JetBlue Airways has ordered up to 120 Airbus A220-300s to replace its Embraer 190 fleet, and will convert orders for 25 A320neos to the larger A321neo. The airline's decision was announced hours after the Bombardier CSeries was rebranded under Airbus ownership earlier Tuesday. The A220 order comprises firm orders for 60 aircraft, with deliveries to start in 2020, and another 60 options for delivery from 2025. JetBlue will take all A220-300s, previously known as the CS300, from an assembly facility in Mobile, Alabama, it said. That site has not yet been constructed. JetBlue's long-awaited decision concludes a fleet review that it began in early 2017, targeted at the future of its 60-strong E190 fleet. The airline's choice of the A220-300 is a blow to Embraer, which was marketing the E195-E2 to the carrier. "While the E190 has played an important role in JetBlue’s network since 2005, the airline’s fleet review determined that the A220’s economics would allow the airline to lower costs in the coming years," said JetBlue. The 130- to 160-seat capacity of the A220 provides advantages over the 100-seat Embraer configuration, it adds. “We are evolving our fleet for the future of JetBlue, and the A220-300’s impressive range and economics offer us flexibility and support our key financial and operating priorities,” said JetBlue CE Robin Hayes.<br/>
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Peanuts have long been the snack du jour for Southwest Airlines, years before it became one of the largest airlines in the US. But the airline will stop offering peanuts on all flights as of August 1 "to ensure the best on-board experience for everyone, especially for customers with peanut-related allergies," the airline said. "Our ultimate goal is to create an environment where all customers -- including those with peanut-related allergies -- feel safe and welcome on every Southwest flight," the airline added. Southwest fans will still get free snacks. Depending on the length of your flight, the airline will continue to offer some of the following snacks: pretzels, different kinds of cookies, veggie chips and corn chips. Customers with peanut and peanut-dust allergies can indicate their allergies when booking their flights and at the airport, and they may opt to board early to wipe down their seats and tray tables.<br/>
The hard landing of a Jazz Aviation Bombardier Q400 in 2017 substantially damaged the aircraft and generated enough load to trigger a switch designed to activate only after a crash, according to a report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The report notes that the company was unaware of the damage and operated the aircraft prior to making repairs. The incident involved Jazz flight 7977, a Q400 from Montreal to Billy Bishop Toronto City airport on the evening of 9 November last year. Immediately prior to touchdown on Billy Bishop's Runway 26, wind shear caused the aircraft's speed to decline, leading the pilot flying to increase power to the Q400's Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A turboprops, says the TSB's report released on 9 July. The aircraft then touched down on the runway and a pilot reduced the throttle, but the aircraft lifted again when more wind shear caused the airspeed to increase, the TSB says. Story has more technical detail. <br/>
Ryanair said it would cancel up to 30 of its 290 Irish flights on Thursday as a result of a planned pilots’ strike, limiting the disruption to high frequency British-Irish routes but warned further disruptions could not be ruled out. Pilots directly employed by Ryanair and who are members of its Irish trade union voted to go on strike for the first time after the union said last week that the budget carrier had failed to meet demands over new working practices. “These coordinated strike threats are designed to cause unnecessary disruption to customers and damage Ryanair’s low fare model, for the benefit of high fare competitor airlines in Ireland and Germany,” Ryanair said.<br/>
One crew member was killed and about 19 people injured when a twin-engine Convair CV-340 airliner crashed July 10 outside of Wonderboom Airport, near Pretoria, South Africa, according to media reports. During takeoff from the airport, the aircraft was seen trailing smoke from its left engine, and eyewitnesses reported observing flames, the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network reported. The aircraft, operating a test flight, went down about 6 km east of the airport, struck a shed and broke apart. South African charter airline Rovos Air had donated the vintage aircraft, which was built in 1954, to the Aviodrome aviation theme park at Lelystad Airport, in the Netherlands; it was scheduled to be exhibited there later this month.<br/>
Fledgling Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways moved a step closer to starting operations on Tuesday as the government said it would authorise the transport ministry to issue it with an aviation licence. Privately owned FLC Group last month agreed a $5.6b deal to buy 20 Boeing planes at current list prices and in March signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for up to 24 planes. The government said Tuesday that Bamboo Airways will invest US$30m during 2019-2023 on 10 Airbus or Boeing planes, but it was unclear whether it would rent or buy planes initially. It will become Vietnam’s fifth airline. It has yet to receive an aviation licence but the government said Tuesday that it had authorised “The Ministry of Transportation to evaluate and issue an air transport business license in accordance with the law.” FLC has said it expects the airline to begin operations in 2019 and launch direct flights to the US and Europe and position itself as a hybrid airline, combining traditional and low–cost models, the company said Tuesday.<br/>