London Gatwick flights disrupted after IT problem hits ATC tower

 

Flights have been disrupted at London Gatwick Airport (LGW), one of the UK’s busiest airports, after an IT issue in the Air Traffic Control tower on January 6, 2022.  

Three flights were diverted during the issues, which were resolved fairly quickly during the morning arrivals period. Other planes also had to hold near the airport while the problem was tackled.  

“Earlier IT issues in the Air Traffic Control tower this morning have been resolved and flights are arriving and departing the airport as normal,” Gatwick Airport said via social media.  

However, it cautioned that passengers may still experience delays as a result of the earlier outage, which caused delays to both arriving and departing aircraft. 

LGW tower had to shut down a troublesome IT system at 7:25 local time (7:25 UTC), with the system returning to normal at 9:10 local time.  

The disruption is minimal compared to a massive computer meltdown that hit British Airways in May 2017. A computer system failure after a power supply issue left 75,000 passengers stranded. 

CDB Aviation hands over 15 new Boeing jets to United Airlines

 Lessor CDB Aviation has completed its sale and leaseback agreement by delivering 15 new Boeing aircraft to United Airlines.  

The deliveries consisted of thirteen Boeing 737 MAX 8s and two Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which were handed to the US-based carrier between 2020 and 2021.  

“The onset of COVID-19 ushered in the most challenging period in the history of the aviation industry,” said Pam Hendry, United’s Vice President and Treasurer. “We are thankful for the partnership we established with CDB Aviation and appreciate their willingness and ability to support United in a meaningful way during this global pandemic.” 

The additional 13 737 MAXs will increase United’s existing fleet of 46 Boeing 737 Max jets to 59 and will “further entrench domestic operations”. Newly delivered CFM-powered MAXs have the capability to accommodate 166 passengers in a two-class configuration.  

The two 787-9s are powered by General Electric GEnx engines and configured in a 257-seat layout with the new cabins. The 787-9s will contribute to United’s already hefty fleet of 63 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.  

The airline’s current number of aircraft stands at 857 with an average age of 16.6 years old, according to Planespotters.net.  

“Our commercial team remains focused on identifying ways to deliver wide-ranging and innovative solutions to top-tier airlines, such as United, as they navigate their pathways through the air travel sector’s nascent recovery and position their fleets for post-pandemic realities, with operating economics and sustainability top of mind,” Patrick Hannigan, CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer, added. 

Kenyans are calling for a boycott of US fast-food chain KFC

 Social media users in Kenya are calling for a boycott of US fast-food chain KFC after a shortage of fries. On Twitter, users are claiming the chain has refused to source local potatoes, a situation causing their anger.

Jacques Theunissen, KFC's local boss associated the situation to the covid 19 pandemic, explaining that his restaurant chain was a victim of the global shipping disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. "It's about delays in shipping lines because of the Covid-19 situation," he told local media.

In his response, Theunissen said the current KFC policy allows all suppliers to go through a global process to ensure the quality of their products, which he cannot be bypassed, even if there is a shortage.

However, KFC which operates locally through franchise Kuku Foods East Africa did not specify the global quality and safety standards a potential supplier in Kenya should meet.

As Kenyan farmers enter the potato-harvesting season in a country with 60 different potato varieties and a production glut, the slogan #BoycottKFC has emerged and flourished on Twitter leading trends.

"If you are a true Kenyan, you should not eat fries made by KFC! Eat fries elsewhere," tweeted one user. The American fried chicken king had entered the Kenyan market in 2011. Across East Africa, it has 35 outlets.

President of the National Potato Council of Kenya Wachira Kaguongo said KFC should consider creating synergies with local suppliers to allow them source the commodity from Kenyan farmers.

KFC is reported to have said on Tuesday it had launched a project to source potatoes from Kenyan farmers, saying it was already doing so for other ingredients such as poultry and vegetables, as well as flour and ice cream.

"We are happy that KFC has rescinded their earlier stand on local supply of potatoes into their Kenyan outlets. We have been lobbying to supply them with potatoes. We don’t mind meeting their standards," said Mr. Kaguongo.

KFC's competitors were quick to take advantage of the situation to promote the availability of their offerings, with Burger King tweeting, for example, "We have enough fries for everyone."

CMA CGM AIR CARGO orders 4 Airbus A350F

 

CMA CGM Group and Airbus have signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purchase of 4 A350F freighter aircraft. The order, which is subject to finalisation in the coming weeks, will lift CMA CGM’s total Airbus fleet to 9 aircraft, including five A330-200F.

The aircraft will be operated by CMA CGM AIR CARGO, the recently launched air cargo activity of CMA CGM Group. “We are proud to welcome CMA CGM AIR CARGO in the group of operators for the A350F and we are equally pleased to support the company’s future strategic development,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. ”The A350F will fit seamlessly into the carrier’s existing fleet of Airbus freighters. Thanks to its composite airframe and latest technology engines, it will bring unbeatable efficiency in terms of fuel burn, economics and CO₂ emissions, empowering the long-term sustainable growth of the Group.” Scherer adds: “Having an early endorsement by such an international cargo powerhouse as the CMA CGM Group is very gratifying.”

