Australian scientists are claiming that they are achieving the world's best production rates of oil from algae grown in open saline ponds, taking them a step closer to creating commercial quantities of biofuel.
While IATA welcomed the results of the Copenhagen summit, key airline leaders separately expressed concerns that the lack of consensus from political leaders at the conference means that the airline industry is entering a period of confusion, inefficiency and risk mitigation.
US Air Transport Assn. American Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines initiated a legal challenge in the UK High Court of Justice against aviation's inclusion in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme, arguing that it violated the Chicago Convention, the Kyoto Protocol, the US-EU open skies agreement and is "contrary to the customary international law principle that each state has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory."
Airports Council International DG Angela Gittens called for renewed engagement across the aviation sector for managing environmental commitment. "During the COP/15 meeting, we have heard scientific, economic and political views--some in agreement and some holding divergent opinions--on the 'why, what, and how' of tackling climate change. All, however, seem to agree on one point: Now is the time to act. Finding the best long-term solutions will remain an evolving process that picks up steam over the next several months and even years," she said.
IATA welcomed the Copenhagen Accord reached at the UN COP/15 climate summit in December as "an important step in the right direction" and said the fact that aviation emissions were not addressed specifically was "a reflection of the proactive measures the industry has taken to set challenging targets for itself, together with an aggressive strategy to achieve them." The aviation industry is the only industry that presented a sectorwide, united agenda with clear targets and proposals to reduce carbon emissions that included carbon-neutral growth from 2020.
BioJet Corp. and Great Plains Oil & Exploration announced a teaming agreement with the goal of producing renewable jet fuels based on camelina. The landmark agreement will see the development of integrated camelina cultivation and associated refinery projects in the US, Europe, South America and Asia. The two companies told media that they expect within five years to be producing 200 million gal. per year of renewable jet fuel, 65 million gal. per year of co-products and 2.3 million tons per year of camelina meal for use as a high-quality animal feed.
US Aerospace Industries Assn. named former FAA Chief of Staff David Mandell VP-membership and business development. United Airlines parent UAL Corp. named Global Hyatt Corp. CMO and CIO Thomas O'Toole senior VP and CMO. Cirrus Airlines promoted Director-Sales and Marketing Ingrid Jung to MD.
Arlington-Va.-based ARC reported this week that December sales through participating US travel agencies totaled $4.41 billion, representing an 8.6% increase year-over-year and the "strongest final month of the year since 2005." Total fares rose 9.2% to $3.74 billion and the number of transactions increased 6.9% to 8.9 million. Domestic fares climbed 5.1% to $1.96 billion on a 6.7% lift in transactions, while international fares surged 14.2% to $1.78 billion on a 7.5% lift in transaction. ARC had 188 participating airlines in December, up three from the prior month.
TAM announced plans to refurbish the passenger cabins across its entire fleet, both new aircraft and retrofit, including the redesign of all seats, galleys, stowage areas, lavatories and "cabin architecture, where possible." It contracted Priestmangoode of London for the three-year project, which also will feature a uniform redesign. Separately, TAM signed a long-term, full-content distribution agreement with Sabre Travel Network.
Singapore Airlines confirmed the March 28 launch of a daily A380 service to Zurich, which will replace its 12-times-weekly 777-300ER service. ZRH will be SIA's third European A380 gateway after Paris Charles de Gaulle and London Heathrow. ZRH will conduct final infrastructure tests required to attain A380 certification on Jan. 20-21.
The Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp. of Japan yesterday officially confirmed that it will guide Japan Airlines' restructuring plan, pledging in a statement to "ensure all of its business operations on and off the ground [will] be performed smoothly without any interruption as usual with sufficient amount of capital" during the "revitalization" process.
Hawaiian Airlines pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn. ratified the tentative contract with the airline reached last week ( ATWOnline, Nov. 12, 2009). According to ALPA, 90% of pilots eligible to vote cast ballots, with 83% voting in favor of the agreement.
American Airlines will accept only credit and debit cards for onboard purchases on all mainline flights beginning Feb. 1. It implemented a cashless cabin in the US and Canada last June. American Eagle and AmericanConnection will continue to accept only cash.
Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre, a joint venture between Airbus and Chinese investors, will supply A350 elevators to Aernnova Aerospace of Spain in a deal announced yesterday. Production in China is expected to start in 2012 after initial industrialization in Europe, Airbus said. The Harbin facility also will produce the A350's rudder and S19 maintenance door. AAR signed a five-year deal with Allegiant Air to provide maintenance and modification work on the LCC's 46 MD-80s.
European Low Fares Airline Assn. called on new European Commissioner-designate for Transport Siim Kallas of Estonia to revive the "pro-competition course" on which the EU embarked when it liberalized market access for air transport but which, according to ELFAA, has stagnated in recent years with the Commission "engaging in re-regulation of aviation--often in response to protectionist calls from legacy incumbent airlines." ELFAA Secretary General John Hanlon said the organization "urges the Commissioner to stamp out, once and for all, the practice of state aid for ailing national carrie
OAG reported that January global seat capacity has increased 3% year-over-year to 294.6 million seats. It is the fifth consecutive month of growth. Frequencies will rise 2% to 2.4 million flights, boosted by a 10% lift among LCCs. North American airlines cut intra-regional flights 2.7% and seats 2.8% but grew to/from the region by 3% and 1% respectively.
US FAA announced that air traffic controllers in Houston have started using ADS-B for flights over the Gulf of Mexico. Administrator Randy Babbit called it a "significant, early step toward NextGen" for an area that has lacked radar coverage. Controllers previously "had to rely on an aircraft's estimated or reported, not actual, position," FAA said. Commercial aircraft at high altitude were kept as much as 120 mi. apart to ensure safety. ADS-B will allow the separation to be reduced to 5 nm.
Qantas yesterday said it remains confident in its 27% investment in Vietnam's Jetstar Pacific despite the emergence of a report highlighting maintenance deficiencies and the legal troubles facing several executives.
US FAA is ordering airlines to inspect 737 Classics' fuselages every 500 cycles to prevent further occurrences of an incident that took place last summer involving a Southwest Airlines 737-300 that developed a hole in its fuselage while flying from Nashville to Baltimore ( ATWOnline, July 17, 2009), according to The Dallas Morning News. FAA's notice requires carriers operating 737 Classics to conduct an inspection within the next five weeks. Inspections then must occur at least once every 500 cycles.
United Airlines is raising the fee charged for the first checked bag on domestic flights to $25 from $20 and on the second bag to $35 from $30 for travel from Jan. 21, matching increases announced this week by Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines ( ATWOnline, Jan. 13).
Astar Air Cargo announced that it will reduce its pilot workforce by 303 to just 153 this year. The carrier's business has been reduced dramatically owing to DHL's withdrawal from the US express delivery market ( ATWOnline, April 27, 2009). Astar's primary business was serving as a DHL subservice airline in the US. The furloughs will begin on March 6 and be completed by July 1, the cargo carrier said.
European Commissioner-designate for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Viviane Reding of Luxembourg told the European Parliament at a confirmation hearing this week that the use of full-body scanners at EU airports should not be compulsory owing to privacy and health considerations. "Human beings have dignity and every measure has to be clarified first. Does it respect human dignity, does it respect privacy and does it respect health," she argued. "Our needs for security can't justify every violation of privacy. Citizens aren't objects.
SR Technics said it plans to move its component services organization and all supporting functions from London Stansted to Zurich and is entering formal discussions with UK trade unions and employee representatives. The 24,672-sq.-m. STN facility employs 600 and the 330,000-sq.-m. Zurich location employs 3,570. "At the heart of the ongoing reorganization is our aim to raise our efficiency, lower our group's overall operational costs and to further develop our operational capabilities, service offerings and global footprint," CEO Bernd Kessler explained.
Wizz Air will introduce an airport check-in fee on April 1, by which time its Web check-in facility should be fully deployed, the LCC said. Airport check-in purchased at the time of booking will cost €5 ($7.25), or €10 if purchased at the airport on the day of departure. Web check-in will remain free.
Flybe and Nordic Aviation Capital concluded a sale/leaseback transaction for four new Q400s, the carrier announced. Transaction is worth approximately $100 million at list prices. Senior debt was provided by Export Development Canada. "In 2009 alone we financed the deliveries of 11 new aircraft despite the recent challenging economic and financial climate," Flybe Director-Fleet Planning David Attenburrow said. The airline currently operates 68 aircraft: 54 Q400s and 14 E-195s.
