-term trades and long-term investments.

The launch of Carolus Cargo Leasing, its Joint Venture project with Corrum Capital, further solidifies the relationship between Corrum and Icelease, who formed an initial joint venture in 2019. Carolus will focus on the acquisition, conversion and leasing of cargo aircraft on a global basis. www.icelease.is.

About KF Aerospace
For over 50 years, KF Aerospace has delivered innovative aircraft solutions for corporate, commercial and military customers worldwide—including major airlines like WestJet, Sunwing, Cargojet, Lynden Air Cargo and Icelandair. From humble roots in the Okanagan Valley, KF has grown to specialize in aircraft maintenance and modifications, military aircrew training, air cargo operations and leasing—with the same commitment to quality and service established by its founder in 1970. With facilities across Canada, KF is home to nearly 1,000 highly skilled employees. To learn more visit www.kfaero.ca

Contact
At Dubai Airshow
Nate Hulings
Boeing Communications
nathan.a.hulings@boeing.com
+1 425-233-4119

U.S.
Rafael Gonzalez
Boeing Communications
rafael.d.gonzalez2@boeing.com
+1 314-709-7052

CHICAGO, — Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced its plans to reveal the exciting future of air and space travel at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow, which takes place July 16-22. From hypersonic travel to the future of autonomous flight to manned space flight, Boeing will visually present the innovations that will revolutionize the way humans travel around the world and into space. Boeing will also highlight its award-winning portfolio of commercial and defense products and its broader services business that offers unmatched lifecycle value. This “One Boeing” approach has produced a strong and steady commercial, defense and services order book this year, as the company continues to compete and win across the full spectrum of its capabilities.

“Boeing is leading the drive to innovate and win with the clear vision that ‘the future is built here,'” said Chairman, President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg. “We come to Farnborough building on the foundation of an exceptionally consistent and strong year, and do so on the first anniversary of our services business. We are excited to highlight these future technologies as well as our core product offerings with a unique new exhibit that will be open throughout the show.”

Visitors can immerse themselves in a large 360-degree theater and board next-generation aircraft through virtual and mixed reality devices. The interactive exhibit showcases Boeing’s latest family of aircraft and services, and gives visitors a first look at what the company is developing in its second century of aerospace innovation. The exhibit (P7) will be located opposite Hall 1.

Flying and Static Displays

On the airfield, the 737 MAX 7, which is scheduled to enter service in 2019, will make its air show debut with flying displays from July 16-19. Technology advancements allow the MAX 7 to fly 1,000 nautical miles farther and carry more passengers than its predecessor, the 737-700, while having 18 percent lower fuel costs per seat.

Boeing’s flying display will also include a Biman Bangladesh 787-8 featuring the breakthrough capabilities and innovations that have made the 787 extremely popular with operators and passengers. Since 2011, almost 700 super-efficient Dreamliners have been delivered to operators, flying more than 250 million people while saving an estimated 25 billion pounds of fuel.

Other commercial airplanes on display at the show include an Air Italy 737 MAX 8, a Qatar Airways 777-300ER, CargoLogicAir and Qatar Airways 747-8 Freighters, and a Royal Air Maroc 767 Boeing Converted Freighter, which will be at the Cargo Village from July 16-18. Boeing is also participating in the Cargo Village to showcase its family of freighters and lifecycle commitment through Services.

The U.S. Department of Defense is scheduled to display several Boeing platforms, including the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, the CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, the F-15E Strike Eagle and the C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft.

Leadership Presence

Senior Boeing leaders at the show will include Chairman, President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Enterprise Performance & Strategy Greg Smith and the heads of the company’s three business units:

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister;
Boeing Defense, Space & Security President and CEO Leanne Caret;
Boeing Global Services President and CEO Stan Deal.
Other senior Boeing executives at the show will include:

Marc Allen, President, Boeing International;
Heidi Capozzi, Senior Vice President, Human Resources;
Ted Colbert, Chief Information Officer, Senior Vice President, Information Technology & Data Analytics;
Greg Hyslop, Chief Technology Officer, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Test & Technology;
Tim Keating, Executive Vice President, Government Operations;
Phil Musser, Senior Vice President, Communications;
Jenette Ramos, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Operations.
Media Briefings and Information

Boeing will hold a series of briefings for news media during the show, as listed below. Media attending the show should check the briefing schedule daily for updates at the Boeing media chalet in row B 1-6 and the Boeing-sponsored Media Centre.

Follow #BoeingFIA @Boeing on Twitter; Boeing on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube; or online for news and features from the show.

News media should visit http://boeing.mediaroom.com for schedule updates on briefings and events as well as news releases and background information. News media may also subscribe to Boeing updates via email:

Email emily.r.langton@boeing.com with “Farnborough Media Updates” in the subject line, followed by your name and media affiliation. You can opt-out of the email updates by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email1.
Note: All times listed below are local to Farnborough.

Tuesday, July 17 – Wednesday, July 18

The 737 MAX 7 will be available for tours to accredited members of the news media:

Tuesday, July 17 – 11.00 – 11.30, the digital and analytics enabled jet. Preview the industry-changing applications that are enabling fundamental shifts to information infrastructure in the age of digital evolution.
Wednesday, July 18 – 11.00-11.30
Tuesday, July 17

09.30 Future of Travel and Transport – Boeing Exhibit Theatre, P7 opposite Hall 1

Chief Technology Officer Greg Hyslop and HorizonX Vice President Steve Nordlund will unveil Boeing’s vision of next-generation commercial mobility systems and plans for shaping the global infrastructure that will enable piloted and autonomous air vehicles to safely co-exist in the same ecosystem.

10.30 2018 Commercial Market Outlook – Boeing Media Chalet Theatre

Boeing Commercial Marketing Vice President Randy Tinseth will reveal the 2018 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), the latest 20-year forecast of expected demand for commercial airplanes and services. The CMO is one of the longest-published and most accurate forecasts in the aviation industry.

11.45 The Compelling Future of Air Cargo – Conference Theatre, Cargo Village

Boeing Commercial Marketing Vice President Randy Tinseth will provide the air cargo market outlook and Boeing’s analysis of the latest growth trends in the cargo industry.

12.30 U.S. Navy P-8 Media Briefing – Boeing Media Chalet Theatre

Capt. Tony Rossi, United States Navy, will provide an update on the P-8 anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare aircraft.

15.00 V-22 Joint Program Office Media Briefing – Lloyd Room, Media Centre Hall 1A

V-22 Program Manager Col. Matthew G. Kelly, United States Marine Corps, will provide an update on the current status of the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

Wednesday, July 18

12.05 Developing Cargo Aircraft – Conference Theatre, Cargo Village

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vice President of Product Strategy and Future Airplane Development Mike Sinnett will participate in the panel discussion to share Boeing’s views on developing future cargo aircraft.

Thursday, July 19

Boeing Closing Press Conference – Boeing Media Chalet Theatre

Boeing Commercial Sales & Marketing Senior Vice President Ihssane Mounir and Boeing Defense, Space & Security Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing Jeff Shockey will host a closing press conference.

Friday, July 20

10.00 Futures Day Lectures for students – Boeing Media Chalet Theatre

Richard Pillans, Boeing Chief Test Pilot and former British Army Helicopter Pilot and Flight Commander, will speak to Boeing apprentices and young people about his experiences leading the team that oversees all flight operations for Boeing Defence UK, including the Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinook fleet. 2018 marks 100 years of the RAF and through the Futures Day youth engagement activities, Boeing is supporting the RAF’s ambition to champion STEM and inspire the next generation of aviators. A second session will be held at 11.00.

About Boeing
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based logistics and training. With corporate offices in Chicago, Boeing employs more than 140,000 people across the United States and in more than 65 countries. This represents one of the most diverse, talented and innovative workforces anywhere. Our enterprise also leverages the talents of hundreds of thousands more skilled people working for Boeing suppliers worldwide.

HOUSTON — Boeing [NYSE: BA], NASA’s lead industry partner for the International Space Station (ISS) since 1993, will continue supporting the celebrated orbiting laboratory through September of 2024 under a $916 million contract extension awarded today.

Boeing will provide engineering support services, resources, and personnel for activities aboard the ISS and manage many of the station’s systems. Work will be done at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston; the John F. Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida; and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as other locations around the world. The contract is valued at about $225 million annually.

“As the International Space Station marks its 20th year of human habitation, Boeing continues to enhance the utility and livability of the orbiting lab we built for NASA decades ago,” said John Mulholland, Boeing vice president and program manager for the International Space Station. “We thank NASA for their confidence in our team and the opportunity to support the agency’s vital work in spaceflight and deep-space exploration for the benefit of all humankind.”

Congress, NASA and its international partners have agreed to extend ISS operations to at least 2024. Recent structural analysis shows that the spacecraft continues to be safe and mission-capable.

NASA selected Boeing as the ISS prime contractor in 1993. Throughout development, assembly, habitation and daily operations aboard ISS, Boeing has partnered closely with NASA to help the agency and its international partners safely host astronauts and cosmonauts for months at a time. The astronauts conduct microgravity experiments that help treat disease, increase food production, and manufacture technology impossible to produce on Earth’s surface.

Boeing people have contributed to human spaceflight for more than 50 years, including the Mercury and Gemini capsules; development of the Saturn V rocket; Apollo command and service modules; and space shuttle fleet, in addition to the ISS. Boeing is building on this legacy with its CST-100 Starliner, a spacecraft developed in partnership with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The company is also building the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System, a rocket powerful enough to lift astronauts and spacecraft to destinations beyond Earth orbit, such as lunar orbit and Mars.

For more information about Boeing Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Boeing [NYSE: BA] is temporarily suspending production operations at its facilities in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania, in light of the company’s continuous assessment of the spread of COVID-19 in the region. This action is intended to ensure the well-being of employees, their families and local communities, and will include an orderly shutdown consistent with requirements of U.S. and global defense customers.

Boeing will suspend operations beginning at the end of day on Friday, April 3. The site includes manufacturing and production facilities for military rotorcraft, including the H-47 Chinook, V-22 Osprey and MH-139A Grey Wolf. Defense and commercial services work and engineering design activities are also performed at the site.

The suspension of operations will last two weeks, with return to work on April 20. During the suspension, Boeing will continue to monitor government guidance and actions on COVID-19 and associated impacts on company operations. The company will conduct additional deep cleaning activities at buildings across the site and establish rigorous criteria for return to work.

“Suspending operations at our vital military rotorcraft facilities is a serious step, but a necessary one for the health and safety of our employees and their communities,” said Steve Parker, Vertical Lift vice president and general manager, and Philadelphia site senior executive. “We’re working closely with government and public health officials in the tri-state region. We’re also in contact with our customers, suppliers and other stakeholders affected by this temporary suspension as we assist in the national effort to combat the spread of COVID-19.”

Philadelphia area employees who can work from home will continue to do so. Those who cannot work remotely will receive paid leave for the 10 working days – double the normal company policy.

When the suspension is lifted, Boeing Philadelphia will restart production in an orderly manner with a focus on safety, quality and meeting customer commitments. This is a key step to enabling the recovery of the defense and aerospace sectors.

