American Airlines Friday raised its fee for a first and second checked bag on flights within the US by $5. The fee for the first bag will be $20 instead of $15 and for the second $30 instead of $25. The change, which also applies to American Eagle and AmericanConnection flights, will take effect for tickets purchased on or after Aug. 14.
Aria Air Il-62 originating in Tehran crashed on landing at Mashhad Friday, killing at least 16 including the carrier's managing director, in the second fatal crash in Iran in fewer than 10 days. Mehdi Dadpey, who was one of Aria's founders in 1999, headed the Iranian airline and also served as a flight captain including on Friday's doomed Flight 1525. The carrier was grounded by Iranian authorities following the crash.
Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Friday he would approve Air Canada's agreements with its unions and retirees for a 21-month moratorium on pension fund contributions and fixed payments for the 2011-13 period ( ATWOnline, July 21). He added that he "would not have [granted approval] without the consent of the unions."
Garuda Indonesia last week rolled out a new product, service concept and corporate identity. The carrier, which earlier this month was removed from the EU's list of banned airlines ( ATWOnline, July 15), is in the process of taking delivery of 64 aircraft over the next two years including 10 777-300ERs in 2011.
UK passengers have been making claims against British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways in increasing numbers relating to the carriers' price-fixing practices on long-haul flights between Aug. 11, 2004, and March 23, 2006, Dow Jones reported ( ATWOnline, July 14). More than 211,000 refunds have been processed so far, of which 170,000 are from UK passengers, claimant law firm Hausfeld & Co. LLP said. Payment has been authorized in 133,000 of these cases.
Kales Airline Services was appointed by Canadian carrier Air Transat Cargo to be its GSA in Scandinavia, Finland, the Baltic states, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania and Ukraine.
Travelport GDS announced a new full-content agreement with Finnair providing Travelport GDS-connected travel agents worldwide with access to Finnair's entire published inventory and fares.
MyAir suspended all operations following a decision by Italian civil aviation authority ENAC to revoke the LCC's AOC effective July 24. ENAC said MyAir's service became unreliable owing to persistent financial difficulties and that it failed to meet restructuring-related obligations. The carrier had been flying on a provisional AOC since June 25. It operated scheduled services linking a dozen Italian cities and destinations in Europe and Morocco with a mixed fleet of A320s and CRJ900s. It commenced operations in December 2004 and had its main bases at Bergamo and Venice.
Air France KLM flew 17.07 billion RPKs in June, down 6.4% from the year-ago month. Capacity fell 5% to 21.25 billion ASKs and load factor dropped 1.1 points to 80.3%. Air Canada and Jazz flew 4.17 billion RPMs in June, a 9.1% drop year-over-year, against a 7.6% cut in capacity to 5.15 billion ASMs. Load factor slipped 1.3 points to 80.9%. AirTran Airways flew 1.76 billion RPMs in June, down 6.5% year-over-year. Capacity fell 5.3% to 2.11 billion ASMs and load factor dropped 1.1 points to 83.6%.
Lufthansa could be headed to another showdown with its pilots. The Vereinigung Cockpit union, which staged a strike last summer ( ATWOnline, July 24, 2008), is asking for a 6.4% pay increase for its 4,500 pilots over the next year or a 9.6% rise over the next 18 months, plus bonuses depending on LH's profitability, a spokesperson told several German media outlets. LH said talks with the union have been constructive, but neither side revealed specifics.
Continental Airlines, which announced 1,700 job cuts this week ( ATWOnline, July 22), told the Air Line Pilots Assn. that 310 pilots, or 7% of the total, could be furloughed, the Houston Chronicle reported. "If reductions are necessary, we expect to begin furloughing pilots as early as Sept. 23. We expect these furloughs to be temporary but at least six months in duration," the airline said in a letter sent to 310 pilots who were selected based on seniority, ALPA told the newspaper.
Copa Airlines said the US Export-Import Bank offered a final commitment for financing two 737-800s scheduled for delivery this year and preliminary commitments covering 10 additional aircraft for delivery in 2010-12. Copa has 25 737NGs on order from Boeing.
Oxford Aviation Academy signed a five-year agreement with British Airways covering provision of pilot training and simulator time for BA CityFlyer's incoming E-170s and E-190SRs.
Aeroflot carried 758,100 passengers in June, an 11.1% decline year-over-year. Load factor fell 3.8 points to 70.7%. Through the half-year, SU's passenger numbers fell 12.1% to 3.9 million, with load factor at 63.5%.
British Airways and unions are set to resume discussions today on 3,700 job cuts and working conditions, a GMB union spokesperson told Sky News. "Following three days of talks at [the UK Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service] last week, talks are due to resume. . .and some progress has been made. We do not expect the talks to conclude until later in August," the spokesperson said. BA had sought agreements by June 30 but has reached one only with its pilots ( ATWOnline, July 14).
Assn. of Flight Attendants United Airlines chapter, in a communication to members, said 1,926 flight attendants had been accepted for voluntary furloughs. US District Court reversed a bankruptcy court ruling that voided Frontier Airlines' collective bargaining agreement with some 325 mechanics represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
US scheduled passenger airlines employed 6.8% fewer fulltime-equivalent workers in May than in the year-ago month, according to the Dept. of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. It marked the 11th consecutive month of decline. The seven network airlines reduced their May employee rolls by 8.2% year-over-year, LCCs' rose 1.2% and regionals' fell 7.7%.
Assn. of European Airlines expressed concern over "the continuing trend on the part of airports across Europe to increase the fees they charge to their airline customers in order to compensate themselves for lower traffic levels during the current recession." It said the practice particularly is evident in Germany, where Frankfurt Airport is proposing an 8.4% boost next January to fund future expansion on top of a 4.6% hike for "central infrastructure." Munich announced a 4% increase in charges.
Ryanair said it "will continue to explore the concept of 'fare-free standing' flights with Boeing and the relevant aviation authorities in the US and EU" after 66% of 120,000 passengers participating in an online poll said they would be willing to stand in the cabin on flights 1 hr. or shorter if the fare was free. The LCC said 42% would stand for half price and 60% felt standing should be an option ( ATWOnline, July 7).
Snecma won a six-year engine service per hr. contract from WindJet covering the CFM56-5As powering the Italian airline's A319s and A320s. AJ Walter Aviation signed a power-by-the-hr. contract with Belle Air covering the Albanian airline's A320 family aircraft. Belle plans to operate up to seven Airbus narrowbodies within three years.
East Star Airlines asked CAAC for permission to resume operations despite a Wuhan court's rejection of takeover offers from China National Aviation Fuel Holding Co. and Shanghai YuField. East Star was forced to suspend operations and enter bankruptcy owing to its heavy debt burden and the March collapse of a share sale deal with Air China parent CNAC ( ATWOnline, July 17).
Delta Air Lines is adding a $5 charge for each of the first two pieces of luggage checked at an airport ticket counter, kiosk or curbside on domestic tickets purchased on/after July 16 for travel from Aug. 4. Bag fees paid online (DL charges $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second) will not be subject to the $5 fee.
