Lately we’ve been pretty hot and heavy about Boeing’s 777 plane, especially since that’s the bird that Branson and company have chosen to launch V Australia. However, apparently there’s some trouble with the 777 engines, and federal regulators want airliners to take a look at what’s going on. If you’re planning a trip down under on V—don’t worry—their 777s use engines from General Electric. ]]>
Machinists at Boeing's Everett, Washington factory have been on strike for nearly a month, extending seemingly endless delays on the 787--and on the three 777s V Australia ordered for its first flights. The new carrier, an offshoot of Virgin Blue, will now move its launch date back from December 15 to February 28, 2009 and hope that its planes are ready by then.
There are a couple of options for passengers who booked one of the now-canceled flights. You can call up for a full refund, or the carrier will book you on another airline, if you need to fly. A third option: V Australia will rebook passengers on a flight "on or after March 1, 2009" and toss in a $200 voucher for another Virgin Blue flight.
If the strike comes to an end soon--though The Seattle Times says that ain't likely--V Australia says it will move its launch date back up. As for all the money the carrier will lose because of the strike, a press release ominously declares:
The impact of the serious delay would be addressed between Virgin Blue and The Boeing Company at a later date.
Related Stories:
· Boeing Strike Delays Launch of V Australia [MarketWatch]
· V Australia on Track for First Flights in '08 [Jaunted]
· Red Tape Worries V Australia [Jaunted]]]>
The near-term future of Chinese aviation is all about smaller planes, so when Air China needed some big jets, it had to look elsewhere. The state-owned carrier just announced that it plans to buy 45 new aircraft from Boeing, growing its fleet by 35 percent with the purchase.
Most of the new 777s and 737s will fly out of Beijing, further entrenching the airline at PEK. (You know the flag carrier gets that sweet real estate in T3.) Also on the horizon for Air China are 15 787s, if and when those next-generation jets roll off the line.
What we're still wondering about, though, is when these new planes will be delivered. After all, another carrier just jumped to the front of the Boeing production queue.
Related Stories:
· Air China Announces $6.3 Billion Deal [AP, via Google]
· Happily Welcoming Our New Chinese Aviation Overlords [Jaunted]
· Boeing coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo of Air China's Olympics livery: Wikimedia]]]>
