Civil AviationUS DOJ Hopes To Settle US Air, American CaseThe US Justice Department is looking for divestitures at key airports throughout the United States as a condition for dropping a lawsuit aimed at stopping the proposed merger of US Airways and American Airlines, US Attorney General Eric Holder said on Monday. Holder said that talks with the companies, whose merger would create the world's largest airline, were ongoing and that he hoped for an agreement before a trial begins on November 25.
LinkHong Kong Fund Buys 5 Pct Of Hawaiian AirOasis Management, a Hong Kong-based investment fund, has taken a 5 percent stake in Hawaiian Holdings, parent of Hawaiian Airlines, the fund said in a regulatory filing on Monday. The investment reflects the fund's view that the airline is undervalued based on the potential growth in traffic from Asia.
LinkBoeing In Talks To Build 777X Near SeattleBoeing is in advanced talks with its machinists' union to assemble the company's new 777X jet and build its wings in the Seattle area, several people familiar with the negotiations told Reuters. Where the jet should be built is one of the most keenly awaited decisions in global aerospace, with workers at Boeing's commercial base in the state of Washington facing competition from lower-cost, non-unionized states in the South. The confidential, behind-the-scenes talks on location are being conducted between Boeing and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents workers at Boeing's Washington state factories. Under the proposed deal, final assembly of the 777X would be at Boeing's Everett plant near Seattle, home to all its wide-body production except the 787 Dreamliner, whose assembly is split between Everett and North Charleston, South Carolina.
LinkAer Lingus Flight Attendants Vote For Industrial ActionFlight attendants at Aer Lingus have voted to take industrial action in a row over rostering and job cuts and will meet in the coming days to decide whether to go on strike, their union said Monday. The crew, represented by the IMPACT trade union, voted 91 percent in favor of the action on Monday, seeking to protect 87 jobs which the union said would be lost as a result of outsourcing cabin crew for transatlantic flights. It also accused the airline of breaching existing agreements with staff.
LinkNorwegian Air Pilots Call Off StrikeAround 600 pilots at Norwegian Air Shuttle called off a planned strike on Monday after four days of government mediation yielded a deal that secures their current work agreements. Pilots threatened to walk out in protest at Norwegian's decision to transfer them to new operating companies in various countries around Europe, which they claim could lead to deteriorating contract terms. Under the deal, pilots will have joint collective agreements in Scandinavian countries, which still form the core of the firm's operations, and pilots elsewhere will get equal career opportunities, trade union Parat said.
LinkLion Group receives 100th 737NG aircraftIndonesia’s Lion Group received its 100th Boeing 737NG aircraft at an event in Seattle on 4 November. The Boeing 737-900ER aircraft, which has been painted with a special livery to mark the delivery, will be operated by Lion Air.
LinkTigerair takes first A320 with retrofitted sharkletsTigerair received its first Airbus A320 aircraft retrofitted with sharklets on 5 November, which bears the registration 9V-TRK. The aircraft was retrofitted at Sepang Aircraft Engineering, an MRO facility in Kuala Lumpur, says the low-cost carrier.
LinkAssembly begins on final A350 test aircraftAirbus has started final assembly of the final airframe in the A350 test fleet, MSN5, following delivery of the three fuselage sections to Toulouse. MSN5 will be the second aircraft to be fitted with a passenger cabin for testing, after MSN2. It will be used to conduct early long flight trials, to simulate in-service operations, as well as route-proving flights.
LinkMD-83 struck wing after unstable Afghan approachPilots of a Boeing MD-83 conducted an unauthorized approach to Kandahar, and failed to stabilize the aircraft, before it sustained serious damage in a runway wing-strike. Spanish investigators have determined that the aircraft, operated by Swiftair, did not have operational approval for the GPS approach it performed to Kandahar’s runway 05. The aircraft should have been in a stable approach configuration as it descended through 1,000ft, with an airspeed of 135-155kt. But the MD-83 (EC-JJS) was still travelling at 192kt, says Spanish investigation authority CIAIAC, adding that it was above the glideslope and descending “well in excess” of the maximum rate of 1,000ft/min.
LinkAirbus wing station plan hints at A330 BelugaSchematic diagrams of a planned development at Airbus’s UK wing facility further indicate that the A330 is the candidate for a high-capacity transport to succeed the A300-600ST Beluga. Detailed diagrams for a Beluga line station at the Broughton plant show the plan view of the A300-600ST at the docking point overlaid by a larger aircraft whose dimensions are consistent with a modified A330-300.
LinkRyanair reduces full-year profit forecastRyanair has reduced its full-year profit guidance to €510 million ($690 million) from €570 million, after average fare fell 2% in the six months to 30 September. The Irish budget carrier says the fare drop was due to one-off events such as the timing of Easter, the summer heatwave in northern Europe, French ATC strikes in June, and sterling weakness. While fares fells, Ryanair says ancillary revenues grew 22% in the financial year's first half, to €713 million, driven by successful roll-out of reserved seating, priority boarding and higher credit and debit card fees.
LinkDOJ asks US Airways, American to give up slots, sources sayAccording to sources, the Justice Department is asking American Airlines and US Airways Group to divest slots as part of a proposed settlement over the merger between the two carriers.
LinkUnited updates MileagePlus reward programUnited Airlines changed the number of frequent-flier miles required for some reward flights, including flights serving Hawaii and international first-class flights. United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson said the carrier increased the miles required due to rising costs at United partners. MileagePlus reward miles needed to redeem domestic flights are unchanged.
LinkLabor unions run national ad for proposed AA-US Airways mergerSeveral unions have thrown their support behind the proposed US Airways and American Airlines merger, with a prominent national ad campaign opposing the Justice Department’s suit. The ad campaign has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Politico, among other national media outlets.
LinkAirports increase number of police after LAX incidentAirports across the U.S. have boosted the number of police officers on site after a Transportation Security Administration officer was shot and killed last week at the Los Angeles airport. "The TSA doesn't anticipate a change in our security at this time," a TSA official said. "However, passengers may see an increased presence of local law enforcement officers throughout the country."
LinkEurope to review FAA recommendations on PEDsThe U.K. Civil Aviation Authority plans to review the Federal Aviation Administration's change in policy on personal electronic devices. “We will be studying the review’s recommendations closely and discussing their implications directly with the FAA and also with the European Aviation Safety Agency, which will be responsible for deciding a Europe-wide response and next steps,” said a representative from the British agency.
LinkWhat's Busy App estimates customer wait times for airport securityA Texas start-up has created an app and website that estimates wait times for airport security screening across the U.S. "It's based on flight schedules and how many lanes TSA has open -- it's not just spitting out historical data," said Jordan Thaeler, co-founder of What's Busy. The website is available at whatsbusy.com, and the app will be launched soon.
LinkAirlines add some dazzle to safety videosVirgin America and Delta Air Lines have debuted safety videos designed to get passengers to take notice. Virgin America's video features singing flight attendants and rapping fliers, while Delta's video stars Santa Claus and snowmen.
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