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Tall people can still have fun: the XL guide to Singapore Airlines’ new A380s.

Singapore A380 tall review
Premium economy on the Singapore Airlines' new A380. Image: Singapore Airlines.

Tall people wanting to fly are facing a nightmare of diminishing legroom and narrower seats but carriers such as Singapore Airlines are not necessarily following the evil game plan.

Singapore Airlines has generally been a friend to taller people and the $US850 million revamp of its flagship Airbus A380s happily maintains that tradition.

The new product, the result of a four-year development program,  will be on five new aircraft entering the fleet and and is being retrofitted to another 14 planes.

AirlineRatings had the opportunity to test the not inconsiderable 6ft5in (197cms) frame of its editor against the Singapore product while one of the airline’s new superjumbos was on the ground in Sydney.

And we were able to give it an XL thumbs up.

This wasn’t a full-product review, Singapore’s renowned service wasn’t on offer and cleaners were busy tidying up the plane before it was towed to the gate, but it gave a sense of the new 380 cabins in situ.

FIRST CLASS SUITES:
Singapore Airlines A380 upgrade
Singapore Airlines’ award-winning new Suites. Photos: Singapore Airlines.

This is definitely Tall People Territory for those who can afford it.

The six Suites in this stylish cabin at the front of the upper deck are designed to be the equivalent of small hotel rooms. The Incredible Hulk would fit in here with room to swing not just the proverbial cat but one of his superhero colleagues.

Read: Singapore Airlines takes out major awards.

There are three suites on either side of the cabin, each featuring a privace door. Partitions come down in the first two suites to enable them to be joined as one with a double bed for couples traveling together.

This is not available in the third cabins, which are slightly smaller.

Each cabin is dominated by a large, swiveling executive chair that is enough fun that it could arguably be classified as part of the entertainment system. Upholstered in soft leather it can swivel between 135 and 270 degrees and recline up to 45 degrees.

Controls in the armrest swivel the chair to positions for take-off, to look out of the cabin’s two windows or to watch the giant high definition screen.  Or, you can just swivel.

Also in the armrest: the chair recline buttons and controls to remotely position the 32-inch (81cm) monitor for the best viewing angle.

Other controls reside on a wireless tablet that allows you to flip through the new MyKrisworld system while enjoying a glass of Dom or a repast on a table big enough to accommodate a minor feast.

There ‘s plenty of storage including a full wardrobe and lots of compartments for the many knick-knacks, widgets and gadgets rich people apparently own. The two well-appointed bathrooms are also roomy with one sporting a vanity/dressing area.

A separate 76-inch bed (193cms) can be made up before take-off so those who fly first class regularly can retire for the night while those who don’t continue playing with the seat and working their way through Singapore’s formidable first-class wine list.

BUSINESS CLASS:
Singapore tall person A380
Some centre seats can be made into a double bed in business class.

Making up the rest of the upper deck, this is still Tall People Territory but at a significant discount to the price of first class.

Singapore has eschewed its extra wide original A380 business seat for an all-new seat that still has plenty of width at 25 inches (63.5cms).

The seats are all forward facing and all command direct aisle access.

Carbon composite construction means the airline has been able to provide extra storage space and cabin bags can now be put under the seat. It says many passengers are opting to do this rather than put them in overhead lockers above the window seats.

The seat design also provides contoured privacy wings that make it impossible to see other passengers and are padded on the inside for extra comfort.

There’s still an ottoman and the foot well is big enough to comfortably accommodate two size 14 feet,  so stretching out is not an issue.

All screens on the plane are now touch-enabled and long arms are an advantage if you want to operate the airline’s intuitive entertainment system that way. The high definition business class screen is 18 inches wide (46cms) and can also be operated by a small handheld control unit.

There’s plenty of storage for bits and pieces and a slot for tablets or laptops next to the seat as well as a wide shelf where items can be parked. A peg gives allows you to get the noise cancelling headphones out of the way when moving in and out of the seat.

Seat controls are within easy reach and include controls for the mood lighting and to turn the TV on and off.  There’s an ajustable reading light and device charging options that include AC power and two USB ports.

