The beginnings of Project Sunrise and extra leg room for the Kiwis. Plus more wifi (maybe) coming in China and another loyalty top tier moves further away.
Get these stories and more in this week’s PaxEx Update.
737 MAX
Lufthansa Technik dives in to the Chinese inflight connectivity market
Announcements related to inflight connectivity in China are hard to process. Vendors continue to sign agreements and push out releases but forward progress in terms of getting hardware on planes remains stalled. This week Lufthansa Technik (LHT) joined the field with an announcement of an offering for airlines in China. But, like the others, it is unclear what the timeline for implementation will be or where things will go from here.
New challengers at every level: PaxEx Update 2019-08-30
New cabins on the horizon for economy and business class, short-haul and long; might travel get more comfortable rather than less? Plus some good news for travelers looking to get online in the sky or earn free travel with their points.
A look inside as the MC-21 aims to compete with Airbus, Boeing
The test aircraft are flying. The order book is growing. The Irkut MC-21-300 will compete with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo for airline customers in the next decade and beyond. And, for the first time ever, we now know what the cabin interior will look like.
Much meaning to MAX movements??
Spotting 737 MAX aircraft in the air these days is relatively rare. Boeing continues to run occasional test flights, in addition to moving planes to out of the way airports as it stores new build frames. United Airlines is moving its fleet to Goodyear Airport on the west side of Phoenix, Arizona this in a move that it suggests is tied to storage needs and eventually preparing to return the planes to service. And then there's a single plane flying around northern Canada for some strange reason.
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A Hong Kong Surprise: PaxEx Update (16 August 2019)
A surprise twist in the Hong Kong protests as Cathay CEO Rupert Hogg resigns. Plus RFID for bags, VR for passengers and new aircraft types launching service soon. A busy week with plenty to uncover in this edition of PaxEx Update!
Southwest announces expanded Hawaii service
Southwest is resuming its Hawaii expansion. The carrier will add three more Pacific crossings daily and more than double its inter-island flights beginning in mid-January 2020.
United Airlines to update MAX order
United Airlines appears poised to adjust its 737 MAX order book, as well as change the way the aircraft interiors are fitted. Multiple internal documents reveal an updated plan that should have passengers happy on board.
737 MAX grounding kills off Norwegian’s smaller TATL operations
Norwegian’s experiment flying single-aisle aircraft across the Atlantic is coming to an end. The carrier will shutter its six remaining routes connecting Ireland with North America effective 15 September 2019.
Hints of (maybe, eventually) a new fleet type at Southwest
Southwest Airlines is very happy with the current fleet make-up. The carrier does not want a new type added into the operation. Still, as the company continues contract negotiations with its cabin crew there’s a hint that someone, somewhere is thinking about how to make that change.