Bombardier bombs out, Emirates award, travel bans and more

Bombardier bombs out in Boeing complaint
The US Commerce Department and International Trade Commission has made a preliminary ruling in favour of a complaint from Boeing against Canadian rival Bombardier in a dispute over the sale to Delta Air Lines new CSeries regional jet aircraft. The finding places a 220% tariff on imported aircraft seating 100-150  passengers. A final decision on any duty is expected next year. Bombardier says it strongly disagrees with the trade ruling and Delta says it expects the sale to still go ahead. “The magnitude of the proposed duty is absurd and divorced from the reality about the financing of a multibillion-dollar aircraft programme,” Bombardier says. For background, see: Planemakers clash as Boeing challenges Bombardier’s subsidies, ‘dumping’ 

Singapore-Lufthansa JV expands 
Lufthansa Group will re-introduce services between Singapore and Munich from March 2018 as part of an enhanced partnership with Singapore Airlines. Their joint venture covering flights between Singapore, Australia and Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium takes effect on Sunday. Since the joint venture was first signed in November 2015, additional capacity has been added with Singapore Airlines flying to Dusseldorf and Swiss operating daily flights between Singapore and Zurich. The joint venture includes a revenue-sharing agreement between the two airline groups on all flights between Singapore and Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich.

Emirates keeps in-flight entertainment crown
Long-haul travel, particularly to the Gulf, Asia and the Americas, is made easier with a good inflight entertainment system. Emirates’ Ice has again been selected as the world’s best at the APEX Passenger Choice Awards in Long Beach, California. Emirates produces a comprehensive monthly printed guide to its 2500 channels, including movies in over 30 languages, TV box sets, a huge music collection and more than 100 games. From personal experience this month, I can recommend a September offering of golfing pioneer story Tommy’s Honour, which has only just hit cinemas here. In a separate award, Emirates chief executive Sir Tim Clark received a lifetime achievement recognition for his 45 years in the airline industry.

Turkish Airlines back in buying mood
Turkish Airlines intends to buy 40 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in a long-awaited deal that signals the carrier’s rebound from a terrorist attack on its Istanbul hub last year. When finalised, the order would be valued at almost $US11 billion before the customary discounts for large aircraft purchases. Turkish plans to shift its operations from Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport to a new hub, which is due to open next year. Boeing has landed 82 firm orders for the 787 so far this year.

Qatar changes mind on A350s ...
Qatar Airways plans to take delivery of four Airbus A350 airliners that it had previously cancelled, Reuters reports in a story that has not been officially confirmed. The cancellation in July had dented the Airbus order book and left it with a headache over what to do with inventory worth $US1.2 billion at list prices. The four planes, still in Qatar colours, are parked at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse.

... and buys Jumbo freighters
Meanwhile, Qatar and Boeing have announced a deal for two 747-8 freighters and four 777-300ERs worth $US2.16 billion at list prices. The first of its 747-8 freighters was handed over at a ceremony in Everett, Washington state, attended by Qatar chief executive Akbar Al Baker (pictured centre) with Boeing vice chairman Ray Conner and Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief executive Kevin McAllister. The 747-8 carries 16% more freight than the 747-4 while keeping the unique nose door. Qatar has moved into third place behind Emirates and Cathay Pacific as the world's largest airline cargo carriers.

Emirates increases Tunisian, Swedish flights
Emirates will go daily between Dubai and the Tunisian capital of Tunis from October 30. Tunis is situated on a large Mediterranean Sea gulf, behind the Lake of Tunis and the port of La Goulette. Its tourist highlights include El Djem, known as the walls of the mighty Roman amphitheatre; Sidi Bou Said, an artistry spot on top of a steep cliff and overlooking the Mediterranean; and Carthage, once Rome's major rival. The additional flight will operate on Mondays using a Boeing 777-300ER  that connects with all four daily Emirates A380 flights from New Zealand (three from Auckland and one from Christchurch). 

Emirates is also adding three weekend flights to its daily Dubai-Stockholm schedule from December 8. The flights leave Dubai every Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, returning later in the evening to arrive at 6.30am the following day. Both services allow same-day connections to or from New Zealand.  

US extends travel bans
President Donald Trump has issued a new ban on entry to the US that applies a range of restrictions on nationals from eight countries, including new targets Chad, North Korea and Venezuela. The new bans apply to five of the six countries covered by the previous and now expired order – Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Sudan was subject to the original ban but is dropped under the new rules, which take effect on October 18. Officials say the bans are applied to countries that are unable or unwilling to adopt policies that help vet their nationals to detect security threats.

Chinese get advice on visiting Singapore
Chinese tourists visiting Singapore are being given a list of dos and don’ts by their government that runs to nearly 30 pages. It contains advice on queuing, stealing from hotels and aircraft, and behaviour at theatres. “Do not whistle or hoot if there is a mistake made on stage,” the pamphlet advises. More than 1.5 million Chinese mainlanders visited Singapore in the first half of the year and large numbers are expected during “golden week” holiday beginning on Sunday. The pamphlet also covers tipping in cash (many Chinese just use their smartphones for payments), Singapore’s prohibition on jaywalking and taking the pungent durian fruit on a bus or train.

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