CommercialAustralian PM announces major shift in MH370 searchWith no new developments in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER, aerial searches will be wound down and the underwater search expanded. Australia’s prime minister Tony Abbott told reporters at a briefing in Canberra that it was “highly unlikely” that any aircraft debris would be located from further aerial searches, and those aircraft being used in the searches are “operating at close to the limit of safe and sensible operation.” “Therefore we are moving from the current phase to a phase that is focused on searching the ocean floor over a much larger area.” Abbott says that Canberra plans to contract commercial underwater search companies to join the search. Abbott warned, however, that it would take “some weeks to put in place these new contractual arrangements” for the enlarged search. Those providers are expected to use towed sidescan sonar equipment to search the ocean floor for signs of possible debris, with a focus on a 700km x 80km probable impact zone.
LinkMalaysia Airlines Staff Detained By MH370 RelativesAngry relatives of people missing on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 held some members of the carrier's staff for more than 10 hours in a hotel in Beijing, the airline said on Friday. The airliner vanished on March 8 with 239 people on board while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Many of the passengers were from China and their relatives have grown increasingly frustrated with the failure of a multi-nation search to find any trace of the plane. More than 200 family members held 10 Malaysia Airlines staff after a briefing at a Beijing hotel, only releasing them early on Friday, the airline said.
LinkAir Berlin Seeks Capital Increase After 2013 LossAir Berlin said it was calling on investors to stump up more cash by buying bonds as it unveiled a 2013 loss. It said late on Sunday it was issuing a convertible bond worth EUR€300 million (USD$415 million), to which its biggest shareholder Etihad Airways has subscribed, would make an exchange offer to bondholders with notes due in 2014 and 2015, plus issue new bonds with a volume of at least EUR€150 million. In addition, Etihad has agreed to extend a USD$255 million loan, of which Air Berlin has so far drawn USD$135 million, to the end of 2021 from the end of 2016. Air Berlin, which built up debt after expanding too rapidly, had said last month it was in advanced talks over options that would have a substantial impact, sparking speculation over a possible move by Etihad to gain more control over the carrier.
LinkAmerican Airlines Merger Settlement Approved By US JudgeA US federal judge has approved the November settlement between the government and the airlines that merged to form American Airlines Group, AMR and US Airways. US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the settlement, which required American to sell takeoff and landing rights at airports in the New York and Washington areas and airport gates in five other cities, was "within the reaches of the public interest." She said a hearing was not needed. In Washington, the Justice Department's Antitrust Division welcomed the decision.
LinkAustralian 'Hijacker' Mistook Cockpit For ToiletAn Australian passenger mistook the cockpit door for the toilet, triggering Friday's hijack scare on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to the Indonesian island of Bali, police said. Matt Lockley told Bali police after his arrest that he banged on what he thought was the toilet door for a last-minute bathroom break before the Boeing 737-800 aircraft landed. The door was actually the cockpit door and the pilot, Neil Thomas Cooper, responded by alerting Indonesian traffic controllers of a possible hijacking. A spokeswoman for Virgin Australia said Lockley was directed by the crew back to a seat in the rear of the plane. "The flight was about to land and (Lockley) was sleeping. The flight attendant woke him up and he went to the toilet. At the time, he thought the cockpit door was the toilet door," Heri Wiyanto, Bali police spokesman, told Reuters news agency.
LinkAmerican discusses Embraer E175 jets with regional carriersScott Kirby, the president of American Airlines, said the carrier is in discussions with some of its regional carriers about flying Embraer E175 jets. American ordered the 76-seat jets in December, but will not furnish the jets to its subsidiary Envoy Air after Envoy pilots rejected a contract offer. "As to the future of Envoy, it’s still a very important part of the airline, and we hope someday to be able to fly large regional jets at Envoy still," said Kirby.
LinkAlaska Air Group Q1 profit beats Wall StreetAlaska Air Group posted a $94 million profit, or $1.35 per share, for the first quarter. For the same quarter last year, Alaska reported $37 million, or $0.51 per share. Analysts had predicted $1.24 earnings per share for Alaska Air Group.
LinkJetBlue CEO comments on pilot vote JetBlue Airways CEO Dave Barger has expressed his disappointment with the decision of the carrier’s pilots to unionize and predicted negotiations on an initial labor contract will take nearly three years. The US National Mediation Board revealed this week that JetBlue’s 2,529 pilots voted to join the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), ending the carrier’s status as a non-unionized company. In his first extended public comments on the vote, Barger told analysts and reporters on Thursday he was “personally disappointed” by the pilots’ decision to join ALPA, though he added JetBlue “respects” their right to unionize.
