A new set of regulations for deicing aircraft, long in development, is about to land at the Office of Management and Budget in preparation for a fall release by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Airports Council International argues that the one-size-fits-all approach to airports won’t work, as fairly new airports such as Denver International with its wide open spaces differs hugely from cramped and elderly LaGuardia in New York.
The FAA is proposing a $1,050,000 fine against Boeing for improper work instructions that caused confusion about the installation of low-pressure tubing for passenger oxygen systems on 777s. At issue is a “tee-fitting” connecting hard and flexible tubing that feeds the system that provides oxygen to passengers in the event of a sudden cabin decompression. Boeing says the masks themselves and oxygen being supplied to them were never at risk, and the problem was only with the way the fitting was installed.
JetBlue Airways is adding a fourth daily flight between Boston and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport as of Sept. 7 in a pointed response to Spirit Airlines’ decision to begin daily service on the route Aug. 18. JetBlue does not mention Spirit by name but notes items it does not charge for that Spirit does, including its new charge for boarding passes that passengers do not print out themselves.
Vietstar Airlines, a would-be local general aviation operator in Vietnam, has passed its first regulatory hurdle in its efforts to launch operations; it has obtained a business license, but has yet to get an air operator’s certificate (AOC). Vietstar plans to apply for a general aviation operator license and provide medivac and air taxi services using small fixed-wing aircraft. It is not yet known which type of aircraft Vietstar plans to operate.
The rapid expansion of Vision Airlines into scheduled service is faltering in some markets, with the Suwanee, Ga.-based carrier deciding to discontinue service to five cities in mid-July. COO David Meers insists the cuts will not “significantly impact” the carrier’s revenue or traffic, and adds that the carrier is considering new services to Florida, Las Vegas and the Caribbean—the latter of which it does not serve at all today. But the cuts still represent a retreat for a carrier that added 22 markets on March 25.
Pittsburgh International Airport has deposited in its general fund about half of the $2.16 million it has generated from selling timber since 1997 while Elmira-Corning Regional Airport in New York is about to cash in on natural gas wells. Details of the two case studies were revealed Monday at the opening of the Airports Council International–North America environmental conference in Cincinnati. Solar power was identified as another resource that airports are beginning to tap in the continuing drive to raise revenue.
India’s increasing sales taxes on air tickets are negatively affecting the country’s civil aviation industry, warn aviation experts. “While taxes provide a tangible short-term revenue boost to the government coffers, increased taxes in the long term can be outweighed by the cost to the underlying economy,” aviation finance expert Charles Tyler says.
U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) makes no secret of the fact that he is out to reform the Transportation Security Administration (TSA): “My goal is to get them out of the passenger screening business and into the security business,” Mica says.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment of 13 selected general aviation airports found that all had multiple security measures in place to guard against unauthorized access, but most still had identifiable vulnerabilities. GAO also found incidents of unauthorized access and places where some of the security measures were compromised by obstructions.
Frontier Airlines intends to add the only nonstops to Branson Airport in Missouri from Austin Bergstrom International in Texas and Phoenix Sky Harbor airports, on a seasonal basis. The Austin flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Sept. 16-Dec. 14. Flights from Phoenix will operate Sept. 17-Dec. 10 on Saturdays only. Frontier will use 50-seat Embraer 145s from Austin and 138-seat Airbus A319s from Phoenix. Introductory fares start at $89 each way from Austin and $105 from Phoenix.
India’s largest domestic air carrier Jet Airways rolled out its mobile ticketing service in alliance with Ngpay, a leading provider of mobile-based commercial services. The facility will allow travelers to book, cancel and reimburse their e-tickets and also manage payment cards on their mobile phones and handsets. In addition, the e-ticket will be automatically sent to the traveler’s preferred email address after the completion of the booking process, the airline said in a statement.
Bombardier has secured another CSeries order but, as was the case earlier in the week, from an airline not yet ready to put its name to the deal. The contract, valued at $628 million, is from a European customer, the Canadian manufacturer says, and is a firm order for 10 CS100s. Bombardier says the deal is with a new customer that has not operated its aircraft previously.
MASkargo appears set to phase out its wet-leased Boeing 747-200Fs at the end of the year, even though it has yet to commit to more Boeing 747-400 freighters.
Indian airlines and airport operators are on their way to introducing the latest aviation technologies, including self-service check-in kiosks to facilitate easy travel for passengers, enhance security at airports and save money for airlines.
A Honeywell-operated Gulfstream G450 became the first business jet to fly from North America to Europe with a 50/50 blend of biofuel last week when it arrived at the Paris air show. One of its Rolls-Royce engines was powered with 100% petroleum-based jet fuel. Nevertheless, use of the biofuel derived from camelina on the flight—unofficially tagged “Pond Scum One” by irreverent observers—saved approximately 5.5 metric tons of net carbon dioxide emissions compared with the same flight powered by petroleum-based fuel.
Extreme weather at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and the impact of the March Japan earthquake will cost American Airlines about $60 million in revenue in the second quarter. As a result, American says, it expects second quarter unit revenue to increase by 4.5% and cargo by 4.8%. That is not going to match its fuel-driven unit cost increases, which it expects to range from 8.6% to 9.6%, excluding special items. Excluding fuel, the increase in that cost per available seat mile would be 0.5% to 1.5% for mainline and consolidated, American says.
Vancouver Airport Authority wants to tell the little-known stories that unravel each day at Canada’s second largest airport, known as YVR. It’s all part of the celebration of the airport’s 80th birthday.
Europe has launched an initiative to speed up commercialization of aviation biofuels as another of the region’s airlines unveils plans to use the new fuels in revenue service. The moves comes as International Energy Agency member countries, including the U.S., agree to release 60 million barrels of oil over 30 days from emergency stocks to overcome disruption of supplies from Libya and stabilize prices.
