-
Passenger Transportation Services
AI race replaces e-commerce growth engine in Asian air cargo
As cross-border ecommerce loses steam, the global race to develop artificial intelligence is changing Asia's air freight map. Airlines are redesigning their networks to focus on growing semiconductor manufacturing centers. Airlines and logistics companies claim that unlike the parcel boom following the pandemic, the 'demand for AI infrastructure' is backed by multi-year orders of advanced memory chips and processing units and hundreds of millions of dollars in?planned? investment into data centres. Moreover, the tighter import regulations in the U.S.A. and Europe that have been affecting the recent growth of the e-commerce industry are dampening it. When Xeneta's freight analytics company
-
North America
Iran proposes temporary Hormuz Plan giving it greater control over transit routes
Iran has proposed to Oman an arrangement that would temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Under this arrangement, one direction of traffic will pass through Iranian waters and part of the other route will also be in Iranian water. This was revealed by Kazem Gharibabadi on state television. Gharibabadi stated that Tehran rejected the Omani proposal of an equal division between transit routes in both countries. He said such a plan would not address Tehran's concerns about security until regional stability was achieved. He added that Tehran had never recognized the southern route along Oman’s coast. Gharibabadi said that Tehran
Passenger Transportation Services
Passenger Transportation Services
Singapore Airlines reports first quarterly loss since 2020 as Air India losses and fuel costs weigh
Singapore Airlines reported its first net loss since 2022 on Tuesday, due to losses at its 'associate Air India' and higher jet fuel costs because of the Middle East conflict. The flag carrier of the city-state posted a loss of S$76.79million ($58.79million) for three months ending June 30 compared to a profit last year of S$186.79million. The last time SIA posted a quarterly loss, it was during the pandemic in the fourth quarter of FY2021/22, which ended on March 31, 2022. This compares to the LSEG's estimate of a loss at S$4.3m. The airline's record revenue for the quarter was...
Passenger Transportation Services
Safran, a jet engine manufacturer, raises its targets after a record-breaking first-half profit
French jet engine maker Safran raised financial targets after posting stronger-than-expected ?first-half profits on Tuesday, driven by demand for spare parts on the widely ?used engines it supplies jointly ?with GE Aerospace. The French company said that aftermarket demand was a major factor in its record operating margin for the first half of 2018.4%. CFM, by far the largest jet engine manufacturer in the world by number of engines sold, reaps maintenance profits on its CFM56 jets, which continue to power thousands of aircraft despite the recent LEAP being used for narrow-body plane deliveries. Safran's?mid-year operating profit increased 29% to...
Passenger Transportation Services
Safran, a jet engine manufacturer, raises its targets after a record-breaking first-half profit
French jet engine maker Safran joined its partner ?GE Aerospace in raising financial targets after ?posting stronger-than-expected first-half profits on Tuesday. The French company said that strong demand for spares contributed to a first-half operating profit margin record of 18.4%. CFM, which is the largest jet engine manufacturer in the world by?numbers of units sold?, reaps maintenance profits on its CFM56 engines. These engines continue to power thousands planes, even though they have been replaced by the more recent LEAP jet engine for current narrow body deliveries. Safran's mid-year operating profit increased 29% to EUR3.24 billion ($3.68 billion), and revenue...
Passenger Transportation Services
FAA: Seats on Boeing 737 MAX jets could need to be inspected
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that the seats of 'hundreds' of Boeing 737 MAX - registered aircraft in the U.S. - may need to be inspected in case they are incorrectly installed. The agency stated that if the seats are not fixed, they could cause injury to passengers or crew during an emergency landing, or even block the aisle, slowing an evacuation. The FAA proposed airworthiness directive released on Monday would "apply to" 453 jets registered within the United States. The FAA only has jurisdiction for U.S. airlines, but other regulators usually follow FAA directives when applicable....
Passenger Transportation Services
FAA claims that seats on Boeing 737 MAX jets have been incorrectly installed
The U.S. 'Federal Aviation Administration' announced on Monday that seats?on a large number of?Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the U.S. had been installed incorrectly and needed to be repaired. The seats should be able to support passengers in an emergency landing. The FAA proposed airworthiness directive issued on Monday would be applicable to 453 jets registered in the U.S. The FAA did not specify whether international operators would also be affected. However, they typically follow FAA directives if applicable. In the proposal for an airworthiness directive, the agency stated that "certain passenger seat assemblies were not properly installed in?the...
Passenger Transportation Services
FAA delays flights at New York and Philadelphia airports
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)?said Monday that it would slow flights into three airports in the New York City region and Philadelphia International Airport because of?severe weather and a?staffing shortage for air traffic. Staffing problems at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center affect flights at John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia International and Newark Liberty International Airports. FlightAware reported that between 20 and 30 percent of flights at these four airports were cancelled. The FAA reported that ground delays range between 71 and 149 minutes. The FAA continues to try and address the persistent shortage of air traffic control personnel....