Innovative flip down armrests are added comfort aid and the swing-out table can be positioned for greatest convenience while being used in full or half mode.

Singapore has opted to retain its diagonal sleeping system and the bed, which we didn’t try, is a fortuitous — at least in my case — 78 inches (198cms) long.

The divider can be dropped in some center seats to form a double bed and in all of them to allow co-workers, spouses or family members travelling together to communicate .

One minor problem was the need to bend to one side while walking down the cabin with the overhead lockers open.

PREMIUM ECONOMY:
Singapore tall person's guide A380
Premium economy seats have a generous 38-inch seat pitch.

Singapore was a relative late-comer to premium economy and is finding it a popular option.

Your correspondent had no problems with this seat, which has a generous 38-inch (96.5cms) seat pitch and allows full freedom of movement even with the seat in front fully reclined.

At 19.5 inches (49.5cms) wide with good sized armrests between seats, passengers shouldn’t have to engage in unseemly skirmishes for elbow room or feel cramped at shoulder height.

This is the ideal seat for tall people who can’t justify business class but who don’t want to put up with the rigors of economy class and are prepared to spend some extra dollars. It can be more than twice the cost of an economy sale fare but half the cost of a business seat.

The premium economy cabin comes in a 2-4-2 configuration so half the travelers will have to clamber over somebody to get to the aisle.

But it is at the front of the plane on the main deck in a quiet zone normally reserved for business or first classes.

premium economy pasengers get a calf rest and foot bar with every seat as well as individual in-seat power, a reading light, cocktail table and storage space for personal items.  Foot bars, in the experience of this traveler, are of limited use to tall people but this one at least doesn’t get in the way

There is also better food and drinks, including the airline’s “Book the Cook” service which allows people to select from a wider menu before the flight.

ECONOMY:
Singapore A380 tall
Economy class.

If 14th-century author Dante were to write his Divine Comedy today, Inferno would undoubtedly include another circle of hell full of tall people in economy class seats.

Luckily,  Singapore has resisted the trend to cram more people into smaller seats with this redesign: it still gives travelers a 32-inch (81cms) seat pitch and a width of 18.5 inches (47cms) in a 3-4-3 layout.

Tall people will find this acceptable and better than many other economy class experiences, particularly when combined with Singapore’s service and the distraction of a high-definition 11.1-inch (28.2cms) touchscreen.

There’s in-seat power, storage space for small items, a non-intrusive reading light and a six-way adjustable headrest with foldable wings.

Long-legged beasties will be able to stretch out their legs underneath the seat in front of them regardless of its position. However, there are problems with having long legs in the 90-degree position when the seat in front is fully reclined.

The adjustable footrest can also be an irritant, even if stowed, and it would be nice to have the option of removing it completely.

Overall, though, this is one of the better choices for tall economy travelers and there’s always the option of shelling out a little more for an exit row.

COST:

Fares vary widely according to factors such as travel dates, passenger loads and competitive pressures.

Basically, the best thing to do is put your travel dates through our Skyscanner-powered  booking engine and have a look yourself.

But here are some Singapore Airlines fares we found for Sydney-London return travel in late May (Out May 19, back May 28):

Economy Lite sale fare: $A1278 ($US997).

Premium Economy: $A2937 ($US2291)

Business Class: $A7889 ($US6155).

First/Suites: $A12,491 ($US9746)

It’s worth noting that if the cheaper tickets in economy class have sold out, the cost of upgrading to premium economy may be only $A700 or $A800. We saw one Sydney-London return itinerary selling economy at $A1634 and premium economy at $A2,336. That’s well worth the additional cost.

Hawaiian switches to 787s.

Hawaiian Airlines 787 info graphic
Hawaiian Airlines 787 info graphic

Boeing and Hawaiian Airlines have announced that the carrier has ordered 10 787-9 Dreamliners with 10 options for its medium to long-haul flights.

The Honolulu-based airline, which has been expanding its network from the Hawaiian Islands to Asia and North America, had been conducting an extensive evaluation of its airplane requirements.

