Welcome back to The Up Front Update!
John here — when I started drafting this week’s update, I mentioned that it had been a relatively quiet one, news-wise.
Then came the grounding of a substantial number of A320 family aircraft with updated elevator aileron computer software at risk from what Airbus calls “intense solar radiation”, and the subsequent EASA Airworthiness Directive.
We spent the evening and this morning European time following the news, and it’s been heartening to observe the genuinely impressive ways in which airlines leapt into action to keep passengers en route — including bringing in wetleases, partner airlines, subsidiaries and throwing widebodies on short-haul and even domestic routes where they ordinarily wouldn’t be found.
So, we’re a bit late with this week’s Update, for which apologies, but it’s certainly been a busy not-even-24 hours.
This week, on The Up Front…
In case you missed our articles and podcast this week:
- our full feature article on Safran’s plans to outsource Emirates seat production from France and the US to Dubai, as part of the UAE’s D33 Dubai aviation manufacturing cluster push
- deep detail in our latest Business Readout on the implications of the move for the rest of the industry, including the situation with Safran’s already-fractious French unions
- free to listen for all, our special pre-RedCabin episode of our 40,000 Feet podcast, featuring RedCabin founder and CEO Monica Wick and our top tips for making the most of the summit next week — plus, in the extended edition for Business subscribers, some first reactions from Safran’s French unions on the Dubai seat manufacturing move
Plus, if you’re not subscribed to the AvTalk podcast, John featured as the guest on episode #346 — diving deep into the history and detail of the Airbus A340-600.
Keep an eye out this coming week for our on-the-ground reporting from RedCabin, developing thinking at the summit and keeping you up to date if you’re back at home.
In this Update:
- Iberia and Air Canada lean into longhaul narrowbodies with new transatlantic routes — and not just on the A321XLR
- Air Canada fleet rejig swaps Rouge A320s for mainline MAXes
- Lufthansa’s eye-catching anniversary livery set for more aircraft…
- …while Lufthansa’s dim and dreary Frankfurt premium check-in area asks the question “do I have to?”
- Airlines need to set noise boundaries and passenger behaviour expectations for inflight — and lounge — internet use
