Safety, Ops & Regulation

Neste Oil has joined the European Union-funded Initiative Towards Sustainable Kerosene for Aviation (ITAKA) project, which supports the commercialization and use of renewable aviation fuel in Europe. Neste Oil's role in the consortium will be to produce the renewable fuel used in the project. The 36-month ITAKA project has been granted €10 million of funding under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) said that 2012 passenger traffic increased 7% to 207 million year-over-year.

Virgin Atlantic announced that former Amadeus UK commercial director Scott Davies will join the airline as GM-UK Sales, effective March 4. AJW Technique named Allan Pennycuick engineering and quality manager, Guy Salicco production manager, Robert Gogo supply chain manager and Carmine Di Fruscia financial controller.

Russia’s Aeroflot will equip 26 long-haul aircraft with Wi-Fi Internet access by year end.

United Airlines launched Panasonic Ku-band satellite Wi-Fi on a Boeing 747.

Air France leisure arm Transavia France has named Antoine Pussiau as its new CEO, replacing Lionel Guerin in the role.

China Southern Airlines has stalled joint venture (JV) negotiations with Air China to operate an Airbus A380 on the Beijing-Paris route.

European competition regulators have blocked United Parcel Service’s (UPS) acquisition of TNT Express, saying the deal could harm consumers.

Hawaiian Airlines parent Hawaiian Holdings posted 2012 net income of $53.2 million, reversed from the $2.6 million net loss it recorded in 2011.

Boeing reported net income of $3.9 billion for 2012, down 3% from a net profit of $4.02 billion in 2011, on an 18.9% rise in revenue to $81.7 billion.

Five Forty Aviation is demanding $6.8 million in unpaid debts from Lonrho Aviation, which is now operating as African-low-cost carrier Fastjet.

AFI KLM E&M was selected by AlMasria Universal Airlines to deal with an aircraft on ground situation involving CFM56-5B engines. The MRO provider organized the lease of two spare engines for the Egyptian carrier and a shop visit for the two faulty engines.

OLT Express Germany announced insolvency at a German court Jan. 29. It also said it canceled around 40 flights.

A Turkish Airlines spokesperson confirmed to ATW that a lightning strike caused an Airbus A321 engine fire on descent to Izmir Airport Jan. 24.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC) has appointed Andrey Kalinovsky as president of the company, effective Feb. 1.

Air Malta has posted a third-quarter net loss of €8.5 million ($11.4 million), narrowed from a loss of €11.9 million in the year-ago quarter.

News from Travel Technology Update: Sabre called IATA’s New Distribution Capability “an agreement among the airlines to withhold content by not publicly filing their content.”

Air France is uniting its three regional airlines—Brit Air, Regional and Airlinair—under a new brand name: HOP!

US transportation secretary Ray LaHood will not serve a second term heading the Department of Transportation (DOT).

JetBlue Airways reported net income of $128 million for 2012, up 48.8% over a net profit of $86 million in 2012.

A Kazakhstan-based SCAT Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 crashed on approach to Almaty Airport Tuesday.

AAR - a provider of aircraft MRO and expeditionary airlift - has secured renewal of its support of US operations in Western and Central Africa.

Irish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair is considering Israel and Georgia as potential new markets.

Russia’s Air Traffic Management Corp. has banned Ukrainian carrier AeroSvit from operating flights in the country’s airspace.

Hawaiian Airlines pilots have ratified a tentative agreement on new contract terms covering the operation of Airbus A321neos.