Despite a lackluster economic environment in some markets, U.S. logistics firm UPS is expecting a strong 2011 performance and 6-8% growth in annual sales during the next five years.
Airbus is studying ways to increase production of its single-aisle aircraft to as many as 50 aircraft per month, Chief Operating Officer for Customers John Leahy says. Leahy believes the European airframer will soon decide to raise monthly output from the currently planned 42 to 44 and may go even higher. In an interview, Leahy said the 60 units per month Boeing is looking at as part of its longer-term plans are “ridiculous.” Leahy made the comments as part of the release of Airbus’s latest global market forecast.
The European Commission has approved an asset swap agreement between Australian airport operator MAp and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (OTPP). The accord calls for MAp to acquire OTPP’s 11.02% interest in Sydney Airport and a cash payment of AUD791 million ($816.1 million) in exchange for MAp’s stakes in Brussels and Copenhagen airports. The transaction is on track to be completed in the fourth quarter.
China’s Avic Engine is working on two new turboshaft powerplants, one of which is evidently intended for a large rotorcraft that China is negotiating to build with Russia, while the other may be aimed at a domestic regional aircraft.
Airline Brokers Co. launched weekly charter flights between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Havana on Sept. 17; the service is being operated by JetBlue with Airbus A320s. Xael Charters and partner Sky King Inc. began offering the first flights in 50 years to Cuba from Tampa last Week. Broward County Aviation Director Kent George says the service will strengthen the airport’s role as a gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America.
Europe needs to avoid planning mistakes of the past for its air traffic modernization effort to succeed, and will need to ensure that plan overload does not complicate deployment, a senior Eurocontrol official warns.
China’s Avic Electromechanical Systems is negotiating with unidentified foreign companies to jointly supply equipment to the planned MA700 turboprop airliner of sibling company Avic Aircraft. Company VP Lu Weijia says Avic Electromechanical is prepared to work alone on the MA700, if necessary, depending on the nature of the systems. But there are strong advantages in international cooperation, as the company is already discovering in the joint businesses it has set up with Parker Aerospace in the Comac C919 narrowbody airliner program.
Aviation groups are mobilizing to denounce President Obama’s proposal to add a $100 departure tax to help pay for his jobs plan and further reduce the deficit. The airline and business aviation communities are ready to fight both this and a tripling of the passenger security tax.
The Air Transport Association is warning the White House that the new FAA-proposed pilot crew rest requirements could put 200,000-400,000 jobs at risk. The jobs argument is a new tack for the industry, which previously focused on the proposed rule’s alleged overreach and unjustified costs, lack of demonstrated safety benefits and scientific evidence, potential unintended safety consequences and an escalation of hiring costs due to creation of a pilot shortage.
Chile’s antitrust regulator this week is widely expected to give the nod to LAN Airlines’ proposed merger with Brazil’s largest operator, Grupo TAM, mirroring a recent decision by the country’s Constitutional Court to reject an attempt to stall the accord. However, there are signs further legal action to thwart the deal could delay the consolidation plan, which the airlines had expected to wrap up this year when they unveiled the move in 2010 (Aviation Daily, Aug. 16, 2010). The companies now expect the merger to become final next year.
Tampa International Airport’s drive for international service has netted twice-weekly transatlantic service from Edelweiss Air to Zurich, starting May 25. The airport is investing $500,000 over two years from its recently launched airline service incentive program, which provides marketing money to promote new flights to Tampa.
Spirit AeroSystems faces a possible “work to rule” slowdown at its Wichita factory as technical workers who are members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) are said to be protesting working without a contract. However, Spirit says there is not yet any sign of a slowdown.
Cathay Pacific Airways appears to be stepping up its competition against arch-rival Hong Kong Airlines, which is controlled by the Hainan Airlines Group. Cathay CEO John Slosar says in the carrier's staff newsletter that subsidiary Dragonair wants to acquire four additional narrowbody aircraft. Dragonair operates Airbus A320-family aircraft. It also operates A330 widebodies. Dragonair serves mostly routes to mainland China that often overlap with those of Hong Kong Airlines, a Boeing 737-800 and A330 operator.
The second long-haul route to be included in the International Air Transport Association’s iFlex program is still in the assessment stage, IATA says. The route is Dubai-Sao Paulo, operated by Emirates. The iFlex program gives airlines more flexibility in choosing routes according to weather and wind. The first iFlex trial was conducted on Delta’s Atlanta-Johannesburg route; Emirates participated in the trial by providing technical and operational input.
Gama Aviation , Farnborough Airport, U.K., and Stratford, Conn., promoted Capt. Steve Wright to chief operating officer and accountable manager, Steve Woodfine to chief pilot, Ian Cheese to director-flight operations and Capt. Brian Cozens to head of training.
Thai Airways International has decided against establishing a Bangkok-based, low-cost carrier in a joint-venture partnership with Singapore’s Tiger Airways.
While Hurricane Irene may have damped its Caribbean and East Coast operations in late August to the tune of $25 million, American Airlines still expects a 7% year-on-year gain in passenger unit revenue for the third quarter. More details should be available this week when the carrier issues its Eagle Eye investor update.
The FAA Air Traffic Organization could be headed for a reorganization, says FAA Managers Association President David Conley. While there has been “no vision articulated by [FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt]” for such a restructuring, it has been discussed and consultants hired, he says. “We don’t think he’ll revolutionize it, but will evolve it.” A decision has been made to recombine the jobs of VP-technical training with the safety group, so training will again be part of safety, he adds.
Lufthansa Technik Sofia is investing €15 million ($20.5 million) to nearly double its narrowbody airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul capacity. As the new capacity comes online next year, the Lufthansa Technik-Bulgarian Aviation Group joint venture will increase its number of employees by more than 150 to about 500, Lufthansa Technik says.
