The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) is demanding Iraqi government intervention over a decision to allow a single company to hold a monopoly over access rights to the country.
Air France Industries and KLM Engineering & Maintenance signed a one-year deal with Pegasus Airlines for maintenance of nine CFM56-7Bs on a turnkey basis.
Lufthansa Cargo said it no longer transports dogs or cats intended for use in animal experiments, a policy it implemented April 1. A self-imposed embargo for the transport of apes, whales and dolphins has been enforced by Lufthansa Cargo for "many years," it said, adding that "on principle" it does not transport any captured wild animals.
Saudi Arabia will begin construction of its own flight academy at Thumamah near Riyadh. The Saudi Aviation Flight Academy is being developed in cooperation with the Saudi Aviation Club and the Saudi Binladin Group, according to the Arab Air Carrier Org. It said the academy will aim to have the capacity is to train up to 200 cadets to international standards. Campus facilities will include all training, residential housing, recreational and administrative offices.
ANA President and CEO Shinichiro Ito questioned whether public aid for bankrupt Japan Airlines distorts Japan's competitive environment. Testifying before a government committee, Ito said JAL's turnaround program is progressing "haphazardly," according to a Nikkei report. JAL is receiving around ¥900 billion ($9.6 billion) in government support to ensure its survival as it navigates through a court-monitored bankruptcy restructuring.
Airlines cancelling or delaying flights at EU airports as a result of airborne ash from the Icelandic volcano are required to "provide assistance and care" to stranded passengers including "meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation [and] telephone calls," the European Commission appeared to say yesterday in a statement.
Volcanic ash from a Wednesday eruption in Iceland drifted over much of western and northern Europe, rendering airspace unfit for aircraft and forcing airlines to cancel thousands of flights. At London Heathrow alone, 399 departures and 412 arrivals were cancelled Thursday, and UK airspace was expected to remain closed through all of Friday. Flybe said that all 71 of its aircraft were grounded by midday Thursday and Ryanair confirmed it cancelled more than 600 flights, approximately 40% of its scheduled services.
Southwest Airlines Executive VP and COO Michael Van de Ven will deliver the opening address at ATW's Third Annual Eco-Aviation Conference June 23-25 at the Capital Hilton in Washington. Van de Ven will deliver his remarks on the morning of June 24. Later in the day, SWA Senior Director-Flight Operations Jeff Martin will give conference attendees a close-up and in-depth look at developments with the airline's ongoing RNP initiative, the largest such project in the industry.
The Air Transport Assn. and the Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Energy Support Center last month signed a strategic alliance agreement designed to spur the development and deployment of alternative aviation fuels. The airline industry and the US Dept. of Defense collectively require more than 1.5 million barrels of jet fuel per day.
Air France and American Airlines separately conducted the first "next-generation technology and procedures" on transatlantic flights in April as part of the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions. The AF flight was operated by a 747-400ER from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Miami on April 6 while the AA flight was a 767-300ER the next day in the reverse direction.
Air New Zealand CFO and Group GM Rob McDonald says the carrier aims to be recognized as "the world's most environmentally sustainable airline." It has 40 environmental projects underway at the moment.
Some exciting new feedstocks for biofuels are on the horizon while development of existing sources is moving ahead, according to Boeing MD-Environmental Strategy Billy Glover. A new--to-aviation potential feedstock is tallow, or animal fat. Tallow (triglyceride) has been used for years as a raw material for biodiesel and as a metal lubricant. A significant amount of tallow goes to waste and it is "a significant feedstock. We are talking about large quantities," Glover said. Trials on conversion to jet fuel have been completed, although no test flights have been conducted.
Governments around the world need to a take a leading role in shaping and accelerating biofuel development, according to Boeing MD-Environmental Strategy Billy Glover. Speaking with ATW's Eco-Aviation Today in Sydney this week, he said that while he does not favor mandates, government incentives and loan guarantees for feedstock production and development are "essential" if the airline industry is to achieve the goal of 25% of fuel from biofuels by 2030.
Patni Computer Systems won a contract from the US Air Transport Assn. to develop, implement and maintain the "next generation" of the ATA Aviation Marketplace over the next year, ready for hosting by "early 2011." It is the first upgrade for the aviation parts sourcing resource since its redevelopment nearly 10 years ago.
Lufthansa introduced a mobile-friendly version of its MySkyStatus social networking tool, which automatically sends flight status updates to users' Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as through personalized e-mails. IBS Software Services said Japanese regional carrier Amakusa Airlines implemented its passenger reservation system iFly Res for integrated reservations, ticketing and departure control aplications.
Etihad Airways said passenger numbers for the first quarter increased 11% year-over-year with a 5% rise in premium traffic. Load factor was 75%, up 2 points. RPKs climbed 25.4% to an undisclosed figure, growth it attributed to the "continued expansion" of its route network, addition of 10 aircraft to its fleet and "aggressive sales and marketing" of its services. ASKs lifted 22%. "Our 2010 performance is already showing positive results, with all major indicators showing strong improvements on January and February of last year," CEO James Hogan said.
Finnair signed a five-year deal with Champ Cargosystems to transition to automated cargo operations. It will implement the Cargospot Airline, Handling and Revenue modules to interface with global messaging solution GCCS as well as install Web booking, distribution and tracking solution CargoWEB as an ASP service.
US National Mediation Board told American Airlines to resume negotiations with its ground workers and flight attendants while NMB considers requests from the unions representing the labor groups to be released from federally mediated talks to begin 30-day countdowns toward possible strikes
US Sens. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) joined a growing chorus of lawmakers taking on Spirit Airlines, introducing legislation to prohibit air carriers operating in the US from charging fees for carryon baggage.
Amadeus IT Holding launched its IPO on the Spanish stock exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia yesterday following approval and registration of its prospectus by the Spanish Financial Securities Markets Regulator. It set an indicative per-share price range of between €9.20 ($12.50) and €12.20, giving it an enterprise value (equity plus debt) of between €7.3 billion and €8.4 billion.
American Airlines 767-300 carrying 145 passengers and crew made an emergency landing yesterday morning at Reykjavik Keflavik after five flight attendants "became aware of some fumes in the cabin," a spokesperson for AA told
Dutch court fined Milan resident Thomas Salme €2,000 ($2,700) for piloting commercial passenger jets in European countries "for more than a decade" without a license, the Associated Press reported. Salme was apprehended in the cockpit of a Corendon Airlines 737 shortly before it was to depart from Amsterdam Schiphol for Ankara carrying 101 passengers.
Baltia Air Lines signed a lease agreement for office space at St. Petersburg Pulkovo. "The signing of the lease agreement in addition to our recently signed fuel and cargo agreements in St. Petersburg were made in preparation for the start of scheduled service," the New York-based startup said. It commenced the FAA Air Carrier Certification process last February ( ATWOnline, Feb. 10, 2009).
Boeing announced yesterday that TUI Travel will be the launch customer for the manufacturer's 787 GoldCare lifecycle support program. It said it reached agreement with the leisure operator to support its fleet of 13 787s. TUI, which last year lowered its firm order for Dreamliners from 23, is expected to take delivery of its first 787 in early 2012. The 13 787s will be operated by Thomson Airways, Tuifly Nordic, Jetairfly and Arkefly. The GoldCare contract is for a period of 12 years from the delivery date of each aircraft.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it began court proceedings against Malaysia Airlines and its wholly owned cargo subsidiary, alleging they engaged in "price fixing of airfreight." MAS is the 13th carrier to be targeted by ACCC
