The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is using in-house explosives experts to improve airport screeners' ability to find bomb-making materials in air passengers' carry-on bags, says TSA Administrator Kip Hawley.
Dept. of Homeland Security appropriations bill will top the Senate's agenda this year, with a focus on cargo, chemical and rail security, William Hoagland, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-Tenn.) budget adviser, tells a homeland security conference. Because of election campaigning, Frist plans to adjourn by Oct. 6, leaving 130 working days.
Boeing says it has nearly completed the engineering drawings for its 737-900ER aircraft, after finishing 90% of the drawings on schedule. Boeing can now begin manufacturing detailed parts for the aircraft. Final assembly of the first 737-900ER is expected to begin this spring.
Air Canada plans to take advantage of the recent open-skies deal with the U.S. by applying to operate daily service on the Toronto-Los Angeles-Sydney route, and executives are eyeing more transborder service to points beyond the U.S.
Air Canada Technical Services this week named industry outsider Chahram Bolouri as the new president and CEO of the maintenance, repair and overhaul subsidiary of ACE Aviation Holdings.
Macau Asia Express, Air Macau's new low-fare airline, is expected to start operations at the end of the year. Air Macau will hold 51% stake with the remaining 49% held by ST-CNAC, a joint venture between Shun Tak Holdings Ltd. and China National Aviation Corp. The latter also holds 51% stake in Air Macau.
A master plan that will see El Salvador Airport upgraded and expanded in the next 15 years should be ready by the end of 2006, said the country's autonomous port and airport authority (CEPA.)
UPS yesterday reported a fourth-quarter profit of more than $1 billion, driven by a 21.5% revenue boost, which contributed to a full-year profit of $3.87 billion.
American's three major unions this week filed grievances against the airline regarding controversial bonuses that about 1,000 management employees are scheduled to receive in April. The grievances were submitted by the Allied Pilots Association, Association of Professional Flight Attendants Association and the Transport Workers Union. The three groups say the bonuses --which are based on stock performance -- violate the Annual Incentive Program (AIP) that was part of the concession negotiations in 2003.
Argentina's Air Transport Consulting Board (JATA) approved operating licenses for startups Sol, Andes, Safe Flight and CATA. Final approvals, however, rests with the transportation secretary and the undersecretary of air transport.
Turboprop manufacturer ATR expects revenues to double by 2007, as demand surges for the ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprops. The company plans to deliver 25 aircraft in 2006 and 40 in 2007. Its annual revenues in 2005 stood at $542 million and are expected to rise to about $1 billion next year. ATR booked 90 firm orders and 26 options in 2005, its best year since 1988.
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft signed spare support deals with three airlines in Lufthansa's regional group values at $30 million. The deals cover 37 planes -- 14 BAe 146-200/300s at Eurowings, Lufthansa Cityline's 18 RJ85s and five BAe 146-300s flown by Air Dolomiti. BAE added 71 planes to its "JetSpares" support contracts last year, bringing the total number of planes covered under the program to 190. Under the agreements BAE manages spares inventory, logistics and repairs at fixed monthly costs. -LR
Thai Airways International will revamp its domestic operations, turning over its unprofitable routes to low-fare airline Nok Air. Nok Air will start with the Bangkok-Trang route Feb. 1, followed by Nakhon Thammarat on Feb. 15. Thai holds a 39% stake in Nok, Air. Thai Airways also plans to code share with private airline PB Air on the Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son routes
Alaska Airlines parent Alaska Air Group pared its fourth-quarter loss to $33 million, including one-time items, and executives said yesterday they would likely have to lower their long-term unit cost goal below the 7.25-cent target to stay competitive.
Three Democrat lawmakers yesterday introduced a bill -- backed by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association -- that would make it harder for FAA to impose a wage settlement on labor groups in a negotiations impasse. The legislation would still allow FAA to send a contract dispute to Congress in an impasse, but it introduces two extra steps that would alter the process considerably. The FAA Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution bill was introduced by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.).
Delta yesterday finalized a deal with Merrill Lynch, allowing the airline to use up to $300 million in cash that would normally be held in reserve by Delta's Visa/MasterCard processor. In September, Delta amended its contract with its credit card processor to extend the agreement through October 2007. Under that agreement, the processor can keep a cash reserve between $450 million to $850 million. Also as part of the agreement, Delta obtained the right to substitute a letter of credit for a portion of the cash reserve.
AirTran promoted two finance and maintenance executives to VP and expanded their respective roles and responsibilities. Arne Haak was named VP-finance and treasurer, in which he will oversee financial planning, financial analysis, treasury, purchasing and investor relations. Based in Orlando, Haak has held a variety of posts at Air Tran, from financial planning and analysis to investor relations, since 1999. Previously, he worked for US Airways.
Cessna yesterday named Doug Oliver director-communications, effective Feb. 6. He will report to VP-Communications Bob Stangarone. Oliver will have responsibility for internal communications and media relations and will be based at Cessna's headquarters in Wichita, Kan. Most recently, he was at Embraer, where he was communications director-North America. Before that, he was director-media relations and director-customer relations at Fairchild Dornier and Lockheed Martin, respectively.
