Latest news with #Boeing787-9
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alaska Airlines gains cargo momentum from Hawaiian integration
Alaska Airlines has already surpassed initial cargo volume targets since launching its first international widebody service, from Seattle to Tokyo Narita airport, on May 12 as the company continues to reap the fruits of its September merger with Hawaiian Airlines, executives said Thursday during a quarterly earnings presentation. Alaska Air (NASDAQ: ALK) is operating daily nonstop service to Tokyo with Boeing 787-9 passenger jets from Hawaiian's fleet. Carrying cargo in the lower deck is driving the equivalent of 30 passenger seats worth of revenue per flight, according to management. The Alaska Air Group reported $136 million in cargo revenue during the second quarter, a 34% increase from the same period in 2024. The revenue gains include the Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Amazon cargo lines of business as compared to those three business units before the merger. Legacy Alaska Air Cargo second-quarter revenue increased 15% to $80 million. The carrier has effectively backfilled most of the cargo volume displaced by repositioning the 787s from Honolulu to Seattle, according to the company. Meanwhile, Alaska brought into service the final two of 10 Airbus A330 converted freighters operating under contract with Amazon to support its package delivery network. The Amazon business was inherited from Hawaiian Airlines, which began flying for the online retailer in late 2023. Alaska Airlines and Amazon are both based in Seattle. The acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion gave Alaska Airlines access to widebody aircraft for the first time and more cargo capacity on domestic and international routes. In the nine months since Alaska Airlines combined with Hawaiian Airlines, the air cargo teams have worked to integrate their operations and systems, and improve processes for customers shipping to more than 130 cargo destinations. 'We're bullish on where we can go with this as we combine the two networks,' said Jason Berry, who heads Alaska's cargo business and also serves as president of regional subsidiary Horizon Air. Alaska will begin passenger and cargo service from the Seattle gateway to Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 12 and launch its first transatlantic route to Rome next May. Alaska Air Cargo in late March introduced sharing booking across the combined Alaska and Hawaiian cargo network. Shipments that originate on Alaska Air and continue on Hawaiian Airlines, or vice versa, can now be booked and tracked by customers on a single air waybill. Alaska is also working to co-locate cargo operations at stations served by both Alaska and Hawaiian, allowing customers to pick up and drop off shipments at a single location. Stations at New York JFK and Seattle, for example, were combined in early this year, according to company announcements. Three of six daily nonstop flights between Seattle and Honolulu now operate with Airbus A330 Hawaiian widebody jets, offering increased cargo capacity. Alaska Airlines has also increased capacity for the Alaska fishing season — which runs from June 12 until Aug. 15 — by deploying A330 aircraft between Seattle and Anchorage twice daily to take advantage of the aircraft's larger belly hold. Overall, Alaska Air beat analysts' expectations on the top and bottom lines, with revenue of $3.7 billion (up 2.1%) and earnings per share of $1.78 versus a consensus prediction of $1.44. Solid demand, especially in the premium segment, CEO Ben Minicucci noted that the Hawaiian Airlines segment produced a quarterly profit for the first time since 2019, underscoring the power of combining the two carriers. Repositioning more A330 passenger jets to fly from Seattle to Honolulu and Anchorage has maximized asset utilization and improved the bottom line, he said. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. RELATED READING: Boeing raises outlook for widebody freighters as 777-8 production begins Alaska Air changes cargo leaders in wake of Hawaiian merger The post Alaska Airlines gains cargo momentum from Hawaiian integration appeared first on FreightWaves.
News18
17-07-2025
- General
- News18
Will An AI Pilot Be Made The Fall Guy Again?
When Emperor Ashoka crashed in 1978, a US court egregiously blamed the pilot; India must not allow that to happen again The man who miraculously survived the AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad must be wondering what he had done to be saved by this act of God. Was it something that he did in his previous life, or was he saved for a duty he must perform in this one? The former reason is impossible to gauge but Vishwaskumar Ramesh certainly stands as the main counterpoint to the familiar narrative that usually follows any air crash: that the pilots erred, not their flying machine. This time too, the initial hours after the crash saw the same pilot error story being peddled, especially by aviation experts abroad and in India. That the pilots were distracted and took catastrophically wrong decisions like retracting the flaps rather than the landing gear or shutting off a running engine rather than one that may have failed. That was accompanied by the mantra—shamefully echoed by many Indian media too—that the Boeing 787-9 is a really safe aircraft. That Boeing's formidable international PR machine could be behind this huge and touching faith in an aircraft is very probable. But what stood squarely in the way of that story taking wing is the testimony of the British-Indian national, Vishwaskumar, recorded by countless media channels. Now that the black boxes have been found their data may well corroborate that the pilots did their best. But will the big guns allow the 'safest" aircraft line to be contradicted? It is also providential that a local boy also filmed the plane going down, from an angle that was far closer than the two clips from the cameras at the airport. In his video, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) can be seen deployed in the undercarriage, which means that the engines and/or power had shut down and the pilots had heroically tried to get emergency power to regain thrust to prevent a crash. That also supports Vishwaskumar's recollection of the flight's last moments. He recollected there was a loud bang—which