VANCOUVER, B.C., – Boeing Vancouver today announced that it will open a new downtown laboratory focused on data analytics-driven software solutions. The Vancouver Labs will be focused on rapidly conceiving of, building and scaling solutions that help airlines and other aircraft operators increase efficiencies and drive costs out of their businesses. The Vancouver Labs complement the company’s facilities in Richmond, B.C., which today employ more than 200 highly skilled software engineers and data scientists.

“The expansion represents a natural extension of Boeing Vancouver’s analytics, software development and professional consulting work,” said Boeing Vancouver president Bob Cantwell. “As one of the largest analytics groups within Boeing, we are well suited to house the new Vancouver Labs, which will focus on delivering data-driven solutions at a rapidly increased pace over traditional development.”

By leveraging data science insights, reducing traditional enterprise development cycles and working with customers in a consultative manner as products are developed, the Vancouver Labs will work to deliver innovative solutions to Boeing’s global customer base at an accelerated pace. Boeing Vancouver’s new labs will create new jobs, while facilitating local knowledge transfer and enhancing partnerships between Boeing, other technology companies and academic institutions across Canada.

“We’re delighted another tech giant is expanding its work in B.C.,” said Amrik Virk, B.C. Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services. “Boeing Vancouver is tapping into an amazing talent pool with a long history of delivering great innovations that have made the world a better place. Bringing new ideas to reality and driving the future of tech in B.C. is exactly what we aim to foster as part of our #BCTECH Strategy.”

“Boeing’s new labs office will be a significant addition to the province’s growing technology sector and demonstrates B.C.’s reputation as a leading hub for technological innovation,” said Teresa Wat, B.C Minister of International Trade and Minister Responsible for Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism. “B.C. has a highly skilled knowledge-based workforce, and this is a great example of how they are being recruited to support the needs of a global leader in the aviation sector.”

The Vancouver Labs are designed as an open concept space to maximize collaboration and creativity among multi-disciplined teams with skills in UI/UX design, data science, consulting, and Agile software-development. Boeing Vancouver, formerly known as AeroInfo, will move into the new facility in September 2016.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 15, 2017 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] won large commitments across its twin- and single-aisle commercial airplane families, debuted key capabilities including the CST-100 Starliner docking and KC-46 refueling simulators, and announced services agreements at the 2017 Dubai Airshow.

“This has been a very successful show for Boeing. Our regional customers have maintained their trust in our products and technology, and our partnerships in the Middle East region continue to grow,” said Bernard Dunn, President, Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. “We signed agreements with key airline partners including Emirates, flydubai, Azerbaijan Airlines, ALAFCO and Ethiopian Airlines. In addition, Egyptair became a new customer for the 787. Finally, the airshow was a great opportunity to introduce our newest business unit, Boeing Global Services, to the Middle East market and reiterate the region’s importance to Boeing.”

The continued growth of the Middle East aviation market was underscored by customers in the region announcing orders and commitments for 296 airplanes – including 50 options – with a value of about $50 billion at list prices.

Boeing also celebrated the opening of Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA), where Boeing was selected to provide a customized, integrated software system for managing cadet learning and training using software.

Boeing Defense, Space & Security also saw great interest in the CST-100 Starliner docking simulator spacecraft which debut in Dubai for the first time, highlighting the region’s high interest for space travel and exploration. Other defense products on display included the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor, AH-64 Apache and the CH-47 Chinook helicopters, as well as the F-15 multi-role fighter.

Boeing Global Services successfully wrapped up their inaugural airshow with four service agreements:

Custom services from the Boeing Global Fleet Care portfolio to Oman Air
A five-year strategic agreement to provide Royal Jordanian with a comprehensive training solution, including pilot type-rating and recurrent training at its London Gatwick training campus
Support to Cathay Pacific Airways’ 747-8 freighter fleet through the Boeing Landing Gear Overhaul and Exchange Program.
Parts sales and distribution agreement with Rolls-Royce – through Boeing subsidiary Aviall – in support of their global fleet of AE defense engines.
For more information about Boeing at the Dubai Airshow 2017, please visit: http://www.boeing.com/specialty/dubai-airshow-2017/index.page.

NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar, – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Air Mandalay Limited signed a memorandum of collaboration today in support of working together toward Air Mandalay’s fleet renewal efforts. H.E. U Nyan Htun Aung, Minister of Transport of Myanmar and the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Derek J. Mitchell witnessed the signing.
Boeing will assist Air Mandalay with its efforts to procure Next-Generation 737 airplanes through leasing channels in support of Air Mandalay’s expansion plan.

“This memorandum is an important step in our growth strategy,” said Dato’ Adam Htoon, principal of Air Mandalay. “Due to the growth of tourism and business investment in Myanmar, air transportation has become an increasingly important contributor to both the nation’s economic growth and its infrastructure development. The country is looking to position itself as a major tourism destination capable of handling an increasing number of foreign visitors. The 737s will provide us with capabilities to support this critical national growth strategy.”

“We look forward to supporting Air Mandalay on its fleet expansion strategy, setting the foundation for a long and successful partnership between Air Mandalay and Boeing,” said Skip Boyce, president, Boeing Southeast Asia. “The Next-Generation 737 aircraft will provide Air Mandalay with market-leading efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort, allowing the airline to continue to prosper and grow in the region.”

“The U.S. government encourages responsible trade and investment by American companies that will support economic development, and improve the safety, security, and standard of living of the people of this country”, said Mitchell. “I am pleased by the kind of long-term commercial partnership that Air Mandalay and Boeing are committing to today, which serves as a model of constructive bilateral cooperation and can play a critical role in supporting broad-based, sustainable development here more broadly.”

The 737 family is the best-selling commercial jetliner in history, with orders for more than 12,000 airplanes through October 2014 from more than 280 customers. More than 8,000 737s have been delivered.

Air Mandalay Limited is a private joint venture company that was incorporated on October 6, 1994 to operate as Myanmar’s first privately owned airline and support the country’s tourism industry. The airline, based in Yangon, has since established itself as a carrier of high standards with a wide domestic network and one regional link to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. It operates to all of Myanmar’s main tourist destinations and commercial hubs. The airline also offers air charter services to destinations both within the country and regionally.

SEATTLE, — Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, today finalized an order for 75 737 MAX airplanes. The confirmed order is for 55 MAX 8s and 20 MAX 10s, with options for 20 additional MAX 8s.

The agreement, announced as a memorandum of understanding at the 2017 Paris Air Show, is valued at nearly $11 billion at list prices including the 75 firm and 20 option aircraft.

Launched at the 2017 Paris Air Show, the MAX 10 will have the lowest seat-mile cost of any single-aisle airplane. The new airplanes will bolster Avolon’s airplane portfolio to meet growing customer demand in the narrow-body market segment.

“Today’s order for Boeing’s newest 737 MAX airplanes will strengthen Avolon’s position as a leading lessor in the global commercial aviation market,” said Avolon CEO, Dómhnal Slattery. “This is the largest single order that we have placed with Boeing to date and underscores the scale of our ambition and the strength of our business. We have experienced strong interest in our initial MAX orders and this incremental order reflects this demand. With over 140 MAX aircraft now in our owned and committed fleet, we are confident that the superior economics and solid reliability of the 737 MAX family of airplanes will continue to allow our customers to grow their businesses profitably for many years to come.”

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Avolon is one of the world’s leading aircraft leasing firms, with an owned, managed and committed fleet of 915 aircraft as of September 30, 2017. Avolon also has the youngest owned fleet amongst the top three lessors and an order book of exclusively new technology aircraft.

“Today’s order solidifies Avolon’s commitment to providing their customers with the most efficient, technologically advanced airplane on the market,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister. “We are honored that the 737 MAX family of airplanes will become a key part of Avolon’s world-class fleet as they look to leverage the surging demand for narrow-body airplanes in markets around the world.”

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, having surpassed 4,000 total orders from 92 customers. The MAX family incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

Contact:
Kevin Yoo
International Communications
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
+1 206-249-6372
kevin.k.yoo@boeing.com

About Avolon
Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the United States, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Avolon provides aircraft leasing and lease management services. Avolon is a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of Bohai Capital Holding Co., Ltd., a Chinese public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SLE: 000415). Avolon is the world’s third largest aircraft leasing business with a pro-forma owned, managed and committed fleet, as of 30 September, 2017 of 915 aircraft.

ARLINGTON, Va., – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are collaborating to design, build and test a technology demonstration vehicle for the Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program.

Boeing will develop an autonomous, reusable spaceplane capable of carrying and deploying a small expendable upper stage to launch small (3,000 pound/1,361 kg) satellites into low Earth orbit. Boeing and DARPA will jointly invest in the development.

Once the spaceplane – called Phantom Express – reaches the edge of space, it would deploy the second stage and return to Earth. It would then land on a runway to be prepared for its next flight by applying operation and maintenance principles similar to modern aircraft.

“Phantom Express is designed to disrupt and transform the satellite launch process as we know it today, creating a new, on-demand space-launch capability that can be achieved more affordably and with less risk,” said Darryl Davis, president, Boeing Phantom Works.

The Aerojet Rocketdyne AR-22 engine, a version of the legacy Space Shuttle main engine, would power the spaceplane. It is designed to be reusable and operates using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel.

Phantom Express would offer an advanced airframe design as well as third-generation thermal protection to create a vehicle capable of flying at high flight velocity, while carrying a smaller, more affordable expendable upper stage to achieve the mission objectives.

In the test phase of the program, Boeing and DARPA plan to conduct a demonstration of 10 flights over 10 days.

For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Ethiopian Airlines celebrated the delivery of the carrier’s first Boeing 787-9. Ethiopian is leasing the Dreamliner through an agreement with AerCap.

Ethiopian’s newest 787 touched down in Addis Ababa following a non-stop 8,354 mile (13,444 km) delivery flight from Boeing’s Everett, Wash., facility. Ethiopian becomes the first carrier in Africa to operate the 787-9 and extends a tradition of setting aviation milestones. Ethiopian became Africa’s first carrier to fly the 787-8 in 2012, and similarly introduced the 777-200LR (Longer Range), 777-300ER (Extended Range) and 777 Freighter.

“We are proud to celebrate yet another first with the introduction of the cutting-edge 787-9 into our young and fast growing fleet,” said Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. “Today, the 787 is the core of our fleet with 20 aircraft in service. Our investment in the latest technology airplanes is part of our Vision 2025 strategy and our commitment to our esteemed customers to offer complete on-board comfort. We will continue to invest in the most advanced aircraft to give our customers the best possible travel experience.”

The 787 Dreamliner is the most innovative and efficient airplane family flying today. Since 2011, more than 600 Dreamliners have entered commercial services, flying almost 200 million people on more than 560 unique routes around the world, saving an estimated 19 billion pounds of fuel.

“AerCap is very proud to deliver to Ethiopian Airlines their first 787-9 aircraft, as the airline continues to lead the way in African aviation,” said AerCap President and Chief Commercial Officer Philip Scruggs. “The 787-9 will complement Ethiopian’s existing fleet of 787-8 aircraft, bringing further operational efficiencies and scope to enhance their existing network. We thank our friends and partners at Ethiopian Airlines for their continued confidence in AerCap and wish them every success as they continue to optimize their fleet.”

“We are pleased to see the 787-9 enter into Ethiopian’s growing Boeing fleet,” said Marty Bentrott, senior vice president sales for Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Russia & Central Asia Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 787-9 will further enhance the Ethiopian network with its incredible range and capacity.”

