Delta Air Lines delayed boarding for about two dozen flights Tuesday as a result of a brief outage in its software that powers ground operations, a spokesman said. The airline does not expect further delays due to the issue, and no flights already in the air were affected, a spokesman said. He would not immediately comment as to whether a cyber-attack caused the outage. The technical issue follows several high-profile computer problems experienced by US airlines in 2015, including a router error at United Continental and a malfunctioning iPad application used by pilots at American Airlines that caused delays. Industry consultants say computer disruptions will have a growing impact on airlines as they automate more operations, outfit their planes with Wi-Fi and distribute boarding passes on smartphones. <br/>
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Garuda Indonesia is set to take delivery of 4 new Airbus A330-300 aircraft in 2016, all fitted with an enhanced business class. The carrier’s new Super Diamond business class seats will introduce an “all-aisle” layout with a 1-2-1 seat configuration, along with a Panasonic EX3 inflight entertainment system driving 16-inch touch-screen LCD screens. “Garuda is the first airline to implement the [EX3] service on its A330-300 aircraft,” Garuda CE Arif Wibowo said. The aircraft will offer a 287-seat cabin with 24 Super Diamond business seats and 263 economy class seats. The new seats will also convert to a fully flat-bed configuration with a 24-inch width and 82-inch extended length. The new seat layout will also offer touchscreen handset/remotes, double USB plugs, and a new mini bar display to the seats. <br/>
Vietnam Airlines plans to split off a domestic-service unit to create a short-haul carrier as it loses ground to a low-cost rival. The new airline would be formed by restructuring Vietnam Air Services, known as Vasco, Pham Ngoc Minh, CE of the carrier, said Tuesday. Vietnam Air is in the midst of seeking approval from the transport ministry for the new carrier aimed at business travellers, Minh said. The move comes amid market-share gains by VietJet Aviation, which CAPA says will probably surpass Vietnam Airlines as the nation’s biggest domestic carrier this year. Vietnam is expected to rank among the world’s 10 fastest-growing aviation markets in the next 2 decades, according to IATA. Under the proposal, Vietnam Airlines would hold 51% of the venture, while Techcombank would have a 49% stake. <br/>