Boeing and Malaysia Airlines incorporated a new Jeppesen Terminal Charts application into the Class 3 Boeing Electronic Flight Bag on MAS's two 777-200ERs, giving pilots access to Jeppesen's extensive library of more than 40,000 charts for airports around the globe while eliminating the volumes of paper charts once required on the flightdeck. The airline must complete a six-month evaluation period that began in July before it can cease using paper charts on its EFB-equipped aircraft.
American Airlines will move its international flight operations into the recently opened International Terminal D at Dallas/Fort Worth on Oct. 29. AA flights will operate from 19 of the new terminal's 28 gates while American Eagle has an agreement to use additional gates when they are not in use by non-US flag carriers. AA will operate 78 flights on its first day of service from the terminal, eventually rising to 114 daily flights.
ATA Airlines' cockpit crew, represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn., ratified a tentative contract that includes concessions valued by the union at $84 million over the three-year term of the agreement. ATA currently is in bankruptcy. Under the terms of the Long-Term Relief Agreement, crewmembers will see their pay remain at 18% below 2003 contract rates until the end of 2006, gradually rising to 7% below 2003 rates by the end of 2008. "This amounts to a 30%-40% pay cut for flight crewmembers, in addition to cuts in health care benefits, retirement and work rules," the union said.
Smiths Aerospace and Isothermal Systems Research announced a strategic alliance. "Smiths' industry leading electronics coupled with ISR's SprayCool technology means Smiths is taking aggressive steps to provide customers with even greater performance avionics that can only be enabled by the most modern thermal management solutions," the companies said in a statement. Smiths is developing the Common Core for the 787.
Air France exercised options for three additional CFM56-powered A318s seating 123 in a single-class layout. AF launched the model in 1999 with an order for 15. It brought its first A318 into service in October 2003 and currently operates nine fitted with seating for 34 passengers in business class and 72 in coach. It will take delivery of nine more, including the three newly ordered aircraft, between now and spring 2007.
Emirates signed a leasing agreement with two UAE banks, National Bank of Dubai and Emirates Bank Group, for a new A340-500. The $119.5 million financing is for the last of the 10 A340-500s Emirates has on firm order. It is structured as an operating lease over a 12-year term and carries a weighted average cost of funds 0.9% over six-month Libor.
Etihad Crystal Cargo extended its ULD control and pooling contract with Unitpool, a load device pooling company, with the signing of a new long-term contract.
Boeing now sees a possible go-ahead decision on the 747ADV program in early December. In the meantime, the manufacturer continues to make refinements to the design. It re-lofted the outboard section of the wing and opted for single-slotted outboard flaps. Inboard, double-slotted flaps replace the current triple-slotted devices. Boeing also has decided to use the slightly larger 777 windows.
AirAsia will launch service from its base at Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai and Phnom Penh on Oct. 20 and Nov. 1 respectively with a single daily roundtrip to each destination. To kick off the routes, it is offering 10,000 seats to each city at an introductory fare of MYR49.99 ($15) each way excluding airport fees and taxes.
General Electric named Bradley Mottier president and CEO of GE Engine Services within GE Transportation, Aircraft Engines. He replaces Dan Heintzelman, who assumes the role of VP-energy services for GE Energy. Mottier has served as president and CEO of Unison Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aircraft Engines' Engine Services operation, since GE acquired Unison in 2002. Prior to the acquisition he worked for more than 20 years at Unison.
North American Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of World Airways, renewed its contract to provide service to GWV Vacations flying from Providence and Hartford to Caribbean and Mexico vacation destinations.
Taca took delivery of the first of five A321s Sept. 23, becoming the first operator of the type in Latin America. It also was the region's first operator of the A319 and A320.
SkyEurope shares began trading on the Vienna and Warsaw stock exchanges yesterday at an initial price of €6 ($7.25) per share and climbed to €6.60 on the Vienna exchange before closing at €6.30 ( ATWOnline, Sept. 23).
Swiss International Air Lines reportedly plans to supply up to 60 pilots to China Airlines for the carrier's 747, A330 and A340 fleets. Pilots have been made surplus to Swiss needs owing to its decision to phase out its Embraer 145s and Saab 2000s. Another 15 pilots may find some work with Etihad Airways. Also, Jet Airways of India is looking for some A340 pilots from Swiss.
Lufthansa and Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport signed a deal Tuesday lowering the cost of ground handling for the carrier at the airport for the next five years. Savings amount to more than €10 million per year, according to Reuters, which cited Lufthansa Passenger Airline management board member Carsten Spohr. Savings will come from a combination of lower prices and greater efficiencies, Spohr said. Fraport Chief Executive Wilhelm Bender said the airport operator will offset the reduction in ground handling fees from Lufthansa through its own cost savings.
European Commission proposed to negotiate an Open Aviation Area agreement with Ukraine. In 2004, 1.5 million passengers traveled between the EU and Ukraine by air, up 25% over 2003. The EC said authority to negotiate with Ukraine is in line with the conclusions of the June 27 Transport Council "in which EU Transport Ministers welcomed a wider European Common Aviation Area with our neighbors."
In the largest US airline merger since American Airlines acquired TWA in 2000, US Airways emerged from Chapter 11 and completed its merger with America West Airlines, with the US Airways brand surviving.
Singapore Airlines and Asiana, both members of the Star Alliance, have begun codesharing between Singapore and Seoul. SIA is putting the SQ code on 10 weekly A330 services operated by Asiana, while the latter is putting the OZ code on 44 weekly 747 and 777 services operated by SIA. Subject to regulatory approval, the carriers expect to extend their cooperation to include transpacific flights beyond Seoul, domestic destinations in South Korea, intra-travel in north Asia and flights beyond Singapore.
CSA Czech Airlines intends to move forward on an ambitious cost-cutting plan in response to continuing high oil prices that have caused its fuel bill to rise by more than CZK1 billion ($41 million) in 2005. "The only way to successfully face the increasing pressures of rising fuel costs and competition is to aggressively cut the airline's own costs and to introduce effective, modern technological tools at the same time," said Eduard Janota, chairman of the CSA board of trustees.
The European Commission, in a landmark decision, came down in favor of including European airlines in the EU's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme rather than imposing separate emissions charges and/or other taxes and fees on the industry to offset damage to the environment from carbon dioxide emissions by aircraft.
Boeing's aircraft assembly lines could be back in operation as early as Friday after the company and striking workers represented by the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract covering approximately 19,000 employees in the Seattle area, Wichita and Portland, Ore.
British Airways announced that Group Treasurer and Head of Taxation Keith Williams will succeed John Rishton as CFO on Jan. 1 following Rishton's resignation to join Amsterdam-based retailer Ahold.
