Boeing yesterday announced a restructuring of its engineering leadership designed to "ensure that engineering excellence continues to be driven through all our products and services to satisfy our customers and grow our company," Chief Technology Officer and Senior VP-Engineering, Operations & Technology John Tracy said.
Teledyne Controls said that AirAsia X selected its Wireless GroundLink Quick Access Recorder and Flight Data Monitoring Services for 25 new A330s and two A340s currently in use.
Slovak Border and Immigration Police confirmed that one of its officers "forgot about" 90 grams of research development explosive placed into the luggage of a passenger without his knowledge as part of a security exercise. The explosives were planted prior to Sunday's Danube Wings flight from Poprad-Tatry to Dublin. One sample reportedly was detected by sniffer dogs at TAT but the second was undiscovered. The police told Bloomberg News that the officer "forgot about the second sample" that eventually made its way into Ireland. The RDX was not a threat to detonate.
Unite union and British Airways agreed to restart negotiations regarding the dispute over the airline's imposed conditions on flight attendants that resulted in an invalid strike vote before Christmas ( ATWOnline, De. 18, 2009).
Signs continue to point toward Japan Airlines entering into a court-monitored bankruptcy proceeding, with reports from Tokyo indicating that both the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp. of Japan, which will oversee the restructuring, and the Development Bank of Japan, JAL's largest creditor, favor bankruptcy over a government bailout.
United Airlines flew 9.21 billion consolidated RPMs in December, flat compared to the year-ago month. Capacity fell 3.1% to 11.24 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 2.5 points to 81.9%. Allegiant Air flew 406.2 million RPMs in December, up 18.6% year-over-year. Capacity rose 16.1% to 448.4 million ASMs and load factor increased 1.9 points to 90.6%.
SR Technics signed a 10-year contract with Air Berlin covering comprehensive maintenance of its CF56-7B, CF56-5B and PW4168 engines. Work will be performed at SRT's Zurich engine maintenance center. Deal includes a financing agreement for up to 12 spare engines worth some $100 million between AB and SRT parent Mubadala Development Co.
Qantas decided not to renew its membership in the Assn. of Asia Pacific Airlines, a move that analysts predict may spell the end of an organization with a history spanning more than four decades. The carrier's decision is expected to be emulated by a number of other member airlines canvassed by ATWOnline, some of whom suggested that the industry is better off uniting behind one voice, IATA.
US FAA said it has heightened its oversight of American Airlines following three difficult landings in December. In the most serious of those, a 737-800 was destroyed when it overran the runway at Kingston on Dec. 22 and skidded onto a nearby beach. There were no serious injuries in that accident ( ATWOnline, Dec. 24, 2009). The agency said AA had two other poor landings last month involving MD-80 wingtips hitting the runway in Charlotte and Austin.
Germanwings yesterday said it will increase ASKs by "double-digits" this year and will add four new A319s to its fleet. Lufthansa Group's low-cost subsidiary did not say where it will get the aircraft. By year end it will operate 30 A319s/A320s. It said it will focus on growing business traffic this year with initiatives that might appeal to travelers looking for cheaper tickets and travel solutions. The carrier expects to transport more than 8 million passengers in 2010; it carried 6.3 million in the first 11 months of 2009.
News from Travel Technology Update: Several of Carnival Corp.'s cruise lines adopted new policies that prohibit online travel agencies or cruise sellers from bidding on the lines' trademarked search-engine keywords. The similar policies, adopted by Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruises, went into effect Jan. 1.
Mesa Air Group yesterday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a US court in New York, saying the process is needed for it to become a "leaner" entity able to compete in the future.
US President Barack Obama yesterday announced increased airline security measures following a meeting with top national security aides to discuss a response to the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253.
Etihad Airways took delivery of the first of five new A330-300s it plans to add over the next two years. Aircraft seats 12 passengers in a new first class cabin, 40 in business and 151 in economy and will operate between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow. EY said two A340-600s already have been configured with the new first class product, with nine more to be retrofitted by December.
IATA reported that international scheduled passenger traffic rose 2.1% year-over-year in November while global FTKs lifted 9.5% compared to November 2008, but it cautioned that the apparent improvement for both passengers and cargo is "exaggerated by the sharp fall in demand experienced during the second half of 2008." It said that November passenger demand was 6.4% better than the low point reached in the first quarter of 2009 but still 6% below peak levels seen in early 2008.
Emirates will launch daily Dubai-Madrid flights on Aug. 1 aboard a three-class A330-200. AirTran Airways launched service to Nassau from Atlanta (daily), Baltimore (four-times-weekly) and Orlando International (five-times-weekly) as well as four-times-weekly MCO-Key West service, aboard 737s. Frontier Airlines will operate seasonal four-times-weekly Denver-Fairbanks service May 14-Sept. 12 aboard an A319.
Airbus yesterday confirmed Turkish Airlines' firm order for 20 A320 family aircraft plus 10 options. The carrier announced the order Monday ( ATWOnline, Jan. 5). THY has ordered 36 Airbus aircraft in the past year, including four A321s, 10 A330-300s and two A330-200Fs.
Viking Hellas, Viking Group's new Athens-based airline, will launch its scheduled service program in February with flights to Manchester, Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Baghdad. MAN flights will be thrice-weekly from Feb. 3, increasing to four-times-weekly in March. Service to the Iraqi cities will be weekly and will begin in the first week of February. VQ received its Greek AOC in October and also will operate charter flights on behalf of European tour operators. It currently has one MD-83 and will add two A320s in the spring.
GE Aviation completed the acquisition of BMB Fuel Consulting Services of Ottawa, which identifies and tracks operational improvements for airlines that will reduce fuel consumption, according to GE.
TAM announced the promotion of VP-Finance, Management and IT Libano Mirando Barroso to president. Barroso joined the airline in 2004. Republic Airways Holdings named Frontier Airlines Director-Supply Chain Drew Skaff as Republic Airways VP-supply chain.
China Eastern Airlines signed firm order late last month for 16 A330s worth CNY17.75 billion ($2.6 billion) at list prices as it plots its international expansion.
Rex Regional Express leased two Saab 340s to Chiang Mai-based SGA Airlines. Aircraft are expected to begin flying for the Thai carrier on Jan. 17 and will operate on routes to Maehonson and Udonthani.
German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation spokesperson said results of the investigation into Sunday's Air Berlin 737-800 runway overrun in Dortmund will be available in March at the earliest, Bloomberg News reported. Dortmund Airport said the pilot aborted takeoff and the plane rolled into a nearby field. None of the 165 passengers was injured. The airport was closed for some 13 hr. An AB spokesperson cited "technical irregularities" as a contributor to the incident and said the aircraft will undergo 3-4 days of checks before being returned to the fleet.
