Virgin Nigeria has joined the Airlines Reporting Corporation as a participating carrier, and appointed Discover The World Marketing to promote its flights in the U.S. and most of Europe.
A formal investigation has been launched by the European Commission into contracts between the Pau airport authority in France and Ryanair, which the EC believes "may constitute start-up aid for the low-cost airline."
Washington Dulles Airport begins using 10-fingerprint scanners for foreign visitors starting today under the Dept. of Homeland Security's USVISIT program. DHS is moving ahead with a plan announced in January to have foreign visitors submit 10 fingerprints rather than the two that are required currently (DAILY, Jan. 12). The agency says collecting 10 prints will allow it to keep dangerous people out of the U.S., while making legitimate travel more efficient.
International Air Transport Association head Giovanni Bisignani yesterday took some shots at the U.S. government for its handling of the New York congestion issue, suggesting proposals currently on the table will have little positive effect.
Turkish Airlines' IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate, first obtained in 2006, has been renewed and will be valid to October 2009. In addition, FAA found the technical standards of the carrier's maintenance arm, THY Technics Corp., to be compliant with FAA rules and standards.
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano last week won from airline regulator Javier Garcia a new extension, until Dec. 25, to operate at least one regular flight to avoid losing its operating license (DAILY, Nov. 21).
The European Union is well on its way to reaching its Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions but more needs to be done, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said. Through aggressive National Allocation Plans, the EU has almost reached its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to the 8% reduction target for 2012. Dimas is confident that the target will be reached "once the member states have adopted and implemented the additional actions now under discussion."
Senior officers of Argentina's ministry of federal planning have advised Gonzalo Pascal and Gerardo Diaz Ferran, majority shareholders in Aerolineas Argentinas' Spanish parent company Grupo Marsans, that Argentina is exercising an option to increase its equity position in the airline to 20%. The move is in line with an agreement signed by the parties a year and a half ago in Madrid that would raise to 5% the original token 1.39% held by the Argentine state, which provided for an increase to a ceiling of 20%.
The European Commission removed the Surinamese carrier Blue Wing Airlines and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from its "black list" of unsafe carriers. Blue Wing and PIA "have successfully completed the implementation of a corrective action plan following their inclusion in the list," said the commission.
Emirates will start three-times-weekly non-stop Boeing 777 service between Dubai and Houston -- its second destination in the U.S. after New York -- on Dec. 3, with plans to increase frequencies to a daily service as of Feb. 1 (DAILY, Feb. 9). To promote the route, Emirates is offering its passengers in all three classes free hotel stays in Houston. The offer is valid until Feb. 28. Emirates flies to 98 destinations. Toronto, Sao Paulo, Ahmedabad, Newcastle and Venice have been added to the network in 2007.
Bombardier is actively studying the merits of stretching the 72-seat Q400 to 90 seats in a Q400X version. Bombardier's Barry MacKinnon told Regional Airline Association members this week that the manufacturer has seen a healthy amount of interest, but no timeline or formal launch decision has been made.
Officials at the U.K.'s Manchester Airport have said they will make their facility carbon neutral for energy and vehicle use by 2015 as part of its recently published master plan. Manchester and The Carbon Trust are now working together to calculate the airport's carbon emissions. The study revealed that in 2005 Manchester Airport produced 430,000 tons of CO2, with 60% generated by ground transport (passenger and staff journeys to and from the airport), 23% by aircraft taxiing on the ground and almost 18% from energy use in the terminals.
ST Aviation Services Company (SASCO) and Boeing recently completed the door-cutting for the first Boeing 767-300 converted freighter (BCF), a step regarded as the start of major activity in the program. Singapore Technologies Aerospace subsidiary SASCO inducted the BCF in October from All Nippon Airways (ANA), Boeing's launch customer for the program. The prototype is expected for redelivery in June 2008, after completion of flight tests and certification by Boeing.
Regional airlines were this week told they might want to accept a $25 air traffic control user fee as the lesser of other possible evils when FAA reauthorization packages are pushed again through Congress.
Hawaiian Airlines signed an MOU with Airbus and Rolls-Royce for up to 24 new long-range widebodies. It will acquire six A330-200s and six A350XWB-800s with purchase rights for another six A330-200s and another six A350-8s. It also may lease additional A330s to bring online as early as 2009. Hawaiian intends to replace its current widebody fleet of 18 aircraft, expand its long-range fleet and "open new routes to more distant markets on a nonstop basis from Hawaii," according to CEO Mark Dunkerley.
American yesterday said it wants to spin off its regional carrier affiliate American Eagle, although the company was vague as to the timing of the divestiture and it admitted it still has many details to iron out.
The European Commission is taking Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Communities for failing to implement European Union legislation on the inspection of non-EU aircraft. The EC said Poland did not transpose the directive on the safety of third-country aircraft using Community airports correctly into its national legislation. The EU rules, adopted in 2004, seek to harmonize ramp inspection procures and organize the exchange of information gathered during the inspections. [email protected]
Singapore Airlines signed a Total Care Agreement with Rolls-Royce for the Trent 900 engines on its 10 Airbus A380 aircraft. Rolls-Royce will provide off-wing maintenance, repair and overhaul of engines, as well as spare engine support. The engines will be repaired and overhauled at Singapore Aero Engine Services Limited (SAESL), a joint venture company owned by SIA Engineering Company Limited and Rolls-Royce.
Aerogalapagos (Aerogal) On Dec. 7 will become the only Ecuadorean carrier to operate into the U.S. as it launches daily nonstop Boeing 737-200 service to Miami with immediate connections to and from Quito. Aerogal already flies to major destinations in Ecuador as well as to Colombia. [email protected]
Hungarian low fare airline Wizz Air is expanding its presence in Bulgaria. The airline will base an additional Airbus A320 in Sofia next July and start services to Valencia, Barcelona, Bergamo, Varna and Izmir/Turkey. The four times weekly Varna service will be the first domestic low fare carrier route in Bulgaria.
Verified Identity Pass's Clear registered traveler program is opening an enrollment station at the Senate Federal Credit Union branch at the Government Accountability Offices in Washington, DC. Clear is also opening a third enrollment station in January at the Pentagon in cooperation with the Pentagon Federal Credit Union. Federal credit union members will receive 14 months for the price of 12 when enrolling in Clear, while military on active duty receive free Clear cards.
Brazilian low-cost carrier GOL last week began daily service between Rio de Janeiro and São José dos Campos in São Paulo. With the new service GOL now offers service to 59 destinations.
