A large number of airlines, airports and a variety of industry experts believe Congress could consider separating the air traffic control (ATC) and airspace-modernization services from the FAA’s purview, in part to speed up the delivery of NextGen, a new study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found.
As Boeing 787-9 launch customer Air New Zealand prepares for further deliveries, it is switching the first aircraft to a longer international route. The carrier expects to take delivery of its second -9 within the next few weeks, an airline spokeswoman says. Boeing has finished work on the aircraft, and is conducting test flights.
Emirates is expanding its Asia-Pacific network by deepening its code-share ties with Jetstar carriers based in Australia and Singapore. The relationship between Jetstar and Emirates is linked to the broader agreement between Emirates and Qantas: Qantas is the parent of low-cost carrier (LCC) Jetstar and part-owner of the Jetstar Asia franchise in Singapore. However, the Jetstar code-share routes are important to Emirates in their own right, particularly those in Southeast Asia.
Emirates is expanding its Asia-Pacific network by deepening its code-share ties with Jetstar carriers based in Australia and Singapore. The relationship between Jetstar and Emirates is linked to the broader agreement between Emirates and Qantas: Qantas is the parent of low-cost carrier (LCC) Jetstar and part-owner of the Jetstar Asia franchise in Singapore. However, the Jetstar code-share routes are important to Emirates in their own right, particularly those in Southeast Asia.
Mexican low-cost carrier (LCC) Vivaaerobus plans to significantly beef up its U.S. presence with 22 weekly flights between four fast-growing Mexican destinations and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW). The Mexican LCC has applied to the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) for route authorities between Guadalajara, Cancun, Monterrey and San Jose del Cabo and DFW, with flights to begin operating in December. The carrier has secured the necessary approvals from Mexico’s civil aviation regulator.
Southwest CEO Gary Kelly signalled a further expansion in the Washington, D.C. area with new flights between Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)-San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) flights on March 7, 2015. “International is the growth opportunity ahead [for Southwest] and BWI will be a big part of that as this morning’s announcement shows,” Kelly said, while speaking to a Washington, D.C. breakfast meeting of the Greater Washington Board of Trade.
WestJet will start charging a C$25 ($22.55) fee for a first checked bag for flights booked starting Sept. 15 for domestic Canadian- or U.S.- transborder travel from Oct. 29. The fee will not apply to those booking extra-legroom “plus” premium-economy seats, or to passengers purchasing a “flex” fare, which has lower fees for changing or canceling a flight ticket. It will also not apply on international flights to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and Dublin.
Air France-KLM Group executives have identified broad targets for their Perform 2020 plan, but are unlikely to finalize the key figures required to meet the plan’s goals until early next year, group Chairman and CEO Alexandre de Juniac acknowledges. The Franco-Dutch group last week unveiled its new five-year Perform 2020 strategy in Paris, building on its three-year Transform 2015 plan. But Air France-KLM’s top executives noted that exact cost savings, net debt and headcount targets are still being finalized.
Lufthansa has detailed its proposal for a new early retirement scheme for pilots in an effort to weaken support for the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) pilot union.
You can now register online for Aviation Week events. Go to www.aviationweek.com/conferences or contact: Lydia Janow, 212-904-3225 or 800-240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada only) Sept. 23-24—Brazing Symposium, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, Phoenix, Arizona Oct. 7-9—MRO Europe, Madrid Spain Nov. 4-6—MRO Asia, Singapore EXPO Convention and Exhibition Centre, Singapore
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected] . (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) Sept. 15 —SpeedNews 2nd Annual European Aerospace Raw Materials & Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference, Hôtel Palladia, Toulouse, France, www.speednews.com/all/conferences
DENVER—While Frontier’s rebranding this week will help position it to customers as an ultra low-cost carrier (LLC), the airline will not be able to compete with others in the category until it lowers its costs—not including fuel—to six cents per available seat mile (ASM), Chairman William Franke said. When Indigo Partners acquired Frontier at the end of last year, it had a CASM excluding fuel of 7.4 cents, but the management team has cut CASM to just below 7 cents.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is implementing and planning new measures for its Boeing 777 program, including increased automation, to help minimize risk as it looks to its participation in 777 production. The head of MHI’s Boeing program, Shigefumi Tatsumi, repeatedly used the words “stability” and “robust production” when discussing the changes.
The expanding string of encouraging monthly reports on global air cargo activity is giving regional operators the confidence to make moves and tap pent-up demand, an executive at Air Transport Service Group (ATSG) reports. ATSG—which counts two all-cargo carriers and a leasing business among its subsidiaries—reports improved demand in its dry- and wet-lease businesses, Chief Commercial Officer Rich Corrado said at the recent Cowen and Co. global aerospace conference.
The Vietnamese government has approved plans for a partial privatization of Vietnam Airlines, with the share float set to occur in November. The long-signaled move calls for 25% of the carrier to be sold—a 20% stake to be sold to one or more strategic investors and a 5% stake made available to the public and employees.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says “recent refinements” in satellite ground station parameters and the primary radar track of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 will likely extend the priority search area for the missing Boeing 777-200ER further to the south than previously planned. The potential change in search area is based on new estimates on exactly when the aircraft turned south toward the Indian Ocean from its last known pri
LOS ANGELES and FRANKFURT— Airbus and Pratt & Whitney are believed to be tackling a late-developing certification issue with the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofan in an attempt to stave off the looming threat of delay to the first flight of the re-engined Airbus A320neo. The aircraft manufacturer, which declines to comment, has targeted September for first flight of the A320neo with the Pratt engine.
Southwest Airlines is continuing its aggressive growth in near-international markets with a new route between Baltimore and San Juan, Costa Rica, the carrier’s first to that country. Daily roundtrip service is expected to begin March 7, 2015, subject to regulatory approval. San Juan will be Southwest’s sixth international destination and the first after the integration of AirTran Airways, expected by year-end.
Air France-KLM is seeking new strategic partnerships in North and Southeast Asia and is eyeing a revenue-share agreement with Etihad Airways under its newly-unveiled Perform 2020 plan. Speaking at Air France-KLM’s Perform 2020 investor briefing in Paris on Sept.
