Russian investigators have disclosed that the Sukhoi Superjet 100 involved in a fatal accident at Moscow Sheremetyevo was 1.6t over its maximum landing weight, and experienced 2 impacts in excess of 5g as it bounced on landing. Investigators have revealed that the crew received windshear warnings on approach and that the aircraft experienced pitch fluctuations just before the fatal touchdown. Rosaviatsia, in a detailed outline of the flight, states that the aircraft suffered an electrical failure at 8,900ft – about 5min after take-off. Rosaviatsia does not specifically state that the aircraft was struck by lightning, but it does point out that the aircraft was flying within a “zone of thunderstorm activity”. <br/>
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China Eastern Airlines said it will complete the transfer of operations to Beijing Daxing International in its 2020 summer flight schedule, following an initial shift during the 2019-20 winter schedule. Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM will coordinate flights with the carrier in forming four daily sets of arrival and departure banks, designed to shorten transfer times. Daxing International is scheduled to open Sept 30, although construction progress has been smooth, so it may begin operations early. The new facility will also become the Beijing home of China Eastern subsidiaries Shanghai Airlines and China United Airlines, as well as China Southern Airlines and its subsidiaries. At first, China Eastern’s main international destinations from Daxing will be Paris, London, Sydney and Tokyo, the carrier said. <br/>
Saudia is reporting a significant increase in its number of transit passengers, as the airline grows rapidly and seeks to become a rival to the “ME3” of Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways. Commercial aviation in Saudi Arabia is growing rapidly. Domestically, the liberalisation of air services has led to 5 airlines competing for passengers compared to only 2 a few years ago; this has led to greater competition, a lowering of fares and stimulation of the market. There is also a major drive underway by the Saudi govt to increase tourism traffic. However, Saudia drew attention to a surge in transit passengers through its home airports, notably Jeddah and Riyadh. While not revealing actual figures, Saudia said that transit passenger numbers were up 115% in 2018 compared to 2017. <br/>