Read: Boeing 787 reliability soaring 

“The Dreamliner’s operational efficiency and superior guest experience make it the best aircraft for modernizing our fleet in 2021 and beyond,” said Peter Ingram, president and chief executive officer of Hawaiian Airlines.

“Its expanded seat capacity and extended range will allows us to expand within our current route network and offer new destinations in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Hawaiian 787
Hawaiian 787. Hawaiian Airlines

Boeing and Hawaiian Airlines will work toward finalizing this new airplane order and it will be reflected in the monthly update of Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website.

“Hawaiian Airlines has been on an impressive growth trajectory as they strategically expanded service to and from Asia and North America. We are thrilled they have chosen the 787 Dreamliner to power the next stage of their expansion,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, Kevin McAllister.

“The Dreamliner’s advanced technology, unmatched fuel efficiency, and passenger-pleasing cabin will optimize Hawaiian’s fleet for the future and provide their customers with a best in-class experience.”

Hawaiian’s first 787 will arrive in the 1st quarter of 2021 and the airline has chosen the GNex engine to power its 787s.

The 787 is the fastest selling twin-aisle airplane in Boeing’s history.

Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family is flying more than 1,500 routes and has made possible more than 170 new nonstop routes around the world.

Boeing’s 787 is now achieving dispatch reliability levels almost as high as its 777-300ER, the industry benchmark for widebody reliability.

Boeing’s regional director Product Marketing Tarun Hazari told Airlineratings.com that the 787’s reliability is a “fantastic story” achieving a rate 99.4 percent, just behind the 777-300ERs 99.46 percent.

“Given the higher utilization of the 787 that is an unprecedented number, said Hazari.

It is expected that Hawaiian will now cancel its order for the Airbus’s 257-seat A330-800neo. It is the only airline for this variant.

MH370 search passes half way mark in primary search zone

MH370 search $US70m
The Bridge of the Seabed Constructor. Image: Ocean Infinity.

The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has now covered more than half of the 25,000 sq. km primary search zone identified by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and other experts as the Boeing 777’s most likely resting place.

A report released Tuesday by the MH370 Response Team said search vessel Seabed Constructor had been able to deploy all available autonomous underwater vehicles for the search operation.

Seas were “favorable over the past week and the search operation has been able to make good progress”.

The total area covered as of March 4 was 16,000 sq kms with “no significant contacts identified to date,” it said.

Favorable weather conditions are forecast for the week ahead as the high-tech vessel, supported by MV Maersk Mariner, continues to hunt for the wreckage of the missing Boeing 777.

The Seabed Constructor has been searching the third area of the northern leg of the 25,000 sq. km search zone. Experts monitoring the search say it is in water more than 5000m deep and negotiating more challenging undersea terrain near the Broken Ridge plateau.

MH370 search ocean infinity
The search area is in red. Source: The MH370 Response Team.

The Malaysian Government expects the search to end in June or July if the debris is not found but is moving to formalize plans to recover the wreckage, including the crucial flight recorders, in case it is.

Read: MH370 search to end June or July.

New agency Reuters quoted the Malaysian CAA chairman Azharuddin Abdul Rahman as saying over the weekend that plans to recover the MH370 wreckage would be finalized in two weeks.

The search remains far from over and the company funding it,  Ocean Infinity,  has 90 days in which to conduct it on a “no cure, no fee” basis.

The clock does not run while the ship returns to port to refuel and resupply which it is due to do later this month.

 

Ocean Infinity has already swept a 5000 sq. km primary search area and would have been paid $US20 million if the debris is found there. It will receive $US30m if it is found in the 10,000 sq, km secondary area and $US50m in the 10,000 sq, km tertiary area.

The three zones make up a 25,000 sq.m area defined in ATSB’s report but OI will get $US70m if it locates the debris outside this zone.

Several experts have suggested this is where the missing plane may be.

The University of Western Australia’s Professor Charitha Pattiaratchi said last year that its drift modeling suggested MH370 could be within a 40km radius of Longitude 96.5° E Latitude 32.5° S.

