Massimo Tononi, Italy's junior minister of economy and finance, probed Asian investors and partners on behalf of Alitalia last week during his visit to China, industry sources said. An alliance with Air China is under discussion, while an Asian investment fund has shown some interest in the ailing Italian flag carrier, the sources said. Several members of the Italian government recently said that Alitalia should seek a partner from another continent, as the airline "has more enemies than friends" in Europe, noted Deputy Premier Francesco Rutelli.
Northwest predicts a "modest profit" for 2006 with an estimated pre-tax margin of 2%, excluding reorganization charges, on more than $12 billion in revenue. "We have been able to stop the losses of the past six years that totaled $4.2 billion, now achieving breakeven status and even forecasting a modest profit for the year," says CEO Doug Steenland. The carrier yesterday reported a $1.2 billion third-quarter loss. Without charges, the carrier had a $252 million profit.
Boeing this week made two first-time Boeing 737 deliveries to carriers in the Middle East and Africa. The airframer delivered the first of three 737-800s ordered by Buraq Air, Libya's first private airline. The airline was founded by a group of pilots in 2000 and began operations in 2001. Buraq Air's second 737-800 is scheduled for delivery next month.
The Airbus A380 will start technical route runs on Nov. 13 for "function and reliability tests" at many airports around the world, but the plane will not make a stop in the U.S.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. is looking for carriers interested in operating essential air service at Hana, Kalaupapa and Kamuela in Hawaii for a two-year period beginning next April. Pacific Wings in 2005 was selected for a two-year term ending March 31, 2007, and receives a total of $1,501,752 in annual subsidies to connect the cities to the airports at Honolulu and Kahului [OST-2000-6773].
The U.S. Transportation Dept. has gone back to the listening stage in developing ways to finance air traffic control modernization and a surge in controller hiring, Secretary Mary Peters said during a day-long visit to Kansas. Citing funding issues that will arise in the FAA reauthorization legislation DOT will propose to Congress early next year, Peters said on Monday she will "listen to everyone" in developing what the aviation community expects to be a shift from taxes to user fees as the source of revenue for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
FAA is losing its top congressional liaison next month when David Balloff leaves the agency for a job at Embraer. Balloff was appointed in October 2002 to serve as assistant administrator for government and industry affairs. Before that, he held a similar role at the NTSB. Starting next month, Balloff will be the VP for external relations for Embraer, based in Washington. Taking his place at FAA will be Megan Rosia, who was managing director for government affairs and associate general counsel for Northwest. -SL
Comair told pilots it plans to ask the bankruptcy court for permission to impose concessions on the lone labor group that hasn't negotiated a concessionary deal with the carrier's management. The airline's management was forced to reopen negotiations with pilots and mechanics after failing to reach an $8.9 million concession deal with flight attendants and ultimately reduced the savings it targeted from that labor group. Tentative deals with flight attendants and mechanics were reached in the past couple of weeks.
Boosting fuel taxes, raising the passenger segment tax and creating direct charges to users are among the recommendations for funding FAA in the future in a new Government Accountability Office report.
Boeing executives acknowledged yesterday they may not ink the first order for the new 747-8 passenger plane until next year, but the freighter version of the aircraft is selling better than expected.
GOL's joint venture to launch a low-cost carrier remains on hold, but the airline is targeting its own flights to Mexico via its Peru base in the second or third quarter 2007. Executives told analysts yesterday that bilateral accords allow GOL to fly from Lima to Mexico City. GOL in August won rights for 14 weekly Brazil-Peru flights, which it plans to launch by yearend.
Whatever happens on election night, Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) won't be chairman of the House aviation subcommittee next year. When Republicans captured control of Congress in 1994, they instituted six-year term limits for all committee and subcommittee chairmen. So Mica's time is up. But it's also up for Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) chairman of the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mica is considered one of the top contenders to replace Young -- if Republicans retain control of the House.
Columbus-based startup Skybus Airlines chose Rockwell Collins avionics and an eFlight information management system for its fleet of 65 Airbus A319 aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2007. "They worked closely with us to develop an avionics solution for the Skybus fleet that includes some of the most advanced technology in the industry that will keep our costs low," said Chief Operating Officer Ken Gile.
Gate Gourmet and Swiss International Air Lines yesterday signed a new multi-year catering contract for catering services in Switzerland and in several stations outside Switzerland.
GOL tweaked its deal with Boeing to add 20 planes to an existing order after opting to add two planes to an earlier order in the spring (DAILY, March 8). The carrier plans to grow its order from 67 to 87 planes. GOL flies 56 Boeing 737s, including 14 -300s set for phase-out by 2010. By yearend, the carrier's fleet should reach 65 planes, up from previous estimates of 58. -LR
The U.S. and European Civil Aviation Conference representatives will meet Nov. 29-Dec. 1 in Washington. ECAC is an intergovernmental air transport organization of 42 member states in Europe. The ECAC delegation of about 15 people will meet with State Dept., Transportation Dept., FAA and Transportation Security Administration representatives. The main topics will be the environment, security, fractional ownership and preparations for the 2007 ICAO Assembly.
FAA yesterday reported it finished deploying the User Request Evaluation Tool (URET) at all 20 air route traffic control centers. URET automatically detects and advises air traffic controllers of predicted conflicts between aircraft or between aircraft and special airspace. "This strategic planning tool allows controllers to create alternative conflict-free flight routings and to efficiently manage changing air traffic or weather conditions," the agency said. The Miami traffic control center was the last of the 20 to go online this summer.
