California-based Byogy Renewables will seek as much as $30 million in funding from private equity and strategic investors by mid-2012, Bloomberg reported. The funds will be used to commercialize its alcohol-based fuel, and for testing by ASTM International.
Severe lightning storms at Perth, Western Australia, Tuesday brought Qantas’ (QF) operations to a halt for over 7 hr., stranding 18 planes on taxiways with nearly 2,000 passengers, while an estimated 5,000 passengers were stranded in the airline’s terminal. Altogether, 57 QF flights were affected. Safety provisions in QF baggage handlers’ and engineers’ labor contracts preclude working on the tarmac with lightning within 5 km. of the airport.
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has backed Qantas (QF) union demands to strengthen the Qantas Sales Act, which seeks to ensure the airline remains Australian-owned and -controlled.
FAA administrator Randy Babbitt requested and was granted an immediate leave of absence Monday afternoon after it emerged that he had been arrested Saturday night and charged with driving while intoxicated, and the one-time Eastern Airlines pilot's hold on FAA's top job appears tenuous.
LAN Airlines and Amadeus have signed a full-content distribution agreement. The multi-year agreement guarantees Amadeus travel agents worldwide access to the entire range of fares, schedules and inventory relating to the more than 18 million seats sold annually by the LAN Group Airlines (LAN Airlines, LAN Ecuador, LAN Perú, LAN Argentina, Aires and LAN Express). Amadeus has content agreements with key airlines in Latin America including AviancaTaca, Copa Airlines and TAM.
Renewable fuels producer Amyris International and Total, an international oil and gas company, will form a 50/50 joint venture, the two companies announced at the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) Expo in Washington last week. The JV, to launch in the first quarter 2012, will develop, produce and market “a range of renewable fuels and products.”
The Chinese government has raised domestic jet fuel prices to CNY7,655 ($1,206) per ton, up 5.17% from CNY7,279 per ton in November, citing rising international fuel prices triggered by political instability in the Middle East. This is the first fuel price increase since September ( ATW Daily News, Nov. 14).
The Air Line Pilots Assn. (ALPA) has been granted court permission to become party to a lawsuit brought by Airlines for America (A4A, formerly Air Transport Assn.) against the US Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank).
Thai Airways International (TG) acquired an additional 10% in Nok Air, lifting its stake in the low-cost carrier to 49%, it said in a statement to Thailand’s stock exchange. With a 49% share, TG has five directors out of nine on Nok Air's board, compared to four previously, giving it greater control over Nok’s strategy.
United Airlines' (UA) and Continental Airlines' (CO) professional engineers and related employees rejected representation sought by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE). The IFPTE filed a representation application with the National Mediation Board June 30. There were 346 engineers and related employees eligible to participate in the election.
The Air Transport Assn. (ATA) has changed its name to Airlines for America (A4A), to “better represent the industry’s vital role of literally connecting the United States to the global economy.” Its new tagline will be “We Connect the World.”
American Airlines (AA), which will launch its first biofuels flight next summer, has signed a purchase agreement for renewable diesel and an MOU with two suppliers for alternative jet fuels, it was announced Wednesday at the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) Expo in Washington. AA MD-corporate environmental Jim Walsh said that AA’s approach is for “collaborative, industry-wide plans,” which spreads the financial risk for both airlines and potential suppliers, and identifies various sources while remaining feedstock neutral.
Transaero Airlines (UN) has accused Rosaviatsia—Russia’s Dept. of Aviation/Ministry of Transport—of restricting competition and supporting a monopoly after it said the regulator withdrew permission for the carrier to operate charter flights from Moscow to Rome, Milan and Venice in the winter season.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved the comprehensive integrated network alliance between Virgin Australia (VA) and Singapore Airlines (SIA).
The FAA announced Thursday it is awarding $7.7 million in contracts to eight companies engaged in developing/producing alternative fuel to power commercial flights.
Airlines in the EU will be allowed to buy and sell slots under clear and transparent conditions across the 27 member states under legislation proposed by the European Commission (EC).
Airbus said Thursday that the EU has made "limited changes" that remedy the illegal aid the World Trade Organization (WTO) had earlier this year ruled the manufacturer received on the A380 program.
Emirates and AFI KLM E&M have signed a five-year nonexclusive agreement for component services, and a general terms agreement, on its Boeing 777 and Airbus A330/A340 fleets. Airbus signed an agreement with SR Technics and Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies, both part of Mubadala Aerospace’s global MRO network, for the implementation of the Airbus Managed Inventory (AMI) service. The implementation of AMI will ensure the replenishment of the high-usage and non-repairable Airbus parts.
Inflight Wi-Fi rivals Gogo and OnAir have been selected by Inmarsat as partners to bring its Global Xpress satellite service to the aviation market. Global Xpress will enable the two to utilize the first global Ka-band solution, which OnAir CEO Ian Dawkins dubs “the next generation of inflight connectivity,” with expected transmission speeds of up to 50 megabits per second.
Qatar Airways’ (QR) outspoken CEO Akbar Al Baker took another swing at American and European regulators and governments, calling their comments that Gulf carriers distort the level playing field “pure hypocrisy.” Speaking during a debate at the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) annual general meeting in Abu Dhabi, Al Baker criticized the new practice by some EU member states to include a fair competition clause in their air services agreements (ASA) with a number of Gulf States.
Honeywell Process Solutions will invest its engineering services and equipment to accelerate the commercial deployment of AliphaJet’s renewable drop-in biofuels, it announced Wednesday at the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative Expo in Washington. AliphaJet will use Honeywell Controls, instrumentation and advanced solutions, including its Experion Process Knowledge System and UniSim process simulators and field instrumentation.
Reports from London indicate that Wednesday's UK public sector strike, in which a large number of Border Agency immigration officers are participating, has not caused gridlock at London Heathrow (LHR) and other major UK airports as had been feared ( ATW Daily News, Nov. 29).
United Continental Holdings received FAA approval Wednesday for a single operating certificate, the final regulatory step integrating United Airlines (UA) and Continental Airlines (CO).