“Results of our oceanographic drift modeling indicate that the priority region to target would be the area between 33°S and 28°S along the 7th arc,”  Professor Pattiaratchi told AirlineRatings recently.

“Longitude 96.5° E Latitude 32.5° S – was the origin of the particles that were used to direct Blaine Gibson to find debris in the western Indian Ocean.”

Some members of the Independent Group of experts believe it may be even further north and a map issued by the Malaysians identifies “site extensions”, one of which ranges north of 29° S.

Emirates B777-200LR refresh axes middle seat in business

Emirates
Emirates is looking for more flight attendants. Photo: Emirates.

Emirates is investing more than $US150 million to refurbish its Boeing 777-200LR jets and remove the unpopular middle seat from its business class cabin.

The first jet in the new 2-2-2 configuration was due to take off for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Wednesday sporting 38 business seats and 264 in economy class.

The remainder of the airline’s 10 777-200LRs will be retrofitted during the course of the year and destinations will include the airline’s recently announced new port of Santiago, Chile.

The removal of the middle seat addresses some of the criticism leveled at Emirates when it announced its wider Boeing 777 cabin upgrades in November 2017.

This included a Mercedes Benz-inspired first class suite offering full privacy on the bigger 777s but a business class that retained the 2-3-2 configuration.

Read:Has Emirates missed the mark?

The  777-200LR changes give passengers a latest design, lie-flat seat that is two inches wider than its predecessor and offers a seat pitch of 72 inches. It features Mercedes-inspired champagne finish, diamond stitch pattern and ergonomically designed headrest unveiled in November.

The seat includes touchscreen controls, a 23-inch in-flight entertainment screen, personal lighting options, privacy panels between seats, shoe storage, a footrest and a personal mini-bar.

Overhead bins at the center of the cabin have been removed to give it a more spacious feel and the airline has added a “mini-lounge” social area featuring snacks and beverages that is unique to the 777-200LRs.

Emirates upgrade Boeing 777-200LRs
The social area comes with snacks and beverages.

The airline said the economy seats had also been “refreshed” to the latest color palette of soft greys and blues.

Competition for premium passengers has accelerated with a number of airlines last year unveiling new business class seats, including Emirates rivals Qatar and Singapore Airlines.

Both Qatar and Singapore unveiled products with a 1-2-1 configuration that offer all business class passengers direct aisle access and enhanced privacy.

Read: Qsuite is a first-class act.

 

Cathay opens new HKIA lounge

Cathay new lounge the deck
Cathay's new lounge, The Deck. Photos: Cathay Pacific.

Cathay Pacific will open its newest lounge at Hong Kong International Airport on March 22 as it starts to see signs of recovery in traffic growth.

The new lounge, called The Deck,  inherits the DNA of other Cathay lounges such as the impressive The Pier Business lounge.

Read about The Pier.

But the airline says it differs from the other HKIA lounges because it is on a balcony offering panoramic views of the apron from the eastern side of the terminal.

Cathay has designed its lounges around its “Life Well Traveled” concept and pays detailed attention to design and fittings in a bid to offer an oasis of calm amid the airport frenzy.

This extends from the design of the furniture to the acoustics and even the wavelength of the light.

Dining at The Deck includes Cathay’s signature The Noodle Bar offering local classics such as wonton noodles in broth, fish ball noodles and a variety of dim sum.

Carthay Lounge HKIA The Deck
The Noodle bar.

 

The Main Lounge provides a range of self-service international offerings and passengers can relax in  The Terrace and take in view of the airport’s apron, taxi-ways and northern runway.

Cathay The Terrace new lounge HKIA
The Terrace.

There is also a relaxation room with bespoke Solo chairs and eight shower suites.

The 823 sq. m lounge offers seating for 180 passengers joins  Cathay Pacific’s other lounges at HKIA, including The Bridge, The Pier Business and First Class lounges, The Wing Business and First Class lounges and The Arrival.

However, its arrival means  The Cabin will close on 30 April.

Cathay New lounge The Deck HKIA
The lounge area.

