NewsSouth African Airport Workers Join StrikesSouth African airport workers went on strike for higher wages on Monday, extending a series of industrial action threatening to slow growth in Africa's largest economy. The labour unrest poses a risk for President Jacob Zuma's African National Congress as it heads into elections next year facing increasing criticism that it has not done enough to help the millions of unemployed and working poor almost 20 years after the end of white-minority apartheid rule.
LinkDubai Aerospace Confirms BBA Merger TalksDubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), owner of US-based engine repair and maintenance business StandardAero, is in talks to merge parts of its business with British aircraft services firm BBA Aviation. Dubai government-owned DAE said the talks were at a preliminary stage and gave no further details. Its statement came after the Sunday Times newspaper reported BBA was holding talks with StandardAero over a GBP£2.7 billion (USD$4.2 billion) tie-up. The paper said DAE was seeking GBP£1.3 billion for StandardAero, which it bought six years ago.
LinkLAN Appeals Eviction From Aeroparque HangarLAN Argentina has gone to court to appeal last week's decision by the Argentine government to evict the company from its hangar at Buenos Aires' domestic airport, television channel TN said on Monday. LAN Argentina, a unit of Chile-based LATAM Airlines, had no immediate comment on the TN report. Argentina's airport regulator said last Tuesday that LAN Argentina had 10 days to vacate the hangar at Aeroparque because it was not a state airline. LAN Argentina is the main competitor of Argentina's flag carrier, Aerolineas Argentinas, which was nationalized in 2008.
LinkFund Group Bans American Air Employees From TradingUS investment manager T. Rowe Price has permanently banned about 1,300 American Airlines employees from trading among its funds in their 401(k) retirement plans, a rare move to curb "collective" trading by subscribers to an investment newsletter. About 800 additional employees have received warning letters about their trading patterns, according to sources at the airline and at JPMorgan, administrator of the retirement plan. The ban, confirmed by the airline and the fund company in response to an enquiry, follows a period of several years in which T. Rowe Price imposed a series of temporary trading restrictions on some subscribers to the EZTracker newsletter for American Airlines employees.
LinkRefinery Closure, Maintenance To Boost Jet Fuel PricesThe closure of a Cosmo Oil refinery and European maintenance schedules will give an extra boost to Asian jet fuel margins this year as Japanese refiners make their usual fourth-quarter shift to produce more kerosene during winter. This could provide a bright spot for Asian refiners, although airlines' earnings could be hit should underlying crude prices hold at current levels or go higher, sources said. Japanese refiners typically adjust their yields of middle distillates in winter to produce more kerosene - used in Japan to heat homes and businesses - and less of diesel and jet fuel. This year's shift is already taking place, traders said, and comes just a month after Cosmo Oil permanently shut its 140,000-barrels-per-day (bpd) Sakaide refinery in western Japan.
LinkUSA and Indonesia formalise AH-64E Apache deal The USA will sell Indonesia eight Boeing AH-64E Apache Longbow helicopters in a deal worth $500 million. The deal was announced at a joint press conference in Jakarta between US defence secretary Chuck Hagel and Indonesian defence minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, according to a US Department of Defense statement. "Providing Indonesia these world-class helicopters is an example of our commitment to help build Indonesia's military capability," said Hagel. He said the helicopters will assist in dealing with "a range of contingencies, including counterpiracy operations and maritime awareness".
LinkFrance concludes deal for 16 Reapers France has concluded a deal with the Pentagon to purchase 16 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft and eight ground control stations, the US Department of Defense (DOD) confirms. "The Letters of Offer and Acceptance have been signed for the Reapers as well as for the associated training case," says the Pentagon. "French operators are currently in training."
LinkAMR asks bankruptcy court to approve restructuringAMR Corp., the parent of American Airlines, filed court papers asking a bankruptcy judge to approve its restructuring plan. Despite the Justice Department lawsuit to block the merger with US Airways, AMR said the carrier is ready to move forward.
LinkAnalysts question rationale for DOJ merger actionAnalysts challenged federal regulators for ignoring low-cost carriers as competition in calculating the outcome of a proposed merger. "You can’t ignore one of the largest players in the market," said analyst Savanthi Syth of Raymond James Financial Inc.
LinkBoeing, GE develop software upgrade for improved engine controlBoeing and General Electric are testing a software upgrade for improved engine control on the 747-8. The upgrade is designed to prevent an incident like the one that occurred on Russia's AirBridge Cargo 747-8F last month.
LinkAirlines earn "paper-thin margins," fuel remains largest and most volatile costAirlines for America Chief Economist John Heimlich said that the top 10 U.S. carriers have moved from "razor-thin to paper-thin margins” so far in 2013. Heimlich cautioned that fuel remains the carriers' largest and most volatile expense, saying that "a swing of 20 cents per gallon (in fuel costs) would have wiped out the profits." Fuel prices have already risen 26 cents per gallon since the first half of this year.
LinkALPA’s Capt. Moak: U.S. should develop national airline policyCapt. Lee Moak, the president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International, says the U.S. should develop a national airline policy that supports the aviation industry. "We need government policy that supports a level playing field for U.S. airlines so that they can compete in the international marketplace and continue to provide safe, affordable air transportation," he writes.
LinkDOJ appoints new attorney for antitrust divisionThe Justice Department appointed David Gelfand as head of litigation for its antitrust division. Gelfand has previously worked with firms such as Google, Molson Coors Brewing and Hertz Global Holdings. Meanwhile, a scheduling conflict for a U.S. district judge may support the move by US Airways and American Airlines for an earlier trial.
LinkDecision on secondary cockpit barriers should be left to carriersRep. Michael G. Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., has introduced legislation that would require secondary barriers in cockpits for U.S. airlines. "We believe individual carriers should be able to make the determination," Airlines for America spokeswoman Jean Medina said.
LinkFla. airport calms passengers with AmbassaDog programFlorida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport debuted its AmbassaDogs program last week. The program enables passengers to pet dogs for a calming influence.
LinkCFO: Denver airport preparing for the futureDenver International Airport is preparing for the possible departure of Frontier Airlines. "It's just good business practice to have about a year of cash on hand and we increased that to offset that risk of losing a carrier," said Patrick Heck, the airport's chief financial officer.
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