In the online travel world, Google isn’t a go-to destination like Expedia, Priceline and TripAdvisor. Aiming to change that, Google will launch a more unified travel product to integrate flight and hotel search functions, while organising people’s travel plans and saving research. The new offerings, which were rolled out last year on smartphones and are now available on desktops, will be hosted at google.com/travel. Google also plans to “surface” more travel data on Google Maps, and incorporate hotel and restaurant reservations for customers who are logged on. Google made the announcement Tuesday. Google’s moves to bolster its position in travel is designed to drive further searches and potential “higher-qualified leads” for its partner companies, such as airlines and hotels. <br/>
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Boeing handed over 24% fewer jet airplanes in the first 4 months of 2019 compared with the same period a year earlier as the grounding of its top-selling 737 MAX aircraft halted deliveries for a second month. As expected, the company took no new orders in April for the narrowbody jets as it continues to work on a software fix for the plane's anti-stall system MCAS. Deliveries of the aircraft were stopped in early March, a few days after an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed. Last month Boeing abandoned its 2019 financial outlook, halted share buybacks and said lowered production of the fastest-selling 737 MAX jets in the wake of the groundings had cost it at least US$1b. Boeing had also removed 206 planes from its order backlog last month due to the near-collapse of Jet Airways. <br/>
Travel-technology provider Sabre said a glitch that prevented some airline travellers from checking in for flights Tuesday was caused by a problem at one of its network suppliers. A Sabre spokeswoman said the issue affected airlines that connect with Sabre through CenturyLink's network. Sabre declined to identify the affected airlines. Some JetBlue customers complained they were unable to check in for flights. A CenturyLink spokeswoman said activity during scheduled maintenance caused the disruption, which lasted for about 2 hours. She said the company was reviewing the incident to add safeguards that could reduce or eliminate future incidents. FlightAware said 2,400 US flights had been delayed by early evening on the East Coast, although it's unclear how many are related to the Sabre failure. <br/>
Mitsubishi Aircraft expects to detail plans for significant changes to the smaller of its two MRJ regional jets under development during June’s Paris Air Show as part of an effort to better satisfy scope clause-restrained airlines in the US. Mitac chief development officer Alex Bellamy explained that the airplane formerly known as the MRJ70—what the company now calls “the concept”— will need to carry 76 seats in a 3-class configuration while retaining the MRJ70’s ability to meet the 86,000-pound maximum take-off weight limitations in the scope clauses written into pilot union labour contracts at the 3 US major airlines. Bellamy would offer no further details of the plan other than to say the airplane would retain commonality with the larger MRJ9. Certification and entry into service is expected by the middle of next year. <br/>
A group representing US consumers wants Congress to abandon proposals under consideration to raise the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) cap to US$8.50 per segment from $4, saying the hike would “disproportionately burden budget-conscious consumers and families.” In a May 10 letter to Democratic leaders on the House Transportation Committee and Senate Commerce Committee, National Consumers League VP John Breyault wrote that, while the proposed PFC hike “may seem like a marginal increase on its face, this fee hike could add up to $64 more for a family of 4 to travel when layovers are factored in.” Breyault cited the record $30b of revenue collected by US airports in 2017 as evidence that US airports don’t need the extra revenue to fund infrastructure improvements. <br/>
The US FAA said Tuesday it had found Costa Rica does not comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation safety standards and reduced its rating to Category 2. The new rating means Costa Rica’s carriers can continue existing service to the US but will not be allowed to establish new service to US destinations. The revised rating means the Central American country either lacks the laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or its civil aviation authority - the Direccion General de Aviacion Civil (DGAC) — is deficient. The FAA did not elaborate. In 1996, Costa Rica was assigned a Category 1 rating. The FAA conducted an in-country reassessment of Costa Rica in Oct 2018, and had met with DGAC in February to discuss the results. <br/>
French construction and transport concession group Vinci Tuesday sealed a deal to take a majority stake in Britain's second biggest airport London Gatwick. Vinci formally completed its GBP2.9b deal to buy a 50.01% stake in the airport, which was first announced last December The company took advantage of a Brexit-related hit to UK asset prices to buy the stake in Gatwick. Vinci Airports president Nicolas Notebaert said he did not think that Brexit would change Gatwick's prospects, given strong demand from tourists to travel to London and the number of people who live in Gatwick's catchment area. "We know there is a long list of (airlines) waiting to get slots, we know the passengers within London need to travel," Notebaert said, adding that an economic hit from a disorderly Brexit was unlikely to change that. <br/>
Having seen numerous delays, Berlin's new airport is scheduled to open in Oct 2020. But even that deadline is now being questioned. The German Transport Ministry has demanded assurances that the unfinished Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport can really open in October 2020, as announced by the operators. But who's willing to give such assurances without caveats? Not even BER CE Engelbert Lütke Daldrup is sure anymore. Berlin’s new aviation hub is to eventually replace Tegel Airport in the city centre and Schönefeld Airport on the outskirts, right beside where the new one is located. BER was initially scheduled to open in Oct 2011, only to be shut down over a potential fire hazard. Only last week, German media reports suggested that a large amount of non-metal wall plugs might need to be replaced, casting doubts over whether or not the airport will open in 2020. <br/>