Ethiopian Airlines conducted its 32nd Humanitarian Delivery Flight as part of the 787-9 delivery. In conjunction with the non-profit Seattle Alliance Outreach, Ethiopian transported goods donated by medical organizations in the U.S. to Black Lion Hospital and St. Paul Hospital in Ethiopia.

“We are very happy to continue our longstanding partnership with Boeing to deliver medical equipment and supplies to public hospitals in Ethiopia, which benefit the society at-large,” said GebreMariam. “This is our 32nd humanitarian flight over the course of the last few years. No airline has provided such sustained support to the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the African continent. It is a testament to our commitment to serve the community as a responsible corporate organization.”

Ethiopian Airlines operates a Boeing fleet of 737, 767, 777, and 787 airplanes in passenger service and six 777 and two 757-200 airplanes in cargo operations.

SEATTLE, — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Tokyo-based Japan Investment Adviser Co., Ltd., (JIA) [TSE: 7172] today finalized an order for Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes, valued at $1.12 billion at current list prices.

The order was previously announced as a commitment at the 2017 Paris Air Show in June.

The new 737 MAX 8s are the first directly purchased airplanes for JIA and will help bolster the lessor’s growing fleet of next-generation aircraft.

“We are excited to introduce the new 737 MAX 8 airplane into our single-aisle fleet and we are confident that this airplane will diversify our operating lease portfolio in the years ahead,” said Naoto Shiraiwa, president and CEO of JIA. “The 737 MAX will provide us with a stronger competitive advantage in providing our future airline clients with reliable airplanes that make sense economically.”

JIA is an innovative Financial Solutions Provider and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Its activities include operating a lease business that manages a fleet of around 60 aircraft worldwide through its operating lease arm, JP Lease Products & Services (JLPS). The current managed fleet includes Next Generation Boeing 737s as well as Boeing 777s.

“We are truly honored to play an important role in the growth of JIA as a key player in the commercial leasing business within Asia,” said Rick Anderson, vice president of Northeast Asia Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “JIA has made the perfect selection for their new fleet strategy, as the 737 MAX provides operators with market-leading economics and reliability. We are proud to share this milestone with JIA as we continue to strengthen our partnership going forward.”

The 737 MAX family has been designed to offer customers exceptional performance, flexibility and efficiency, with lower per-seat costs and an extended range that will open up new destinations in the single-aisle market.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, Boeing Sky Interior, large flight deck displays, and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

About JIA
Japan Investment Adviser Co., Ltd. (JIA) is an emerging financial services provider with a diverse business scope that ranges from operating leases to renewable energy and investment banking services, such as IPO and M&A advisory. JIA’s mainstay is the origination and management of investment funds focused on operating leases and renewable energy through its wholly owned subsidiary, JP Lease Products & Services Co., Ltd. JIA is listed on the Mothers section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

SEATTLE — Isabel Jiang, 17, is this year’s winner of Genes in Space, a biology-based research competition co-sponsored by Boeing [NYSE: BA]. The announcement was made at the International Space Station Research and Development Conference in Seattle. Jiang’s experiment will be performed by astronauts aboard the ISS U.S. National Laboratory next year.

The Genes in Space contest invites students in grades 7 through 12 to design biology experiments that address real-world challenges in space exploration. The national competition garnered submissions from 194 schools in 31 states. Authors of the top five proposals presented their ideas to a panel of scientists, educators, and technologists at the conference.

“Our goal is to inspire young minds with the excitement of biological and physical sciences, and every year we are also inspired by the innovative ideas these students submit,” said Scott Copeland, director, Boeing ISS Research Integration. “The winners are already meaningfully contributing to scientific research on the space station and helping us solve challenges that lie ahead in the future of human spaceflight. I’m so proud to be a part of that.”

Jiang’s experiment was selected from a competitive field of 820 submissions from 1,177 students. Her experiment proposes to understand the mechanisms that make latent viruses reactivate in space.

“I’m excited to see what [my experiment] does in space and use that info to inform future medical decisions,” said Jiang.

She also said she is looking forward to seeing the medical applications of her research here on Earth and to explore a topic that has not yet been studied in space.

Jiang’s research will be the 11th Genes in Space student experiment performed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, in addition to two program technology demonstration missions. Genes in Space was founded in 2015 as a collaboration between Boeing and miniPCR bio. Since then, the ISS U.S. National Laboratory and New England Biolabs have sponsored the program.

The other finalist proposals that stood out for their potential to positively impact the future of space travel and in their innovative use of the Genes in Space toolkit, include:

Charlene Chen, 16, Smithtown High School East, St. James, New York, whose project centered on the development of a dual fluorescent-colorimetric DNA aptasensor to rapidly detect oxidative DNA damage in astronaut urine samples.
Ananth Jagannath, 16, Adrian Wilcox High School, Santa Clara, California, whose research sought to measure the effect of microgravity on protein folding.
Christina Rasa,18, and Kenny Koch,18, The Tome School in North East, Maryland, whose topic was to use nano-thylakoid units to reverse the effects of osteoarthritis in mice living on the ISS.
Manasi Vegesna, 17, Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona, whose project aimed to assess how space conditions affect immune system central tolerance.
As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers.

WASHINGTON, — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Singapore Airlines (SIA) today formally announced a deal for 20 777-9s and 19 787-10s, during a ceremony at the White House.

The order, previously attributed to an unidentified customer, is worth $13.8 billion at current list prices. The value of this sales transaction will sustain thousands of U.S. suppliers and more than 70,000 direct and indirect U.S. jobs during the delivery period of this contract. The airline also has options for 12 additional aircraft, six of each aircraft type.

The signing ceremony, witnessed by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, included Singapore Airlines’ CEO Goh Choon Phong and Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ President & CEO Kevin McAllister. Peter Seah, Singapore Airlines’ Chairman, and Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, Asia Pacific & India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes and other members of the airline and Boeing also were in attendance.

“SIA has been a Boeing customer for many decades and we are pleased to have finalised this major order for widebody aircraft, which will enable us to continue operating a modern and fuel-efficient fleet,” said Goh. “These new aircraft will also provide the SIA Group with new growth opportunities, allowing us to expand our network and offer even more travel options for our customers.”

Singapore Airlines has more than 50 777s in service and is the launch customer of the 787-10, which is set to deliver in the first half of 2018. With a prior order for 30 787-10s, the airline now has 49 on order, making it the largest customer for this type. A long-range airplane that’s efficient at any stage length, the 787-10 will serve the airline’s medium-range operations while partnering with the 777-9 for the carrier’s long-haul routes. Its subsidiaries SilkAir, Scoot and SIA Cargo also operate Boeing airplanes with the 737 MAX 8 and 737-800, 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners and 747-400 Freighter types in service, respectively.

“Boeing and Singapore Airlines have been strong partners since the airline’s first operations 70 years ago and we are thrilled to finalise their purchase of 20 777Xs and 19 additional 787-10 Dreamliners,” said McAllister. “Singapore Airlines’ order is a testament to the market-leading capabilities of Boeing’s widebody airplanes and we look forward to delivering the very first 787-10 to them next year.”

With more than 1,280 orders from 70 customers worldwide, the 787 Dreamliner family offers three modern and efficient airplanes that are optimized for markets ranging from 200 seats to over 350 seats. To date, more than 600 787s have entered commercial service. They have flown nearly 200 million people on more than 560 unique routes – including 156 new nonstop routes – while saving an estimated 19 billion pounds of fuel.

The 787-10, the largest family member, adds seats and cargo capacity while offering 25 percent better fuel efficiency per seat and lower emissions than the airplanes it will replace. The combination of capability, reliability and efficiency has attracted carriers from around the world, including Asia where the 787-10 will be able to connect all points within Asia at lower seat costs than any other twin-aisle airplane, with the flexibility to also link to Europe, Africa and Oceania.

The 777X, builds on the passenger-preferred and market-leading 777, and will be the largest and most-efficient twin-engine jet in the world, with the latest innovative technologies, including the most advanced, fuel-efficient commercial engine ever. Opening new growth opportunities for airlines, the 777-9 will have the lowest operating cost per seat of any commercial airplane. The 777-9 seats 400-425 passengers with a range of 7,600 nautical miles (14,075 km) and is the only twin-engine available of its size.

SEATTLE, – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Vietnam Airlines announced a five-year exclusive pilot-training agreement to support the Hanoi-based airline’s 787 Dreamliners.

Under the agreement, Boeing Flight Services, a business unit of Boeing Commercial Aviation Services, will provide flight training for the airline’s new 787 Dreamliner fleet at Boeing’s Singapore training campus. Nearly 90 Vietnam Airlines pilots are expected to undergo training this year.

“With Boeing’s experience and expertise, we are confident that we will have a smooth entry into service with the training and operational support they provide,” said Phan Xuan Duc, executive vice president, Vietnam Airlines. “This expanding cooperation will not only strengthen the relationship between Vietnam Airlines and Boeing, but also provide Vietnam Airlines enough capability to master state-of-the-art technologies and enable Vietnamese pilots to directly operate the most modern aircraft in the world.”

“We are very pleased to provide pilot training to Vietnam Airlines with the industry’s best flight training as they take a very exciting step in expanding their Boeing fleet,” said Sherry Carbary, vice president, Boeing Flight Services. “This is just one way we are giving airlines a competitive edge, by creating tailored training solutions so they can focus on what really matters – keeping pilots and airplanes flying revenue flights.”

The 2015 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook, an industry forecast of aviation personnel demand closely tied to projections for new airplane deliveries around the globe, projects a requirement for 226,000 new commercial airline pilots and 238,000 new technicians in the Asia-Pacific region through 2034.

This regional demand is forecasted to be more than North America and Europe combined. As with personnel demand, the Asia region also leads the demand for new commercial airplane deliveries over the next 20 years, with 14,330 new airplanes needed by 2034 according to Boeing’s 2015 Current Market Outlook.

Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier of Vietnam, operates more than 360 daily flights with its young fleet of modern aircraft.

About the Boeing Edge
Boeing offers a comprehensive portfolio of commercial aviation services, collectively known as the Boeing Edge, bringing value and advantages to customers and the industry. Boeing Flight Services provides integrated offerings to drive optimized performance, efficiency and safety through advanced flight, maintenance and cabin safety training as well as simulator support and services through a global network of campuses on six continents. Boeing provides customers a competitive advantage by solving real operational problems, enabling better decisions, maximizing efficiency and improving environmental performance – intelligent information solutions across the entire aviation ecosystem.

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla — The Boeing [NYSE: BA]-built X-37B autonomous spaceplane today launched on top of a uniquely configured United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

Boeing is the prime contractor for the X-37B spaceplane and facilitates the integration of all experiments into the vehicle ensuring they receive the correct power, thermal and data services required. Boeing also works to identify future reusable platform experiment opportunities on each mission.

The X-37B’s sixth mission is the first to use a service module with additional payload capability to support a variety of experiments for multiple government partners. The mission will deploy FalconSAT-8, a small satellite developed by the U.S. Air Force Academy and sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory, to conduct experiments on orbit. Further, two NASA experiments will study the impact of radiation and other space effects on certain materials and seeds used to grow food. Another experiment by the Naval Research Laboratory will transform solar power into radio frequency microwave energy which could then be transmitted to the ground. In addition, the mission will test reusable space vehicle technologies.

