Air France said Thursday that it canceled 50% of its domestic and European flights to/from Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly as many of the country's air traffic controllers joined in a nationwide workers' strike to protest the French government's plan to raise the pension-benefit retirement age from 60 to 62. The airline said it operated its entire long-haul schedule. Multiple reports from France indicated that about 50% scheduled air traffic in the country was disrupted Thursday.
JetBlue Airways and ViaSat on Thursday signed an MOU to equip the carrier's fleet of more than 160 Embraer 190s and A320s with an inflight broadband product they called "the first of its kind" in commercial aviation. The two parties intend to sign a definitive agreement by the end of the year.
Oneworld announced Thursday that Russia's S7 Airlines will officially become a full member of the alliance on Nov. 15. The carrier, which began the process of joining oneworld last year with British Airways as its sponsor (ATW Daily News, May 27, 2009), will become the alliance's 11th member.
The planned merger between British Airways and Iberia under holding company International Airlines Group is nearing its final stage following Iberia’s approval Wednesday of BA’s £3.7 billion ($5.8 billion) pension deficit funding plan.
After two rejections from regulators, the Virgin Blue Group scored a much-needed win Wednesday when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission gave temporary approval for its alliance with Etihad Airways. That approval follows a green light for the tie-up from the UAE.
IATA blasted US Dept. of Transportation's proposed passenger rights regulations, calling them "an unprecedented intervention in the business practices of airlines serving the US" and a violation of the Chicago Convention (ATW Daily News, June 3).
IATA blasted US Dept. of Transportation's proposed passenger rights regulations, calling them "an unprecedented intervention in the business practices of airlines serving the US" and a violation of the Chicago Convention (ATW Daily News, June 3).
Air Berlin will launch four-times-weekly Berlin Tegel–New York JFK services in May 2011, which AB said will strengthen its position in Berlin along with the opening of the Berlin Brandenburg International Airport and its full membership into oneworld, which is planned for early 2012. AB will increase its DUS–New York JFK services from five-times-weekly to daily flights from summer 2011. AB will codeshare with American Airlines.
Romanian LCC Blue Air, which is reportedly facing financial problems, is undergoing major changes to its network and will shut down a total of 10 routes by Oct. 31, Romanian media outlets reported. The affected routes include services from its main base at Bucharest Baneasa to Lisbon, Vienna, Cuneo and Thessaloniki.
Flydubai announced it reached eight year sale/leaseback agreements worth more than $750 million with GECAS and Babcock and Brown Aircraft Management, covering nine yet-to-be-delivered 737s. The agreements will secure the carrier's financing requirements until June 2011. The agreement with GECAS covers six aircraft, while the one with BBAM is for three. GECAS has previously financed four aircraft for Flydubai and BBAM three.
US FAA achieved a safety breakthrough Wednesday, announcing a program that will, for the first time, integrate voluntary safety information reported by pilots through the Aviation Safety Action Program with voluntary safety information from air traffic controllers participating in the Air Traffic Safety Action Plan. This will give the agency a more complete picture of the national airspace system by making it possible to review and assess safety events from the perspective of pilots and controllers.
Lufthansa Group announced Wednesday that, as expected, Christoph Franz will succeed Wolfgang Mayrhuber as chairman and CEO of the Lufthansa Group. Carsten Spohr will succeed Franz as CEO of Lufthansa German Airlines and has been appointed to the group’s Executive Board and Karl Ulrich Garnadt was named chairman and CEO of Lufthansa Cargo AG.
Two years after merger talks collapsed between Qantas and British Airways, BA CEO Willie Walsh says the company is “still interested in dealing with the Australian airline.” However, QF is turning its back on any merger with BA and will focus on internal growth in Asia, according to CEO Alan Joyce.
Air New Zealand warned that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission rejection of its alliance with Virgin Blue could threaten the airline's future (ATW Daily News Sept. 13).
SkyTeam members China Southern Airlines and Air France signed an agreement to launch a joint venture on the Paris–Guangzhou route beginning Nov. 1 that includes revenue sharing. AF said in a statement that the two airlines will have “joint governance” of the JV and a “management committee, with five working groups, will be in charge of implementing it in the fields of network management, revenue management, sales, produces and finance.”
UAL Corporation and Continental Airlines announced that following the merger of United and Continental, the holding company will list its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol UAL. United currently trades on the NASDAQ and CO on the Big Board. Upon the closing of the merger, the successor holding company, UAL Corp., will be renamed United Continental Holdings Inc. The companies expect to close the merger by Oct. 1.
AirAsia X announced at the World Route Development Forum in Vancouver that it will launch thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur–Tokyo Haneda service from Dec. 9 aboard an A330. The downtown Tokyo airport will become the carrier's 12th destination. Alaska Airlines launched daily Portland, Ore.–Honolulu service. Allegiant Air will launch twice-weekly Greensboro, N.C. –Charlotte County, Fla. service Nov. 18 aboard an MD-80.
Rockwell Collins was selected by COMAC to provide the "cabin core system" for the C919 under a letter of intent signed Tuesday. The CCS will allow flight attendants" to control all subsystems on the aircraft including in-flight entertainment, passenger connectivity, lavatory, heating/cooling and lighting." RC said it will team with Shanghai Aero Measurement-Controlling Research Institute, which will provide design, development and integration support, and Cobham, which will supply the public address system.
Australia's Virgin Blue has asked the US Dept. of Transportation for a three-week extension to argue the merits of its proposed alliance with Delta Air Lines, according to The Australian.
British Airways announced at the World Route Development Forum in Vancouver that it will launch five-times weekly London Heathrow–Tokyo Haneda service on Feb.19, 2011 onboard a 777. Its current daily LHR-Tokyo Narita service will remain unchanged. BA also said it plans to launch direct flights from LHR to Buenos Aires from March 27, 2011. BA passengers now must connect via Sao Paulo to reach Buenos Aires. The carrier also announced it will increase its London Gatwick–Barbados service from 10 to 12 flights a week starting in March 2011.
The European Commission adopted a package of proposals on the exchange of Passenger Name Record data with countries outside the EU on Tuesday. According to a statement, the proposals contain "an external PNR strategy and recommendations for negotiating directives for new PNR agreements with the United States, Australia and Canada."
CAAC said Chinese carriers maintained robust growth and earned an aggregate profit in August owing to the continuing rebound in the domestic market. However, the regulator didn’t reveal the exact figure.
Mesa Air Group’s proposed Chapter 11 reorganization plan filed Sept. 17 would see unsecured creditors receive most of the stock in the reorganized company while US Airways Group would receive a 10% stake.
Cathay Pacific firmed up its previously announced commitment for six more 777-300ERs worth HK$12.5 billion ($1.61 billion) at list prices (ATW Daily News, Aug. 5).
