Alitalia is facing more social unrest as the Sult flight attendant union called for a 24-hr. strike on April 19. The union made the move after failing to make any progress in talks with management following several previous strikes earlier this year, the latest on March 16. Sult is the only Alitalia union that has not endorsed the carrier's restructuring plan, which includes the spinning off of ground activities from the airline operation and a €1.2 billion ($1.56 billion) recapitalization of the airline division.
US Customs and Border Protection made final a rule requiring airlines to submit advance information on all passengers and crewmembers prior to entry into or departure from the US. The rule requires that passenger manifest information be transmitted electronically.
Korean Air placed an order with Boeing for up to 20 787s as part of what it says is "a strategic plan to meet future demand for point-to-point travel on mid/long-range destinations to the US and Europe." The deal includes 10 firm 787-8 s and 10 options and is valued at $2.6 billion at list prices. Deliveries are scheduled from 2009 through 2011. Engine selection was not announced.
The European Commission today is expected to propose targeting aviation as a revenue source to finance development aid even though it believes such measures will have a negative impact on demand.
EADS is looking for external candidates to replace Noel Forgeard as Airbus president and CEO when he moves up to EADS this summer, according to La Tribune. The French newspaper said the search began after EADS' German shareholders refused to promote Gerard Blanc, currently executive VP-operations at Airbus, to CEO. Forgeard supported Blanc as his successor. Reportedly, Forgeard offered the job to Air France COO Pierre Henri Gourgeon, but he refused it. Forgeard is expected to present his successor at the group's annual general meeting on May 11.
Finnair will retire its 10 MD-80s "at an accelerated rate" by fall 2006. As a result of the premature retirement, the European and domestic fleet of Finnair Group will consist of 29 A320 family aircraft and 12 Embraer 170s that will be acquired over the next two years, with the first being delivered this autumn. The airline has options for a further eight aircraft. Finnair also said lease agreements for four 757s used for leisure flights have been renewed, replacing accords that were signed before aircraft values plunged following 9/11.
The US and EU failed to settle their dispute over civil aircraft launch aid by yesterday's mutually agreed-upon deadline, leaving both parties free to make their case at the World Trade Organization.
Iberia will hold up to 11.7% of Amadeus after the €7.35 ($9.53) per share bid by Cinven Ltd. and BC Partners Ltd. is completed, the carrier said in a statement. The stake could be reduced to 11.4% if 100 directors of the travel distribution group take up their option to acquire a stake in the new company.
Cathay Pacific flew 5.33 billion RPKs in March, up 22.1% over the year-ago period. Capacity rose 14.4% to 6.78 billion ASKs and load factor gained 4.9 points to 78.5%. For the three months ended March 31, RPKs increased 17.7% to 15.51 billion, ASKs jumped 12.8% to 19.75 billion and load factor rose 3.3 points to 78.5%.
JetBlue Airways flew 1.66 billion RPMs in March, up 33.7% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 24.1% to 1.84 billion ASMs and load factor gained 6.6 points to 90%. For the three months ended March 31, RPMs increased 31.5% to 4.34 billion, ASMs rose 22.5% to 5.17 billion and load factor jumped 5.9 points to 85.8%.
Singapore Technologies Aerospace subsidiary ST Aerospace Supplies will provide maintenance-by-the-hour component support to Chinese new entrant Okay Airways. The five-year agreement covers a complete range of components on Okay's fleet of six 737s and is worth approximately $12 million, according to STA.
Astro-Med said Airbus placed an order for the development of a special airborne digital data recorder for "final pre-delivery testing" of the A380, A400M and other aircraft. The order is a follow-on to a contract awarded to Astro-Med in 2003 for a special airborne version of the Everest Telemetry Recorder-Workstation for use in the development and flight testing of the A380.
JAT Airways continues to operate a much-reduced schedule as its mechanics' strike is in its fourth week. JAT has wet-leased a 737-300 from Islandsflug and an A320 from Jetclub. Its mechanics went on strike on March 17. The Serbian flag carrier operates on a day-to-day basis and said flight schedules can be checked on its website.
Munich Airport formed a new subsidiary, MUC Ground Services Flughafen Munchen GmbH. The entity will begin ground handling operations before the end of summer and initially will employ 40 workers.
Iberia will implement four components from Sabre Airline Solutions' integrated planning and scheduling suite AirFlite beginning later this month. As part of the arrangement, the airline will utilize Sabre's consulting services to help improve its hub structure and transform its business to exploit the new technology solutions.
Bulgarian Transport Ministry chose Copenhagen Airports to overhaul and manage its two Black Sea airports, Varna and Bourgas, Reuters reported citing a source close to the ministry. The government plans to award a single 35-year concession for the two terminals to the selected investor.
US Transportation Security Administration said Miami International Airport will receive a new explosives detection trace portal to screen passengers at the Concourse E security checkpoint, becoming the tenth airport to participate in the pilot program.
Pan Am International Flight Academy is closing its Career Pilot Development training campus in Ft. Pierce, Fla., and relocating equipment and aircraft to its CPD campus in Phoenix. The move will be completed by midsummer. The decision "was spurred primarily by the devastation caused by last year's hurricane season and the strong likelihood of future hurricanes," the company said.
Germanwings is planning to start new services from Berlin Schoenefeld to Moscow Domodedovo. It also is evaluating opening a fourth base in Germany and is considering Hamburg and Duesseldorf. It now operates from Cologne, Stuttgart and Berlin.
Emirates launched three weekly flights from Dubai to Sydney via Bangkok last week. The services, which are operated using 777-300ERs, will increase to daily from May 1. The new flights will boost Emirates' service between Dubai and Bangkok from twice-daily to three per day and the current daily service between Dubai and Sydney to twice-daily from May.
