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) SEPT. 19-21 -- MRO Asia, Xiamen, China OCT. 24-26 -- MRO Europe, Amsterdam NOV. 13-15 -- Aerospace & Defense Programs, Phoenix
Alaska Airlines and the Air Line Pilots Association will exchange contract openers on Nov. 15 and start Section 6 negotiations related to wages and work rules on Jan. 8, 2007. The current contract is amendable on April 30, 2007. Both sides have committed to meet between Oct. 15, 2006, and Jan. 8, 2007 to "develop a protocol for negotiations and other meetings, as needed."
U.K. carrier Monarch last week ordered six Boeing 787s, which the carrier said it will use to open up new destinations in North and South America, Asia and Africa. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2010, and Monarch also has purchase rights for another four 787s.
Virgin America yesterday revealed it was forced to sign a new funding deal for an additional $53 million in financing beyond the $177 million the carrier had a year ago, as the prolonged legal fight with network carriers is taking a significant toll on the budget.
Raytheon is selecting Alexandria, Va.-based Rannoch Corp. as its first partner in the Raytheon team that will pursue a major FAA contract for an automatic surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) network.
Qantas' low-cost offshoot Jetstar posted pre-tax profits of A$11 million (US$8.3 million) after paying A$4 million in startup costs for trans-Tasman flights and A$10 million to launch Jetstar International. Excluding those costs, pre-tax profits reached A$25 million, which was A$11 million less than the carrier made the previous year. Qantas pegged the decline to higher lease rates on Jetstar's Airbus A320s, following its shift to an all-Airbus fleet, and higher fuel costs. -LR
Two passenger flights landed at Beirut's international airport yesterday for the first time in more than a month, and the government believes the airfield could see a full schedule of flights next week.
Gate Gourmet yesterday named Mark Wall as president of its Asia/Pacific division and group senior VP, effective immediately; he worked with General Electric's plastics division for two decades.
US Airways named Janet Dhillon its new general counsel, effective Sept. 1, subject to board approval. Dhillon will replace Jim Walsh, who is retiring from his position. In her new job, Dhillon will oversee all aspects of the airline's legal affairs and will keep her position as the company's compliance officer.
Britain's Trans Atlantic Aviation Ltd. (TAA) will become a new partner in Lloyd Aereo Boliviano (LAB) with an immediate investment of $1 million to pay back salaries to employees, plus maintenance services and repair parts for aircraft now grounded.
Four airlines will begin using Miami International Airport (MIA) as an important cog in their Latin American operations, an airport spokesman pointed out recently -- Bolivia's AeroSur started three weekly charter flights from Santa Cruz to Miami operated by Ryan International; Lan Argentina inaugurated three weekly Buenos Aires-Miami nonstop services; Spanish low-cost carrier Air Madrid is adding the airport to its route structure, and Korean Airlines is making MIA its new hub for Latin American and Caribbean cargo services.
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security will expand its biometric entry program to three additional locations -- Fresno-Yosemite Airport, the new Erato Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans and Canada's Halifax Airport. DHS says it is expanding the US-VISIT program in Fresno because of a rise in international arrivals. Halifax Airport will become the eighth pre-flight location in Canada to use the biometric screening.
The Saudi Arabian government is offering a 49% stake in the catering and inflight sales units of Saudi Arabian Airlines, the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) reports. The carrier plans to restructure the catering business into a new company dubbed with temporary name of Catering NewCo. -LR
Thailand has firmed up plans to build a low-cost carrier terminal (DAILY, July 10) at the Suvarnabhumi Airport, slated to open for operations on Sept. 28. Construction of the low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT), which will cost THB700 million (US$20 million), is expected to start within two months. Completion is planned in January 2008. It will be the third dedicated LCCT in the Asia/Pacific region and will have a passenger-handling capacity of 15 million.
Airline customers who have spent millions of dollars to install and launch the Connexion by Boeing service across their fleets were sent scrambling yesterday to determine how they can keep an inflight Internet service after Boeing decided to shutter the unit.
Mexico City airport is the largest in Latin American, according to June schedule data released by the Latin American Air Transport Association (ALTA), with more than twice as many frequencies as San Juan, the largest Caribbean airport. Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo remains the largest route in the region, with nearly three times as many available seats as Mexico City-Guadalajara. ALTA used OAG schedule data for its analysis.
Pan Am's 15-year old bankruptcy case is finally nearing a close after the carrier's liquidation trust said this week it will make a final $30 million cash distribution by yearend to administrative creditors, including more than 15,000 former staff.
Mexicana, Aeromexico, Azteca and Aviacsa are being squeezed by increased service from foreign carriers that have stepped up flights to Mexico this summer, according to a new report from Mexico's Dept. of Tourism. Responding to a rising demand for vacation travel to Mexico, the U.S. added 23 flights, Canada six and the U.K. five.
Northwest yesterday lost a court request for a preliminary injunction to block a threatened strike by the Association of Flight Attendants that could start Aug. 25, but management claims it has contingency plans of the union tries to disrupt operations.
