C-130 dispatched for flood relief
A Richmond based RAAF C-130 Hercules flew to flood besieged Moree last night with bedding and other humanitarian supplies as thousands of New South Wales residents face the prospect of evacuation amid rising waters. “The aircraft and crew were able to quickly respond to this task which will provide the people of Moree affected by
Air New Zealand to launch direct Bali flights
Air New Zealand has announced plans to launch twice weekly flights from Auckland to Bali’s Denpasar Airport. The Boeing 767-300 service will operate seasonally between June and October beginning later this year, pending regulatory approval. The carrier said the non-stop service would provide a better option for travel to a destination already popular with Kiwi
Qantas to raise prices, citing fuel cost, carbon tax
Qantas will raise surcharges and fares in response to high fuel prices and the impact of carbon taxes in Europe and Australia. Under the plan, which goes into effect on February 15, fuel surcharges on international flights will go up by as much as $60 for one-way tickets to the US and Europe, raising the
Bell, Eurocopter both claim victory in patent dispute
Rival firms Eurocopter and Bell Helicopter have both claimed victory over a Federal Court of Canada ruling on a patent dispute over helicopter landing gear. The case centred on a sleigh type landing gear for the Bell 429, which Eurocopter claimed was a “slavish copy” of the landing gear for its EC120 and EC130 helicopters.
Spirit firms up A320 order
US budget carrier Spirit Airlines has added 30 Airbus A320s to an order for 45 A320neos booked in December. A memorandum of understanding for the deal was announced at last year’s Dubai Airshow. Designed for improved fuel efficiency, the re-engined A320neo is due to begin deliveries in 2015. Spirit has not yet announced its engine
SIA finds more A380 wing cracks
Singapore Airlines has discovered wing cracks in all six of the Airbus A380s inspected under a safety directive issued by European regulators. The carrier insisted – as Airbus has stated repeatedly in the past month – that the cracks were discovered long before they posed any potential safety risks. The airline said four of the
