Europe's volcanic ash-related airspace closures caused international scheduled passenger traffic (RPKs) to slump 2.4% in April compared to April 2009, IATA reported. Capacity (ASKs) fell 5%. "The ash crisis knocked back the global recovery, impacting carriers in all regions. Last month we were within 1% of pre-crisis traffic levels in 2008. In April that was pushed back 7%," said IATA MD and CEO Giovanni Bisignani.
Boeing, along with Honeywell UOP, United Technologies and AECOM, will work with Air China and PetroChina in a collaborative effort to establish a sustainable aviation biofuel industry in China as part of a broader sustainable aviation biofuel agreement between China's National Energy Administration and the US Trade and Development Agency.
FAA yesterday announced the final rule describing the performance requirements for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out, a foundation stone of NextGen, and setting a 2020 deadline for aircraft to be equipped when operating in US-controlled airspace.
The US airline industry won a small but significant victory in its bid to challenge the legality of the EU's plan to apply its Emissions Trading Scheme to non-EU airlines yesterday when the English High Court of Justice said it would refer the case to the European Court of Justice.
AJW Aviation expanded its power-by-the-hr. contract with Libyan carrier Buraq Air to include two 737-400s. Turkish Technic signed an aircraft paint services agreement and a five-year wheel & brake maintenance services agreement with SunExpress covering the carrier's 737-800s. Work will be performed at Turkish Technic's Istanbul hangar. Separately, it signed a C check maintenance services agreement with Kyrgyzstan's Kyrgyz Airways covering one 737-300.
Airspace closures as a result of Europe's volcanic ash crisis cost the world $4.7 billion in lost GDP during the first week April 15-21, according to a study by Oxford Economics that was presented at the World Travel and Tourism Council's 10th Global Travel & Tourism Summit. The study, commissioned by Airbus, found that subsequent, more limited closures raised the cost to $5 billion through May 24.
US National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman called on US regional airlines to "take the initiative" on safety issues by going beyond "minimum requirements," particularly regarding pilot hiring/training and pilot fatigue.
Lufthansa Technik AG won a long-term contract from China Airlines to provide total component support services for the carrier's 18 A330-300s and six A340-300s. SIA Engineering signed a S$42 million fleet management program contract with Royal Brunei Airlines to provide maintenance and fleet management services for its fleet of six 777-200ERs on lease from Singapore Airlines.
Lufthansa Systems said that Contact Air will continue to use its Lido/RouteManual navigation charts under a five-year contract renewal. LHS will provide Lufthansa Italia with its Lido FlightBag, eRouteManual and TakeOff solutions.
United Airlines Flight 935 en route from London to Los Angeles diverted to Montreal yesterday for medical attention after encountering what UA described in a statement as "severe turbulence over the Atlantic Ocean." The 777 was carrying 196 passengers and 15 crew. Nine passengers and one crewmember received medical attention in Montreal for what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries.
SITA yesterday opened its Global Command Center in Montreal to "monitor and manage mission-critical systems for the industry" 24/7 by teams of IT experts "who have real-time visibility of the IT and communications systems in use at airports, in airlines and aircraft by SITA's 3,200 customers."
One of the potential side effects of the ancillary revenue phenomenon is that “anonymous shopping” may go the way of the paper airline ticket. Robert Buckman, director of airline distribution strategies for Amadeus North America, believes that in the not-too-distant future, travelers will have “digital personalities” that will identify them before an air fare search begins.
Allegiant Travel Company discontinued the private offering of $250 million in senior unsecured notes due to "adverse market conditions." It had announced the offering last week, the proceeds of which were intended to pay for the purchase and induction of MD-80s and 757s ( ATWOnline, May 20).
Air New Zealand achieved a world first for Airbus, using RNP level 0.1 for Sydney-Rotorua service on May 22 despite cloud cover down to just 400 ft. The RNP 0.1 value is the lowest level approved by Airbus and authority to operate below RNP 0.3 had just been granted to ANZ the previous day. Without the technology, NZ978 would have had to divert to Auckland, causing significant disruption to the inbound passengers and also to the outbound passengers scheduled to depart from Rotorua to Sydney the same afternoon.
Eurocontrol, in cooperation with EASA and the European Commission, on Friday issued new guidelines intended to reduce volcanic ash-related airspace closures by adding a fourth zone to the volcanic ash concentration charts produced by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in London. The additional "grey" zone joins the white zone (no volcanic ash, normal flight operations), the red zone (Enhanced Procedures Zone in which some ash may be encountered but in which EASA considers flights can take place) and the black or no-fly zone.
Two Australian travel giants plan to merge Travel Leaders sells Loyalty Travel Solutions Travelport acquires search engine, partners with mobile services firm Priceline buys multinational car rental broker Air shopping site that rates quality has formal launch In Focus: In the future, fare search engines will know who you are World news briefing
One of the potential side effects of the ancillary revenue phenomenon is that “anonymous shopping” may go the way of the paper airline ticket. Robert Buckman, director of airline distribution strategies for Amadeus North America, believes that in the not-too-distant future, travelers will have “digital personalities” that will identify them before an air fare search begins. “Let’s say you are on Expedia, and you want to go from St. Louis to New York La Guardia,” Buckman said.
Indian crash investigators are focusing on the speed and touchdown point of an Air India Express 737-8HG that crashed at Mangalore-Bajpe Airport Saturday morning, killing 158 of the 166 passengers and crew onboard.
Lufthansa Technik signed a "long-term" Total Component Support contract with China Airlines covering its fleet of 18 A330-300s and six A430-300s. LHT will supply maintenance, repair and overhaul, consignment stock optimization, supply chain management and home base stock allocation, reliability enhancement programs, documentation and warranty management.
Alaska Air Group said its subsidiaries Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air have jointly reduced carbon dioxide emissions per RPM by 23% since 2004, AAG said. It attributed the reduction to the transition to more fuel-efficient aircraft and "numerous fuel-conservation projects." Alaskaoutfitted its 737s with blended winglets in 2008 ( ATWOnline, July 1, 2008).
