U.S. aviation negotiators from the Transportation and State departments this week plan to meet with their EU counterparts in Brussels to "take stock of where we are," says a DOT spokesman. The meeting will be held May 10-11 and will likely include an update on the supplemental NPRM on foreign ownership issued last week. Also, the Senate aviation subcommittee tomorrow plans a hearing to review the supplemental NPRM
Appointed William Flynn president and CEO, effective June 22, succeeding Jeffrey Erickson, who will retire this year. Herbert Lanese resigned as a member of the board, effective April 25.
U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair taps Douglas Alexander to be his new transport secretary as part of a widespread cabinet shakeup last week. Alexander replaces Alister Darling, who was moved to the position of trade and industry secretary after four years at transport. Alexander will also serve as Scotland's secretary of state.
The federal Airport Improvement Program needs to be fully authorized at $3.7 billion in fiscal year 2007, members of the House Transportation Committee said in a letter to the Appropriations Committee. "Regrettably, the Bush Administration's FY2007 budget request is short-sighted, providing just $2.75 billion for AIP -- $950 million less than the $3.7 billion authorized under VISION 100 for FY2007 and $800 million less than the $3.55 billion provided in FY2006," said the letter.
Most airports are waiting to see further details of the Registered Traveler program before fully committing, according to a poll by The DAILY of the top 10 U.S. airports. RT currently operates in Orlando, with Indianapolis, San Jose and Cincinnati waiting in the wings. Las Vegas McCarran and Houston Intercontinental will not participate in the program, saying their facilities are sufficient to move travelers through security quickly.
Continental and KLM will temporarily suspend code-share service on KLM's flights from Amsterdam to Entebbe, Uganda, pending foreign regulatory approval. The carriers won U.S. Transportation Dept. approval for code sharing in November 2001.
US Airways' unit revenue in April spiked more than 25%, thanks to strong traffic and loads driven partly by the shift of the Easter and Passover holidays.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Ingrid Lee at [email protected] MAY 8 -- Greater Washington Aviation Open, GWAO, Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, Va., [email protected] MAY 17 -- Wings Club luncheon featuring Oliver Foot, president and executive director of ORBIS International, Yale Club, New York City, 212-867-1770, email: [email protected] MAY 17-20 -- ACI-NA Legal Issues Seminar and Committee Meeting, The Hilton Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, 202-293-3024, email [email protected]
After gaining approval to extend the time between C-checks for the 777 family, Boeing is mulling whether it can do the same for the 767. Boeing and airlines will review 767 maintenance data this year, after which an industry panel will make recommendations to FAA. A decision by FAA to allow changes in 767 C-check intervals would not come until next year.
Delta and KLM regional subsidiary Cityhopper won the necessary approvals their for code share, which will initially operate from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (DAILY, April 19). Any additional code sharing, however, is subject to U.S. Transportation Dept.'s 30-day notice requirement -- DOT decided it will manage the Cityhopper code share together with the existing Delta-KLM code share but will not extend the existing authority and exemptions for the Delta-KLM code share to Delta-Cityhopper's blanket authority [OST-2004-19214]. -ARS
San Antonio's city council approved a new plan to double the funds the airport can give to airlines offering service to new destinations under its incentive program.
AirTran plans to move its operation to the Humphrey Terminal at Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport on May 18. AirTran has operated out of the Lindbergh Terminal since May 3, 2001, and will relocate to Gates H9 and H10 at the Humphrey Terminal, which opened in 2001. "This move will also allow us to further streamline our operating costs, so that we can continue to offer low fares to our customers," said CEO Joe Leonard. AirTran operates five daily flights to Atlanta, four to Chicago and one daily flight to Orlando out of Gates E1 and E3 at the Lindbergh Terminal.
Korean Air this week exercised options for two Boeing 747-400 Converted Freighters kits from its order announced in 2004 to convert up to 20 747-400 passenger planes into freighters as part of the conversion program.
Pen Air is interested in resuming the Essential Air Service flights to Adak, Alaska, it operated before the U.S. Transportation Dept. selected Alaska Airlines to operate the service. Alaska has operated EAS to Adak since 2002. It submitted to DOT a proposal for the EAS that would see it offer at least twice-weekly Boeing 737 service between Adak and its Anchorage hub, with a stopover in King Salmon or Cold Bay. The airline said it would need $1,420,226 in annual subsidies to operate to Adak for a two-year term beginning July 1.
AirTran is planning changes to the service it operates from Washington National Airport to Fort Myers and Atlanta, but needs the U.S. Transportation Dept. to give the carrier more flexibility in the use of its AIR-21 slots at the airport.
FedEx yesterday unveiled a major expansion plan for its Indianapolis hub that includes 14 new aircraft gates, two new maintenance buildings and an enlarged sorting facility.
The opening of the New Bangkok International Airport may face further delays due to newly discovered construction problems that will have to be repaired before the government will award a certificate of occupancy.
