The state of Oregon is issuing $72.5 million in lottery fund revenue bonds to fund the ConnectOregon program, which pays for upgrades at airports other non-highway projects statewide. The nine grantees are using the funds for cargo facilities, runway extensions and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast systems, said Martin Andersen, ConnectOregon's project manager.
FAA yesterday unveiled its long-awaited proposal to finance its operations and air traffic control modernization through a complex system of user fees and fuel taxes, plus new authority to issue bonds; most elements of the plan were widely anticipated, and many of them face an uncertain future in a skeptical Congress. (See Page 3).
Priceline.com grew fourth quarter profits from $3.8 million on 2005 to $13.2 million in 2006 on the strength of a $3 million tax credit and robust bookings on its European branded site Priceline.com bought the site -- Booking.com -- in July 2005. The company's full-year earnings reached $72.5 million. -LR
World passenger traffic for 2007 is on schedule to improve appreciably from 2006, with the Middle East region leading the way at 7.5%, according to a forecast from Air4Casts. Air4Casts looked at traffic at 726 airports in 126 countries. Other growth areas year over year identified by Air4Casts include Asia/Pacific at 7.4%, Africa at 7.1%, Europe at 6.5%, Latin America at 3.2% and North America at 2.5%.
Originally hoping to receive FAA certification last month (DAILY, Dec. 13), Skybus now aims tentatively to complete the process close to April 1. If the carrier meets that goal, flying could start May 1, a Skybus spokesman said but emphasized those dates were very tentative. He noted the process is going well, and aircraft proving runs should begin this month. One of the carrier's three leased Airbus A319s is on the property at Skybus' Columbus, Ohio headquarters, and another plane should arrive shortly, its spokesman explained.
The Peruvian government is considering an incentive program that would temporarily offer direct government subsidies in a bid to attract new airlines to fly regional routes within Peru.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee this week announced the members of its subcommittees. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, (D-W. Va.) was formally named chair of the panel with Sen. Trent Lott, (R-Miss.) designated Ranking Republican.
Yangtze River Express this week won U.S. Transportation Dept. approval to operate cargo flights from Shanghai to the co-terminal points of Anchorage, Boston and New York. The carrier will launch the new flights on March 1, flying Shanghai-Anchorage-New York-Boston, and will make a technical stop in Anchorage on the return leg.
Air Midwest and Great Lakes submitted to the U.S. Transportation Dept. proposals to operate Essential Air Service in six midwestern markets, almost all of RegionsAir's flying.
Eurocontrol has decided to use two of Lockheed Martin's WindTracer systems to study wake vortices at European hub airports. While Eurocontrol bought one system, the other is on loan from the U.S. FAA. The purchased system will be used initially at Paris Charles De Gaulle, and then at other airports. The system supplied by FAA will be used at Frankfurt.
An industry consortium is close to finishing the most important part of a roadmap for the future European air traffic management system, while European regulators are raising EUR2.1 billion to fund a development plan based on the new blueprint.
Pilots at Comair have until March 4 to approve a tentative deal struck between management and the negotiating committee of the Air Line Pilots Association. Management late last week delayed imposing contract changes approved by the bankruptcy court overseeing its bankruptcy while it evaluated an ALPA proposal. The previous deadline to impose was Feb. 12. Now, management said it would defer enforcing those terms until the beginning of next month. -LR
Jordan Aircraft Maintenance won new business from Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling Airlines. The long-term deal includes heavy maintenance of the carrier's 14 Airbus A320s that will be performed at JorAmCo's headquarters in Amman.
DOT Secretary Mary Peters plans a first-ever meeting of U.S., Canadian and Mexican transport ministers next month in Tucson. The two U.S. neighbors and top trading partners are among "several" opportunities in addition to China for market expansion, Peters told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce yesterday, but she didn't identify others. She also had no details on the still-veiled Administration plan for FAA reauthorization, which the House aviation subcommittee will ask about at a hearing today.
IATA wants to negotiate more efficient tracks for 75 global air routes this year, but the group is frustrated by how difficult it is to push these route changes through the regulatory process. "I don't understand why every time it has to be a battle" to achieve international route changes, IATA head Giovanni Bisignani said at the Maastricht ATC conference yesterday. He noted that "the technology exists" to improve routings, but "it is a matter of political will."
Lufthansa plans to train up to 350 pilots annually to cope with its growing demand for more crews. The airline currently hires ab initio outside pilots, contrary to its usual habits. Lufthansa trained 120 pilots in 2005, 180 last year and will have 240 this year. The airline is expanding mainly its long-haul fleet.
