Aviation with Style

American Airlines had a rough summer clashing with union mechanics and coping with the grounding of the 737 Max, both of which led to hundreds of cancellations and thousands of delays. But it turns out a major problem, at least at DFW International Airport, was getting food and beverages out of the kitchen and onto planes. Some 2,300 American Airlines flights were delayed between Memorial Day and Labor Day at DFW Airport because of delays with its catering operation, the airline confirmed Tuesday. The large number of catering delays came up in a DFW Airport board meeting Tuesday as plans were discussed for a new $100 million flight kitchen on the property. “ There will be a similar challenge next summer ,” said Jeff Benvegnu , the airport’s vice president of real estate American Airlines contracts with LSG Sky Chefs for catering operations, which includes hot meals for customers along with loading sodas, water, and snacks onto carts. LSG Sky Chefs, which also works with

Emirates finalized an order for 50 Airbus SE planes, shrinking a tentative commitment made earlier in the year after the Gulf carrier reviewed its fleet strategy and aired  concerns about aircraft performance . Emirates will purchase A350-900 wide-body jets worth $16 billion at list prices, Chairman  Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum  said Monday at the Dubai Airshow. While that’s up from the 30 it agreed to take in February, the firm deal replaces an outline that also included 40 A330neos valued at $12 billion. In all, the Airbus order shrank by about $5.5 billion, before factoring in customary discounts. Deliveries of the A350s, equipped with Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc engines will start in 2023. Emirates could later decide to order some A330neos and is still in talks with the European manufacturer’s U.S. rival  Boeing  Co. about 787 Dreamliners, Sheikh Ahmed said. “ The A350s will give us added operational flexibility in terms of capacity, range and deployment ,” he said a

A passenger of a Saudia Airlines flight bound to Dubai was injured after a water cannon salute, that was intended to celebrate the Saudi Arabia National Day, went awry, according to a report made public recently by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The incident happened on September 20 last year at 10.38am after a Saudia Airlines flight SV566 from Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport landed at Dubai International Airport (DXB). There were two flight crew members, five cabin crew members and 119 passengers on-board. According to the GCAA investigation, the flight and the landing were uneventful as the aircraft (an Airbus A320-214) taxied to gate C58 of DXB as instructed. After turning towards the terminal, two firefighting vehicles, which were located on either side of the taxiway, started spraying jets of water to welcome the plane with a water salute ahead of the celebration of the Saudi Arabia National Day on September 23. The vehicle turret oper