Embraer recently sold a single 190 to Air Caraibes, which already flies two ERJ-145s and a 175. The 190 will be configured with 100 seats in a single class and is scheduled to arrive in late 2007. Air Caraibes, based in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadelope, offers flights in the French Antilles, Caribbean and South America.
Air traffic control problems have returned to Brazil in time for the start of the heavy holiday travel season. Airline regulator Anac and airport regulator Infraero reported the resurgence of all-too-familiar problems on Wednesday due to bad weather and a breakdown in TAM's computerized communications system. Of 1,202 domestic flights scheduled Wednesday, 50l were delayed for over one hour and 39 were canceled, including all services between Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia.
Dear Readers: The DAILY will publish its final issue of 2006 on Tuesday, December 26. Your next DAILY will carry a Jan. 3 date. Please enjoy your holiday season!
Air Berlin named Stefan Nagel its new head of strategy. Nagel until recently served as director of network management and fleet coordination at Star Alliance.
The U.K.'s Metropolitan Police Authority is asking the government to make London City Airport pay GBP7 million (US$13.7 million) a year for police security it currently receives for free. MPA has asked transport Secretary Douglas Alexander to put London City under Section 25 of the Aviation Security Act of 1982, which would force the airport, instead of taxpayers, to pay for its police security. Only London Heathrow is currently obligated to contribute toward MPA's policing costs.
Former House Transportation Committee Chairman Bud Shuster has been tapped as a strategic adviser to the American Association of Airport Executives' Airport Legislative Alliance for the FAA reauthorization battle in 2007. Shuster, who chaired the committee from 1995 to 2001, is credited with pushing through AIR-21 in 2000, which included a 50% increase in passenger facility charge authority and a 65% boost in Airport Improvement Program funding.
The European Union has decided to prevent Bulgaria from gaining unrestricted access to the EU's liberalized air transport market, due to safety concerns.
The Airport Authority of Hong Kong will put out a request for proposal to build a new cargo terminal at Hong Kong Airport by monthend. The authority says the new facility is needed in anticipation of future cargo demand and to maintain the airport's competitive edge.
Dalavia Far East Airways this week placed an order for six Sukhoi Superjet 100s. Two of the aircraft will be delivered in 2008 with the remaining four to be handed over in 2009. The Superjet 100 was formerly known as the Russian Regional Jet. The Superjet 100 is expected to enter service with launch customer Aeroflot in 2008.
French regional carrier Airlinair has placed an order for one ATR 72-500. The aircraft will complement Airlinair's existing fleet of 24 ATRs in various versions. Airlinair will take delivery of the aircraft in 2009. ATR said yesterday it has secured 148 orders for new aircraft since January 2005.
Three versions of the U.S.-Canada NEXUS trusted traveler program have been merged into an effort covering air, highway and marine travel between the two countries. The integration means there are only one application form and fee to participate in all three modes of travel. The Canadian government will add NEXUS processing kiosks at more airports throughout 2007.
Slovak low-fare airline SkyEurope plans to open a large base at Vienna Airport. The airline said yesterday it will start flying from Vienna on 16 routes, among them to Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris, but also Eastern European destinations, such as Sofia and Bucharest.
The U.S. FAA is mandating the replacement of certain fuel filters in CFM International engines to prevent loss of engine thrust in takeoff and landing. FAA said it received 12 reports of failed fuel filters - certain filters with specific numbers built by Western Filter and PTI Technologies under parts manufacturer approval -- since March.
Singapore Airlines yesterday confirmed its plans to buy nine additional A380s, although the airline is yet to place a firm order for the A350s it also plans to buy.
Chinese low-fare carrier Spring Airlines was fined CNY150,000 (US$19,160) by the authorities for offering an extreme discount on air tickets for domestic flights that was not in line with government pricing policies. The Shandong provincial government fined the airlines for selling 400 tickets for Jinan-Shanghai Hongqiao travel at CNY1 (US$0.13) each. The tickets were sold at the low fare on Nov. 28 for travel occurring between Nov. 30 and Dec. 10.
Swiss International Air Lines VP-Security Werner Schaub plans to retire in March after a 40-year career, of which 12 years were spent as head of security for Swissair and Swiss. He joined Swissair in 1967 and has since had numerous responsibilities, including Swissair station manager at New York JFK. Bernhard Buhler will assume responsibility for the security unit on Jan. 1.
FedEx yesterday reported its November quarter profit increased 8%, although the increase would have been as high as 24% without the company's new pilot labor contract.
Unusually heavy fog over London and other areas of the U.K. has severely disrupted the holiday travel period, with British Airways canceling hundreds of flights at Heathrow Airport. BA canceled more than 200 flights at Heathrow yesterday and expects to cancel at least 180 today. All domestic flights will be canceled, and many European shorthaul flights to Brussels and Paris. Many of the airline's long-haul flights have been severely delayed.
Alaska Air and subsidiary Horizon Air recently hit a new sales record through their joint web site, when both topped $1 billion for the first time during a single calendar year.
