Boeing last week completed the first pickup of 787 sections from Japan, using the converted 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter. The components were a forward fuselage section, and center wheel well and center wing tank. The parts were loaded at Nagoya Airport, and were transported to Charleston, S.C.
American on Friday withdrew its international and premium domestic tickets from sale on Expedia. Domestic coach tickets will still be sold on the website, American said. American representatives portrayed the move as a cost-cutting measure.
In their continuing argument that Midwest's stand-alone business plan is high risk, AirTran executives contend Midwest's revenue concentration in a few markets makes that carrier vulnerable to "competitive incursions." They claim 58% of Midwest's revenue is concentrated in its top 20 markets, compared with 30% for AirTran and Alaska Airlines, 10% for Northwest, 16% for Southwest and 12% for United.
American appears to be backing down slightly in its attempt to battle Southwest on the Dallas Love Field markets, cutting capacity and turning the operation entirely over to American Eagle.
Mesa CEO Jonathan Ornstein tells employees to look out for developments in the Hawaiian market, where the company's inter-island carrier Go is based. "We may need to add some capacity," Ornstein says. Go's passenger levels recently hit 350,000, and membership in the airline's frequent flyer program has reached 25,000.
British Airways has suffered a major setback in its efforts to win union acceptance of the carrier's pension deficit proposal, with one major union urging its members to refuse the pension plan and threatening a strike.
The European Commission is in consultations about a planned revision of European Union legislation on inquiries into civil aviation accidents, which "should be better investigated, independently and only for safety purposes," said the EC.
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air unveiled an $18 million "airport of the future" project designed to renovate the check-in area at Seattle-Tacoma Airport by yearend. The project, first introduced in 2004 at Anchorage, aims to speed passenger check-in and reduce wait times. The design eliminates the traditional ticket counter, replacing it with islands of check-in kiosks and bag-check stations.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. finalized its tentative order awarding Air Greenland a foreign air carrier permit. The airline will initially serve Baltimore/Washington Airport, with the launch of flights planned for May 11 [OST-2006-25050]. Air Greenland operates a fleet that includes Airbus A330s and Boeing 757s.
Named Bruce Parker board chairman and CEO in the wake of the resignation of President, Chairman and CEO Joel Biggerstaff. Biggerstaff will remain with the company as a consultant to help AirNet through the transition.
Brazil's aeronautical and civil aviation regulators, buoyed by the success of the emergency air traffic control plan implemented over Christmas and New Year's holidays, plan to recycle the plan to avoid flight cancellations and delays during the upcoming Carnival holiday. Carnival Week, from Feb. 15-20, traditionally generates the year's heaviest air traffic.
The City of Chicago has applied with FAA to impose a $4.50 Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) at O'Hare International Airport worth $270 million after tenant airlines balked at the city's plan to issue more bonds to fund the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP). The extra money is needed to cover a funding shortfall for the $2.8 billion phase one of the project, which has grown to $3.2 billion.
