U.S. carriers report growing traffic in March March was generally a good month for U.S. airlines, though growth rates in some cases showed signs of slowing. AirTran Airways said March traffic rose 5.5% on 6.8% capacity growth. Traffic at Alaska Airlines jumped 19.3%, outpacing capacity increases by 4 percentage points. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines reported fractional traffic increases of 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively. In both cases, capacity rose faster than traffic, so planes were less full in March. At US Airways, a 3.9% increase in mainline traffic was nearly matched by a 3.6% rise in capacity, and load factor inched up fractionally to 83.4%. Link
Delta to restart Tokyo Haneda service in June Under pressure from United Continental, Delta Air Lines says it will resume service to Tokyo's close-in Haneda Airport in June. Both Delta and American Airlines suspended Haneda service as demand dropped following Japan's March 11 earthquake, and regulations stipulate that takeoff and landing slots may be awarded to other carriers if service is not resumed within 90 days. Last year, United Continental lost out in a four-way contest for slots at Haneda, which is closer to downtown Tokyo than Narita, Japan's main international airport. Link
Southwest completes 737 inspections, grounds 5 jets Southwest Airlines removed two more jets from service on Tuesday after discovering "minor subsurface cracking" that could weaken the metal skin of the Boeing 737-300s. Southwest examined all of its older 737s after a five-foot section of fuselage opened up during a flight on Friday. A total of five jets have been grounded pending repair recommendations from Boeing. NTSB Chairman Debbie Hersman said she was "very pleased" with Southwest's quick response to the incident. Link
Airlines see pros, cons to shared airport space U.S. airports increasingly are following Europe's lead in maintaining common-use gates and ticket counters that are shared by multiple airlines. Airports like the arrangement because it allows them to juggle space according to flight volume and free up square footage for retail outlets that bring in much-needed rents. Airlines, too, can save on rents when sharing space on an as-needed basis, but some point out that money is not the only issue. "At our large hubs, it just makes sense to be in the same gates and counters where we're in, day-in, day-out," says a spokesman for American Airlines, adding that permanent facilities also have a "significant branding" advantage. Link
Boeing, regulators caught off-guard by 737 cracks Boeing says it always knew that tiny cracks could develop in the metal skin of "Classic" 737 models, though engineers anticipated that a plane could complete 60,000 takeoffs and landings before the cracks appeared. But the Southwest Airlines 737-300 that developed a fuselage hole in mid-flight on Friday had completed fewer than 40,000 cycles, catching engineers and regulators off-guard. "We are all concerned about this recent development," said Paul Richter, Boeing's chief project engineer for older jets, adding that Friday's incident was a "statistical event" that had nothing to do with Southwest's maintenance program. The FAA has ordered immediate inspections of older 737 models, with additional checks every 500 cycles until the cause of the cracking issue can be identified. Link
Renovated San Francisco terminal opens next week After more than two years of renovations, the San Francisco International Airport next week will re-open its international terminal. The terminal, which covers 640,000 square feet, is the first in the U.S. to receive the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design "gold" certification. Officials believe passengers will find the terminal, which features natural lighting and artwork, more comfortable and appealing. Link
Qantas in difficult spot in labor negotiations over international operations Qantas' international operations are in serious jeopardy within months if Australian unions press ahead with claims for guaranteed job security, the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation warned. Link
Qatar Airways orders five more 777s Qatar Airways and Boeing said Wednesday that the airline has placed firm orders for three 777 freighters and two 777-300ERs valued at $1.4 billion at list prices. Link
Airbus brings A320neo EIS forward to October 2015 Airbus said it is bringing forward the A320neo's entry into service from 2016 to October 2015, and will begin the program's industrial development phase "in earnest" with Pratt & Whitney's PW1100G serving as the "lead development engine." Link
No viable all-new single-aisle before 2030 – Leahy Airbus believes that a viable all-new single-aisle airliner will not arrive before 2030, due to the timing of the necessary advances in powerplant technology. It is therefore fairly confident that Boeing will end up deciding to launch a re-engined 737, rather than a clean-sheet narrowbody, to counter the A320neo. Link
Russia seeks to end monopoly on airport charges The Russian government is to generate proposals from its transport and anti-monopoly ministries by June on how to restructure its airports, in a bid to slash ground operations charges on aircraft operators, in a move that could give a massive boost to business and general aviation users. Link
US Airways expects to spend $35m on Express two-class upgrade US Airways estimates spending $35 million on upgrading 110 larger Bombardier and Embraer jets flown by Express carriers with a new first class product. Carrier chief financial officer Derek Kerr supplied the estimated spend on 6 April during the annual US Airways media day. Link
US Airways pushes for A321neo to have flight range for Europe and Hawaii US Airways has informed Airbus it needs the planned re-engined A321neo to have a similar mission to 757s that currently fly longer-haul sectors. The carrier is a significant customer for Airbus, operating 232 aircraft built by the European airframer, including 93 A319s, 72 A320s and 51 A321s. Link
Advanced technologies gets boost from NASA funding NASA has awarded $16.5 million in additional funding to three companies and one university who had been developing "N+3" technologies for 2030-timeframe transport category aircraft under a 2008 contract. Link
Other News
US Dept. of Transportation said the nation’s largest carriers reported no flights in February with tarmac delays of more than 3 hr., down from 60 flights in February 2010. Data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics showed there have been only 16 tarmac delays of more than 3 hr. reported since the tough tarmac delay rule went into effect in April 2010.
