Hopefully, the hiatus will be temporary, and brief, but the U.S. FAA's grounding of the Boeing 787, by issuing an AD (Airworthiness Directive) on January 16 was not something that many would have forecast. On the other hand, while unusual to the point of being rare, it's not unprecedented. And, as we'll discuss further, the history on this sort of event goes back a significant distance in time.
Volga-Dnepr Technics (VDT) began A check maintenance services on a Czech Airlines Airbus A320 at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport. The carrier is VDT’s launch customer for the service; it received authorization to provide maintenance services up to A check for new aircraft types at the beginning of December. MNG Technic won a contract from Vueling for 6YE checks of two Airbus A320 aircraft.
India’s minister for civil aviation Ajit Singh said Friday that Air India would seek “some kind of compensation” for the grounding of its six Boeing 787 aircraft.
Italian carrier Meridiana Fly, which had its license downgraded by Italian civil aviation authority ENAC this week, said it will continue normal flight operations.
Hawaiian Airlines appointed Doreen Lawrence as VP-inflight services. Lawrence fills the position previously held by Louis Saint-Cyr, who was appointed VP-customer services in May. Alaska Airlines named Constance von Muehlen MD-airframe, engine and component MRO. Von Muehlen previously served as Alaska Airlines’ director of engine maintenance.
Emirates and Qantas have secured conditional approval to begin selling tickets under a new partnership, although a final competition ruling is not expected until March.
Lanyon acquired by private equity firm Room 77 raises $30m; Expedia joins list of investors Travelport, AA could be on verge of settlement Shorts Travel Management enhances Bookit application Agilysys releases latest version of Visual One software suite Nexion to establish agency hosting business in Canada World news briefing
American Express said it will eliminate about 5,400 jobs this year, reducing overall staffing by 4% to 6%. The deepest cuts will be felt in its Global Business Travel unit, which currently employs about 12,000 people. “Online servicing is the preferred channel,” Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer, said during a conference call with investment analysts. “As our online capabilities improve, one outcome is that we can serve our growing customer base with lower staffing levels.”
All Boeing 787 operators have grounded their aircraft following FAA’s emergency airworthiness directive (AD); European regulatory authority EASA also adopted the AD.
Finnair has denied reports that president and CEO Mika Vehviläinen is leaving the airline to take up a similar role at Cargotec, a cargo handling equipment maker.
US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has named Lynn Deavers US Dept. of Transportation’s (DOT) accountability officer to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).
US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) has named Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) chairman of aviation subcommittee for the 113th US Congress.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is sending an official to Japan to assist in the investigation of Tuesday’s emergency landing of an All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 787.
Air Berlin has begun to implement its Turbine 2013 turnaround program, cutting around 900 jobs to save €400 million ($534.9 million) by the end of 2014.
