KLM Engineering & Maintenance will perform D checks on 10 Cargolux 747s. KLM is able to perform a D check in 28 days including strip and paint. The two also signed a three-year extension of a current agreement covering C checks, engineering services and Maintenance & Pool on the GE CF6 engines and engine components that power the Cargolux fleet.
British Airways launched an investigation into last week's "outrageous" walkout by 1,000 baggage handlers, cargo workers and bus drivers at London Heathrow that caused the airline to cancel more than 700 flights and disrupted the travel plans of some 100,000 BA customers ( ATWOnline, Aug. 16).
A small number of Korean Air pilots have flagged that they will join their colleagues at Asiana in taking strike action today. The Asiana pilots are back at work after a 25-day strike, but the industrial situation is far from settled ( ATWOnline, Aug. 17). At the center of the Korean Air dispute is an extension of rest periods after international flights, with the pilots arguing for a 30-hr. break, up from the current 22 hr. The Asiana dispute is in mediation with an agreement deadline of Aug. 24.
Air Wisconsin began service for new partner US Airways with a flight from Philadelphia to Burlington. By the end of August, Air Wisconsin is scheduled to operate16 daily departures as US Airways Express. In September the schedule will expand to include a total of 25 markets with approximately 88 daily departures, primarily flown to and from Philadelphia. By February 2006 it will operate a fleet of 70 CRJs as US Airways Express.
ACE Aviation Holdings, parent of Air Canada, named former Aer Lingus CFO Brian Dunne executive VP and CFO reporting to ACE Chairman and CEO Robert Milton. Dunne replaces Rob Peterson, who will assume the position of executive VP-finance and CFO at Aeroplan LP, Air Canada's loyalty program that has been spun off into a separate subsidiary. Dunne was one of the top Aer Lingus managers credited with leading the airline's turnaround who resigned along with CEO Willie Walsh last year.
Lufthansa Technik won Pulkovo Airlines as a new Total Technical Support client. A five-year contract includes support for Pulkovo's 737-500 fleet and engines. LHT also extended its cooperation with Siberia Airlines to provide Total Component Support for Sibair's eight A310s for the next five years.
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, parent of Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo, suspended plans to merge the carriers in the face of a possible strike next month by Polar's pilots. Polar and the Air Line Pilots Assn. were released from negotiations by the National Mediation Board, starting a 30-day cooling-off period after which the pilots will be free to strike and Polar can impose a contract on the union. The cooling-off period is set to expire at 12:01 a.m. EDT Sept. 16.
Australian government will review the bid by Singapore Airlines for access to routes between Australia and the US, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told Australian reporters. Qantas has put up fierce opposition to the route application, but most analysts agree it is only a matter of time before SIA gains access, which would be in line with the ongoing liberalization between Australia and Singapore. Just three months ago the Australian government shut the door on SIA and in July Prime Minister John Howard flagged a merger of SIA and Qantas, which surprised both carriers.
IndiGo Airlines' order for 100 A320s announced at the Paris Air Show may have run into some turbulence. According to reports from some analysts and the Times of India, the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation's Aircraft Acquisition Committee deferred a decision on IndiGo's ambitious fleet plans. Sources suggest the committee needs "more clarification of the airline's funding" and there are concerns about the impact of the aircraft on slot requirements.
Midwest Airlines launched a new program, Best Care Business, providing incentives and awards for businesses and corporations that spend $100,000 or less annually on travel with the Milwaukee-based carrier.
Gol, in a step that represents a departure from the low-fare airline template it has followed since startup, announced a marketing agreement with Copa under which the two carriers will codeshare between Brazil and Panama beginning Aug. 24. The first phase of the agreement will connect Gol flights from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo with Copa flights to Panama. Additional phases will increase the number of Brazilian cities served by the codeshare and add beyond destinations from Panama.
US State Dept. said it plans to issue the first full-validity US electronic passports in December and by October 2006 all domestic passport agencies will issue e-passports. The new passport will combine facial recognition and contactless chip technology with antiskimming technology to prevent unauthorized reading. State said it also is considering incorporating basic access control technology in the new passport.
Asiana Airlines will offer free domestic flights Thursday when services are expected to return to normal after a lengthy pilots' strike. International schedules, however, are not expected to be back to normal until the end of August. The free flight offer applies to nine destinations and there will be a 30% discount on the same routes until Sunday. The offer does not include the holiday island of Jeju.
American Airlines increased surcharges on fares to/from most of its international destinations as well as from/to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Airlines in response to the continuing rise in fuel prices. The increase is $10 one way and $20 roundtrip effective immediately.
Goodrich Corp. appointed Marc Duvall president of its Engine Control Systems business, reporting to Cindy Egnotovich, segment president, Engine Systems. Duvall most recently served as VP and GM for Honeywell Process Solutions-Americas. He began his career with Garrett Engine Turbine Co. and served in a variety of engineering and management roles with AlliedSignal. He succeeds Ron Hodges, who intends to retire in March.
Shanghai Airlines blamed soaring fuel prices for a profit slump in the first half. Net profit of just 13.35 million yuan ($1.7 million) was 91% down on last year's 145.3 million yuan.
In the third fatal airline accident this month, a West Caribbean Airways MD-82 crashed in western Venezuela early Tuesday morning, killing all eight crewmembers and 152 passengers onboard.
ATA Airlines parent ATA Holdings Corp. announced that President and CEO George Mikelsons is retiring at the end of the month from the company he founded more than 30 years ago. If approved by the bankruptcy court overseeing ATA's Chapter 11 reorganization, he will step down at the end of August while continuing to serve as nonexecutive chairman through Dec. 31 or until ATA's bankruptcy reorganization plan is approved, whichever comes first. Mikelsons, 67, founded ATA's predecessor, the Ambassadair Travel Club, in 1973.
British Airways said that operations at London Heathrow were almost back to normal after the disruptions of last week, caused when 1,000 baggage loaders and ramp workers walked off their jobs Thursday to protest the firing of several hundred employees at Gate Gourmet ( ATWOnline, Aug. 15). Both the fired workers and the BA employees belong to the same union.
Alaska Airlines and the Transport Workers Union jointly announced ratification of an amended contract extending the current agreement covering Alaska's 34 dispatchers to June 30, 2010. The five-year contract in effect since July 1, 2002, called for a reconsideration of wages in 2005. The extended contract includes a redistribution of planned wage increases through 2010 and other contract updates and clarifications resolving issues raised by the union and the airline.
United Airlines yesterday announced "a brand promise" to operate larger aircraft on longer stage lengths out of Chicago O'Hare and said Embraer 170s and Bombardier CRJ700s flown by United Express partners at ORD will offer both first and Premium Economy sections under the new "explus" brand name. "Scheduled flights out of O'Hare longer than two-and-a-half hours--as well as select other flights--will be served by United mainline, Ted, or explus," United said. "Premium snack boxes" will be served to first class passengers on explus flights longer than 150 min.
Continental Airlines announced modifications to its free checked-bags policy for international travel to reflect new weight limits of 50 lb. each for up to two pieces. It said the new policy is necessary to recoup increased handling and fuel costs associated with carrying heavier bags. Under the new policy, passengers are allowed to check two pieces of baggage with a maximum weight of 50 lb. each free of charge. However, OnePass Elite members are allowed to check two pieces with a maximum weight of 70 lb.
American Airlines will install Recaro lie-flat seatbeds, larger overhead bins and "enhanced" inflight entertainment systems in the business class cabins of its 767-300s and 777s and will add its Flagship Suite first class cabin to its remaining 20 777s, the carrier said yesterday.
Star Alliance opened a dedicated flight connection center at Munich, its sixth such center. Employees in the center monitor arrival and departure times of member carriers' flights so that potential misconnections can be flagged at the earliest possible stage and corrective action taken. On average, 1,500 passengers per day transfer between two Star carriers at Munich, where the airlines are co-located in the same terminal.
Structural Monitoring Systems entered into a commercial license agreement with Boeing for terms and proprietary information access rights to enable SMS's Comparative Vacuum Monitoring system to be manufactured, certified, sold and distributed by the company to operators of Boeing aircraft. The agreement also establishes the terms under which Boeing will provide technical services and assistance to SMS.
