CommercialSouthwest discusses new reservation system, end to overbookingSouthwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly is touting the capabilities of the airline's new $500 million reservations system, including its ability to automatically rebook passengers if there is a flight change. He says Southwest has ended the practice of overbooking flights, noting "the number of no-shows on Southwest has gotten lower and lower, to the point that I feel comfortable in terms of serving our shareholders that we can cease that practice."
LinkAir Canada announces Montreal-Tel Aviv serviceAir Canada is optimistic that its Montreal-Tel Aviv service will be a hit with both business and leisure travelers. The move comes following the announcement that Air Transat will also provide service between the two cities.
LinkUnited pilot adds personal touch to communications with passengersUnited Airlines pilot John McFadden communicated with his passengers during a recent delay by sending several of them personal notes relaying his appreciation for their understanding of the situation. "This pilot ... understood that his passengers are real people and wanted to make sure we knew what was going on," said passenger Brian Heikes.
LinkAmerican Airlines revamps upgrade formulaAmerican Airlines is changing the way it awards upgrades to its frequent flyers who spend the most with American. Those with elite status will still receive first consideration for upgrades.
LinkAmerican Airlines moving to Concourse C at Cleveland airportAmerican Airlines is to start moving operations from Concourse A to Concourse C at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Tuesday at midnight. The new gates they will be using are C2, C3, C4, C5, C8, C10 and C14, according to a news release from the airport. In the short term, American remain at gates A1 and A3 during the transition.
LinkIATA warns EU and US authorities on electronics ban expansionAirline association IATA has called on the European Commission and the US government to adopt additional airport safety measures rather than expand the current, controversial ban on personal electronic devices (PEDs) in the cabin of flights from Middle Eastern and North African countries.
LinkInquiry details turmoil in wake-hit ChallengerInvestigators had no cockpit-voice information, and only limited flight-data recordings, from the Bombardier Challenger 604 involved in an in-flight upset, apparently triggered by wake from an Emirates Airbus A380.
LinkA380 wake upset inquiry: Offset not permitted on routeGerman investigators have disclosed that lateral offset procedures were not apparently permitted on the airway being flown by an Airbus A380 and a Bombardier Challenger business jet involved in a serious wake-turbulence upset over the Arabian Sea.
LinkAir France aims to launch Boost with five A320sAir France has given more details of its Boost project, revealing plans to launch the new airline with five Airbus A320s in winter 2017. The Boost project was unveiled as part of an Air France strategic plan in November 2016 in a bid to regain the offensive in the face of strong Gulf carrier competition and to stem losses on Air France’s weakest long-haul routes.
LinkEgyptAir A330 engine damaged in takeoff incidentAn EgyptAir Airbus A330-200 has sustained damage to one of its Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines during a takeoff incident on May 15. The aircraft, registered SU-GCI, was operating as MS955 from Cairo to Beijing with 211 passengers onboard at the time of the incident.
LinkTerror attacks cost European airlines $2.5 billion in revenueEuropean airlines lost approximately $2.5 billion in revenue as a result of the 2015-2016 terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, according to a new IATA study. European international passenger traffic fell approximately 1.6% in the year following the incidents.
LinkDubai puts airport funding in placeThe government of Dubai has put in place $3 billion of credit facilities for the future development of both Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) airports. Dubai International is the world’s busiest international airport, while Dubai World Central, also known as Al Maktoum International, will eventually be the world’s largest airport in terms of passenger volumes. It will also become Dubai’s primary airport, with Emirates Airline moving there from 2025. By that point, DWC will be able to serve up to 146 million passengers annually.
LinkAirberlin launches Los Angeles services Oneworld member Airberlin launched 3X-weekly Berlin Tegel-Los Angeles (LAX) services May 16, just weeks after Star Alliance members Austrian Airlines and LOT Polish Airlines started services to LAX from Vienna and Warsaw. Airberlin operates an Airbus A330-200 on the flight.
LinkRussian airlines report strong sales of Far East subsidized ticketsRussia’s airlines have sold more than 310,000 out of 447,000 subsidized tickets in the Far East subsidy program, with a value of RUB2.15 billion ($37.6 million). From April 1-May 1, 10 airlines carried 44,200 passengers within the program.
LinkGAMA reports modest rise in first quarter deliveries Shipments of business and general aviation aircraft rose modestly in the first quarter, but performance across the sector was mixed. In its latest quarterly review, released on 11 May, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) records total deliveries of 434 fixed-wing aircraft between January and March 2017, compared with 422 pistons, turboprops and business jets during the same period last year. Total shipments were valued at $3.6 billion – $400 million less than in the first quarter of 2016.
LinkLondon's business aviation airports raise their gameNo city in the world is better served for business aviation than London. Paris Le Bourget and Geneva are Europe’s busiest gateways for those travelling privately, but at least seven airports vie for business aviation traffic into the UK capital – and that does not include Heathrow and Gatwick. What is more, with several of these second tier and specialist airports investing heavily in improving their business aviation offering, competition is becoming even more lively.
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