Alaska Airlines will this year begin a "major renovation project" for its facilities at Los Angeles International, moving from Terminal 3 to Terminal 6 in late 2011, and integrating its "Airport of the Future" check-in process and "modernized" gate facilities. The new location will open for operations in spring 2012.
Japan Airlines said it will offer a limited number of administrative and maintenance staff, flight attendants and pilots “special unpaid leave during the months of May and June” as a result of capacity reductions in the aftermath of the devastating natural and nuclear disasters in Japan.
Boeing this week delivered one 737-800 to Air Algerie, the North African carrier’s 50th Boeing aircraft and the fourth of seven 737NGs it ordered in 2009. Separately, the manufacturer delivered a 737-800 to Algeria-based Tassili Airlines, the carrier's first Boeing aircraft and the first of an order placed in 2009 for four -800s.
Air Arabia selected sharklets for 28 of the 44 Airbus A320s it has on order. Deliveries of the sharklet-equipped aircraft will start in the 2013 second quarter.
Airbus said Cathay Pacific Airways' order last month for 15 additional A330-300s pushed total orders for the type past 500. "In the past three years alone, the A330 has attracted 27 new operators," it noted. The type has more than 90 total operators. CX is the largest A330 customer with 46 in service.
AVIATION QUOTE
The life of the modern jet pilots tends to be most unexpectedly lonely. . . . foreign countries are places to reach accurately and to leave on time. Distance is a raw material to work with.
— John Pearson, 'Sunday Times,' 4 Feb 1962.
ON THIS DATE
April 7th
• In 1906... Charles Rolls, in his new balloon, races Frank Hedges Butler and friends aboard the Aero Club III. Rolls outdistances his opponents, who come down at Wimbledon, while he lands at Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England.
• In 1908... The members of the Aerial Experiment Association enter a competition sponsored by the Scientific American, which has offered $25,000 for a flight of over 0.62 miles. The Wrights refuse to enter because the rules state the airplane must take off without help.
• In 1922... The first Corps Observation Group, under the command of Col. William Mitchell, makes its first patrol, led by Maj. Ralph Royce, and thus becomes the first American squadron to go into action in Europe.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
Airline Names
AA (American Airlines) - Always Awful AI (Air India) - Allah Informed ALITALIA - Always Late In Takeoff Always Late In Arrival ,Air Line In Tokyo And Luggage In Amsterdam BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corp.) - Better On A Camel ,Bloody Old and Careless CA (China Airlines) - Choose Another CAAC (Civil Aviation Authority of China ?) - Chinese Airline Always Canceled , China Airlines Almost (Always) Crashes CPA (Canadian Airl.Intl.) - Can't Promise Anything (New code CAI) - Crash And Ignite, Call Ambulance Immediately, Circle Airport Indefinitely, Cruise Above Iceland, Cancel Alaskan Itinerary, Call Attendants "Idiots", Check All Items, Copilots Are Imbeciles, Casual Atmosphere Inside DELTA - Don't Even Leave The Airport, Don't Ever Leave The Airport, Don't Even Let Them Aboard (referring to the arabs?), Departing Even Later Than Anticipated EAL (Eastern) - Eastern's Always Late ELAL - Every Landing Always Late JAT (Yugoslav Airlines)- Joke About Time KLM = Koop Lockheed Majesteit (Buy Lockheed, Your majesty, after the Lockheed bribe scandal which involved HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands) LOT (Polish Airlines) - Last One There, Luggage On Tarmack (wave 'bye!) LUFTHANSA - Let Us Fuck The Horses, Are No Stewardesses Available PA (Philippine Airways)- Please Avoid PAL (Phil. Airlines) - Philippines Always Late PAN AM - Plan On Arriving Nervewracked And Mad PIA (Pakistan Intl.Airl) - Please Inform Allah, Panic In Air ,Perhaps I Arrive QANTAS - Queer And Nasty Types As Stewards SABENA (Belgium) - Such A Bloody Experience, Never Again, Such A Bad Experience, Never Again SAHSA (Servicio Aero Honduras SA) - Stay At Home, Stay Alive SAS (Scandinavian Airl. System) - Sweet And Sexy, Sex And Service SIA (Singapore Intl.Airl.) - So Incredible, Aah TACA - Take A Chance Airline TAP (Portuguese Airl.) - Take Another Plane TRANSAVIA - To Rape A New Stewardess After V1 Is Allowed. TWA (Transworld Airl.) - Travel Without Arrival, Try Walking, A-hole , Try Walking Again, The Worst Airline, Took Wrong Airline, Try Walking Across (transatlantic perspective), Travel With Arabs, Terrorist Welcome Aboard, Terrorists With Arms, Teenie Weenie Airlines, Traveling Without Air, Tiny Wings Aflappin , Time Waste Airlines Usair - Unfortunately, Still Alleghany In Reality
TRIVIA
Tail ID
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And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
1. GU, Aviateca, Guatemala 2. NAN, National Air Lines (Defunct) 3. NH, All Nippon Airlines 4. MK, Air Mauritius 5. MI, Silk Air 6. MAI, Millon Air (Defunct) 7. MM, Eurofly Atlantic Cargo 8. KX, Cayman Airways 9. JT, Lion Air 10. HB, Belize Airways LTD (Defunct)
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
Hate that new KX coat of arms mess (oh look, we can do the too-big-for-the-tail thing too). The turtle's way cooler, he should have stayed up on the tail:
