Aer Lingus will become the anchor tenant at Dublin's new Terminal 2, operating long-haul and short-haul service from the terminal when it opens in November, Dublin Airport Authority said. T2, which has been designed to handle up to 15 million passengers per year, features a US Customs and Border Protection facility. Embarking passengers processed through the CPB will be classified as domestic upon arrival into the US.
British Airways on Friday made a new offer to the Unite union in what it called "a fresh attempt to end the current dispute" with its flight attendants that has led to 22 days of strikes this year. The offer was handed over to the UK's Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, which previously stated that it had been unable to broker a deal between the sides ( ATW Daily News, June 18).
Air China said Friday it has reached agreement with Boeing on an order for 20 737-800s to be delivered 2013-15. The Beijing-based carrier revealed the order in a statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It said the order is worth about $1.4 billion at list prices, but noted that it received "a significant price concession" from the manufacturer. CA said the order would increase its capacity by 5%.
United Airlines and Continental Airlines pilots on Friday criticized management at the airlines for "unwillingness to compromise" on issues "that have little financial impact" related to the impending merger of the carriers.
Boeing temporarily suspended 787 flight tests Thursday, saying it needed to inspect the Alenia Aeronautica-produced horizontal stabilizers on its five flight test aircraft and all Dreamliners in production owing to a "workmanship issue" that was "recently identified." It insisted that first delivery to ANA in the fourth quarter "remains on track" even as it revealed Friday that some subsequent deliveries would be pushed back slightly for reasons it said were not related to the inspections.
Lufthansa will launch five-times-weekly Frankfurt Main-Libreville-Pointe Noire service Nov. 3 aboard a PrivatAir 737-800. American Airlines will launch daily New York JFK-Rio de Janeiro service Nov. 18 aboard a 767-300 and four-times-weekly Miami-Brasilia service Nov. 19 aboard a 757. Sun Country Airlines will operate seasonal weekly Minneapolis St. Paul-London Stansted service through Aug. 15 aboard a 737-800.
The EU Emissions Trading Scheme likely will "not go away," warned experts at ATW's Eco-Aviation Conference in Washington yesterday. Lufthansa Consulting Executive VP Thilo Schmid said preparing for aviation's inclusion in the ETS in 2012 is proving to be a "real challenge" for some airlines. He noted that while many carriers have accepted the ETS, some are hoping "it will go away" and may not be ready in 2012. He encouraged airlines to prepare for tracking, reporting and verifying CO2 emissions as early as possible.
Airbus said A320 family aircraft recently passed the 50-million-flight milestone and have carried 5 billion passengers since entering commercial service in 1988. "One of our A320 family aircraft takes off every six seconds somewhere around the world," COO-Customers John Leahy noted, adding that the manufacturer is "investing at least €100 million [$122.7 million] a year in the A320 family" to improve its efficiency and extend the program's life "for decades to come."
