White House yesterday defended the two air marshals who shot and killed 44-year-old Rigoberto Alpizar as he exited an American Airlines 757 at Miami International Airport (ATWOnline, Dec. 8), although there were some discrepancies in witness accounts about whether or not the Costa Rica-born US citizen claimed to be carrying a bomb, according to media reports. "From what we know, the team of air marshals acted in a way that is consistent with the training that they have received," White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters.
Virgin America Inc., a US-based startup, announced yesterday that it has secured $177.3 million in committed funding and has filed an application for certification with the US Dept. of Transportation to operate as an interstate carrier.
The supervisory board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG yesterday approved an order for 12 CRJ900s that will be configured for 84 seats and will replace 50-seat CRJ200s. In a statement, the airline said, "The competitiveness and cost-efficiency of the regional fleet are of crucial importance in Lufthansa's European operations and for feeder flights to intercontinental connections at its major hubs."
Scandinavian Airlines Group agreed to sell its holding in Jetpak Group, a same-day door-to-door delivery service, to Denmark-based Polaris Private Equity for SEK490 million ($61.2 million), resulting in a capital gain of approximately SEK410 million. The transaction is expected to close before year end and is conditional upon approval of the appropriate authorities.
British Airways, after a two-year review, signed what it called "one of the largest engineering contracts awarded in the airline's history" with GE Engine Services. The 10-year, £1.5 billion ($2.6 billion) agreement will see GEES responsible for MRO on BA's RB211-524s and CFM56s powering its 57 747s, 21 767s, 32 737s and 10 of its 26 A320s. It replaces an existing contract due to expire at year end.
Germanwings confirmed its June commitment for 18 A319s plus 12 options, signing a contract yesterday that will more than double the size of its fleet. The Cologne-based LCC already operates 19 A319s and three A320s. The new single-class, 156-seat aircraft will be powered by IAE V2500s in an engine deal worth more than $500 million, according to Pratt & Whitney. "The new A319s will ensure that we can continue our success that we enjoyed in the LCC market since October 2002," Germanwings Management Board Chairman Joachim Klein said.
Qantas will launch a long-haul low-cost airline under the Jetstar brand to start services by January 2007, and according to CEO Geoff Dixon the new carrier "will have a fleet of 60 narrow and widebody aircraft within five years." But what the widebody part of that fleet will be and which aircraft Qantas will order for its mainline operations remains a mystery until at least Dec. 14, when the company holds a special board meeting to consider its long-term fleet plan.
A man reportedly claiming to have a bomb in his carry-on luggage was shot and killed by US federal air marshals on the airbridge connecting Miami International Airport and an American Airlines 757 just arrived from Medellin. A passenger told WTVJ in Miami that the 44-year-old US citizen ran through the plane chased by his wife, who claimed he suffered from bipolar disorder and had not taken his medication. That report was not confirmed.
Volga-Dnepr Group said revenues for the first nine months of 2005 totaled $308 million. Volga-Dnepr Airlines and AirBridge Cargo had combined revenues of $254 million. Volga-Dnepr Airlines claims a 54% share in the movement of super-heavy and outsize cargo. Its fleet of 10 An-124-100s and Il-76s generated revenues of $189 million over the nine months, up 10% over last year. AirBridge Cargo, the scheduled cargo airline, had revenues of $65 million from the operation of two 747-200Fs. A 747-300F joined the fleet in October.
Oneworld named Filip Lemmens to the new position of commercial director, the No. 2 post in the alliance's sales and marketing division. Kellstrom Industries of Florida promoted Commercial Aerospace President Dennis Zalupski to president. GKN named Marcus Bryson CEO of GKN Aerospace. He will take responsibility for all GKN Aerospace operations on a global basis from Jan. 1.
Embraer was granted type certification for its 100-seat 190 from Transport Canada Civil Aviation. The certification will allow deliveries to begin to Air Canada, which has ordered 45. Launch customer JetBlue Airways took delivery in late October of the first of its 100 aircraft on order.
