Airbus subsidiary Quovadis is helping the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to introduce performance-based navigation (PBN). “Quovadis, Airbus’ Flight Operations Services company, will participate in the development of a full performance-based navigation (PBN) network at a total of 11 Philippine airports, in cooperation with the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP),” says Airbus.
American Airlines’ pilots are considering a management proposal to create a low-cost Airbus A319 operation within the airline’s fleet. The Allied Pilots Association tells Aviation Week it appreciates the concept which would establish different pay rates and work rules for the A319 fleet but retain mainline livery and full network integration. At this early stage, however, it is still contemplating how such an operation could be equitably combined with the larger fleet plan.
Click here to view the pdf Mishandled Baggage Reports, September 2011 Total Baggage Enplaned Reports Per 1,000 Passengers Rank Airline Reports Passengers Current
Qantas's grounding and strikes cut into Sydney Airport’s October domestic traffic, which declined 5.8%, compared with October last year. Sydney accommodated more than 2 million domestic passengers, 95,000 fewer than in the same month a year ago. Sydney Airport CEO Kerrie Mather says some of the loss will be recaptured this month. International traffic continues to rise at Sydney, increasing 2.6% in October to 1.027 million passengers. Major growth markets are China, 19%, Indonesia, 15%, and France, 11%.
General Electric’s long-term plan to develop the H80 turboprop into a challenger to the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 has taken another step forward with the first flight of an H80-powered L410 commuter aircraft.
The air traffic control tower at the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport may be the first ATC tower that displays advertising. The Medford City Council approved corporate branding for the tower at a recent meeting, and negotiations are under way with an aviation-related corporation for the rights, says Airport Director Bern Case. Specifically, the council amended the city code to allow a large sign measuring 25 ft. by 25 ft. on each of the tower's four sides.
Korean Air is the latest carrier to settle with the Australian government over price-fixing allegations, with court action expected to begin in earnest next year for the remaining six airlines in the case. The Australian Federal Court set a penalty of AU$5.5 million ($5.46 million) for Korean. The penalty was lowered because the carrier agreed to cooperate with the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) in its investigation.
L-3 Communications has significantly broadened its cargo security product offerings and boosted new systems’ capabilities to inspect large pallets, containers and skids loaded with a variety of freight. Two new dual-view X-ray platforms offer large tunnels to receive cargo in pallets and containers, with higher power options. The PX 15.17-MX and PX 18.18-MV are higher-powered and built to inspect packaged freight and eliminate the need to unpack shipments. The PX 10.10-MV is for screening of non-palletized freight.
American Airlines’ surprise decision to select the International Aero Engines V2500 to power Airbus A321s ordered recently as part of its extensive fleet transformation program, could give Pratt & Whitney some hope regarding the upcoming Airbus A320NEO engine selection.
The battle for control of an expected boom in Colombian demand is heating up as Avianca presses for a major expansion across the U.S. just weeks before Chile’s LAN Airlines formally unveils its own Colombian brand. Avianca’s proposal also comes as Copa Airlines, parent of Copa Colombia, confirms a 2012 growth plan that adds 20% to its current capacity over the 12-month period.
The National Mediation Board’s rejection of claims that Delta Air Lines interfered in the union representation election for its flight attendants could set an important precedent for what carriers are allowed to do under the new voting rules that took effect last year.
The European Commission has added airlines from four countries to the list of carriers banned from flying into the European Union, and partially lifted a ban on TAAG Angola Airlines. Jordan Aviation has been restricted from operating three of its Boeing 767s into the EU due to “numerous and repeated safety deficiencies.” The EC said it will support Jordan and the carrier to improve safety “in a sustainable manner.”
The fate of Qantas Airways’ long-running labor battle is now in the hands of federal arbitrators after last-minute negotiations failed to yield an agreement between the airline and its major unions. The country’s highest labor panel, Fair Work Australia (FWA), had set a deadline of midnight Nov. 21 local time for the sides to reach contract deals. However, talks ended with no agreements, and Qantas announced that the disputes will go to binding arbitration.
Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras, which provides service only within Brazil, could start adding international services within South America in 18 months. The carrier’s Embraer E-195 aircraft are “well-suited” to serve secondary points in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Uruguay, says Trey Urbahn, the low-cost carrier’s chief revenue officer. “These are opportunities we’ll be looking at,” he said last week at the PhoCusWright Conference in Hollywood, Fla.
Scottish businessman Brian Souter has yet to review the details of BAA’s pending sale of Edinburgh Airport, but if he decides to make a bid it will be through a consortium effort, his spokesman said Monday. The bid would come through his private firm, Souter Investments, and not through Stagecoach, the international transportation company that Souter founded with his sister in 1980, says Gordon Beattie of Beattie Media.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. named Jeff Patterson senior regional sales manager-product support sales, Central Region, and Nicole Goodstein director of Global Total Rewards.
ITA Software by Google is working hard on creating an internal reservations system for airlines—a project ITA started long before it was acquired by Google this year—and is getting close to completing it, says VP-Travel Jeremy Wertheimer. The project is “going great guns,” Wertheimer said Nov. 16 at The PhoCusWright Conference in Hollywood, Fla. “People are burning the midnight oil right now. We’ll have an announcement, but not quite yet.”
For the remainder of 2011 and into the beginning of next year, the fluctuation in oil prices could wreak havoc with airline financial performance, analysts say. But it is not merely that oil prices are high—the next year could bring considerably more volatility as decreasing demand leads the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to consider slashing production.
The U.S. Transportation Department’s (DOT) new “passenger protection” rules on fare advertising and post-booking price increases for ancillary services are unjustified, unreasonable, illogical and—in the case of the fare advertising rule—unconstitutional, the Air Transport Association (ATA) declares in a court filing.
