20 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION
program on iOS in the first quarter of
2018.- Air Canada has added a third Australian
destination to its international
network with the airline’s inaugural
nonstop flight to Melbourne touching
down on December 3. The flights
will operate four times a week until
February 4 2018 and will then
resume as a year-round three times
a week offering from June 1. The
Star Alliance member and Virgin
Australia codeshare partner also
flies to Brisbane and Sydney from its
Vancouver hub.
China Airlineshas become the first
Airbus A350 operator at Sydney
Airport after upgauging its nonstop
service from Taipei in early December.
The Skyteam alliance member was
also boosting its Taipei-Sydney
schedule to double daily, with both
services to be flown with A350-
equipment.
Hawaiian Airlines took delivery of its first
Airbus A321neo in mid-November,
becoming the seventh operator of
the larger-capacity, extended-range
narrowbody. The airline says the
aircraft will be used primarily on
routes between Hawaii and the
US west coast. Its A321neos are
configured with 189 seats comprising
16 in its premium cabin, 45 “extra
comfort” premium economy seats and
128 in economy.- Still on Hawaiian, the airline
announced Mark Dunkerley was stepping
down as chief executive, having held
the role since 2002. The airline has
promoted current chief commercial
officer Peter Ingram as Dunkerley’s
replacement from March 1 2018.
Regional Express (Rex) says an improving
Australian economy and more
activity in the fly-in/fly-out sector will
underpin a 20 per cent improvement
in full year profit in 2017/18.
In other regional airline news, Jetgo
has announced plans to add the
Embraer E175 to its fleet and operate
international flights to Singapore
in partnership with Karratha. The
Embraer would be used to fly from
Brisbane to Karratha, located on the
West Australian north-west coast in
the Pilbara region, and then onwards
to Singapore. Flights with the 88-seat
E175s would start from mid-2018,
subject to regulatory approvals.
AIRPORTS
Brisbane Airport Corporation says
Julieanne Alroe will retire as chief
executive at the end of the current
financial year on June 30 2018, after
close to a decade in the role.- Global airport services company
Swissport, which is part of China’s HNA
Group, is setting its sights on Australia
through the acquisition of local
operator Aerocare and its Skycare,
Carbridge and EasyCart subsidiaries,
from current owners including
Australian private equity firm Archer
Capital.- Researchers from the University of
Sunshine Coast (USC) will investigate the
latest technologies and practices to
make runway surfaces and airport
pavements last longer as part of a new
five-year, $2.85 million study. The
research program is a partnership
between USC and the Australian
Airports Association, the Department
of Defence, Perth Airport and
Sunshine Coast Council (as the owner
of Sunshine Coast Airport).
Canberra Airport says the federal
government should step in and make
airlines accountable for the high rate
of cancellations on flights to and from
the national capital and is calling for
a national taskforce to investigate the
issue. Citing figures from the Bureau
of Infrastructure, Transport and
Regional Economics, Canberra Airport
says travellers are getting a raw deal
from the airlines when it comes to on-
time performance, particularly on the
Canberra-Sydney route.
DEFENCE
The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF)
third F-35A Lightning II, A35-003,
conducted its first flight at Naval Air
Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
on December 1.- Boeing has started the fitout of the
RAAF’s purpose-built P-8A Poseidon
Integrated Training Centre at RAAF
Base Edinburgh, north of Adelaide. Due
to be completed in mid-2018, the 16,
square metre facility can accommodate
70 advanced operational and tactical
training devices for the maritime patrol
Debrief
Flanked by Super Hornets and Growlers, a RAAF
KC-30A refuels a USAF B-1B. Two B-1Bs deployed
to Amberley in late November-early December
for exercises with the RAAF. DEFENCEThe Royal Australian Air Force’s 35
Squadron has celebrated the 75th
anniversary of its formation in 1942
by adding special tail markings to
one of its C-27J Spartan battlefield
airlifters.DEFENCE