Pratt & Whitney has signed two 10-year contracts with Delta Air Lines to provide engine maintenance, material and aftermarket support. Valued at more than $1 billion, the agreements are focused on developing and implementing repairs in Delta's and its customers' fleets.
CAE has announced more than 25 full-flight simulator sales so far in FY09. In December, the Canadian company reached agreements to provide FFSs and related CAE Simfinity training devices valued at C$40 million ($32.3 million) for Saudi Arabian Airlines and the Hua Ou Aviation Training Centre.
Airbus North America welcomed Tom Anderson as senior VP-Customer Services Inc. Aircell selected John Wade as senior VP & GM-business aviation services. Airports Council International appointed Victor de Barrena dir.-Global Training Hub. Air Transport Assn. elected United Airlines Chairman, President & CEO Glenn Tilton as chairman and named Eric Thacker dir.-security operations and Sametta Barnett MD-security.
Air New Zealand successfully conducted the world's first sustainable biofuel test flight with a Rolls-Royce-powered 747-400 on Dec. 30, capping a year in which air transport efforts on alternative fuels rapidly accelerated from the test tube to the runway. More than a dozen key performance tests were undertaken during the 2-hr. test flight that took off at 11:30 a.m. local time from Auckland International. A biofuel blend of 50:50 jatropha and Jet A1 was used to power one of the 747-400's RB211s.
With American Airlines, Virgin America and Delta Air Lines currently deploying its Gogo inflight Wi-Fi service, Aircell expects commitments for the technology to reach 2,000 commercial aircraft by the end of 2009. In 2007, American Airlines signed a deal with Aircell for Gogo and became its launch customer, and last August it became the first airline in the US to offer inflight Internet access. Now customers traveling on AA's 767-200s can access coast-to-coast coverage on nonstop flights between New York and San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami.
SITA said Malaysia Airlines recently selected its in-house reservations system as an expansion of an ongoing $130 million improvement program. The 10-year deal, signed in 2006, includes e-ticketing and departure control system upgrades allowing for such self-service options as kiosk and Web check-in.
Deutsche Post's DHL Exel Supply Chain unit won a 10-year, multimillion-dollar deal with British Airways to provide inflight catering services for domestic and short-haul flights from London Heathrow. Contract takes effect in April 2010 and calls for up to 13 million meals annually, inflight retail, media and comfort items as well as waste management and wash-up responsibilities. Northern Foods will prepare the meals under a subcontract with DHL.
GDS executives are calling for the development of technical standards for the booking and processing of airlines' unbundled fares, ancillary revenue and other sales innovations. Sabre chief Sam Gilliland raised the issue at November's PhoCusWright conference.
Australia is emerging as a possible major source of feedstocks for second-generation biofuel such as the hardy jatropha curcas. Speaking to media after the first successful sustainable biofuel test flight, Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe suggested that the massive arid regions of northern Australia would be an ideal region for cultivation.
Sustainable Aviation, a UK-based coalition of airlines, aerospace manufacturers, airports and air navigation services providers, projects that CO2 emissions from air traffic will fall back to 2000 levels by 2050.
A J Walter Aviation signed a three-year power-by-the-hour contract with Viking Airlines covering two 737-800s. The carrier plans to acquire two additional -800s next year and by 2011 operate 11 of the type, according to CEO Christian Tadjeran. MNG Technic reached a five-year MRO deal with airBaltic to provide C checks on 737s. Contract also covers the carrier's technical training requirements.
HNA Group subsidiary Grand China Express Airlines is expected to receive a CNY200 million ($29.1 million) injection from the Tianjin municipal government following the signing of an agreement yesterday. GCEA has been suffering from operating losses and struggling to survive since its March 2007 launch owing to the "immaturity of the Chinese regional market," spokesperson Cui Kai told ATWOnline.
Air Berlin named German Federal Ministry for Transport, Construction and Urban Development Secretary of State Matthias von Randow as its new director-global traffic rights & political affairs. Von Randow also was a member of Fraport's supervisory board.
Southwest Airlines reached a sale and leaseback deal with an unnamed lessor for 10 737-700s. Under the agreement's first tranche closed yesterday, SWA sold five -700s for "approximately" $175 million and immediately leased them back for 12 years. It will make monthly payments of around $7.8 million during the first six months of the leases, with the amount scheduled to reset every six months based on the six-month LIBOR rate. In the first quarter of 2009, SWA will sell the five remaining -700s and lease them back for 16 years under "similar terms."
Datalex reached agreement with Aer Lingus to provide its Travel Distribution Platform offering "flexi" fare customer pricing and service options expected to enhance ancillary and merchandising business.
AirBridgeCargo Airlines reported sales of $423 million through the first 11 months of 2008, up 55% year-over-year. Traffic rose 31% to 121,000 tons of cargo.
Qatar Airways took delivery of its fifth 777-300ER yesterday. Aircraft will seat 335 passengers with 42 in business class and 293 in economy and will be used on QR's 11-times-weekly Doha-Manila service. The carrier has firm orders for 14 -300ERs, six 777-200LRs and seven 777-200Fs with deliveries scheduled through mid-2010.
Libyan authorities rescinded permission allowing Swiss International Air Lines to serve Tripoli. A Swiss spokesperson said the carrier was informed that "technical reasons related to a project for Tripoli airport" was the cause, although widespread speculation has pointed to strained relations between the countries that began when a son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was arrested last summer in Geneva.
Spirit Airlines requested authorization from US Dept. of Transportation to operate Fort Lauderdale-Armenia, Colombia, service next summer. It already plans to launch daily FLL-Medellin flights on March 1 aboard A319s. The same day it will begin daily Chicago O'Hare-Myrtle Beach.
Rolls-Royce inked a deal with Etihad Airways for provision of Trent 700EPs to power eight A330s. Contract is valued at $575 million and includes long-term services under a TotalCare agreement. Aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2009 and 2011. Order will bring Etihad's fleet of Rolls-powered A330s to 24.
