Rolls-Royce Holdings said it will accelerate a program to install redesigned blades on some of its Trent 1000 engines, after early wear forced SIA to ground two 787 aircraft using the turbines. The latest setback for the Trent 1000 TEN, used on Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets, came after the UK engine maker sampled a small number of the global fleet that had “flown in more arduous conditions,” Rolls said Tuesday. The company said it will work closely with customers that are affected as it tests “an enhanced version of this blade.” A Rolls spokesman didn’t say how many planes were affected, identify other customers or give details of the blades’ shortened life. The company said in February that about 35 Dreamliners remained grounded and that it aimed to reduce that number to about 10 by the end of the year. Design glitches have plagued the Trent program since 2016, leading to about $1.7b in charges, while eating into Rolls-Royce’s share of turbines for 787 jets against rival engine maker General Electric. Last year, the company said the intermediate pressure turbine blades -- which had already been flagged for replacement -- weren’t lasting long enough to meet the previously set maintenance schedule. Regulators have at times limited how far the planes can fly from an airport, which has forced airlines to re-route some long-distance flights. Singapore Air said it found “premature blade deterioration” during routine inspections of some plane engines, leading the carrier to ground two 787-10 aircraft. The carrier, in consultation with Rolls, identified other Trent 1000 TEN engines in its 787 fleet to undergo precautionary inspections, SIA said separately. All these inspections have been concluded, and a remaining check will be completed on a 787-9 aircraft of its Scoot budget carrier by Wednesday.<br/>
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Air Canada said Tuesday it would delay the launch of certain seasonal flights this spring, as the carrier wrestles with the challenge of servicing routes previously flown by its grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Canada's largest carrier said it would put off the launch of at least five seasonal routes, including delaying its Vancouver to Boston service to June 16 from June 1. Air Canada said a previously-announced halting of flights from two Eastern Canadian cities to London's Heathrow airport would now remain suspended until May 31. Air Canada, which previously suspended its 2019 financial forecasts, has removed 24 MAX jets from its flight schedule until July 1, following grounding of the Boeing jets after two recent crashes involving the model. The global grounding has left US and Canadian airlines with the logistical challenge of replacing the popular roughly 175-seat MAX on certain routes, at a time of rising passenger demand. The Canadian carrier has been flying alternative planes or consolidating flights into larger jets that were previous flown more frequently on smaller aircraft. Air Canada has also said it is speeding up the integration of four Airbus A321 aircraft it acquired in late December from Iceland's cash-strapped WOW air. Air Canada is "accommodating as best as they can," said AltaCorp analyst Chris Murray. "At the same time, there is still some uncertainty about when the MAX grounding notice is going to be lifted."<br/>
The former CFO of United Continental Holdings is betting that the US airline industry needs another budget airline. Andrew Levy, who also helped establish Allegiant Travel Co., is raising money for a new low-cost niche carrier designed to serve secondary airports with a reliable experience that differs from current players in the market. “We think the opportunity exists for a real high-quality, highly reliable, extremely low fare, basic transportation service,” Levy said Tuesday. The airline, which has not yet been named, will offer “a better product and experience but still offer really low prices,” he said, comparing the venture to the past experience of Southwest. “I think Southwest showed that for many, many years.” The Houston-based company has not decided on an aircraft type but is leaning toward leasing Boeing’s 737-800. The planes would seat 189 passengers, a high-density approach designed to help the company offer fares below the industry average. The carrier could start service with around five aircraft late this year or in early 2020, Levy said. The aggressive schedule would place its debut ahead of another planned US airline entrant—dubbed Moxy—that is expected to begin flights in 2021 using the new Airbus A220. <br/>
Air NZ's secure "Skycouch" bed for young children has taken a top gong in the Crystal Cabin Awards, known as the Oscars for plane interiors. Another winner was Airbus which has designed a sleep and play area in the cargo bay of A330s. Air New Zealand's "cuddle class" seats in economy were introduced eight years ago and modifications to them to make them suitable for infants won the Greener Cabin, Health, Safety and Environment category. A dedicated infant harness allowing infants to remain lying down throughout the cruise phase of flight, new infant pod, and a new "cuddle belt" means two children can share the Skycouch lying side by side. Skycouch is a row of three Economy seats that convert into a flat, flexible surface for rest, relaxation and play, and was first introduced in 2011. There were 24 finalists in a number of categories and winners were named overnight at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.<br/>
Lufthansa is preparing to transfer its vintage Junkers Ju 52 from Munich, by overnight road transport, to the company’s Hamburg station. The aircraft will be dismantled and its fuselage placed on a low-loader truck, while each wing will be carried on its own separate vehicle. Lufthansa has kept the aircraft in a hangar of its CityLine division at Munich since August last year. The airline has since decided to stop using the Ju 52 (D-AQUI) for passenger sightseeing flights, in order to reduce expenditure. It states that the tri-motored aircraft, which is 83 years old, is being transferred “for logistical reasons”. Lufthansa says the operation, which will be conducted at night, will begin on 3 April. The aircraft will arrive in Hamburg on the morning of 5 April.<br/>