Aeromexico will inaugurate Boeing 777 service between Mexico City and Tokyo Narita on Nov. 16, service meant to cater to the growing Asian markets and support the recent trade agreement signed by Mexico and Japan. The flight, which will stop over in Tijuana, will operate twice weekly, on Monday and Thursday. The aircraft are configured for first, business and economy, and full-meal and entertainment services will be available in all three classes. -LZ
Mexicana and American are working to expand their code share to include the Mexico City-Dallas/Fort Worth route, pending regulatory approval. [OST-2004-16945].
United is eyeing an expansion of its U.S. domestic Boeing 757 premium service -- p.s. -- which flies from New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Chief Revenue Officer John Tague says the service is doing "well in excess of the initial business case." The carrier is working to finalize its 2007 schedule, which could include more p.s. service.
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) NOV. 13-15 -- Aerospace & Defense Programs, Phoenix
Together with the American Society of Civil Engineers, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers and American Society of Mechanical Engineers, awarded the 2006 Elmer A. Sperry Award to Stanford University School of Engineering Professor Antony Jameson.
The Bulgarian government confirmed that it would sell 99.99% of flag carrier Bulgaria Air to Balkan Hemus Group, a private, Varna-based company that already controls airline Hemus Air. Balkan Hemus offered BGN13 million (US$8.5 million) and pledged to invest a little more than $100 million in five years. Hemus also committed to raise employee numbers from 621 at the outset to 1,062 in five years. The Bulgarian state keeps a golden share, with the right to veto in strategic decision-making.
The leader of the International Air Transport Association plans to raise the profile of a new ground safety campaign by developing a global standard for oversight and auditing of ground-handling companies.
Aer Lingus yesterday unveiled its summer 2007 schedule, which includes several new flights thanks to the planned deliveries of two new Airbus A330s in May and June.
Spanish international low-cost carrier Air Madrid faces serious action by Spain's civil aviation authorities (AC), following numerous consumer complaints about frequent and uncommonly lengthy delays from thousands of passengers, some of whom have sued for damages.
Icelandic aviation investor Avion Group sold charter carriers Excel Airways and Star Airlines to their management for $450 million. The two carriers were combined in Avion's XL Leisure Group division. The buy-out was led by XL CEO Philip Wyatt. Avion still owns wet-lease specialist Air Atlanta Icelandic.
Emirates opened a new airport lounge at London Heathrow Airport, part of its $36 million investment in luxury facilities worldwide. The airline opened lounges in Singapore, Hong Kong and Melbourne earlier in October, joining other facilities opened in the past 18 months, including Auckland, Brisbane, Frankfurt, London Gatwick, Munich, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Perth, New York Kennedy and Sydney. Lounges are under construction in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
This year will likely be the safest ever for the international aviation system, predicts new U.S. Transportation Dept. Secretary Mary Peters, but the FAA plans to take a new approach to aviation safety to further cut the accident rate.
Germanwings is looking at more destinations in Eastern Europe to continue its aggressive expansion plans. The German low-fare airline would like to start services to Sofia, Bulgaria, and Bucharest, Romania, Managing Director Thomas Winkelmann said this week. The route launches, however, still hinge on government approvals, he cautioned.
Southwest continues its push at Las Vegas, posting 11.6 million passengers at the airport during the first nine months of the year. To accommodate the growth, the carrier plans to open a 17,000-square-foot pilot and flight attendant base at the airport in October 2007. The airline plans to build out a facility it currently leases at McCarran for the 350 pilots and 600 flight attendants set to be based at the airport. -LR
The Wayne County, Mich., Airport Authority will rewrite a request for proposal it issued in August for naming rights at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The authority received seven responses in early October for the original RFP, said CEO Lester Robinson. But based on the information in those responses, the authority is evaluating how to best structure the opportunity to maximize revenue. There is no specific timetable on when the RFP will be reissued, an authority spokesman said.
FAA yesterday named Victoria Cox as the VP-operations planning of the agency's Air Traffic Organization; she has held the acting title since January. Cox jumped into the role after the departure of Charlie Keegan, who was director of the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) and VP-operations planning (DAILY, Jan. 20). After his resignation, FAA split the responsibility for Keegan's two posts. Cox joined FAA in 2003 as program director of the aviation research division.
Comair has asked the bankruptcy court to allow the airline to impose contract concessions on its pilots to avoid an $8 million spike in pilot labor costs, starting in January 2007. The carrier's management and pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, reached a concessionary deal last January that was contingent on Comair's obtaining certain costs savings from flight attendants. Since those targets weren't reached, ALPA opted to act on that contingency clause.
An administrative tribunal in Rome yesterday made two decisions detrimental to Alitalia, confirming the airline's exclusion from subsidized routes to Sardinia and saying that the acquisition of bankrupt carrier Volare earlier this year should not have been authorized by the Italian Ministry of the Industry.
Virgin Blue followed up its recent pledge to build on its strategy of capturing more corporate travelers with an order for 11 Embraer 190s and three Embraer 170s. Last week, carrier CEO Brett Godfrey said Virgin Blue would unveil more plans during the next 12-15 months to broaden its reach beyond leisure travelers to complement its existing loyalty program, interlining agreements and lounge offerings.
Iberia will announce detailed third-quarter financial performance mid-month, but early indications provided by the company's management signal the news should be largely positive.
While the Transportation Security Administration has released its list of 22 airports that have applied to run the Registered Traveler program, those surveyed by The DAILY continue see if the program would be effective for their facility and what TSA's next steps will be.
