News From Around The World

Richard Maslen March 17, 2011

LUFTHANSA PLACES AIRBUS A320NEO AND BOEING 777F ORDERS

The Supervisory Board of Lufthansa has approved the German carrier’s purchase of 35 new aircraft to enhance its passenger and freight businesses. As widely expected, the company’s passenger division will introduce 30 Airbus A320neo aircraft from 2016, adding to the 60 A320 Family models it already has on order. These will comprise 25 A320neo and five A321neo aircraft and discussions continue with CFM International and Pratt & Whitney over powerplant choice. To develop its freight activities the group will acquire an additional five Boeing 777Fs from 2013. These will be used to “seize growth opportunities fuelled by rising demand,” according to the company, but no decision has been taken whether these will replace some of the ageing and less-efficient McDonnell Douglas MD-11s in the fleet of subsidiary Lufthansa Cargo or will join AeroLogic, its joint venture with DHL Express, already a 777F operator.

EUROPE REQUESTS CYPRUS ADOPTS NATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY PROGRAMME

The European Commission has this week requested that Cyprus adopt the updated version of their national civil aviation security programme which has remained unchanged since 2004, despite new changes introduced by European Union legislation. The Commission said it is “concerned” that Cyprus has not yet adopted an up-to-date national civil aviation security programme that adequately defines the measures required by airports, airlines and other entities involved in aviation security. It warned that Cyprus can therefore “not guarantee that all airports, airlines and entities are aware of their respective responsibilities in terms of security nor ensure that effective national monitoring activities are carried out,” and highlighted that it could bring the case to the EU Court of Justice if the Cypriot authorities fail to comply with law within the next two months. European legislation on civil aviation security sets common basic standards on aviation security for all EU airports not exclusively used for military purposes. Their aim is to protect people and goods from illegal acts jeopardising security at airports and during flights. The legislation establishes, among other things, rules on access control at airports, screening of passengers and baggage and security controls for cargo and mail. Member States are responsible for ensuring the correct application of these standards by developing and maintaining a national civil aviation security programme describing the measures required by airports, airlines and other entities involved in aviation security.

EASYJET JOINS NECTAR LOYALTY PROGRAMME

UK budget carrier easyJet has joined the Nectar Loyalty programme meaning that passengers will now be able to collect reward points while completing their weekly grocery shop or refuelling the car, which can later be used to pay for flights. The partnership allows member of the Nectar scheme to exchange their points for any easyJet flights with no restrictions or time limits. They will be able to pay for the flight and taxes in full using their points, or use a combination of points and cash to complete the transaction. Unlike traditional flight point schemes, it will allow customers to choose to get a discount on any flight, any day across the airline’s network. “This partnership with Nectar is an exciting new initiative for easyJet. It offers greater flexibility for our existing customers as well as opening up opportunities to new Nectar customers,” said Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive officer, easyJet. Nectar has over 17 million collectors earning points at partners including Sainsbury’s, Homebase, BP and most recently, British Gas. In addition, points can be earned at over 500 online partners including Amazon and ebay. Other rewards partners include Vue Cinemas, Argos and Eurostar.

FAA ORDERS US AIRLINES TO DISABLE OXYGEN GENERATORS IN ALL AIRCRAFT TOILETS

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has revealed that it has ordered the nation’s airlines to disable the oxygen generators located in all aircraft toilet to eliminate what it describes as “a potential safety and security vulnerability”. The FAA, along with other federal agencies, says it “identified and validated the potential threat”, then devised a solution that could be “completed quickly”, but in order to protect the traveling public, the work was completed before the matter was made public. “Had the FAA publicised the existence of this security vulnerability prior to airlines fixing it, thousands of planes across the US and the safety of passengers could have been at risk,” it said, adding that its measures will help keep travellers as safe and secure as possible. To eliminate any risk the FAA is asking operators to reinforce crew emergency procedures to make it a priority to check whether the toilet is occupied following any event where oxygen masks are deployed in the cabin. It is also suggesting that airlines may include additional instructions on the briefing cards, on placards in the toilet or during verbal passenger safety briefings. Rapid decompression events on commercial aircraft are extremely rare and pilots are already trained to guide the aircraft to a safe, breathable altitude as quickly as possible, while cabin crew are also already trained to assist passengers to quickly access oxygen – including those in the toilets. The reasoning behind the directive has not been made public but sources suggest that it may have been due to the ability for passengers to discreetly use the containers, which emit a small explosion when activated, to impact the safety of the aircraft and passengers. The agency said it is now working with aircraft manufacturers "to design, certify and install a new lavatory oxygen system on all of the different aircraft types and configurations in the US fleet." The carriage of oxygen cylinders on commercial aircraft has been restricted since the crash of a ValuJet Douglas DC-9 in 1996, which was downed by a fire caused by ignited oxygen generators in the aircraft's cargo hold.

BUDPAEST AIRPORT OPENS NEW SKYCOURT

The recently renamed Central and East European aviation hub, Budapest Ferenc Liszt Airport has today (March 18) unveiled its new SkyCourt building, a brand new, state-of-the-art centrally located facility, linking existing terminals 2a and 2b. It will be officially opened to the public from March 27. The contemporary glass structure doubles the commercial area of the terminals and houses an array of international brands, retail outlets and improved dining options for airport visitors. The shell-shaped glass and steel building should markedly enhance the passenger handling and travel experience by adding 28 new passenger security screening channels, 50 border crossing points, 21 boarding gates, 80 check-in counters, 16 self-check-in kiosks and multiple retail outlets. The contemporary structure extends over five stories, two of which are underground, and offers an impressive view of the apron. It has been built at a cost of €70 million and is part of a €261 million, five-year expansion plan dubbed BUD Future, co-financed by the EU and the airport's owner, Budapest Airport Zrt, a public-private partnership with the Hungarian state holding 25% and the remaining 75% owned by German company Hochtief AirPort and four financial investors. The expansion happens as the airport is preparing for a busy summer schedule, with new links to a number of destinations, including a notable growth from Germany. Lufthansa is to add a fourth daily service from Dusseldorf complementing their existing hub services from Munich and Frankfurt; Wizz Air has upped its weekly flights from Hahn and Weeze-Niederrhein to three a week; and early October will see Swiss-based SkyWork Airlines promoting a regular Bern to Budapest route.

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