Mecmesin said British Airways selected its MultiTest 5-x force system to perform brake unit springs assessments on a variety of aircraft including 737s, 747s, 757s, 777s, A319s, A320s and A321s. System simulates spring performance within load ranges and displays pass/fail messages automatically. Inventory Locator Service said InterSky of Austria selected its ILS Optimizer to streamline repair, inventory and sales operations. Technology will track parts and components through the repair process, synchronize in-stock inventory with website listings and manage sales orders.
Sensis Corp. said its Multistatic Dependent Surveillance multilateration system is approved and operational at London Gatwick. Expected to enhance safety and efficiency, the system provides location and identification of aircraft operating on runways, taxiways and stand areas.
American Airlines expects third-quarter mainline unit revenue to increase 9.5%-10.5% year-over-year, VP-Corporate Development and Treasurer Beverly Goulet said yesterday. Speaking at the Calyon US Airline Conference, she said, "In spite of our continued concerns about the economy, our revenue results have held up reasonably well." She cited the carrier's increased emphasis on "unbundling" prices, including checked bag fees, and higher fares as key drivers of revenue growth. "The pressure we are under because of fuel has upped the ante. .
Detroit Metropolitan's new $431 million North Terminal had its official opening Sept. 17. The 850,000-sq.-ft., 26-gate terminal sits on the site of the former Davey Terminal that was demolished in 2005 and replaces the Smith and Berry Terminals. It is expected to handle 8-14 million passengers per year and will be occupied by Air Canada, American Airlines, AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines, Lufthansa, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, USA 3000 and charter carriers. Gensler served as the terminal's architect.
Airbus, preparing to deliver to Qantas its first A380 today, yesterday moved to quell speculation in the French media that more production problems may delay future deliveries. According to Agence France Presse, Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders said the manufacturer is still on track to deliver 12 A380s this year, 21 in 2009 and between 30 and 40 in 2010. France's Journal du Dimanche reported Sunday that Emirates would not receive its second A380 until the end of October, effectively a two-month delay.
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft won a three-year deal with Saab Aerotech for warehousing services covering spares for Saab 340 and Saab 2000 regional turboprops. Contract is valued at £1.5 million ($2.7 million).
US Air Transport Assn. praised the US House of Representatives for passing a bill that ATA said "gives the Commodity Futures Trading Commission the authority to impose additional position limits on certain types of energy trades and provide greater transparency" to the energy market. "This will close some of the loopholes that speculators have used to pour billions of dollars into the energy markets and bring more transparency to commodities trading," ATA stated, adding, "We look to the Senate for their support in including strong speculation reform in their energy bill."
Pratt & Whitney Canada said it established a parts distribution center in Sydney to speed delivery times in Australia and New Zealand. Center, which is expected to complement Pratt PDCs in Singapore and Amsterdam, will house various spares including new parts, exchange accessories and LRUs for PWC engines.
Air Canada yesterday eliminated a C$25 ($23) fee for checking a second bag, saying that the "recent retreat in oil prices is enabling us to reinstate our previous baggage policy." It added that it also will drop "add-on" fuel surcharges for North American flights, "instead adjusting. . .base fares to cover the total cost of fuel," Executive VP and CCO Ben Smith said.
Honeywell yesterday said Tiger Airways selected its avionics suite for eight A320s slated for delivery over the next two years. Suite includes RDR-4B weather radar, Quantum Line Comm Nav Surveillance, TCAS, EGPWS, Solid State FDR and CVR, Flight Data Acquisition and Management System, ACARS, ELT and HF radio.
China's AVIC I yesterday said that the merged company it is forming with AVIC II will be called "China Aviation Industry Corp. Group" and revealed details of the entity's structure.
Lufthansa passengers now can use "mobile boarding passes" sent to Internet-enabled cell phones via e-mail or SMS on all flights from Germany to any destination in Europe, the carrier announced. LH said more than 7,000 weekly domestic passengers are using the electronic boarding passes, which contain a 2D barcode that permits them to pass through security checkpoints and proceed straight to their departure gates.
Ryanair is sticking with its August forecast of a breakeven result for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009, ( ATWOnline, Aug. 14) despite rapidly falling fuel prices, in part because the company is upside down with its fuel hedges, CEO Michael O'Leary acknowledged at Ryanair's AGM in Dublin yesterday.
United Airlines said yesterday that it had raised $1 billion by amending its credit card marketing services agreement with Chase Bank but also warned that it likely will take a $225 million fuel-hedging loss in the third quarter.
European Commission gave its approval to the Greek government plan to privatize and restart Olympic Airlines as Pantheon Airways next year ( ATWOnline, Sept. 17), but it also demanded that Olympic return €850 million ($1.2 billion) in state aid. EC VP-Transport Antonio Tajani called the funding "incompatible with European legislation." The privatization plan could face opposition from the carrier's labor unions, which have threatened to fight it.
The US government's $85 billion bailout of ILFC parent American International Group late Tuesday cast a cloud of uncertainty over the aircraft lessor that is the largest single customer of both Boeing and Airbus.
Flight Safety Foundation said yesterday that Executive VP Robert Vandel announced his intention to retire on Dec. 31. "Bob has had a tremendously distinguished career of public service and has made huge contributions to global aviation safety," said FSF Chairman Edward Stimpson.
British Airways moved another chunk of its international flights into London Heathrow's new Terminal 5 this week and expressed confidence that it has overcome the problems that beset T5's March opening. Since then, the terminal has handled 8.5 million passengers. The carrier yesterday started operating flights to the US, Latin America and Canada from T5.
BAA put London Gatwick up for sale yesterday, a move it described as a "realistic. . .response" to the UK Competition Commission's provisional report released last month that raised concerns over the company's ownership of seven UK airports including three serving London.
Sabre Holdings' products in the United Arab Emirates and five markets in Africa will be distributed by Emirates' travel division EmQuest under a 10-year deal announced this week. Contract covers distribution sales and support services in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia and in the UAE starting in January.
VT Miltope and TriaGnoSys announced a partnership to provide end-to-end systems for in-cabin networks. Collaboration is aimed at developing a solution to enable a range of services including broadband Internet access, voice services, inflight entertainment system management and the transmission of non-flight-critical crew information such as electronic flight bags, weather reports and cabin inventory reports.
Worldwide Flight Services won contracts from Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines and US Airways for cargo handling at Baltimore/Washington International.
Austrian Airlines said it completed its previously announced rights offering of up to 57.1 million shares ( ATWOnline, Aug. 25). As expected, Mohamed bin Iassa Al-Jaber did not participate in the offering. As a result, 2.45 million new shares with a value of €7.35 million ($10.5 million) were issued, boosting the number of shares outstanding to 88.1 million and increasing share capital from €257 million to €264.4 million.
NWA Cargo said it upgraded engines on five of its 12 747-200Fs as part of its EarthCares program. It switched out a mix of JT9D-7Js and -7Qs for a mix of -7Qs and -7Rs from former passenger aircraft, according to spokeswoman Kristin Baur. NWA expects to achieve a 5% improvement in fuel efficiency, saving 2.4 million gal. of fuel and 26,000 tons of carbon emissions per year. The freighter fleet currently consists of seven JT9D-7R-powered aircraft, three -7Qs and two -7Js.