The new lounge comes as passenger and cargo numbers at Cathay are showing signs of growth with combined December passenger traffic figures for Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon up 3.1 percent compared to December 2016, after equivalent increases of 7.9 per cent in November and 6 percent in October.

This brought passenger growth for 2017 to  1.4 percent, although this still lagged a capacity increase of 2.8 percent.

The airline says says premium traffic is maintaining momentum across most of the network, although long-haul yield remains under pressure from intense competition.

Nonetheless, Cathay is expected to announce a loss of about $US345 million when it releases its annual results later this month, according to a median estimate of a Bloomberg News survey of five analysts.

Among the problems: inflated wage costs, increasing competition from Chinese rivals and losses from fuel-hedging.

 

Changi Airport fees to produce fare rises of up to 25 percent: Jetstar CEO

Jetstar Changi fees fare rises
Jetstar Asia A320.

The Jetstar Group has warned that new fees at Changi Airport may see it shift  flights from the Singaporean hub and produce fare rises at Jetstar Asia of up to 25 percent.

A move by Changi to boost fees to help pre-fund expansion works, including the new Terminal 5, has prompted complaints by a number of carriers.

The fees include a new tax of $S10.80 per passenger from July 1 for departing travelers and $S3 for those in transit.  The airport’s passenger service and security fee is also rising by $S2.50 to $S30.40 from July 1 and there will be increases in landing, parking and aerobridge fees.

“We’re very disappointed that this decision has been made,’’ Jetstar Group chief executive Gareth Evans said. “We believe this will lead to fare increases of 10 to 25 percent.

“Eighty percent of Jetstar Asia passengers travel for under $100. A cost increase of $10 is significant, particularly for low-cost carriers.”

Evans said that 80 percent of growth at Changi over the past decade had come from LCCs.

He warned the change would not just impact fares, but also volume, gross domestic product and the network.

“There is no doubt we will see a demand shift as fares go up, and we will need to adjust our network accordingly,’’ he said.

“We support growth, but our view is that growth needs to be staged in the right way and funded by airports. In turn, the airport would recoup the investment from the volume increase that comes as a result.

“The fact we are pre-funding this growth is something we fundamentally disagree with.”

The International Air Transport Association also recently expressed concerns about the way Changi is funding its growth.

While acknowledging the foresight shown by the Singapore government withits  expansion plans,  IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac said the funding model needed to be right to avoid burdening industry with extra costs.

“The prize to keep in sight is the airport’s contribution to Singapore’s overall economy,”  he said, noting reports about the additional taxes. “The airline industry does not support pre-funding to finance in advance infrastructure projects.”

More widely, de Juniac raised concerns that the growth in aviation infrastructure was failing to keep to pace with growth in demand for flights.

IATA forecasts that the number of passengers will almost double to 7.8 billion by 2026 and de Juniac believes the industry is headed for an infrastructure crisis, particularly in the US.

“To meet that demand we need sufficient capacity in terms of runways, terminals and airspace,’’ he said at Aviation Day USA. “Quality must be aligned with our technical and commercial needs. And it all must be affordable.”

The IATA boss also reiterated concerns about governments looking to fund airport infrastructure development through privatization.

“We have yet to see an airport privatization that has, in the long-term, delivered on the promised benefits of greater efficiency for airlines and a better experience for our customers,’’ he said.

“To date, there has been no regulatory formula that effectively balances the interest of private owners to earn a profit with the public interest to have the airport serve as an engine of economic growth.

“By all means, invite private sector expertise to bring commercial discipline and a customer service focus to airport management, but leave ownership in public hands.”

Delta looks at ending discounts for other ‘politically divisive’ groups

Delta end discounts NRA

Delta Air Lines is considering ending discounts to other politically divisive groups after its costly decision to cut ties with the powerful US National Rifle Association.

Republican law-makers in Delta’s home state of Georgia last week punished the airline last week by repealing an airline fuel tax exemption that would have saved the carrier an estimated $US40 million.

Delta was among a number of companies, including fellow carrier United Airlines,  to stop discounts to the NRA in the wake of the recent deadly school shooting in Florida.

The airline said it had rescinded a one-time group travel discount for the NRA’s annual meeting and asked that its name and logo be removed from the lobby group’s website.

