Boeing is closing in on two key milestones in the comeback of its 737 Max, according to people familiar with the matter: the jet’s return to regular service and the first delivery since US regulators lifted a 20-month grounding. United is expected to receive the first Max delivery since the flying ban was imposed in March 2019 after two deadly crashes, said the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are confidential. The plans are in flux and American Airlines Group may get the initial handover instead, they said, as Boeing seeks to start unlocking delivery payments. In another boost for the planemaker, Brazil’s Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes said it will resume commercial flights with the Max on Dec. 10, more than two weeks before American reintroduces the jet to US travelers. Grupo Aeromexico and Panama’s Copa Holdings are also planning flights soon. The moves will enable Boeing to start cranking up its once-mighty commercial juggernaut, the 737 program, now that regulators in the US, Europe and Brazil have endorsed software revisions and new pilot-training curriculum for the Max. The manufacturer is also poised to score a follow-on order for the embattled plane from one of its largest customers, Ryanair Holdings, as soon as Thursday. “We continue to work closely with global regulators and our customers to safely return the airplane to service,” said Jessica Kowal, a Boeing spokeswoman. United intends to take delivery of eight of the jets this month, a spokesman said. In Panama, Copa expects to start flying at least two of its Max aircraft before year-end, executives said during an earnings call on Nov. 19. The company said at the time that it needed about two weeks to complete maintenance on planes coming out of storage.<br/>
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A couple in Hawaii face reckless endangerment charges after they boarded a flight with their 4-year-old son even though they had tested positive for Covid-19, police said. The couple, Wesley Moribe and Courtney Peterson, knew they had tested positive when they boarded a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Lihue, Coco Zickos, a spokeswoman for Kauai police, said Wednesday. San Francisco International Airport officials had instructed them to isolate and not to travel, Zickos said. When Moribe and Peterson arrived at Lihue Airport, they were escorted by police to an isolation room for further processing and investigation. Moribe, 41, and Peterson, 46, residents of Wailua, were arrested on second-degree reckless endangerment charges. A family member took their son home, and Child Protective Services was notified, Zickos said. "They knowingly boarded a flight aware of their positive COVID-19 test results, placing the passengers of the flight in danger of death," Zickos said.<br/>
Cainiao Smart Logistics Network, the logistics arm of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, has announced that it is launching China’s first regular cross-border medical cold chain route, which will be able to transport Covid-19 vaccines. The route was established in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines and is expected to soon help distribute Covid-19 vaccines to parts of Africa, the Middle East and Latin American, the companies said in a statement released on Wednesday. The route is certified to transport temperature-controlled medicines, which will get two shipments a week out of Shenzhen Airport to Africa. They will be forwarded to the rest of the world via Addis Ababa and Dubai. “Cainiao’s global logistics network spans over 200 countries and regions, providing end-to-end integrated logistics services, including digital customs clearance capabilities,” said James Zhao, Cainiao’s global supply chain general manager. “The launch of the cold chain air freight has further bolstered our global logistics capabilities and allows us to offer a one-stop solution for the global distribution of medical products such as the Covid-19 vaccines.” The cold cabin where the medicine is stored, in addition to the Shenzhen Airport and the cargo terminal in Ethiopia, each have temperature control systems that monitor temperatures in real time, Cainiao said. <br/>
Korean Air Lines said Wednesday it expects its cargo business to face tougher competition next year as rivals expand in this area to offset a slump in passenger travel globally because of the pandemic. The company also said it is hoping to complete its acquisition of Asiana Airlines in 2021, after a Seoul court on Tuesday allowed Korean Air’s parent, Hanjin Kal, to issue new shares to Korea Development Bank, paving the way for the deal. As Korean Air prepares for the acquisition, it plans to review Asiana’s aircraft lease contract to minimise cost, potentially by purchasing aircraft than renting ones, Woo Kee-hong, president of Korean Air, said during a briefing. Woo said the coronavirus pandemic’s toll on Korean Air will be likely to continue into the next year, adding that the airline expects a 65% drop in annual passenger demand for 2021 compared to 2019. “While we have been able to make up for passenger losses with our cargo demand this year so far, other carriers will likely expand cargo supplies next year, which may lead to less profitable cargo business for us,” Woo said. Combining South Korea’s two biggest carriers would create the world’s 15th largest airline using the industry measure of kilometres flown by paying passengers, based on 2019 data from the IATA. That represents a jump from 28th for Korean Air and 42nd for Asiana.<br/>
Korean Air will prepare an “integration plan” by March relating to its acquisition of embattled rival Asiana Airlines, as it vows not to cut any jobs following the consolidation of the two carriers. Korean Air president Woo Kee-hong, speaking at a virtual press briefing on 2 December, states that the next three months will be spent conducting due diligence “intensively” on Asiana. “In particular, [we] aim to understand the overall situation of Asiana, such as cost structure and contract relations [including those relating to aircraft],” Woo says. The integration plan, to be unveiled by 17 March, 2021, will also see both carriers’ low-cost units — Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul — merged into a single entity. Woo’s comments come a day after a Seoul district court quashed an injunction sought by Korean Air shareholder and private equity fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement (KCGI) to block the proposed acquisition. Korean Air on 16 November announced its intention to take over its rival, in order to ““stabilise the Korean aviation industry”, which has been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. Asked at the briefing about any potential job cuts arising from the integration — a concern raised by the unions — Woo says Korean Air has “no plans to reduce supply”. <br/>
Air NZ has released its new safety video, in partnership with Tourism New Zealand, titled "Aotearoa, the eighth Wonder of the World." The airline's Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty, says the video is another platform that can be used to promote destinations across New Zealand. The video begins in a town hall debate situation as different parts of New Zealand, both geographical and cultural put forward their case as to why they should be named the eighth wonder of the world. Among the contenders, the All Blacks, Milford Sound and Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu. Two Air New Zealand crew members then suggest everyone goes on a journey to visit the different locations to help in making a decision as to who should win. Story has details.<br/>