US Dept. of Transportation tentatively approved transatlantic antitrust immunity for six SkyTeam members--Air France, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Northwest Airlines, Alitalia and CSA Czech Airlines--nearly four years after Delta and Northwest first petitioned DOT to allow the alliance. After an initial denial, they reapplied last June with a substantially revised agreement ( ATWOnline, June 29, 2007).
Silverjet yesterday said it is involved in takeover talks with unidentified parties, according to widespread press reports. In a statement cited by Bloomberg News, the all-business-class carrier said it "is currently in discussions which may or may not lead to an offer."
Virgin Nigeria said it was granted US Dept. of Transportation approval to operate transatlantic commercial flights to and from Lagos, pending a signed aviation services agreement between the countries, although the aircraft must be wet-leased from a "duly authorized and properly supervised US or foreign carrier." CEO Conrad Clifford said VK will unveil its schedule "in a few months time." It filed its application in December 2005 and was opposed by some US airlines who claimed it was not a Nigerian-controlled carrier.
American Airlines cancelled more than 1,000 flights yesterday--nearly half its schedule--as it continued to inspect wire bundles in the wheel wells of its MD-80 fleet. It cancelled about 460 flights Tuesday for the same reason ( ATWOnline, April 9) and expects another 900 cancellations today. "We continue to inspect every airplane to ensure we are in total agreement with the specifications of the [FAA] directive. We will get back to a full schedule as quickly as possible," Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey said.
AirAsia will introduce a fee for all checked baggage on flights booked from April 21. Passengers who pre-book their bag will pay MYR3 ($0.94) for each piece up to 15 kg. and those paying at the check-in counter will pay MYR5 per piece. Bags weighing more than 15 kg. will cost extra, although there is no limit on the number of bags that can be checked, while the restriction to one piece of carry-on luggage will remain. "AirAsia believes that guests should be given the option to choose the services they require and pay only for those services.
Aviapartner reported consolidated turnover of €378.6 million ($595.6 million) in 2007, up 35% from 2006. The Brussels-based handler did not release net or operating profit, but CEO Peter Oostenenk told ATWOnline that "operational performance is on track. . .Our profitability is above the sector average," although he conceded that "margins in the market are under pressure." The airport services company, which is majority controlled by 3i, is confident it can maintain strong growth this year.
Air France-KLM flew 17.68 billion RPKs in March, up 3.2% from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 4.8% to 21.83 billion ASKs, dropping load factor 1.3 points to 81%. Northwest Airlines flew 7.16 billion consolidated RPMs in March, up 2% over the year-ago month, against a 0.6% lift in capacity to 8.24 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 1.3 points to 87%.
North American Airlines and World Airways parent Global Aero Logistics named Executive VP and Chief Commercial and Planning Officer Robert Binns as CEO and Executive VP and Chief Airline Officer Charles McDonald as president. Chairman John Denison had been filling both roles on an interim basis. VP-Market Planning for Global Jeff Sanborn was promoted to chief marketing officer.
American Airlines cancelled "several hundred" flights yesterday in order to conduct additional MD-80 inspections and "ensure precise and complete compliance with the FAA's airworthiness directive related to the bundling of wires in the aircraft's wheel wells." AA said the cancellations could number as many as 500 by the end of yesterday and that additional cancellations are likely today.
US Dept. of Transportation named Marie Kennington-Gardiner as its New York Aviation Czar. She will direct the newly formed New York Integration Office and "coordinate regional airspace issues and all projects and initiatives addressing problems of congestion and delays in New York." Creation of the position was part of a December compromise reached between DOT and US airlines ( ATWOnline, Dec. 20, 2007).
US Airways mechanics represented by the International Assn. of Machinists ratified a three-year labor agreement that transfers all US maintenance-and-related employees to one contract. It covers some 3,300 employees (comprising 2,500 former US Airways and 800 former America West Airlines staff) and becomes amendable Dec. 31, 2011.
IATA yesterday announced a $3.7 million initiative, the Implementation Program for Safe Operations in Africa, that will give 30 African carriers access to the organization's Flight Data Analysis tool over a three-year period. IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said in Lagos that the partnership is designed "to improve both safety and efficiency." IATA said that just 25 African airlines are among the 193 on the IOSA registry and that 15 have open findings ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline.
US FAA removed Southwest Region Manager-Flight Standards Thomas Stuckey from his position, the latest fallout from the ongoing controversy over the agency's oversight of Southwest Airlines.
Mesa Air Group filed a lawsuit in a US federal court against Delta Air Lines, which last week terminated Mesa subsidiary Freedom Airlines' ERJ-145 regional flying contract ( ATWOnline, April 3), according to press reports.
Gulf Air announced a major rebranding project that will include new livery, aircraft interiors, staff uniforms and airport lounges. It appointed London/Singapore-based designers James Park Associates to implement the redesign, which it said "will coincide with an expansion and updating of Gulf Air's aircraft fleet." CEO Bjorn Naf said, "With the help of James Park Associates, we will redesign every aspect of the passenger experience to blend traditional comfort with cutting-edge technology and materials, giving our customers an unforgettable journey with Gulf Air."
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres reached an exclusive three-year deal worth more than £1.6 million ($3.19 million) with SR Technics to supply tires for F100s and unspecified Boeing aircraft to SRT maintenance bases in Europe and the Middle East.
Adria Airways renewed its IOSA registration, which it received initially in August 2004. The Ljubljana-based airline carried more than 237,000 passengers in the first quarter, a 24% increase on the year-ago period. Number of flights was up 15%.
Barfield reached a 10-year deal with SkyWest Airlines to service selected avionic equipment and mechanical devices. Contract covers 118 aircraft and "represents exciting new prospects for Barfield in its company strategy with narrowbody and regional aircraft," Sabena Technics said. It acquired Barfield in 2006.
Skyway Airlines, a regional subsidiary of Midwest Airlines, shut down last Saturday as expected. In January, Midwest announced that it would "reposition" Skyway as an airport service provider and shift its regional flying to SkyWest Airlines, which now operates 50-seat CRJs on Midwest's behalf ( ATWOnline, Jan. 17). In announcing the transition, Skyway CEO David Reeve said that operating its fleet of 32-seat 328JETs had become more costly and complex because the aircraft no longer are in production.
The European Commission yesterday adopted a set of measures to harmonize technical and licensing requirements for the use of mobile phones onboard aircraft across the EU's 27 member states. "Pan-European telecom services, such as inflight mobile telephony, need a regulatory 'one-stop shop' to operate throughout Europe," Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding said, stressing she expects "operators to be transparent and innovative in their price offerings."
Etihad Crystal Cargo signed a contract to publish airfreight rates and post operational announcements to freight forwarders on OAG Cargo Solutions' worldwide cargo portal.
China Eastern Airlines admitted yesterday that last week's "disgraceful" incidents at its Yunnan Branch Co., where 21 flights departing the airport turned around and returned, were the result of a "human factor," most likely disgruntled pilots. The flights, which were scheduled to leave Kunming for Dali, Lijiang, Banla, Mangshi, Simao and Lincang, took off but then returned, causing significant delays at the airport. CEA originally cited weather as an explanation even though other carriers operating from the provincial capital completed their flights successfully.
