Mexicana, as an added perk for passengers who want to avoid traffic jams and gain time, will offer executive taxi service by helicopter from Mexico City International Airport to downtown Santa Fe commercial heliport, starting March 1 Outsourced to Dibro Helicopter Co., this service is available for $120 to passengers ticketed on Mexicana. Four-passenger Bell 407 helicopters are used for the 15-minute flight. Similar services are available in Latin America at Rio and Sao Paulo. -LZ
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano last week returned a Boeing 727 leased from Aviation Capital Group, a sign that returning to normalcy will not be easy in light of mounting debts and other operational problems. The return of the aircraft prompted the resignation of Marcelo Zabalaga, financial adviser to inspector Ernesto Zaballa (DAILY, Feb. 21). Zabalaga complained of government aloofness in finding immediate solutions and warned that the carrier may soon have to stop flying again under the burden of unmet debt payment deadlines.
Argentina, in a bid to both avoid new labor conflicts and grant reiterated airline requests, will unfreeze domestic air fares by an average 20% on high or low bands on April 15, said Transportation Minister Ricardo Jaime. In the specific case of labor issues at Aerolineas Argentinas, higher fares would allow management to make concessions in salary increases being demanded by pilots (DAILY, Feb. 10). Domestic fares in Argentina have been frozen since 2002. -LZ
Aloha Airlines plans to grow its network to the mainland within the next year, but it first needs to upgrade technology systems that were neglected during the recent restructuring.
Venezuela's civil aviation institute (INAC) on March 30 will implement steps to restrict inbound flights by U.S. carriers in reciprocity for limitations imposed on Venezuelan carriers since 1995, when the country was demoted to Category 2 status in FAA's IASA safety oversight program. Though INAC originally intended to implement the restrictions on March 1, it extended the effective date "to keep communication channels open between the two countries" in discussing measures that affect both.
Continental estimates this year's fuel consumption per available seat mile will be 24.7% less than in 1998. The airline has steadily improved its fuel efficiency every year, and in 2005 its fuel burn per ASM was 22.9% less than in 1998. Continental points out it doesn't have the large numbers of older, less fuel-efficient aircraft that American, Delta and Northwest have in their fleets.
Shanghai Airlines choose AAR Landing Gear Services to overhaul landing gear on its 767-300s. The planes will be overhauled at AAR's Miami facility. In addition, AAR said it would supply Shanghai access to rotable landing gear components. AAR also won new business from China Airlines, logging its first deal to overhaul landing gear on the airline's 737-800s, the first contract the MRO provider has won for next generation 787s. -LR
Northwest and two of its largest unions on Friday won a second extension from the bankruptcy court to keep negotiating a new contract as the parties told Judge Allan Gropper than progress was being made. Gropper extended the negotiating period for only a few more days, issuing a March 1 deadline. Northwest said it doesn't have much more time to talk as it is losing as much as $4 million per day.
Fidesz, Hungary's largest opposition party, said it would try to take Budapest Airport back from BAA. "If there is a 1% chance to reacquire the airport, we will initiate the process to take it back," said Fidesz President Viktor Orban in an interview with Hungarian weekly magazine Heti Valasz. BAA acquired the airport last December for HUF464.8 billion (US$2.19 billion).
JetBlue promoted Rob Maruster to senior VP-airports and operational planning. VP-Airport Customer Service Nigel Adams left the airline this month. Before joining JetBlue, Maruster was 12-year veteran of Delta, where he held several positions, including VP-customer service and operations at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport. The airline also named Gerald Lee VP-business development.
The new Chilean administration plans to revamp its airport concessions procedures, including how it auctions off contracts. New Public Works Minister Eduardo Bitran plans to auction management contracts for several airports within 10-12 years. At the top of the list is Florida Airport serving La Serena. The government hopes to win investments of $4 million solely for a 3,000-square-meter passenger terminal.
AirTran CEO Joe Leonard says that pilot negotiations are "extremely slow." Management and pilots are under mediation, meeting two days per month. He notes AirTran's pilots earn about $14 per hour more than a Delta 737 pilot, but the airline's pilot costs are lower because AirTran's pilots "are much more productive than [pilots at] some of our competitors."
US Airways' transatlantic routes are "nicely profitable," reports Scott Kirby, executive VP-marketing and sales, which is why the carrier is adding three new European destinations this summer. "We are growing in markets were there isn't a lot of competition," he adds. The Caribbean capacity, however, will drop 6%-8% this year.
International Aero Engines won aftermarket business from Australian low-fare carrier Jetstar covering IAE V2500 engines powering 20 Airbus A320s. IAE introduced the V2500Select program last year, and is offering technology upgrades on new powerplants in 2008, and for retrofit during shop visits. IAE noted a key element of the program is tailoring maintenance to a given airline's operations to ensure life-limited parts on engines are installed at the correct time. -LR
AVIATION WEEK Conferences & Exhibitions You can now register online for Aviation Week events. Go to www.AviationNow.com/conferences or contact Lydia Janow, 212-904-3225 or 800-240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada only) APRIL 5-6 -- U.S. Defense Budgets and Programs Conference, Arlington, Va. APRIL 25-26 -- MRO Military Conference, Phoenix APRIL 25-26 -- MRO USA Conference & Exhibition 2006, Phoenix MAY 17-18 -- MRO Military Europe, Berlin SEPT. 19-21 -- MRO Asia, Xiamen, China
Aeroports de Paris has opened what it describes as "the first beauty parlor entirely devoted to men in the airport world" at Terminal 2D of Paris Charles de Gaulle. The airport operator stresses that 64% of Terminal 2D passengers are men, and claims that "more and more" males "have started to take care of their appearance." The airport's Men's Lounge proposes masculine beauty products and a parlor for "express beauty treatment."
FAA is running slightly behind on its FY2006 goal of sustaining 99.5% operational availability at the top 35 airports, officials say. This is because runway construction and repair work are causing closures; without this work, the availability rate would be ahead of target.
The current FAA funding mechanism is not broken, and the major changes that are likely to be proposed by the Administration are not necessary, General Aviation Manufacturers Association Chairman Jack Pelton said last week. "The truth is, the steadiness of the FAA's funding stream over the past decade has been nothing short of remarkable," said Pelton, who is also CEO of Cessna. Despite the turbulence of the past 10 years, Congress ensured that FAA's funding has remained stable or increased.
Reports that Barbados would invest $10 million in Antigua-based LIAT have stirred a heated controversy over the possibility of moving the airline's headquarters from Antigua to Barbados.