In what it called "the biggest fleet modernization in its history," Finnair yesterday said it will acquire nine A350-900s and three CFM56-5-powered A340-300Es (Enhanced). Value of the deal and engine choice for the A350s were not announced. The A350-900s will begin arriving in 2011. The dash 900 is the larger of the two versions. Finnair will take them in a 314-seat, two-class layout. Range of the type is 7,500 nm. (13,890 km.).
Air Macau intends to launch a low-cost carrier next year with partners China National Aviation Corp. and Shun Tak Holdings, the Daily Apple reported. Air Macau will control 51% of the new airline and Shun Tak approximately 33%. Plans calling for an investment of $30 million will be concluded Friday, according to Reuters.
ARINC said that Korean Air chose its Graphic/Text Weather Service. Korean began receiving G/TWS service last month. In addition, ARINC announced a contract renewal with Frontier Airlines for its OpCenter Messenger Service, an Internet-based system allowing dispatchers to send, receive and manage data link message exchanges with aircraft and host pre-departure clearances. It also signed a two-year radio service contract with WestJet providing support for VHF, UHF and networked digital voice systems at 23 Canadian airports.
Korean Air cancelled more than 200 flights today--more than half its flight schedule--in advance of a pilot strike called by the Flight Crew Union that began at midnight Thursday (Seoul time). The walkout took place despite a government warning that it may use emergency powers to order the pilots back to work, as was done in the case of Asiana Airlines, whose pilots struck that carrier for nearly a month last summer. The FCU represents around 70% of KAL's nearly 2,000 pilots.
German LCC Hapag-Lloyd Express expects its first profit this year, CEO Roland Keppler told ATWOnline. The TUI Group company will transport 3.8 million passengers in 2005 and expects turnover of €240 million ($281.4 million). It is increasing its fleet to 18 aircraft from 15 for the coming summer season. They will include 10 737s wet-leased from Hapag-Fly, three of which are dash 800s. A further six 737s and two F100s will be leased from Germania. HLX will fly to 36 destinations in 10 countries next year, operating within Germany and to leisure destinations.
Qatar Airways will increase its four-times-weekly service to Manchester by one from Feb. 11 and to daily from March 26. QR operates the route with A330-200s. Separately, the airline signed an IT partnership agreement with Lufthansa Systems covering passenger and ticketing processes.
SriLankan Airlines lashed out at Pakistan and Bangladesh over restrictions it claims are hindering its growth. CEO Peter Hill, speaking at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation 2006 Outlook conference in Kuala Lumpur, called on the governments of the two countries to liberalize aviation access. "Pakistan and Bangladesh have yet to take a leaf from India's book and open their skies," Hill told delegates. "India is now the premier tourism generating country to Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka is one of the main tourism generating countries to India."
JetWorks Leasing named Sigma Aircraft co-founder and President Anders Hebrand president and COO. The two companies announced they have entered into an alliance in which JetWorks will assume management of aircraft currently under Sigma asset management contracts.
Cathay Pacific signed an agreement with ATC provider Airservices Australia "aimed at delivering greater operational efficiencies and possible future cost savings," according to the carrier. The arrangement includes development of a communications protocol and implementation of an operational awareness program featuring crew visits to each other's facilities.
Delta Air Lines received some welcome financial relief yesterday as cargo carrier ABX Air and CIT Group agreed to purchase a combined 21 aircraft from the beleaguered company. CIT announced it will buy 10 737-800 delivery positions from Delta in a deal worth approximately $600 million. The aircraft, part of the carrier's order backlog with Boeing, will be delivered in 2007 (nine) and 2008 (one). CIT Aerospace manages a fleet of more than 300 commercial and regional aircraft operated by more than 100 airlines.
Intersky, an Austrian Regional operating as a low-cost airline, will add Dresden, Zadar, Rijeka and Naples to its network effective March 26. It also will increase frequencies from its German base at Friedrichshafen to Vienna and Hamburg. Prague will see five-times-weekly service and Cologne receives two extra weekly frequencies from March 26. Intersky will add two former Augsburg Airways Dash 8-Q300s to its fleet and return one Dash 8 to its lessor.
AirBridge Cargo of Russia announced that Regional Director and Area Manager-Asia Pacific Peter Yap will retire at the end of January. He will be succeeded by Robert Song, formerly of Air New Zealand Cargo.