READ:  Delta praised for softening stance on guide dogs.

“This decision followed the NRA’s controversial statements after the recent school shootings in Florida,’’ Delta airline chief executive said in a letter to staff. “Our discounted travel benefit for NRA members could be seen as Delta implicitly endorsing the NRA. That is not the case.”

Bastian said the airline was not taking sides in the debate on increasing safety in US schools and public places but attempting to remove itself from the debate.

The airline later revealed only 13 people had taken advantage of the NRA discount.

“While Delta’s intent was to remain neutral, some elected officials in Georgia tied our decision to a pending jet fuel tax exemption, threatening to eliminate it unless we reversed course,’’ Bastian said “Our decision was not made for economic gain and our values are not for sale. We are in the process of a review to end group discounts for any group of a politically divisive nature.”

Bastian also reaffirmed the airline’s intent to keep its headquarters in Georgia, despite offers from other states.

“None of this changes the fact that our home is Atlanta and we are proud and honored to locate our headquarters here,” he said.

MH370 search to end June or July

MH370 abbott Pm search
The Hugin autonomous underwater vehicles used to search for MH370. Photo: Ocean Infinity.

The Malaysia government expects the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to end in June or July if the plane is not found beforehand.

The contract with search firm Ocean Infinity lasts for 90 days on a “no cure, no fee” basis but a senior Malaysian government official told reporters on Saturday that this did not include the time the high-tech vessel Seabed Constructor spends resupplying.

“The vessel has a working cycle of 26 days before it needs to refuel and resupply,” Civil Aviation Authority chairman Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said at a memorial event in Malaysia marking the fourth anniversary of the plane’s disappearance with 239 souls on board.

READ MH370: What happened on board.

Debris hunter Blaine Gibson said Azharuddin had made it clear the clock was not running when the Seabed Constructor was in port or in transit to and from the search area.

“This is big and very good news,’’ he said.

New agency Reuters also quoted the Malaysian CAA chairman as saying plans to recover the Boeing 777’s wreckage or its flight recorders, in the event the aircraft is found, would be finalized in two weeks.

It would involve several Malaysian and Australian agencies and Malaysia would take custody of any parts recovered from the seabed, he said.

The search, which started late in January, will soon begin to face the harsh winter weather of the Southern Indian Ocean. This will make it more difficult for the vessel to launch and retrieve the eight Hugin autonomous underwater vehicles it uses to scour the ocean floor.

“We expect the MH370 search handled by Ocean Infinity would be completed around June or July of this year and it involves an area of 25,000 square kilometre,’’ Azharuddin said in a report by Malaysia’s New Straits Times.

“As such, it is too early for us to conclude the possibility that the search efforts for the MH370 in the Indian Ocean will be met with failure.”

The ongoing search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370  has moved on from the zone containing crash sites favored by CSIRO scientists to sweep a second area of the 25,000 sq. km search region and has since moved into a tertiary area.

A fifth update posted Tuesday by Malaysia’s MH370 Response Team said 8200 sq. km had been covered by February 25 with no significant contacts identified to date.

An update by one the experts monitoring the search, Richard E. Cole, said the search was beginning to reach “the steeper contours and greater depths of Broken Ridge plateau”.

MH370 search
Seabed Constructor’s search pattern as of March 4. Source: Richard. E. Cole

Ocean Infinity’s “no cure, no fee” deal sees it paid $US20 million if the debris is found in the 5000 sq. km primary search area, $US30m in the 10,000 sq, km secondary zone and $US50m in the 10,000 sq, km tertiary area.

The three zones make up a 25,000 sq.m area defined in ATSB’s report but OI will get $US70m if it locates the debris outside this zone. A number of experts have suggested this is where the missing plane may be.

READ: MH370 search moves into second zone.

The new search was launched after an Australian led-operation failed to find the plane in an initial 120,000 sq. km search zone.

American to offer basic economy to Europe

American miami boost
Photo: American Airlines

Parsimonious passengers will able to get basic economy fares on some American Airlines, British Airways,  Iberia and Finnair trans-Atlantic flights to Europe from April.

