Germanwings is launching a frequent flyer program called Boomerang. The offering is web-based, and customers must register for a EUR4 fee (US$4.84). Customers will receive one free ticket once they have completed eight roundtrips or 16 one-way journeys. Also participating are car rental companies and hotels. -JF
Singapore Airlines, easyJet and NetJets are the first customers for a new approach to managing information from air to ground with the help of Rockwell Collins' new eFlight products and services.
British Airways Chairman Martin Broughton tells The DAILY the airline can't begin planning major changes to its long-haul fleet until it has resolved its pension deficit problems. BA has a GBP1 billion (US$1.8 million) deficit in one of its pension plans and is discussing the problem with its employees. A new review of the size of the deficit is set to begin in March and likely will take about six months.
USA 3000 will delay the start of its flights to Cozumel from Detroit and St. Louis to Dec. 15 if the U.S. Transportation Dept. approves its temporary dormancy waiver application. The airline cited the "current situation in the Cancun/Cozumel area following the recent hurricane [Hurricane Wilma] and the resulting scarcity of available hotel rooms" as reasons for the delay. The airline also will not operate service from Washington Dulles to Cancun and to Puerto Vallarta from Baltimore and St. Louis, it said in its dormancy notices to DOT. -ARS
Mexican low-cost startup carrier Volaris -- a word play on Polaris or North Star that guided ancient navigators around the world -- is slated to start service on March 13 between Toluca and Tijuana. The carrier's initial investments stand at $100 million. The four equity partners in the airline are Mexico's Protego-Discovery Americas I, Sinca-Inbursa, Televisa and Grupo TACA. Each holds 25%.
Cayman Airways decided to temporarily stop one of its two weekly flights from Grand Cayman to Boston for about a month. The carrier in November reinstated two weekly seasonal flights on the route, but during a recent review of advance bookings, it decided to suspend the Wednesday flight through Jan. 8. "The demand for the Wednesday flight simply did not materialize for the early-winter, five-week period, and there was no real prospect to stimulate enough close-in booking activity to achieve marginal passenger loads," aid CEO Michael Adam.
GOL and COPA Airlines are broadening a code-share deal reached in August with the expansion of daily flights between Brazil and Panama. Previously, the airlines offered only four weekly flights between the two countries. Under terms of the deal, passengers flying on COPA can access GOL's destinations from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. GOL's passengers can fly to COPA's points from Tocumen Airport in Panama. -LR
Indonesia will continue to ban low-fare airlines from operating at its four main airports -- Jakarta, Medan, Denpasar and Surabaya -- and Air Transport Director Santoso Eddy Wibowo said the government has no plans to review the almost year-old policy (DAILY, March 11, 2005).
Frontier's impressive cuts in its unit costs might not be enough to shield the carrier from Southwest's foray into its Denver base and United's competitive response to Southwest's growing presence at Denver, analysts at Raymond James reason. In a recent research report, the analysts estimated Frontier's cost per available seat mile excluding fuel has fallen from 8 cents for the carrier's second quarter of fiscal 2002 to 5.9 cents in the second fiscal quarter of 2006, a 27% drop.
Virgin America yesterday filed its certification application with FAA, starting an initial 10-day safety review of the carrier, and CEO Fred Reid remains confident the carrier will be able to launch operations later this year despite competitor attempts to poke holes in the ownership structure.
A Saudi Arabian low-fare startup carrier is going on a hiring spree to meet its goal of starting regular domestic service in June. Under the name "Project Nemo," the Riyadh-based operator will initiate service with a single Boeing 737-300. It plans, however, quickly to expand the fleet and has already inked deals to add one aircraft each in October, November and December. Moreover, according to the airline, negotiations are underway for three more aircraft to join the fleet in June and July, although those deals are not yet final.
Jet Airways yesterday inked a highly anticipated acquisition deal to buy Air Sahara for $500 million, which will create India's largest airline with a fleet of nearly 80 aircraft.
FAA named Victoria Cox as the acting VP-operations planning for the agency's Air Traffic Organization, filling one of the two positions being vacated by the departure of Charlie Keegan. Cox was the director of the ATO's operations planning international office and was responsible for the development of FAA's strategy for the Next Generation Air Traffic System. In this role she also oversaw ATO's international strategy. Cox has also previously worked for the Defense Dept. as director of international technology programs.
Hilton Group Chief Executive David Michels becomes a non-executive director on easyJet's board March 6. Michels, who replaces Tony Isley, will chair the Remuneration Committee and serve as a member on the Audit Committee.
The European Civil Aviation Conference says the U.S. Transportation Dept.'s proposed rule on the use of portable respiratory assistance devices and medical oxygen aboard commercial flights is "unacceptable" in its present form, and DOT should not proceed until the matter is resolved among relevant international organizations.
Qantas and SR Technics signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint-venture company that will provide aircraft component services for the Airbus A380. The MOU will allow the two parties to move beyond formal talks to look at establishing a joint-venture business, evaluate options for an operational base and initiate talks with potential customers. Qantas is one of the five Asia/Pacific airlines to order the A380. The others are Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways International and Cathay Pacific Airways.
Alitalia was forced to cancel 74 flights today because of a 24-hour strike by the rebel flight attendant union, Sindacato Unitario Lavoratori Trasporti. The airline could see more disruptions from other organizations protesting a government decision to prohibit an eight-hour pilot strike also planned for today. Italy barred the strike because of legislation imposing minimum service requirements.
AirTran plans to start seasonal flights between Atlanta and Seattle May 25 through Labor Day using 125-seat Boeing 737s. Two daily roundtrip flights are planned. Seattle becomes AirTran's 49th destination.
U.S. airlines hired 10,389 pilots in 2005, analyst AIR, Inc. said, with 551 new hires added to payrolls during December. AIR, Inc. said the 2005 total matched its prediction that airlines would hire more than 10,000. Airlines have already indicated they will hire another 6,700 pilots in 2006, with about 2,500 of these hires by major carriers. FedEx said it will hire 300-350 this year, and Continental plans to hire about 500.
The Civil Aviation Authority of China awarded United's flight training division certification to begin training pilots for Chinese airlines. United Services Flight Training is the first foreign training provider to achieve CAAC certification, United said. The company has already signed one contract with a Chinese airline and said it is also completing a contract with a second carrier. United will train the pilots on Boeing 757 and Airbus A320 aircraft at the Denver Flight Training Center.
