Discussions are under way that could significantly change the prospects for passing the first FAA reauthorization bill since the last one expired in 2007. Lawmakers may remove a toxic labor provision from the FAA bill and offer an amended version as a standalone bill, confirms Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure aviation subcommittee.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is expanding its membership reach with the addition of rotorcraft manufacturers. The association’s board of directors voted to include helicopter makers, marking the first significant change in the GAMA bylaws since the organization agreed to accept non-U.S. manufacturers in 2002. The board made its decision late last week during its annual meeting, held near Dassault’s Merignac facility in Bordeaux, France, the first board meeting outside the U.S.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is challenging the legality of several new U.S. passenger rights rules largely because it considers them an unjustified extraterritorial application of U.S. law.
U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, is calling for a complete reform of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which he says is a “bloated bureaucracy” that has lost sight of its mission to safeguard the nation’s transportation system.
The Air Transport Association (ATA) is suing the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) to stop $3.4 billion in loan guarantees the bank is offering to Air India for the purchase of Boeing aircaft. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, claims the bank is failing in its statutory obligations by offering the loan guarantees. The Ex-Im Bank has approved $1.3 billion in loan guarantees and $2.1 billion in preliminary financing commitments to Air India to buy 30 Boeing aircraft.
Indianapolis International Airport’s Midfield Terminal complex, a modern, 1.2 million-sq.-ft. campus, has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The Avis Budget Group and a major U.S. airline might become the first to employ what the U.S. travel industry is calling a “social PNR,” which would let the industry partners use electronic messaging to share their information on a specific passenger nearly in real time.
As Embraer defines its plan for the second-generation E-Jet regional aircraft, it plans to ensure pilots will need to have only one type rating to operate either aircraft model. Over the course of the next year, Embraer will have discussions with airlines to assess their requirements for a new product and to define the performance parameters by late next year for the new family of aircraft, says Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva, Embraer president of Commercial Aviation.
With Airbus not moving on an A330 passenger-to-freighter conversion program, Singapore Technologies Aerospace (ST Aero), a long-time Boeing aircraft conversion specialist, may launch the program. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker, who is frustrated with Airbus for not offering an A330 conversion, has signaled that ST Aero is looking at the option. The absence of such an offering is driving Qatar to opt for Boeing 767 converted freighters and shed the passenger A330s it wanted to convert.
The price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the crude oil benchmark most commonly used in the U.S., is crossing the $100 threshold for the first time since June 9. Due to an oversupply of crude oil in Cushing, Okla., the price of WTI had been depressed relative to the European Brent benchmark, which fell yesterday to $110 per barrel.
Chicago's Department of Aviation expects to issue a request for proposals shortly inviting developers to build and operate a fueling station to supply alternative fuels and an electric vehicle charging station at O'Hare International Airport. At the same time, the department is touting a pilot program that promotes the use of compressed natural gas by taxis serving the airport. The city says 29 cabs, their engines adapted to burn the fuel, made more than 3,000 trips between August and November.
Airbus expects easily to top its 2007 order intake record as Chief Operating Officer for Customers John Leahy projects 1,650-1,700 gross orders to be booked this year. Airbus took in 135 firm orders during this week's Dubai air show, pushing the aircraft maker past the revised gross order guidance parent company EADS issued only a week ago. EADS said Airbus would book 1,500 gross orders, which now stand at 1,507 units after the $13.7 billion booked in the past week.
Dubai-based investment house Medrar Financial Group has signed an agreement to take a majority stake in Diamond Aircraft Holdings, London, Canada, a move that will provide much-needed financial backing for the company’s D-Jet single jet program.
Florida’s Spirit Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for 75 narrowbodies at this week's Dubai air show. The deal, valued at $7 billion, is for 45 A320NEOs with winglets and 30 A320s. An engine decision is still open. Ben Baldanza, president and CEO of Spirit, says he expects the MOU to become a firm order before year-end. When the new aircraft join Spirit's existing fleet of 35 A320 family aircraft, they will be used on targeted routes in the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America, Baldanza adds.
Singapore Airlines-controlled low-cost carriers (LCCs) Tiger Airways and Scoot, as well as Changi Airport Group, are looking at ways to help passengers make connections between the two airlines. Both LCCs have said publicly that they have no plans for a formal tie-up. But Tiger’s group CEO, Chin Yauseng, says the two airlines and the airport are talking about assisting passengers with a “DIY [do-it-yourself] solution.” Passengers, however, will still have to book separate tickets for Scoot and Tiger, says Chin.
Oman Air has transferred its existing leasing agreement for six Boeing 787-8s to a firm order placed directly with the aircraft maker. The new arrangement was announced at this week's Dubai air show. The airline previously had options for the six aircraft through Kuwaiti leasing firm Aviation Lease and Finance Co. The aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. Oman Air is the first customer in the region to select the Trent 1000.
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said he is considering establishing a premium service carrier targeting business travelers. “I think there is a wonderful opportunity for people who don’t want to queue when checking in, want a different flight experience and [will] pay for it. But whether we can make it [a premium, full-service carrier] work, who knows? As a traveler, time is very precious, so why not?” Fernandes told reporters this week on the sidelines of an event in Kuala Lumpur.
Air New Zealand will reveal its plans for a major overhaul of its international operations early next year, and will move as quickly as possible to implement the changes, a senior executive says. While some changes will take longer to implement, others will be rolled out straight away, General Manager-International Operations Christopher Luxon tells Aviation Week. The longer-term actions are those that involve other stakeholders and those that will require more work “to get the execution right,” he adds.
Emirates is insisting on receiving its Airbus A350-1000s according to the original specifications and is voicing frustration with Airbus’s approach to customers with regard to the design changes announced at the Paris air show, Emirates Airline President Tim Clark told Aviation Week at this week's Dubai air show. “We will not sanction an interruption of our growth program,” Clark says. “We have made that absolutely clear to Airbus. We have been held back too many times and have always regretted that we slowed down.”
