Turkish Airlines, already a substantial player in the Middle East market, is launching a new wave of routes into the region. For some time, the Turkish flag carrier has had ambitions to rival the “Middle East 3” (ME3) trio of Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways. Turkish is expanding rapidly, notably in Africa, where the Istanbul-based carrier is on record as saying it aims to become the dominant airline on the continent. The latest initiative is designed to link Middle East cities with several Turkish regional cities and tourism centers such as Antalya, Bodrum and Trabzon; Turkey is a popular holiday destination for Arabs. The services are scheduled to start from June. The new routes will also allow Arab passengers to bypass the increasingly congested Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul. Turkey is also attempting to compensate for a sharp drop-off in Western European tourists following a series of terrorist attacks and last summer’s attempted coup in the country.<br/>
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Air China has partnered with Beijing and Frankfurt airports to develop a new express route between China and Europe, called Easy Way Beijing-Frankfurt, in an effort to enhance its international competitiveness. The Beijing-based carrier signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing Capital Airport and Frankfurt Airport for the Easy Way Beijing-Frankfurt cooperation in September 2016. The project aims to simplify the boarding process by providing travelers with specified boarding, waiting and baggage handling areas at the two airports. It also aims to reduce transfer time and boost flight capacity. Air China opened Beijing-Frankfurt service in 1989 and currently operates two daily direct flights using Boeing 747-800 and 777-300ER aircraft.<br/>
The US FAA Tuesday proposed fining United $435,000 for operating 23 flights in 2014 with a Boeing 787 that the government alleged was not in airworthy condition. The FAA alleged that in June 2014, United mechanics replaced a fuel pump pressure switch on the Boeing aircraft but failed to perform a required inspection before returning the aircraft to service. A United spokesman said, "The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority. We immediately took action after identifying the issue and are working closely with the FAA in their review."<br/>