NewsOneworld sees Qatar Airways boosting access to Africa The Oneworld alliance expects its latest recruit, Qatar Airways, to help it boost its presence in the expanding African market where it currently trails its two rival groups. Oneworld's only African presence is through British Airways affiliate, South African carrier Comair. Rivals Star Alliance and SkyTeam each have African flag carriers among their members. Ethiopian and South African Airways are members of Star while Kenya Airways is in SkyTeam.
LinkSkyWest firms deal for 100 MRJ90s SkyWest Airlines has firm an agreement with Mitsubishi Aircraft to purchase 100 Mitsubishi Regional Jets, with an option for an additional 100 aircraft. The deal for the Pratt & Whitney PW1200G-powered MRJ90s comes five months after it was first announced as an agreement in principle at the Farnborough air show. No mention was made regarding the 100 aircraft option then.
LinkBA loads A380s in favour of premium cabin British Airways' configuration for its Airbus A380s illustrates a heavy weighting towards premium passengers, with almost the lowest levels of economy seating selected by operators of the type. It will have just 303 economy-class seats in the A380, only two more than Korean Air which has the lowest figure for economy accommodation. But BA's combined first- and business-class sections will have 111 seats, higher than any current operator and second only to the 114 indicated by Japan's Skymark Airlines - whose premium section will not have a first-class cabin.
LinkRolls-Royce test-flies first 787-9 demonstrator engine Rolls-Royce has flown the demonstrator engine for the Boeing 787-9, a higher-thrust version of its Trent 1000 powerplant. The manufacturer says it conducted the initial flight with a Boeing 747-200 testbed in Tucson, Arizona. It has also completed a 150h endurance test at the manufacturer's UK facility in Derby, as well as over-temperature tests through which the powerplant must be run at temperatures exceeding normal limits.
LinkUruguay's BQB plans Madrid-Montevideo flightsUruguay's BQB Lineas Aereas has confirmed it will begin operating the only flights between Madrid and Montevideo from April 2013 with Boeing 767s, following Iberia's departure from the Uruguayan market. A spokesman for Buquebus, the Argentinean-Uruguayan travel group which owns BQB, says that "the withdrawal of Iberia from the route has created the conditions to launch BQB's first long-haul route.""We will start operating six weekly frequencies in April 2013, for which we are negotiating the lease of two Boeing 767-300ER aircraft," he says. The flights will be operated on a codeshare basis with Iberia.
LinkWorld Tourist Numbers Hit 1 Billion This WeekThe number of annual tourists crossing international borders will reach 1 billion this week, the United Nations World Tourism Organization said on Wednesday, with Chinese the biggest growth driver.
LinkAirport Arrest For Woman With Cocaine Breast ImplantsSpanish police arrested a Panamanian woman on Wednesday who landed in Barcelona from Bogota, Colombia with cocaine stuffed inside her breast implants.
LinkPoland Wants LOT To Fire CEO After Aid RequestPoland called on flag carrier LOT to fire its chief executive after the airline turned to the government for at least 400 million zlotys (USD$127 million) in state aid to avoid bankruptcy
LinkDelta Expects Profit Growth In 2013Delta Air Lines said it expected profit growth in 2013 and would introduce a plan to return cash to shareholders.
LinkAviancaTaca orders 15 ATR 72-600s The AviancaTaca group of airlines has placed a firm order for 15 ATR 72-600s, plus 15 options, in an order valued at $700 million. Delivery is scheduled to begin in June 2013. The new aircraft, which will serve regional routes in Colombia and Central America, will replace Fokker 50s and ATR 42s. Avianca Airlines will operate the new aircraft to destinations including Barrancabermeja, Florence, Manizales, Neiva, Pasto, Popayán, Tumaco and Yopal. TACA will operate the ATRs into Guatemala City, Flores, Tegucigalpa, Roatán, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, Managua, San José and Liberia.
LinkAir Berlin to set up regional subsidiaryAir Berlin will establish a regional subsidiary as part of its restructuring process, according to sources. Its fleet would include 10 Bombardier Dash-8 Q400s and seven Embraer E-190s, to be transferred from Austrian-based low-cost partner FlyNiki to Air Berlin in exchange for Airbus A320 family aircraft.
