ATR and Indian carrier Air Deccan opened a joint training center in Bangalore to train pilots in operating ATR turboprops. The facility has a full flight trainer built by ATR and Canadian company Mechtronix. Eventually, ATR and Air Deccan plan to offer training to pilots at other Indian airlines. -LR
The Spanish Ministry of Development (Fomento) last week released a report making the case for Air Madrid's suspension, as rumors abound that the carrier intends to fight the suspension in court. Failure to comply with aircraft maintenance schedules, absence of quality control systems and lack of control over work orders and flight delays all contributed to the suspension of Air Madrid, the report said.
FAA next month will lay out its five-year plan for continuing the integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the national airspace system and make it available for industry comment by April, according to Doug Davis, manager of FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Program Office.
The European Commission signed the European Union's 25th so-called "horizontal" air services agreement, this time with Panama. The latest accord "completes a set of agreements with most of Latin American countries, such as Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay," the commission noted.
Airbus has seen a surge of orders by Asian companies for its corporate jet program recently, with new orders for corporate or VIP aircraft ranging from A318s to A340s. An undisclosed customer from Asia ordered a VIP version of the A340-500, Airbus said. This order is the first for the VIP A340 from Asia, and the third overall this year. Airbus said the market for VIP widebodies has been "increasingly active in recent years." The latest order will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Ingrid Lee at [email protected] FEB. 13-15 -- ATC Maastricht Conference & Exhibition 2007, MECC, Maastricht, +32 2 729 36.02, fax: +32 2 729 91.98, email: [email protected] FEB. 14-17 -- The Alaska Air Carriers Assn.: AACA Annual Convention & Trade Show; Anchorage, Alaska, 907-277-0071, fax: 907-277-0072 FEB. 15-17 -- Women in Aviation, International, International Women in Aviation Conference, Orlando, Fla., 937-839-4647, fax: 937-839-4645
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is launching its "Let's Get A Fair Deal" campaign today to urge the Canadian government to eliminate airport rent. GTAA President & CEO Lloyd McCoomb, along with representatives from IATA, the Air Transport Association of Canada, airlines and local businesses at Toronto Pearson, says the rent places an unfair burden on Canada's airports.
The U.K.'s Birmingham Airport has become the latest to allow passengers to enroll in the government's Iris Recognition Immigration System (IRIS). IRIS allows registered passengers to enter the U.K. without standing in line to be checked by an immigration officer at passport control. Passengers can walk up to an automated barrier, look into a camera and, if the system recognizes them, enter the U.K.
Traffic at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport reached an all-time high of 20.6 million passengers in 2006, up almost 5% from the previous year. The traffic boost was led by the airport's top carrier, Southwest Airlines, which handled 10.6 million passengers in 2006. It was the first time Southwest topped the 10 million passenger mark at BWI.
Bombardier yesterday announced an order for 30 CRJ900 regional jets from Delta, one day after the carrier won bankruptcy court approval to distribute its reorganization plan and disclosure statement to creditors for voting. The 90-passenger aircraft are valued at $1.1 billion based on list prices, Bombardier said, and Delta also took options on an additional 30 that could increase the contract value to $2.3 billion. Delta last month asked the bankruptcy court to approve the CRJ order.
Japanese carrier ANA increasing summer frequencies for its cargo operation by about 90% from last year. The new flights will boost cargo capacity by about 72%. ANA will now offer daily freighter flights between Tuesday and Saturday from Osaka Kansai Airport to Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin, Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei and Bangkok. It will also offer four weekly flights on its new Osaka-Beijing route. ANA's expansion plans are subject to government approval.
Hungarian privatization agency APV will sell the bulk of Malev, minus one "golden share," to AirBridge Magyarorszag Zrt., a Hungarian holding company that bid for the ailing flag carrier under the leadership of Russia's Krasair. The exact terms of the deal have yet to be finalized in an agreement with Malev's unions, said APV. The Russian press reported recently that AirBridge was offering about EUR160 million (US$208.6 million) for Malev, which will join the oneworld alliance April 1.
Strong civil aerospace and aftermarket sales buoyed Rolls-Royce's profits 19% in 2006 despite currency fluctuations and inflation in raw materials. Pre-tax profits were GBP705 million (US$1.3 billion), fueled in large part by GBP3.9 billion in civil aerospace sales. Both original equipment and services sales grew 15%. Service revenues reached GBP3.9 billion for the year. Aftermarket services now comprise 53% of Rolls-Royce's business portfolio, with civil aerospace at 22%. Energy, marine and defense businesses round out the remaining 25%.
British Airways is tweaking its baggage rules and for many flights will charge excess baggage fees for a second checked item. The new policy will be phased, starting Tuesday, and will be in effect fully from September. It will not apply to flights to the U.S., the Caribbean, Nigeria, Mexico and Brazil. Passengers to other points will be allowed one checked bag free of charge, limited to 23kg. The second bag will incur a charge that varies with the destination.
US Airways confirms it is talking to Boeing and Airbus regarding replacement aircraft for about 60 Boeing 737s and 757s. The aircraft are older types, such as the 737-300s and -400s, and almost all are leased. With these leases expiring, US Air decided not to renew them, an airline spokesman tells The DAILY. The airline wants to place an order in the first half of this year, but this could slip into the second half.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is getting three weekly flights to Mazatlán, Mexico, via Frontier Airlines, beginning June 7 after more than a year of negotiations. "We work with all our carriers on a number of different options at DFW," said Joe Lopano, the airport's executive VP-marketing. "Since Frontier has a route structure already in place at DFW, we talked for the last six months about this service."
Delta is questioning the citizenship of would-be rival Zoom UK, noting "clear linkage" with Canadian carrier Zoom Airlines casts doubt on whether Zoom UK is a U.K. citizen eligible to operate in the highly restrictive -- and competitive -- U.S.-U.K. market.
Passengers carrying an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card, along with a passport and visa, can now use crew lines at international airports in the U.S. to pass through immigration, APEC said. The card is issued after member countries have conducted criminal checks and processed applications, said spokesman Christopher Hawkins. It was originally designed to shorten travelers' time in immigration lines and cut the need to apply for visas or entry permits each time a customer travels in the 17 APEC member countries, he added.
Airbus this week added another launch customer for the freighter version of its A330-200, with Iceland-based Avion Aircraft Trading ordering six. Avion says the payload and range of the A330-200F will "open up new possibilities" for its airline customers. Deliveries are scheduled in 2010-2011. Avion, partly owned by HF Eimskip, operates wet-leased aircraft for other carriers. Its fleet includes A310 and A300-600 freighters.
On-time performance at Frontier and United dipped from November to December because of late winter storms that hindered operations at their Denver hubs (DAILY, Jan. 24, Jan. 29).
