Qantas subsidiary Jetstar cleared final regulatory approvals from Australian authorities to launch flights to its first international destinations on Thursday. Three weekly flights between Melbourne and Bangkok start that day, followed by service between Sydney and Phuket on Friday. Sydney-Ho Chi Minh begins Nov. 30, followed by service from Sydney to Bali on Dec. 8 and Melbourne-Bali on Dec. 9. Flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Honolulu start Dec. 27 and Dec. 29.
Centurion Air Cargo and Florida West International Airways both won the remaining cargo designations to serve Mexico City from certain U.S. points, thanks to Kitty Hawk's withdrawal from the proceedings last May (DAILY, May 30). The contest for the Mexico City exemptions was a three-way battle, but only two exemptions were available for award from the U.S. Transportation Dept. Amerijet, UPS and Astar Air Cargo hold the other exemptions.
Global Jet Luxembourg (GJA) and its affiliated carrier Global Jet Austria (GJA) soon plan to offer charter flights between their home countries and the U.S.
The Civil Aeronautics Administrationin Taipei is taking steps to consolidate the four domestic airlines -- Uni Airways, TransAsia Airways, Mandarin Airlines and Far Eastern Air Transport.
KLM on Friday unveiled plans to launch a second daily flight from Amsterdam to Moscow when the summer schedule starts March 25. The new flight will leave Amsterdam in the afternoon, returning from the Russian capital in the early evening. The new service is in addition to two existing code-share flights that KLM and Aeroflot already operate on the Amsterdam-Moscow route. The two SkyTeam members started code sharing between their hubs on Nov. 1. The new flight will offer a third daily code-share frequency on the route. -SL
LOT Polish Airlines last week dismissed its President Krzysztof Kapis and tapped board member Tomasz Dembski to be the interim president. The carrier offered no details about the management change.
Northwest today plans to hold a job fair in Minneapolis as part of a plan to hire at least 200 equipment service employees to work at the airport. The carrier is hiring the ground staff due to "modest operational growth" and attrition at its hub, a spokesman says. The positions are all regular full- or part-time jobs.
British Airways yesterday announced some of next year's growth plans for the transatlantic market, resuming service between London Gatwick and Port of Spain, Trinidad. The airline will offer three weekly flights to Port of Spain, beginning March 28. The flights will stop in Barbados and will use Boeing 777s. BA last served Trinidad in 1994. This will be BA's 10th destination in the Caribbean, where it already operates 36 flights a week. Port of Spain is regarded primarily as a business destination because of its oil and gas industry.
Virgin Atlantic yesterday decided to expand its code-share partnership with minority owner Singapore Airlines for flights between the U.S. and the U.K., Australia, the Middle East and Singapore.
Nearly two months after winning FAA type certification for the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet, Eclipse executives are implementing fixes for some manufacturing problems that have arisen and trying to get a production certificate from FAA, so they can start producing the new VLJ at volume rates.
Alaska Airlines recently made a simple change to the light bulbs in its Seattle maintenance hangar, stores and shops, in a move that will yield significant cost savings.
US Airways yesterday promoted Sherri Shamblin to VP-inflight services. She succeeds Ron Cole, who decided in September to retire. She was previously managing director-inflight services.
Delta next month plans to recall about 700 additional mechanics as part of a plan to expand its TechOps division. The latest recall is in addition to 200 previously furloughed mechanics, who were recalled during the past few months. "Our goals continue to be profitable growth and expansion as we work towards becoming a world-class maintenance service provider," said Tony Charaf, senior VP-technical operations. "TechOps is in a position to achieve profitable growth and is already exceeding insourcing expectations for next year."
Air Canada is looking at adding a fifth China flight next summer from Vancouver to a "secondary market" in China, says Chairman Robert Milton. Next summer, the carrier also will have double daily flights from Toronto and Vancouver to Beijing and Shanghai. So far, "these routes are doing terrifically."
Two newly elected Democrats will join the Senate Commerce Committee in January. Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) have been named to the panel, which oversees FAA, NASA and TSA, by new Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Also new to the committee, but not the Senate, is Sen. Thomas Carper (Del.). One member who won't be returning is Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.), aviation subcommittee chair, who lost his re-election bid.
American next April will launch daily year-round service between Miami and Valencia, Venezuela, pending regulatory approval. The flights will be operated with 148-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft seating 16 in first class and 132 in economy. American would be the only U.S. carrier to fly the route -- Venezuelan carrier Aeropostal currently serves the market [OST-2006-26387.]
The Air Line Pilots Association last week rejected a claim by cargo carrier ASTAR that its pilots had planned a strike. ASTAR on Wednesday obtained a court injunction to prevent a strike that the carrier believed was imminent (DAILY, Nov. 17). In its filings, the carrier cited a strike rumor relayed by a third party. The same court, however, dissolved the injunction the next day. ALPA negotiator Arthur Luby told The DAILY that the ASTAR pilots never intended to strike, and labeled the airline claims as "absolute nonsense."
Tapped Mike Cave to succeed Nicole Piasecki as VP-business strategy and marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes after Piasecki was named VP-Boeing International and President-Boeing Japan.
U.S. travelers flying into Canada will be required to have either a passport or a NEXUS Air Card, effective Jan. 8, the Canadian Airports Council (CAC) has warned. CAC felt the need to issue the warning in the wake of several delays in the passport requirement for U.S. travelers arriving by land and sea. "There may be confusion among air travelers about whether or not they will need a passport to travel to the U.S. this winter," said CAC President and CEO Jim Facette.
