Airline news

Thomas Cook (MT/TCX) is making changes to its US West Coast services from Manchester Airport (MAN/EGCC) for Summer 2019. The airline had previously planned to operate a 3 times-per-week flight to Los Angeles from May 2019 but this has now been reduced to a twice-weekly service from 21st June 2019. [read more]

Airbus has successfully completed the first flight of its latest Out-Sized Transport (OST) aircraft, the Beluga XL. The Aircraft landed at Toulouse at 14:41 hrs local time after successfully completing its first test flight lasting four hours and 11 minutes just south of Airbus headquarters. The test flight was carried out [read more]

Rival airframers Boeing and Airbus have both secured deals on day 1 of the Farnborough International Airshow. For Seattle-based Boeing, day one included an order from Qatar Airways for five Boeing 777 Freighters worth around $1.7bn at list prices. This was backed up with an order for 30 Boeing 737 [read more]

Virgin Orbit has entered into a partnership agreement with Spaceport Cornwall which will see satellite launches return to the UK for the first time in 50 years. The partnership with Satellite launch provider, Virgin Orbit, will see launches from a Spaceport at Cornwall Airport Newquay by 2021, using a modified Boeing [read more]

US low-cost carrier JetBlue is the first airline to order the newly renamed Airbus A220 airliner. JetBlue has signed a commitment for 60 of the jets, formerly known as the Bombardier C-Series. The C-Series was officially brought into the Airbus family on Tuesday when it was renamed as the A220. The order [read more]

Airbus has renamed the C-Series 100 and 300 to the A220-100 and A220-300 respectively following it taking control of Bombardier. In a ceremony in Toulouse today, Airbus officially welcomed the two newest members of its family of A series Commercial aircraft and the first not carry the traditional 3 designations. Airbus [read more]

Thomas Cook has announced it will start its flying programme at Cardiff Airport (CWL/EGFF) from the 3rd April next year as it aims to take advantage of the Easter getaway. The airline normally operates a summer schedule only, starting from May 1st, at Cardiff Airport using a leased A320 but [read more]

Manchester Airport (MAN/EGCC) has seen strong growth in the US market meaning the North of England is now better connected to the States than at any other time. Flights to Seattle began in May with Thomas Cook bringing the total number of US destinations from Manchester to 13. The new route [read more]