Boeing's acknowledgement that some upgraded cockpit door designs won't meet decompression regulations is evidence that the secure flight deck effort should include bulkheads and floors around the doors, the Air Line Pilots Association said. ALPA, in comments to DOT, emphasized that it continues to believe that more than just doors must be redesigned to improve aircraft security.
After a six-month hiatus, DOT reopened its efforts to establish market-based initiatives that airports can use to address congestion and delays. Yesterday, DOT set a new 90-day comment period to gauge industry views on a list of questions relating to airport demand management. The responses to these questions will help the government decide its policy on demand management.
Boeing is not going to invest in insolvent regional aircraft manufacturer Fairchild Dornier, according to Boeing Vice Chairman Harry Stonecipher and Boeing Commercial Airplane Group CEO Alan Mulally. Stonecipher told The DAILY in Chicago that Boeing has studied the move but concluded that it would not go ahead with an investment.
Despite reports by auditors KPMG that cast doubt on Great Lakes' ability to survive, CEO Douglas Voss said he is pleased with fourth quarter results "all things considered." Auditors last week in a securities filing noted Great Lakes suffered "significant losses and has current liabilities in excess of current assets, which raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern."
The majority of corporate travel buyers are planning to cut airline travel expenses even further this year, according to a new business travel survey. The report, expected to be released today, notes that 60% of the 182 participating corporate/organization buyers of air services are try to further reduce expenditures on airline services in 2002. This is not good news for airlines, following a year in which large organizations reduced air travel spending by 16.5%, compared with 2000. The report, which focused only on air travel, was sponsored by The Unisys Corp.
U.S. and Russia incorporated formally for the first time in their aviation agreement cross-polar routings that traverse Russian airspace, including in an annex what had been extrabilateral rights. During talks held in Moscow April 9-11, the U.S. and Russia also renewed through April 11, 2004, the annexes to their aviation agreement, according to a DOT spokesman. Those annexes had lapsed over a year ago. Additionally, the two sides achieved agreement on increasing from 28 to 42 the number of U.S.
Lufthansa, which had 10 aircraft carrying 2,100 passengers diverted to Canada following the closure of U.S. airspace on Sept. 11, will christen a new Airbus 340 the "Gander Halifax" at a May 16 event. The carrier will fly in 20 people from each of the two Canadian cities, which provided hospitality for stranded passengers for 75 of 240 aircraft grounded in Canada.
Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association begins a two-day meeting today with airline management and a National Mediation Board representative seeking an agreement over Southwest's Boeing 737-200 reduction plan. FAA has given the airline until Aug. 1 to implement the plan, which is intended to keep some of the pilots current for the type as the fleet diminishes, but SWAPA contends the plan has problems relating to pay, training, and pilot currency.
Smiths Aerospace will produce the landing gear deployment system for the Airbus A380, the fourth contract the company has snagged for work on the superjumbo. Smiths also has subcontracts for work on wing flaps and slats, landing gear actuators and wing structure assemblies.
Delta plans to launch summer service from Cincinnati to Rome in addition to new weekend service to Cancun, Mexico. Daily MD-11 Rome nonstops will start July 1 and run through September. SkyTeam partner Alitalia will offer code-share service on the new flight. Rome is the largest transatlantic destination not already served nonstop by Delta from Cincinnati, carrier officials said.
Delta Hub Profile Cincinnati Origin and Destinations, Segment Summary and Top Nonstop Markets Origination and Destination Data 12 Months 12 Months Ended June Ended June 2001 1997 Cincinnati Total (All Carriers) O&D Passengers 5,080,990 5,422,140 -6.3% Passengers Per 6,960 7,428
Boullioun Aviation Services Inc. delivered a new Airbus A320 to Toronto-based charter carrier Skyservice earlier this month. The CFM56-powered aircraft is the first on lease from Boullioun to join Skyservice's fleet.
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $498,000 grant for Nicaragua to strengthen security at Managua International Airport. It is the first grant to be announced under a $10 million program that IDB established through its Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF). IDB seeks to address heightened concerns about security following Sept. 11. The IDB committed the resources last year to aid Latin American and Caribbean countries, whose aviation and tourism industries were hurt by the attacks (DAILY, Oct. 11, Dec. 3, 2001).
In yet another turn of events, Switzerland's new airline, Swiss, has dropped plans to rename the company "Swiss Air Lines." Instead, the administrative board has proposed "Swiss International Air Lines" as the new official name, but the airline will still use the brand "Swiss." The decision is subject to approval by the annual general assembly on May 13. The company stated that while it was convinced it had the right to use the originally planned name, the brand could suffer in a potential lawsuit and funds would be bound unnecessarily. -JF
CMC Electronics Inc., formerly Canadian Marconi, will upgrade up to 34 Japan Airlines Boeing 747 Classic flight decks with its CMA-900 flight management system and CMA-2012 satellite communications (satcom) antenna, the supplier said. The deal covers 18 aircraft and gives JAL 16 options. Deliveries will start next year and run through 2004. Some 61 airlines and several more corporate customers have ordered the CMA-2102. Forty carriers -- including four with 747 Classics -- have ordered the CMA-900.
Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association begins a two-day meeting today with airline management and a National Mediation Board representative seeking an agreement over Southwest's Boeing 737-200 reduction plan. FAA has given the airline until Aug. 1 to implement the plan, which is intended to keep some of the pilots current for the type as the fleet diminishes, but SWAPA contends the plan has problems relating to pay, training, and pilot currency.
Security screening performed by Argenbright at most of the about 40 U.S. airports where it held contracts is being taken over this week by other contractors providing those services under contract with the Transportation Security Administration, a TSA spokesman confirmed. TSA, required to have an all-federal employee screener work force in place by Nov.
CMC Electronics Inc., formerly Canadian Marconi, will upgrade up to 34 Japan Airlines Boeing 747 Classic flight decks with its CMA-900 flight management system and CMA-2012 satellite communications (satcom) antenna, the supplier said. The deal covers 18 aircraft and gives JAL 16 options. Deliveries will start next year and run through 2004. Some 61 airlines and several more corporate customers have ordered the CMA-2102. Forty carriers -- including four with 747 Classics -- have ordered the CMA-900.
U.S. House lawmakers took a further step last week toward approving legislation that would streamline the environmental review process for airport capacity expansion projects. Although FAA already is speeding the review process, lawmakers say the system itself is flawed and can be addressed only by Congress.
CCAIR President Carter Leake said last week that he is cautiously confident about the outcome of the upcoming pilot contract ratification vote. Leake noted, "You never know until the votes are counted" what the results will be, he praised pilots as having "taken that first crucial step in getting this company turned around." The airline sent out Warn Act notice earlier citing financial woes and plans to shut down July 1.
Dallas/Fort Worth Airport may not be able to install explosives detection systems for 100% checked baggage screening by the Dec. 31 deadline because TSA has not yet approved the airport's plan to install all the equipment. DFW needed approval from TSA by mid-April, which has not occurred. DFW cannot guarantee it will meet the deadlines, CEO Jeffrey Fegan told lawmakers last week.
New York jet fuel spot prices ended last week at $0.62 per gallon, down 13.1% from the beginning of the week and down 26.6% from a year ago, according to Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown
Implementation of the User Request Evaluation Tool (URET) in Atlanta has been delayed because local controllers say they don't have the staff to spare for the required training on the system.
