London Gatwick announced that passengers will be able to carry more than one bag through security from March 31. The restriction limiting passengers to one item of cabin baggage was lifted at other BAA airports in January ( ATWOnline, Jan. 7).
London Heathrow Terminal 5's long-anticipated opening yesterday was marred by numerous technical problems, including the failure late in the day of the facility's much publicized high-tech baggage handling system. The £4.3 billion ($8.6 billion) terminal, used solely by British Airways, has been touted as the antidote to customer service problems at the busy airport, but its first day of operation was far from smooth.
Airbus said yesterday that it has "terminated negotiations" with MT Aerospace regarding the divestiture of three German industrial plants and conceded that talks with other companies on sales of plants in the UK and France, while still ongoing, are proving difficult in the current economic environment. As part of its Power8 restructuring program, Airbus and parent EADS committed to partially or completely selling off major industrial plants to "partners" that will share in the risk, development and construction of the A350 XWB.
ANA yesterday effectively launched the 70/90-seat Mitsubishi Regional Jet program with an order for 15 plus 10 options for the MRJ90 with delivery scheduled after 2013.
Lufthansa Systems will continue to provide its Lido Operation Center flight planning solution to Finnair under a five-year contract extension. Agreement covers various IT solutions to optimize routing calculations.
Ryanair is reviewing all of its major costs, including airport expenses, staffing, fuel and currency exposure, in an effort to offset the rise of oil prices to more $100 a barrel.
Star Alliance carriers Air Canada, Air China, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and United Airlines each completed the transfer of their operations to Beijing International's Terminal 3 yesterday. The move was part of the collocation plan developed as a result of Air China and Shanghai Airlines joining the alliance last year. A similar collocation will be completed at Shanghai Pudong on April 29.
Vietnam Airlines is set to give the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries regional jet program a boost with an order for up to 20 of the 70/90-seat aircraft, according to widespread press reports.
Porter Airlines will launch service between its Toronto City Centre base and Newark beginning March 31 with seven daily flights. It marks the startup regional's first foray into the US. Porter initially ordered up to 10 Q400s, six of which are in operation. It recently exercised options for two additional Q400s for delivery in early 2009.
AWAS said it finalized the purchase of six new A330-300s from Airbus for lease to Singapore Airlines. Transaction is valued at $1.2 billion at list prices and first delivery will be next year. The lessor said the order "reflects our goal to further diversify our aircraft portfolio and broaden the appeal to our airline customers." It ordered up to 100 A320s two months ago ( ATWOnline, Jan. 10).
ANA confirmed to ATWOnline that it is looking seriously at establishing a low-cost carrier to take advantage of a fourth runway at Tokyo's downtown Haneda Airport. CEO Mineo Yamamoto yesterday flagged the new venture to Nikkei Business Daily. The LCC may be set up as early as the next fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2009. An ANA spokesperson told this website, "We are seriously examining the market and the likelihood of [other] LCCs flying into Haneda after its fourth runway opens in October 2010, and how we will take them on if they do."
Delta Air Lines flight attendants will vote between April 23 and June 3 on whether to unionize, the US National Mediation Board told the carrier yesterday. Assn. of Flight Attendants-CWA, seeking to represent the group, recently gathered signatures from a majority of DL's 12,000 flight attendants, surpassing NMB's 35% threshold for calling a unionization vote. More than half the FAs will have to cast ballots in favor during the voting period for unionization to occur. Past efforts to organize DL cabin staff have been unsuccessful.
Bombardier confirmed that German LCC airberlin is the customer that placed a firm order for 10 Q400s plus 10 options last October. The airline had requested that its identity be kept confidential at that time. The firm order contract is valued at $267 million and would rise to approximately $540 million if all options are exercised. It marks the company's first turboprop order. AB expects to receive four Q400s this year and the remaining six in 2009. The 76-seaters are intended primarily to replace F100s, which Berlin-based Germania operates for AB.
Aeroflot CEO Valery Okulow confirmed SU's interest in investing in either Jat Airways or CSA Czech Airlines as both Eastern European carriers approach privatization ( ATWOnline, March 4). He was speaking to La Tribune. Meanwhile, a source close to Austrian Airlines Group confirmed to ATWOnline that there recently have been talks between SU and AAG but they ended without the Russian carrier deciding to invest. Aeroflot derives 37% of its revenue from its European network.
UK Office of Communications yesterday approved the use of mobile phones on UK-registered aircraft once approved by EASA and UK CAA. "If such approval has been secured, it will be a matter for individual airlines to judge whether there is consumer demand for these services," it said, adding that an onboard communications system may be switched on by cabin crew once the aircraft reaches 3,000 m.
Air China is eyeing Shanghai Airlines and plans to deepen cooperation with its Star Alliance partner following the formal rejection of its bid for Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines last month. Sun Yu, CA's head of planning, revealed that the carrier keeps "close contact" with SAL and plans to expand their collaboration. "But whether we can reach an agreement with SAL is up to the Shanghai municipal government," the airline's controlling stakeholder.
Shandong Airlines, based in Jinan, will take delivery of six 737NGs in 2009 and 16 in 2012-13, according to a statement to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange cited by press reports. According to its website, Shandong operates 37 aircraft on more than 700 weekly flights to 50 destinations.
Consortium including Portuguese-Canadian investment fund Longstock Financial Investment Fund and Madrid-based Gadair European Airlines has offered €450 million ($693 million) for Spanair, Longstock President Vitor Pinto da Costa told Diario Economico. He said the offer is well above Iberia's bid of €300 million, yet he admitted it could fall though owing to an SAS condition that the consortium pay €100 million before the deal is completed, according to Reuters.
US Transportation Security Administration acknowledged that a US Airways pilot and member of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program "accidentally" discharged his handgun on a Saturday flight between Denver and Charlotte. It said the flight "was never in danger" but that it will "take this matter seriously and an investigation is underway." The A319 has been removed from service, US told the Associated Press, and the pilot is on leave.
Air France KLM appears willing to make some concessions to Alitalia's unions amid reports that AZ rival Air One is interested in making another offer for the flag carrier.
