AeroTime
• Ian Molyneaux
An Etihad Airways A380-800 has arrived in Bangkok, marking the first time the UAE carrier has flown its double-decker flagship to Thailand. The deployment puts the aircraft on a new city pairing for Etihad, extending the A380’s reach in Southeast Asia.
Asia-Pacific (APAC)
Latest source-backed stories
An Etihad Airways A380-800 has arrived in Bangkok, marking the first time the UAE carrier has flown its double-decker flagship to Thailand. The deployment puts the aircraft on a new city pairing for Etihad, extending the A380’s reach in Southeast Asia.
The chief executive of Gia Binh International Airport describes the planned airport as a major infrastructure project and a cornerstone of Vietnam’s ambitions to strengthen global connectivity. The available account provides no project timeline, capacity or investment figures.
High activity
Japan Airlines has begun fully driverless EZTow tractor operations at Fukuoka, joining Haneda and Narita; the vehicles move cargo containers over a 1.7-kilometer route inside the restricted area. Separately, JAL is outsourcing flying to 747 freighter operators to add long-haul cargo capacity for high-tech demand.
The Philippine Air Force has suspended flights by its SF-260 fleet while officials investigate a midair collision during training at Fernando Air Base in Batangas that killed four pilots. The grounding puts the continuation of pilot training on hold as investigators examine the fatal accident.
Taiwan's Starlux Airlines is seeking a three-month delay to a planned share issue, according to the report. The available account gives no details on the offering's size, its original schedule, the reason for the requested extension or the potential impact on the carrier's financing.
High activity
Two Philippine Air Force SIAI-Marchetti SF-260 training aircraft collided over Fernando Air Base in Batangas, killing all four pilots aboard. The air force grounded its SF-260 fleet while officials investigate the cause; reports describe the flight as training, with one saying it was a rehearsal for an air show.
High activity
A UK court has appointed receivers to help London-based buyout fund FitzWalter recover more than $250 million from VietJet Aviation, including by seizing aircraft and ticket revenues. The measures could hobble the Vietnamese carrier’s operations outside its home market.
China’s first aircraft carrier has made passages near Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, forming what the report describes as an “evolving pattern” in disputed Asian seas. The movements have raised alerts, drawing attention to regional military activity and the carrier’s operating routes.
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