The Boeing 737 MAX is starting its last wind tunnel test phase, with high-speed testing getting under way in the company’s transonic facility March 19 in Seattle.
Silver Airways, the airline born from the remnants of Gulfstream International, is contemplating bids for all six of the Essential Air Service (EAS) routes from Washington Dulles International Airport that Colgan Airlines wants to terminate. The EAS routes currently are served by Colgan as part of a broader contract with United Airlines to operate Saab 340B+s, mostly from Dulles. That contract and another to operate Bombardier Q400s for United are losing money, and in late January Colgan’s parent company approached United to revise the contracts terms.
The Qantas Group plans to increase its penetration into the Chinese market by launching a new Jetstar franchise in Hong Kong next year, in a joint venture with China Eastern.
Iberia Express, the new lower-cost subsidiary of Iberia that initially is focusing largely on domestic routes, launched service Sunday with a fleet of four Airbus A320s, one more than originally planned. The fleet is expected to grow to 14 by the year-end, with all the aircraft to be sourced from Iberia. The plans have drawn fierce opposition from Spanish pilot union Sepla, a case that is now in mediation.
The European Cockpit Association (ECA) welcomed statements of Danish Transport Minister Henrik Dam Christensen ahead of a European Transport Council meeting last week. The pilot association believes Christensen’s endorsement of stricter flight time regulations are an important signal. Any new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulation on flight duty times are to be based on medical and scientific evidence, pilots argue, and should put safety ahead of commercial interests.
Competition in the airline aftermarket continues to be fierce, as evidenced by the fact Pemco and Aveos Fleet Performance recently filed for bankruptcy protection.
The reasons for Southwest Airlines’ desire to use Houston Hobby Airport as an international funnel for service to Mexico and the “near-Caribbean” are evident in the connecting traffic numbers for carriers operating out of Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport.
It has been nearly a month since Pinnacle management has talked to its pilots union about amending the collective bargaining agreement to cut the U.S. regional carrier’s costs, the union’s leadership says.
NetJets plans to begin charter and management service in China through a joint venture with a consortium of Chinese investors led by Hony Jinsi Investment Management (Beijing) Ltd. and Fung Investments. The fractional ownership provider wants to begin service as soon as it receives regulatory clearance from the Chinese authorities, but it could not say when that might happen. NetJets executives, however, have been hopeful the clearance will come this year.
As many as 5 million passengers a year are crossing the border from Canada to the U.S. to take advantage of lower fares in the U.S., a situation the Canadian Airports Council (CAC) likens to a “missing airport.” The CAC is attempting to stem this outflow by engaging with the highest level of government, but says it is unable to effect change when fees and taxes raise fares in Canada significantly.
Click here to view the pdf Nonstop Passengers Per Day Each Way, Chicago O’Hare - Toronto Pearson Nonstop Passengers Per Day Each Way, Chicago O’Hare - Toronto Pearson United Air Canada Others Check Total 2006Q3 569 299
EasyJet, bouyed by higher revenue and lower costs, is revising its guidance for the first half of 2012 and says it now expects a smaller loss than anticipated. For what usually is a money-losing period for the carrier, EasyJet is forecasting a pre-tax loss of £110-120 million ($175-191 million). The airline in January had forecast a loss of £140-160 million. EasyJet posted a £153 million pre-tax loss for the first half of last year.
Aircraft lessors are increasingly interested in Eastern European airlines, despite the banking crisis that is crippling the finances of some European countries, according to Embraer. Lessors see Eastern Europe as “low-risk and low-cost,” says Simon Newitt, VP for Europe at Embraer’s commercial aircraft division. “They like this part of the world. They’re stepping forward, and we’re seeing more activity in the region.”
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is expected to receive its second Boeing 787 configured for long-haul service next week, as the 787 delivery schedule continues to lag significantly. This latest 787 will be the carrier’s sixth overall and will give ANA four of the aircraft in domestic configuration and two for long-haul service, an ANA spokesman tells Aviation Week. No more 787s will be received this month, meaning the delivery total through the end of March will be well short of the 11 that ANA forecast in December.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is urging the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee leadership to support a bill that would ban U.S. airlines from participating in the EU's emissions trading system. The letter to Sens. John Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) recommends support for the “European Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011” introduced by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) last year. The Chamber argues that revenues from the ETS are not guaranteed to go toward environmental problems, and that “U.S.
With proposed reductions to the contract air traffic control tower program, U.S. Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) had a question for the FAA’s top official: “Is there a move to discourage general aviation?” The White House has asked for a $2 million cut to the public-private, cost-sharing program to provide operations for air traffic control towers to 249 airports in 46 states.
STS Engineering Solutions appointed Leonard Olson chief of engineering and certification and George Burns director of business development in conjunction with the addition of The Future Jet Group.
Federal Express seems to be satisfied with growing its European business organically to compete against United Parcel Service (UPS), even if UPS is able to greatly increase its presence in the European market by completing its proposed acquisition of TNT Express (Aviation Daily, March 20).
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) April 3-5—MRO Americas 2012 Conference & Exhibition, Dallas April 3-5—MRO Military Conference & Exhibition, Dallas May 23—MRO Regional (Eastern Europe, Baltics and Russia) Conference & Exhibition, Vilnius, Lithuania Nov. 29-Dec. 1—Certification Together-AeroConseil, Toulouse
Indian carriers will not submit emission details of their aircraft to the EU, asserts Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh. “Though the European Union has directed Indian carriers to submit emission details of their aircraft by March 31, no Indian carrier is submitting them in view of the position of the government. Hence the imposition of carbon tax does not arise,” Singh said last week in the lower house of parliament.
Jet Aviation appointed Gary Dolski VP and general manager of its maintenance, repair and overhaul and fixed-base operation facilities in Singapore, including responsibility for the Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur facilities.
Qantas may wait up to three years before revisiting its plan to launch a premium carrier in an Asian city, says airline head Alan Joyce. The carrier earlier said it was postponing the premium carrier plan, but Joyce’s latest comments indicate that the plan could be on ice longer than expected. During a Oneworld alliance event in Berlin, Joyce told reporters that the concept could be delayed for one, two or even three years. However, he reiterated that the airline has not abandoned the idea.
