American to launch flights to Buenos Aires
American Airlines will launch daily Chicago O’Hare-Buenos Aires service on Dec. 13 aboard a 221-seat 767-300. This is part of ints strategy for International expansion apart from Europe which is starting its open skies policies with North America come 2008. These new routes are expected to shore up the profit margins of the big 4 American and Canadian carriers.
Pacific Blue to launch NZ domestic flights
Pacific Blue, the international arm of Australia’s Virgin Blue, will launch domestic services in New Zealand on November 15. The carrier will dedicate two 737-800s to flights between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. It announced promotional fares from NZ$39 ($27.17), while normal fares will be equal to or above those of Air New Zealand.
Here comes competition to Air New Zealand(ANZ) on its home turf
Loose bolt said to have led to China Airlines 737 fire, explosion
A small hole in a fuel tank caused by a loose wing slat bolt was the likely cause of the Aug. 20 China Airlines 737-800 post-landing fire and explosion at Naha Airport in Okinawa, Japan’s Aircraft and Railways Accidents Investigation Commission said yesterday.
Kazushige Daiki, the commission’s chief investigator, said a 0.8-1.2-in. hole was found in a fuel tank. Investigators believe the hole was caused by a bolt from a right wing slat. “The bolt pierced through the fuel tank and we believe that caused fuel to leak out,” he said at a news conference in Okinawa. The fuel subsequently ignited, although the source of the ignition was not discussed. The commission released a photograph that showed the punctured fuel tank, which appeared to have a hole with a bolt protruding from it.
Daiki added that it is unknown how the bolt came loose and made its way to the tank. All 165 passengers and crew were able to escape the fiery aircraft before an explosion destroyed it. At a separate news conference in Taipei, Taiwan Aviation Safety Council Executive Director Yang Hung-chih confirmed that investigators believe “a several-cm.-long bolt came off from its position and pierced the tank, resulting in the leak.”
This news is very grave indeed in light of the fact the airline declared that a detailed C Check was carried out very recently and no issues were found. Is this a end to the airline’s credibility? This could well push the airline towards losses this fiscal.
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