Airbus has rolled out the first A320 fitted with sharklets. The aircraft, MSN5098, is one of seven line-fitted with the wingtips that are to be used in the flight-test campaign that is targeted to last 600 hr. The manufacturer, which has already performed initial testing using A320s retrofitted with sharklets, expects the devices to reduce fuel burn by up to 3.5%. The first sharklet-fitted aircraft to enter revenue service is scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2012.
JetBlue Airways is “aggressively scouring all other service providers on a part-by-part basis” to find flight hour maintenance agreements as favorable as the ones it had with Aveos Fleet Performance, which abruptly ceased its Canadian operations in March because of financial problems.
Bombardier says it is talking with 70 prospective buyers of its CSeries and is “right on track” with the aircraft’s current order book, which currently lists 138 firm orders.
Aeromexico will drop two leased Boeing 767s from its fleet this year as it continues to focus on building its domestic presence and retract from unprofitable long-haul routes.
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. has received Mexican regulatory approval for use of the Superjet 100 in Mexico. The paperwork was completed by the civil aviation authority on April 16. Mexico’s Interjet has signed for 15 of the Russian regional jets and is due to receive the first aircraft this year. Armavia and Aeroflot already operate the aircraft.
FAA’s proposal to increase the qualifications for first officers and other pilots has the potential to deplete the available supply of pilots and impose burdensome new costs, says the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA). At the behest of Congress, FAA on Feb. 29 published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would require airline transport pilot (ATP) certificates for first officers, and change a number of other training and qualification standards.
With last week’s union deals in hand, US Airways is now “focused’ on convincing AMR Corp.’s largest creditors that its takeover plan is superior to that currently being presented in a bankruptcy court by the Fort Worth-based operator. The argument, according to US Airways’ top executives, is that a combined carrier would at the very least provide $1.2 billion in annual synergies, more than enough to offset the cost disparities claimed by AMR.
As it readies for Friday's rollout of the first 787 assembled in South Carolina, Boeing's factory flow has improved so much that the manufacturer expects unit production costs to drop by 40-50% by the time the 60th airframe is completed.
German pilots union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) elected Ilja Schulz to be its new president, replacing Winfried Streicher, who served a three-year term. Schulz, 44, is a Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 captain and was a member of the previous VC board, with responsibility for the union’s finances.
Click here to view the pdf Mishandled Baggage Reports, February 2012 Total Baggage Enplaned Reports Per 1,000 Passengers Rank Airline Reports Passengers
Hawaiian Airlines’ leadership is satisfied with the financial performance of its international services and seems unfazed by increases in industry capacity on routes between Hawaii and the mainland U.S.; however, it is concerned about the underperformance of interisland services the carrier dominates.
The capacity cuts by Delta Air Lines and its joint venture airline partners on transatlantic services appear to be paying off. Passenger unit revenue on Delta’s transatlantic services surged by 22% in the first quarter, the airline reported April 25 during its first quarter results confernce call. The rise compares to a 1% decline in passenger unit revenue across the Atlantic in the first three month in 2011, when Delta acknowledged its 16% increase in capacity had put too many seats in the market.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers - Rio De Janeiro, April 23-29, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Top Carriers - Rio De Janeiro, April 23-29, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Departures Airport Share ASMs (mil) Airport Share Seats/Dep
The FAA is making progress in rolling out its much-maligned en route air traffic control system, which is now operational at nine ATC facilities across the country. The en route automation modernization (ERAM) system has achieved initial operating capability (IOC) at seven of FAA’s en route centers, says Chris Metts, who heads the agency’s Program Management Organization. ERAM is being used to handle live traffic at these locations for limited periods. This is in addition to the first two sites, where the system is being used continuously.
Lufthansa CFO Stephan Gemkow, who announced his resignation April 24, is expected to be named CEO of German retail giant Haniel., the owner of several chains, such as Kaufhof and Media Saturn. Gemkow has been Lufthansa CFO since 2006 and was responsible for oversight of Lufthansa Technik and LSG SkyChefs, as well as other division. Lufthansa has told the German stock exchange that the board of directors will discuss potential successors at its meeting on May 7.
Silver Airways has yet to finalize negotiations with United Airlines to assume some of the capacity currently supplied at Washington Dulles International Airport by Colgan Air. The Florida regional is seeking approval to assume many of the Essential Air Service (EAS) routes currently operated by Colgan Air for United Express, and is understood to be in talks to take responsibility for even more capacity as Colgan is dissolved through parent company Pinnacle Airlines’ Chapter 11 reorganization.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers - Mexico City, April 23-29, 2012, Top Carriers - Mexico City, April 23-29, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Departures Airport Share ASMs (mil) Airport Share Seats/De
