Safety, Ops & Regulation

Amid conflicting characterizations of the vote count in the US House of Representatives for Rep. Bill Shuster’s air traffic control (ATC) reform proposal, Congress is debating how to extend FAA’s authorization, which expires Sept. 30.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
UK-based LCC easyJet will enable passengers to connect with partner airlines through a new booking platform.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Victoria Moores
Lobby group Airlines for Europe (A4E) has called on the French government to address air traffic controller (ATC) strike action, which has canceled at least 200 flights as a result of the latest French ATC walkout.
Airports & Networks

Analogic’s ConneCT computed tomography (CT) airport checkpoint screening machines have been certified by the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), clearing the way for the machines to be trialed at US airports this fall.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Victoria Moores
LCC Norwegian is recruiting an additional 40 Boeing 737 pilots for a new base in Dublin, Ireland, which will open later this year.
Airports & Networks

Airberlin canceled more than 100 flights Sept. 12 after pilots called in sick in unusually high numbers fearing possible redundancies at the bankrupt German carrier.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Victoria Moores
Lufthansa Group carrier Brussels Airlines will start using slots acquired from leisure carrier Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium (TCAB) from October, after receiving approval from the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA).
Airlines & Lessors

By Alan Dron
Spanish flag carrier Iberia has agreed to a voluntary redundancy deal with its unions that could see up to 955 personnel leaving the airline by December 2019.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Linda Blachly
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Victoria Moores
Pilots working for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) in Norway have rejected a pay offer and called for strike action, just days after the airline sealed an agreement with its Danish flight-deck crews.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
Ireland’s national airline, Aer Lingus, is introducing a “bare bones” transatlantic fare as it fights off growing competition on the North Atlantic run, notably from long-haul, low-cost carriers.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Qatar Airways is extending its new Pre-Select Dining service to even more First and Business Class passengers from October. It will now be available for those flying long-haul to Africa and Asia, joining Europe, the Americas and Australasia.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Michael Bruno
US lawmakers are debating how long after Oct. 1 to extend the current FAA authorization, with some senators and House Democrats seeking six months while a leading House Republican is believed to be pushing for less.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Mark Nensel
Denver-based ultra LCC Frontier Airlines’ pilots voted unanimously Sept. 8 to authorize a strike if the National Mediation Board (NMB) decides that further contract mediation efforts would be unproductive.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
Pilots at UK leisure carrier Thomas Cook Airlines staged a strike Sept. 8 for improved pay, the first time British flight deck crew have gone on strike in more than 40 years, according to the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA).
Safety, Ops & Regulation

During a presentation at the Future Travel Experience Global conference in Las Vegas, US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official Jose Bonilla displayed a rendering of an imagined future TSA checkpoint featuring a middle lane in which passengers cut through the checkpoint without being physically screened or interacting with TSA personnel.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Around 10 computed tomography (CT) airport checkpoint screening machines produced by Boston-based technology firm Analogic will be tested in major airports in three countries—Japan, the Netherlands and the US—in the coming months.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Polina Montag-Girmes
Russia’s Ministry of Transport enacted a decree Sept. 5 allowing local carriers to use electronic boarding passes.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
Airlines for Europe (A4E) has again complained to Europe’s air navigation service providers (ANSPs) about escalating air traffic control delays.
Airports & Networks

By Mark Nensel
Chicago-based United Airlines passengers can now utilize Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices to access flight information, with the Sept. 5 unveiling of a new United Airlines’ Alexa skill on Amazon’s website.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
The United Kingdom has lifted its ban on in-cabin carriage of large personal electronic devices (PEDs) from Cairo International Airport to the UK.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Victoria Moores
The European Commission has approved Germany’s plans to grant airberlin a temporary €150 million ($178 million) bridging loan.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Polina Montag-Girmes
Russia’s S7 Airlines has ordered a full-flight simulator (FFS) for the Embraer E170 from FlightSafety International.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
Several major European airlines are urging the European Union (EU) to play hard ball with the UK in the latter’s negotiations to exit the bloc (Brexit), Irish LCC Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said Aug. 31.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Victoria Moores
Swedish regulators have downgraded regional carrier NextJet to a temporary air operator’s certificate (AOC) because of financial concerns, triggering the airline to recapitalize.
Safety, Ops & Regulation