United Temporarily Grounds 24 Boeing 777s
Following the severe engine issues suffered by United Flight 328 on Saturday, United has voluntarily chosen to temporarily ground its fleet of 24 Boeing 777-200 aircraft that are powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines. The airline also has a large fleet of 777s powered by GE90 engines which are not impacted.
United is not alone in its decision, as Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism formally requested all airlines using 777s with PW4000 engines to avoid flying over Japanese airspace until further notice. The UK has joined Japan in banning the 777s with PW4000 engines from flying over its airspace as well for fear that falling debris may hurt Harry Styles.
The FAA is issuing an Emergency Airworthiness Directive requiring immediate and increased inspections on 777s powered by PW4000s. In its preliminary update from Saturday’s incident, the NTSB noted that the majority of damage was limited to the number 2 engine while the aircraft sustained only minor damage. Boeing, excited at not being the cause of the issue for once, recommended its 777 customers flying with PW4000s ground their aircraft.
The PW4000s were not a popular engine choice on the 777, so only airframes currently being operated by United, Korean, Jin Air, Asiana, and ANA are affected.
Gate 35X: The End is Nigh
The new 14-gate concourse at Washington/National that will replace the fifth circle of hell gate 35X is moving along ahead of schedule and could open for passengers as soon as April 20.
With most projects in the DC area stalled by federal red tape and constantly delayed, many were led to believe that this was an early April Fools’ joke. But luckily for the flying public, it’s not. American plans to trAAnsition its regional operations from its current setup of narrow escalators, a tight waiting area, and a series of ramps and switchbacks to get to aircraft to the fancy new concourse in less than two months. Passengers will find themselves in the lap of luxury enjoying actual jet bridges to access aircraft and the freedom that is boarding without knowing what the person sitting next to you in the gate area had for breakfast because you actually had some personal space.
The 230,000 sq. ft. concourse will connect to the existing Terminal C. The new concourse will boast an AAdmirals Club and more than 14,000 square feet of overpriced retail and food offerings. The airport is also building a new security checkpoint for terminals B and C at the entrance of the terminal. The original plan had been for the new checkpoints to open prior to the new concourse, but with the concourse ahead of schedule, it will beat the security checkpoint to completion.
TSA Gambles on Travel Recovery
Rarely do we turn to the federal government for anything optimism, much less the TSA, but it is beginning a push to fill more than 6,000 jobs across the country as it anticipates an increase in travel this summer and beyond.
Just 913,000 travelers have passed through TSA checkpoints over the last week, a drop of nearly 60% from the 2.25 million that were screened during the same period last year.
The TSA suspended almost all hiring of new employees last summer and offered early retirement options as means to reduce expenses. The organization screened 61% fewer people than in 2019, which came to almost 500 million fewer travelers. Despite the weak numbers, it is anticipating a need to return to more normal staffing levels as travel demand returns this summer.
TSA has begun the hiring process to fill the postings which were deferred last summer. In order to be considered for the role, TSA administrators are looking for candidates with work history as customer service reps for cable companies, retired American & United flight attendants, former East German border control agents, and anyone from New Jersey.
British Airways Raises $3.4 Billion
British Airways has completed negotiations on two different funding rounds that will bring the airline £2.45 billion in additional liquidity. That converts to roughly $3.4 billion, the complete Harry Potter collection, and a pot of tea.
The first £2 billion is a 5-year guaranteed loan guaranteed by the UK government. The airline and the government have reached a final agreement on the loan, and BA expects to begin drawing down from the loan facility before the end of the month. In exchange, the airline has promised to screen at least one Hugh Grant movie on each outbound flight from the UK and it will show, in its entirety, Andy Murray’s historic win at Wimbledon in 2013 when he became the first Brit to win the Championships in 77 years.
The remaining liquidity will come from an agreement between BA and the Trustee of New Airways Pension Scheme (NAPS) to defer £450 million of pension deficit contributions between October 2020 and this September. BA will defer £37.5 million per month in order to reach the £450 million figure. BA was forced to provide property assets as security for the loan, so for the next eight months, the NAPS office has two A320-200 aircraft in its parking lot. The organization is taking suggestions about what to do with them in the meantime.
Rex Pulls Back on Sydney-Melbourne; Makes Other Route Changes
Rex, everyone’s favorite good boy that’s challenging longtime heavyweights Qantas and Virgin Australia on the Sydney-Melbourne route, is scaling back its schedule before launching its first flight on the route.
Rex is beginning service on the route March 1, and the airline is dropping from three aircraft flying a total of nine round trips per day to just one plane flying three round trips. And opening day – March 1 – will see just two flights to “accommodate launch ceremonies” in both Melbourne and Sydney. That must be one hell of a party.
The airline says the cutbacks are due to virus outbreaks in Victoria, and that it plans to ramp back up to nine daily round trips on three aircraft by the end of March.
Rex is also dropping five regional routes – four from Sydney and one from Adelaide — while also adding two new destinations to Sydney. Sydney to Bathurst (BHS), Cooma (OOM), Grafton (GFN), and Lismore (LSY) are all getting the axe, while Adelaide to Kangaroo Island (KGC) is gone as well. The two additions are Coffs Harbour (CFS) and Port Macquarie (PQQ) to Sydney, both of which we believe to be actual places.
Airline Potpourri
- Air Express Algeria took delivery of two leased aircraft – one Beechcraft B1900D and one LET 410. The airline will receive an additional B1900D next month.
- Air India Express Flight 1676, operated by a B737-800, struck an electrical pole on Saturday after landing at Vijayawada Airport in Gannavaram, India (VGA). The strike occurred as the plane was taxiing to the gate. No injuries were reported amongst the 64 passengers onboard. The pole was not so lucky.
- Eastern Airlines – the one based in North America – purchased two Boeing 777-200ERs (presumably ones without PW4000 engines) and plans to lease two B777 freighters, bringing its fleet up to 18 aircraft.
- Emirates is resuming its fifth-freedom route between Athens and Newark. The flight will operate daily beginning June 1. This is the first fifth-freedom route Emirates is returning to service after suspending most due to the pandemic. The Athens to Newark flight is a natural choice to resume as it connects one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, known for its culture, history, and friendly people with Greece.
- Fly Baghdad is denying reports out of Iraq that the airline has been grounded. This one seems like it could be settled quite easily – their planes are either flying or they’re not.
- flydubai has completed the work to return its 737 MAX to the skies. It will announce a resumption date and routes for the aircraft at a later date.
- Frontier began operation of its twice-weekly service between Orlando and St. Thomas on Friday.
- Qantas is building a new flight training center in Brisbane.
- SpiceJet has launched twice-weekly cargo services between India and Singapore.
- Vueling is launching three new routes from Billund, Denmark (BLL). It will add service to Barcelona, Malaga (AGP), and Palma de Mallorca on June 18. In addition, Ryanair will begin twice-weekly service from Billund to Barceona on July 1. Billund will see one more route addition for the summer – Turkish will begin a twice-weekly flight to Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport in July.
Andrew’s Moment of Levity
Kid: Dad, it hurts when I move my arm like this.
Dad: Then don’t move your arm like that.