NewsGulf Air bailout may include radical restructuring The Bahraini government has approved a BD185million ($494 million) cash injection for flag carrier Gulf Air (GF)—but the deal may include a radical restructuring. A GF spokeswoman said Sunday that no firm decisions have been reached on the carrier’s future shape, which will depend on negotiations with parliament over the next few weeks.
LinkNiki Lauda: FlyNiki brand will ‘disappear’ Austrian-based low-cost carrier FlyNiki (HG), an Air Berlin (AB) partner, may see its branding disappear as the integration process with the German carrier moves forward. HG, which was founded by former Grand Prix driver Niki Lauda in 2003, still operates as an independent Austrian company with its own management board. However, as the two carriers integrate further, Lauda told ATW in Vienna, “In my opinion, the brand Niki will disappear within one to two years’ time.”
LinkAir France Changes Structure, BA Sees Slow RecoveryAir France unveiled a new management structure as part of broader efforts to return to profit, as British Airways underscored the industry's problems with a warning that a sustained recovery may not arrive for six years.
LinkBombardier Starts Assembling CSeries JetBombardier took another step toward breaking the Boeing-Airbus lock on the narrow-body jet market on Monday, as it began assembling its rival CSeries jet.
LinkMorocco May Sell Airline StakeMorocco, looking to boost tourism and without the financial clout to buy new aircraft, may sell a stake in Royal Air Maroc to a major Gulf Arab airline.
LinkAeroMexico Cuts 2012 Traffic OutlookAeroMexico cut its 2012 traffic outlook on Monday to 15.5 million passengers, but gave no reason for the decline.
LinkHeathrow Says BAA Name No Longer RelevantHeathrow airport, owned by Spain's Ferrovial, is scrapping the BAA name, saying that its forced focus on its flagship airport makes the national origins of the BAA name redundant.
LinkLoose beverage can leads to substantial damage to Southwest 717-200 A Southwest Airlines Boeing 717-200 was rammed by a catering truck at the Milwaukee airport and damaged "substantially", according to a preliminary report posted today by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The AirTran-branded 717, registered as N894AT, was hit at the production splice joint, where the forward fuselage section is connected to the midsection of the fuselage, the NTSB says.
LinkNTSB Preliminary ReportUSAF targets long-range strike bomber The US Air Force is developing a new stealth bomber to counter growing anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) challenges around the world - but the programme faces enormous challenges in the face of declining US defence outlays. The Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) is part of a so-called "family of systems" being designed to ensure US forces can hold any point on Earth that may be at risk from aerial attack. The Long Range Strike family of systems - particularly the new bomber - is the centrepiece of the Pentagon's emerging "AirSea Battle" construct.
LinkNorthrop, Elbit to flight test terrain-following system for C-130 Northrop Grumman has joined forces with Elbit Systems to offer a new terrain-following/terrain-avoidance (TF/TA) system for use with Lockheed Martin's C-130 tactical transport. Already selected for integration with the Hercules as part of an ongoing avionics upgrade programme for an undisclosed operator, the system combines Northrop's APN-241 radar with Elbit head-up displays. Using a digital terrain elevation database and the terrain-following radar as an active sensor, it will enable pilots to fly and manoeuvre safely at low level in all weather conditions, by day or night.
LinkAmerican Airlines will add secondary lock on 767 seatsAs a preventive measure, American Airlines will modify seats with a second locking mechanism on 49 Boeing 767 planes. The work should be completed around Oct. 21. American says it has investigated its full fleet and found no other planes with a similar locking device. The work won't involve cancelling flights or grounding aircraft, an American Airline spokeswoman says.
LinkHawaiian Airlines flew 10% more passengers in SeptemberHawaiian Airlines flew 10% more passengers in September than in September 2011. Year-to-date passenger totals are up 11.1%.
LinkSolid Q3 airline results are expectedWith fuel prices slowly falling, airlines are expected to post solid third-quarter profits, but, analysts predict challenges for the industry at the end of the year as business travel is curbed. "We expect the nine major U.S. airlines to produce a solid third quarter," wrote analyst Ray Neidl of Maxim Group, "but below our original expectations."
LinkTSA seeks to step up employee service qualityThe Transportation Security Administration has initiated several efforts to improve accountability among its workforce, observers say. Reports of theft and improper screening methods in the media have led to steep declines in public satisfaction for TSA screeners. One such measure being implemented is the creation of a database which helps keep track of disciplinary cases handled by the agency.
LinkTSA's trusted traveler program expanding in FloridaThe Transportation Security Administration's traveler prescreening program, PreCheck, is expanding its Florida presence to include Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The initial program will be available only to Delta frequent fliers who receive an invitation from the TSA. The PreCheck program is currently in place at 26 airports, and the TSA plans to expand it to 35 by the end of the year.
LinkUnited Airlines will sponsor NFL's Tampa Bay BuccaneersUnited Airlines and the National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed an agreement making United the official team carrier. Team executives say the team has flown with United for several seasons, but "this is the first time the airline will become a sponsor," this blogger says.
LinkPer-passenger cost to go up at Pittsburgh airportThe Allegheny County Airport Authority approved a budget that will raise Pittsburgh International Airport's cost per passenger by 38 cents to $14.66. The move comes as part of a $159.6 million budget the board approved on Friday. James Gill, the authority's CFO, said the increase is needed to cover $3.8 million owed annually on bonds used for airport renovations.
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