French air traffic controllers yesterday launched four days of industrial action, reportedly in protest of the European Commission's Single European Sky initiative that they claim could result in staffing cutbacks. The French DGAC released a statement ordering airlines to cancel 25% of their flights at Paris Charles de Gaulle and half at Orly from today through Saturday.
Lufthansa yesterday confirmed that the pilots strike launched Monday has ended and that it expects to resume normal operations on Friday "at the latest," with 400 additional flights added to today's reduced schedule.
PACE announced that Air Transat purchased Pacelab Cabin to support cabin upgrade studies for the Canadian leisure airline's A310 and A330 fleets and analyze future seating scenarios "in the context" of aircraft purchasing decisions.
Singapore Airlines flew 7.29 billion RPKs in January, a 1.6% fall from the year-ago month. Capacity was cut 7.8% to 9.21 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 5 points to 79.1%. China Southern Airlines flew 8.34 billion RPKs in January, up 10.6% year-over-year, against an 8.6% increase in capacity to 10.99 billion ASKs. Load factor rose 1.4 points to 75.9%. Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair flew 8.01 billion RPKs in January, a 1.6% rise year-over-year. Capacity was cut 3.6% to 2.14 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 4.3 points to 83.8%.
Continental Airlines plans to furlough 600 reservations center employees beginning April 11, comprising 350 current employees and 250 currently on leave, according to a company memo cited by numerous press reports. Most of the furloughs will come from its Houston call center.
Skywest Airlines, the Perth-based regional operator, reported a S$7.1 million ($5 million) net profit in the half-year ended Dec. 31, reversed from a S$2.8 million loss in the year-ago semester. Skywest's parent company is incorporated in Singapore. Revenue climbed 10% year-over-year to S$107.1 million. Skywest said it "has continued to engage. .
Greek air traffic controllers are scheduled to conduct a 24-hr. strike Wednesday, according to Aegean Airlines. The carrier said it was forced to cancel its entire schedule for that day.
ICAO announced that its Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection committed "to a timetable for the development of a [carbon dioxide] standard for commercial aircraft," aiming to have it ready in 2013. CAEP's eighth meeting, held this month, also recommended standards for nitrogen oxides "up to 15% more stringent than the current levels, applicable to new aircraft engines certified after Dec. 31, 2013." A cutoff of Dec. 31, 2012, was recommended for engines produced under existing NOx standards.
British Airways flight attendants represented by Unite overwhelmingly approved a strike in a ballot that closed yesterday ( ATWOnline, Feb. 22). The union said that 80.7% (7,482) of members who voted favored industrial action, with a 78.7% turnout recorded. Unite stressed that it has not announced a strike date.
Lufthansa yesterday reached a settlement with pilots represented by Vereinigung Cockpit, suspending the scheduled four-day strike that started at midnight Sunday/Monday until at least March 8.
Dassault Aviation, has appointed Renaud Cloatre as the new sales director for the Middle East region, based in Dubai. The new appointment comes as the company establishes its new regional sales office in the Dubai Airport Free Zone.
Air Works India Engineering said it acquired an 85% stake in UK-based Air Livery, which Air Works called Europe's "leading aircraft refinishing company," with annual revenue equivalent to INR1.35 billion ($29.3 million). Value of the transaction was not disclosed.
Air France KLM said January unit revenue fell year-over-year. It flew 15.87 billion RPKs, down 1.6%, against a 3.4% decline in capacity to 20.34 billion ASKs. Load factor rose 1.4 points to 78%. British Airways flew 8.26 billion RPKs in January, down 7% from the year-ago month. Capacity dropped 8.3% to 11.13 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 1 point to 74.2%.
CAE sold a 777-300ER 7000 Series full flight simulator to Turkish Airlines for delivery this year. THY also signed up for the Simfinity integrated procedures trainer for the 737NG. In addition, CAE sold a 737-800 7000 Series FFS to Skymark Airlines that will be delivered to Skymark's Tokyo Haneda base by year end and an E-170/190 7000 Series FFS to Gulf Aviation Academy, which switched its order from an A330/A340 simulator. GAA will take delivery this year at its Bahrain facility.
EasyJet Chairman Michael Rake said at the company's annual general meeting last week that a cost-reduction program designed to save £190 million ($296.6 million) per year is expected to deliver net savings after inflation of £1 per seat by the conclusion of the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2012. He also said that the board agreed to increase seat capacity by 7.5% per year over the next five years, which it expects to boost its share of the European short-haul market from the current 7% to 10%.
Mapjet, a Vienna-based startup, said it will begin selling tickets on March 15 for flights to Stockholm Arlanda, Amsterdam, Sulaymaniyah and Baghdad. Service to Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich also is planned. Flights should begin on March 28 aboard three leased E-195s.
US and EU negotiators concluded discussions in Madrid last week without significant progress on a second-stage open skies agreement, sources on both sides told Dow Jones. "It is clear it is going to take some time to get a deal," an EU spokesperson said, although sources said some progress was made. The deadline is November.
FAA announced a proposed $1.2 million civil penalty against GE Caledonian, a Glasgow Prestwick-based repair station, for "improper maintenance procedures" involving 101 engines between January 2005 and May 2008. The agency said during that time GEC "used a procedure to remove the thrust pins from the forward engine mounts of 101 CF6 engines that was different than the one required by the manufacturer's maintenance manuals.
US FAA's oversight of American Airlines' maintenance program "lacked the rigor needed" to uncover "weaknesses" that created safety concerns, the Dept. of Transportation's Inspector General said in a report issued last week that was highly critical of both FAA and AA.
British Airways flight attendants represented by Unite are expected today to announce their intention to strike in the wake of last week's UK High Court ruling permitting BA to enforce changes to their labor contract.
Following on from its International Air Transport Association (IATA) Gold Award, Abu Dhabi In-flight Catering Company (ADIFC), along with its management partners LSG Sky Chefs, has announced its 2009 on-time performance results, with 44,783 flights catered and zero associated delays recorded.
Lufthansa said the four-day pilots strike scheduled for next week will cost it approximately €100 million ($136.9 million) and that the company's attorneys are examining whether the Vereinigung Cockpit action is legal ( ATWOnline, Feb. 18). Its plan to weather the strike includes help from subsidiaries Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines. For example, OS will operate larger aircraft on flights from Vienna to Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich.
The Indian government yesterday announced final approval of an INR8 billion ($173.7 million) equity infusion into Air India parent National Aviation Co. of India, with the release of the funds "calibrated to the achievement of milestones laid down by the [cabinet]" including a 28% fleet reduction.
