EADS would have considered canceling the Airbus A380 program if significant technical issues had surfaced during this summer's investigation into the program's schedule. "Luckily, it never got this far," EADS Co-CEO Thomas Enders told reporters in Munich. Separately, Enders said, "There is no question at this time" about continuing the freighter version of the A380.
Chile's LAN on Dec. 28 will link Santiago with Puerto Madryn on the coast of Southern Argentina with twice-weekly Airbus A319 service. Puerto Madryn is a top destination for those seeking exciting natural attractions, including the Valdes Peninsula wildlife reserve.
Alaska Airlines last week made a voluntary contribution of $50 million in cash to four defined benefit pension plans covering 7,300 employees in its airport, dispatch, maintenance, management and pilot work groups. Combined with a $71.9 million in voluntary contribution made early this year, the airline has grown its defined benefit pension plans by nearly $122 million in 2006. "The success of our transformation plan in returning Alaska Airlines to profitability helps ensure we meet our promise of secure retirements for our employees," said CEO Bill Ayer.
Plans by Air Canada Technical Services (ACTS) to acquire a controlling stake in Aeroman could not only strengthen ACTS' heavy-maintenance customer base, but also create the opportunity for the MRO to grow its component and engine business. ACTS parent ACE Aviation Holdings is paying US$44.7 million for 80% of Aeroman, based in El Salvador. Air Canada Technical Services CEO Chahram Bolouri told The DAILY the Aeroman stake could give ACTS the chance to tap new customers for its engine and component offerings in Central and South America.
Mexico City's Toluca Airport rises 8,844 feet above sea level, according to the Mexico Tourism Board. An incorrect elevation was given Dec. 1 in The DAILY.
BAA parent Ferrovial has sold its 50% share of the U.K.'s Bristol Airport to Macquarie Bank Ltd. for $208 million. The sale is part of Ferrovial's efforts to shed holdings as it pays down debt acquired during its purchase of BAA in June. But Ferrovial has delayed selling its 20.9% stake in Australia's Sydney Airport to Macquarie until March 31, 2007. It is awaiting approval from the European Commission on selling its stake in Budapest Airport. -BW
Months after slowing deliveries of its Bombardier Q400s, Hawaiian carrier Island Air detailed plans to downsize further through the removal of two planes from service and the furloughing or laying off of 65 employees.
Sindacato Unitario Lavoratori Trasporti (SULT), the powerful Italian transport workers' trade union, confirmed a strike at Alitalia scheduled Dec. 15 in response to the Italian government's latest privatization plans for the ailing Italian carrier (DAILY, Dec. 4).
The Air Transport Association is lobbying to have an airline war-risk insurance extension approved by Congress before lawmakers leave town. The current government-backed insurance program is set to expire at the end of this month. Efforts are being made to attach the extension to continuing resolution (CR) legislation. The proposed CR would extend through Feb. 15, allowing government agencies to continue operating even though their FY07 appropriations bills have not been passed.
Nav Canada traffic increased by an average of 3.6% in September -- the first month of the organization's fiscal year. Nav Canada measures traffic in charging units for en route, terminal and oceanic services.
Delta yesterday reached a settlement deal with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. (PBGC), which aims to resolve all the disputes in connection with the termination of the Delta Pilots Retirement Plan.
Air Jamaica recently launched talks with banks and strategic investors -- possibly including other airlines -- to privatize the carrier as early as next year.
Airbus is moving to a composite fuselage for the first time, as the manufacturer launches its new A350 long range jet; the fuselage skin will be made up of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). "This innovation in manufacturing permits easier maintainability and reparability of individual airframe parts," Airbus said. This allows "the structure of the panels to be much better optimized in terms of the design to the stress and load requirements of each individual airframe part."
Northwest last week reached a five-year deal with Amadeus, which will allow travel agents to access and book full content from Northwest and KLM without paying surcharges.
By Julius Maldutis, President of Aviation Dynamics America West CEO Doug Parker pulled off one of the great coups in the U.S. airline industry by acquiring US Airways in Chapter 11 when it was ready to be liquidated, at the same time that America West was ready to file its own Chapter 11. He is now poised to pull off a second brilliant move in proposing to acquire Delta.
Early winter storms played havoc with most eastern U.S. airports late last week, but FAA data show that Chicago O'Hare Airport was by far the worst hit.
Although the European Union has approved the sale of London City Airport to partners AIG Financial Products Corp. and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), the transaction has been delayed. AIG and GIP's Credit Suisse and GE Infrastructure have missed a deadline for a loan to help finance the EUR1.1 billion (US$1.4 billion) deal. But the partners say they expect the deal to be completed in the next few weeks. -BW
Following through on plans to adjust aircraft deliveries to support its revised capacity growth, JetBlue slowed the number of 100-seat Embraer 190s it plans to add to its fleet between 2007 and 2011.
Virgin Atlantic next year plans to make another attempt at service to Chicago O'Hare after the carrier cut the service following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The Latin American Air Transport Association (ALTA) last week joined IATA in a growing battle against high airport costs and specifically took aim at four countries in the region.
Continental's solid unit revenue growth of about 3% for November points to the airline's achieving a narrow fourth-quarter profit, Wall St. analyst Jamie Baker said yesterday.
