Nine members airlines of the Latin American Airlines Association (AITAL) saved millions of dollars in 2005 through making combined bulk fuel purchases at Miami International airport, AITAL CEO Alex de Gunten told DAILY affiliate AvNews Latin America & Caribbean. While unable to provide specifics about participating airlines or actual fuel savings, De Gunten was upbeat about this program, which launched last year, and anticipates expanding it to other airports and additional member airlines in 2006. -LZ
The U.S. nominated former FAA senior official William Voss to become the next ICAO secretary general. Voss left FAA to work for ICAO in 2004 and is now director of ICAO's Air Navigation Bureau. ICAO members will likely vote on the secretary general nominees at the organization's council meeting next month. Incumbent Taieb Cherif is also believed to be seeking re-election. ICAO is not commenting on who is on the nominee list.
ATA Airlines' aggressive expansion into Hawaii with code-share partner Southwest will comprise the bulk of the airline's capacity for scheduled service this year, but charter and military fights will fuel most of the airline's revenue in 2006.
SAS recently used a four-dimensional trajectory navigation system on a Boeing 737 revenue flight from shortly after takeoff at one airport in Sweden to landing at Stockholm Arlanda Airport within two seconds of its required time of arrival.
Transport Canada yesterday grounded International Express Aircharter Ltd. which did business as Regency Express Flight Operations and Sonicblue Airways.
Brazil's domestic air traffic jumped 17.9% in 2005 from 2004 for the record number of 43,130, 559 passengers, show official statistics. July and December, when traditional holidays are celebrated, topped traffic figures for all other months.
United on Jan. 20 joined a growing list of carriers to win government approval to delay service to the Cancun-Cozumel area, which is still recovering from last year's Hurricane Wilma. The carrier will have to introduce service in the Denver-Cozumel market no later than Dec. 16, as required by a U.S. Transportation Dept. dormancy waiver [OST-2005-21162].
Malaysia Airlines, starting Feb. 1, will raise the fuel surcharge for flights from Malaysia to several Asian destinations as it seeks to defray ticketing-related costs. The fuel surcharge on flights to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives will jump US$30 per sector to US$50, while the fee on flights to China, Hong Kong and Korea will increase from US$32 to US$50. The fuel surcharge for flights from China to Malaysia will remain at US$20 per sector.
Dubai-based RAK Airlines received an air operating certificate from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government to start operations next month. The carrier, which will be based at the Ras Al Khaimah Airport, will initially use two Airbus A320s. It will be the fourth airline in the UAE, aside from Emirates, Etihad Airways and low-fare carrier Air Arabia. Although the UAE is a fast-growing market, one analyst warns that four airlines trying to serve a population of some 4.32 million will crowd the sector.
American plans in the next two months to add more flights into New Orleans, which will bring its New Orleans service almost back to pre-Hurricane Katrina levels.
The Transportation Security Administration has extended the deadline for response to a request for information (RFI) regarding the Registered Traveler (RT) program, the American Association of Airport Executives reports.
AirTran plans to launch service from White Plains, N.Y. later this year, at a time when the airport has seen service drop more than 15% in the past 12 months.
Spain's Air Europa and Venezuelan flag carrier Conviasa replaced Aeropostal as the Spanish carrier's Venezuelan code-share partner as part of a strategic agreement inked last week. Air Europa will increase its Madrid-Caracas frequencies initially to six per week and later to a daily service. Conviasa will code share with Air Europa on the flights.
Europe's efforts to accommodate long-term traffic growth will be stymied irrespective of progress in overhauling its air traffic management infrastructure, if it fails to adequately address airport expansion, European aviation officials warned last week. While there has been palpable success in improving air traffic management, airport capacity is becoming the choke point, Eurocontrol Director General Victor Aguado and Airports Council International-Europe Director Gen- eral Roy Griffins said during a joint presentation in London.
EasyJet says its revenue from intra-European flights jumped 78% in 2005 from GBP138 million to GBP247 million. Fourteen new routes are slated for debut, starting in March, including three new points from Milan.
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
Flight Plan International President and CEO Mike Metcalf died Jan. 15 of complications from cancer. Metcalf founded the Fort Lauderdale-based company in 1984 and was president and CEO until the time of his death. He was also a founding member of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT).
Air Berlin recently named Ulf Huettmeyer as its CFO. Huettmeyer joins Air Berlin from Commerzbank, where he headed the corporate clients customer service unit in Berlin. Huettmeyer is the first CFO Air Berlin has had in its history. Finances to date were handled by Managing Director Joachim Hunold. Air Berlin as of Jan. 1 changed its legal status to a British Public Limited Company (plc). The naming of a CFO is seen as the latest sign that Air Berlin is planning to launch an initial public offering or find a strategic partner. -JF
Northwest's yearend cash balance is forecast to drop to $700 million without permanent labor cost cuts, warns CFO Dave Davis. He reports there is no debtor-in-possession financing available and without labor concessions, there is a high risk of liquidation. He adds that Northwest has the second-highest CASM of major U.S. domestic airlines.
Comair management got a significant win in its quest to gain concessions from labor groups late last week after pilots voted on a concession deal to save the carrier about $17 million annually. Negotiators from the Air Line Pilots Association didn't endorse the proposal that was sent to members, and the deal won a narrow approval of 50%. ALPA decided to send the company's proposal to its members for a vote due to the unusual circumstances surrounding it.
Named Yvonne Daverin managing director-maintenance planning and material control and elected Kevin Finan and Glenn Johnson as executive VP-operations and senior VP-customer service for airports, respectively.
Named the members of its reorganized board: Richard Almeida, retired chairman and CEO-Heller Financial, Inc.; Walter Isaacson, president and CEO-The Aspen Institute; Janet Langford Kelly, partner-Zelle, Hofmann, Voelbel, Mason & Gette LLP; Robert Krebs, retired chairman of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., and David Vitale, chief administrative officer-Chicago Public Schools.
