CommercialCyclone Threatens To Disrupt MH370 SearchA tropical cyclone was threatening to hamper the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on Monday, as a submarine drone neared the end of its mission scouring the sea bed with still no sign of wreckage. The search for MH370 has narrowed to a 10 sq km (6.2 sq mile) patch of sea floor about 2,000 km (1,200 miles) west of the Australian city of Perth. Search authorities and the Australian and Malaysian governments have said a series of pings, traced to the area may have emanated from the plane's "black box" and present the most credible lead as to its whereabouts. However no pings have been detected in almost two weeks and authorities now fear that, with the flight data recorder's battery several weeks past its expected expiry date, the black box may not emit further signals.
LinkRussia To Allow Airlines To Hire Foreign PilotsPresident Vladimir Putin has signed a law that allows Russian airlines to hire foreign pilots, a move the Kremlin said was needed to end a shortage of pilots on civilian flights as passenger numbers grow. The law comes five months after 50 people were killed in the crash of a Tatarstan Airlines jet, blamed on pilot error, which highlighted concerns that Russia does not have enough pilots to meet growing demand. "The (new) federal law is designed to liquidate the deficit of commanders to civilian aircraft," the Kremlin said in a statement.
LinkTeenager Survives Pacific Flight In Wheel WellA teenaged boy has survived a flight from California to Hawaii in the wheel well of an airliner, Hawaiian Airlines said. The 16-year-old, who was not identified, was spotted by airline personnel after Hawaiian Airlines flight 45 landed in Maui on Sunday morning on a flight from San Jose, California, the airline said. The workers then notified security. FBI officials confirmed that the boy had flown from San Jose to Maui in the plane's wheel well, the airline said. The flying time from San Jose to Hawaii is more than five hours.
LinkThai Air Warns Of Steeper Q1 LossThai Airways on Monday warned of a steeper-than-expected first-quarter net loss as passenger numbers fell due to prolonged political unrest in Thailand and fierce competition from low-cost carriers. "First quarter net loss will be higher than what we had expected by THB30 million (USD$930,000)," acting president Chokchai Panyayong told reporters after a board meeting. He did not give an exact figure for the anticipated loss. Passenger numbers in March alone dropped almost 21 percent from the same month a year ago to 1.59 million, he said.
LinkSecurity Threat On Delta Flight Not CredibleA Delta Air Lines flight that landed at a Denver Airport was directed to a remote taxiway after an unspecified "potential security threat" onboard and passengers were ushered off the plane, but authorities later saw the threat as unlikely to be credible. Flight 1500, a Boeing 737 with 151 passengers and six crew, landed at Denver Airport from Detroit Metropolitan Airport at about 4:40 pm local time, airline spokesman Russell Cason said. The passengers were quickly sent off the plane without their luggage and taken by bus to a separate part of the airport, where they were being interviewed by FBI officials. There were no reports of injury. After screening passengers, crew and the plane, authorities said by 10 pm local time all passengers were allowed to collect their bags and go on their way, with no arrests made.
LinkShandong Airlines signs for 50 737sShandong Airlines has placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 aircraft, in a deal worth $4.65 billion at list price. The order, part of the carrier's 13th five-year plan, comprises of 34 737 Max aircraft and 16 737-800s, says the carrier in a disclosure on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The aircraft are scheduled to be delivered between 2016 and 2020, it adds.
LinkAmerican CEO: We are still in early stages of integrating operationsAmerican Airlines CEO Doug Parker said recently that the carrier is still in the early stages of its integration process and that it's too early to declare mission accomplished. "I don’t want to minimize what's been done," Parker said. "There are bigger things to come that we haven't had to deal with yet." Five months into the merger, shares of American Airlines have surged 44% since the close of the merger in December.
LinkAlaska Airlines: Fly yourOregon wine for freePassengers on Alaska Airlines can check a case of Oregon wine for free in a program that begins May 1. "Oregon Wine's partnership with Travel Oregon and Alaska Airlines was a tremendous success in 2013 and we're expecting the new program will be even more successful," said Tom Danowski, the Oregon Wine Board's executive director.
LinkKan. workers could benefit from Airbus A320neo upgradesAirbus reportedly is considering upgrades to its A320neo, which could mean more work for Airbus Americas Engineering in Wichita, Kan. The Wichita office is the European aircraft manufacturer's largest engineering office outside of Europe.
LinkBoeing to comply with arbitration rulingAccording to the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, Boeing will comply with an arbitration ruling. "Boeing was disappointed with the arbitration ruling but we are working with SPEEA to fulfill the arbitrator's make-whole ruling," said Tim Healy, a Boeing spokesman.
LinkColumn explores hiring process for regional carriers Pedro Fábregas did the math, and the math wasn’t good. Fábregas, president and chief executive of Envoy Air Inc., says Envoy hired about 52 pilots in the first quarter. But 20 pilots were moving each month to parent American Airlines Inc. and 22 to 24 were leaving for other jobs or for other reasons. “You can see the deficit there,” Fábregas said recently. Envoy, formerly known as American Eagle Airlines Inc., isn’t the only regional carrier having trouble with pilot math. For a combination of reasons, regional carriers are having a tougher time finding enough qualified pilots to keep their cockpits manned. “I think it is a very, very real issue,” aviation consultant Bill Swelbar said. He noted that some regional carriers have already had to park airplanes because they don’t have enough pilots and can’t hire enough replacements.
LinkAmerican adjusts wages at LaGuardia It was a very Good Friday for American Airlines contract workers who operate at LaGuardia Airport. The poorly-paid porters, cleaners and security guards were rejoicing a day after they received their promised raises to $9-an-hour in this week’s paychecks. “Oh my gosh. I’m so happy!” said Norman Echeverri, 52, a wheelchair attendant from Queens who had been making a measly $6.90-an-hour plus tips. “You can’t imagine how excited I am.”
LinkAtlantic City, N.J., counts on airline service to revive economyAtlantic City, N.J., is betting on airline service to encourage tourism to the gambling mecca. The city's Casino Reinvestment Development Authority approved $5 million in grants for airlines, which will go toward buying unused seats on flights and therefore reducing airlines' risk when they add additional flights.
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