Federal officials are investigating after an air traffic controller error sent a jet from Los Angeles International into the flight path of another plane while flying low toward Southern California mountains. An EVA Air Boeing 777 that left LAX in heavy rain around 1:20 am Friday heading to Taiwan was given an incorrect instruction by a controller based in San Diego to turn left instead of right. That sent the airliner toward mountains above Altadena, as well as toward the path of an Air Canada plane that had just taken off. Audio traffic indicates that the same controller realised the error and told the airliner to level out and change direction. The controller told the pilot several times to head south. More than a minute later, she was still trying to get him to comply. The EVA crew eventually pulled up and got onto the right flight path. <br/>
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Air NZ will split its Tokyo services between Haneda and Narita Airports from July next year, offering customers 2 points of entry into Japan's capital city. The airline currently operates daily flights to Narita International increasing to 10 times a week over the peak months. From next July the 3 additional peak services will operate to Haneda, with daily services continuing to Narita. Haneda is about to undergo a major renovation to prepare for the surge in flights expected for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The airline's chief revenue officer, Cam Wallace, said the airline looked forward to building on existing services to Japan as tourism continues to grow in both directions, particularly in the coming years with events such as the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Summer Olympics. <br/>
EgyptAir has taken delivery of the first of 9 Boeing 737-800 NGs. The delivery is part of a major fleet modernisation plan for the carrier, which is aiming to have 105 aircraft on strength by 2020, and 150 by 2025. “The strategy is based on improving and modernising the fleet by adding state-of–the-art airplanes that suit the long- and medium-haul operation to several destinations within EgyptAir’s network,” Egyptian aviation minister Sherif Fathi said. The 9 new aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2017 in a 2-class, 154-seat configuration, with 16 business-class and 138 for the economy-class seats,” EgyptAir CE Sherif Ezzat noted. The new 737s are the first to feature an audio/video on demand System (AVOD) system and have Boeing’s Sky Interior. <br/>
Lufthansa has taken delivery of its first of 25 Airbus A350-900s. The first 10 of the type will be deployed on long-haul routes from Munich to Delhi and Boston. Lufthansa Technik will install the cabin interior—which includes a new premium-economy class—as the aircraft readies to begin Munich-Delhi services Feb 10, 2017. The 293-seat aircraft is configured for 48 seats in business, 21 in premium-economy, and 224 in economy class. The A350 is equipped with Lufthansa’s latest cabin products, including new seats, inflight entertainment and inflight connectivity in all classes. Lufthansa Group chairman and CE Carsten Spohr said Lufthansa is taking delivery of an average of 50 new aircraft every year. Airbus has 810 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 43 customers worldwide. <br/>