Airlines

Boeing’s last 747 to roll out of Washington state factory

Boeing is set to roll out its final 747 from a Washington state factory on Tuesday, The 747 earned the title “Queen of the Skies” by flying more opulently. The first 747 was produced in less than 16 months by more than 50,000 Boeing workers.

Boeing is set to roll out its final 747 from a Washington state factory on Tuesday, after more than a half-century of production.

The jumbo jet made its debut in 1969 and has since served in a variety of capacities, including cargo planes, commercial aircraft, and the Air Force One presidential aircraft. It still towers over the majority of other airplanes because it was the largest commercial aircraft in the world and the first with two aisles.

Image Courtesy : Boeing

The design of the 747 incorporated a second deck that extended from the cockpit back over the first third of the aircraft, giving it a prominent hump that gave the plane its nickname, the Whale. The 747 earned the title “Queen of the Skies” by flying more opulently. The first 747 was produced in less than 16 months by more than 50,000 Boeing workers. Since then, the business has finished 1,573 more projects.

Image Courtesy : Boeing

However, over the past 15 years or more, Boeing and its European rival Airbus released new widebody planes with two engines instead of the 747’s four. They were more fuel-efficient and profitable. Although some other foreign airlines, such the Lufthansa, still operate it, Delta was the last to use the 747 for passenger flights, which terminated in 2017.

Image Courtesy : Boeing

The cargo company Atlas Air, who placed a four-ordered 747-8 freighter early this year, is the last customer. The final was scheduled to leave Boeing’s enormous factory in Everett, Washington, on Tuesday night. With its relocation to the Washington, D.C., region, executives of Boeing are now closer to important federal government figures and the Federal Aviation Administration, which approves Boeing passenger and freight aircraft.

Since the deadly 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019, Boeing’s relationship with the FAA has been strained. Far longer than Boeing anticipated, it took the FAA over two years to approve design revisions and let the plane take flight again.

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Airlines

Turkish Airlines in Talks for New Planes, with New MRO Facility

Turkish Airlines is set to embark on a significant expansion journey, eyeing the acquisition of 235 new aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing.

Chairman Ahmet Bolat recently disclosed this development, emphasizing the airline’s commitment to balanced engagement with both major aircraft manufacturers. This move comes in the wake of Turkish Airlines‘ ambitious 10-year fleet plan, unveiled last year, which aims for a substantial increase in its fleet size by nearly 600 planes. As reported by Reuters.

In December, the airline solidified a substantial portion of this plan by securing a deal with Airbus for 355 firm and optional orders, encompassing A321 narrow body and A350 wide body aircraft.

During an event in Istanbul attended by representatives from Airbus and Rolls-Royce, Bolat underscored the airline’s strategy of maintaining equilibrium between Airbus and Boeing. He also highlighted Turkish Airlines’ patience in awaiting resolution of Boeing’s challenges before finalizing its decision.

Moreover, Bolat revealed discussions with Rolls-Royce regarding the potential establishment of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities within Türkiye, along with exploring additional avenues for supply-chain sourcing.

Recently, Turkish Airlines is set to redefine luxury air travel with the introduction of its next-generation business class suite, codenamed “Crystal,” slated for release in 2025. These luxurious private suites will first be introduced on the Boeing 777 fleet, with plans to expand to Airbus A350-1000 jets in the future.

The Crystal Suites will feature private compartments with sliding doors, offering passengers an intimate and secluded space to relax and work during their journey. Boasting a 1-2-1 configuration, each seat will provide direct aisle access, ensuring maximum convenience for travelers.

Airlines

Singapore Airlines Ordered to Pay $3,580 to Couple over Faulty Seats

Image:Wikipedia

Following a dispute over defective seats during their voyage from India to Australia last year, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been compelled to pay a sum exceeding S$3,500 to an Indian couple.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Hyderabad ruled in favour of Ravi and Anjali Gupta, who on May 23, 2023, had problems with their business class seats that were meant to automatically recline on their flight from Hyderabad to Australia via Singapore.

Reports from media outlets in India highlighted the discomfort experienced by the couple, who were compelled to endure the entire journey without the benefit of reclining seats, despite having paid a significant amount which cost around 66,750 rupees (S$1,090) for each ticket, lodged a complaint during the flight, expressing their dissatisfaction with the situation.

Singapore Airlines initially offered compensation in the form of 10,000 KrisFlyer miles per person, which was declined by the passengers. As reported by CNA, Singapore Airlines apologised for any difficulty the technical failure may have caused and acknowledged the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Hyderabad’s ruling.

SIA clarified that while the automatic recline feature on Mr. and Mrs. Gupta’s seats experienced a glitch, the manual recline function remained operational during the flight from Hyderabad to Singapore.

Regrettably, due to a fully occupied flight, SIA staff were unable to arrange alternative seating within the business class cabin. However, the airline asserts that its crew diligently monitored the couple’s comfort throughout the journey, offering to manually adjust the seats as needed.

Airlines

Cathay Pacific asks business class customers to bring their own cutlery

In an innovative move towards sustainability, renowned Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific has recently floated an unconventional idea to its business class customers.

Bringing their own cutlery sets onboard. This initiative, revealed through a member survey circulated within the airline’s “Cathay Lab” community – a platform comprising frequent business class travelers – has stirred a wave of curiosity within the aviation industry.

With sustainability becoming an increasing concern in aviation, Cathay Pacific’s survey aimed to gauge passengers‘ willingness to partake in various eco-friendly practices during their journeys.

Among the initiatives presented, including refilling reusable water bottles and recycling plastic, the prospect of bringing personal cutlery garnered significant attention. Some members expressed practical concerns, questioning the feasibility of carrying cutlery through airport security and the potential inconvenience for passengers unaware of regulations.

Others suggested that Cathay Pacific should simply provide reusable cutlery onboard instead. Furthermore, there were suspicions among some respondents that the BYO cutlery proposal might be a precursor to introducing additional charges, with one user humorously envisioning a scenario where the airline lends cutlery sets for a fee.

Despite the skepticism surrounding the proposal, Cathay Pacific’s exploration of innovative sustainability measures reflects a broader industry trend towards environmental consciousness.