Premium traffic volume growth on global airlines was up 5.1% in July, according to IATA, but only when excluding traffic within Europe, which continues to see sharp declines due to the dominance of low-cost carriers in this market. Overall, premium traffic was up 1% during the month. IATA noticed that the growth rates across the North Atlantic and in Europe-to-Far East markets have been slowing over the past few months. However, growth is up in the Trans-Pacific and within Far East markets.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently awarded a five-year, $98.5 million contract to IBM for IT and software services. The deal allows TSA to put all of its software application development under IBM management. Under the old system, TSA's services were provided by different contractors divided between several companies.
AirTran's pilots rejected a tentative contract deal reached last month. With 87% of eligible pilots voting, 61.37% voted against the contract. This was the second tentative deal the two sides reached this year. Leaders of the National Pilots Association recommended that its members reject the first deal, but gave their approval to the deal pilots voted against last week. The National Mediation Board, which has been overseeing the talks since September 2005, put talks in recess for the rest of this year. [email protected]
The Southern California Regional Airport Authority will push hard to bring in Orange and Ventura counties, along with San Diego, to create a true regional consortium. The authority hopes to create a new airport management structure that will balance the air service needs of passengers and airlines.
AAR CEO David Storch says the company feels good about the regional airline market, noting it is an "increasingly important part of our maintenance, repair and overhaul universe." The company recently purchased Arkansas-based Reebaire, which has four-and-a-half lines for regional aircraft maintenance.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Ingrid Lee at [email protected] SEPT. 24-27 -- The Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee Annual Meeting, Grand Elysee Hotel, Hamburg, Germany, 410-266-2982, e-mail: [email protected], http://www.arinc.com/aeec SEPT. 25-27 -- National Business Aviation Association 60th Annual Meeting & Convention, Atlanta, 202-783-9000 SEPT. 27-28 -- 2007 Airline Labor & Employment Law Symposium, Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead, Atlanta, 404-888-3989
It's (almost) official: EgyptAir is joining the Star Alliance. After months of speculation, the alliance now says negotiations are nearing conclusion. However, its member carrier executives are already planning to assemble in Cairo on Oct. 16 for a major announcement to be made jointly with Egypt-Air's management team.
The Houston Airport System Development Corp. is in the running for airport management contracts in China, India and Latin America, says Rick Vacar, director of the city's Department of Aviation. "Why are we doing this? One, it helps us with air service development, especially in China, where relationships are important," he says. "Two, it's another non-aeronautical source of revenue for the airport."
While the utilization and stage-lengths of Northwest's venerable DC-9 fleet has steadily decreased, "having a 100-seat airplane will always be an important piece of the Northwest fleet structure," airline CEO Doug Steenland believes. Northwest will eventually replace the comparatively fuel inefficient DC-9s but for now the aircraft are still an "important piece of our fleet," Steenland said at a Wings Club event in New York last week.
Skybus is adding four new markets from Columbus -- Chattanooga, Milwaukee, Gulfport/Biloxi and Punta Gorda -- from Dec. 5, bringing its total number of destinations to 16. The carrier points to the ""mega-region" from Chattanooga to Atlanta as an example of how its service from some secondary airports gives passengers access to the U.S.'s largest metropolitan areas. Skybus said it can serve New Orleans from Gulfport and Fort Myers from Punta Gorda.
Both chambers of Congress will be looking into airport congestion and delays this week. The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee has scheduled a hearing Wednesday on the problems caused by delays and other airline consumer issues. On Thursday, the Senate Commerce Committee's aviation operations subcommittee has slated a hearing on efforts to improve the movement of aircraft and air traffic problems during the summer 2007 travel season.
Air New Zealand is evaluating the possible use of privately owned Paraparaumu Airport for some of its domestic service to the greater Wellington region, according to Deputy CEO Norm Thompson. Air NZ has been tussling with the operators of Wellington International Airport (WIAL), which has told the airline it can't guarantee "dedicated or preferred" use of that facility in the future, a statement Thompson says "is nothing short of astounding."
Fold-up airline seats may be an idea that has come and gone and is coming again. The idea of having movie theater-like fold-up seats on airliners was looked at several years ago; the concept is supposed to speed deplaning. At the time, the seats were heavier than regular economy seats, and thus gained little traction. But Bob Lange, Airbus's head of aircraft interiors marketing, sees a resurgence of the idea. And he believes they may be an operational reality within five years.
You can now register online for AVIATION WEEK events. Go to www.aviationweek.com/conferences or contact Lydia Janow, 212-904-3225 or 800-240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada only) OCT. 17-18 -- MRO Asia 2007 Conference & Exhibition, Shanghai, China OCT. 29-31 -- A&D Programs, Phoenix NOV. 6-8 -- MRO Europe, Milan NOV. 7-8 -- MRO Europe 2007 Conference & Exhibition, Fiera Milano Congressi, Milan, Italy NOV. 28-29 -- A&D Finance Conference, New York, N.Y.
The European Commission aircraft-subsidy complaint against the U.S. will go before a World Trade Organization panel this week in Geneva. An open session on Wednesday will deal mainly with the particulars of the EC complaint, the U.S. response to it and EC arguments against the U.S. response. At a closed session on Thursday, panel members will be able to ask questions of both sides, and the EC will offer evidence of alleged damages.
In a move to further airspace cooperation between civil and military groups, the U.S. Defense Dept.'s Policy Board on Federal Aviation has joined the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) as an associate member. The move is "one aspect of DOD's strategy to participate in the worldwide effort to create a new era of global collaboration in air navigation services," according to a statement from the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration and Chief Information Officer, John Grimes.
The engine that will power the A380s ordered by the aircraft's largest customer, Emirates, is slated to be certified Dec. 12. The certification of the Engine Alliance GP7200 is one of the main technical milestones for Airbus this year. This event is now scheduled to occur exactly one year after the Rolls-Royce Trent900 received its type certificate. The Rolls powerplant is to enter service next month with Singapore Airlines.
The American Society of Travel Agents will be asking the Independent Arbitration Panel to intervene to stop the Airlines Reporting Corporation from raising the administrative fee charged to travel agencies to process airline tickets. ARC wants to shift the cost burden away from airlines, going from a 90/10 split in costs paid by airlines and agents, respectively, to a 70/30 split (DAILY, Sept. 20).
In an annual survey of business travelers, TripAdvisor found that the majority -- 53% -- are most annoyed by flight delays and cancellations for the second year in a row. The survey found that 22% intend to take fewer trips this year, while 18% said they would take more business trips. Nearly half say they often tie leisure time to business trips to take advantage of company-expensed travel. Taking combination business/leisure trip is particularly popular among Americans, with 53% of those surveyed combining trips compared with 28% from the U.K.
