Spirit will continue its push into Latin America with new flights to Cartagena, Colombia. The carrier won authority from the U.S. Transportation Dept. to serve the route late last month and in an announcement earlier this week said it was “working through the Colombian regulatory process in order to begin operating the first ultra-low-cost carrier service to Colombia.”
Combined traffic for the nine airports managed and operated by Mexico’s Grupo Aerportuario del Sureste jumped 15.2% in November 2007 from the same month last year.
The petition that state attorneys general filed with the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate aircraft emissions got the unequivocal support of the New York City Comptroller. William C. Thompson, Jr. said it is “imperative that the EPA utilize the full powers available to it to protect New Yorkers from the noxious effects of pollution around airports.” Four states and the District of Columbia filed a petition with the EPA on Wednesday.
Australia’s Canberra International Airport has received final approval to begin a A$250 million (US$217.9 million) program to replace the current terminal and upgrade area roads and parking.
Lufthansa’s surprise decision not to bid for Alitalia raises questions about its ability to participate in European airline sector consolidation in the near term. Europe’s second-largest airline may have difficulties keeping pace with its bigger rival, Air France-KLM, analysts noted yesterday.
Horizon is seeing an uptick in demand for seats on its Seattle-Portland shuttle thanks to floodwaters that shut down Interstate 5, the highway that connects the two cities. The carrier said in a statement it had to upgrade aircraft to meet that demand, from 37-seat Bombardier Q200s to 70-seat CRJ-700s for four roundtrip flights.
IATA next year plans to widen its involvement with airlines to help them become more fuel-efficient. The association has already been working with members to generate some quick fuel savings. If asked by a member, an audit team — IATA has about 30 consultants on hand — would go to an airline and assess everything from flight planning and aircraft operations to maintenance in an effort to identify savings and best practices. In some cases, airlines have even asked IATA to assist with implementing the recommendations.
Alitalia’s board of directors was due to unveil the names of confirmed bidders for the Italian government’s stake in the ailing flag carrier, after its meeting yesterday evening in Rome. As Lufthansa confirmed that it was pulling out of the race (See related story on Page 2). Air France-KLM emerges as massively outweighing the two other candidates — a consortium led by Carlo Toto, founder of Italian carrier Air One, and another led by Italian lawyer Antonio Baldassarre (DAILY, October 22).
The New York/New Jersey Port Authority’s flight delay task force report has identified 77 technical initiatives it claims can improve capacity, reduce delays and improve the travel experience for passengers in the event of a delay.
The seemingly endless torrent of orders for commercial aircraft isn’t far from beginning to subside, says Airbus’s chief salesman, John Leahy. By the end of November, the company had booked orders for more than the 1,111 aircraft that its customers signed for in 2005 — the previous record for the company and the industry — says Leahy. Airlines have ordered 6,000 aircraft in the past three years, about half as many as they are now operating. The market can’t go on like that forever. “This year is probably reaching the peak,” Leahy says.
Admitting that it has been running a “bad operation” while going through America West merger integration pains, US Airways says it will focus on getting back to the basics in 2008. President Scott Kirby told Calyon Securities analysts Tuesday that unit costs are a concern, and “it is expensive to run a bad operation, which we have for much of 2007.” However, that is about to change as the major integration work is now behind the airline, he said.
Pinnacle Airlines’ pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, authorized union leaders to strike if contract talks fail to produce an agreement and both sides are released by the National Mediation Board.
A new government report released yesterday faulted FAA’s approach to reducing runway incursions and increasing ramp safety, but FAA notes that its programs have helped cut incursion numbers.
Civil business judge Basilio Cruz on Tuesday dismissed motions and injunctions by Lloyd Aereo Boliviano (LAB) workers and sustained proceedings in favor of the troubled carrier’s bankruptcy.
Traffic on Allegiant’s scheduled services jumped 64.5% in November on 62.3% more capacity. Load factor increased 1.1 points to 78.9%, and the airline carried 290,399 passengers in the month, 68% more travelers than the previous year. Systemwide traffic, which includes scheduled, fixed-fee contract and non-revenue flying, was up 60.6%.
Republicans have picked Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas to be the ranking member of the Senate aviation subcommittee. Hutchison will take over the panel’s senior Republican post from Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), who will retire from the Senate later this month. Hutchison previously chaired the aviation subcommittee when Republicans controlled the Senate.
The International Aviation Club will hold its annual holiday party on Thursday, Dec. 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Canadian Embassy. Reservations must be made by mail or messenger and must be received by Dec. 7. For more information, please visit www.iacwashington.org.
Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) at Pratt & Whitney’s Connecticut plant have voted to ratify a three-year contract that includes annual pay raises of 3.5%, as well as a 16% improvement in pension benefits.
Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) yesterday called on Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) to work with him to change pilot retirement age provisions this year. “It is very clear that legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration will not be signed into law before the end of this year,” Mica wrote in a letter to Oberstar, “I strongly believe it is our obligation and this committee’s responsibility to see to it that our most experienced pilots are permitted to continue flying commercial aircraft.”
Traffic on Allegiant’s scheduled services jumped 64.5% in November on 62.3% more capacity. Load factor increased 1.1 points to 78.9%, and the airline carried 290,399 passengers in the month, 68% more travelers than the previous year. Systemwide traffic, which includes scheduled, fixed-fee contract and non-revenue flying, was up 60.6%.
Malaysia Airlines signed a contract with ATR for 20 ATR 72-500s at the biennial Langkawi Airshow 2007, being held Dec. 4-8 in Malaysia. The order includes options for 15 aircraft and is valued at some US$650 million. MAS is acquiring the aircraft for its regional subsidiaries, Firefly and MASwings, launched in April and October, respectively. Firefly is replacing its current Fokker 50 aircraft as it establishes its hubs in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu; it will take delivery of its first ATR aircraft in 2008.
International passenger growth slowed slightly in October, and there was a more noticeable dropoff in cargo volume, according to the International Air Transport Association. Passenger traffic was up 7.7% in October, compared with the 8.2% year-on-year increase in September. Cargo volume, meanwhile, increased 3.6%, down from September’s 5% growth. IATA noted that “economic volatility is having a more immediate effect” on freight than on passenger demand. November and December are still expected to see cargo growth, but at slower rates.
EU opens air talks with Jordan European Union transport ministers authorized the European Commission to start aviation talks with Jordan, aiming “essentially at markets opening between the EU and Jordan,” said the ministers. Negotiators will seek to establish a so-called “Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement,” which would include the harmonization of regulatory conditions based on the European aviation legislation.
