There’s a new passenger jet with wide seats, ample overhead bin space and an extra-quiet engine. It isn’t selling well. Four years after its maiden flight, only 2 small European airlines fly the Bombardier C Series of 100- and 145-passenger planes. Delta will begin flying the plane next year. While there are many reasons for the slow sales, the lack of interest highlights the low priority airlines and passengers place on comfort. The two airlines currently flying the C Series—Swiss and Air Baltic—say most coach passengers won’t pay higher fares for comfy cabins. For a small fare difference, they’ll still pick less-comfortable airplanes. Airlines say cost is the No. 1 factor when evaluating new airplanes. “Passengers get into anything that flies if the ticket is cheap,” says Martin Gauss, CE of Air Baltic. <br/>
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As Hurricane Irma bore down on the southern US Wednesday, airlines adjusted flight schedules, made cancellations and assured passengers they would not have to pay unusually high fares ahead of the storm's arrival. Irma was expected to make landfall in Florida by the weekend, and as of Wednesday, it had already pummelled islands in the Caribbean with rain, pounding winds and surging surf. While the storm's precise trajectory remained uncertain, airlines pre-emptively canceled flights in the likely affected regions and put in place travel waivers for customers to reschedule plans. In some cases, before the storm struck, carriers added flights and upsized aircraft out of Florida and the Caribbean to accommodate as many passengers evacuating the area as possible. <br/>
Boeing has forecast China will require 7,240 new aircraft through 2036, valued at approximately US$1.1t, according to the manufacturer’s annual China Current Market Outlook released Sept 6. Boeing’s new estimate is 6.3% higher than last year’s projection. “China’s continuous economic growth, significant investment in infrastructure, growing middle-class and evolving airline business models support this long-term outlook,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes VP-marketing Randy Tinseth said. “China’s fleet size is expected to grow at a pace well above the world average, and almost 20% of global new airplane demand will be from airlines based in China.” Boeing said single-aisle aircraft, such as its 737 MAX family, will continue to make up the bulk of Chinese airlines’ domestic and regional fleets. <br/>