Boeing confirms it will suspend 737 production in January, a move that comes 10 months after the aircraft’s grounding and that signal significantly-broader fallout from a crisis that has already hammered Boeing. How long the company will halt production remains unknown, as does the duration of the grounding. “We have previously stated that we would continually evaluate our production plans should the Max grounding continue longer than we expected,” said Boeing . “As a result of this ongoing evaluation, we have decided to prioritise the delivery of stored aircraft and temporarily suspend production on the 737 programme beginning next month.” Boeing calls the move the “least disruptive to maintaining long-term production system and supply chain health”. <br/>
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Airlines could come under further financial pressure should Boeing go ahead with a production halt of the grounded 737 Max, with any prolonged delays in jet deliveries raising their operating costs. Carriers are paying higher rates to lease planes to make up for the loss in capacity, while delays to their expansion plans are holding back revenue growth, said Shukor Yusof, founder of aviation consultant Endau Analytics. Asian carriers would be affected the most as they have the biggest number of 737 Maxes on order, accounting for at least 26% of the total unfilled deliveries at the end of November. “The financial cost for the airlines is huge,” Shukor said. “Growth will be stunted and profitability will also be severely eroded.” <br/>
For US airlines, the phrase “Made in America” comes with a whole new financial imperative thanks to the trade fight between the Trump administration and Europe. In October, the White House levied a 10% tariff on European-built aircraft as part of a broader conflict over aviation industry subsidies. The move followed a WTO ruling that EU assistance Airbus had damaged Boeing. American carriers who buy from Airbus are now facing the prospect of millions of dollars in additional costs they would rather avoid. So they’ve been asking that their planes come from Airbus’s sole US plant, in Mobile, Alabama, where the tariffs don’t apply. But there’s a hitch: The Mobile plant turns out only 5 A320s each month. <br/>
The US DoT Monday proposed to require airlines ensure that toilets on single-aisle aircraft are accessible to the disabled but is not requiring larger lavatories. In a proposed rule, the agency said airlines that operate new single-aisle aircraft with seating capacity of 125 or more seats would need to ensure the accessibility of features like toilet seats, assist handles, faucets, attendant call buttons, and door locks. Airlines would also need an on-board wheelchair meeting specific performance standards on such aircraft that would permit its entry to the aircraft lavatory. Disabled people are forced to avoid using the toilet for hours, the administration said, which deters some from taking flights. The proposal will be open for public comment for 60 days. <br/>
When flying domestically, all airlines in the country are late at least a third of the time, data from the DGCA show. By comparison, the world’s most punctual airline, Panama’s Copa Airlines, is on time 9 out of 10 times. The DGCA’s analysis of on-time-performance across 4 metros—Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad—in November revealed that 2 in 3 delays were “reactionary,” or due to the delayed arrival of aircraft from the previous sector. The total number of complaints received across airlines in the month of November was 932, according to DGCA data. On average, the number of complaints per 10,000 passengers during the time period was around 0.72. Air Deccan fared the worst at 42.6. Nearly half of all complaints were due to “flight problems.” <br/>
Operators of certain Airbus A320neo-family aircraft are being instructed to de-pair Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines over low-pressure turbine blade damage. EASA says the engine manufacturer has developed an improved third-stage disc turbine blade. Examination of damaged blades has shown that they have “limited” damage tolerance, says EASA, and an impact originating internally or externally could result in “instantaneous” blade fracture. Replacement of the blades is the subject of a service bulletin. But EASA is intending to reduce the risk of a dual in-flight shutdown of PW1100G engines on A320neo and A321neo jets while the modifications are being conducted. Within 3 months, says EASA, operators must ensure that aircraft with 2 affected powerplants have their engines de-paired. <br/>