Air Canada said technical, maintenance and operational support employees represented by the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers rejected the tentative pension funding moratorium and contract extension agreement reached last month by a 50.8% margin ( ATWOnline, June 17). Clerical and finance workers ratified by 93.2% and 87.7% margins respectively. AC and IAMAW "will meet promptly to discuss next steps," the airline said.
Eleven member airlines of the Arab Air Carriers Org. will be the first users of SITA's new Aircraft Emissions Manager when the solution becomes available commercially in October, AACO and SITA revealed yesterday at the latter's Air Transport IT Summit in Cannes.
ANA raised its firm 787 commitment to 55 aircraft from 50, according to a document released yesterday detailing the company's plan to issue 575 million new shares worth an estimated ¥182.62 billion ($1.9 billion) that will be used largely to finance new aircraft.
The G8 Summit that took place this week in Italy reaffirmed support for ICAO's role, in cooperation with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in addressing emissions reductions targets and policy for the international airline industry post-2012. The G8 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US, together with the European Union.
The fuels subcommittee of ASTM last month approved a new specification for alternative jet fuel derived from the Fischer-Tropsch method. The approval means that this fuel has cleared a significant milestone and once approved by ASTM and endorsed by FAA, synthetic paraffinic kerosene from the FT process can be blended with conventional fuels and used as a substitute for crude oil-derived jet fuel by airlines, private aviation and the military. Approval of FT-SPK will pave the way for near-term approval of sustainable plant-based biofuels.
European Commission Director-Air Transport Daniel Calleja defended ICAO against those who suggest that it has failed to deliver on a plan to reduce aviation emissions ( Eco-Aviation Today, 6/09). Speaking at last month's Paris Air Show, he claimed that although there have been difficulties, the recent report by ICAO's Group on International Aviation and Climate Change is a "workable framework for which ICAO should be given a mandate post-Copenhagen to develop a global agreement."
United Airlines told a group of congressmen and senators that it would delay by up to 60 days the implementation of a policy that denies certain agencies the right to use the carrier's credit card merchant accounts to process credit card sales for United tickets.
As ATW detailed last year, IATA has been making a strong "e-freight" push, calling on carriers to eliminate the piles of paper that accompany the movement of cargo by air ( ATWOnline, June 1, 2008). IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani has pointed out repeatedly that the documents traveling with air cargo could fill 39 747 freighters annually and that they add an estimated $1.2 billion to the global industry's yearly costs.
If you disappoint your passengers, "it will be public, and it will live forever," Forrester Research analyst Henry Harteveldt said at the recent SITA IT Summit in Cannes, France. Harteveldt was talking about social media phenomena such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Twitter, which allow travelers to broadcast their experiences immediately to hundreds, thousands, even millions of people.
Airservices Australia and Naverus signed a contract that will lay the foundation for the world's first nationwide Performance-Based Navigation network, which will deliver significant reductions in aircraft emissions and noise, reduced flight miles and substantial fuel savings.
BAA has set targets to reduce its absolute CO2 emissions from fixed sources by 15% by March 2010 and 30% by March 2020 compared with 1990 levels. For 2008, BAA met its target of reducing emissions at London Heathrow by 3% and in fact lowered them by 8.6%, with the additional 5.6% largely due to reduced flying. While BAA conceded that it is not likely to be able to meet next year's target, it is confident that the 2020 target will be met through "focused energy reduction and efficiency strategies" across all of its airports.
The airline industry has weathered a stormy year, marked by the swiftest and broadest economic collapse since at least the early 1970s, a spate of high-profile accidents, soaring jet fuel prices and historic losses by both LCC and legacy airlines.
Boeing and its industry partners released high-level elements at the Paris Air Show of a study that proves sustainable biofuels analyzed in a series of pioneering test flights over the past six months performed favorably in comparison to petroleum-based fuel. According to the study, "Evaluation of Bio-Derived Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (Bio-SPK)," a series of laboratory, ground and flight tests conducted between 2006 and 2009 indicated the test fuels performed as well as or better than typical petroleum-based Jet A.
Israel Aerospace Industries and Airbus signed an MOU at the Paris Air Show to develop and test an innovative pilot-controlled semirobotic towing system. The Taxibot Dispatch Towing system, designed by IAI, can be used by both widebody and single-aisle aircraft to taxi to and from the gate and runway without engine power. Potential fuel savings reductions are expected to be $6 billion along with 16 billion tons of CO2.
A new accreditation plan dubbed Airport Carbon Accreditation was launched last month at the 19th Airports Council International annual congress in Manchester. ACA will "assess and recognize airports' efforts to manage and reduce CO2 emissions within their direct control" while taking into account collaborative efforts with airlines, air traffic controllers, ground handlers and others on the airport site, ACI said.
American Airlines parent AMR Corp. said it plans to issue $520.1 million in 20-year notes to finance the acquisition of 16 737-800s scheduled for delivery by the end of 2010 and to refinance four 777s. Separately, AA said it is closing down its Windsor, Conn., reservations center, according to reports.
Boeing said it completed the joining of the center wing box to the fuselage on the first 747-8 freighter in Everett and the assembly is being prepared to be connected to the forward and aft fuselage sections. "The airplane is coming together well and will be ready to fly later this year as planned," 747 Program VP and GM Mo Yahyavi said. The aircraft has garnered 78 orders.
News from Travel Technology Update: United Airlines told some travel agencies that they would "no longer have continued access to United's credit card merchant agreements," effective July 20. United said agents who received the notice but continued to process transactions using United's merchant facilities would receive $75 debit memos.
Kuwait Airways should be fully privatized by year end, Kuwaiti Minister of Communications Mohammed Al Busairi said, according to the Arab Air Carriers Org. The government will keep 20% while 35% will be made available to a single investor, 5% to airline staff and 40% to the public.
Continental Airlines and United Airlines told ATWOnline yesterday that they remain "confident" their application for antitrust immunity will be approved despite the vehement objections raised recently by the US Dept. of Justice.
Indonesia Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said the EU will lift its ban on Garuda Indonesia, Mandala Airlines, Prime Air and Air Fast this month, according to The Jakarta Post. "The EU judge[s] that our local airlines have fulfilled 62 out of the 69 requirements to fly to the continent," Hassan said during a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission for Foreign Affairs. Indonesian carriers have been on the EU's blacklist for two years ( ATWOnline, July 6, 2007).
Travelport GDS announced a new multiyear, full-content agreement with Porter Airlines, giving all Galileo- and Worldspan-connected travel agents access to the airline's full published fares and inventory, including Web fares. Access will be implemented in a phased approach, with Apollo customers gaining access June 30 followed by Worldspan and Galileo in August, according to Travelport.
AWAS delivered a 737-700 to Aerovias de Integracion Regionales, the first of two winglet-equipped 737-700s that Colombia-based AIRES will take from AWAS this year.
Iberia will not be required to launch a full bid for Vueling Airlines following its merger with Clickair, Spanish stock market regulator CNMV ruled. Iberia will own 45.9% of the merged entity, exceeding the 30% threshold that normally triggers the obligation to make a full bid under domestic regulations. Completion of the two competitors' merger is expected in mid-July ( ATWOnline, June 29).
