Aeromexico said Friday it has reached agreement with its pilots on a new labor pact that will allow for growth and increases in productivity. Though details were not released, Chairman Jose Luis Barraza said, "This agreement with the pilots is the most important structural change the company has made in terms of labor agreements and will allow the airline a sustainable growth in the immediate future."
Delta Air Lines announced it will expand the first-class cabin on approximately 350 aircraft, adding 1,200 Weber Aircraft first-class seats to domestic MD-88, MD-90, Boeing 757-200 and 767-300 aircraft by summer 2013, in response to business customers' requests for more premium cabin seating.
Swiss International Air Lines CEO Harry Hohmeister told ATW at the Star Alliance meeting in Queenstown that “2011 will be the year of consolidation for us,” noting, “We will not add new long-haul routes [but will] consolidate against the current trend in the industry.”
Ryanair on Friday dismissed speculation that it might bid for Virgin Atlantic Airways, saying that while it is interested in a low fares transatlantic service, it has “no intention of bidding for a high fares airline.”
GECAS delivered one new Airbus A320 to Indian carrier IndiGo Airlines. IndiGo currently operates a fleet of 31 A320s. Norwegian Air Shuttle took delivery of its first 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior. TUIfly took delivery of its first 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior.
The American Aviation Institute was launched in Washington on Thursday. The organization, which is set-up as an LLC, is affiliated with the George Washington University and describes itself as "the commercial aviation industry's first independent business and policy-oriented think tank."
Horizon Air announced that its technicians ratified a new four-year contract. Of the 72% of Horizon's mechanics who voted, more than 65% were in favor of the agreement, according to the IBT, which represents Horizon’s 337 mechanics. The new contract took effect immediately. As part of the agreement, Horizon's 337 mechanics will gain participation in the airline's performance-based incentive plan.
Ethiopian Airlines and Air China signed an agreement under which the carriers will codeshare on their 14 weekly services between Addis Ababa on the one hand and Guangzhou and Beijing on the other. Air China announced its intent to reach an agreement with ET back in June. Air China is a member of Star Alliance and Ethiopian is in the process of joining.
IATA reported that international premium traffic in October increased 10.9% compared to the year-ago month. “Premium travel continues to grow at an annualized rate of 7%-8%, suggesting that the momentum behind business travel remained very healthy into the fourth quarter,” IATA said in its October Premium Traffic Monitor.
Bmi, a wholly owned Lufthansa subsidiary, continues to target an annual cost reduction of £100 million ($156.9 million) and hopes to bring the carrier back to profit in 2012.
Airbus said Dublin-based leasing company Avolon ordered eight A320s, which will be equipped with "Sharklet" winglets. Avolon will make an engine selection for the aircraft in the near future.
Qantas’s market stranglehold in Australia is set for the most dramatic shakeup since the demise of Ansett in 2001 after the Australian competition regulator gave approval for Virgin Blue’s comprehensive alliance with Air New Zealand, reversing a draft decision rejecting the partnership and a draft tick for its tie-up with Etihad Airways.
According to AirAsia, the new carrier "will leverage on AirAsia's strength to forge into markets in China, Korea and Japan from the Philippines, AirAsia intends to launch a Philippines-based low-cost airline joint venture in which
Qantas’s market stranglehold in Australia is set for the most dramatic shakeup since the demise of Ansett in 2001 after the Australian competition regulator gave approval for Virgin Blue’s comprehensive alliance with Air New Zealand, reversing a draft decision rejecting the alliance and a draft tick for its tie-up with Etihad Airways
Wataniya Airways announced it added a further 10 connections from Kuwait via Vienna as part of its partnership with Austrian Airlines. It operates thrice-weekly Vienna-Kuwait service, and has added to its route network, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bologna, Graz, Hamburg, Rome Fiumicino, Lyon, Munich, Nice and Venice.
Spirit AeroSystems said it shipped the first production leading edge spar component–an outer spar–for the Airbus A350 XWB program out of its Kinston, N.C., facility. The remaining five spar sections will be shipped in the coming months, it announced. Each set of spars will be shipped to Spirit's European plant in Prestwick, Scotland, where it will be integrated into the fixed leading edge. From there, it will be delivered to the Airbus plant in Broughton, Wales, for integration into the wing box.
Doha International Airport will open its dedicated arrivals terminal to the public Dec. 19, shifting operations from the existing arrivals area in the main terminal following Emirates flight EK841 from Dubai. The current arrivals area will be renamed "Departures & Transfers terminal."
IATA announced that worldwide implementation of 2D barcode boarding passes has been completed, replacing the more expensive and less efficient magnetic stripe boarding passes, which have been in use since 1983.
US Aerospace Industries Assn. expects US aerospace sales to rise 1.3% next year to $219.2 billion, surpassing the record $216.5 billion estimate for this year. Civil aircraft sales fell nearly 6% in 2010, however, to $48.2 billion but are expected to rebound to $50.2 billion in 2011, although that is still below the 2009 level of $51.1 billion and the 2007 level of $52.6 billion.
The EU and Jordan on Wednesday signed a comprehensive air services agreement establishing a “Euro Mediterranean Aviation Area” also known as a Common Aviation Area. The ASA was expected and follows a similar accord signed earlier this month with Georgia ( ATW Daily News, Dec. 6).
European Commission VP-Transport Siim Kallas, who is highly critical of the recent air traffic controller strikes in several European countries—specifically in Spain, believes that the Single European Sky will eliminate these kinds of disruptions.
US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Wednesday received recommendations from DOT's Future of Aviation Advisory Committee for dealing with challenges faced by the aviation industry.
