If you can handle the A340-600, the 777 or the 747, then you can handle the A380 from the GSE side," says Bernd Scholz, senior manager-equipment for Fraport, the management company for Frankfurt International Airport.
In education circles, it is understood that an intense experience teaches more than a boring one. John E. Ostrom can see the principle in action every time he watches the reaction of one of his drivers as the truck's windshield fills with the hulking mass of an airliner about to ruin everyone's day. "I call it the 'Oh (expletive) factor,' " he says. "I guarantee they'll remember that."
Moments of truth always come when you least expect them, like on nondescript Tuesday mornings in September. One year and some $1 billion into the most comprehensive capital development program in its history, the sky fell on Dallas/Fort Worth International Airportand the rest of the commercial aviation industryon 9/11. "[We] had to make some very difficult decisions," says DFW CEO Jeffrey P. Fegan. "Should we move forward, or pull back?" At stake: The airport's ability to position itself as one of the prime international airdromes on the planet.
With more than two years' experience operating the first all-airport in-line baggage screening system in the US under its belts, Jacksonville International is planning upgrades to the physical facility that will smooth the operation. Later on, the Jacksonville Airport Authority's executive director hopes to join the authority's German partner in selling the baggage handling expertise they are gaining to other airports and airlines around the world.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands (AMS) saw traffic growth return in 2004. Aircraft movements were up 3.4% over 2003 to 431,000, reversing the losses in 2003 and 2002 of 3% and 4% respectively. Passenger numbers rose 6.5% to 42,541,000, also a healthy turnaround from the decline in 2003 of 1.7%. Air cargo, meanwhile, continued to grow with 1,421,000 tonnes in 2004, up 8.7%, steadily increasing following 2003 (up 5.5%) and 2002 (up 4.8%). Schiphol is served by 114 airlines, the largest being Air France-KLM.
Iberia will offer Saturday service between Barcelona and Marrakech. Through a codesharing agreement with Royal Air Maroc, Iberia also is offering two weekly flights between Barcelona and Marrakech with direct service from Barcelona to Casablanca and Tangiers.
Lockheed Martin reached agreement with the government of Albania under which Lockheed Martin will complete the modernization of the country's air traffic management infrastructure. Previously, Albania and Lockheed cooperated to refurbish the country's decades-old infrastructure in time to service 2004 Olympics traffic.
Japan Airlines will double its daily charter flights between Haneda and Gimpo from Aug. 1. This will boost the total number of flights JAL operates between Japan and Korea from 230 to 244 per week.
Qantas will begin three weekly flights between Sydney and Beijing on Jan. 9. The carrier said it intends to increase the service to daily within two years.
AeroMexico will launch seasonal nonstop service between Los Angeles and Culiacan. The carrier will operate two weekly flights on the route from July 9 to Aug. 20.
Continental Airlines today is launching daily nonstop flights from Newark to Berlin Tegel. The new route is part of the carrier's international expansion that began in May and will continue through November. Continental started service from Newark to Bristol on May 19, to Belfast on May 26, to Stockholm on June 2, to Hamburg on June 9 and to Beijing on June 15. It plans to begin service to Delhi on Nov. 1.
L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems was awarded a contract to supply two Multi-View Tomography High-Resolution automated x-ray screening systems to Nadi International Airport in Fiji. The systems will enable Airports Fiji Ltd. to comply with ICAO security standards, which require that airports within its member countries perform 100% checked-baggage screening for explosives by Jan. 1, 2006. Nadi Airport's systems are expected to be operational by the deadline.
AirTran Airways received US Dept. of Transportation approval to begin flights to Cancun. The airline plans to launch service to Cancun from both Atlanta and Tampa on Dec. 15. It will announce schedules and fares next month. Separately, AirTran will launch new daily nonstop service from Indianapolis to Southwest Florida International Airport in Ft. Myers, Ft. Lauderdale International Airport and Sarasota International Airport on Nov. 8. In addition, it will begin additional daily nonstop flights between Indianapolis and Atlanta on Aug.
Air Berlin will add a 12th destination in Spain to its network. From Nov. 1 it will start daily services from Santiago de Compostela to its hub in Palma de Mallorca.
Virgin Express will resume service between Brussels and Berlin Schoenefeld Sept. 5. The decision was taken by the management board following a joint network review with SN Brussels Airlines, the carrier said in a statement. SN Brussels will continue to operate a four-times-daily rotation to Berlin Tempelhof. Since April, Virgin Express and SN Brussels have been under the common ownership of SN Airholding ( ATWOnline, April 13). Virgin Express initially will fly once daily on the route and will double its service from October.
Bmi confirmed plans to launch services from London Heathrow to Riyadh from Sept. 1. "I am delighted to confirm the expansion of our long-haul network from Heathrow following the successful launch of our Heathrow-Mumbai service last month," CEO Nigel Turner said, pointing out that bmi will be the only British carrier offering scheduled services to Saudi Arabia. British Airways suspended its flights between Heathrow and Jeddah and Riyadh from March 27 owing to reduced passenger demand. Bmi will operate a thrice-weekly service using a three-class A330.
Qatar Airways will add 11 weekly frequencies to India following the recent successful round of bilateral discussions between the countries. Qatar currently operates 19 scheduled flights a week between Doha and Cochin, Trivandrum, Hyderabad and Mumbai. From July 14 it will add New Delhi with seven services a week, flown initially with A320s in a 144-seat, two-class configuration and later with A330s offering three classes of service. From July 15, the Mumbai route will increase from six services a week to daily with the introduction of a new Friday night flight from Doha.
British Airways is stepping up competition with LCCs on its London-based short-haul network with the launch of a new winter service to Grenoble Dec. 10 with prices from £79 ($143.43) return. The fives-times-weekly flights will operate from Gatwick with a two-class 737-500.
Southwest Airlines plans to begin service to Ft. Myers from Southwest Florida International Airport in October. The city will become the sixth Florida destination Southwest serves. Flight schedules will be announced in July.
AirTran Airways launched daily nonstop service from Richmond to both Atlanta and Philadelphia. With the new flights, the carrier now serves 47 cities. Separately, AirTran reported a record 58,036 enplanements on its 568 flights on June 23.
ATA will expand its codeshare agreement with Southwest Airlines to include its Las Vegas-Honolulu flights from Aug. 4. Previously, the codeshare agreement covered ATA flights from Honolulu to Phoenix.
