TAM took delivery of the second of eight 777-300ERs it has on order and plans to use it to operate six-times-weekly Sao Paulo Guarulhos-Frankfurt flights.
Aeroports de Paris and Air France last weekend operated a two-day trial program for the A380 at Charles de Gaulle. MSN 001 was piloted by AF crew from Toulouse to CDG. Following tests at the airport's Terminal S3, the aircraft was towed inside AF's new H6 hangar for compatibility tests. Maintenance equipment tests conducted by Air France Industries all produced "satisfactory results," AF said, while tests on noise and luminosity levels were carried out simultaneously with Wi-Fi tests between the aircraft and the hangar's IT network.
Italy and United Arab Emirates signed an agreement yesterday that will allow Emirates and Etihad Airways to have significant access to Italian airports, with EK planning to use Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino and Venice as gateway "hubs" to Europe. Italian Secretary of State for Economic Development and Foreign Trade Adolfo Urso, who traveled to Abu Dhabi to sign the accord, said the re-launched Alitalia would provide connections for EK passengers. "Emirates would be able to count on the help of our new Italian airline," he said.
Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis said that the privatization of Olympic Airlines ( ATWOnline, Nov. 7) will mean €150 million ($188.7 million) in additional government revenue annually. The government plans to split the carrier into three units for sale by year end, a move that will "relieve the Greek taxpayer of the burden of paying for their losses," Karamanlis said, according to Reuters.
The slump in fuel prices turned out to be the bad news for Air China, which suffered a CNY3.1 billion (CNY453.1 million) loss on its fuel hedge contract as of Oct. 31, more than three times the CNY961 million forecast.
News from Travel Technology Update: Sabre Travel Network has devised a way for travelers and travel agents to compare the true costs of flights when factors such as checked-bag fees and preferred seat selection are taken into account. Called Attribute-Based Shopping, the application will be available to consumers and travel management companies in 2009. It will be available both to airlines that are hosted on the Sabre system and to airlines that simply distribute through the Sabre GDS.
Sabre Travel Network won a two-year extension on its contract with United Airlines to provide full content of published fares and inventory via its GDS. Extension maintains the distribution agreement until 2013.
Aer Lingus averted a potential strike ( ATWOnline, Nov. 11) by reaching a framework agreement with the SIPTU union, which represents thousands of EI employees that had voted to take industrial action over EI's cost-saving plan that included significant outsourcing. "This framework would not involve outsourcing," the airline said. "However, until these savings are verified and confirmed by the union, the outsourcing plans remain on the table.
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, who had been considering replacing the Air Passenger Duty with a direct "per-plane" fee levied on airlines, yesterday made the surprise announcement that the APD will remain under a new scheme that will impose ascending fees on passengers based on the distance travelled to/from UK airports. Darling explained to parliament that he has developed "a four-band [APD] system ensuring those that travel further and have a larger environmental impact meet that cost. . .This will be effective in reducing emissions from aviation."
Quantum Aviation Solutions will provide Bermuda's L.F. Wade International with its BagScan baggage reconciliation technology under a deal announced yesterday. Contract eliminates upfront implementation costs.
US State Dept. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Affairs John Byerly said he would negotiate expansive Latin American open skies agreements "at the drop of a hat," but TAP Portugal CEO Fernando Pinto warned that the US faces a "closed, regulated and protected market."
Worldwide Flight Services won a contract from TAM Airlines to provide cargo handling services including documentation management and processing, security screening and customs clearance at Orlando International. The carrier operates A330s between Orlando and Sao Paulo.
Air France KLM's decision to slow its growth, revealed last week when it released its fiscal first-half earnings in Paris, is in line "with a greater capacity discipline by most major players," Chairman and CEO Jean-Cyril Spinetta told reporters. AF KLM network-wide capacity will be up just 1.7% year-over-year this winter season and it envisions capacity growth of only 1%-2% in the summer schedule 2009.
Rolls-Royce said it is consulting with its labor unions regarding plans to cut 140 jobs at its Derby Assembly and Test Facility. The proposed job reductions are "the first stage" of a larger downsizing that could see 1,500-2,000 workers laid off on a worldwide basis. Actions are in response to the "current economic uncertainties," delays to specific programs such as the A380 and 787 and "the benefits of the group's continuing focus on efficiency," according to a statement. The reductions account for 4% of the worldwide workforce.
Delta Air Lines said in a regulatory filing Friday that "demand has slowed over the course of the [fourth] quarter. . .As a result, we are evaluating our capacity plans for 2009 on both the domestic and international system and expect to reduce future capacity to better align supply with current levels of demand." It said it will provide more specific 2009 capacity guidance on Dec. 9.
PACE reached a deal with Etihad Airways to provide its Pacelab Cabin technology to explore prospective seating arrangements of passenger cabins for in-service aircraft and new deliveries. Software boasts flexible parametric modeling, intelligent positioning features and automatic compliance checks.
Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranena said the Toluca-based LCC expects to launch its first US service in the 2009 fourth quarter and plans to be operating to 10-12 markets north of the border in the next 3-5 years, which would represent a penetration comparable to that of Aeromexico and Mexicana.
Lufthansa Consulting reached its third contract extension with Petrobras (Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.) to provide technical counsel related to implementation of aviation safety activities. Contract will extend to September 2009 and focus on establishing an Aviation Competence Center within Petrobras as well as improving safety standards, flight operations, maintenance and ground operations and emergency planning. LCG has supported the oil company and its transport division since 2004.
Boeing warned last week that it will lay off an undetermined number of employees next year as part of an effort to slash costs to contend with a "challenging business environment." The manufacturer said it will cut the workforce at its Wichita facility by 27%, or 800 jobs. In a memo cited by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Boeing said the cuts at its Kansas facility make clear there will be "some employment decreases starting in early 2009" and indicated more job reductions will be announced.
Iberia said it renovated its La Munoza maintenance hangar near Madrid Barajas to improve and extend its painting services for new and overhauled aircraft. The 2,900-sq.-m. facility is equipped for stripping, sanding, painting and drying various aircraft. A Saudi Arabian Airlines 757-200 and an A320 operated by Ural Airlines are the first in line to be painted there.
Thales said it is introducing an all-digital TopSeries IFE system for single-aisle aircraft and regional jets. The system can be configured by class of service as an interactive audio-only system, interactive overhead video system or full-functioning in-seat AVOD system. First installation is scheduled for 2009 on an A320 for a Middle East carrier.
Air New Zealand called Australia's competition watchdog "inconsistent" following the preliminary rejection of its proposed codeshare with Air Canada on transpacific routes ( ATWOnline, Nov. 21).
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission rejected a transpacific Air New Zealand/Air Canada codeshare pact. ACCC issued a draft determination denying authorization for the two airlines to codeshare on AC's Sydney-Vancouver services and ANZ's Auckland-Vancouver flights, claiming it would lessen competition. The airlines argued that neither operates on the other's routes and both would promote each other's services, bringing more tourists to Australia and New Zealand.
