Thai Airways International is requesting government permission to manage Krabi International Airport and develop the facility into an international gateway for southern Thailand. Phuket International Airport currently is the main international gateway into southern Thailand, but as Thai Airways’ interim CEO Chokchai Panyayong tells Aviation Week, Phuket’s capacity is limited because it has only one runway.
North America risks ceding its edge in aviation to other regions if policy makers fail to adopt a comprehensive framework for investment that includes airport infrastructure, warns Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) President Greg Principato. Principato delivered his remarks the same day ACI-NA approved a national aviation policy for submission to the U.S. government. Unlike a proposal by Airlines for America, ACI-NA’s document calls for a collaborative effort covering all aspects of the industry.
While the White House’s proposal for a $100-per-flight air traffic control user charge has gained little traction on Capitol Hill, House General Aviation Caucus co-chairman and outspoken user fee opponent Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) still plans to fully air concerns surrounding user fee proposals during a House Small Business Committee hearing scheduled for Sept. 12.
RUAG Aviation has sold a Dornier 228NG to an unidentified Asian customer, and plans to deliver the aircraft with a passenger configuration in the second half of next year. This deal, unveiled at the 2012 ILA Berlin air show, brings to six the number of orders RUAG has received for the type since launching production of the upgraded aircraft two years ago. At the end of August, RUAG delivered a Dornier 228NG to Germany’s naval squadron 3 “Graf Zeppelin” in Nordholz.
Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier is ruling out a production increase beyond 42 aircraft a month for the A320 single-aisle family until at least 2018. According to Bregier, the supply chain already struggles to accommodate the current increase in monthly production to 42 aircraft from 40. Once that is achieved this fall, production will stabilize at that level for several years and through the transition from the current A320 version to the A320NEO in 2016.
Congressional Republicans on Sept. 11 continued their sharp criticism of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for what they call inefficiencies that detract from aviation security.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers: Los Angeles - New York Kennedy, September 15-21, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Seats Top Carriers: Los Angeles - New York Kennedy, September 15-21, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Seats Daily Each Way Depts. Share ASKs (000) Share
MTU Aero Engines, which expects to double revenues by 2020, says it is in talks to participate in programs to update Boeing’s 777 and re-engine the Embraer E-Jet family. “There is a strong likelihood that we will be together with GE [General Electric on the 777 replacement],” CEO Egon Behle said on the sidelines of the 2012 ILA Berlin air show. “There are intense discussions ongoing, but no papers have been signed yet.”
The ministers of Spain, France, Germany and the U.K. responsible for their countries’ interest in Airbus have issued a joint statement favoring a global emissions trading system to replace the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS). “We are very aware that the clock is ticking,” the U.K.’s newly appointed business minister, Michael Fallon, said at the ILA Berlin air show following the Airbus ministers’ Sept. 11 conference. “Airbus has left us in no doubt that [ETS] is a clear threat to its order list.”
Airlines for America (A4A) is reorganizing its communications department to “better align our people and resources against the work in A4A’s strategic plan and our public relations and media relations campaign for a National Airline Policy,” the U.S. trade group says in a message to members. The move results in the departure of VP-Communications Steven Lott, who joined the group at the beginning of 2011, and Managing Director of Communications Kimberly Roberts, who has been with the association for 16 years.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers: Los Angeles - San Francisco -September 15-21, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Seats Top Carriers: Los Angeles - San Francisco -September 15-21, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Seats
Gulfstream Aerospace plans to deliver the first completed G650 business jets to customers shortly, now that it has received long-awaited full type certification (TC). The certification of the G650—Gulfstream’s largest, fastest and most expensive aircraft to date—comes on the heels of full type certification for its super midsize G280 late last month.
Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) is calling on the U.S. government to adopt its national aviation policy, which, unlike one proposed by airline trade group Airlines for America, covers airlines, airports, general aviation, organized labor and aerospace manufacturers.
U.S. lawmakers soon will have to address privacy issues raised by the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in domestic airspace, a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report says. “The prospect of drone use inside the United States raises far-reaching issues concerning the extent of government surveillance authority, the value of privacy in the digital age, and the role of Congress in reconciling these issues,” says the report, “Drones in Domestic Surveillance Operations: Fourth Amendment Implications and Legislative Responses.”
Thai Airways International, proceeding with a planned phase-out of older fleet types, is finding buyers are unwilling to pay its asking price for Airbus A340-500s. “Four of the A340s have been posted for sale . . . and a lot of people have come to talk to me about buying the aircraft, but the price they are offering is quite shocking. We can’t accept the price; the price is too low,” Thai Airways’ interim CEO, Chokchai Panayong, tells Aviation Week in Bangkok.
Virgin Atlantic CEO Steve Ridgway will retire in spring 2013. Virgin characterizes Ridgway as a “leading industry voice” who has helped the company grow over his 23-year tenure. A successor has yet to be named; Ridgway is leading the search, Virgin says. “[Steve] has been a hands-on, inspirational leader and has shaped the airline into the company it is today with his carefully developed management team. He will be very much involved with the airline into next year and will doubtlessly be involved in other Virgin projects,” says President Richard Branson.
More than 900 of American Airlines’ most senior flight attendants have taken management’s voluntary early-retirement offer, which could eliminate the need for furloughs, a source close to the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) says. Flight attendants have until Sept. 20 to accept the $40,000 buyout offer. American had previously said it would seek to furlough 1,200 flight attendants if a sufficient number did not take the early-retirement option.