The X-37B first launched in April 2010. Originally designed for missions of 270 days duration, the X-37B has set endurance records during each of its five previous flights. Most recently, X-37B spent 780 days on orbit before returning to Earth in October 2019.

“The X-37B has shifted the paradigm and redefined efficiency in space development, said Jim Chilton, Boeing Space and Launch senior vice president. “The rapid technology advancements enabled by the program will benefit the entire space community and influence the next generation of spacecraft design.”

The X-37B program is a partnership between the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and the United States Space Force. Boeing program management, engineering, test and mission support functions for the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) program are conducted at Boeing sites in Southern California and Florida.

Dublin: Avolon (NYSE: AVOL), the international aircraft leasing company, announces that today it has entered into a definitive merger agreement (the “Merger Agreement”) to be acquired by Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 000415) (“Bohai”) at a price of US$31 cash per common share (the “Transaction”).

Under the terms of the Transaction, which has been unanimously approved by Avolon’s Board of Directors, all Avolon shareholders will receive US$31 in cash for each Avolon common share they hold, in a transaction with a total enterprise value of approximately US$7.6 billion. US$31 per share represents a 31% premium to Avolon’s undisturbed closing price on July 13, 2015 of US$23.73 per share, the closing price prior to the announcement of Bohai’s initial intention to acquire a 20% stake in Avolon. US$31 per share also represents a 55% premium to Avolon’s initial public offering at US$20 per share in December 2014.

The agreed price in the Merger Agreement of US$31 per share, as against an indicative offer price of US$32 per share described in Avolon’s press release dated August 10, 2015, reflects significant volatility across global equity markets.

To provide greater certainty of value and reflecting its commitment to the Transaction, Bohai will increase its deposit by US$100 million to a total of US$350 million. Bohai has already paid a deposit of US$75 million. A further US$200 million will be paid on September 4, 2015 and the final US$75 million will be paid by September 15, 2015. The total US$350 million deposit represents approximately US$4.25 per Avolon common share and is payable to Avolon in certain circumstances if the Transaction is not consummated.

The Transaction is subject to customary conditions including receipt of certain required regulatory approvals and the approval of Avolon and Bohai’s shareholders. To facilitate the approval process, affiliates of CVC Capital, Cinven, Oak Hill Capital, GIC and their respective syndicate investors have agreed to vote their shares in favour of the Transaction at the shareholder meeting to be held to approve the transaction and HNA Group, Bohai’s largest shareholder, has agreed to vote its shareholding in Bohai in favour of the Transaction. The Transaction is not subject to any conditions related to financing or Chinese capital control approvals. The purchase price is guaranteed by HNA
Group.

The Transaction is expected to close by the first quarter of 2016.

Denis Nayden, Avolon’s Chairman, commented:
“Avolon is an established leader in the global aircraft leasing industry and we are pleased to announce this agreement with Bohai. Avolon has delivered significant returns for all shareholders and we believe Bohai are the right shareholder for the Avolon business in the next stage of growth. We believe Bohai will enhance Avolon’s profile, positioning and relationships in the Chinese aviation market – a market which we believe offers one of the most compelling growth opportunities in global aviation over the next two decades.”

Dómhnal Slattery, Avolon’s CEO, commented:
“I would like to thank all of our shareholders and, in particular, our sponsors who have been with us on this journey since our foundation in 2010. Avolon would not be the leading industry player it is today without the commitment and hard work of our team who have built a business with an enterprise value of $7.6 billion. It is a remarkable achievement and one of which we are all very proud. We look forward to the strategic development of Avolon under Bohai’s leadership.”

Chris Jin, CEO of Bohai, commented:
“Avolon is a leader in the aircraft leasing industry with a proven team and platform. We are delighted to announce this agreement to acquire the business. Our vision at Bohai is to build each of our transportation finance businesses into global leaders. Avolon has delivered remarkable growth over the past 5 years to become a leading industry franchise with a distinct business model, and the company is a strong complement to our existing investment in the aircraft leasing sector.”

Hal Hayward, Managing Director of Bravia Capital, commented:
“We are pleased to have been able to increase the stake that Bohai previously contracted to acquire to a full buyout of the company. Under Bohai ownership, Avolon will gain increased access to the fast growing Chinese market, strong support for continued growth worldwide and clear competitive advantages that come with additional size, scale and diversity.”

About Avolon Holdings Limited
Avolon is an international aircraft leasing company, headquartered in Ireland, with regional offices in China, Dubai, Singapore and the United States. Avolon provides aircraft leasing and lease management services. At June 30, 2015, Avolon had an owned, managed and committed fleet of 260 aircraft serving 56 customers in 33 countries. See: www.avolon.aero

About Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd.
Bohai Leasing is a Chinese public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and is the only listed leasing company in China. Bohai owns a portfolio of world class equipment and transportation asset leasing companies and is a majority controlled subsidiary of the HNA Group of PRC (“HNA”). For more information, please visit Bohai’s website: www.bohaileasing.com/en/

British Airways has been named the winning Consumer Superbrand of 2014, securing the top position against 1,500 other brands vying for the prestigious title. It’s the first time an airline or travel brand of any kind has topped the poll.

The UK’s Consumer Superbrands are chosen by the British public in a national survey of 3,000 adults. The annual survey, which has been identifying the UK’s leading brands since 1995, was managed by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA).

Frank van der Post, British Airways’ managing director brands and customer experience, said: “We are thrilled to be named the Consumer Superbrand of the year. The greatest accolade is that the hard work of our teams has been recognised by the public to receive this coveted award.

“We are very proud of what we have achieved in recent years – from our role in the London 2012 Games and our investment in new aircraft and cabins, to our ‘To Fly. To Serve.’ campaign. We will not take this award for granted, but will continue to build on our success.”

The airline’s recent achievements include:

Introducing new aircraft to the fleet, including the superjumbo A380, and 787 Dreamliner– the most technological advanced aircraft in the world
Innovating – introducing iPads to our senior cabin crew allowing them to tap into customer preference, extending in-flight entertainment until landing, and trialling digital bag tags
Receiving Sports Industry Awards and a PRCA award for our role in the London 2012 Games. This included delivering the Olympic Flame into the country, launching the ‘Home Advantage’ campaign, hosting 700,000 people at ‘Park Live’ at the Olympic Park, and a fly-past over The Mall at the end of the Games to thank the fans and athletes
Being named ‘Best Airline Worldwide’ and ‘Best short-haul carrier’ in the Business Traveller Awards 2012
Raising £6.5 million for Comic Relief through our Flying Start partnership

Stephen Cheliotis, Chief Executive of The Centre for Brands Analysis and Chairman of the Superbrands Council said: “It’s great to see British Airways soar into first place; it has always performed well in the survey but over the last two years its reputation has climbed to new heights, partly through the cementing of its successful ‘To Fly. To Serve.’ positioning and the residual goodwill from its effective 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games association.”

This Press Release is courtesy of www.ba.com

The FAA received an overwhelming response to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Mythbusters February 26, web item. In response to inquiries, we are providing additional information on UAS operations and the regulations that apply to those operations. Here are some common myths and the clarifying facts.

Myth #1: Unmanned aircraft are not aircraft.
Fact –Unmanned aircraft, regardless of whether the operation is for recreational, hobby, business, or commercial purposes, are aircraft within both the definitions found in statute under title 49 of U.S. Code, section 40102(a)(6) [49 U.S.C. § 40102(a)(6)] and title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations section 1.1.[14 C.F.R. § 1.1].
Section 40102(a)(6) defines an aircraft as “any contrivance invented, used, or designed to navigate or fly in the air.” The FAA’s regulations (14 C.F.R. § 1.1.) similarly define an aircraft as “a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air.” Because an unmanned aircraft is a contrivance/device that is invented, used, and designed to fly in the air, an unmanned aircraft is an aircraft based on the unambiguous language in the FAA’s statute and regulations.

In addition, Public Law 112-95, Section 331(6),(8), and (9) expressly defines the terms “small unmanned aircraft,” “unmanned aircraft,” and “unmanned aircraft system” as aircraft. Model aircraft are also defined as “aircraft” per Public Law 112-95, section 336(c).

Myth #2: Unmanned aircraft are not subject to FAA regulation.
Fact –All civil aircraft are subject to FAA regulation under law: 49 U.S.C. § 44701. For example, 14 C.F.R. part 91 applies generally to the operation of aircraft.

Myth #3: The FAA doesn’t control airspace below 400 feet
Fact—The FAA is responsible for air safety from the ground up. Under 49 U.S.C. § 40103(b)(2), the FAA has broad authority to prescribe regulations to protect individuals and property on the ground and to prevent collisions between aircraft, between aircraft and land or water vehicles, and between aircraft and airborne objects. Consistent with its authority, the FAA presently has regulations that apply to the operation of all aircraft, whether manned or unmanned, and irrespective of the altitude at which the aircraft is operating. For example, 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 prohibits any person from operating an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

Myth #4: UAS flights operated for commercial or business purposes are OK if the vehicle is small and operated over private property and below 400 feet.
Fact—All UAS operations for commercial or business purposes are subject to FAA regulation. At a minimum, any such flights require a certified aircraft and a certificated pilot. UAS operations for commercial or business purposes cannot be operated under the special rule for model aircraft found in section 336 of Public Law 112-95.
To date, only two UAS models (the Scan Eagle and Aerovironment’s Puma) have been certified for commercial use, and they are only authorized to fly in the Arctic. Public entities (federal, state and local governments and public universities) may apply for a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). The FAA reviews and approves UAS operations over densely-populated areas on a case-by-case basis.

Myth #5: There are too many commercial UAS operations for the FAA to stop.
Fact—The FAA has to prioritize its safety responsibilities, but the agency is monitoring UAS operations closely. Many times, the FAA learns about suspected commercial UAS operations via a complaint from the public or other businesses. The agency occasionally discovers such operations through the news media or postings on internet sites. When the FAA discovers UAS operations in violation of the FAA’s regulations, the agency has a number of enforcement tools available to address these operations, including a verbal warning, a warning letter, and legal enforcement action.

Myth #6: Commercial UAS operations will be OK after September 30, 2015.
Fact—In the 2012 FAA reauthorization legislation (Public Law 112-95), Congress told the FAA to come up with a plan for “safe integration” of UAS by September 30, 2015. Safe integration will be incremental. The agency is writing regulations, which will supplement existing regulations that currently are applicable to the operation of all aircraft (both manned and unmanned), that will apply more specifically to a wide variety of UAS users. The FAA expects to publish a proposed rule for small UAS – under about 55 pounds – later this year. That proposed rule likely will include provisions for commercial operations.

Myth #7:The FAA is lagging behind other countries in approving commercial drones.
Fact– This comparison is flawed. The United States has the busiest, most complex airspace in the world, including many general aviation aircraft that we must consider when planning UAS integration, because those same airplanes and small UAS may occupy the same airspace.
Developing all the rules and standards we need is a very complex task, and we want to make sure we get it right the first time. We want to strike the right balance of requirements for UAS to help foster growth in an emerging industry with a wide range of potential uses, but also keep all airspace users and people on the ground safe.

