FAA's recent notice that it will use military airspace to help relieve holiday air traffic congestion is not a new approach. A search through the agency's press release archive shows FAA turned to East Coast military airspace twice before. On March 10, 2000, under a severe weather plan, FAA said it would "make better use of military airspace off the East Coast...allowing alternative north-south routings." And in May 2002, FAA said it would make "more and better" use of military-controlled Virginia Capes airspace as part of a summer air traffic initiative.
The SAS Group has named Lars Lindgren the new executive chairman of its Spanair unit and Lars Sandahl Sorensen to replace Lindgren as CEO of SAS International, effective Nov. 26. Former Spanair boss Lars Nygaard was named the new CEO of Vueling last week. [email protected]
Saudi Arabian low-fare carrier Sama has begun international operations. The first destinations are to Abu-Dhabi and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
South Korean turboprop operator Jeju Air plans to introduce 15 Boeing 737-800s, setting itself up as a competitor to the franchisee budget airline that Tiger Airways hopes to establish in the country. The 737-800s, some of which will be leased, will support international services, says Jeju. Two leased aircraft will arrive in April, with the full fleet to be in service by 2013. Jeju, which now operates four Bombardier Q400s domestically, already describes itself as a budget airline.
Swiss International Air Lines is moving its operations at New York Kennedy Airport to Terminal 4 from Terminal 1. Service from the new facility will start Dec. 20.
Qantas is renewing its drive to cut labor costs, setting up a subsidiary that could bypass union agreements in hiring new cabin staff, potentially from overseas. Such a move would introduce the low-cost staffing arrangements of budget subsidiary Jetstar into the mainline carrier's operation.
The Jordanian government is privatizing the country's national carrier, Royal Jordanian. A 71% stake in the airline is to be sold to international and local investors, the government said in a statement yesterday. Shares are offered at JOD2.75 to JOD3.40 (US$3.88-US$4.80). If the top price in the range is achieved, the government would receive about US$288 million for the majority stake in the airline.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association is highlighting two operational errors within four days at its Chicago center, although FAA argues against accusations that understaffing is causing problems. On Nov. 17, two private aircraft violated separation standards in Chicago center airspace, and four days earlier two commercial jets were involved in a similar conflict due to a controller error, NATCA said. According to the union, there were four serious controller errors in the first six weeks of the current fiscal year, compared with one in FY2007.
The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), the National Tour Association (NTA) and the Travel Business Roundtable found that travel is critical to voters in four separate surveys of Republicans and Democrats in Florida and South Carolina who want presidential candidates to address travel issues. The TIA reports that 70% of those surveyed believe it is possible to reduce wait times in airports and still maintain a high level of security.
The new board of Spain's low-fare carrier Vueling has named Lars Nygaard to become the new CEO. The appointment is the latest in a series of personnel changes for the struggling airline, which faces a major shareholder meeting Nov. 26 to determine its future. The new board, which has already been named, also is to be approved at that time. Nygaard previously worked at SAS and later at its Spanair unit. The Dane became Spanair's CEO in 2005 after serving as commercial and financial director. Nygaard will take up his post at Vueling on Jan. 1.
Pakistan's Airblue has signed a firm order for eight Airbus A320 aircraft, bringing the airline's total order for A320s to 14; in late November 2006, Airblue signed firm contracts for six Airbus A320s. "This is the largest ever order for outright purchase of brand-new aircraft by any Pakistani private sector carrier," Airblue's CEO Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said.
ANA subsidiary Air Nippon's pilot union (ANK) and the pilot unions of three other ANA Group airlines have threatened to go on a 24-hour strike on Nov. 21; only domestic flights would be affected. The strike is being held to express dissatisfaction with the management stance on pilots' yearend demands, says an ANA statement. The unions include Air Nippon Crew Association, 427 pilots; Air Nippon Network Pilot Union, 61 pilots; Air Next Crew Association, 28 pilots; and Air Central Pilots' Union, 48 pilots.
US Airways is moving to assure the U.S. Transportation Dept. that it will reach agreement with the City of Philadelphia to gain the airport gates it needs for its proposed China flights and will also have the right aircraft by the time the service is due to begin in 2009.
New York's Port Authority is expecting the four major commercial airports it controls to handle 1.7 million passengers over the five-day Thanksgiving travel period beginning Wednesday, which would be a 2% increase over last year. Kennedy is expected to see 728,000 passengers, Newark 547,000, LaGuardia 396,000 and Stewart 17,000.
The Colorado congressional delegation is asking acting FAA Administrator Robert Sturgell to speed up the installation of Airport Surface Detection Equipment -- Model X (ASDE-X) at Denver Airport, the nation's fourth busiest.
Named Melissa Sabatine as the new AAAE VP-regulatory affairs to replace Thomas Zoeller, who left AAAE to become the President of the National Air Carrier Association.
ABX and DHL last week agreed to enter arbitration over a dispute about payments withheld by DHL. ABX earlier this month accused DHL of defaulting on their agreement by withholding $8.8 million in overhead expense payments. DHL contended it was no longer responsible for reimbursing those costs.
Some elements of the European Parliament's plan to cut greenhouse gases in half by 2050 have come under fire by Airports Council International-Europe (ACI-E). The Parliament last week voted to make the rules governing aviation's inclusion in the emissions trading scheme (ETS) more stringent (DAILY, Nov. 14).
The Teamsters union, which is in the process of organizing United's mechanics, intends to protest Wednesday in hopes of persuading the airline not to sell its Mileage Plus program or its San Francisco maintenance facility. They will pass out leaflets and ask frequent flyer members to sign a petition at O'Hare, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington Dulles airports.
FedEx last week cut its earnings guidance for its quarter ending Nov. 30 due to higher fuel prices. The carrier dropped its earnings-per-share (EPS) estimate to $1.45-$1.55, compared to earlier guidance of $1.60-$1.75. Full-year EPS is now forecast to be $6.40-$6.70, down from $6.70-$7.10. FedEx said its fuel costs have increased more than 8% -- or $85 million -- since its last guidance was released in September.
Bolivia's main airport, Santa Cruz's Viru Viru, was paralyzed for 24 hours on Nov. 14 by the double-barrel effect of a national strike by the land transport workers union and a work stoppage by employees of air transport regulator AASANA. The labor actions resulted in the cancellation of 80 international and domestic flights, with operations returning to normal on the morning of Nov. 15. The dispute between AASANA and its workers at Viru Viru was originally motivated by labor demands for higher salaries and benefits.
