Two U.S. airports expect to wrap up trials for the Homeland Security Dept. this year showing how explosives detection systems can screen air cargo, while a third airport finishes tests on sensors that can find stowaways on all-cargo aircraft. The Air Cargo Explosives Detection Pilot Program (ACEDPP) was launched by HSD in June 2006, and the fiscal 2006 appropriations bill that started it calls for completion by the end of this year, according to Doug Bauer, a HSD program manager.
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 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 U.S. Transportation Dept. last week formally invited European Union carriers to apply for authority to operate services to the U.S. under the new U.S.-EU air transport agreement. The authority will take effect on March 30, 2008. The department is launching the process now "to facilitate a smooth transition to the new regime..."
The Travel Industry Association of America believes the federal government needs to do more to inform the public of the new Western Hemisphere Initiative following disappointing results of a public survey.
Acknowledging the growing importance of environmental issues in aerospace businesses, Boeing said Friday it has established a company-wide Environment, Health and Safety organization and named a 23-year company veteran, Mary Armstrong, to be its VP. Citing Boeing's concern with "environmental performance of our products and services" and compliance with environmental regulations, CEO Jim McNerney said the new organization will develop an integrated strategic plan for the company, also encompassing its work with suppliers and customers.
Debt-watcher Fitch Ratings has rated $91 million in Massport revenue bonds at AA, citing Boston Logan's long-standing role as New England's primary international gateway airport and a stable and diverse mix of domestic and foreign flag airlines, augmented by the increasing presence of low-cost carriers.
LAN beat La Polar, manufacturers of metal products, and Entel, international telephone and internet operators, in a recent survey of analysts and brokers of the Santiago Stock Exchange about their choice blue-chip securities over the coming months. Investors and traders were swayed by LAN's solid growth program and sustained increases in passenger traffic.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) says FAA must improve its procedures for dealing with hazardous workplace conditions after some New York air traffic controllers became ill last month when carbon monoxide fumes leaked into a ventilation system.
Alaska Air Group saw traffic fall 2% in April, while its capacity rose by 4.2%, leading load factor to decrease to 76.9%. The airline's revenue passenger miles totaled 1.5 billion, while its available seat miles rose to 1.9 billion. For the first four months of the year, RPMs totaled 5.9 billion, a 0.3% increase from the 5.567 billion recorded a year earlier. ASMs during that period rose 3.2% to 7.7 billion, and load factor was 72.8%, down from 74.9%.
The Senate Commerce Committee appears to be targeting the week of May 14 for the markup of its FAA reauthorization bill, with staffers confirming it will not be on this week's agenda. The markup is expected to occur in executive session, since the committee has already heard from a wide range of witnesses during previous hearings. Commerce and aviation subcommittee leaders want to get the bill to the Senate floor by June, to avoid the annual appropriations logjam.
While U.S. airports begin to add registered traveler (RT) programs, Canada's government appears to be no closer to implementing its own program despite the wishes of the country's airports and airlines.
US Airways has reached a final agreement with the Transport Workers Union on how to transition pre-merger America West employees who served as flight crew training instructors to the contract that covers pre-merger US Airways employees. The agreement affects 88 employees. The airline also signed a contract in April with TWU-represented flight simulator engineers. Last year, it signed unified agreements with the Airline Customer Service Employee Association and the TWU for dispatchers.
Boeing yesterday revealed that it received 49 unidentified 737 orders during the week through May 1, with the orders believed to have come from more than one carrier. The new orders boosted Boeing's 737 orders for the year to 106, now only slightly behind the 119 orders received for the 787 so far. Orders for the 737 were relatively slow at the start of the year but have roared back strongly in the past few months.
The Allied Pilots Association (APA) yesterday brandished the executive bonus issue as the union proposed a hefty wage increase, in the opening salvoes of what promises to be a fierce contract negotiation. APA presented American with a proposal for a 30.5% immediate pay raise for pilots, as well as 5% annual raises thereafter. This would result in an average 17% increase over three years, the union said. In addition, pilots would receive a signing bonus equal to 15% of their pay over the duration of the negotiations.
By Michael E. Korens The historic U.S.-European Union air service agreement and the related renewed attempt by U.K.-based BMI to upgrade to an advantageous immunized alliance relationship with United are sobering reminders that in the world of global alliances, most U.S. carriers will be competitively disadvantaged by a U.S. Transportation Dept. decision in late 2005.
Fort Lauderdale-based SkyValue is ending flights to its five-city network on May 6, citing low traffic. SkyValue began two-class, Boeing 737 flights in December 2006 between Phoenix's Williams Gateway Airport and Gary/Chicago International Airport, Gary and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, Gary-Las Vegas, and Gary-Orlando.
Recent wildcat strikes at SAS are driving the airline's leadership to change plans: Launch of a strategic overhaul is being pushed out a month and management of some operations now resident in Copenhagen are being moved elsewhere. Airline CEO Mats Jansson expressed frustration at recent strike action at SAS in Copenhagen that cost the carrier SEK100 million and forced the cancellation of 700 flights. As a direct consequence, management of flights between Copenhagen-Oslo and Copenhagen-Stockholm will be shifted outside Denmark.
Airports Council International-North America is criticizing the Senate's FAA reauthorization bill, accusing lawmakers of missing an opportunity to help airports reduce delays, avoid congestion and provide passengers increased airline competition.
Travelport, owner of 21 travel brands including Orbitz, is going green with a new program to support eco-tourism that it plans to unveil May 8. The company also is sponsoring the carbon-offsetting program at the World Travel and Tourism Council summit in Lisbon, Portugal, May 11-12. Orbitz is letting travelers offset the carbon emissions from their flights by donating $3.25 to $12.50, depending on length of flight, to Carbonfund.org during the booking process.
