Reed Exhibitions' plan to move Asian Aerospace to Hong Kong International Airport in 2007 also calls for a shorter show, with the elimination of public days ( ATWOnline, Feb. 14). The newly named Asian Aerospace International Expo and Congress will take place Sept. 3-6, 2007, at the AsiaWorld-Expo complex at HKIA. A three-day "major international aerospace congress" will be held in conjunction with the event. This year's edition of Asian Aerospace, running Feb. 21-26, takes place at its traditional location and venue, the Changi Exhibition Center in Singapore.
US Dept. of Transportation released its expected ruling Friday eliminating the prohibition on airlines that own, control or operate computer reservations systems from denying access "to two or more carriers whose flights share a single designator code and discriminating against any carrier because the carrier uses the same designator code as another carrier." DOT said its rationale hinged on changes in the industry. It said the rise in Internet distribution is "reducing the [GDS] market power over airlines" and US carriers have divested their GDS ownership interests.
Star Alliance member carriers at Paris CDG Terminal 1 have begun moving into new check-in Hall 4, the alliance announced last week. Thai Airways and bmi already are using the new Star Alliance facilities and Adria Airways, ANA, Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa and SAS Scandinavian Airlines will relocate by the end of the month. There are 24 check-in desks currently available. Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Varig will start making use of the new facilities in 2008 once additional areas of the terminal are refurbished.
Cirrus Airlines of Germany joined the European Regions Airline Assn. Cayman Airways and Cielos Airlines, the latter a cargo carrier from Peru, joined the Latin American Airline Assn.
Lufthansa Technik signed a contract to deliver its Total Component Support service for seven CRJ200s operated by Danish Regional Cimber Air over a two-year time period and also signed a TCS deal covering a CRJ900 for Spain's Air Nostrum.
US Rep. Harold Rogers (D-Ky.), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on homeland security, said Thursday that the US Transportation Security Administration's request to raise passenger security fees by $1.4 billion this year and ask airlines to pay retroactive security costs of about $300 million has little chance of passing. "The budget contains the perennial gimmick of raising aviation security fees even though Congress and the airlines have rejected this before," Rogers said. "It may very difficult to adopt this proposal this year."
Airbus confirmed that an A380 suffered wing damage during a stress test last week, according to press reports. The rupture between two engines occurred when the aircraft was going from 1.45 to 1.5 times its limit load. The airframer said it still expects to deliver the first A380 on schedule at the end of 2006.
Iberia flew 3.9 billion RPKs in January, up 3.1% over the year-ago month, on a 0.4% rise in capacity to 5.4 billion ASKs. Load factor improved 1.9 points to 73.2%. Number of passengers grew 3.6% to 1.96 million, of which 1.05 million flew on the domestic network. Norwegian reported a 101% increase in January traffic to 226 million RPKs. Capacity climbed 76% to 313 million ASKs and load factor rose 8 points to 72%. The carrier expected a yield of NOK0.72 (10.7 cents), a decrease of 8% from the year-ago month.
Kenya Airways unveiled its new website, which features a state-of-the-art online booking engine developed by E-Travel. The carrier is offering a 10% discount on tickets purchased on the site. It said it carried more than 2 million passengers in 2005 and recorded turnover in excess of KES42 billion ($583.5 million). It plans to launch service to Paris and Freetown "in the near future."
Air France-KLM announced the signing of a protocol agreement finalizing implementation of a European Works Council to "inform and consult workers about all matters concerning the Group as well as issues of a transnational character." The joint body, established to conform with European law, will supersede those of the individual airlines but will not replace staff representative bodies from each company and in each country. The council will comprise 37 members appointed or elected for a period of four years.
China Eastern Airlines contracted EADS EFW for the conversion of three A300-600 passenger aircraft to freighters. The first is expected to enter EADS EFW's Dresden facility in December. The remaining conversions will take place during 2007.
Caribbean Sun Airlines and Caribbean Star Airlines are working with Decision Strategies Inc. on a comprehensive "strategic business plan" for long-term growth and development, the companies said in a statement. The carriers are affiliated but operate as separate companies providing Regional service to 18 Caribbean destinations, although they now are considering expanding "to other areas of the region and beyond," according to CEO Skip Barnette.
Embraer 170 has been certified by Brazilian and European aviation authorities to perform CAT IIIa autoland operations. Aircraft also is certified for CAT I and CAT II operational conditions. Certification is expected soon from US FAA.
US Dept. of Transportation reported yesterday that domestic traffic in November grew 2.3% to 43.87 billion RPMs. Capacity fell 2.2% to 59.87 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 3.3 points to 73.3%. Southwest Airlines led with 7.4 million enplanements. Mountain Air Cargo of North Carolina carried 8.2 million lb. of freight in January.
India and Italy signed an expanded air services agreement Wednesday in New Delhi adding frequencies, destinations and fifth freedom rights on specified city-pairs.
Northwest Airlines and its unions were given an extra week to reach an accord by a US Bankruptcy Court yesterday. Judge Allan Gropper originally was scheduled to rule Thursday whether the carrier could cancel agreements with its pilots and flight attendants, but after meeting with attorneys during the day he gave NWA and its unions until close of business on Feb. 24 to negotiate. "We will continue our efforts to reach a consensual agreement," Professional Flight Attendants Assn. President Guy Meek said.
SITA and Airservices Australia announced an alliance to offer ADS-B services across Australia's entire upper-level airspace by early 2007. The two also will support an Indonesian Directorate General for Air Communications ADS-B trial in Indonesia.
Airbus said it is studying two types of wingtip devices for the A320 family to improve aerodynamic performance and reduce fuel burn. The devices will be flight-tested on Airbus's A320 development aircraft in March. In addition, JetBlue Airways will provide an A320 for part of the test program. Winglet Technology LLC, located in Wichita, will supply one of the winglet designs for testing. Airbus said development of the devices is the result of "more sophisticated analysis techniques," in particular arising out of the A380 program.
Swedish LCC FlyMe has committed to acquiring Lithuanian Airlines. FlyMe will be issued a 33% stake in Lithuanian and gain control through the appointment of a new MD and the majority of the board. It will purchase the remaining shares over the next three years. FlyMe, headquartered in Gothenburg, launched two years ago and operates five 737s. Lithuanian, which was privatized last year, flies five 737-500s and two Saab 2000s and runs its own MRO operation.
In an effort to recapture some of the single-aisle market, reestablish its relationship with certain carriers and set the stage for its role in developing a next-generation single-aisle engine, Pratt & Whitney yesterday announced its intention to manufacture, certify and market replacement CFM56-3 parts for the 737-300/-400/-500 series through its new Global Material Solutions business.
European Commission and US Dept. of Justice investigation into alleged price-fixing and anticompetitive activity among major airlines' cargo operations took on a worldwide character as antitrust officials raided the offices of several Asian carriers yesterday following similar unannounced raids at major European carriers and American counterparts American Airlines and United Airlines Tuesday ( ATWOnline Feb.
US FAA named Dr. Frederick Tilton the new Federal Air Surgeon. He served as deputy Federal Air Surgeon for the past six years and replaces recently retired Dr. Jon Jordan.
