European Cockpit Association (ECA) said pilot unions in Europe will organize protests against proposed European Union crew duty rules on Jan. 21. Their planned actions include a four-hour strike in Italy, where "there is an attempt to implement the European Union legislation in advance," ECA said. Proposed rules would limit maximum daily flight duty to no more than 13 hours in daytime, and also proposed that crewmembers not perform more than 60 duty hours in any seven consecutive days.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) this week introduced the Air Cargo Security Act to toughen cargo security measures and strengthen TSA inspections; they also released findings of a GAO report that pointed out serious potential security breaches in the way cargo is transported.
Lufthansa this week delivered a world first with the introduction of broadband Web access on board a Boeing 747-400. Passengers went online shortly after takeoff through their own laptops or computers provided by the airline and kept using the service until shortly before landing.
Spirit flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, and management yesterday reached a tentative contract agreement. Negotiations have been underway for about a year and a half. Details of the agreement will not be disclosed until flight attendants have voted, AFA said.
Delta plans to appeal a court decision made yesterday awarding about $750,000 in damages to a former flight attendant who brought an age discrimination suit against the carrier. A Delta spokesman said the airline "denies all allegations of unlawful conduct."
Southwest, through a new deal with its beer vendors Miller Brewing and Heineken USA, has found a way to further cut cost and introduce new types of onboard beer selections. The airline told employees it has been offered "tremendous discount pricing" from its beer vendors on their most popular brands, including Miller Lite, Foster's, Heineken and Amstel Light. Starting Feb. 1, Southwest will start offering these beers exclusively on its flights.
Swiss International Air Lines Executive VP Marketing and Sales, Ajen Pen, resigned. Industry sources said it follows disputes with CEO André Dosé about a reorganization in the commercial division, but it's also believed to be linked to the appointment of former Star Alliance CEO Bill Meaney as chief commercial director late last year. By bringing Meaney on board, Swiss was trying to strengthen top management by reducing the number of executives reporting to Dosé and adding airline expertise.
The Civil Aviation Authority of China recently granted EVA Air approval to operate charter flights between Shanghai and Taipei for the Chinese New Year holiday. Seats are available from and to Shanghai only. The special "ferry" flights will depart Shanghai on Jan. 29 and return from Taipei on Feb. 9. Equipment to be used for the flights will be one of EVA's 386-passenger Boeing 747-400 aircraft. En route, each of the flights will stop briefly at Macau Airport. -SL
DOT yesterday said it is postponing until further notice the deadlines for submissions to the Hong Kong fifth-freedom cargo frequency proceeding. According to DOT, "applicants in the proceeding have filed petitions and motions whose resolution would affect the parties' evidentiary submissions in the proceeding." Issues raised by these petitions will be resolved soon, DOT said, but until this occurs, "parties should not be burdened with the need to complete and submit their evidentiary materials." -AS
Rockwell Collins Inc. this week reported a net income of $49 million for the first quarter of its fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2002, up slightly from the $48 million posted for the same time period a year ago. Sales in the company's Commercial Systems dropped by $21 million to $305 million. Operating margins for the commercial side of the company's business dipped year-over-year to 10.5% from 13.5%. Rockwell Collins said it gained $14 million in incremental sales during the quarter from its purchase of Airshow Inc.
A Virginia bankruptcy court judge yesterday granted approval for GE Capital Corp. to acquire up to 5% equity in US Airways Group Inc. in exchange for $710 million in financing.
The Association of European Airlines predicts 2002 traffic figures were "between 4.5% and 5% lower than in 2001," based on figures covering the first 11 months of 2002.
AeroMexico plans to eliminate its base commissions for tickets issued by travel agents in the U.S. The change, which takes effect immediately, applies to all tickets for both domestic and international travel, miscellaneous charges orders, prepaid ticket advices and bookings made via the Web.
German union Ver.di, which represents ground and cabin staff, has called for "warning strikes" at Lufthansa from 5 a.m. local time today in Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Duesseldorf, Cologne and Stuttgart. The strike is scheduled to last a maximum of three hours. The union is demanding a 9% wage increase and bonuses linked to the company's profits.
Frontier plans to implement a temporary $10 fuel surcharge on all domestic flights, effective immediately. The fee will apply to domestic travel each way. "With fuel costs at near historic high levels, we regret that we must take this necessary step," the carrier said.
The Air Transportation Office (AOT) in Manila ordered Philippine private carrier Laoag International Airlines (LIA) to upgrade and modernize its operations or risk losing its operating certificate. This follows the crash of one of its five Fokker 27s, which plunged into Manila Bay on Nov. 11 shortly after takeoff, killing 19 passengers. The aircraft was said to be 40 years old.
Canada and Hong Kong yesterday reached a deal to further liberalize their air transport agreement and let Air Canada to boost its cooperation with Cathay Pacific.
American plans to add a third daily roundtrip flight from Boston to London Heathrow, beginning April 6, on a route already facing stiff competition. AA will operate a Boeing 777 on the new route, which offers an earlier departure from London and an earlier Boston arrival. "We have been pleased with the success of our two existing flights between the Northeast and London," said Jim Carty, AA regional sales manager for New England.
William Schoenfeld, a former deputy executive of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) who served from 1970 until his retirement in 1994 as its chief architectural, planning and engineering officer, died Jan. 11 at the age of 78 in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Continental this spring plans to start twice-daily nonstop roundtrip service between Cleveland and both San Antonio and Austin, Texas. The new flights complement existing nonstop service to the airline's Houston and Newark hubs. Tickets are now available for travel between Cleveland and Austin beginning April 6, and between Cleveland and San Antonio May 2. The carrier will use 50-seat Embraer regional jets for the flights. -SL
United CEO Glenn Tilton is meeting this week with union leaders to discuss his business plan for the airline's recovery. He told employees in a phone message that the full plan will be presented to labor before UAL's next board meeting on Jan. 30, when Tilton will get "guidance" from the board members. In February, the plan will go to creditors and employees around the world.
Spirit reported record December traffic results, topping levels the airline had in the same month two years ago. Compared with 2001, traffic nearly doubled, outpacing the 49% capacity increase. Spirit posted a 79.2% load factor, up 5.8 points from last year. "We not only increased our available seats through expanded routes and increased frequency, but we filled those seats at a record rate in December," said CEO Jacob Schorr. -SL
Weber Aircraft, based in Gainesville, Texas, introduced a line of commercial aircraft seats targeted to low-cost carriers. Weber recently inked a deal with Ryanair to equip 100 aircraft, with options for an additional 50.
Singapore Airlines yesterday, in a long-awaited decision, named Chew Choon Seng as the CEO-designate to succeed Cheong Choong Kong when he retires in June after 29 years at SIA. Chew, 56, joined SIA in 1972 and has held several positions at the company. His overseas experience includes country management assignments in Japan and Italy and regional appointments as senior VP in charge of the South-West Pacific, the Americas and Europe. Chew also headed the planning, marketing, and finance departments. -SL
