The US Transportation Security Administration said it is moving ahead steadily with procuring and deploying next-generation airport security technology to screen both checked and carry-on baggage, spurred by $1 billion that was allocated to the agency for aviation security in the $787 billion stimulus passed by the government.
US Congress last week passed another three-month extension in FAA funding to March 31, formally conceding that it will fail to enact reauthorization legislation for the third straight year. The agency's authorization officially expired on Sept. 30, 2007. It has remained operational via a series of temporary extensions passed by Congress ( ATWOnline, Sept. 24).
US Air Transport Assn. welcomed passage of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009 by the House of Representatives. The massive bill, which is intended to prevent a recurrence of last year's credit meltdown through new regulations on Wall Street and the credit markets, also takes aim at excessive speculation in the commodity markets that many blame for last year's wild fluctuations in oil prices. ( ATW, September 2009).
Delta Air Lines said the Australia Competition and Consumer Commission granted authorization for its proposed joint venture with Virgin Blue to operate flights between Australia and the US ( ATWOnline, July 10). "Delta and [Virgin Blue subsidiary] V Australia are eager to move forward with their joint venture and to bring new services to the market," DL said. "We look forward to a similar decision from the US Dept. of Transportation and urge the DOT to quickly conclude its review."
Lufthansa Systems said Malaysia Airlines will use FMS data from the Lido/FMS navigation database for its new 737-800s. It also inked a five-year contract with Brussels Airlines for the use of its SchedConnect codeshare management solution.
US FAA said that the Depts. of Agriculture and Energy awarded $600 million in grants to advanced biofuel projects, including projects that could "produce. . .renewable jet fuels." It noted that "a number of the awardees also have a longstanding relationship with the FAA co-sponsored Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative."
Emirates said it has raised more than $1.13 billion to finance the delivery of six A380s. The first, and EK's sixth overall, is scheduled to arrive early next week, the second in late December and the remaining four next year, the airline announced. The A380 arriving next week will begin flying to Incheon on Dec. 14. The seventh will operate to Paris Charles de Gaulle starting Dec. 29. Two weeks ago, EK President Tim Clark claimed the airline would be unaffected by the Dubai debt crisis ( ATWOnline, Dec. 1).
India is making a considerable effort to join commercial aviation's environmental effort, Civil Aviation DG Nasim Zaidi said this week at the US-India Aviation Partnership Summit in Washington, with authorities committed to establishing a national inventory of carbon dioxide emissions for the sector (with a base year of 2005) along with programs compelling both airlines and airports to be more efficient and green.
Asiana Airlines will construct a second maintenance hangar at Incheon. The hangar, which will cost KRW1.1 billion ($948,000) to build, will be 63,800 sq. m. and able to fit two 747s and one 767 simultaneously. Construction will begin at the end of 2010 with completion targeted for April 2013.
ST Aerospace won a three-year contract to provide A320 and 767 airframe MRO to an unidentified "major US airline." Contract is valued at $90 million, which could increase to $170 million if two option years are utilized. Work will begin in the 2010 first quarter in Mobile, Ala.
US Air Transport Assn. said it expects 41 million passengers to travel on US airlines over the Dec. 17-Jan. 6 winter holiday period, down 2.5% year-over-year. "We are continuing to see fewer air travelers over the holidays, a trend that has been apparent throughout 2009," President and CEO James May said. "Capacity reductions will likely mean fuller flights on many days." ATA said it expects the US government to make military airspace in congested areas available for commercial use during business days.
US Transportation Security Administration admitted this week that it inadvertently posted sensitive airport passenger screening procedures online. A 93-page manual detailing a variety of nonpublic information including methods for screening passengers, technical settings for explosive detection system machines and pictures of identification cards used by members of Congress and federal air marshals was posted on a federal procurement website last spring with sensitive portions supposedly redacted.
EasyJet CEO Andy Harrison will step down at the end of June 2010 in order "to seek new challenges," the carrier announced yesterday, adding that Michael Rake will take over from David Michels as the group's chairman effective Jan. 1, at which point Michels will resume the role of senior independent director. Rake, who also is chairman of telecommunications company BT Group, joined the LCC's board in June as deputy chairman and senior independent director. Harrison joined easyJet from motoring group RAC in December 2005.
Contact Air, a regional partner of Lufthansa Group, is cutting 40 pilot and 40 flight attendant positions as LH reduces the number of flights operated by 50-seat aircraft, a Contact spokesperson told Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung. Contact flies several ATR 42-500s and employs 370 people.
American Airlines and Gol announced a codeshare arrangement under which AA will place its code across Gol's domestic network of 49 airports. Launch is pending government approval. The airlines began linking their loyalty programs in August. AA serves five Brazilian destinations.
AerData, the Amsterdam-based provider of software and back office services for aircraft asset managers, acquired EFPAC Ltd. from TES Aviation Group. According to AerData, UK-based EFPAC develops and supplies asset management software for aircraft engines that combines technical aspects of engine management with financial reporting on maintenance costs.
Arlington, Va.-based ARC reported that ticket sales through participating travel agencies totaled $5.12 billion in November, up 6.7% over the year-ago month and the strongest performance in more than a year.
Airlink, South African Airways' regional partner, faces possible grounding by the Civil Aviation Authority following Monday's E-135 runway overrun in George ( ATWOnline, Dec. 8). Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele asked for the results of a CAA audit by Friday, which he will use to make a decision, according to press reports from South Africa.
Malev Hungarian Airlines expects to lose HUF5-HUF7 billion ($27.1-$38 million) this year, reduced from HUF10 billion in 2008, CEO Martin Gauss told Pester Lloyd this week. The carrier is shooting for a profitable 2012.
Continental Airlines said the overallotment option has been exercised on the convertible note offering announced this week and that it will issue $230 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.5% convertible notes due 2015 ( ATWOnline, Dec. 8). Net proceeds are expected to be around $224 million.
Aer Lingus announced the resignation of CFO and Head of Short-haul Operations Sean Coyle. He will leave EI at year end. Meanwhile, CEO Christoph Mueller warned that the airline remains at risk of a Ryanair takeover. He told The Financial Times, "If Aer Lingus isn't capable of mastering its own destiny, then of course the likelihood that some form of non-independence might occur is more likely." Ryanair is permitted to make a third bid for EI after late January.
CSA Czech Airlines next month will merge all handling activities under an independent subsidiary called CSA Support. Approximately 800 CSA employees will be transferred to the new operation.
US FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said that "any number of options have been explored" to determine how to finance equipage of commercial aircraft with NextGen ATC technology such as ADS-B, including consideration of the government's providing airlines with money for early equipage that would be "subject to repayment."