Passenger Transportation Services
NTSB Chair urges Congress to pass aviation legislation
The head of the National Transportation Safety Board urged Congress on Monday to end a long-running standoff over competing safety measures in aviation and approve major reforms. Jennifer Homendy, the NTSB's Chairperson, said that "the board" had "provided a roadmap for improving aviation safety and reducing the risk of another mid-air collision." It's now time to take the action promised months ago." The U.S. House of Representatives voted in April 396-10 for a sweeping aviation reform bill that would address dozens of recommendations made after a collision between an American Airlines regional plane and a U.S. Army chopper in January...
Passenger Transportation Services
Avincis, an aerial firefighting company, says that Europe's massive wildfires are straining waterbomber capacities.
Avincis, Europe's leading aerial emergency services company, warns that Europe is not prepared for longer and more severe wildfire seasons. The chief executive of the firm told? Avincis' chief executive told?treffenificaresprache?nemzeug vo Ihre ore the company's CEO John Boag stated that bureaucratic barriers and longer European wildfire seasons have caused regional shortages in both aircraft and experienced pilots. Boag, a helicopter pilot who began his career in Australia's outback herding?cattle in a Bell 47 chopper in 1985, said that "globally, fire seasons have been getting longer. Aircraft are not moving from area to area and it is becoming increasingly difficult...
Passenger Transportation Services
Ireland's DCC Energy will go private with KKR Energy Capital in a $7.7 billion deal
Irish energy distributor DCC Energy agreed on Monday to a PS5,75 billion ($7.68billion) sale to a U.S. consortium of private equity firms KKR & Energy Capital Partners. This is the second foreign takeover this year of a UK listed company. DCC shareholders can expect to receive PS65.25 in cash per share, a final dividend of 147.22?pence and up to PS1.25 per share if the company sells its Nexora Technology unit for more than $800?million. When asked to explain the reasoning behind the agreement, CEO Donal Murphry said: "We have simplified the group and spent a lot of time on investor...
Passenger Transportation Services
EU is urged to take action against unexpected duties on parcels of e-commerce
The European Consumer Federation and a prominent EU legislator are urging the European Commission to make sure that online shoppers do not have to pay?unexpected fees to cover a newly introduced customs duty. The EU introduced a EUR3 fee ($3.41) on low-value ecommerce imports which had previously entered the EU duty-free. BEUC, a group of consumer organizations from 31 European nations, believes that consumers should know the price including taxes. The group found that sometimes duties are only displayed late in the checkout or not at all. This can lead to an unanticipated charge. PostNL and La Poste are two...
Passenger Transportation Services
US to rebate $2.2 billion to airlines retrofitting planes against wireless interference
The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Friday that major U.S. carriers would need to retrofit their planes to prevent wireless interference by the year 2030. However, they could be eligible for government rebates of up to $2.2 billion to cover these costs. The FAA has mandated that all altimeters must meet the next-generation performance standards to combat interference from 5G spectrum signals, which could lead to 'inaccurate readings. The government will fund the rebates with some of the proceeds from the Federal Communications Commission's C-Band Wireless Auction. The FAA estimates that the cost per aircraft will range from $80,000 to...
Passenger Transportation Services
AI is a talent drain, and the aerospace industry has to compete for recruits.
Hassan Butt was a 17-year old British student who volunteered at the Farnborough Airshow in this week. For him, nothing was cooler than watching the planes and pondering the physics behind what kept them airborne. He said, as he answered questions from passersby. He wanted to be an aerospace engineer and focus on missiles. There was no shortage in the hall of displays, stalls, and recruitment campaigns aimed at capturing his enthusiasm and luring him along with other potential recruits. Butt was the perfect candidate. But industry bodies and businesses said that there weren't enough people like him. The UK...
Ground Transportation
Amtrak, the US passenger rail company, sets a record for ridership and cuts losses
Amtrak, the U.S. passenger rail company, said Tuesday that it had set records for revenue and ridership in a single year. It also cut its losses by 15 percent to $598 millions and is aiming for profitability by 2028. Amtrak is a major effort in rehabilitating the infrastructure of the Northeast corridor between Boston, Massachusetts and Washington. It is expanding service throughout the United States by purchasing new Acela trains with higher speeds and replacing regional trains from next year. Amtrak reported that in the twelve months ending September 30, it had 34,5 million trips made by customers, an increase...
Whaleboat sinks into river in Congo, killing at least 107 people
According to a government internal report viewed by us on Friday, at least 107 people died when a whaleboat caught blaze in the west of Democratic Republic of Congo. In a memo, the Ministry of Social Affairs stated that 146 people were missing after the boat, which was a narrow double-ended open vessel, caught fire near Malange Village in Lukolela Territory on Thursday night. The note stated that rescue teams recovered 209 survivors after the vessel burnt and drifted downriver. The fire destroyed the cargo and 15 riverside houses. The search operations continued Friday, with community volunteers and naval personnel...
As inventories shrink, premiums for copper contracts on the nearby LME soar.
The premiums for copper contracts near London Metal Exchange have increased to their highest level since October 2022 due to low inventories, large cash contracts and warrants held by traders. The title document that confers ownership on metal is a warrant. Tom-next, also known as the premium or backwardation that is charged for purchasing copper tomorrow and then selling it the next day, is currently trading at above The price of a metric tonne is $48. This compares to a $2 discount at the beginning of the week. The premium for the cash Copper Contract over the Three-Month Forward It...