Long-planned US start-up Baltia Air Lines anticipates a second-quarter launch according to President Igor Dmitrowsky. The carrier is undergoing FAA certification. In April, Baltia signed a lease agreement for office space at St. Petersburg Pulkovo ( ATW Daily News, April 14, 2010) and in December it purchased its second Boeing 747 ( ATW Daily News, Dec. 9, 2010).
Passengers aboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Oslo on Wednesday overpowered a hijacker as the plane landed at Istanbul Ataturk, Reuters reported. According to the Turkish Dogan News Agency, the attempt took place as Flight TK1754 started its descent. A man tried to force his way into the cockpit of the aircraft saying, “I have a bomb,” but was subdued by passengers, the news agency reported.
Rockwell Collins was awarded a contract to develop components for the COMAC C919 aircraft simulator program by Xian Aviation Science and Technology Co., an AVIC subsidiary. The simulator will be used by COMAC to support the C919 aircraft development. Under the terms of the agreement, Rockwell Collins said it will utilize elements of its most advanced full flight simulator technology for the C919 simulator.
US passenger airlines' costs rose 5% year-over-year in the 2010 third quarter, the third straight reporting period that saw costs increase, according to the latest Airline Cost Index released Thursday by the US Air Transport Assn.
Boeing delivered 462 commercial aircraft in 2010 led by a record 376 737s, in line with guidance of approximately 460 full-year deliveries but down 4% from 481 aircraft delivered in 2009.
In what it described as the "single biggest new product launch" in its history, Southwest Airlines on Thursday unveiled a revamped frequent flyer program particularly aimed at attracting business passengers and with the potential to generate "hundreds of millions" of dollars in incremental revenue annually according to the airline.
Xiamen Airlines is negotiating with Boeing on an order for six 787 aircraft as part of its international expansion plan, according to Xiamen GM Che Shanglun.
Asiana Airlines placed a firm order for six Airbus A380s to be delivered from 2014-2017, saying the aircraft will complement the 30 A350s it already has on order for delivery beginning in 2016.
Asiana Airlines placed a firm order for six Airbus A380s to be delivered from 2014-2017, saying the aircraft will complement the 30 A350s it already has on order for delivery beginning in 2016.
GuestLogix reached an agreement with Delta Air Lines to provide its onboard retail technology and merchandising platform for Delta Connection partners. Abacus International announced it will become the first GDS to launch electronic ticketing with an LCC in the Philippines, under an agreement reached with Airphil Express.
Wizz Air will launch Vilnius-London Luton service April 17. Air Macau launched twice-weekly Macau-Singapore Changi service with an A321. AirBaltic will increase daily Fokker 50 service to Riga from Turku and Oulu to twice-daily on Jan. 31.
United Continental Holdings announced that Continental Airlines’ fleet service employees, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, ratified their collective bargaining agreement with the company Dec. 29 ( ATW Daily News, Nov. 30).
TAAG Angola Airlines grounded its fleet of three Boeing 777-200ERs Dec. 24 following two engine incidents within 17 days. “DT decided to suspend all flights for its 777-200ER fleet for the sake of caution and international security," a DT spokesman said. The carrier confirmed it canceled its Luanda-Dubai-Beijing service.
United Continental Holdings, parent of merger partners United Airlines and Continental Airlines, said it would comply with an arbitrator's ruling that placing the CO code on United Express flights operated with 70-seat regional jets violates the terms of the labor pact between Continental and its pilots. The accord prohibits CO from contracting out any flying on aircraft with more than 50 seats.
Airbus announced the launch of a new subsidiary, "Airbus ProSky." The company said ProSky will become the channel "through which Airbus will interact and develop ATM programs" such as SESAR and NextGen. It will also work with other nations' Air Navigation Service Providers, airworthiness authorities and airlines, to assist in updating and modernizing their ATM systems.
China Eastern Airlines said it expects its 2010 net income to increase tenfold over a CNY540 million ($81.6 million) net profit reported in 2009 owing to robust domestic market demand.
Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee has determined that the explosion that caused a fire aboard a Kogalymavia Airlines Tu-154B-2 as it taxied for takeoff Jan. 1 at Surgut did not occur in any of the aircraft's three Kuznetsov NK-8-2U engines, Associated Press reported, citing Russian media.
Sabre Holdings told American Airlines that it plans to oust the carrier from its GDS in early August, accelerating the expiration of its contract by one month. In the interim, Sabre will bias displays of American flights in the US and all other parts of the world except Canada and the EU, where laws prohibit biasing.
Lufthansa's board and the Munich Airport board last month gave the green light to Doha International opened its dedicated arrivals terminal Contracts and Services
Fast-growing Dubai International's passenger traffic surpassed the 4-million mark for the second consecutive month in November and the third time in 2010.
Bordeaux said it increased passenger throughput by 2.8% last year to more than 3.6 million despite multiple disruptions from volcanic ash, ATC strikes and adverse winter conditions. The new record includes a noteworthy 35% rise in international traffic,
Dublin Airports Authority in December announced a "Grow Incentive Scheme" for 2011 at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports under which the authority will waive "all airport charges for passenger traffic" once a threshold of 23.5 million passengers is reached at the three airports it manages.
