EasyJet CEO Ray Webster has written to the European Commission, asking it to ensure that the landing slots of bankrupt Italian airline Volare be reallocated to his company.
Early signs that China might start flights to Brazil via Peru promise new opportunities for Peruvian carriers, said Patricia Siles, counsel for all-cargo carrier Cielos del Peru. Recent high-level trade talks between China and Peru in Lima revealed the Chinese authorities were quite "flexible" about future air transport and trade operations using Peru as an axis. Cielos del Peru says it is an opportunity that local carriers "should not miss."
Airbus inked its second Indian deal for Airbus A320s with Air Deccan following an announcement this week that startup Kingfisher Airlines finalized an order for 10 planes (DAILY, Dec. 21).
Argentine investor Martin Varsavsky, who has made a fortune through airline ticket sales on the Internet in Europe, is investing $6.2 million to finance Argentine carrier Southern Winds Airlines' acquisition of at least two Boeing 747s for its Buenos Aires-Madrid routes.
The Transportation Security Administration will test an explosives trace detection machine made by Smiths Detection in its cargo screening pilot program, the Pine Brook, N.J.-based company said. The agency is using Smiths' IONSCAN 400B to screen checked baggage at Chicago O'Hare and Los Angeles and plans to test the equipment in Anchorage soon.
FAA yesterday said it wants to hire more than 1,200 controllers in both 2006 and 2007 as the first stage of its plan to add 12,500 controllers in the next 10 years, but the controllers' union said the hiring increase is starting too late and doubts whether the agency can follow through on its goal.
Asiana Airlines has taken delivery of the first of six Airbus A330-300s, which will be deployed on regional routes. Delivery of the remaining five aircraft will continue early next year and run through to 2007. Powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines, the A330-300s will be configured for two classes, seating 30 in business class and 260 in economy. Asiana first introduced Airbus aircraft into its fleet with the A321 in March 1998. The airline operates 15 A321s on domestic and regional services. -WD
Online travel search engine Kayak.com yesterday finished a $7 million financing deal led by Sequoia Capital, a California-based venture capital firm, pushing the total amount raised over $15 million.
Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (SFT) has issued an injunction suspending a ruling that found Transbrasil bankrupt, raising the possibility of resurrecting a carrier that hasn't operated for three years, according to local reports.
A new agricultural inspection tax that will raise international airline ticket prices and aircraft inspection fees is fueling the latest complaints from the Air Transport Association about the excessive tax burden on the struggling airline industry.
LAN Airlines last week upgraded its long-haul domestic passenger, cargo and mail services between Santiago and Punta Arenas with state-of-the-art Boeing 767-300s. "Our objective is to offer passengers the advantages of new- generation aircraft in comfort and inflight entertainment, as well as more schedule options to meet their needs," said Pedro Pablo Errazuriz, GM of LAN's domestic subsidiary. Nonstop flights will operate every day except Saturday, in addition to five daily flights now flown to Punta Arenas via Puerto Montt. -LZ
Merely two weeks after receiving authorization to offer the A350 (DAILY, Dec. 13), Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding with Spanish leisure and scheduled carrier Air Europa for 10 A350-800s. The airline plans to take delivery of the aircraft between 2010 and 2012 and replace its existing long-haul fleet. The agreement includes options for two additional aircraft.
TAM subsidiary TAM Mercosur may have a new general manager for its Argentina operations, but he says he plans to continue the airline's general strategy, which is to grow its Latin America operations. "The TAM group's priority is not only to expand in Brazil but also in the rest of Latin America," said new GM Angel Rovira Bosch. The carrier has invested $100 million in the last four years in its existing network, which covers Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Bolivia, and sales for the carrier jumped 30% from last year to $3.8 billion.
Fraport Airport Services Worldwide has won a bid to manage Cairo Airport for eight years. The Frankfurt-based airport operator plans to employ its European experience at the Egyptian capital facility but will not be required to invest in the airport's infrastructure or airport company. Fraport also won the option to manage five Egyptian regional airports but could not be awarded both projects due to bidding rules. -KJ
Frankfurt's airport operator Fraport AG is still looking to receive compensation in its legal case against the Philippine government after the state said it would like to repossess Terminal 3 at Manila Airport.
Malaysian billionaire Lim Goh Tong acquired a 20% stake in Singapore-based low-fare, regional airline Valuair, making him the single biggest shareholder.
An Indianapolis bankruptcy court judge yesterday approved Southwest's $117 million bid for ATA assets, and Southwest announced some of the markets where it intends to code-share with ATA. Southwest won an auction for ATA assets last week, but the deal had to be blessed by the bankruptcy court. Southwest receives six gates at Chicago Midway, as well as 27.5% of ATA's stock. It will provide $40 million in debtor-in-possession financing to ATA, which it will convert to a loan (DAILY, Dec. 17).
Cabinet ministers from Argentina and Chile met last week to discuss new steps toward an open-skies pact between the two countries. "We would like to achieve full freedom for Argentine airlines to operate in Chile and their Chilean counterparts to enjoy reciprocal rights in Argentina," said Javier Etcheverry, Chile's minister of public works. He recalled that Aerolineas del Sur, a subsidiary of the group in control of Aerolineas Argentinas, recently was authorized to operate domestically in Chile. Argentina is expected to provide reciprocal rights.
Los Angeles Airport this week opened its new cell phone "waiting lot" for drivers picking up arriving passengers that is meant to reduce vehicular congestion, as airport officials predict a 7% increase in holiday traffic from 2003. An estimated 2.8 million passengers are expected to travel through LAX by Jan. 2; the number nearly equals the airport's record of 3 million passengers in 2000.
The German Transport Ministry plans to cut airport landing fees by 28% on Jan. 1 and air overflight fees by about 20%, while Canada will charge more next year. Airport rent will rise 30% in Montreal on Jan. 1 and Toronto landing fees will jump 17%. Canada's Air Transport Association called on the government to freeze its rent charges at 2004 levels pending a Cabinet debate on the future of the program.
Lufthansa resumed pilot hiring this month after reaching a long-expected cost-cutting deal with union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC). The German carrier will take new pilots at a rate of 20 per month as part of the planned 5%-7% capacity expansion in 2007. According to executive board member Stefan Lauer, expansion on long-haul routes will be even more substantial as "all of our long-distance flights are full to the last seat." The airline will also add 500 cabin attendants next year.
Mexicana notified the U.S. Transportation Dept. that it would stop code sharing with American on two U.S.-Mexico routes next month. Code sharing will cease on Durango-Chicago, effective Jan. 3, and San Luis Potosi-Chicago, effective Jan. 6 [OST-2004-16945].
Cathay Pacific and Dragonair picked Messier Services Asia to overhaul landing gear on their Airbus A330 and A340 planes. The contract covers 48 shipsets for a 10-year period. Messier plans to perform the work at its Singapore Changi Airport base.
