Airbus had completed the full SafeRoute installation (hardware and software) in 11 Airbus A330s (two A330-200s and nine -300s) and planned to equip the remaining nine -200s in its fleet with the technology by early November.
The European Commission (EC) yesterday presented new proposals to resuscitate the Single European Sky (SES) project, which was launched more than 10 years ago but has not delivered any noteworthy progress due the resistance of labor groups and EU member states.
British Airways’ (BA’s) initial Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 deliveries will be within days of each other, with the first two 787s scheduled to arrive at London Heathrow Airport on June 26 and 27 and the first A380 July 4, just two weeks after taking part in the Paris air show.
Avtech Middle East is to study the behavior of wake vortices generated by aircraft arriving at Dubai International Airport, as part of plans to boost the capacity of the airport’s two parallel runways. The company will lead a study of wake data gathered by a Lockheed Martin lidar system installed at Dubai to measure vortices. The study will help build the safety case for close parallel approaches.
The competing—and once fiercely debated—Airbus hub-centric and Boeing point-to-point views of the commercial air travel market have created a battle that is now largely “theoretical” given some of the market success of the A380 to date, says Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Bregier. “When a customer operates an A380 they gain market share,” even in markets where Airbus never guessed the big aircraft would operate, he says. “And the competitors can notice it.”
Malaysia-based AirAsia X has launched its long-awaited initial public offering (IPO), which will help the long-haul, low-cost airline carry out its ambitious fleet and network expansion plans. The airline, which is part of the AirAsia group, estimates it will raise RM859 million ($275 million) from the IPO. However, external estimates range up to RM1.3 billion ($415 million). The airline is owned by AirAsia and various investor groups, most of which will see their ownership stake reduced due to a combined share sale and new issuance.
Click here to view the pdf Arab Air Carriers Organization Monthly Traffic, March 2013 Arab Air Carriers Organization Monthly Traffic, March 2013 RPK % Chg. ASK %Chg. Load Factor
The European Union and Israel will gradually apply a new open skies over the next five year. Negotiations to liberalize market access started in 2008, and a draft agreement was finalized in March 2012, but protest from Israel’s three main airlines—El Al, Arkia and Israir Airlines—delayed the approval of the accord by the Israeli cabinet until April this year.
Air France is analyzing the feasibility of deploying the Airbus A380 to Port Bouet Airport in Abidjan, Ivory Coast as part of its strategy to strengthen its position as the leading European airline group in Africa. The airline already operates the A380 from its hub in Paris Charles de Gaulle to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport.
Russian airline Aeroflot has begun to replace its first 10 Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jets with another batch of the same type, this time in the so-called full specification. The first of the new SSJ100s, RA-89014, was delivered to the airline by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) on May 31.
The senior management team for the new American Airlines, as expected, heavily relies on leadership at US Airways. The team, unveiled yesterday, includes five members of the current management at US Airways and three from the legacy American Airlines. Also, Dan Garton, American Airlines’ Executive Vice President and head of the carrier’s regional affiliate American Eagle Airlines, will not be retained by the new company.
The head of India’s Jet Airways has stepped down from his position, a move perceived as part of a wider face-lift of the airline’s management following a deal with Etihad Airways. CEO Nikos Kardassis on June 5 resigned with immediate effect, less than two months after the Indian carrier sold a 24% stake to the Abu Dhabi-based airline. Jet Airways, the country’s second largest airline by passengers carried, says Chief Operating Officer Hameed Ali will be the “acting chief executive officer” until the airline identifies and appoints a new chief.
Airlines for America (A4A) expects to see its wide-ranging national airline policy (NAP) platform introduced as legislation in the coming months, which will be a major step in getting airline issues onto the political agenda. A4A President Nicholas Calio says the proposed bill would include the entire NAP, which describes the areas where airlines need regulatory reform. The legislative language is being reviewed on Capitol Hill, and it could be introduced in the House of Representatives as early as this month, Calio tells Aviation Week.
The reconstituted People Express has acquired Xtra Airways, a charter operator also certificated to offer scheduled service, and says it will use that authority to begin its own scheduled service later this year from Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport in Virginia. People Express also expects to announce a CEO as soon as this week, reveal its first routes next month and begin taking reservations in August, Michael Morisi, the start-up’s president and COO tells Aviation Week.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines on June 9 eliminated its business-class section on intra-European flights and instead now offers a one-class configuration. The new cabin is part of the group’s latest efforts to become profitable and defend against increasd competition from low-cost carriers, especially Norwegian Air Shuttle.
German airline investor Intro Aviation is understood to be close to buying Air France’s loss making regional operator City Jet. Industry sources tell Aviation Week the deal is not yet firmed, but is likely to be closed in the coming weeks. Intro declined to comment. City Jet has been an Air France-subsidiary since 2002. The airline operates a broad network from London City Airport as well as other regional services on behalf of Air France, partly on an aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance basis.
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Click here to view the pdf ERA - European Regions Airlines Association Traffic, January - February January - February 2013 Passengers % RPKs % ASKs % Load