is now being interpreted as proof of the RAT being deployed. He added that the plane seemed to stop and then the 'engines began to race". That was actually the high-pitched whine of the turbine. He also mentioned a green light coming on in the cabin which is proof of the RAT being deployed and the plane signalling a dire emergency. None of these point to the pilots being distracted or careless; it points squarely to the aircraft. When Air India's much-loved Emperor Ashoka Boeing 747 aircraft—AI 855— bound for Dubai crashed on January 1, 1978, in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai's Bandra Bandstand just minutes after take-off, the investigation followed a rather predictable trajectory. The disaster was blamed on the extremely experienced pilot, Madan Lal Kukar, whose colleagues in the cockpit also had many thousand flying hours to their credit. This, despite evidence of instrument failure. The cockpit voice recorder revealed that the Captain's attitude direction indicator (ADI) had 'toppled", still showing a right bank relative to the horizon when it had actually straightened out. The First Officer's ADI reply indicated his ADI had also toppled. Only the Flight Engineer's ADI showed the aircraft had levelled out. How could the pilot then be solely blamed for banking left to correct that angle when the plane's instrument had malfunctioned? But sadly, he was. In 1985, a single Federal district judge in New York rejected charges of negligence against the Boeing Company and other defendants in a suit related to the crash. Judge James M Fitzgerald ruled that the plaintiffs—families of those who died in the crash—had not proved their contention that it was primarily caused by malfunction of a cockpit instrument. He ruled that the main cause of the crash was the negligence and disorientation of Captain Kukar. He said Kukar was 'unfit to fly" as he was taking diabetes medication and had been dieting, adding that he had consumed alcohol the night before. He also said the co-pilot was 'negligent" as he had not watched the instruments and warned Kukar! Even today's rules (there were none in 1978) stipulate pilots cannot drink alcohol eight hours before a flight; if Kukar had consumed any, it was 24 hours before. Nor was it proved that he had alcohol in his system while flying. There was evidence about two previous incidents involving Boeing planes and malfunctioning ADIs, but they had not caused any accident. That belied Boeing's contention that there had never been multiple such failures on its planes and none on Emperor Ashoka either. One of the incidents was then shown to have 'contradictory" evidence and the judge was not convinced that the other one made a difference to the main issues of the AI-855 crash case. So, the judge decided anyway the ADI had not failed and hence there were no alarms and that the pilot was to blame! No wonder Boeing issued a statement saying it was 'pleased with the court's decision." As were the Lear Siegler who made the ADIs and the Collins Radio division of Rockwell International Corporation, makers of the backup warning system. But why did India not protest against this blatant whitewashing of US companies by a US court? Interestingly, the then government-owned Air India was not party to the case as out-of-court settlements limited its liability in crashes to $20,000 per passenger on international flights. Between 1978 (the crash) and 1985 (the verdict), eight ministers handled civil aviation including two PMs, Morarji Desai and Rajiv Gandhi. Also, in 1985, US courts dismissed the Indian government's $3.3 billion claim against Union Carbide Company for the Bhopal gas disaster. A fake document purported to be a 'preliminary finding" of India's Air Accident Investigation Bureau claimed that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's seat slid back at takeoff leading to his body falling on the thrust gears, resulting in engines stalling and crashing! But the black boxes have been sent to US's National Transportation Safety Board for deciphering so how could AAIB report that the data pins the crash on a faulty seat and pilot error? Disinformation has begun. top videos View all What next for AI-171? Vishwaskumar's testimony backs the pilots. But Boeing has a brimming order book, as does the engine maker GE. A lot of money is at stake. So, the next target will probably be Air India itself. Will the presence of the airline, the aircraft maker, the engine-supplier and international and national accident probe agencies in the investigations ensure that none of them will be able to exert pressure to exonerate themselves or diminish culpability? The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 20, 2025, 15:11 IST News opinion Opinion | Will An AI Pilot Be Made The Fall Guy Again? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
San Francisco Chronicle
16-07-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
United flight from SFO to London turns back mid-flight due to technical issue
A United Airlines flight bound for London was forced to return to San Francisco late Tuesday after a technical issue disrupted its journey mid-flight, resulting in an eight-hour round trip to nowhere for more than 200 passengers. Flight UA948, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, departed San Francisco International Airport at 4:41 p.m. local time on July 15, en route to London Heathrow. According to data from aviation tracker FlightAware, the aircraft made a wide U-turn near the U.S.-Canada border northwest of Winnipeg, roughly halfway through its planned transatlantic route, and began the return trip to California. In a message to passengers sent via its mobile app, cited by the aviation site Aviation A2Z, United Airlines cited a technical issue as the reason for the diversion. The airline emphasized that the decision was made out of precaution and that there was no immediate threat to safety. United Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for more information. The 15-year-old aircraft, which had been scheduled to land in London at 10:25 a.m. local time on July 16, instead touched down in San Francisco just after midnight — more than eight hours after its original departure. United canceled a rescheduled flight that was scheduled to depart at 1:18 a.m. Wednesday, with a revised arrival time in London later that evening. 'Your flight is canceled because we needed to take the plane out of service to address a technical issue,' its website said. 'Your safety is our priority and we're sorry for the inconvenience.' The incident echoes a similar episode earlier this month. On July 7, United flight UA82 from Newark to Delhi was forced to turn back due to a failure in the aircraft's electronics cooling system. That flight, operated on a Boeing 787-9, also landed safely, and no injuries were reported.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Inside Virgin Atlantic's multi-million makeover: Comfier seats, new planes & big news if you watch Netflix on flights
VIRGIN has revealed its huge multi-billon plans in the next decade. The airline has already invested $17billion (£12.5billion) into upgrading their fleet, which will see 45 aircraft by 2028. 5 More business and premium economy seats will be onboard 5 It will be the first airline in the UK to have streaming quality WiFi onboard And new major plans include a full retrofit of the Boeing 787-9 fleet, including the first Retreat Suite business class. More Not only that, but they are to be the first UK airline to have streaming-quality Using Starlink, all Flying Club members will be able to use it, with it being rolled out from next year and finished by 2027. Read more on Virgin Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Experience Officer, Virgin Atlantic, explained; "In a first for any UK airline, we'll soon have free, streaming quality, unlimited, fleet-wide Wi-Fi . "Together with Other updates include an upgraded app, as well as a new AI concierge to help with booking holidays or on-holiday assistance. Millions of pounds are also being invested into airport lounges after the launch of the LAX Clubhouse in the US. Most read in News Travel Both The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club will also let all passengers earn points, which don't expire. I tried the adults-only Virgin Voyages cruise with 2am pizza parlours, rooftop bars and karaoke sessions-I tried the adults-only Virgin Voyages cruise with 2am pizza shops & rooftop bar 5 The 787's will get a huge retrofit like the A330neos Credit: Virgin Atlantic 5 Airport lounges are also being upgraded Flying taxis connecting airports to city centres were also announced with electric air taxi Joby, along with new toiletries onboard offered by Votary. Shai Weiss, CEO of "The first UK airline to have free, streaming quality, fleet-wide Wi-Fi; more premium cabins and a full retrofit of the 787 fleet; alongside a new app featuring the world of Virgin Atlantic in your pocket, all delivered by our amazing teams. "The best is yet to come.' Next year, Virgin Atlantic is From March 29 next year, daily flights will link the UK to the Korean city. Other new Virgin flights include to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, as well as increase flights to India to celebrate 25 years flying there. And here is 5 The airline has just completed its multi-billion fleet orders Credit: Alamy
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Inside Virgin Atlantic's multi-million makeover: Comfier seats, new planes & big news if you watch Netflix on flights
Millions of pounds are also being invested into the airport lounges worldwide ON THE UP ON THE UP Inside Virgin Atlantic's multi-million makeover: Comfier seats, new planes & big news if you watch Netflix on flights Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VIRGIN has revealed its huge multi-billon plans in the next decade. The airline has already invested $17billion (£12.5billion) into upgrading their fleet, which will see 45 aircraft by 2028. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 More business and premium economy seats will be onboard 5 It will be the first airline in the UK to have streaming quality WiFi onboard And new major plans include a full retrofit of the Boeing 787-9 fleet, including the first Retreat Suite business class. More premium economy and Upper Class seats are being added on the A330neo plans too, with plans for double the amount. Not only that, but they are to be the first UK airline to have streaming-quality WiFi onboard, meaning you can watch your Netflix from your phone. Using Starlink, all Flying Club members will be able to use it, with it being rolled out from next year and finished by 2027. Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Experience Officer, Virgin Atlantic, explained; "In a first for any UK airline, we'll soon have free, streaming quality, unlimited, fleet-wide Wi-Fi. "Together with Starlink, we are delighted to provide our guests with the best connectivity in the skies, further elevating our onboard experience." Other updates include an upgraded app, as well as a new AI concierge to help with booking holidays or on-holiday assistance. Millions of pounds are also being invested into airport lounges after the launch of the LAX Clubhouse in the US. Both London Heathrow and JFK will see upgrades lounges, along with new lounges in other destinations. The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club will also let all passengers earn points, which don't expire. I tried the adults-only Virgin Voyages cruise with 2am pizza parlours, rooftop bars and karaoke sessions-I tried the adults-only Virgin Voyages cruise with 2am pizza shops & rooftop bar 5 The 787's will get a huge retrofit like the A330neos Credit: Virgin Atlantic 5 Airport lounges are also being upgraded Flying taxis connecting airports to city centres were also announced with electric air taxi Joby, along with new toiletries onboard offered by Votary. Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said "We are investing billions to fly the youngest fleet across the Atlantic. "The first UK airline to have free, streaming quality, fleet-wide Wi-Fi; more premium cabins and a full retrofit of the 787 fleet; alongside a new app featuring the world of Virgin Atlantic in your pocket, all delivered by our amazing teams. "The best is yet to come.' Next year, Virgin Atlantic is launching flights to Seoul in South Korea. From March 29 next year, daily flights will link the UK to the Korean city. Other new Virgin flights include to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, as well as increase flights to India to celebrate 25 years flying there. And here is what it is like to go on a Virgin Voyages cruise holiday.