LinkStar Alliance to be main tenant at new Heathrow’s Terminal 2 London Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 2 will be home to Star Alliance, Aer Lingus and Virgin Atlantic Airways domestic flights when it opens in 2014. Star Alliance airlines currently operate from Terminals 1, 3 and 4, while Aer Lingus operates from T1. Virgin Atlantic domestic flights will initially operate from T1 before moving to T2. Virgin Atlantic’s international flights will continue to operate from T3, and the airport said it would continue to work with the airline on how its services might be co-located in the future.
LinkALTA denounces 150% Curacao Airport tax hike The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) has criticized a 150% increase in taxes and landing fees at Curacao Airport. Curacao Airport Partners—the international consortium that manages Curacao International Airport—announced the hike Nov. 30 and made it effective Dec. 1. According to ALTA, the increase includes all passenger facility charges (PFCs) and landing fees. The organization has sent an official message to the Minister of Traffic, Transport and Regional Planning of Curacao, protesting the “unjustified measure to increase airport revenues at the expense of passengers and carriers.”
LinkAverage U.S. airline fuel cost rose 9.7% in OctoberU.S. airlines paid 9.7% more for aviation fuel in October than they did a year ago, according to a report from the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Average fuel prices were also up 3.4% from September. Fuel consumption was down 1.9% from September and 3.9% from October 2011 ago.
LinkFAA again decides against extending fatigue rules to cargo pilotsThe Federal Aviation Administration has ruled against extending pilot-fatigue regulations for commercial pilots to pilots of cargo planes. The FAA maintained its earlier ruling after recalculating its estimates.
LinkSenator to FAA: Ease device rules, or I'll legislateSen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., says she is prepared to propose legislation that will require the Federal Aviation Administration to permit more usage of electronic devices on flights if it doesn't ease up on technology restrictions. "Airline employees have the incredibly important job of keeping us safe in the air -- their efforts are better spent worrying about rules that actually accomplish that goal," the senator said. Earlier this year, the FAA said it was assessing rules on device usage; regulators have said that devices that emit data might interfere with electronic equipment on airplanes.
LinkAustralia seeks information for more Super Hornets Australia has sent a letter of request (LOR) to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency seeking information on costs and availability for a possible purchase of 24 additional F/A-18F Super Hornets. According to a joint statement from Australia's defence minister Stephen Smith and defence materiel minister Jason Clare, the LOR is the latest step in a process assessing Australia's air combat capability options in light of delays to the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and the retirement of the Royal Australian Air Force's 71 F/A-18A/B "Classic" Hornets.
LinkSikorsky last bidder standing in USAF's combat rescue helicopter battle Sikorsky appears to be the only potential contractor willing to bid for the US Air Force's combat rescue helicopter (CRH) program. "Sikorsky intends to continue with its proposal to offer the air force a proven, affordable combat rescue helicopter system to perform the critical mission of saving warfighters' lives," the company says
LinkBrazil keeps F-X2 fighter contest on hold until economy recovers Brazil will keep a long-delayed acquisition of 36 fighters on hold until the national economy recovers from an ongoing slump, according to translated remarks by President Dilma Rousseff. The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (below), Dassault Rafale and Saab Gripen NG were shortlisted by the Brazilian air force in 2008 for the F-X2 deal. Brazil's government had expected to sign a contract during 2012, but the award has now been postponed indefinitely while it diverts funds to bolster the economy with tax cuts and infrastructure spending, Rousseff says.Brazil's government had expected to sign a contract during 2012, but the award has now been postponed indefinitely while it diverts funds to bolster the economy with tax cuts and infrastructure spending, Rousseff says.
LinkUK slips military flying training decision until 2015The UK Ministry of Defence is expected to place a contract for the remainder of its Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme during 2015, with industry partner Ascent Flight Training having issued a request for proposals for the requirement. "The new capability will deliver assets for use in elementary, basic, multi-engine and fixed-wing rear crew training for the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army Air Corps," Ascent said in a notification published on 10 December. The MoD's partner for the MFTS programme adds that it "will manage the procurement process to contract a holistic training service, including the new aircraft, in 2015".
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