Air NZ is putting in "proactive systems" for its Dreamliner fleet after problems were identified in engines of the same aircraft type operated by ANA. Air NZ operates 7 of the planes and says it is aware of a technical issue that has affected some Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 aircraft engines. It says that in partnership with Rolls-Royce, and with the approval of the CAA, the airline has put proactive systems in place to manage the issue. ANA uses its 787s for short hauls which means engines go through more "cycles" than other operators, so are put under more pressure than engines on planes used on longer routes. This accelerates the amount of servicing they need. Air NZ said it operated its 787 fleet differently to many other airlines in that they fly on long haul sectors rather than the multiple short haul sectors. <br/>
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Air NZ and SIA will extend their alliance to include travel between Wellington and Singapore. From Sept 21, Air NZ will be able to codeshare on SIA's new Wellington-Singapore service. The airlines will also codeshare on Air NZ's domestic network beyond Wellington. The two carriers first launched an alliance in early 2015, which included SIA's Singapore-Christchurch service and enabled Air NZ to resume operating the Auckland-Singapore route. Air NZ chief strategy, networks and alliances officer Stephen Jones said the launch of the alliance with SIA delivered capacity growth of 15% in its first year. SIA's GM, New Zealand, Simon Turcotte said the extension of the alliance agreement to include the new service would deliver a greater choice to customers looking to travel to and from New Zealand. <br/>
Lufthansa plans to sign a joint venture contract with Air China later this month, rounding off over 2 years of negotiations, 2 people familiar with the matter said. The firms signed an agreement in principle in July 2014 to work towards a joint venture allowing them to share revenue on certain routes by selling tickets for each others' flights. "We are on the home stretch. We are confident that we will have this squared away soon," a spokesman for Lufthansa said, while declining to say when a deal would be signed. When Lufthansa signed the accord in principle in July 2014 the carrier said it hoped the deal would improve its position in China. Lufthansa CE Carsten Spohr warned at the time that it could take until 2016 before the joint venture was fully up and running due to the time needed for antitrust approval. <br/>
Oscar Munoz, 5 months after returning from medical leave to his post as CE of United Continental Holdings, said he now has the management team and board of directors to regain positive momentum for a carrier still struggling after its 2010 merger. Since returning to full-time work in March, Munoz has overseen an improvement in the carrier’s operating performance and forged better labour relations. Partly under pressure from 2 hedge funds that in the spring sought a shake-up in management, Munoz has been rebuilding his team and board. But margins at the airline still lag its biggest competitors, and it needs to regain customers who defected to rivals over the past few years. United also must shed its reputation for being a “docile” industry follower and become more innovative, Munoz said. <br/>
South Africa is set to reappoint the chairwoman of South African Airways, an ally of president Jacob Zuma, despite objections from some Treasury officials, a Finance Ministry source said Thursday. South African Airways has failed to submit financial statements for the past 2 years, with results for 2015/16 held back by the Treasury's refusal to grant the carrier ZAR5b (US$340m) in additional loan guarantees. Word of the reappointment of SAA chair Dudu Myeni came a day after asset manager Futuregrowth said it had halted lending to state-owned firms over concerns of political interference in their administration. The source said that ministry officials opposed to Myeni's selection had however managed to push through some preferred candidates to the cash-strapped airline's new board. <br/>