Low-cost Spanish carrier Vueling says it is looking at a European base outside Spain. Paris, Rome, Milan and Amsterdam are the candidates. The decision to expand comes after the airline's initial public offering and a 75% jump in 2006 passenger statistics to more than 3.5 million. Vueling also added 17 new routes last year. The carrier plans to reveal the location of its European base at the end of February.
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) FEB. 14-15 -- Defense Technology & Requirements Conference, National Press Club, Washington, D.C. APRIL 17-19 -- MRO 2007 Conference & Exhibition, Cobb Galleria, Atlanta, Ga. APRIL 17-19 -- MRO Military 2007 Conference & Exhibition, Cobb Galleria, Atlanta, Ga.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) is again voicing concerns that security procedures for GA aircraft are less stringent than for commercial planes, even though GA makes up about 75% of everything in the air at any given time. While his worries are nothing new, Rockefeller now chairs the Senate aviation subcommittee. TSA Chief Kip Hawley says a terrorist attack using a small airplane would have less impact on the whole air transport network.
Mexican domestic carrier Aeromar Airlines on Jan. 22 will begin operating twice-daily flights between Mexico City and Campeche twice and launch daily service between Monterrey, Queretaro, Celaya and Queretaro. The services will operate with ATR-42 turboprops. Schedules between Mexico and Campeche will be beefed up for weekend vacationers. -LZ
Thursday marks the 10-day deadline for Midwest Airlines' board to recommend to the airline's shareholders whether to accept AirTran's tender offer, valued at about $345 million. AirTran buoyed its original offer of $11.25 per share to $13.24 when it made its tender offer to Midwest's shareholders earlier this month (DAILY, Jan. 12). After AirTran appealed directly to Midwest's stockholders, board members asked shareholders not to take any action until they weighed the offer. Legally, the board must make a recommendation within 10 days.
Delta wasted no time in launching its latest attempt to win service to China, submitting its application Friday for the seven weekly frequencies that become available in March 2008.
British Airways ended one of its most unusual but highest-profile labor debates last week when it decided to change uniform policies to allow staff to wear "symbols of faith."
Verified Identity Pass is waiting for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to develop guidelines for the country's Registered Traveler program before implementing its Clear program at Toronto Pearson Airport, says CEO Steven Brill, adding, "That agreement is in place. We're hopeful that once there's a clearer picture, we will be able to announce other major airports in Canada." A spokeswoman says CATSA is in the "very preliminary" stages of developing the guidelines.
The European Commission on Jan. 24 will release an "airport package" containing an action plan to tackle congestion. A major part of the package is a legislative proposal focused on regulation of airport charges and "transparency of accounts and regular consultation with airport users." Also included is a report on the achievements of the ground-handling directive of 1996.
30 Years Ago Jan. 24, 1977 -- Freddie Laker finds it ironic that IATA, which establishes its own fare levels, is unhappy when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries establishes crude oil prices. 20 Years Ago Jan. 22, 1987 -- An industry forum initially rejected ATA efforts to establish a federal National Aviation Authority to run the air traffic control system, although ATA was praised for initiating efforts to cope with what were acknowledged as growing problems with the airspace and airport systems. 10 Years Ago
Boeing last week unveiled its display mock-up of the interior of the 747-8 passenger version, to give potential customers an idea of what the aircraft could look like. The two-story display includes interior features from both the 787 and 777 programs, Boeing said. Interior "upswept" architecture and new lighting technology are borrowed from 787 designs, while windows are the same size as those used on the 777 - larger than those on the current 747-400.
Mexicana on Friday jumped a significant hurdle toward its goal to cut labor costs by finalizing a deal with the union representing ground staff, which will save the carrier about $20 million.
JetBlue last week lost two key executives when Tom Anderson, senior VP-supply chain and aircraft programs, and Tim Claydon, senior VP-sales and marketing, resigned. Both were part of the original executive team as Anderson joined in 1999 and Claydon started in 2001. The resignations are effective Feb. 13, but both men agreed to remain with the company as "senior advisers" through the end of 2007. Both Anderson and Claydon will continue to take their current salaries of $225,000 for the rest of the year, according to a securities filing.
U.K. airport operators should pay the full cost of policing whether or not they are required to do so under current legislation, say police authorities and police forces responsible for providing services at nine designated facilities in England and Scotland.
SkyTeam partners Delta and Aeromexico, looking to boost their transborder code share, have filed jointly for authority that will let Delta put the AM code on several of its new U.S.-Mexico services.
Airbus yesterday added another customer for its new A330-200 freighter program, with Guggenheim Aviation Partners ordering six of the aircraft. According to Airbus, GAP becomes the first customer to actually sign a contract for the A330-200F, converting a letter-of-intent completed last October. GAP will be one of the launch customers for the aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to begin in early 2010.
Caribbean Star and LIAT yesterday took a step closer to finalizing the merger of the two airlines by publishing a combined schedule using a single designator code.
