Commercial AviationAirbus Set For A350 Safety Approval Late SummerAirbus is on track to get safety certification for its A350 by "the end of the summer" as planned, the European Aviation Safety Agency said on Wednesday. Airbus has said tests are going well on its new lightweight, medium-sized jet, developed at an estimated cost of USD$15 billion. Airbus is preparing for extreme weather testing in Florida where a special hangar will bathe the jet in temperatures between -40 and +40 degrees Celsius.
LinkQantas To Cut Debt By More Than AUD$1 BlnAustralia's Qantas Airways said on Thursday it plans to cut debt by over AUD$1 billion (USD$935 million) by fiscal 2015 to achieve positive free cash flow. Qantas, which has been hit by fierce competition, plans to reduce debt by simplifying its fleet, scaling back investment and selling assets.
LinkTSA Seeks Help To Improve ServiceUS security officials are turning to tourism and travel executives for help in improving something the Transportation Security Administration is not famous for - customer service. The Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday it is creating six positions as part of its "loaned executive" program to advise the TSA and US Customs and Border Protection on how to improve operations affecting travel and tourism. Customer service, crowd management, self-service technology, logistics and improved analysis of international passenger flows at airports are among the six areas that will be analysed by the visiting executives, the department said.
LinkIndia Orders Real Time Aircraft Tracking After MH370India's civil aviation regulator has instructed airlines to track all aircraft in real time, a decision the regulator said was prompted by the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The directives will apply to both passenger and cargo aircraft, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement on Wednesday. "While commercial air transport aircraft spend a considerable amount of time operating over remote areas, there is currently no international requirement for real time tracking of the aircraft," the DGCA said.
LinkAirAsia India awarded air operator’s permitIndia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has granted AirAsia India its air operator’s permit (AOP), clearing the last major hurdle for the Chennai based carrier to start operations. A spokeswoman for the airline confirmed to Flightglobal that it has received the permit, however a decision on when it will start commercial services will only be announced after a management meeting scheduled for next week. It had originally planned to start operations during the first quarter of 2014, but delays in the process saw it miss that target.
LinkJetBlue CEO weighs leadership succession plan, board saysJetBlue Airways CEO Dave Barger, 58, is weighing his next steps and considering possible succession plans when his contract expires next year, according to the carrier's board of directors. Barger was appointed CEO in 2007, and was on the leadership team that founded the carrier. "It is customary and good practice for a public company board, as is the case with JetBlue's board, to engage in regular and ongoing succession planning discussions and leadership evaluation," said James Hnat, general counsel for JetBlue, in an e-mail. "Dave remains engaged and focused on leading a great airline for JetBlue’s customers, crewmembers and shareholders."
LinkSouthwest's "culture of mutual respect" leads to legendary customer serviceSouthwest Airlines focuses on three core principles -- motivation, appreciation and communication -- to build a "culture of mutual respect" with employees. Southwest leaders want employees to "value the opportunity to work hard, be creative, and have fun on the job." The carrier's employee engagement often shines through in the top-notch customer service Southwest provides, experts say.
LinkDelta adds Zurich, Rome and other European routesDelta Air Lines in June will launch new nonstop service from New York-JFK to both Rome and Zurich. "As the primary business market on the trans-Atlantic, demand continues to increase for more nonstop flights from New York to European destinations," said Gail Grimmett, Delta's senior vice president, New York. Delta also this year will offer expanded service to Paris Charles De Gaulle International Airport and Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport from Atlanta.
LinkUS Airways to launch codesharing with British AirwaysUS Airways, which merged with American Airlines last year, announced the launch of a codeshare agreement with its trans-Atlantic joint business partner British Airways. The codeshare will be implemented in separate phases, with the first phase covering almost all of the two airlines’ trans-Atlantic flights. Under the first phase of the codeshare that began Tuesday, US Airways is able to place its code on British Airways flights to London from 21 cities throughout the United States. In addition, British Airways is allowed to place its code on US Airways-operated flights to Philadelphia and Charlotte, North Carolina, from 17 destinations in Europe.
LinkUnion: AA, US Airways flight attendants are happy with mergerLaura Glading, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, said American Airlines and US Airways flight attendants are pleased with the merger between the two carriers. "There's a lot of enthusiasm and hope," she said. The union will represent around 24,000 flight attendants once the National Mediation Board rules the merger is complete.
LinkAirbus tests A350 XWB in extreme hot, cold weatherAirbus is subjecting its A350 XWB to extreme hot and cold weather testing at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Airbus said it also has performed extreme weather testing on the A350 XWB in the Middle East and Northern Canada. "The certification process for the program is progressing on schedule," Airbus said, adding that certification should be received in the third quarter.
LinkNorwegian Air to lease 3 more Boeing 787s Budget carrier Norwegian Air has signed a letter of intent to lease another three Boeing Dreamliners, two with delivery in 2016 and one with delivery in 2017, the company said on Wednesday. The new planes are of the 787-9 Dreamliner model, a stretch version of the original 787-8. Norwegian now has five Dreamliners in operation and is scheduled to take another 12, it said. By 2018, it plans to have 17 Dreamliners in operation.
LinkAA raises concerns over cost of PHL expansion programThe expansion of the Philadelphia International Airport can proceed, thanks to an agreement between the city, county and a township. The agreement settles a long-term dispute between Philadelphia and Tinicum Township, where 66% of airport land is located. However, some carriers questioned the need for a new runway in the expansion plan. Todd Lehmacher, an American spokesman, said "we remain concerned about the cost of the Capacity Enhancement Program, and continue to question whether a new runway is needed now or in the future."
LinkLAX to begin renovations of aging airportOfficials from the Los Angeles International Airport said passengers may notice construction delays as LAX embarks on much-needed renovations. The last time the airport received an overhaul was before the 1984 Summer Olympics. "Ultimately, it's work that has to be done to transform this airport," said Mary Grady, managing director of media and public relations at Los Angeles World Airports.
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