Airlines operating in the European Union (EU) can count on a long-running benefit continuing permanently, as regulators this week acted to make a zero tariff on jet fuel permanent. The European Council formally adopted a regulation Monday removing the planned 4.7% levy on jet fuel imports beginning on January 1, 2014, although in practice the zero perecent tariff has been applied for many years.
China Southern is trying to build up at one of SkyTeam partner China Eastern’s major bases with an application to set up a branch company in Kunming. The move follows China Eastern’s defeat of a similar move by China Southern at Shanghai in the past two months. Before that, China Eastern’s lobbying prevented China Southern from flying Airbus A380s between Kunming and Beijing. Under the bureaucratic scheme of the Chinese airline industry, a branch company can be the basis of enlarged operations.
Click here to view the pdf Aircraft Operating Statistics, 12 Months Ended June 2013, Widebody Aircraft (Sorted By Seats Per Departure) Aircraft Stage Seats/ Aircraft Carrier
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects passenger air traffic to grow faster during the next few years than it has in the previous five years. In its latest Airline Industry Forecast, the association estimates air travel will grow by 5.4% annually (compound annual growth rate, CAGR). That is significantly more than the 4.3% the industry has seen in the five years up to and including 2012. According to IATA, growth has been slower in that period because of the 2008 global financial crisis in its longer term effects on the global economy.
Air Canada, broadening its regional feed cost-savings efforts, has tapped long-time partner Air Georgian to take over some regional jet flying, including transborder routes, currently served by Jazz. “Air Georgian has been selected to operate a number of additional regional routes including transborder routes in mid-2014 using Canadair Regional Jet aircraft,” Air Canada says in a statement on the memorandum of understanding.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers - Atlanta, Dec. 15-21, 2013, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Top Carriers - Atlanta, Dec. 15-21, 2013, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Departures Airport Share ASMs (mil) Airport Share Seats/Dept.
Air Algerie is on the verge of announcing three new aircraft orders, covering three regional aircraft, eight narrowbodies and three widebodies for delivery in 2015-16, plus evaluations have begun for two full freighters. The Algiers-based carrier currently operates a fleet of 42 passenger aircraft, comprising 12 ATR 72s, five Boeing 737-600s, 17 737-800s, three 767-300s and five Airbus A330-200s.
Czech leisure carrier Travel Service will acquire 34% of Czech Airlines from Korean Air, prompting the departure of Czech Airlines Chairman and President Philippe Moreels. Korean Air acquired 44% of Czech Airlines from Czech Aeroholding in April 2013 and is now planning to buy a further 34%. It will then sell the shares on to Travel Service, which will reinforce its European operations.
Following on the heels of FAA action on portable electronics, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has modified its rules and given airlines updated guidance on the use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) on-board the aircraft. An operator may now allow the use of all PEDs—such as smartphones, tablets, MP3 players and e-readers—during any phase of flight so long as transmitting connections such as mobile phone network, wi-fi and Bluetooth are disabled and switched to “flight mode” or “airplane mode.”
Boeing kicked off a five-month wind tunnel test phase for the 777X on Dec. 5, marking the first major development milestone for the newly-launched twinjet program. The initial test campaign will focus on the low-speed characteristics of the design, which is a derivative of the existing 777 configured with an all-new, large span composite wing and new General Electric GE9X engines.
Kuwait Airways and Airbus have inked a memorandum of understanding for 15 Airbus A320neo family aircraft and 10 A350-900s. The confirmation follows on from comments made in May by Kuwait Airways chairman Sami al-Nasef, who said at the time that his carrier had “signed a letter of acceptance with Airbus” to purchase 25 aircraft.
Aviation Week Laureate Awards March 6, 2014 National Building Museum Washington, D.C. Join Us! Aviation Week’s 57th annual Laureate Awards will recognize individuals/teams for their extraordinary accomplishments. Their achievements embody the spirit of exploration, innovation, vision or any combination of these attributes that inspire others to strive for significant, broad-reaching progress in aviation and aerospace.
All Nippon Airways has revealed the first wave of international routes that it is adding from Tokyo Haneda Airport, thanks to a slot windfall provided by the Japanese government.
Aer Lingus, which has nine Airbus A350s on order, has opted to take the lower-weight A350-900 Regional to meet its reduced range needs. Earlier this year, Aer Lingus CEO Christoph Mueller told Aviation Week affiliate Air Transport World that he was considering whether to roll over to an all-A350 fleet or go into a mixed fleet with the A330 high-gross-weight variant (HGW). However, responding to a question from ATW at the London Aviation Club last week, Mueller confirmed that Aer Lingus now plans to go for an all-A350 long-haul fleet.
Darren Shannon, editor-in-chief of Aviation Daily, is leaving Aviation Week after five-and-a-half years to start a public relations consultancy. Today is the last issue of Aviation Daily to be edited by Shannon. Future editorial submissions and enquiries should be addressed to Executive Editor Jim Mathews, who can be contacted at [email protected]. Shannon can be reached at [email protected].
Details of Boeing’s requirements for a site suitable for assembly of the 777X and its large composite wing show the company is searching for new facilities costing up to $10 billion, access to transportation infrastructure and a 9,000-ft. runway.
Jan. 21-22, 2014—MRO Latin America, Rio de Janerio, Brazil Feb. 4-6—MRO Middle East, Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai, UAE Feb. 10—Air Transport World’s 40th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards, Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel, Singapore March 4-5—Defense Technology & Affordability Requirements, Washington, D.C. March 6—57th Annual Laureates Awards, National Building Museum, Washington, D.C. April 8-10—MRO Americas 2014, Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Ariz.
The U.S. Commercial Service—the trade promotion arm of the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration—will host a webinar Dec. 12 to provide U.S. companies with an overview of India’s civil aviation sector, export opportunities and background information on the 2014 India Aviation trade show coming up in March.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers: San Francisco, December 15-21, 2013, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Top Carriers: San Francisco, December 15-21, 2013, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs
