The US Transportation Security Administration on Friday announced several parameters for a nationwide smart-card-based Registered Traveler program to be run by the private sector. In a statement, TSA said it could approve qualified RT programs "by June of this year." But the agency apparently is leaving it in the hands of airports and private companies to invest "in approved screening equipment, fund additional screeners and/or obtain space for separate RT screening" in order to provide participants in the program with a speedier trip through security lines.
Madrid Barajas' new Terminal 4 will open Feb. 5 rather than the originally scheduled date of Jan. 29. Spanish airport and air traffic authority AENA did not disclose a reason but said the decision was taken in consensus with affected tenants. Iberia will be transferring its operations, including nine divisions and more than 8,000 employees, from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to the new building.
Aeroflot reported 2005 traffic of 20.75 billion RPKs, an "average 1%-2% decline" from 2004 "mainly due to reducing passenger load as prices rose as a result of rocketing fuel prices." Passenger load factor was 69.1%. Cargo volume grew 1.4% to 2.74 billion RTKs. Separately, Aeroflot transferred its Paris CDG flights from Terminal 2B to Terminal 2C on Tuesday. Departure and arrival times are unchanged.
European Parliament advised against the conclusion of an air service agreement between the European Union and Russia absent "the immediate and complete abolition of Russian overflight charges." At the same time, it said a comprehensive aviation agreement between the EU and China is "considered desirable." The MEPs regard the charges imposed by Russia for flights over its territory as a "violation of international law," noting that the cost to European carriers in 2003 amounted to €250 million ($302.6 million).
IATA announced the launch of its IATA Catering Quality Assurance program, which it called "the industry's first global food processing safety and quality assurance" initiative. The association will partner with Medina Quality Assurance Services, which will audit catering facilities in compliance with ICQA standards on a contractual basis for program participants.
SITA SC and SITA INC will be consolidated into a single SITA organization from July, ending the separate structure dating back to 2000. "The integration of the communications services business (SITA SC) and the IT systems, solutions and services business (SITA INC) with the Group Services into a single organization will make it much easier for our customers to do business with SITA. It will also make SITA easier to manage and should also save significant costs which will be passed on to our ATC customers," said Paul Coby, chairman of the boards of SITA SC and the SITA Group Foundation.
China Eastern Airlines said its 2005 net profit will narrow by more than 50% from its CNY514.1 million ($63.7 million) 2004 earnings, according to Shanghai Securities News cited by Reuters. China Eastern's results have fluctuated wildly--it reported a CNY471.4 million loss in the first half of 2005 but was CNY673.2 million in the black by the close of the third quarter. It lost CNY949.8 million in 2003.
Focus Aviation announced it completed the sale of two A300-600Rs on behalf of China Airlines to Avion Aircraft Trading, which will lease the aircraft to an unnamed Middle Eastern carrier. One will be converted into a freighter in October.
Star Flyer of Japan plans to launch operations with three 144-seat A320s by March, operating up to 12 daily flights from the new Kitakyushu Airport to Tokyo Haneda. "We will offer higher prices than Skymark but our fares will be around 20% lower than JAL or ANA," Senior Executive Director Yasushi Muto told this website. Launch capital for the new company is around $38 million. An IPO could be planned for 2008.
United Services Flight Training, a division of United Airlines, became the first foreign provider to receive CAAC certification to train Chinese airline pilots. It said it expects to train pilots from two carriers on 757s and A320s at its Denver Flight Training Center.
US Airways said it reached a transitional agreement with the Assn. of Flight Attendants, representing its 11,000 cabin staff, that will "govern many merger-related aspects of the parties' relationship" until a single agreement can be reached covering all the merged airline's cabin staff. Among other items, the transition deal covers job protection for active members, seniority list integration, job opportunities for furloughed workers and participation by cabin staff from US Airways and America West in a profit-sharing plan.
Viva Air, a proposed low-fare startup based in Macao, expects to announce a fleet decision within the next 10 days. The carrier is looking for up to 12 widebodies to support an international long-haul route network with service commencing in the June/July timeframe. "We are looking to Berlin, Lisbon or Milan with around three to four weekly flights," CEO Andrew Pyne told ATWOnline at the third Low Cost Airline Symposium in Singapore. The carrier has traffic rights out of Macau on 15 routes.
