- Volga-Dnepr Group celebrated the 80th birthday of Victor Tolmachev, the chief designer of the An-124 and An-225 aircraft. Tolmachev, who is technical director of Volga-Dnepr and an adviser to Volga-Dnepr Group’s president, is a doctor of engineering science, a member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, and a member of the International Academy of Authors of Scientific Discoveries and Inventions.
- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced that the Griffiss International Airport unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) test site in Rome, N.Y., is ready to conduct research vital to integrating UAS into the national airspace system. The site is the fifth of six test sites to become operational.
- In July, Budapest Airport’s cargo tonnage decreased by 1.1 percent year over year. Its cargo has declined by 0.4 percent year to date.
- The Airbus A350 visited South America for the first time, making stops at airports in Santiago and Sao Paulo, as part of its certification process to begin commercial operations with passengers. TAM Airlines will be the first airline in the Americas and the fourth in the world to receive and operate the Airbus A350-900 XWB. The company has ordered 27 aircraft of this model, which are expected to be delivered between the end of 2015 and 2019.
- Etihad Airways suspended all flights to Erbil, Iraq, with immediate effect until further notice. The decision to suspend the airline’s four flights a week follows advice regarding “the possibility of a deteriorating security situation in the region as a result of on-going military conflict between Iraqi security and ISIS forces,” Etihad said.
- Cathay Pacific will enhance its service to Sri Lanka by operating four non-stop flights a week to Colombo beginning Oct. 27. The direct flights will replace the flights that currently stop in Singapore and will make Cathay Pacific the only airline to operate direct services between Hong Kong and Colombo.
- Volaris Airlines will offer twice-weekly non-stop service from Orlando International Airport to Guadalajara, Mexico, starting Nov. 18.
- LAN Airlines inaugurated 787 Dreamliner service at Miami International Airport (MIA). The 787 will operate daily nonstop flights on the airline’s existing Miami-Santiago route. LAN was the first airline in the Americas to receive the 787 and is now the first carrier to offer 787 flights from MIA.
- American Airlines Cargo began offering cargo service to and from Cleveland, Ohio, and Ontario, Calif.
- Etihad Cargo unveiled a new service called SkyStables, targeted at customers who want to transport horses and similar species by air. SkyStables offers owners, breeders and equestrian organizations transport arrangements on Etihad Cargo’s fleet.
- Air China is set to save millions of dollars a year in fuel costs, thanks to payload and live weather update technology from air transport IT specialist, SITA. This technology enables the crew to adjust its flight path in-flight according to changing wind and weather conditions, so the aircraft uses fuel as cost effectively as possible.
- IAG Cargo will operate a B787 on its London-Chennai, India route starting Oct. 26. The new aircraft, which will operate daily each way, replaces the B777-200 now serving the route.
- Virgin Atlantic Cargo appointed Globe Air Cargo as its general sales and service agent in Dubai. The airline carries some 5,000 tonnes a year on its daily flights from Dubai to London Heathrow.
- Japan Airlines applied to the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to revise its international cargo fuel surcharge for flights departing from Japan beginning Sept. 1. The fuel surcharge will be 115 yen (US$1.12) per kilogram on long-haul international routes, 93 yen (91 cents) on medium-haul international routes and 73 yen (71 cents) on short-haul routes.