The third of 4 Embraer E190-E2 flight test aircraft has flown for the first time. The flight test program for the next-generation E-Jet powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1900G geared turbofan (GTF) engines was launched ahead of schedule May 23. The second E2 prototype took to the skies July 8. The third flight test aircraft, which flew its initial flight Aug 27, “will be used primarily to test flying qualities and evaluate how the aircraft handles in icing conditions,” Embraer said. The first E190-E2 flight test aircraft is in the midst of conducting tests on systems, loads, aero-elasticity, external noise and crosswind handling, Embraer said. The second E190-E2 is being used to test systems and general aircraft performance. The first two E190-E2 flight test aircraft have accumulated 150 flight hours so far, according to Embraer. <br/>
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Nearly 1,000 airline passengers were left stranded Sunday night after a glitch in the IT system at Vienna airport caused huge delays to flights. Over 100 flights in and out of the city had to be delayed or cancelled when the automated transfer of flight planning data between air traffic controllers in Brussels and Vienna broke down Sunday afternoon. Airport staff had to step in and manually enter the information to keep the system running. The technical problems were resolved by late Sunday evening but a total of 113 flights were cancelled or delayed due to the glitch. The airport provided 500 camp beds and booked a further 900 hotel rooms for stranded passengers who needed to stay overnight. The airlines affected by the glitch included Lufthansa, British Airways, Polish airline LOT, Finnair and Turkish Airlines. <br/>
Russia’s prime minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a resolution lifting the ban on charter flights to Turkey Aug 28, leading the way for Russian leisure carriers to file requests to begin charter flights between the two countries. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said it is ready to allow airlines to resume charter flights. Charter flights between the countries ceased in Nov 2015 after Turkish fighter jets downed a Russian fighter aircraft as it crossed into Turkish airspace while on a sortie against Islamic State forces in neighbouring Syria. Russia imposed sanctions on Turkey, advising its citizens not to travel to Turkey for leisure. Scheduled flights were not affected. The charter flights ban led to considerable losses for the Turkish travel industry and a decrease of international passengers numbers for Russian airlines. <br/>
IATA is urging the Egyptian govt to relax restrictions on foreign currency transfers that have resulted in international airlines being unable to repatriate income from ticket sales. The restrictions imposed in March 2016 have resulted in some US$275m in foreign exchange funds transfers from Egypt being blocked. According to IATA, following negotiations between some of its member airlines, the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority and the Central Bank of Egypt, agreement has been reached to release some $240m in funds, but the terms under which the remaining amount could be released are still in question. “Airlines struggle to provide vital connectivity if they are not able to recover revenues which are essential to covering their costs,” said IATA. <br/>
Qatar’s main Hamad International is adding a US$10 fee for all passengers departing from the airport, including on connection flights. The decision, announced Sunday, comes after the Middle East’s busiest airport in Dubai and a smaller one in the nearby emirate of Sharjah also added similar fees earlier this year. The measure helps boost revenue in Gulf countries following a slump in the price of oil that has impacted their economic growth and limited spending capabilities. The fee will be added to tickets for travel starting Dec 1. Children under 2-years-old without a seat will be exempted. The airport, which is home to Qatar Airways, says the charge will help it to increase capacity and invest in new infrastructure and technology. <br/>
The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines reported 26.2m international passengers in July, up 10.2% year-over-year. International passenger demand grew 8.4% YOY to 96.57b RPKs, reflecting strong demand for both regional and long-haul travel, AAPA said. Overall capacity on international scheduled services grew 7.3% YOY to 118.02b ASKs, lifting the region’s passenger load factor 0.8 point YOY to 81.8%. Year-to-date, the number of international passengers in the Asia-Pacific region has risen 6.8% YOY. Passenger demand for the first 7 months of 2016 is up 7.3% YOY to 615.76b RPKS; capacity YTD is up 7% YOY to 733.05b ASKs. International passenger load factor for the region YTD is 78.5%, up a marginal 0.2 point YOY. “Demand outlook for [Asia-Pacific] air passenger markets remains positive,” AAPA said. <br/>