A Brazilian judge has banned Fokker 100 and Boeing 737-700 aircraft from landing at Sao Paulo's downtown Congonhas Airport as of today (Feb. 8), citing safety concerns. Excess water on the runway has caused several aircraft to slip onto the airport's grass. Federal officials also question whether the airport's runways are long enough to accommodate the aircraft. Congonhas has 6,300-foot and 4,700-foot runways. The ruling will hurt TAM and low-cost carrier GOL, which have 20 F100s and 33 737-700s in their fleets, respectively. -BW
Washington National Airport set a new record for annual passengers in 2006, while Washington Dulles saw its numbers drop year over year, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said. National served 18.5 million passengers in 2006, up 4% from the record 17.8 million passengers served in 2005 and a 16% increase from 2004. The airport logged more than 276,000 total flight operations in 2006, about the same number as in 2005.
Canada and Japan have negotiated an expanded air services agreement, one that will allow airlines from both countries more flexibility in routes, capacity and code sharing. The two sides expect to continue talks next year with an eye to further liberalization of air services.
Legislation that would require screening all cargo on passenger airplanes within three years was introduced yesterday by leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee. Sponsors said the bill's proposed cargo screening program strikes a balance between ensuring all cargo on passenger aircraft is secure and keeping commerce moving. It also extends the Aviation Security Capital Fund, so airports can buy advanced baggage-screening systems that can be integrated into current screening systems.
The incoming Dutch coalition government will scrap hotly debated plans for the partial privatization of Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, launched by the previous rule. The 49% of Schiphol Group held by the Dutch state "will not be floated on the financial markets," wrote the coalition in a policy paper unveiled Feb. 7. Schiphol Group's management said it "regrets that after years of reflection, an aspiration fostered for a long time did not go through, given the international competition with privatized airports in Europe."
Kuwaiti low-fare carrier Jazeera Airways plans to add more bases in the Persian Gulf region, as the airline broadens its network. Jazeera this week announced that it will introduce services from Dubai Airport to Manama, Bahrain; Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi, India, as well as to Muscat and Salalah, by the end of March. Jazeera will compete with several other carriers on the routes, among them Emirates and Gulf Air.
Brussels Airlines, which will start operating March 25 as the new commercial brand merging Virgin Express and SN Brussels Airlines, said it has been reviewing its code-share alliances and will stop code-sharing with TAP and Iberia in its summer schedule. "Our philosophy is changing. Our partners do not necessarily want to follow us," said a Brussels spokesman. The Belgian airline will propose a two-class system for Europe, with low-cost and a full-service options.
Major players in Brazil's airline sector are in an uproar about a monitoring report kept under wraps by civil aviation regulator ANAC on the "anarchy" that reigned over air transport services during the 2006-07 Christmas/New Year holiday season. The report was overseen by ANAC official Josef Barat and written by 12 officers from various units throughout the agency. Barat criticized fellow directors for shielding as classified the only official pronouncement so far on the long and costly crisis.
FAA Chief Operating Officer Russell Chew believes now is as good a time as any for him to leave the agency, since the Air Traffic Organization he heads is about to enter a new phase that will require long-term leadership continuity. Chew this week told FAA senior officials that he will resign at monthend to take a job in the aviation industry (DAILY, Feb. 6). Chew told The DAILY that when he took the COO job in 2003, he promised FAA Administrator Marion Blakey he would stay for at least three years, and he has more than fulfilled that pledge.
Air France will offer Berlitz® Word Traveller language lessons on its Boeing 777-300s, starting in April. The French carrier said 23 languages will be available at beginners' level. Japan Airlines introduced a similar system in 2005 and Singapore Airlines in 2006.
The emergence of new products in business aviation makes it "necessary to review the existing regulatory framework," writes the European Commission in a discussion paper released this week in Brussels.
Europe's biggest low-fare carrier Ryanair has selected Weeze Airport near Duesseldorf, Germany, to become its 19th base. The airline plans to base two aircraft at the airport and open 10 new routes in June. Ryanair expects to carry 1 million passengers in the first year and 2 million in the second. The destinations include Rome, Alghero, Alicante, Gerona, Glasgow Prestwick, London Stansted, Palma de Mallorca, Shannon, Stockholm Skavsta and Treviso. Ryanair has one German base in Hahn, but will open a base in Bremen in March.
LAN's "token" $17.1 million loan to New Varig (DAILY, Feb. 5), cheered by industry and local media, reveals the Chilean carrier's interest in Brazil, said one local analyst.
Aeroflot's profit for the first three quarters of its financial year 2006/07 increased by 46% to US$186 million, the airline said. Sales were up 16% to US$2.1 billion. The improved results were due to higher traffic and improved yields, CFO Mikhail Poluboyarinov said.
Spain's Air Europa and holding company Mall signed an agreement to start nonstop flights this year from Madrid to Panama and Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, where Mall is investing US$585 million in deluxe resort, real estate and country club projects.
US Airways, which earned $125 million from operations in the first quarter of 2006, may do better this year. The carrier estimated yesterday that its revenue per available seat mile in mainline and regional service increased more than 5% year over year during January, even though ASMs grew 0.8%.
United increased its load factor 0.3 percentage points year over year in January to 78%, its highest-ever for the month, on gains in international operations.
JAL Group yesterday revealed a new business plan for the next four years, highlighting revenue gains from an improved route structure and cost savings that include a significant work force reduction.
European Union negotiators are pleased to see the U.S. has a "political commitment" to eventually reaching an open-skies deal, a spokesman for Jacques Barrot, European Commission VP for transport, told The DAILY. Barrot, U.S. Transport Secretary Mary Peters and German Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee yesterday kicked off the latest round of open-skies discussions, expected to last all week in Washington.
Boston Logan Airport added three new international destinations -- Madrid, Spain; Glasgow, Scotland; and County Mayo, Ireland. The new service is part of an ongoing effort by Massport's airline route development department to boost the number of international carriers serving Logan. Including the new flights, the airport now serves 35 international destinations.
