United does not plan to follow JAL and ANA in retiring its Pratt & Whitney-powered B777-200s and B777-200(ER)s, although it is unable to provide any timeline for the reactivation of the aircraft grounded for the last two months, it said during the quarterly earnings call. "It's just too premature for us to outline what that schedule looks like. We've had really productive collaboration [with Pratt & Whitney, Boeing, and the Federal Aviation Administration] and there's progress. And, we're really looking forward to getting the aircraft back in the air safely," Executive VP and COO Jon Roitman said. United grounded all nineteen B777-200s and thirty-three B777-200(ER)s powered by PW4000 Family engines after the February 20, 2021, incident, when N772UA, operating as flight UA328, suffered an uncontained engine failure and fire on take-off from Denver Int'l, en route to Honolulu. Shortly thereafter, the FAA grounded all B777s powered by these engines for urgent checks.<br/>
star
Japan's biggest airline ANA said Monday it aims to become carbon neutral by 2050 through new technology, emissions trading and other efforts. It comes after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced last week that Japan would target a 46% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, significantly more than previously pledged. ANA Holdings said it "plans to reduce carbon emission levels from aircraft operations to net zero by 2050" by using more sustainable fuel, developing more efficient planes and engines, and through carbon trading. Last year, the company set a target to halve carbon emissions by 2050 compared with 2005 levels.<br/>
The news that the long-delayed air travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong, which is set to launch on May 26, has already attracted interest from prospective passengers looking to travel between the two cities. Cathay Pacific, one of two airlines chosen to operate flights for the air travel bubble, said it has seen a “very positive response” to the announcement on Monday. “Seats on our air travel bubble flights are selling fast, while some of the flights are sold out,” said a Cathay Pacific spokesperson. Checks on the website of Singapore Airlines (SIA) - the other airline operating flights for the air travel bubble - showed that flights from Singapore to Hong Kong on May 26 were sold out on Monday evening, as were subsequent travel bubble flights until Jun 4. One travel agency, Dynasty Travel, has already received enquiries from customers who are “already vaccinated and are keen to travel to Hong Kong once the borders are open”, said the firm’s director of public relations and communications Alicia Seah. “The official announcement of the resumption of the Singapore-Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble (ATB) certainly spells optimistic news for the gradual resumption of cross-border travel,” said Chan Brothers Travel senior marketing communications manager Jeremiah Wong. <br/>