NewsFAA Says ATC To Be Normal By Sunday NightThe US Federal Aviation Administration has suspended all employee furloughs and that it expects the US air travel system to return to normal by Sunday evening Eastern Time. The suspension follows passage on Friday of a bill allowing the agency to shift money within its budget to halt furloughs of air traffic controllers that started April 21. The furloughs, prompted by automatic budget cuts, caused thousands of flight delays and hundreds of cancellations throughout the week. The FAA said in a statement on Saturday that it expects staffing to return to normal levels by Sunday evening.
LinkEthiopian Airlines Flies 787 Commercial FlightEthiopian Airlines on Saturday became the first carrier to resume flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landing the first commercial flight since the global fleet was grounded three months ago. The flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi was the first since regulators grounded all 787s on January 16 after two lithium-ion battery meltdowns. US regulators approved a new battery design last week. The battery faults raised fears of a possible mid-air fire, drawing worldwide attention to Boeing and denting the reputation of its flagship aircraft.
LinkANA Flies First 787 Test FlightAll Nippon Airways, the Japanese launch customer for the Boeing 787, flew its first Dreamliner in more than three months on Sunday to test modified batteries installed by the US aircraft maker. The ANA flight was the second by an airline since aviation regulators on Friday gave permission for 787 operations to restart after batteries on two of them overheated in mid January. Ethiopian Airlines on Saturday became the world's first carrier to resume flying 787s since the global fleet was grounded three months ago, carrying passengers to Kenya from Ethiopia.
LinkJAL To Begin Commercial 787 Flights In JuneJapan Airlines aims to return the Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets to commercial flights in June, the company said in a statement on Friday. Japanese authorities gave Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways the green light to fly the 787 jets earlier on Friday following US approval, after the jet was grounded since mid-January due to lithium-ion battery problems.
LinkUnion Threatens Lufthansa With More StrikesA German union Verdi has threatened Lufthansa with another round of strikes if the airline fails to present a better pay offer when wage talks resume next week. "If Lufthansa continues to refuse to present a negotiable offer that secures jobs and increases wages appropriately, there will be more strikes," Verdi wage negotiator Christine Behle said on Friday. On April 22, Lufthansa was virtually grounded by a second strike in a month after Verdi rejected an improved offer by the airline. Analysts estimated that walkout alone cost Lufthansa more than EUR€15 million (USD$19.5 million).
LinkAmerican, US Airways analyze ways to merge smoothlyExecutives from American Airlines and US Airways said 29 employee teams are analyzing how to integrate the two carriers in a proposed merger. "We want to move aggressively, but take that care needed to avoid the pitfalls others have experienced," said Bev Goulet, American's senior vice president and chief integration officer.
LinkUS Airways to add amenities for international travelersUS Airways plans to launch upgrades for international travelers this summer. In May, Economy travelers will receive complimentary wine with meals and headsets for flights traveling to and from Europe, the Middle East and South America. In July, Envoy travelers will receive new amenity kits from Red Flower, a line of botanical products.
LinkFAA lifts grounding of Boeing 787 fleetThe Federal Aviation Administration lifted its grounding order for Boeing 787s today, including for United Airlines. The FAA also estimated the cost of fixing the 787 battery issue at $464,678 per aircraft. However, Boeing may cover the cost of the battery fix under warranty.
LinkSouthwest Airlines to start no-show policy in Sept.Southwest Airlines will launch a no-show policy on Sept. 13. "[A]ll unused funds on the full itinerary will be lost" for travelers who do not cancel or reschedule a reservation on a nonrefundable fare before not showing up for flights, the carrier said. Southwest also said that if it were to add baggage fees, it would cost the airline $1 billion in the form of defecting customers, according to its research.
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