AirlinesDOT fines American Airlines $1.6 million for excessive tarmac delaysThe US Department of Transportation (DOT) fined American Airlines $1.6 million Dec. 14, related to excessive tarmac delays involving 27 flights at three US airports in 2013 and 2015. An investigation by DOT’s Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings office found that American Airlines allowed a number of domestic flights to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours without providing passengers an opportunity to deplane.
LinkDOT holds to Delta-Aeromexico JV conditionsThe US Department of Transportation (DOT) has granted final approval to the proposed Delta Air Lines-Aeromexico transborder joint venture (JV), but is continuing to demand divestitures that the airlines have said are objectionable. DOT was not persuaded by Atlanta-based Delta and Mexico City-based Aeromexico that the required divestitures.
LinkDelta to focus on unit revenue in ‘transition year’ 2017Delta Air Lines is viewing 2017 as a “transition year” in which it will focus intently on returning to positive unit revenue growth, CEO Ed Bastian said. Delta acknowledges the current quarter will be the eighth consecutive in which it will post negative year-over-year unit revenue growth, as measured in PRASM.
LinkEgyptAir crash: Ministry says explosives traces foundEgypt is launching a criminal investigation into the crash of an EgyptAir Airbus A320 after stating that traces of explosives have been found on some of the bodies of those onboard. EgyptAir flight MS804 was en route from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Cairo May 19 with 66 people on board when it lost radar contact and crashed. Everyone was killed.
LinkJetstar 787 engine shutdown caused by known issueA mid-air engine shutdown aboard a Jetstar Airways Boeing 787-8 aircraft has been attributed to a known issue with the transfer gearbox (TGB) of the General Electric GENx-1B turbofan. On 6 August 2016, the crew of flight JQ12 was operating a Tokyo Narita-Gold Coast service when they were alerted to a fault in the aircraft’s (VH-VKK) right engine, says the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in its final report into the incident.
LinkLufthansa acquires Brussels Airlines, to become part of EurowingsLufthansa Group has taken over 100% of SN Airholding, the parent company of Brussels Airlines, in a deal to fully integrate the Belgian carrier into Lufthansa’s Eurowings Group in 2018. Lufthansa’s supervisory board agreed to exercise a call option on the remaining 55% stake, effective Dec. 31. The transaction will close by the beginning of January 2017. The price for the acquisition of the remaining 55% of the shares is €2.6 million ($2.8 million), which will be transferred to a consortium of 30 shareholders.
LinkNorwegian steps up competition in GermanyLow-cost carrier (LCC) Norwegian has announced a major increase in flights from Germany for its 2017 summer timetable, offering five new routes from Düsseldorf and three from Hannover. The flights are all to Spanish holiday destinations and are the latest manifestation of LCCs increasingly taking on full-cost carriers in their backyards. Ryanair is already the most-used carrier in Italy by market share and easyJet and it are the second-largest airlines in several other Western European nations.
LinkQantas steps into ultra-long-haul gameQantas is set to become the latest carrier to jump onto the ultra-long-haul bandwagon, with plans to launch the first-ever nonstop scheduled services between Australia and the UK in March 2018. The Oneworld carrier will use its 236-seat Boeing 787-9s to fly a 17-hour, 7,830nm (14,500km) route between Perth and London, which it has hailed as a “game-changer” for the Kangaroo route.
LinkThomas Cook pilot wins fatigue tribunal caseA UK airline captain has accepted an apology from his employer, which initially sanctioned him for refusing to fly because he said he was fatigued. Captain Mike Simkins was suspended by Thomas Cook Airlines, a UK charter operator, for six months and threatened with dismissal after refusing to fly his Boeing 767. Simkins took the case to an employment tribunal, which ruled in his favor.
LinkWizz Air to launch new Varna services; CFO resigns Budapest-based low-cost carrier (LCC) Wizz Air plans to open its 27th base at Bulgaria’s Varna Airport, from July 21, 2017, with one new Airbus A320. Varna, which will be Wizz Air’s second Bulgarian airport base, represents a $98 million investment and will create 36 jobs.
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