LinkJetBlue looks to enhance offerings for passengers, president says JetBlue is open to the possibility of charging for first checked bags next year, a move that would leave Southwest as the only U.S. airline balking at charging for first and second checked bags. Robin Hayes, JetBlue’s president, addressed the issue during JetBlue’s first quarter earnings call today, opening the door to what would be a dramatic change in JetBlue’s bag-fee policies. Without providing details, Hayes said charging for a first checked bag could come in the context of offering various fare bundles, and giving passengers more choice. He said JetBlue’s investment in a partnership with Dublin-based Datalex, which will provide the technology as a foundation for a new merchandising platform for the airline, “went a little bit unnoticed.” JetBlue and Datalex announced the partnership in January.
LinkJetBlue's free Wi-Fi a hit on long-haul flightsThirty-six of JetBlue's A320 aircraft are equipped with Wi-Fi, and CEO Dave Barger said that up to 80% of passengers used the service on some long-haul flights. The company plans to roll out Wi-Fi to the rest of its A320 fleet by the end of 2014 and later expand the service to its E190s. JetBlue doesn't charge for basic Wi-Fi, but collects $9 per hour for premium service.
LinkN.D. airports are bustling due to shale-oil boomNorth Dakota's shale-oil boom has led to busier airports in the state over the past decade. Enplanements in North Dakota almost doubled over the past 10 years, soaring to 1.1 million in 2013. "Our facilities are tapped out. On occasion, if we have two or three flights that are really close together, it’s standing-room only," said Andy Solsvig, airport director for Minot International in Minot, N.D.
LinkTWU campaigns for JetBlue flight attendants Flight attendants at JetBlue Airways are pushing for a vote on whether to unionize, marking a second organizing effort at the formerly non-union airline after pilots authorized joining a union on Tuesday. The flight attendants are working with the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) to sign authorization cards that would let them hold an election under national labor rules, the TWU told Reuters. "We're getting them in very quickly," Thom McDaniel, a TWU International vice president, said of the cards.
LinkAmerican starts contract talks with flight attendants American Airlines and its flight attendants unions started contract talks on Thursday to negotiate a new joint contract that will cover American and former US Airways flight attendants. The flight attendants, who will be represented by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, submitted their opening proposal to management. With the start of negotiations, the parties will have 150 days to agree to a new contract and if there are items that they are unable to reach an agreement on, an arbitrator will decide those items.
LinkAirbus working on hybrid electric regional aircraftAirbus Group is developing a regional aircraft powered by hybrid electric engines that could seat up to 90 passengers. Jean Botti, chief technology officer for Airbus, estimates the technology could take 15 to 20 years to perfect. Botti said the aircraft manufacturer is studying electric cars for inspiration.
LinkColumn explores benefit of Trusted Traveler ProgramsThere are programs in place that allow fliers to expedite the security screening process at airports. Global Entry lets travelers skip immigration lines when they enter the country, the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck program gives participants access to expedited security lanes and privately-owned CLEAR takes users to the front of the security line.
LinkLas Vegas airport on track for 40M passengers in 2014McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas is on track to serve more than 40 million passengers this year, officials said. McCarran handled 10.1 million passengers in the first quarter, according to the Clark County Aviation Department. For March, the airport had its highest number of passengers since August 2008.
LinkAirports create new ways for travelers to stay productive, relaxAirports are coming up with more ways for travelers to remain productive and relax when they travel. For example, at London's Heathrow Airport, travelers can work out of individual work stations known as "Thinkpods" located near gates. Travelers passing through Chicago who want to unwind can visit the yoga room located in Terminal 3 of O'Hare International Airport.
LinkAirplane seat innovations held up by regulationsAirplane cabin designers have come up with award-winning designs that fliers will undoubtedly love -- if they ever see them. Innovations such as James S.H. Lee's dual-user armrest for coach-class seats, which solves the problem of which passenger gets the armrest, must run a gauntlet of testing and certification before rolling out to the masses.
LinkInd. airport looks to attract international flights with name change Indiana's South Bend Regional Airport on Wednesday announced it is changing its name to South Bend International. "Now it just needs some international flights," writes the South Bend Tribune in its coverage of the name change. In conjunction with the name change, South Bend officials are planning a $3 million addition that will include an international customs and border patrol inspection station as well as new general aviation facility, according to Fox 28 of South Bend.
LinkNo decision yet on Love Field, airline execs say A final decision has not been made on which airline will get control of two gates at Dallas Love Field that American Airlines must divest. Virgin America has scheduled a media event today to discuss its “Dallas operations,” leading to speculation that the airline has landed the gates. But airline executives said Thursday that the future of the two Love Field gates is still undetermined and that Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines remain in the running. Steve Johnson, a senior vice president at American, said it will be a couple of weeks before the winner of those gates is named. As part of its settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to gain approval of its merger with US Airways, American was required to give up takeoff and landing slots and gates at several airports across the country.
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