The code share between Star Alliance partners All Nippon Airways and United in April will expand even further to domestic destinations throughout Japan, as ANA low-cost subsidiary Air Next is brought into the code-sharing fold. Initially, Air Next would put the UA code on its flights from Nagoya to Miyazaku and Kagoshima, launching the code share on April 1.
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) APRIL 17-19 -- MRO Military 2007 Conference & Exhibition, Cobb Galleria, Atlanta, Ga.
Lan Argentina on March 26 will further consolidate its growing domestic operations in Argentina with one daily nonstop frequency from Buenos Aires (Aeroparque) to Salta, in the extreme northwest corner of the country. The two-hour flight will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft.
Mesa's CEO says the carrier is competing to fly 30 new Bombardier CRJ-900s Delta ordered after winning bankruptcy court approval to give its reorganization plan to creditors. Deliveries of the planes are scheduled to start in September and continue through 2010.
The U.K. is considering joining an effort by six other Western European nations to unite their national airspace in a single block. At this stage the U.K. has only been invited to participate as an observer, but a deeper involvement is possible, U.K. Director General of Civil Aviation David McMillan said at the Maastricht ATC conference this week. McMillan told The DAILY there is a "clear synergy" between the U.K.'s complex southeastern airspace and that of Western Europe.
Dragon Aviation Leasing arranged for affiliate AerDragon Aviation Partners to acquire a new Airbus A320-200, which AerDragon, in turn, leased to JuneYao Airlines. Dragon executives said the company in the next few years plans to establish a fleet of aircraft, mostly narrowbodies, worth $1 billion.
Detroit Metropolitan Airport is putting out a request for information to consider selling the naming rights to facilities, including the new North Terminal. The airport originally put out an RFP last summer, but the submissions were rejected, says CFO Tom Naughton. "We're months away from a final answer, if there is a final answer," he states.
A SITA/Sofreavia team has won contracts to provide a vital gateway component for controller-pilot data link (CPDLC) systems that are being set up by Eurocontrol and Germany's DFS. The two companies will provide a data-link front end processor (DL-FEP) for Eurocontrol to install at its Maastricht Upper Area Control Center, and for DFS at its Karlsruhe en route center. DL-FEP systems allow controllers to exchange data-link messages with pilots on aircraft equipped for CPDLC.
German ATC organization DFS expects by the end of this year to gain full government approval for privatization of DFS. The German parliament last year approved the sale of a 75% stake in DFS, but the approval process had to begin again after the president's office decided a constitutional change would be needed for the sale to occur.
Airbus has added to its order book, including a deal by Italy's Air One to take 10 more A320s. The aircraft are CFM56-powered and being used to phase out Boeing 737s. The aircraft maker also sold an A318 Elite business jet to the Minneapolis-based Petters Group Worldwide.
WestJet executives say they hope to strike a renegotiated deal with aiRES -- the supplier of their new reservations system -- by May 31. The carrier froze aiRES' implementation while it decides which version of the software to use (DAILY, Jan. 11). In the interim, WestJet opted to extend its Open Skies agreement with Navitaire until December 2008.
The investigation into an uncontained engine failure on a Mesa regional jet last month spurred FAA to issue an emergency airworthiness directive to operators of GE CF34-3A1/-3B/-3B1 engines to inspect certain fan disks. Mesa's crew was piloting the aircraft at 24,000 feet 70 miles from Denver when the event occurred.
30 Years Ago Feb. 22, 1977 -- Eighteen women pilots, most of them second officers on Boeing 727s, now fly for 10 major U.S. airlines, according to Frontier. Western leads the list, employing five female pilots. 20 Years Ago Feb. 23, 1987 -- USAir's tenacity in pursuing Piedmont -- and the premium $1.6 billion price it has offered thus far to complete the acquisition -- stems in large part from the fact that the marriage would combine two of the industry's most profitable companies. 10 Years Ago
The Polish Treasury Ministry last week threatened to call an extraordinary board meeting for LOT Polish Airlines, after the board named Marek Mazur the airline's new CEO. The ministry said Mazur has not been on the shortlist of candidates and the proceeding may have infringed competition law.
China is investing CNY3.37 billion (US$435 million) to expand and convert Wuhan Tianhe Airport in the Hubei Province into an international facility, on par with hubs like Beijing Capital International airport, Shanghai Pudong and Guangzhou Bai Yun International airport.
EADS last week sold its 2.12% stake in Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. The company said it wants to focus on core activities and higher growth businesses. EADS did not disclose who bought the stake, but said it received EUR124 million (US$163 million) for it.
Republic Airways Holdings' is adding about $1 million to transition cost estimates for new business being launched this year. Previously, the company projected logging $8 million in startup costs related to its new business with Continental and the launch of service with 86-seat Embraer 175 service with US Airways. Now that Republic has cinched a deal with Frontier to fly Embraer 170s starting in March, executives say total transition costs should reach $9 million.
Northwest is touting employee profit sharing once it emerges from Chapter 11, which could result in claims and profit sharing worth more than $1 billion in the next four years. The carrier filed a new disclosure statement and amended reorganization plan yesterday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
Delta continues to focus on building its international network, with plans to expand intercontinental capacity 15%-17% this year. That compares with a mere 1%-3% growth rate in mainline domestic capacity for 2007. For the first quarter, international mainline capacity should rise 21%-23%, while domestic mainline capacity should fall 9%-11%.
The European Union council of ministers yesterday failed to agree on a negotiating brief to start formal talks with the U.S. on the transfer of passenger name record information to the U.S. The expected agreement was delayed because the Dutch government decided to consult its parliament on the issue. "Referring justice and home affairs issues back to their parliament is a matter of routine" for the Dutch delegation, explained an EU source.
