Emirates will invest $38.8 million to build a luxury conservation resort in Australia's Blue Mountains. According to the company, the development will be built on farmlands that currently border the Gardens of Stone National Park, with guest facilities occupying less than 2% of the total land. "We want to take this beautiful but sadly distressed rural farming site and turn it into a sanctuary to further showcase Australia to the world," said Emirates Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum. Opening of the resort is planned for 2007.
United Airlines carried its 3,888,888th passenger from the US to China. It currently operates four daily services to China, flying from San Francisco and Chicago to Beijing and Shanghai.
Snecma Services signed an exclusive five-year contract with Oman Air for maintenance and repair services for the CFM56-7B engines powering its six 737s. It also signed a three-year contract with Czech Airlines to provide maintenance and repair services for the CFM56-5B engines powering its four A320 family aircraft.
US mainline system revenue per ASM for the eight largest US passenger airlines (excluding Southwest) rose 5.2% in May compared to the year-ago period on a 2.4% increase in capacity, according to JP Morgan, which cited data from the Air Transport Assn. Yield was up 0.6%--the first year-on-year increase since July 2004--and revenues climbed 7.7%. JP Morgan's Jamie Baker described the RASM rise as "stronger than expected."
AMR Corp. Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey and leaders of the Allied Pilots Assn., Assn. of Professional Flight Attendants and Transport Workers Union will lead approximately 300 uniformed employees in a rally on Capitol Hill today to campaign in favor of pension reform legislation and to remind legislators that American "is on a different path than many airlines, fighting to maintain--not abandon--its defined benefit plans."
Continental Airlines yesterday said it applied to the US National Mediation Board for the immediate appointment of a federal mediator to help in its negotiations with its flight attendants. Earlier this year, the flight attendants rejected a tentative agreement, becoming the only workgroup at the carrier that did not ratify a new deal ( ATWOnline, April 1). Continental has said it needs $500 million in annual pay and benefit savings from its employees and has achieved roughly $418 million of that total.
Actel Corp. announced that it has provided field-programmable gate arrays and intellectual property core modules for a number of applications onboard the A380. More than 700 devices from the company's ProASIC Plus and SX-A FPGA families have been designed into the following applications: Flight computers, engine control monitoring, braking systems, safety warning systems, cabin air conditioning and pressurization and cockpit displays.
United Airlines is offering a 5% discount for residents of Washington on flights departing from any of the three D.C.-area airports purchased through the carrier's website. The offer is good for tickets booked between June 21 and Aug. 31 and the travel period for the deal is June 21 to Oct. 31.
Lufthansa Systems and Garuda Indonesia launched a joint venture called Lufthansa Indonesia specializing in software development and data center services. Applications will focus on solutions for various distribution channels, customer loyalty programs, CRM solutions and integrated onboard processes. Garuda has a long-term strategic partnership with LHS under which it will use the new LHS passenger solutions for core processes including inventory, departure control, reservations and check-in.
Standard Aero signed an exclusive contract with GoJet Airlines to service the APUs on the carrier's CRJ700s. The initial maintenance contract is worth more than $5 million over 15 years, the company said.
Gol said it will build a new 30.5 million reais ($12.8 million) aircraft maintenance center in Confins. Construction begins in July and should be completed by early 2006.
Smiths Detection has formed a strategic partnership with Paladin Capital Corp., a private equity investment firm based in Washington. Smiths said the relationship aligns it with a partner "focused on investing in homeland security technology businesses."
Continental Airlines named Mike Bonds senior VP-human resources and labor relations replacing Michael Campbell, who retired at the end of 2004. In this position, Bonds will be responsible for all of Continental's human resources and labor relations including compensation, benefits, staffing and corporate training. Bonds, who has served as VP-human resources since 2003, will continue to report to President Jeff Smisek.
Following a meeting with senior management, leaders of the pilots union at America West Airlines expressed "deep concern" that AWA management continues to ignore "reasonable requests to help the union protect its membership" if the proposed merger with US Airways is approved.
LTU German Airlines, which will offer low-fare scheduled service under the brand City Quickies by November, is expecting the arrival of a new financial investor. MD Juergen Marbach told the German daily Welt am Sonntag that in a few days a positive acceptance from a potential investor could be announced.
CAE was awarded a contract to provide a Dash 8-400 full-flight simulator to ANA. The simulator will be used for training at the ANA Flight Training Center at Haneda with delivery slated for fall 2006.
Lithuanian Airlines carried 48,081 passengers in May, up 18.7% over the year-ago period. Of the total, 42,792 were carried on the carrier's 478 scheduled flights and 5,289 on its 28 charter flights. For the first five months of the year, Lithuanian carried 186,622 passengers, a 43.9% increase over the prior-year period.
Delta Air Lines added a self-service check-in kiosk for passengers at the Avis Rent a Car shuttle bus stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The kiosk was developed by ID Systems and uses software that ties into Delta's existing Internet-based check-in process.
American Airlines added a new feature to its website that allows domestic e-ticket passengers with interline connections on eligible carriers to check in online up to 24 hr. prior to departure and print boarding passes as long as the flight originates on American, American Eagle or AmericanConnection.
ATA Holdings Corp. said it intends to engage Jefferson & Company, SkyWorks Capital and SkyWorks Securities to raise funding to support its exit from Chapter 11. The engagement is subject to US Bankruptcy Court approval. The carrier plans to emerge from Chapter 11 next year.
Air Canada pilots over the weekend rejected a new tentative agreement, and as a result the carrier informed Boeing that it has canceled the massive $6 billion 777/787 order it placed in April. "We are naturally disappointed at having to cancel the widebody aircraft order, but these aircraft can only be brought into our fleet on a predetermined economic basis. Despite best efforts on the part of [the pilots union], the agreement has been rejected," AC President and CEO Montie Brewer said.
ExpressJet Holdings purchased a noncontrolling interest in Wing Aviation, a full-service aviation company specializing in aircraft charter and management, airframe maintenance, avionics installations and aircraft painting.