Myth #8: The FAA predicts as many as 30,000 drones by 2030.
Fact—That figure is outdated. It was an estimate in the FAA’s 2011 Aerospace Forecast. Since then, the agency has refined its prediction to focus on the area of greatest expected growth.
We believe that the civil UAS markets will evolve within the constraints of the regulatory and airspace requirements. Once enabled, commercial markets will develop and demand will be created for additional UAS and the accompanying services they can provide. Once enabled, we estimate roughly 7,500 commercial sUAS would be viable at the end of five years.

This was courtesy of www.faa.gov

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Jan. 24, 2022 — AirCar the dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle has been issued the official Certificate of Airworthiness by the Slovak Transport Authority, following the successful completion of 70 hours of rigorous flight testing compatible with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards, with over 200 takeoffs and landings.

The challenging flight tests included the full range of flight and performance maneuvers and demonstrated an astonishing static and dynamic stability in the aircraft mode. The takeoff and landing procedures were achieved even without the pilot’s need to touch the flight controls.

It took a team of 8 highly skilled specialists and over 100,000 manhours to convert design drawings into mathematical models with CFD analysis calculations, wind tunnel testing, 1:1 design prototype powered by electric 15KW engine to 1000kg 2-seat dual-mode prototype powered by 1.6L BMW engine that achieved the crucial certification milestone.

“AirCar certification opens the door for mass production of very efficient flying cars. It is official and the final confirmation of our ability to change mid-distance travel forever,” said Professor Stefan Klein, the inventor, leader of the development team and the test pilot. “50 years ago, the car was the epitome of freedom,” says Anton Zajac, the project cofounder. “AirCar expands those frontiers, by taking us into the next dimension; where road meets sky.”

“Professor Stefan Klein is the world leader in the development of user-friendly Flying Cars. His latest (fifth) version is the pinnacle achievement in the new category of flying cars!” said Dr. Branko Sarh, Boeing Co. Senior Technical Fellow. “The automated transition from road vehicle into an air vehicle and vice versa, deploying/retracting wings and tail is not only the result of pioneering enthusiasm, innovative spirit and courage; it is an outcome of excellent engineering and professional knowledge,” he noted after AirCar’s first intercity flight last year.

“Transportation Authority carefully monitored all stages of unique AirCar development from its start in 2017. The transportation safety is our highest priority. AirCar combines top innovations with safety measures in line with EASA standards. It defines a new category of a sports car and a reliable aircraft. Its certification was both a challenging and fascinating task,” said René Molnár, the director of the Civil Aviation Division (Transport Authority of Slovakia).

Klein Vision has already completed tests of a new powerful, lightweight, and efficient ADEPT Airmotive aviation engine and finalized drawings and technical calculations for the upcoming monocoque model with variable pitch propeller expected to reach speeds over 300km/h and range of 1,000km. “ADEPT Airmotive is proud to have our ecologically compliant engines selected to power this exciting and innovative project,” said Richard Schulz – Founder, ADEPT Airmotive. “Klein Vision’s AirCar is an engineering marvel, and we look forward to our long-term cooperation!”, added Raymond Bakker, the ADEPT Technical Director. The new production model is expected to be certified in 12 months.

For video coverage of the flight click here or visit the website www.klein-vision.com.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1731545/Vision_Aircar.jpg

SOURCE AirCar

CONTACT: For further information and AirCar images contact AirCar@Spreckley.co.uk | To organize interviews with AirCar inventor, Professor Stefan Klein and co-founder, Anton Zajac please contact Adam Hartley Hartley@Spreckley.co.uk, +44(0)20 7388 9988

Airbus and China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS) signed a General Terms Agreement (GTA) covering the purchase by Chinese airlines of a total of 300 Airbus aircraft. The GTA was signed in Paris, France by Guillaume Faury, President of Airbus Commercial Aircraft and future Airbus CEO; and Jia Baojun, Chairman of CAS; in the presence of visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The GTA comprises of 290 A320 Family aircraft and 10 A350 XWB Family aircraft, reflecting the strong demand in all market segments including domestic, low cost, regional and international long haul from Chinese carriers.

“We are honoured to support the growth of China’s civil aviation with our leading aircraft families – single-aisle and widebodies,” said Guillaume Faury, President of Airbus Commercial Aircraft and future Airbus CEO. “Our expanding footprint in China demonstrate our lasting confidence in the Chinese market and our long-term commitment to China and our partners.”

According to Airbus’ latest China Market Forecast 2018 to 2037, China will need some 7,400 new passenger and freighters aircraft in the next 20 years. It represents more than 19 percent of the world total demand for over 37,400 new aircraft.

By the end of January 2019, the in-service Airbus fleet with Chinese operators totaled some 1,730 aircraft, of which 1,455 are A320 Family, and 17 are A350 XWB Family planes.

With more than 14,600 A320 Family aircraft ordered and over 8,600 delivered, the A320 is the world’s most successful single-aisle aircraft Family. Of these, the A320neo Family is the world’s best-selling single aisle aircraft with over 6,500 orders from over 100 customers since its launch in 2010. It has pioneered and incorporated the latest technologies, including its new generation engines and the industry’s reference cabin design, delivering 20 percent fuel cost savings alone. The A320neo also offers significant environmental benefits with nearly a 50 percent reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft.

The A350 XWB is the world’s most modern and eco-efficient aircraft family shaping the future of air travel. It is the long-range leader in the large wide-body market (300 to 400+ seats). The A350 XWB offers by design unrivalled operational flexibility and efficiency for all market segments up to ultra-long haul (9,700 nm). It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25% reduction in fuel burn and emissions.

Growing up in Mumbai, India, Rahul Samant learned the value of hard work and humility early on.
“I grew up in a middle class household, living in 380 square feet with my parents and older brother. We certainly were a close family,” he joked. “But what we lacked in material possessions, we made up for in love and humor.”
After earning a degree in electronics engineering from the University of Mumbai, Samant left India to begin a job as a software programmer in London. It was the first time he was ever away from home… and the first time he was ever on a plane.
“It was total culture shock, and I really had to grow up fast,” said Samant.
As he began his climb up the corporate ladder, the virtues his family instilled in him became his guiding force – constantly reminding him of how far he’d come and the future he dreamed of building.
“I always knew I wanted to be the CIO of a major company and managed my career to that overall trajectory,” he recalled.
Following 23 years in financial services at American International Group and Bank of America, Samant joined Delta in February, a path he never imagined, but one he says he’s fortunate to have found.
At AIG, Samant was Chief Digital Officer, responsible for company-wide digital strategy, which included developing programs for client engagement, new business models and digitized operational processes. Prior to AIG, he held various positions at Bank of America, including a two-year stint as CIO of the company’s wealth management division and another three years as the CIO for consumer channels.  
Just six months into his new role at Delta, Samant got the call every CIO dreads: IT systems were down, impacting operations systemwide. Over the next 72 hours, he led Delta’s IT team through the recovery effort and committed to ensuring such an outage would never happen again.
Before that call, Samant had already begun the early stages of a multi-year IT transformation of infrastructure, applications, cyber security and data – all vital parts of nearly every aspect of the customer and employee experience. 
In a recent interview with Delta News Hub, the airline industry newbie and proud father of two shared insights into his ambitious new role, what other tech leaders inspire him and how one of his pet projects turned into a real job.
Delta News Hub: What role does technology play in an airline like Delta?
Samant: Delta is the world’s most reliable airline, and IT has a foundational part to play in keeping aircraft flying safely and on time. Those are the table stakes.
The outage and resulting operational disruption we recently experienced shows just how important a solid, reinforced IT foundation is to our business. The entire leadership team is committed to ensuring that kind of event doesn’t happen at Delta again.

Having a strong IT infrastructure is essential for IT to achieve our higher purpose to power our customers’ experience from beginning to end in a seamless and engaging way. Therefore, we continue to deliver more and more functionality directly to our customers via our mobile and web channels, while at the same time, we equip and enrich our frontline employees with the tools they need to deliver the best customer service in the industry.

I never miss an opportunity to chat up a flight attendant about the functionality of their SkyPro tablet or shadow a below-wing ramp agent to see firsthand how the new RFID baggage tracking is being implemented. I’m always finding new ways to immerse myself in the inner-workings of our business. And as technology changes, we will listen, learn and deliver to our customers’ and employees’ needs.

DNH: What’s the most important thing you’re working on/focused on right now?
Samant: Here at Delta, we have embarked on a multi-year, multi-phase journey to transform IT and provide a more reliable experience for both our customers and employees.
Our mission is two-fold. We want to make technology a source of competitive advantage for Delta, not just be a support function, as well as be a partner of choice, not just be utilized out of necessity. We’re also laser-focused on hiring new talent and retaining a highly-skilled workforce. Ultimately, our aim is to blend those with expertise in the airline domain with those who have backgrounds in contemporary technologies, like Cloud, API’s and mobile.
In May, Delta launched Comfort+, a seating class with extra legroom and additional amenities such as free craft beer and wine. Rolling out this fare type for purchase required Delta to change mobile and web applications, as well as modify reservations, customer service and other back end systems.
In April, we launched our new and improved employee intranet, Deltanet, which over time will serve as a single point of entry into a wide variety of resources.
And Delta has a number of exciting IT-enabled projects in the pipeline for the remainder of the year, including the “Flight Family” project focused on improving communication during the boarding process and the launch of our new routes to Cuba.
The Flight Family Communications project aims to improve communication efficiency through peer-to-peer messaging across the teams who work together to get a flight out on time. This pilot project will include select flight attendants, gate agents, FlightOps and Operations and Customer Center participants on select flights.
Launching service to Cuba is another important project on IT’s to-do list. People often don’t realize the choreography it takes to launch a new route, from the hardware and software applications to the connectivity to the setting up the various airport workstations. It really takes a village, and IT has a hand in it all. 
DNH: What do you think makes a successful leader? How would you describe your leadership style?
Samant: Leadership is about driving change, especially in our uber dynamic world. To lead well, one must instill commitment and inspire a following.
I have three basic tenets for my own style. First, I prize humility and candor.
Second, I live by the three “Ts” – trust, transparency and teamwork.
Third, I lead people AND manage work. When you do the opposite, you risk becoming a micro-manager. What’s most important in a transformational journey, like the one we are embarking on, is creating a realistic vision of our airline powered by reliable, thoughtful and innovative technology, aligning the team with this vision and then making all of them a part of the journey to success.
DNH: What’s been your greatest challenge or career setback and how did you overcome it?
Samant: In 2008, I was the CIO for the wealth management division at Bank of America and was in charge of the integration of an acquisition. Despite rigorous testing, the account conversion went horribly wrong. There were many reasons for it, but as the leader, I took full accountability.
I led the recovery efforts, rallying both our business colleagues and my own IT and operations teams, to remedy the issues account by account. At the time, I was based in Boston but relocated to New York City for two months until we had the situation under control.
DNH: What’s your greatest achievement and how has it shaped you?
Samant: In 1998, as part of a capstone project for my MBA at Wake Forest University, I researched and wrote a paper recommending my employer at the time, Bank of America, globalize their IT operations. I spent the next 24 months circulating the paper to executives several levels higher than me.
Finally, I found a willing sponsor who took me under his wing and asked me to turn my pet project into a full time job. By the time I was done rolling out this new program, we had a global network of centers on three different continents.
More or less, it was like I was an entrepreneur and catalyst for change inside of a major Fortune 500 company. I got broad exposure to disciplines across the company, from cross-border funding to human resources hiring to real estate transactions… and I was a 30-something IT guy!

