NewsEngine Problem Grounds Some ANA 787s
Japan's All Nippon Airways has grounded part of its fleet of 787 Dreamliners after tests revealed a risk of engine corrosion, but Boeing said it does not expect the timing of deliveries of the airliner to be affected.
LinkLinkFlights Hit As Typhoon Reaches Hong KongHong Kong raised its highest tropical cyclone warning on Tuesday as an intensifying severe typhoon edged closer towards the financial hub, grounding flights and forcing the port to close.
LinkLiquidated Pluna to auction fleet, route rights within 60 days Uruguay's government-owned Pluna Lineas Aereas Uruguayas (PU), which suspended operations July 3, will auction off its fleet of seven Bombardier CRJs and route rights within 60 days. Following a law passed July 17, the Uruguayan government will not own a stake in a new airline to replace the 75-year-old PU—which became a state-owned organization in 1951 and had a complex management and capital share status since 1995 that involved state and private investors. It was first managed by Varig. In 2007, the government replaced Varig with the Argentine investment group Leadgate as its major partner, but the deal ended June 15 after its debt was estimated to have reached $380 million.
LinkQatar, Bahrain Carriers Eye Saudi Skies
Qatar Airways, Bahrain Air and Gulf Air are among the firms in pre-qualified consortia bidding for a new airline license in Saudi Arabia, an official from the General Authority for Civil Aviation said.
LinkAll-electric systems promise fuel-burn savings One of the most familiar sounds on an aircraft - one that disconcerts many a nervous flyer - is the whirr and clunk as the hydraulic system retracts the wheels after take-off or extends them as the plane comes in to land. However in years to come, that sound could be a thing of the past as hydraulic systems and other parts of the aircraft that have traditionally been powered by diverting power from the engines - in a process known as bleed-air power - move to running on electricity.
LinkHeathrow proves a poisoned chalice for UK government The UK is proud of London Heathrow's position as the world's busiest international airport but for the coalition government currently in power, it is turning into a poisoned chalice. The decision to rule out a third runway at the airport, which has been operating at full capacity for many years, was one of the defining policies of the Coalition agreement between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The coalition also ruled out new capacity at other airports around London, including Stansted and Gatwick.
LinkAustralian firms win work on Boeing P-8A programBoeing has awarded contracts related to the P-8A Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft to two Australian companies. The contracts amount to nearly $1.85 million, Boeing said in a statement. Under the agreements, Melbourne's Lovitt Technologies Australia will produce mission systems parts and assembly fabrications for the aircraft.
LinkEADS shows off X3 concept demonstrator near US capital EADS is showing off its X3 compound helicopter concept to potential US civilian and military customers near the US capital. Company test pilots demonstrated the high speed capabilities of the machine in a spectacular aerial display in Manassas, Virginia, a short distance away from Washington DC. Where conventional helicopters approach the absolute limits of their performance at about 180 knots (333km/h) airspeed due to the dissymmetry of lift on the rotor disk, the X3 is designed to push the performance envelop well into the 200+ knot (370km/h) flight regime. The only other helicopter designed to operate at such high speeds is Sikorsky's X-2 concept demonstrator.
LinkVladivostok Airport opens new terminalVladivostok International Airport (VVO) in the Russian Far East from Monday has transferred flights from the old Terminal B to the recently opened Terminal A. The 47,500 sq. m. terminal, which represents a RUB6.3 billion ($190 million) investment, can handle 1,360 passengers per hr. or 3.5 million people per year. It is designed to simultaneously handle 70% domestic passengers and 30% international passengers.
LinkAustrian restructuring efforts continue
Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines (OS) is making progress with its cost reduction program that is targeting cost reductions of €223 million ($271 million) this year, but warns there are still challenges ahead.
LinkStandard & Poor's raises rating for Alaska Air to positive
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has given Alaska Air Group a positive rating, citing the company's improved cash flow and debt reduction. The ratings service had previously rated Alaska Air Group, the holding company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, as stable. "[W]ith the recent decline in fuel prices and continued strong demand, we expect the company's operating performance to improve in the second quarter and over the next year," said Standard & Poor's.
LinkPilots union could receive equity stake in AMRAMR, the parent company of American Airlines, has offered its pilots union an equity stake in the carrier as part of contract negotiations. The Allied Pilots Association would receive 13.5% equity in American Airlines once it emerges from bankruptcy. "The APA believes -- like all other unsecured creditors -- that equity is an appropriate form of compensation for the changes made to the pilots' collective bargaining agreement," the union said.
LinkUnited Continental is still navigating through mergerUnited Continental Holdings continues to navigate through integration issues after United and Continental merged in 2011. The carriers still need to combine workforces under a single contract, but United Continental successfully completed the move to a single passenger reservation systems this year. Analysts expect United Continental to report second-quarter earnings of $1.70 per share this week.
LinkUnited is adding faster Gogo to Premier Service flightsAs of next year, travelers will be able to get broadbandlike Internet speed, thanks to satellite service. In other news, United will equip its United Premier Service fleet with the Gogo ATG-4 system, boosting connection speed from 3.1Mbps to 9.8Mbps.
LinkUnited raises price of domestic airfaresFlying domestic on United Airlines just got pricier. The carrier hiked airfares $4 to $10 round trip across the majority of its domestic routes Friday, according to FareCompare.com. United operates flights to and from South Florida's three main airports. It's the first attempt by an airline to boost domestic airfares in three months and the seventh price increase try this year, the fare comparison website said. Three were successful.
LinkTSA will launch PreCheck at Houston airportThe Transportation Security Administration will launch its PreCheck program at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport this week. Frequent fliers on United Airlines will be eligible to participate in the program, which allows participants to move more quickly through security lines in exchange for providing personal information. More than 1.6 million travelers have used the program so far.
LinkTSA and union are close to final agreement, union saysThe Transportation Security Administration and the union representing 45,000 security officers are close to reaching a contract, the union says. The American Federation of Government Employees represents the employees. "Following marathon negotiations, AFGE and TSA are close to a historic labor contract," said John Gage, president of the union. "We have partial agreement, but we ran out of time at about 3 a.m. Saturday before we could complete the entire agreement. Both parties remain committed to reaching an agreement and will go forward from here to bring the negotiations process to a successful conclusion."
LinkPoll: Better deals could prompt most Americans to change travel plansAn online survey by Travel-ticker.com has found that better travel deals could persuade 83% of Americans to change their vacation plans for the summer. "Our annual survey has surfaced a growing trend of consumers willing to get up and go when a great deal strikes," said L. Jasmine Kim, general manager of Travel-ticker.com.
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