The A350F is based on the world’s most modern long range leader, the A350. The aircraft features a large main deck cargo door and a fuselage length optimised for cargo operations. Over 70% of the airframe is made of advanced materials resulting in a 30t lighter take-off weight, generating an at least 20% lower fuel burn over its current closest competitor. With a 109t payload capability (+3t payload/ 11% more volume than its competition), the A350F serves all cargo markets (Express, general cargo, special cargo…) and is in the large freighter category the only new generation freighter aircraft ready for the enhanced 2027 ICAO CO₂ emissions standards.

The first Airbus A321XLR flight test aircraft undergoes final assembly

 

The very first A321XLR flight test aircraft, MSN11000, took a major step forward this week in becoming reality. This is the 1st of 3 planned development aircraft which will perform the flight testing and Type Certification programme starting in 2022, to pave the way for series production and entry into service in 2023.

Of the four A320 Family assembly lines in Hamburg, the one which is processing the first A321XLR is referred to as “FAL Line 2”, which is inside the “Hangar-9” building. The subsequent two A321XLR development aircraft – MSN11058 and MSN11080 – will follow in due course from the same assembly line.

From here MSN11000 will enter a working party to install its sophisticated flight-test-instrumentation (FTI) suite followed by installation of its CFM LEAP engines and nacelles. The engines will then be tested for the first time, as well as the landing gear retraction mechanism and the door fairings, followed by an overall quality inspection of the aircraft.

The next production step – the application of the aircraft’s external paint scheme – is the ‘icing on the cake’, shortly before the aircraft is handed over to the flight-test teams. Eager to take possession of their new machine for the first time, they will activate and run through a series of ground tests on all the systems, flight controls, engines and the APU. Then all being well, they will perform the taxiing runs and of course the first flight of the -XLR, which will take place next year.

Qantas selects the Airbus A320neo and A220 families

 

A firm commitment for 40 aircraft – 20 A321XLR and 20 A220 aircraft – is expected to be placed with Airbus by the end of FY22. Once finalised, this will represent the largest aircraft order in Australian aviation history.

Qantas will also have a further 94 purchase right options on aircraft over a 10-plus year delivery window as its existing Boeing 737-800s and 717s are gradually phased out. The order is in addition to Jetstar’s existing agreement with Airbus for over 100 aircraft in the A320neo family. Part of this new deal includes combining these two orders so that the Group can draw down on a total of 299 deliveries across both the A320 and A220 families as needed over the next decade and beyond for Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar.

Thursday’s announcement follows a detailed review by the airline’s engineering, flight operations, customer experience, network, fleet procurement and finance teams. The airline conducted detailed evaluation of the A320neo and B737 MAX families as well as the smaller A220 and Embraer E190/195-E2s.

The initial firm order concentrates on the larger, single-aisle A321XLR, and the mid-size A220-300 with purchase right options for the smaller A220-100, giving Qantas a fleet mix that can deliver better network choices and route economics. The XLR can carry around 15 per cent more passengers on each flight than the airline’s existing B737-800s, making it well suited to busy routes between capital cities like Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Its longer range means it can also be used to open up new city pairs.

The small and medium size A220s provide the Group with flexibility to deploy these aircraft throughout most of its domestic and regional operations. They could be used during off peak times between major cities and on key regional routes to increase frequency. Both aircraft types will be powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines and will deliver fuel savings of between 15-20 per cent, contributing to the airline’s broader emission reduction efforts.

Air France-KLM orders 100 A320neo family aircraft, signs Letter of Intent for 4 A350F

 

On December 16, the Air France-KLM Board of Directors made the decision to move forward on the Group’s goal to improve its economic and environmental performance through the introduction of next generation aircraft.

• Firm order for 100 Airbus A320neo family aircraft – with purchase rights for 60 additional aircraft, to renew the fleets of KLM and Transavia Netherlands, and to renew and expand the fleet of Transavia France.

The order covers A320neo and A321neo aircraft. The first deliveries are expected in the second half of 2023. These aircraft will operate medium-haul routes in Europe, notably from Amsterdam-Schiphol – KLM’s global hub and Transavia Netherlands’ main base, and from Paris-Orly, Transavia France’s main base. Details of the cabin configuration will be announced at a later date.

• Signature of a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the purchase of 4 Airbus A350F aircraft – with purchase rights for 4 additional aircraft, to increase cargo capacity at Air France.

Thus, Air France becomes the 4th customer for Airbus’ A350F after Air Lease Corporation, CMA CGM Group and Singapore Airlines. This A350F order would come with full substitution rights to Airbus A350 passenger aircraft, which constitute the new spearhead of the Air France long-haul fleet. The airline currently operates 12 of the 38 aircraft of the type on order. As of December 15th, Air France-KLM operated a fleet of 502 aircraft to over 300 destinations worldwide.

Benjamin Smith, CEO of the Air France-KLM Group, said: “These evolutionary orders will position our Group airlines on the path to improved performance while accelerating our decarbonization trajectory. This is a major step forward for KLM, Transavia and Air France, which will operate the best aircraft available for their network needs. The outstanding performances of the A320neo family and of the A350F, which are quieter, more fuel-efficient and more cost-effective aircraft, make them the best choices for the long-term growth of our fleet. They will be instrumental in reaching our ambitious targets, including zero net CO2 emissions by 2050.”