Aviation

Bye Bye Fokker: The End of an Aircraft Era at Austrian Airlines

· Fans bid farewell to the Fokker fleet on special flight OS 1100

· Last Fokker jet to leave Vienna on its final flight at the end of December 2017

· Embraer fleet replaces Fokker aircraft

Today, on the morning of November 29, 2017, employees, invited guests and members of the Friends of Vienna Airport Association had the opportunity to officially bid farewell to the beloved Fokker fleet of Austrian Airlines via the special flight OS 1100. The last Fokker 100 aircraft still operated by Austrian Airlines, bears the registration number OE-LVE and the name “Zagreb”. The guests flew one last circuit over Austria in this aircraft under a clear blue sky. Austrian Airlines CEO Kay Kratky was also on board: “The Fokker jets were faithful companions over the last 29 years, and made a significant contribution towards the expansion of our dense route network in Central and Eastern Europe. However, the aircraft are getting on in years, and today we wanted to give the large fan community of our Fokker jets an opportunity to say a last Servus”.

The first Fokker 50 was authorized for operation on March 15, 1988 under the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Austrian Airlines. Two additional Fokker 70 jets were added in 1995. At that time, this type of jet was considered to belong to the next aircraft generation. Among the advantages were the low levels of noise generation and greenhouse gas emissions, combined with the higher speed and range compared to other aircraft models. Within the context of its Focus East strategy, Austrian Airlines acquired additional Fokker planes in 2004, including Fokker 100 aircraft. In 2015, the Austrian flag carrier decided to replace its entire aging Fokker fleet, consisting of 21 jets, with 17 modern Embraer aircraft. In August 2017, Austrian Airlines successfully concluded the integration of this new type of aircraft into its fleet.

Aviation

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Worldwide Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing, one of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturers, is facing a severe crisis. The company announced on Friday that it will lay off 17,000 employees—roughly 10% of its workforce.

This decision comes amid a prolonged strike, production delays, and ongoing safety concerns with its aircraft. Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s CEO since August, delivered the news, stating, “Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together.

Beyond navigating our current environment, restoring our company requires tough decisions, and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term.”

Qatar Airways Introduces Avios Earning & Redemption for Private Jet Flights

Boeing has been struggling financially, with the last reported profit in 2018. The company’s largest union, with 33,000 members, has been on strike for nearly a month after rejecting a labor deal. The ongoing walkout is reportedly costing Boeing around a billion dollars each month as negotiations remain at a standstill.

Compounding these issues, Boeing’s much-anticipated boeing 777x wide-body plane is now six years behind schedule, with deliveries postponed until 2026. This follows the discovery of structural damage during flight tests. Boeing also announced it will stop manufacturing its commercial 767 freighters after fulfilling its remaining orders by 2027.

Financially, the company expects to report a significant third-quarter loss—nearly $10 per share—and a total cash outflow of $1.3 billion. boeing new aircraft commercial airplane unit faces a $3 billion pretax charge, while its defense business will absorb an additional $2 billion hit.

Embraer’s E-Freighter is Certified by the FAA

The strike has severely impacted production at key boeing facilities, particularly in Seattle, where half of the company’s nearly 150,000 employees work. Since 2019, Boeing has lost approximately $25 billion.

Ortberg was brought in over the summer to help the company regain public trust following safety concerns, especially surrounding the 737 Max line, which was involved in two deadly crashes. Earlier this year, a separate incident involving a panel popping off a 737 Max mid-flight reignited concerns. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation following the event found that Boeing had failed 33 out of 89 product audits.