The lawsuit filed by the US Air Transport Assn., American Airlines and United Continental Holdings against the EU's inclusion of aviation in its Emissions Trading Scheme had its first hearing in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg on July 5 th. The ECJ advocate general on the case plans to deliver a (non-binding) opinion by Oct. 6. The final decision of the ECJ is expected at a later date.
Virgin Australia announced that it is partnering with Sydney-based Renewable Oil Corp., Vancouver-based Dynamotive Energy Systems Corp. and Australia’s Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) to develop a sustainable aviation biofuel that benefits the Australian farming community and the environment. In a world first, the consortium will use innovative fast pyrolysis technology developed by Dynamotive to process mallees, a eucalypt tree that can be grown sustainably in many parts of Australia.
A Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 hit an Atlantic Southeast Airlines Bombardier CRJ900 Thursday night on a Boston Logan taxiway, causing damage in the smaller aircraft's tail area, according to US FAA and multiple news reports from the scene.
MTU Maintenance Hanover was selected by Chilean carrier Sky Airline to provide a Total Engine Care package for its V2500s under a five-year exclusive agreement. Turkish Technic signed a four-year total aircraft base maintenance services agreement, a total landing gear support agreement and a five-year total APU support agreement with SunExpress Deutschland covering its fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft. SunExpress Deutschland started operations in June with three 737-800s.
AerCap Holdings had a busy second quarter in which it signed new lease agreements for 16 aircraft, delivered seven, purchased one Airbus A330 and one A320, and sold one A321 and one Boeing 737-400. It also inked contracts for the sale of another four aircraft from its owned portfolio (two A320s, one 737-300, one 757-200), and four aircraft from its managed portfolio (one 737-400, three 737-500s).
Norwegian Air Shuttle, which is not leaving any doubt about its long-haul ambitions, signed a LOI Thursday with International Lease Finance Corp. for one more new Boeing 787-8 to increase its future fleet of the type to six.
Finnair said it will operate a scheduled flight partially powered by biofuel between Amsterdam and Helsinki next week, and will ultimately operate at least three biofuel flights on the route.
US Transportation Security Administration said it will launch a pilot program this fall to test new airport screening strategies that aim, among other goals, to provide "trusted travelers with expedited screening."
Finnair said it will operate a scheduled flight partially powered by biofuel between Amsterdam and Helsinki next week, and will ultimately operate at least three biofuel flights on the route.
Jetstar announced new daily A330 Melbourne-Beijing service via its Singapore hub from Nov. 24; Beijing will be the airline’s ninth mainland China destination. Finnair will launch four-times-weekly Helsinki-Chongqing A340 service in May 2012. SAS Scandinavian Airlines will launch five-times-weekly London Heathrow-Copenhagen-Shanghai A340-300 service March 1, 2012.
Ukraine International Airlines and oneworld member S7 Airlines signed a partnership agreement under which UIA will launch thrice daily Kiev-Moscow Domodedovo service next week, giving its passengers access to S7's network via DME. "S7 Airlines [has] the largest network of domestic routes in Russia," UIA Corporate Press Secretary Evgeniya Satska said. "Cooperation with such a powerful carrier will provide our passengers with more opportunities." UIA operates a fleet of 19 Boeing 737 aircraft.
Hawaiian Airlines gave an indication that the Japanese market may be on the path to recovery following March's devastating earthquake and tsunami( ATW, May 1). The carrier raised capacity on its daily Honolulu-Tokyo Haneda service last week, switching from a 264-seat Boeing 767-300 to a newly delivered 294-seat Airbus A330-200.
Air Lease Corp. announced that UK-based Thomas Cook Airlines signed long-term lease agreements for six new Airbus A321-200s powered by CFM56 engines. Two of the aircraft will be delivered in 2013 and four in spring 2014. The aircraft are part of ALC’s existing order book with Airbus, it said.
Ft. Lauderdale-based Bimini Island Air overstepped its bounds as an on-demand charter operator by offering and flying scheduled flights using a 30-seat Saab 340, stated US FAA, which has revoked the carrier's operating certificate.
Etihad Airways reported a 28% year-over-year rise in first-half revenue to $1.72 billion and reiterated it is on course to reach its goals of breaking even this year and achieving profitability in 2012.
Ryanair will establish a base at Manchester Airport Oct. 2, initially with two Boeing 737-800s operating on 17 routes, and has plans to grow to four aircraft and 26 routes by summer 2012. MAN will be the LCC’s 45th base.
Former Australia Civil Aviation Safety Authority chairman Dick Smith—also one of the country's most controversial and outspoken entrepreneurs—has infuriated airline unions by predicting that Qantas International will go bankrupt unless it moves its operating base to Asia.
Former Australia Civil Aviation Safety Authority chairman Dick Smith—also one of the country's most controversial and outspoken entrepreneurs—has infuriated airline unions by predicting that Qantas International will go bankrupt unless it moves its operations to Asia.
Boeing said Tuesday that 787 validation flights conducted in concert with Dreamliner launch customer All Nippon Airways have been successfully completed in Japan.
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Senior VP, General Counsel and Chief Human Resources Officer Adam Kokas was named chairman of the Cargo Airline Assn., succeeding ABX Air VP-Flight Operations Robert Gray, who held the position for five years. Pinnacle Airlines Corp. named former Frontier Airlines CFO Ted Christie VP and CFO. He is expected to join Memphis-based Pinnacle by July 25.
Israir took delivery of its first ATR 72-500 with a second of the type slated to arrive later this month. The Israeli carrier will deploy the two PW127M-powered turboprops seating 72 passengers on the Tel Aviv Sde Dov-Eilat route. The new aircraft will also enable the airline, a subsidiary of the IDB Tourism branch of IDB Holdings, to increase charter flights to other Mediterranean tourist destinations, it said.
Romania's Tarom incurred a net loss of €80 million ($113 million) in 2010, 41.6% worse than its 2009 deficit, Romanian media outlets reported. According to Bucharest's The Diplomat, the SkyTeam member's full-year revenue totaled €306 million. Passengers carried heightened 23.6% year-over-year to nearly 2.2 million. CEO Gabriela Bordea told the newspaper the airline did not meet its revenue forecast because it was forced to keep fares low, owing to a lack of pricing power with passengers.
