Toronto Pearson Airport has become the second to implement Nexus, which uses iris scanning to clear pre-cleared travelers through border crossings between Canada and the U.S. Under Nexus, a digital photograph is taken of the iris. The scan, along with a photograph is put on a credit-sized card that can be used at a kiosk to identify travelers upon entering Canada or the U.S. Nexus is a joint effort between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency (DAILY, Dec. 21).
As LAN works to make inroads into the Brazilian market, analysts foresee a collision with two local powerhouses -- GOL and TAM -- that like LAN are interested in becoming a dominant force in both Brazil and the Latin American market.
Lufthansa crews will be on board the Airbus A380 route proving flights in mid-March. A380 MSN 007 will be flying from Frankfurt to New York, the first A380 visit to the U.S., on March 19 with a full passenger load. MSN 007 is currently equipped with a 519-seat cabin and three classes. The aircraft will also fly to Hong Kong and Washington.
Socialist, green, liberal democrats and right wing members of the European parliament slammed the European Commission for pushing through restriction on liquids in carry-on baggage, during the parliament's plenary session this week in Strasbourg. Parliament members claim the ban creates unnecessary annoyance for passengers. Speakers warned that the EU would be seen as responsible for airport chaos and spilling "lakes of perfume and whisky."
Traffic at Frankfurt Airport rose 3% year over year in January 2007 to 3.8 million passengers, according to figures released by parent Fraport AG. Fraport credited the increase to growth in European and intercontinental traffic. Frankfurt also reported strong growth to North America and the Middle East, but the Far East region, especially China and India, continued to be the airport's primary growth engine, said Fraport.
SAS Group said it has completed disposals and will sell no more units, after it announced the sale of SAS Flight Academy to STAR Capital Partners for SEK750 million (US$107 million). SAS sold the Rezidor hotel chain, among other units, last year, but considers itself a "company of core operations now," according to new CEO Mats Jansson. The statement means that SAS will also stick to its 20% minority shareholding in BMI British Midland, a stake SAS previously looked at selling. -JF
Honda Aircraft selected Greensboro, N.C., as the site for its headquarters, and plans to build a 215,000-square-foot hangar and office space at the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Initially, Honda plans to spend $40 million for construction and $20 million for equipment. The company plans to detail its production facility size, scope and construction timeline at a later date. -LR
The General Aviation Manufacturers Assn. renewed its opposition this week to the Bush Administration's still-unannounced user-fee system to pay for air traffic control operations, claiming that such fees aren't needed, would be inefficient and would reduce Congress's control over FAA spending.
Turning aside a bid from American for development of "a regulatory framework [that] would allow vibrant inter-alliance competition," the U.S. Transportation Dept. yesterday affirmed its Dec. 19 show cause order approving first-time antitrust immunity for Star Alliance carriers Air Canada, LOT, TAP and Swiss.
Dallas/Fort Worth Airport added seven new cargo flights in 2006, as well as two new international carriers and a 400,000-square-foot new cargo facility capable of handling two Airbus A380s or three Boeing 747s, the airport said this week. DFW handed 281,486 metric tons of cargo in 2006, a nearly 13% increase from the previous year. "We see plenty of continued growth opportunities for the future," said Jeff Fegan, DFW's CEO.
FAA Chief Operating Officer Russell Chew says he is looking forward to controlling the day-to-day workings of a relatively small airline after spending more than three years overseeing FAA's huge Air Traffic Organization. Chew plans to step down from his FAA position at the end of this month and expects to start his new job as executive VP-operations for Hawaiian in March. Hawaiian is also a big change in scale from American, where Chew worked before coming to FAA in 2003.
The Transportation Security Administration wants to station 2,000 screeners at the entrance to airport security zones to check travelers' tickets and identification, but congressional appropriators yesterday questioned the $60 million price tag.
Bolivian Petroleum Minister William Donaire recently announced that jet fuel would be imported regularly from Brazil, beginning in March, to alleviate jet fuel shortages experienced by the country's air carriers (DAILY, Feb. 8). The fuel will be imported at prices yet to be set but exceeding those for the locally refined product. Even with developments, carriers might have to keep in place fare increases on international flights to offset higher fuel costs. -LZ
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association hopes one discussion point during today's House aviation subcommittee meeting is a contract that was imposed on controllers last fall after the association and FAA reached an impasse in negotiations. Rules governing the negotiations between the two parties allowed FAA to deliver its final contract to Congress, and if legislators didn't act on it for 60 days, it could be ratified.
The Transportation Security Administration is joining forces with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to issue Amber Alerts at U.S. airports. Under the program, TSA will release Amber Alert messages through its Transportation Security Operations Center to federal security directors at 450 airports. Information provided includes photos and descriptions of the abducted child and the suspect.
United and the U.S. Transportation Dept. settled a case over web site ads for a program that offers reduced fares for domestic travel to members of the military and their families. The web page for "United Thanks Our Troops" originally did not specify that the discounts were limited to domestic travel or that sample fares were for domestic flights, an oversight that United has since corrected, with DOT approval. As such, financial penalties were not levied against the carrier [OST-2007-26781].
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security signed contracts with two vendors to help implement its 10-fingerprint standard under the US-VISIT program. Technica will supply the IDENTIX Touch Print 4100 Enhanced Definition Device and CounterTrade Products, Inc. will provide Crossmatch L Scan Guardian scanners in a deal valued at $14.8 million, including options.
The headline item in FAA's fiscal 2008 budget may have been the sizable cut to airport funding and the outline of the reauthorization proposal, but the budget also reveals the agency's continuing drive to trim recurring costs in other areas.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority yesterday kicked off its "Let's Get a Fair Deal" campaign to lobby the Canadian government to eliminate what it sees as an unfair rent burden on Toronto Pearson Airport. Industry associations, airlines and business groups joined GTAA in the campaign, which aims to raise public awareness of the issue by asking passengers to cast ballots in person and on line in support of the airport authority.
Nav Canada yesterday revealed it has chosen Sensis to provide automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) technology that will dramatically improve ATC coverage over Hudson Bay and other remote areas of Canada. Nav Canada has been investigating the possibility of using ADS-B over Hudson Bay for several months (DAILY, March 6, 2006). The company believes ADS-B will provide a cost-effective way to provide surveillance of the bay, which has very limited radar coverage but is becoming increasingly important for overflights.
Kuala Lumpur International manager Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad revived plans to build a second satellite and a second low-cost carrier terminal at the airport, and the plan's reception by Ministry of Transport officials makes clear the ministry's hopes of turning KLIA into an air transport hub in the region. A Ministry of Transport official said MAHB already identified a site for the new facility.
