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) Jan. 21-23—MRO Middle East, DWTC Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE March 5-6—Defense Technology & Affordability Requirements, Hilton Arlington, Arlington, Va. March 7—Laureate Awards 2013, National Building Museum, Washington, D.C. April 16-18—MRO Americas 2013, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.
SkyWest Inc.’s ExpressJet division will operate up to 38 daily departures from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) under a feeder contract with American Airlines scheduled to start Feb. 14. The carrier will serve 18 destinations across Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, North and South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin, although almost half of the destinations are Texas, Terry Vais, VP-customer care tells Aviation Week.
The European Union once again is attempting to liberalize U.S airline ownership laws, this time as part of a free-trade agreement currently being studied by the two sides, Aviation Week has learned. The EU tried to make U.S. ownership and control rules part of the open-skies agreement negotiated in 2007, but then faced considerable opposition from U.S. lawmakers and labor groups. That opposition still remains, and late last year the Air Line Pilots Association warned Congress of an impending EU “attack” on the rules.
Most U.S. airlines are opposing an FAA proposal to give the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) some regulatory authority over in-cabin working conditions for flight attendants. Instead, they are advocating a voluntary, data-based program to address the concerns—citing civil aviation’s existing Safety Management System as a model—or calling on the FAA to craft more occupational safety standards itself.
American Airlines’ new 12-year capacity purchase agreement with Republic Airways Holdings will provide incremental growth at American Eagle Airlines even as the feeder operation continues to cull smaller jets.
Aviation Week Events - Defense Technology And Affordability Requirements March 5-6 2013 Hilton Arlington Arlington, VA Join senior defense officials and discover where priorities and opportunities exist beyond the FY 2014 budget and hear First-hand how programs are implementing affordable and effective designs! Register now at www.aviationweek.com/events/dtar
The European Commission (EC) in November has proposed to temporarily exempt non-European flights from the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), but the 27 member states and the European Parliament (EP) must legally endorse the decision, which they have not yet done. More worrisome is that many airlines operating to Europe might have misinterpreted the “stop the clock” message of EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard and wrongly believe they are no longer required to comply with the directive at all.
Chicago’s requirements for privatizing Midway International Airport differ from those for the privatization of San Juan, P.R., Luis Munoz Marin International Airport by mandating a shorter lease term, the city’s preliminary “request for qualifications” (RFQ) shows. The FAA approved Midway’s application to the airport privatization pilot program enacted last year as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act. FAA approval paved the way for the Chicago Department of Aviation to draft the RFQ.
Chinese short-haul carrier Hefei Airlines could begin flying by the end of the year, say its owners, and likely will operate Avic MA60 or MA600 turboprops. Establishing the airline, which was first proposed last year, has been formally approved by the government of Hefei, an inland city about 300 km (200 mi.) west of Shanghai. Part of the reason for creating the carrier is to make use of the city’s new airport, Xinqiao, which the government says is close to opening.
United Airlines expects to end 2013 with essentially the same capacity as 2012 despite plans to cut available seat miles by up to 5.1% in the first three months of the year. “We are committed to capacity discipline in achieving our return on invested capital goal,” Chief Revenue Officer Jim Compton said yesterday during the airline’s fourth-quarter results conference call.
The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (Speea) has pushed back a vote on a new four-year contact with Boeing until Feb. 18 at the earliest, about two weeks later than originally planned. The 10-member Speea negotiating panel, however, still is expected to recommend a “no” vote on the contract and ask its 22,900 engineer and technical members at Boeing Commercial Airplanes factories in California, Oregon, Utah and Washington to authorize a strike.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is bracing itself for a difficult year, and its CEO, Goh Choon Phong, has warned the airline’s employees they cannot afford to be complacent. “We all must ensure that we remain vigilant, continue to be nimble and flexible, and keep costs in check. It cannot be business as usual,” says Goh in an internal newsletter.
Two International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) groups charged with mitigating aviation's greenhouse gas emissions will meet next week in Montreal. A meeting of the High-Level Working Group, comprising delegations of transport and climate experts from 17 countries, will take place Jan. 29-Feb. 1 in Montreal. Immediately following this meeting, the Technical Group will convene.
Regional aircraft manufacturer ATR says 2012 was a record year for both deliveries and sales. The joint venture between Finmeccanica’s Alenia Aermacchi division and EADS sold 115 aircraft and delivered 64 units during the year, beating the previous record of 60 aircraft delivered in 1991. CEO Filippo Bagnato, speaking this week at the company’s annual news conference in Toulouse, says ATR is on track to deliver about 80 aircraft in 2013 and 90 in 2014.