DNH: What words of wisdom or career advice would you pass on to others?

Samant: Never be on autopilot with your career. If you don’t have clear goals in mind, you’ll never know which path you’re supposed to take and may never feel that fulfillment we all crave from the work we do.

And when it comes to networking, quality trumps quantity. Invest in those relationships and you will earn those connections over time. Remember, networking is nourishing relationships when you don’t need them, not when you do.
Bonus questions…
DNH: What do you enjoy doing when you have the opportunity to step away from the job?

Samant: I treasure time with my wife and my two daughters, one is 22 and the other is 19, especially if we are traveling together since we all enjoy going to new places. I also love reading history and a good spy novel. Before joining Delta, I was very active with an organization representing the Indian diaspora in Charlotte and would like to find another organization or activity that’s close to my heart here in Atlanta when I have a bit more time on hand.  

DNH: What’s your favorite travel destination?
Samant: I have a special fondness for London, since it’s the first destination I flew to in my life. But I have enjoyed some very diverse places around the globe, like Istanbul, Dubrovnik, Machu Picchu and Hong Kong.
My favorite spot in the world is to stand on the Kowloon side of Victoria Harbor looking at the Hong Kong skyline. It is a spectacular view! My travel tip: Get there at twilight and watch the lights come on, then catch the ferry across.
DNH: Where do you most want to travel but never have been?
Samant: My family and I have a long bucket list. In total, I have traveled to 46 countries – three new ones since joining Delta. Russia, Iceland and Australia all top my list of places I want to go, and of course we fly to all three!
DNH: What’s one thing you would never travel without?
Samant: I am a really light sleeper, so my eye mask and ear plugs go with me everywhere just in case the shades in the room don’t close all the way or there is too much ambient noise.
DNH: Which TV shows are on your must-see list?
Samant: I recently finished Season 4 of “House of Cards.” I also love “Elementary” because Sherlock Holmes was my childhood idol.
DNH: What’s on your music playlist?
Samant: I enjoy a lot of different music, but I mainly carry a large collection of Indian music in two languages on my iPod. It ranges from the 60s to the 2000s. I love it for the nostalgic value.
DNH: What’s the last book you read?
Samant: I recently read this really interesting tech book called “Exponential Organizations” and met the author who grew up less than a mile away from where I lived in Mumbai.
Since joining Delta, I made a point to read “Glory Lost and Found.” It was quite educational for me as a newcomer and filled me in on the ups and downs the airline has gone through. I am amazed at the resilience of Delta’s employees and the strength of its culture through the tough times.
DNH: What is your favorite or most notable item in your office?

Samant: My growing collection of model planes, thanks to Delta President Glen Hauenstein. He seeded the collection with three really awesome ones.

DNH: Who’s your personal hero?

Samant: I am the product of my varied experiences and the many mentors who have guided me along the way. When I think back to what my parents did for me and the values they instilled in my brother and I, they are the people I admire most on this planet.

DNH: Who are your social media influencers/who do you follow on Twitter?
Samant: I follow a lot of different tech publications for my own continuing education, like Engadget, TechCrunch, Mashable and CNET.
I also follow some of the most notable leaders in the industry like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
I also keep tabs on my favorite cricket players, the Prime Minister of India, plus close friends and ex-bosses!

The CMA has decided that there is no material change in circumstances or special reason for it not to require Ryanair to reduce its shareholding in Aer Lingus to 5%.
Plane
This follows the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) provisional decision in April 2015.

The CMA has also today published the final order requiring Ryanair Holdings plc (Ryanair) to sell its 29.8% stake in Aer Lingus Group plc (Aer Lingus) down to 5%.

In the light of IAG’s current bid for Aer Lingus, the CMA will ensure that implementation of this remedy interacts effectively with the bid process and the assessment of the bid by the European Commission.

Simon Polito, Chairman of the Ryanair/Aer Lingus inquiry group, said:

IAG’s bid for Aer Lingus is dependent on securing Ryanair’s agreement to sell its shareholding. This recent development illustrates that Ryanair can decide whether a bid for its major competitor on UK/Irish routes succeeds or fails.

This concern was an important part of our decision to require Ryanair to reduce its shareholding. It’s not good for competition when one company holds such an influence over the future of one of its major competitors.

Although at this point Ryanair has yet to decide whether to sell its shares to IAG, we need to ensure that, whatever happens in relation to this particular transaction, Ryanair’s ability to hold sway over Aer Lingus is removed.

It is clear that the timing of IAG’s bid has been influenced by the prospect of Ryanair being forced to sell the majority of its shareholding. IAG has said that it would not be interested in acquiring any airline with a significant minority investor. The conditional nature of IAG’s bid is consistent with this and our original assessment that Ryanair’s presence was likely to deter other airlines from entering into, pursuing or concluding combinations with Aer Lingus.

In our view the circumstances of the IAG bid and other issues raised by Ryanair do not amount to a material change in circumstances or special reason not to take action to remedy the substantial lessening of competition identified in our 2013 report.

We will liaise closely with other authorities to ensure that our requirement for Ryanair to reduce its stake in Aer Lingus works effectively alongside shareholders’ consideration of the IAG bid and assessment of the bid by the European Commission.

In February 2015, Ryanair had requested that the CMA re-examine its decision to require it to sell its 29.8% stake in Aer Lingus down to 5%. This followed a judgment from the Court of Appeal dismissing Ryanair’s legal challenge to this decision.

Ryanair argued in particular that IAG’s proposed bid for Aer Lingus and the period of time that has elapsed since the decision was originally made by the Competition Commission in its report in August 2013, constituted a material change of circumstances and that the CMA was no longer entitled to impose a divestment remedy on Ryanair.

After receiving that request, the CMA invited submissions from interested parties. After considering responses from Aer Lingus, IAG and the Irish government – and further submissions from Ryanair – the inquiry group of independent CMA panel members provisionally decided that there had been no material change in circumstances or special reason not to proceed to implement the remedies set out in the report. Following that provisional decision, which was published in April 2015, the CMA considered further submissions before coming to its final decision.

ATLANTA, — Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today announced it will begin offering free entertainment options on all of its domestic aircraft and two-cabin regional jets beginning on Aug. 1.

The move is the most far-reaching effort by an airline to provide hit movies, popular television shows, music and video games for free. With the introduction of Delta Studio and the airline’s investments to update the interiors of its aircraft, Delta is setting the standard for customers when it comes to free entertainment across more than 1,000 aircraft.

All Delta customers, in every class of service on flights longer than one and a half hours, will have access to a selection of free entertainment options, either at their seat or through their laptops, mobile and tablet devices. Free entertainment options are available on flights with seat-back entertainment systems or on demand video streaming onboard Delta’s Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft.

“Through the introduction of Delta Studio our customers have yet another reason to choose Delta and a different travel experience,” said Tim Mapes, senior vice president – Marketing. “Delta continues to be driven by customer feedback which has consistently placed the desire to be entertained at the top of the list of ways to improve our customers’ time in the air.”

Delta customers seated in BusinessElite, First Class and Economy Comfort will have free, unrestricted access to in-flight entertainment on all international flights worldwide. Customers traveling in economy on all international flights will also have access to free content. Delta completed installation of seat-back entertainment systems on its international fleet in 2013.

Customers traveling on domestic flights in BusinessElite, First Class and Economy Comfort will have free access to all in-flight entertainment. Domestic economy customers will have access to free content which includes all of Delta’s live satellite TV channels, music selections and game options through seat-back entertainment systems as well as movie or TV selections such as ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ or ‘Frozen’ on seat-back systems in August as well as streaming content through in-flight Wi-Fi.

Additional premium content will be available for purchase in economy including the latest movie titles such as ‘Need for Speed’ or ‘Rio 2,’ HBO and SHOWTIME programming as well as on-demand TV shows like ‘About a Boy’ or ‘The Middle.’ Delta’s full entertainment line-up for the month of August is available in Sky magazine.

Seat-back In-flight Entertainment
Delta offers 18 channels of live satellite TV on select aircraft and up to 250 movies, hundreds of TV shows, 2,300 songs and a selection of games on aircraft with seat-back entertainment systems. Delta is the only U.S. carrier to offer personal, on-demand entertainment at every seat on all long-haul international flights.

Delta has 140 domestic aircraft with seat-back entertainment systems installed and recently announced that it will be updating more of its domestic narrowbody aircraft through 2016. These fleet interior modifications will add seat-back entertainment to 56 Boeing 757-200, 43 Boeing 737-800s and 57 Airbus A319 aircraft. Additionally, more than 100 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft are already scheduled to be delivered with seat-back entertainment through 2018.

In-flight streaming through onboard Wi-Fi
Customers traveling on any domestic Delta or Delta Connection two-cabin aircraft equipped with Wi-Fi will be able to stream free movies and TV options directly to their mobile devices while in flight by using Gogo’s video player app. The Fly Delta app will include an integrated player for iOS devices. Customers who have downloaded the app before their flight can easily access streamed content from Delta aircraft for playback while in-flight.

With more than 900 domestic and international aircraft equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi, Delta operates the world’s largest fleet of internet connected aircraft available to more than 400,000 customers on more than 4,000 flights daily. Delta’s in-flight connectivity continues to expand with the installation of the service on its international fleet. All Boeing 777, 767, 747, Airbus A330 and transoceanic Boeing 757 aircraft are scheduled for completion by the end of 2015, bringing the total number of Wi-Fi connected aircraft in Delta’s fleet to more than 1,000.

Artist Spotlight and Billboard Partnership
In June, Delta also launched its new music discovery platform for popular and emerging artists called Delta Artist Spotlight. The monthly program kicked off with newcomer Sam Smith and his debut album, ‘In The Lonely Hour’ by introducing his music to millions of passengers through overhead music during boarding and deplaning as well as offering custom content selections for aircraft equipped with seat-back entertainment systems. July featured Scottish electronic band Chvrches and Canadian-born songstress Kiezsa will be highlighted in the month of August.

Delta launched an industry-first partnership with Billboard in July to provide new ergonomically designed earbuds on flights more than 250 miles that feature seat-back and overhead entertainment. As one of the world’s most influential music brands, Billboard brings a new level of expertise to the redesigned earbuds resulting in better sound quality and improved comfort. The earbuds are complimentary for all customers traveling on all international flights as well as flights between New York and Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle. Customers seated in domestic economy or Economy Comfort can purchase the earbuds for $2.

Images of Delta’s in-flight entertainment systems are available at news.delta.com:

A330 Economy In-Flight Entertainment
747 Economy In-flight entertainment
737 Economy In-Flight Entertainment
777 BusinessElite In-flight Entertainment
Delta has invested billions of dollars in the customer experience, including updating interiors with more baggage space and access to power on 225 of its domestic narrowbody aircraft and building a new Terminal 4 at New York-JFK and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in Atlanta. Delta has also spent more than $100 million to expand, renovate and consolidate terminals C and D at New York-LaGuardia Airport and opened a Sky Deck at Delta Sky Clubs in New York-JFK and Atlanta in 2013. Additionally, customers have seen Delta’s investment in its more than 45 Delta Sky Clubs throughout the system, power recharging stations at dozens of airports, and continued updates to the Fly Delta app including features such as integrated baggage tracking and mobile check-in. Customers can see a complete overview of Delta’s ongoing updates to its products with the Delta Fleet Sheet on Facebook.

Delta Air Lines serves nearly 165 million customers each year. This year, Delta was named the 2014 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine and was named to FORTUNE magazine’s 50 Most Admired Companies, in addition to being named the most admired airline for the third time in four years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 333 destinations in 64 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta’s blog takingoff.delta.com.

NEW YORK, – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and JFK International Air Terminal LLC (JFKIAT) today unveiled the next phase of a Terminal 4 expansion at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The $175 million project adds 11 gates and 75,000 square feet to Terminal 4’s Concourse B and continues Delta’s $1.2 billion investment to enhance and expand the terminal.

Delta Air Lines and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 370 destinations on six continents. For more information visit news.delta.com.
“The newest enhancements at Terminal 4 underscore the significant investment Delta is making in New York City’s airports—nearly $2 billion over the last six years,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s president. “Our customers and employees are benefitting from substantial enhancements to our JFK operations, and we thank our partners at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFKIAT for working with Delta to create a world-class facility that meets—and, we believe, exceeds—the expectations of today’s modern travelers.”

Through this latest investment, Delta is significantly enhancing the customer experience at Terminal 4 and Terminal 2 by relocating a majority of its Delta Connection flights at JFK from Terminal 2 to the expanded Concourse B in Terminal 4. This will streamline travel for those with connecting flights at JFK and enhance access to amenities at both terminals.

“Delta’s Terminal 4 at JFK is a world-class entrance to the Big Apple, and with 11 brand-new gates and more area in the B Concourse, this expansion will further enhance visitors’ first impressions of this great city,” said Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) “I applaud Delta for investing in this nearly $200 million job-creating expansion project, as well as the Port Authority and JFKIAT for their hard work in making this project a reality.”

The new gates at Terminal 4 will feature enclosed jet bridges and offer customers proximity to a flagship Sky Club and chef-driven restaurants. The expansion also facilitates intra-terminal connections with the addition of a new JFK Jitney bus stop at the end of Concourse B in Terminal 4 near the new gates. This will complement the existing stops located by gate B18 at the base of Concourse B in Terminal 4 and by gate C60 at Terminal 2.

“The Port Authority and our airline partners are committed to continuing our initiatives to transform and modernize JFK Airport into a world-class facility befitting the hundreds of thousands of people who fly in and out of our region each day,” said Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye. “We applaud Delta’s investment in New York City’s airports to modernize and expand its terminal operations, and we will continue to work with all of our stakeholders to make sure JFK continues to serve as a premier source of job creation and economic activity.”

As a result of the expansion at Terminal 4, Delta customers at Terminal 2 will also enjoy an improved experience, as all Delta flights that will continue to operate there will use climate-controlled jet bridges. Customers will also have access to a renovated Sky Club, convenient iPad stations and a chef-driven food and beverage program featuring seven food and beverage concepts, fresh markets, coffee shops and concierge services. In Q2 2015, the Terminal 2 bus stop will be refreshed, with escalators and elevators installed.

“Delta’s ongoing investment at JFK helps ensure that Queens, New York, is the home of the world-class air travel experience that tens of millions of travelers expect and deserve,” said Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.). “This state-of-the-art expansion adds a welcome new dimension to JFK’s goal of delivering a modern, safe and enjoyable gateway for travel around the globe.”

“We applaud Delta’s continued commitment to one of the world’s busiest airports, which is also part of our own neighborhood in the city we’re proud to call home,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.

The expanded Terminal 4—which JFKIAT has successfully operated for more than a decade—improves the customer experience for the 12 million passengers Delta serves at JFK annually. It also builds on Delta’s $1.2 billion redevelopment of Terminal 4, which opened in May 2013. That expansion featured nine new and seven renovated international gates; improved and renovated check-in areas, including a dedicated Sky Priority check-in area; a centralized security checkpoint; new dining and retail offerings; a new 24,000 square-foot flagship Delta Sky Club with the first-ever Sky Deck outdoor terrace; dual taxiways for less congestion and shorter taxi times; and improved Customs and Border Protection and baggage claim facilities.

“JFKIAT is pleased to join Delta to unveil the latest expansion at JFK Terminal 4,” said Gert-Jan de Graaff, president and CEO, JFKIAT. “We applaud the company’s commitment to develop an infrastructure at JFK that truly caters to the modern traveler.”

“Delta’s investments at JFK will increase capacity and improve the experience of millions of visitors—both of which will positively impact the city’s economy,” said Kyle Kimball, president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. “We congratulate Delta, JFKIAT and the Port Authority on today’s expansion and look forward to their continued progress at the city’s airports.”

Over the last six years, Delta has invested nearly $2 billion in New York City’s airports, leading the way in improving the traveler experience by bringing state-of-the-art technology, award-winning chefs and exceptional customer service to New York passengers.

About Delta in New York
Delta Air Lines is New York City’s largest and fastest-growing carrier with 460 peak-day departures to more than 110 destinations worldwide from its hubs at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport – including more destinations from New York State than any other airline as well as nonstop service to five continents. Delta’s Terminal 4 at JFK, a $1.2 billion state-of-the-art international gateway, opened in May 2013; a $175 million second-phase extension of 11 new gates opened in January 2015. The airline has also invested more than $160 million to expand and update Terminals C and D at LaGuardia. Product investments include flat-bed seats in the premium cabin on all widebody international flights as well as on eight daily flights between New York-JFK and Los Angeles International Airport. Aircraft with flat-bed seats will be introduced on flights between New York-JFK and San Francisco by summer 2015. Additionally, the unique Delta Shuttle product offers the only hourly service from New York-LGA to Boston, Chicago O’Hare and Washington D.C. Delta’s three metropolitan-area airports carried 23.6 million domestic and international passengers in 2013, up from 22.1 million passengers in 2012. Delta and its nearly 10,000 New York-based employees are part of the fabric of the New York community, acting as the official airline of the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Rangers, Madison Square Garden, Food Bank for New York City, New York Wine and Food and amfAR, among many others.

About Delta
Delta Air Lines serves more than 170 million customers each year. Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for four consecutive years, a first for any airline. Additionally, Delta was named the 2014 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine and was named to FORTUNE magazine’s top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the third time in four years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 327 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta’s blog takingoff.delta.com.

About JFKIAT
JFKIAT, LLC is the operator of Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, one of the most active air terminals in the New York area, serving 31 international and domestic airlines with an annual passenger volume of more than 17.1 million travelers in 2014. With an expansion completed in 2014, passengers traveling through Terminal 4 can visit an outstanding selection of new and upgraded restaurants and bars, including world-class eateries, well-known casual dining, healthy options, and food-to-go. Terminal 4’s expansive shopping mall offers an unparalleled shopping experience for travelers with a wide range of retail options including upscale boutiques, convenience stores, electronics, accessories and gifts. Terminal 4 is the only air terminal in North America operated by a private management company. JFKIAT, LLC is owned by Schiphol USA Inc., a U.S. affiliate of Schiphol Group. Visit us at www.jfkiat.com.

FRANKFURT, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has partnered with Landesbank Berlin (LBB) and MasterCard Worldwide to launch the airline’s newest European credit card. The Delta MasterCard with Business package is now available and offers cardholders a range of benefits.

Cardholders will receive two miles for every Euro spent on Delta purchases and one mile for every Euro spent on all other purchases with Delta’s SkyMiles frequent flyer programme. Miles can then be redeemed for Award Travel with Delta and other airline partners, mileage upgrades and Delta Sky Club memberships. Card holder can also use miles to pay for all or part of the fare.

Card holders will also receive 10,000 bonus miles when spending €1,000 in the first three months of the card being issued. The Silver Medallion status will be given to cardholders free of charge for the first year of the credit card, which provides elite benefits such as Priority Check-In, baggage fee waivers, and Priority Boarding when flying with Delta.

“Germany is one of the top European markets for Delta’s SkyMiles members so it was a natural choice to launch a credit card here,” said Jennie Ho, Delta’s managing director of SkyMiles international partnerships. “The card underlines our commitment to our German customers, who can now be even more rewarded when travelling through our network of airports across the country.”

With 2,8 million cards issued LBB is the largest issuer of fee-charging credit cards in Germany. For over 20 years, LBB has established itself as an authority on the co-branding market for credit cards and focuses on marketing premium products through the strong, trusted brands of their partners. LBB controls the entire value chain in card business, thereby securing a high level of quality combined with flexibility, fast reaction capability and short decision-making paths.

“We are very pleased to welcome Delta Air Lines as one of the world’s leading air carriers enhancing our cobranding travel segment”, says Andreas Urbanczyk, director DirektBankService at LBB AG and responsible for cobranding business. “From now on Delta’s German customers are able to enjoy attractive benefits of the Delta MasterCard.”

Pawel Rychlinski, Mastercard’s division president Germany and Switzerland added ”The partnership is an important signal as Delta Air Lines, one of the most significant carriers, has chosen to work with Landesbank Berlin to offer its loyalty based payment solution to cardholders based on MasterCard technology which makes payments fast, secure and convenient.”

Delta currently operates daily service from four cities in Germany, namely Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, and Dusseldorf with flights to New York-JFK, Atlanta and Detroit. Last year, Delta carried over 800,000 passengers between Germany and the United States with popular onward destinations including Florida and San Francisco.

More people flew Delta last Friday than any previous day in the airline’s history, as 624,000 revenue customers departed on flights to destinations around the globe aboard 5,903 Delta and Delta Connection flights. That was like carrying the entire population of Baltimore in a single day.

The record enplanements beat the previous No. 1 day—June 30 this year—by about 6,500 customers. Delta first eclipsed the 600,000 customer mark on July 31, 2015.

“Summer is our World Series,” said Dave Holtz, Delta’s Senior Vice President—Operations and Customer Center. “Our employees are knocking it out of the park. We’re getting our customers to their vacation spots, connecting people with their families and providing very reliable business travel. We are busier, yet more reliable this summer than we ever have, delivering upon our promise to be the most reliable airline in industry.”

The airline record comes in the busiest operational month of the year, with near-daily enplanements above a half-million and about 17 million customers expected to fly in July. In fact, of the top 10 planned busiest operational days of the year, eight of them fall in July, debunking the oft-reported story that the days leading up to and following Thanksgiving are the busiest of the year.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, Delta anticipates flying roughly 5,800 flights on the Sunday after Turkey Day, so it won’t even make the top 10 busiest days of the year by flight count.

ATLANTA, May 29, 2015 — Delta Air Lines’ (NYSE: DAL) 2014 Corporate Responsibility Report details accomplishments initiated last year to improve sustainability, highlighting the airline’s environmental commitment, community involvement, supply chain management, employee relations, operational reliability and financial performance.

Delta Air Lines and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 370 destinations on six continents. For more information visit news.delta.com.
“We believe that reducing our impact on the environment is a business imperative,” said John Laughter, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance. “We remain committed to reporting on our performance and doing what we can to address climate change through ongoing fuel efficiency improvements.”

Delta’s 2014 Corporate Responsibility Report can be accessed online at delta.com/responsibility and features an introductory letter from Delta’s CEO Richard Anderson.

