Flybe announced that it will open a base at London Gatwick, its 14th, and launch 18-times-weekly flights to Dusseldorf on June 22. Flybe is the third-largest slot holder at LGW but has not based any aircraft there. It plans to operate "nearly" 500 weekly flights from the airport during the summer schedule. It recently opened a new lounge at LGW's South Terminal. The carrier said the move "reaffirms its ability to grow even in challenging economic times and that it also has "big plans to grow further in Germany."
Air France KLM and Gol signed an agreement Friday linking their respective loyalty programs and establishing a codeshare arrangement under which AF will add its code to Gol flights between Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and 13 Brazilian cities by mid-year. A similar deal is being prepared between Gol and KLM. The European carriers operate 21 weekly flights to Sao Paulo Guarulhos and 14 to Rio de Janeiro Galeao.
Ryanair will open a base at Pescara in July, using one aircraft to support seven routes including four new ones. It will be the LCC's 32nd base overall and eighth in Italy. New service will be to Cagliari, Treviso (both twice-weekly), Eindhoven (thrice-weekly) and Bergamo (four-times-weekly).
Jin Air, Korean Air's short-haul subsidiary, will launch its international service in October with flights to Bangkok and Macau, CEO Kim Jae Kun told reporters in Seoul. It currently operates four 737-800s and plans to add three destinations and one aircraft this year. According to The Korea Times, Kim said the carrier reported KRW10 billion ($7.3 million) in sales this year and is aiming for KRW90 billion in 2009, with breakeven targeted for 2010 ( ATWOnline, June 17, 2008).
US Airways and Qatar Airways announced a codeshare agreement covering QR flights between Doha and London Gatwick, Madrid, Manchester, Milan Malpensa, Stockholm Arlanda, Zurich and Athens, Dubai and Kuwait City. QR will place its code on US flights from LGW, London Heathrow, Frankfurt, MAD, MAN, MXP, ARN, ZRH, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Munich, Rome Fiumicino and ATH. Deal is subject to government approvals.
Air Arabia plans to launch its Casablanca-based subsidiary by late April or early May and hopes to be operating some 25 aircraft to at least 60 destinations in Europe and Africa within five years, CEO Adel Ali told reporters in comments cited by Reuters ( ATWOnline, Nov. 13, 2008). Separately, the LCC said that Airbus ranked it first on its list of airlines with the highest A320 operational reliability in 2008 at 99.8%. Air Arabia currently operates 16 A320s and plans to add two more this year.
UAE General Civil Aviation Authority signed an air services MOU with the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority permitting 15 weekly scheduled passenger flights and four weekly cargo frequencies between Abu Dhabi and Iraq, 21 weekly passenger and four weekly cargo flights to/from Dubai, eight passenger and four cargo flights to/from Sharjah and three passenger flights to/from Ras Al Khaimah, according to the Arab Air Carriers Org.
Transaero launched daily Moscow Domodedovo-Kazan service aboard a 737. Finnair will operate twice-weekly Helsinki-Krakow service April 2-Oct. 4 aboard an A319.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Scott Carson said "progress has been too slow" in modernizing US ATC and argued that with "minimal investment" FAA could increase system efficiency in the near term.
Routes announced the winners of the Asia Pacific region, when they celebrated the second regional heat of the internationally accredited Routes Airport Marketing Awards in Hyderabad, India. The awards were presented at the gala dinner of the 7th Routes Asia - the key networking event for the region's air service development industry.
BAA said it has not decided on its next step following a final ruling in March by the UK Competition Commission requiring it to sell both London Gatwick and Stansted and either Edinburgh or Glasgow International. "We are still considering the Competition Commission's Final Report and are keeping all options open," BAA spokesperson Stuart Butchers told ATW.
TWO PRIMARY OBSERVATIONS STRIKE a visitor to eight-year-old Seoul Incheon International. One is its modernity, both architecturally and in terms of passenger amenities; one feels as if he is in a futuristic shopping mall as much as an airport. The other is that it is not very crowded.
European airports, stung by falling passenger and freight traffic, are seeking relief from the European Commission to ensure their competitive and financial viability, according to Airports Council International Europe. The measures ACI has proposed are in line with the European Economic Recovery Plan adopted by the EC in November 2008 and do not ask for "massive bailouts" but seek a "reconsideration" of existing policies and regulations.
UK CAA has had its mission made clear: Passengers must come first. UK Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon issued the directive in March as part of a package designed to improve the economic regulation of UK airports. "The CAA has told us that their current duties lack clarity," Hoon said. "[The duties] ask them to further the interests of both airlines and passengers, without saying who comes first. Today I am removing that lack of clarity--the passenger must come first."
The number of mishandled bags has fallen by one-fifth, from 42.4 million in 2007 to 32.8 million in 2008, according to SITA's annual baggage report. The decline in lost luggage saved the industry an estimated $800 million. Some of the reasons for the improvement include fewer bags checked by passengers--attributed to the imposition of bag fees--improvements in management and handling processes, an increase in staff handling baggage and better tracking and tracing technology.
British Airways reported that 20 million passengers have used Heathrow Terminal 5 since it opened on March 27, 2008. Although the opening week was a disaster as the much-touted baggage system broke down and hundreds of flights were cancelled, BA insists the problems are behind it and 90% of flights depart ontime, while problems with the high-tech baggage system have been sorted out. Singapore Changi announced that four carriers have moved operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IS COMMITTED to a $12 billion-plus program "to make a 1960s airport fit and accommodate the 21st century aircraft and the 21st century passenger. We're in a serious catch-up mode of construction," says Los Angeles World Airports Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's goal is to make Los Angeles the Western US's No. 1 international gateway.
Airbus Americas welcomed former NTSB Member Steven Chealander as VP-technical training. A J Walter Aviation appointed Andrew Braley director-corporate communications. Austrian Airlines Group promoted Paul Paflik to VP-ground operations. Boeing tapped David H. Morrison as VP-government operations, Sean I. McCormack as VP-communications and Brig. Gen. (ret.) Leo A. Brooks Jr. as VP-national security & space, all in the Washington, DC, government operations office. Continental Connection named Missy Kelson VP-finance.
Branson Airport, which claims to be the first privately developed commercial airport in the US, is scheduled to open for business May 11. Branson, Mo., has become a showcase for country music and live theater performances, attracting 8 million visitors to the city each year. An estimated 5.4 million of them travel more than 300 mi. To date, Sun Country Airlines and AirTran Airways have announced service to the city, nestled in the Missouri Ozarks.
Jet Airways yesterday launched daily Mumbai-Kuwait City service aboard a 737-800. Emirates announced a May 1 increase in flights from Dubai to Dammam (to seven-times-weekly from five), Beirut (to 17-times-weekly from 14) and Tehran (to 21-times-weekly from 19).
