Airlines around the world will generate $22.6 billion in ancillary revenue this year, more than double the amount generated in 2008, according to Shorewood, Wis.-based IdeaWorks.
The US Dept. of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported Friday that the July systemwide passenger load factor for US airlines was 86.9% (86.9% domestic and 86.7% international), the “highest recorded for any July.”
Boeing last week forecasted that airlines in Russia and the CIS will take delivery of about 960 new aircraft valued at $90 billion over the next 20 years.
Boeing said Friday it successfully completed the "final body join" of the first 747-8 Intercontinental in Everett, noting that mechanics "loaded the forward and aft fuselage sections to join with the wing and center section."
CANSO has joined ACI-Europe and Eurocontrol's Airport Collaborative Decision-Making SAS Group received two environmental certifications Delta Air Lines issued its first environmental, safety and community performance report United Airlines said it reduced its "Scope 1 carbon footprint" by more than 11% percent in 2009 VerifAvia (UK) received recommendations from the UK Accreditation Service
IATA last month announced the launch of the iFlex program that it claims will enable airlines to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 2% on some long-haul flights. At the ATAG Aviation & Environment Forum in Geneva, the organization said modeling showed that using the iFlex program on a 10-hr. intercontinental flight can cut flight time by 6 min., reduce fuel burn by up to 2% and save 3,000 kg. of carbon emissions.
GKN Aerospace is participating in two key elements of the €1.6 billion “Clean Sky” Joint Technology Initiative that focuses on developing breakthrough technologies to reduce significantly the impact of aviation on the environment. GKN is working with Airbus on the SMART Fixed-Wing Integrated Technology Demonstrator, developing concepts for the leading-edge region of a Natural Laminar Flow wing.
European Civil Air Navigation Services Organization CEOs unanimously expressed strong concerns about the suggested EU-wide performance targets for the Single European Sky Performance Scheme, claiming the targets for 2010-14 are too ambitious. But their action drew a strong riposte from IATA, which called on the ANSPs "to face reality."
Outgoing US State Dept. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Affairs John Byerly has made it clear that the administration of President Barack Obama takes a different view of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme than that of former President George W. Bush. "Under the [Bush administration] there was fundamental opposition to the ETS. It was labeled unlawful and unworkable. That's not the view we are taking under the administration of President Obama. We don't deny the efficacy, the potential utility of market-based measures," Byerly told attendees at the ATAG Aviation & Environment Summit in September.
The European Union is pressing ahead with its plan to include non-member-state airlines in its Emissions Trading Scheme from 2012 despite the historic agreement among the 190 contracting states of ICAO to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, including creating a framework to implement market-based measures to manage aviation GHGs on a sectoral basis. The achievement, the first for any industrial sector, was formalized in a resolution of the 37th ICAO Assembly, which concluded its deliberations in Montreal on Oct. 8.
Boeing said Friday it successfully completed the "final body join" of the first 747-8 Intercontinental in Everett, noting that mechanics "loaded the forward and aft fuselage sections to join with the wing and center section."
Amadeus reached a long-term content agreement with the Cathay Pacific Group for access to the Cathay Pacific and Dragonair's fares, schedules and availability. Air Seychelles appointed Aviareps to serve as its GSA in Sweden. AirBaltic implemented an online cargo booking system for freight forwarders. The booking portal gives freight forwarders the ability to view real time schedules and availability and make bookings directly, it said.
Pratt & Whitney and ITR-Turborreactores signed an agreement establishing ITR's Queretaro, Mexico, 156,700-sq.m. facility as a "designated service provider center of excellence" for JT8D component repair. ITR will also have the capability to perform comprehensive compressor vane repairs on JT8D stator vanes, it said.
ANA will launch daily Tokyo Narita–Manila service in March aboard 767-300ERs and will resume operating daily 767 service to Jakarta in January following a three-year cessation. It will increase four-times-weekly freighter service to Shanghai Pudong to six-times-weekly in October. American Airlines will launch Chicago O'Hare–Helsinki service aboard 767s next summer. Finnair will codeshare on the flight.
TASC Inc. announced it has won a $12.5 million subcontract to provide financial and program management services and technical engineering support to the US FAA Air Traffic Organization’s Office of Safety. Under the subcontract, TASC experts will help the Office of Safety with budget analysis, formulation, execution and monitoring, while supporting its efforts to continually improve business processes. TASC will also provide technical engineering and acquisition support.
Dubai-based Dnata agreed to acquire inflight caterer Alpha Flight Group from Milan-based Autogrill S.p.A. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Alpha has annual turnover of £360 million ($570.9 million), employs more than 5,800 staff in 11 countries and produces over 120,000 meals per day at 58 airports, according to Dnata, an Emirates Group subsidiary.
Aeromexico said it operated its first "green flights" aboard a 737-700 between Mexico City and San Jose, Costa Rica, aiming to save 555 kg. of carbon dioxide emissions on the roundtrip.
IATA reported that the strong recovery in international premium traffic continued to lose momentum in August, rising 9.1% compared to the same month last year. That contrasts with 13.8% premium traffic growth in July versus July 2009 and indicates “that the post-recession rebound of international air travel is slowing,” according to the organization's August Premium Traffic Monitor released Thursday.
Southwest Airlines reached a tentative agreement Thursday with its 5,800 pilots represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Assn. on switching some future 737-700 deliveries to -800s.
Chinese airlines maintained their robust recovery pace in September owing in part to the nation's fast-growing domestic market, earning collective net income of CNY6.64 billion ($997.5 million) for the month, according to CAAC.
Chinese airlines maintained their robust recovery pace in September owing in part to the nation's fast-growing domestic market, earning collective net income of CNY6.64 billion ($997.5 million) for the month, according to CAAC.
Estonian Air and Brussels Airlines signed a codeshare agreement under which SN’s code will be placed on Estonian’s thrice-weekly 737-500 Tallinn–Brussels service from Oct. 31. Scandinavian Airlines will launch daily Oslo Gardermoen–Newark service March 27 onboard a three-class A330-300 (Business Class, Economy Extra and Economy) and five-times-weekly Copenhagen–Shanghai Pudong Oct. 31 aboard a three-class A340-300.
US Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported Wednesday that the average per gallon fuel cost for US airlines in August was up 9.9% to $2.22 from $2.02 in the year-ago month, and up slightly from $2.21 in July.
