Rolls-Royce Friday warned its aircraft-engine production would fall short this year, adding to the pressure plane makers face in delivering new jets to airlines on time. Rolls-Royce said it would ship 500 rather than 550 airliner engines. The manufacturer blamed the setback on production problems with a new engine, the Trent 7000, used to power Airbus A330neo wide-bodies. Boeing and Airbus have struggled this year to get planes into customer hands because of production problems. Boeing has had 737 single-aisle planes lined up on the ramp at its Seattle production site awaiting engines. Delays to fuselages also hit production. For Airbus, the Rolls-Royce setback comes at a particularly difficult time. The company is already late with deliveries of its A320neo single-aisle planes. <br/>
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British airline passengers are wasting up to GBP175m each year on unnecessary allocated seating fees, new research has found. Almost half (45%) of people who pay to sit with their companions would be seated together anyway, according to an investigation by the CAA. The aviation regulator urged airlines to tell customers how likely it is they will be split up unless they pay extra. Analysis of 9 major airlines serving the UK found the proportion of passengers who are not separated from their group despite refusing to pay additional fees ranges from 35% on Ryanair to 12% on Flybe and TUI Airways. Aviation minister Liz Sugg said: “Passengers rightly expect to be charged fairly for services and allocated seating is clearly a concern for those flying.” <br/>
Brussels Airport cancelled 184 flights Friday after baggage handlers complaining about working conditions went on strike. The strike, which had not been called by the unions in advance, began Thursday evening and initially led to the cancellation of 50 flights. Brussels Airport laid on beds for some 300 people who were forced to spend the night there, a spokeswoman said. She said the tally of cancelled flights Friday was 184 - 116 departures and 68 arrivals - with a further 40 flights rerouted to other airports. The airport normally handles about 800 flights per day. The strike of workers at Aviapartner affected 29 airlines, including Ryanair and KLM, but did not have an impact on Belgium's main carrier Brussels Airlines, which uses a different operator to handle luggage. <br/>
Tunisia is ready to launch a long-awaited "Open Skies" agreement with Europe to give its economy a boost, prime minister Youssef Chahed said Friday, putting the govt on course for a possible confrontation with labour unions. Unions have threatened strikes should the deal go ahead, saying it would cause the collapse of loss-making Tunisair. But Tunisian officials say the deal will provide thousands of jobs and boost the vital tourism sector. The North African country and the EU said in December they had agreed to open all Tunisian airports except Tunisair’s main base in the capital Tunis to foreign carriers. Tunis airport will follow after 4 years. Both sides still need to finalise the agreement. <br/>
Recep Tayyip Erdogan will unveil one of his prized jewels Monday — Istanbul New Airport — a megaproject that has been dogged by concerns about labour rights, environmental issues and Turkey's weakening economy. Erdogan is opening what he claims will eventually become the world's largest air transport hub on the 95th anniversary of Turkey's establishment as a republic. It's a symbolic launch, as only limited flights will begin days later and a full move won't take place until the end of the year. Tens of thousands of workers have been scrambling to finish the airport to meet Erdogan's Oct 29 deadline. Istanbul New Airport, on shores of the Black Sea, will serve 90m passengers annually in its first phase. At its completion in 10 years, it will occupy nearly 19,000 acres and serve up to 200m travellers a year. <br/>