Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International suspended all takeoffs yesterday after protesters seeking to force the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat stormed the airport. The passenger terminal was overtaken by the protesters amid an increasingly unstable situation throughout the capital. Protesters also blocked roads leading to the airport. "For the safety for passengers, we have to stop flights out of the airport temporarily until the situation returns to normal," Airport Manager Serirat Prasutanon said. Incoming flights still were operating, according to some reports.
AirAsia X launched ticket sales yesterday for a five-times-weekly Kuala Lumpur- London Stansted service scheduled to begin in March ( ATWOnline, Oct. 14). Lead-in fares are ¤99 ($148.23). Route will be operated with a 286-seat A340 featuring 30 premium seats.
Ryanair will close its two routes from Blackpool (daily to Dublin and thrice-weekly to Girona) on Jan. 4 following the airport's decision to impose a £10 ($14.97) "Airport Development Fee" on all passengers from Jan. 5. Blackpool is the fourth airport from which the LCC has withdrawn or threatened to withdraw all services, following Valencia ( ATWOnline, Oct. 27), Fuerteventura ( ATWOnline, Nov. 20) and Maastricht ( ATWOnline, Nov.
Despite the Chinese government's attempt to ease the burden on airlines by reducing landing fees 20% in March, 29 Chinese carriers had failed to pay about CNY4 billion ($585.1 million) combined to airports as of Sept. 30, according to the China Civil Airports Assn.
US FAA initiated the rollout of the NextGen satellite-based air traffic control system with the commissioning of the installation of 11 ADS-B ground stations in Florida. It hopes to have 794 nationwide ADS-B ground stations by 2013. "The next generation of air travel has arrived," Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell said. "ADS-B is the backbone of the future of air traffic control." The next "key milestones" for installations--Juneau, Louisville, the Gulf of Mexico and Philadelphia--are scheduled for completion by the end of 2010, Sturgell said.
Wataniya Airways, an all-premium Kuwaiti startup ( ATWOnline, Nov. 6), will launch operations in February with a twice-daily Kuwait City-Dubai A320 service. Ticketing operations began yesterday. The airline also announced that parent company Kuwait National Airways will be listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange on Dec. 15. It will operate out of KWI's private Royal Terminal under the KW code and said it has hired 15 pilots and 59 cabin crew.
Qantas yesterday launched thrice-weekly Sydney-Buenos Aires flights aboard a three-class 747-400. Air Canada will launch daily Montreal-Geneva flights June 1 aboard a 767-300ER. Swiss International Air Lines will codeshare. Aer Arann will commence thrice-daily London City-Isle of Man flights on Jan. 19 aboard a 72-seat ATR 72-500.
S7 Airlines CEO Vladislav Filev said the carrier has "received a verbal offer from an investment company which is acting in the interests of an undisclosed client" and has hired an unnamed bank to assess the offer, Reuters reported. No further details were available. Aeroflot has expressed interest in acquiring the state's 25.5% stake in S7 ( ATWOnline, Nov. 14). Separately, S7 resumed weekly Novosibirsk-Bishkek service aboard an A320.
Italy and United Arab Emirates signed an agreement yesterday that will allow Emirates and Etihad Airways to have significant access to Italian airports, with EK planning to use Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino and Venice as gateway "hubs" to Europe. Italian Secretary of State for Economic Development and Foreign Trade Adolfo Urso, who traveled to Abu Dhabi to sign the accord, said the re-launched Alitalia would provide connections for EK passengers. "Emirates would be able to count on the help of our new Italian airline," he said.
Quantum Aviation Solutions will provide Bermuda's L.F. Wade International with its BagScan baggage reconciliation technology under a deal announced yesterday. Contract eliminates upfront implementation costs.
Worldwide Flight Services won a contract from TAM Airlines to provide cargo handling services including documentation management and processing, security screening and customs clearance at Orlando International. The carrier operates A330s between Orlando and Sao Paulo.
ANA said it is considering establishing Tokyo Narita and Haneda as dual international hubs as it looks to expand its international network in coming years with the expected shrinking of the domestic market.