EDS and United Airlines signed a 10-year IT services deal providing desktop, helpdesk, managed services and an upgrade of the carrier's computing and communications environments.
CSA Czech Airlines named former power company executive Radomir Lasak as its new president. He replaces Jaroslav Tvrdik, who resigned earlier this month to enter politics ( ATWOnline, Jan. 5).
SN Brussels Airlines launched what it called "a completely new pricing strategy which rewards early bookers." Fares will be reduced by up to 45% for tickets booked at least two months prior to departure date. The lower fares will be available to each of its 32 destinations for both one-way and return travel. The carrier said it will offer about 800,000 of its 5.5 million seats at the new discounted early booking fares this year.
Boeing identified the suppliers that will provide propulsion systems for the 747-8, which is scheduled to enter service in September 2009 with Cargolux. In addition to the GEnx-2B67 powerplant, GE's Middle River Aircraft Systems unit will contribute the all-composite thrust-reverser system and Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing's former Wichita unit, will supply the engine struts and nacelles. The internal supplier team includes Boeing Winnipeg (aft pylon fairing), Boeing Portland (engine mounts) and Boeing Propulsion Systems (engine and strut build-up).
United Airlines reached an agreement with the Assn. of Flight Attendants on the terms of a new defined contribution pension plan that includes a 3% company match and a 2% direct contribution effective Jan. 1, escalating to a 2.5% direct contribution effective Jan. 1, 2007, and a 3% direct contribution effective the following year, for a total of a 6%, double the amount of the company's original proposal. The agreement also includes $20 million in convertible notes and immediate vesting for all flight attendants currently employed by United.
Rockwell Collins' eFlight initiative made sales to two key airline players, giving the program a big boost after years of development. EasyJet plans to go live in April with a fleetwide EFB for its 54 737s, according to Aircraft Operations Cost Manager Taylor Bradbury. This will allow electronic posting of technical and journey logs via Panasonic CF-18 laptops linked by cellphone wireless during base airport turnarounds while providing automated weight and balance computations.
Efforts by Richard Branson's Virgin Group to regain control of Virgin Blue may have suffered a fatal setback when Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission said it was opposed to Toll Holdings' proposed takeover of Patrick Corp., which holds 62.4% of the Australian low-fare airline. Toll launched a A$4.6 billion ($3.5 billion) hostile takeover of Patrick last August. Assuming the takeover had been successful, Toll would have sold enough Virgin Blue shares to raise Virgin Group's holding from 25% to 40.6%, making it the largest shareholder in the carrier ( ATWOnline, Aug.
Norwegian Air Shuttle signed a purchase agreement with Bavaria International Aircraft Leasing for a 737-300. It will be the carrier's first fully owned aircraft.
Alitalia said it will cancel 74 flights (48 international, 26 domestic) today due to a one-day cabin staff strike, Reuters reported. The dispute reportedly centers on Alitalia's plans to acquire Volare.
AirAsia will make its fares available in the Galileo GDS through Galileo Flight Integrator, a Web-based service. The agreement also covers Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia. It marks the first time the Kuala Lumpur-based LCC has participated in a GDS.
Group of airline and airport trade groups called for establishment of a formal Industry Consultation Body in Europe to advise the European Commission and EU member states on security measures and "to facilitate dialogue in the development of new security measures." The associations behind the statement are Airports Council International Europe, Assn. of European Airlines, European Cockpit Assn., European Regions Airline Assn., International Air Carriers Assn. and IATA.
Connexion by Boeing signed a three-year deal with Korean Air making it the first authorized modification center for retrofit installation of the Connexion product. Korean intends to retrofit third-party aircraft. By mid-2007, all of its own mid/long-range aircraft will be equipped with Connexion. Separately, Japan Airlines will offer Connexion's four channels of live television ( ATWOnline, Jan. 12) to passengers equipped with compatible personal computers beginning Jan. 23. Programming will be available on aircraft equipped with JAL Inflight Internet Service.