Significant accomplishments in the 2014 report include:

Achieving carbon-neutral growth based on 2012 emission levels through the purchase of more than 1.7 million carbon offsets
Reducinghazardous waste generation system-wide by 14 percent
Expanding Delta’s In-Flight Recycling program to 33 cities, which increased recycled material by 6.8 percent
Diverting 12,640 pounds of life vests, 65,000 pounds of carpet and 7,973 tons of leather seat covers through upcycling efforts
Continuing a tradition of support for a variety of charitable organizations both in the U.S. and internationally, including the American Cancer Society, the American Red Cross, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, CARE, the Ghana Red Cross Society, Habitat for Humanity International, KaBOOM!, The Prince’s Trust and the United Way
Exceeding minority and women-owned business enterprises and diverse supplier performance goals by 2.5 percent and 7 percent respectively
Reducing Delta’s employee injury rate by 4 percent relative to 2013 levels
Rewarding the efforts of Delta employees with more than $1 billion in profit sharing and $84 million in bonuses for meeting operational goals
Delivering best-in-class operational performance withon-time arrivals at 84 percent and a completion factor of 99 percent, excluding the impact of storms
Reporting a $4.5 billion profit for the year, excluding special items, an all-time record for the airline industry
The 2014 report also highlights the airline’s continued focus on the fuel efficiency of its aircraft and ground support equipment, providing commute options for employees and creating opportunities for customers to offset greenhouse gas emissions associated with their flights.

Additionally, Delta successfully verified its complete 2014 greenhouse gas emissions inventory under The Climate Registry and was again named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North American Index and has been since 2011.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 170 million customers each year. Delta was named to FORTUNE magazine’s top 50 World’s Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the fourth time in five years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for four consecutive years, a first for any airline. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 327 destinations in 60 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta’s blog takingoff.delta.com.

ATLANTA, – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) employees today will receive profit sharing as part of the company’s $1.1 billion total payout for 2014 – the largest payment in the company’s history – in recognition for their industry-leading performance.

Delta Air Lines and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 370 destinations on six continents. For more information visit news.delta.com.
“At Delta, we believe that people, values and culture drive our success,” said Richard Anderson, Delta’s chief executive officer. “We call it the ‘Delta Difference.’ It is essential for our employees to have an ownership stake in our business and share in the record-breaking achievements they helped create. Thank you to Delta’s 80,000 people worldwide, who made 2014 an exceptional year by taking great care of our customers.”

Total individual payouts will equal more than 16 percent of employees’ eligible 2014 earnings, which equates to an average of nearly two months’ salary. In October 2014, Delta paid a 5 percent advance on profit sharing to employees.

The 2014 payout is a record for the airline industry, and among the highest for any U.S. corporation.

In addition to profit sharing, Delta’s Shared Rewards program pays out monthly bonuses for meeting corporate operational goals throughout the year.

In 2014, Delta employees earned more than $84 million in Shared Rewards as the company achieved history-making operational and financial results. Delta has paid out $2.9 billion to employees in profit sharing and Shared Rewards during the past five years.

Delta employees will be honored for their record-breaking performance today at events held across its global network.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 170 million customers each year. Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for four consecutive years, a first for any airline. Additionally, Delta was named to FORTUNE magazine’s top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the third time in four years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 326 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta’s blog takingoff.delta.com.

LONDON, – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has expanded the menus offered by its celebrated New York restaurant partner Blue Smoke on routes across Europe from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The move continues the airline’s focus on bringing regional fare to the in-flight experience.

The exclusive creations by Executive Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois are being served in the BusinessElite cabin on flights to Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris Charles De Gaulle and Zurich. These routes join New York-JFK to London Heathrow, on which the partnership was launched in February this year.

“Unique in-flight dining is something our customers look forward to,” said Brian Berry, Delta’s Director of Onboard Services Strategic Planning. “Partnering with Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois’ team at Blue Smoke allows us to deliver an innovative menu offering that customers do not expect to find on an aircraft.”

The seasonal menus will be refreshed every three months and with four choices per flight, frequent fliers will be able to choose a different dish each time they travel. Current options for the winter menu include a root beer braised beef short rib, smoked chicken, baby back pork ribs, and root vegetable skewers served over toasted faro. These are served with the signature cocktail of the season and finished off with a selection of ice creams and toppings from the specialty Blue Smoke sundae bar.

Union Square Hospitality Group, which owns Blue Smoke, is the creator of some of New York City’s most celebrated restaurants and helmed by James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Danny Meyer.

Chef Bourgeois and Blue Smoke are part of a renowned culinary team, hand-picked by Delta, to design menus highlighting regional cuisine. Other chefs working exclusively with Delta include Linton Hopkins, Michelle Bernstein and Michael Chiarello. All menus from these chefs are complemented by wines selected by the airline’s Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson. In October this year, the menus of Californian chef Chiarello debuted on Delta’s new flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow.

ATLANTA,- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has taken another step in its ongoing commitment to improve the travel experience by unveiling changes to the SkyMiles program. The 2015 SkyMiles program will introduce a shift from today’s current model in which customers earn redeemable mileage based on distance traveled to one based on ticket price. The program updates will be effective Jan. 1, 2015 and will also include a new mileage redemption structure that will improve Award seat availability at the lowest mileage requirement levels, offer One-Way Awards at half the price of round-trip, provide additional Miles + Cash Award options, as well as make significant improvements to delta.com and Delta reservations Award shopping tools.

Today’s announcement is the latest innovation in Delta’s continued effort to rethink and reshape the airline business. During the past five years it has made strategic investments in Virgin Atlantic Airways, AeroMexico and GOL; opened its new $1.4 billion Terminal 4 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in Atlanta; built a hub at New York-LaGuardia; made facility improvements at Los Angeles International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; created Monroe Energy to provide 80 percent of its annual domestic fuel needs; transformed its fleet strategy including a significant reduction in 50-seat aircraft; and invested millions of dollars to improve the customer experience.

A New Mileage Earning Model

Today’s method of earning redeemable miles based on the distance a customer flies will change to a model of earning redeemable miles based on the price of the ticket purchased. Delta is providing 10 months advance notice of the upcoming program changes so that customers have ample time to make travel plans.

Customers will be able to earn between five and 11 miles per dollar* spent based on their SkyMiles status, and continue to earn up to an additional two miles per dollar* when using their Delta SkyMiles Credit Card, for a total of up to 13 miles per dollar. The updated program will better reward the customers who spend more with Delta and give them improved mileage-earning opportunities.

“The introduction of a new model for earning miles will increase rewards for those who spend more as well as differentiate the SkyMiles frequent flyer program for our premium travelers,” said Jeff Robertson, Delta’s vice president – SkyMiles.

The updated mileage-earning plan, for travel beginning Jan. 1, 2015, will better recognize frequent business travelers and those less frequent leisure customers who purchase premium fares. The move is consistent with a trend in the travel industry of rewarding customer behavior based on price. Customers will continue to earn additional miles for purchases with a Delta SkyMiles Credit Card+.

For travel marketed and ticketed by Delta’s partner airlines, members will earn a percentage of miles flown as determined by the fare class purchased and will also earn Medallion mileage bonuses on eligible fares.

“The travel industry, including nearly all hotel and credit card programs, has already moved to a spend-based model,” said Robertson. “Delta will become the first U.S. global carrier to make this transition to better reward our most loyal customers.”

New Redemption Options

SkyMiles members will gain even more redemption options with the introduction of up to a five-tier structure to give them a wider variety of Awards and improve overall availability at the lowest price points. The lowest level for SkyMiles Saver Awards will remain at 25,000 miles for an Economy Class Award ticket for travel within the U.S. and Canada excluding Hawaii. All of Delta’s worldwide redemption charts will be updated to reflect the new options in the last quarter of 2014 and will be effective for new Award bookings beginning Jan. 1, 2015.

In addition to offering multiple new redemption levels, the SkyMiles program will also introduce One-Way Award tickets starting as low as 12,500 miles within the U.S. and Canada excluding Hawaii and will offer customers the ability to redeem Miles + Cash to provide more Award booking options for tickets purchased at delta.com or through Delta reservations.

“We’ve had thousands of direct conversations with SkyMiles members over the past three years and they’ve told us that Award redemption is the most important attribute to any successful rewards program,” Robertson said. “With improvements to delta.com, even more Awards seats at the lower price levels, One-Way Awards and Miles + Cash options, Delta will deliver an improved award redemption experience for all customers.”

Customers will continue to have access to every seat on any Delta flight as an Award seat with no blackout dates. In 2013, frequent flyers redeemed more than 271 billion miles in the SkyMiles program for more than 11 million Award redemptions.

Delta and the SkyMiles Program

Delta is the only major airline that offers elite perks such as unlimited complimentary upgrades, no mileage expiration, no Award fees, a published Diamond Medallion tier and rollover Medallion Qualification Miles.

In January 2013, Delta announced changes to SkyMiles Medallion qualification and introduced new, user-friendly tools for customers later in the year at delta.com and its popular Fly Delta apps to help them track their progress. Medallion qualification guidelines are not impacted by the changes to mileage-earning or redemption options.

Now in its 33rd year, SkyMiles is one of the longest-running and most successful loyalty programs in the travel industry. Delta offers many ways to redeem frequent flyer miles, including airline tickets on Delta and 28 partner airlines, mileage upgrades, car rentals, hotel stays and Delta Sky Club memberships, and is the only major airline with miles that don’t expire. For more information on the SkyMiles program, Medallion status and mileage-redemption options, visit delta.com/skymiles.

With billions of dollars invested since 2010, Delta continues to improve the travel experience onboard its aircraft with the recent announcement that it will add access to power on 225 of its domestic narrowbody aircraft, as well as improve technology and facilities including its new Terminal 4 at New York-JFK and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in Atlanta. Additionally, customers have seen Delta’s investment in its more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs throughout the system, installation of power poles in gate areas at more than 40 airports and updates to the popular Fly Delta app which has been downloaded by more than 10 million customers.

Delta Air Lines serves nearly 165 million customers each year. This year, Delta was named the 2014 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine, marking the first time in a decade that a North American-based carrier has earned the distinction. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 322 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available at delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta’s blog takingoff.delta.com.

Terms and conditions:

For full terms and conditions, please visit delta.com/skymiles2015. All SkyMiles program rules and membership guidelines apply. To review the rules, please visit delta.com/skymiles. Other restrictions may apply. Offers, prices, rules and benefits subject to change without notice.

* Ticket price eligible for mileage accrual includes base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, but excludes government-imposed taxes and fees. Additional miles earned for purchases with a Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express will be based on the total ticket price, including base fare, carrier-imposed surcharges and government-imposed taxes and fees.

Miles on Delta Purchases with U.S. Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards from American Express:

This offer applies to qualifying Delta, Delta Connection carrier and Delta Shuttle flights taken with the purchase of a fare that is eligible for SkyMiles mileage credit. Offer applies to any Delta-branded purchase where Delta is the merchant of record via delta.com or in flight such as upgrades, miles, seat selection, Sky Club membership or passes, pre-purchased meals, food, beverages and in-flight entertainment. Offer applies to Delta Vacations packages but not other all-inclusive packages. The chart reproduced here is not valid for Delta SkyMiles Options Credit Card Members who only earn a maximum of one additional mile per dollar spent on Delta purchases with their Card. The additional miles offer is subject to change without notice. Bonus miles will be posted to your Delta SkyMiles account 8 to 12 weeks after the end of each month.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.delta.com