AirlinesAeroflot to carry Transaero passengers through Dec. 15; ticket sales haltedRussia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, has suspended Transaero Airlines ticket sales from Oct. 1, 2015. Aeroflot will be coordinating all Transaero flights through Dec. 15, 2015, it was reported in an Aeroflot statement Oct. 2. The passengers who have tickets beyond this date will be able to get a refund. Russia´s Minister of Transport Maxim Sokolov said that although Transaero continues to perform flights, its operations will be coordinated by Aeroflot. He also added Rosaviatsia launched a command unit to monitor the situation, to cooperate with aviation authorities of other countries. According to Sokolov, Russia`s aviation authorities do not plan to suspend Transaero`s air operator`s certificate at the moment.
LinkAir Canada adds seating option for musical instrumentsAir Canada plans to offer passengers the option to purchase half-price seats for musical instruments. Musicians will also have the option of preboarding so they may safely store instruments overhead.
LinkAir France to announce job losses Failure of negotiations between Air France and its flight crews means that the French national carrier will announce job losses on Oct. 5, 2015. The two sides have been unable to reach agreement on pilots and cabin crew meeting the terms of Air France’s Perform 2020 turnround strategy. The airline has been warning for some time that job losses and cuts to the network would result if this situation continued.
LinkSearch Begins For Missing Indonesian AircraftIndonesian authorities have launched a search for an Aviastar Twin Otter turboprop aircraft with 10 people on board that went missing on a domestic flight on Sulawesi island. The Transport Ministry said a search has begun for the aircraft that lost contact on a flight from the town of Masamba, about 30 minutes before its was scheduled to land in Makassar city.
LinkCityJet details SAS arrangementsCityJet’s long experience in providing ACMI services was a major factor behind winning the contract to provide regional services for Scandinavian Airlines, the chairman of the Dublin-based carrier said Oct.2. “SAS published an RFP and there were 11 bidders—it was hotly contested,” said Patrick Byrne. “Our experience in doing ACMI for Air France for 20 years was a big factor, together with our operational record. We’ve been in business for 22 years and are used to working with other airlines.”
LinkDelta Q3 Unit Revenue Down 4.5-5.5 PercentDelta Air Lines' third-quarter unit revenue continued to fall during the year's busiest travel season but the airline hinted that financial metrics were already improving. Delta said passenger unit revenue declined between 4.5 and 5.5 percent, compared with earlier guidance of a 4.5 to 6.5-percent drop.
LinkMich. aviation school buys Cessna with Delta giftThe Delta Air Lines Foundation awarded $150,000 to West Michigan Aviation Academy for the purchase of a Cessna 172. "The airline industry will need qualified employees in the coming years, and WMAA has the capacity to produce talented future leaders," said Gil West, chief operating officer for Delta.
LinkJetBlue to launch daily Florida-Ecuador serviceJetBlue Airways plans to launch nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Quito, Ecuador. The daily flights will begin on Feb. 25 with Airbus A320 aircraft.
LinkMalindo Air pursues international expansionIndonesian-Malaysian low-cost carrier (LCC) Malindo Air has been granted an operators license for flights from its base in Malaysia to Western Australia. The 11X-weekly service will commence from Nov. 11 using Boeing 737-900ER and will fly from KLIA2, the new LCC terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, to Perth International Airport.
LinkNational Airlines Announces Non-Stop Service from Windsor (YQG) to Orlando (SFB)National Airlines is pleased to announce non-stop service between Windsor, Ontario, (airport code YQG), and Orlando, Florida, (airport code SFB). The inaugural flight, on Thursday, December 17, 2015, will depart Windsor International Airport at 2:30 PM EST and arrive at Orlando Sanford International Airport at 5:00 PM EST. National Airlines will fly this route year 'round. National will offer return flights from Orlando Sanford International Airport also on Thursdays and Sundays, departing at 10:30 AM EST and arriving in Windsor at 1:00 PM EST.
LinkRyanair-Norwegian long-haul feeder agreement possibleEuropean low-cost carriers (LCC) Norwegian and Ryanair are closing in on a cooperative agreement that would see the Irish carrier feeding passengers into Norwegian’s long-haul services. Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos told Bloomberg News that negotiations with Ryanair were proceeding and there could be an agreement “shortly.” “We’ve been in talks with [Norwegian] and a couple of other airlines,” said Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely. “It would primarily be for feeding their base at [London] Gatwick.”
LinkRyukyu Air Commuter to be Q400 combi launch customerOkinawa-based Ryukyu Air Commuter Co. has been identified as the launch customer for the Bombardier Q400 combi aircraft. Ryukyu Air Commuter, a subsidiary of Japan Airlines Group, has been revealed by Bombardier as the previously unidentified customer that ordered five Q400s in July 2014, when the Canadian manufacturer also launched the Q400 combi turboprop at the Farnborough Airshow. The Q400 combi can carry 50 passengers in 32-in. pitch seats or 58 passengers in 29-in. pitch seats while also having 9,000 lb. of cargo capacity.
LinkPortugal's Competition Authority Approves TAP SaleThe sale of flag carrier TAP to a consortium led by American-Brazilian aviation tycoon David Neeleman has been approved by Portugal's competition authority. The approval came just before Portugal holds a general election on Sunday. The main opposition Socialists, who are lagging in the polls, were against the sale of TAP. The Atlantic Gateway consortium that won the privatisation is also made up of Portuguese bus company owner Humberto Pedrosa. Neeleman is chief executive of Brazil's Azul and the founder of JetBlue.
LinkUnited, Maintenance Union Pause Contract TalksUnited Airlines and its maintenance workers' union have paused talks on a new contract after American Airlines tentatively agreed to a wage increase. United said in an online message to employees that it met with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for the last two weeks and made headway on healthcare, sick time and hours of service.
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