The European Commission (EC) has launched an in-depth investigation into Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair’s (FR) third takeover bid of Ireland’s national flag carrier Aer Lingus (EI), citing “potential competition concerns.”
A Vueling (VY) aircraft landed at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport (AMS) Wednesday after reports that it had been hijacked were dispelled by the Spanish airline.
Lufthansa’s (LH) flight attendants, represented by the UFO union, could strike from Wednesday after the latest round of talks and a new pay offer failed to satisfy the union.
The US FAA is forming a government-study group to determine whether airlines can be permitted to allow passengers more widespread use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) during flight.
Mexico is advocating for its neighboring countries—Belize, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala—to agree on an open skies policy to jointly market the leisure destination known as Maya World.
Pemco World Air Services has completed its restructuring and “emerged as an independent company solely focused on serving the growing aviation MRO and conversion markets,” the company said in a statement.
Las Vegas-based low-cost carrier Allegiant Air’s 350 pilots, previously non-unionized, have voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) union.
The US FAA has proposed a civil penalty of $1 million against Seattle, Wash.-based Horizon Air for allegedly operating 22 Bombardier DHC-8-402 turboprop airliners on more than 186,000 flights after installing security flight deck doors using blind rivets instead of the required solid rivets.
Lufthansa’s (LH) flight attendants, represented by the UFO union, will delay a decision on a possible strike to Aug. 28 while they consider a new pay offer.
Twelve aviation organizations, including the US Aeronautical Repair Station Assn. (ARSA) have urged US Dept. of Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano to finalize repair station security rules.
Mercator was selected by Air Mauritius to supply its rapid cargo solution to manage the carrier’s cargo operations’ revenue accounting. Mesa Air Group has FAA approval to launch a six-month validation process for using the Apple iPad as a class I electronic flight bag (EFB). During the validation, the EFB will be used alongside the pilot carry-on flight bags, but eventually will replace the paper flight bag.
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A federal judge granted American Airlines’ motion to dismiss Travelport’s antitrust claims against the carrier, saying that whatever harm may have been committed by American was done to travel agents and passengers. Travelport had filed its complaints as a counterclaim to American’s antitrust lawsuit filed in April 2011 against Travelport and Sabre.
Qatar Airways has set new standards for 5-Star service in the aviation industry by leveraging on the iPad to offer personalised service to its customers at various touch points.
JetBlue Airways (B6) will pay a $90,000 US Dept. of Transportation (DOT) fine for not informing passengers they could deplane a delayed aircraft as it sat at New York JFK in March for nearly 3 hr. with the door open.
FL Technics Training signed an agreement with Avia Group Techniks to provide technical training courses for the company’s MRO specialists in Russia and Lithuania. StandardAero delivered its 6,000th APU since the program inception in 1995, at its Maryville, Tenn. facility. The APS2300 was delivered to an unnamed commercial customer.
News from Travel Technology Update: A federal judge granted American Airlines’ (AA) motion to dismiss Travelport’s antitrust claims against the carrier, saying that whatever harm may have been committed by AA was done to travel agents and passengers.
United Airlines has joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG), an industry working group that aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of aviation biofuels. SAFUG members represent about 32% of commercial aviation fuel demand. When joining SAFUG, United Airlines signed a pledge to pursue the advancement of drop-in biofuels that achieve sustainability criteria, work with leading organizations to achieve biofuel certification standards, and take actions to enable commercial use of aviation biofuels.
The US Environmental Protection Agency is under pressure to waive the government-mandated Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which places a quota on ethanol production, as high heat, drought impact US corn production and raise the price of livestock feed. The August US Dept. of Agriculture corn forecast anticipates10.8 billion bushels, slashed over 2 billion bushels since the last report.
Air Berlin (AB) will equip the 14 Airbus A320/A321 aircraft it has on order with Sharklet wing tip devices, cutting its fuel burn by up to 3.5%. NIKI (HG), which is part of the Air Berlin group, will take delivery of its first Sharklet-equipped A320 in spring 2013. AB said the move will cut its carbon dioxide emissions by about 1,000 tonnes per aircraft annually, the equivalent of 55 flights from Berlin to Palma de Mallorca.
A wide range of US organizations—including Airlines for America, the Aerospace Industries Assn., Airports Council International-North America, several airline employee unions and the Chamber of Commerce—have asked the US government to “strongly restate opposition to—and continuing plans for overturning—the application of the EU [Emissions Trading Scheme] ETS to international aviation.”
Boeing and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) have opened a joint technology center in Beijing dedicated to commercial aviation energy and emissions research projects. The Boeing-COMAC Aviation Energy Conservation and Emissions Reductions Technology Center’s project will explore opportunities to refine waste cooking oil into sustainable aviation biofuel. Research will focus on identifying contaminants in so-called "gutter oil" and processes that could treat and clean it for use as jet fuel.
California-based Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is joining forces with the New York-based US National Alliance to Advance NextGen (NAANG) association to call attention to the need for the “rapid upgrading” of the US air traffic system.