The US carrier is extending its basic economy fares to some trans-Atlantic flights as it faces increased competition for low-cost carriers. The fares will also be offered on codeshare flights with partners.

The downside of cheaper basic economy fares is that passengers pay extra for checked baggage and seat reservations.

American did not disclose how much it would charge for trans-Atlantic checked baggage but Delta Air Lines, which announced in 207 it would launch basic economy worldwide,  plans to slug passengers to Europe  $US60.

Read our ratings for American Airlines or rate them yourself

But American says basic economy passengers will get be able to bring on carry-on and will get the same entertainment, soft drinks, snacks and meals as other main cabin customers.

Tickets will be non-refundable with no same-day flight change or standby and no upgrades, regardless of elite status level.

Unlike the domestic basic economy, however, international passengers will be able to change their tickets for a fee.

“We’re following the same playbook in this latest expansion as we did for the initial rollout of basic economy,’’ American said in its announcement. “That includes training that began this week for airports and reservations team members and making it available in a limited number of markets first to make sure we get it right.

“In general, most options and restrictions for trans-Atlantic Basic Economy are similar to those for domestic Basic Economy or for short-haul international Basic Economy such as flights to Canada, although there are a few differences.”

Airlines are getting smarter at extracting additional cash from passengers with a wider range of charges, fees, and commissions expected to boost ancillary revenues by 22 percent this year.

The latest estimate of ancillary revenue from CarTrawler and IdeaWorksCompany predicts the cost of extra charges and revenues from areas other than fares will reach $US82.2 billion in 2017, with carriers such as Frontier, Ryanair, Spirit, and Wizz continuing to lead the charge.

Read: Ancillary revenues up 22 percent as airlines extract cash.

Embraer E190-E2 certified by Brazil, Europe and the US

Embraer
Image: Embraer.

Brazilian manufacturer Embraer has received type certification for its new E190-E2 jet from authorities in Europe, the US and Brazil.

Embraer said it was the first time a program of the complexity of the E2 had received a type certificate from three major worldwide certification authorities  — Brazil’s  Agencia Nacional de Aviacao Civil, the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation safety Agency —  simultaneously.

Scandanavian regional airline Wideroe is the launch customer for the E190-2 and will put it into revenue service in April.

The E190-E2 program was launched in 2013 and features new  ultra-high bypass ratio engines and a completely new wing and landing gear.

Embraer says about 75 per cent of the aircraft’s systems are new.

“Having had the pleasure of launching the E-Jets E2 family back in 2013, it is very emotional for me to see the E190-E2 reach Type Certificate today, on schedule and on budget,’’ Embraer chief executive Cesar de Souza e Silva said in a statement.

“Our development teams have once again excelled in their creativity, dedication and competence.

“Not only all development targets were met, but several important ones like fuel burn, performance, noise and maintenance costs came in better than originally specified.’’

The company said fuel consumption on the E190-E2 proved to be 1.3 per cent better than expected and 17.3 per cent ahead of the current E190.

It said the jet was the most most environmentally friendly in its class and its range had increased by 600 nautical miles from hot and high airports and 1000nm from airports with short runways, such as London City.

Other advantages included a 10,000-hour maintenance interval for basic checks and 2.5-day transition time for pilots of current E-jets.

Four prototype aircraft underwent testing with more than 2000 flight hours logged and 45,000 hours of tests conducted in laboratories with rigs for aircraft avionics, flight controls, and electrical, hydraulic, and environmental systems.

Embraer also has a bigger version on the way: the E195-E2.

The company is being courted by US aerospace giant Boeing, which wants to form a joint venture.

The proposal is being considered by Brazilian president Michael Temer and Souza said talks were expected to be finalized in the first half of this year.

Brazil’s government has veto power over any such deal and a spokesman for Temer said recently nothing had been decided yet.

Boeing arch-rival Airbus announced last year it would  take a majority stake in the company that builds Canadian plane-maker Bombardier’s  C Series aircraft.

Read: Airbus-Bombardier partnership to boost C Series.

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