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.
Air France-KLM said in a statement that its board approved the cessation of takeover talks with Alitalia and that it now is up to the ailing Italian carrier's unions to spell out their vision of AZ's future. Alitalia is scheduled to hold a board meeting today and meet with its unions Wednesday. Trading of its shares was suspended last week.
Bombardier reported consolidated net income of $317 million for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, an 18.3% increase over the $268 million earned in the prior year, on a 17.4% growth in revenue to $14.9 billion. Rising aircraft sales and orders boosted revenue at Bombardier Aerospace 17% to $9.7 billion as operating profit soared 74.8% to $563 million from $322 million the previous year. The order backlog increased to a record $22.7 billion, up from $13.2 billion in FY06. Orders for regional aircraft surged to 238 from 87.
Worldwide Flight Services acquired a 60% shareholding in British Airways Regional Cargo late last month from three of the latter's founders, with the remaining 40% continuing to be held by British Airways World Cargo. Terms of the acquisition were undisclosed. BARC operates more 260,000 sq. ft. of handling facilities at 11 airports in the UK and Ireland. Employing 246 staff, it provides cargo handling for BAWC and other major carriers, including American Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Air India and GB Airways.
Blue Wing Airlines An-28 crashed Friday after aborting a landing at an airstrip near Benzdorp in northern Suriname. All 17 passengers and two crew were killed, according to press reports and Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network. Flight departed from Paramaribo, approximately 160 mi. away. The aircraft first flew in 1990 and reportedly crashed into a hillside while circling back to land. Blue Wing did not confirm the accident on its website. As of last fall it was flying five An-28s, three Cessna 206s, one Caravan 208 and one Twin Otter.
Pratt & Whitney Canada received type certification from Transport Canada and EASA for the PW127M, the latest derivative of the PW127F and PW127E engines that power the ATR 42-500 and ATR 72-500. P&WC said the PW127M offers 5% more power than earlier versions. It will be offered on existing variants of the aircraft going forward and also will be the standard engine on the 42-600 and 72-600.
Continental Airlines became the fifth major US carrier to raise its fees for a second checked bag ( ATWOnline, March 31), announcing that economy class passengers who are not premium members of CO's loyalty program will pay $25 for the second piece effective May 5. Policy applies to flights in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.
Czech government last week announced a tender for an adviser to facilitate the privatization of CSA Czech Airlines. The tender will begin April 15, and once a consultant is chosen the government intends "to finish the privatization within months," Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said, according to Reuters.
US Dept. of Homeland Security avoided potential confusion at airports last week by granting an extension to Maine on compliance with the first phase of a federal law mandating new security features on driver's licenses. Extension followed assurances from Gov. John Baldacci (D) to "use the resources at my disposal" to amend state policies in accordance with DHS demands. It was unclear, however, whether the state legislature would back him.
SITA announced completion of 700 workstations at Beijing Capital's Terminal 3 to support Olympic Games traffic this summer including check-in, boarding and transfers. A $3 billion addition, the terminal is expected to boost annual capacity by 30 million passengers ( ATWOnline, March 3). SITA projects that 50 of its self-service check-in kiosks will be ready to go live for the Olympics.
Sabena Technics signed a three-year aircraft maintenance services agreement with Brussels Airlines covering its 10 737s and four A330s. Agreement includes line and light maintenance support, outstation services for long-haul operations and component support services. By year end Brussels aims to conduct its own line maintenance on its 737s. It already does so on its BAe 146s and A320 family aircraft.
TACA expects 2008 revenue to increase 15% year-over-year to $1.1 billion as passenger traffic rises 10%-15%, President Roberto Kriete told the Reuters Latin America Investment Summit last week, according to the news service. "We are growing because we do not depend on the North American market," he said.
Compass Airlines, a wholly owned Northwest Airlines subsidiary, said it served nearly 500,000 passengers in its first year of operation flying 17 E-170s. It also announced that it was approved for daily Detroit-Monterrey service beginning May 2. Compass operates 74 daily flights to 26 cities as Northwest Airlink and expects to fly 36 aircraft and transport more than 2 million passengers by year end.
Global Logistics Systems said Cathay Pacific Airways adopted its Ezycustoms technology as its customs gateway to conform to AAMS requirements of US CBP. Features include compliance verification, waybill records management and exception alerts.
US FAA came under intense scrutiny last week when "whistleblower" agency inspectors, Dept. of Transportation Inspector General Calvin Scovel and a House of Representatives committee detailed "cozy" relationships between inspectors and airlines, pervasive "dysfunction" and "regulatory abuse" at a regional office and "a disconnect" between its Washington headquarters and day-to-day field operations.
