NEWSDubai Shifts Emphasis To Current Airport Dubai is examining ways of raising finances to expand its aviation infrastructure, a plan focused on its existing airport as it goes slow on a USD$34 billion new facility designed to become the biggest in the world.
LinkEADS Ponders Options For Global Growth European aerospace group EADS is exploring tie-ups, acquisitions and even large scale alliances or mergers in a bid to reach its long-standing goal of quintupling revenues in the United States, the world's biggest arms market.
LinkTravel Firms Urge Greece On Reluctant Germans Germany's biggest tour operators called on its nation's vacationers to ignore anti-German sentiment in Athens and take trips to Greece's islands, after booking numbers plunged at the start of the year.
LinkPart Of Southwest Free Drinks Lawsuit Thrown Out Southwest Airlines has won the dismissal of part of a US federal lawsuit by passengers who said the discount carrier improperly stopped honoring coupons for free alcoholic drinks, where the coupons had no expiration dates.
LinkChina Air Traffic To Suffer In 2012 - Exec Air cargo and passenger traffic in China this year will show a "big difference" from 2011, due in large part to the European economic crisis, a Chinese airline chairman said on Monday.
LinkDutch politician: EU ETS will hurt KLM and AMS airport The European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) will lead to a distortion of competition, higher ticket prices for Dutch consumers and be financially damaging to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) and KLM, a senior politician has warned. The Netherlands’ Secretary of Infrastructure & Environment Joop Atsma told parliament’s House of Representatives in a letter that EU ETS would cost KLM €30 million ($39 million) annually and could result in a loss of 150,000 passengers (0.6% of total passengers carried in 2011) if the airline passes on those costs to customers. In turn, this could lead to a revenue reduction of €3.6 million for AMS and the possible loss of 200 jobs.
LinkMalaysia posts 4Q and full-year losses Malaysia Airlines (MH) reported a 2011 fourth-quarter loss of MYRI 1.28 billion ($423 million) and full-year loss of MYRI 2.52 billion. The losses compare to profits of MYRI 226 million for the year-ago quarter and MYRI 234 million in 2010. The carrier’s fuel costs increased 33% year over year to MYRI 5.85 billion.
LinkIATA: Safety at all-time high but regional divide Last year was the safest in history to fly commercially, IATA reported, though some developing regions lag the low accident rates achieved in North America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. As measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jets, the global accident rate in 2011 was 0.37, or one accident for every 2.7 million flights, IATA said Tuesday. That was 39% improved over an accident rate of 0.61 in 2010 (one accident for every 1.6 million flights).
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Tokyo's Narita airport to open dedicated business aviation terminal Tokyo's Narita airport will be opening a dedicated business aviation terminal on 31 March. The terminal, to be located near Terminal 2, will focus on serving business travellers efficiently, said the airport.
LinkFirst flight by F-35 training unit curtailed by fuel leak A test pilot at the 33rd Fighter Wing has flown the first local area flight by a Lockheed Martin F-35 at Eglin AFB, Florida, the US Air Force announced 6 March. "Our first sortie is truly a milestone for the program," said Colonel Andrew Toth, 33rd Fighter Wing commander. But the first flight was marred by an in-flight emergency, when test pilot USAF Lt. Col. Eric Smith declared an emergency due to a potential fuel leak 15min into what was supposed to be a 90min flight.
LinkAMR, GDS firms turn to mediation to settle dispute
American Airlines plans to turn to mediation to settle disputes with global distribution-services providers such as Travelport and Sabre Holdings. "We intend to put a great deal of effort into the mediation, with the hope that it will close the substantial gaps that exist in the parties' current positions," said AMR, parent company of American Airlines.
LinkUnited Continental eases into new reservation system
United Continental Holdings is easing into its reservation system. The merged carrier switched United to Continental's reservation system on Saturday, and by Monday afternoon, 85% or more of the carrier's flights departed on time from the five major hubs.
LinkSouthwest will expand customer service center in Texas
Southwest Airlines plans to expand its customer service center in San Antonio, Texas. The carrier will invest $4 million in a new location and hire 322 workers. The San Antonio City Council will vote on an incentives package for Southwest on Thursday.
LinkBoeing finishes inspection of 5 787s, executive says
Boeing has completed inspections on five 787 Dreamliners, the company says. "We will touch every single airplane," said Larry Loftis, the head of the 787 program. Boeing inspected the aircraft for "signs of 'delamination' on the rear fuselage."
LinkTSA will continue focus on high-risk travelers, Pistole saysTransportation Security Administration chief John Pistole said the agency would continue to target high-risk travelers and "move away from a one-size-fits-all security model." Speaking at the National Press Club, Pistole said the PreCheck screening program, which allows travelers who provide personal information to move through screening more quickly, is one example of this risk-based approach. However, he also said random pat-downs would continue for now.
LinkAirlines, manufacturers are expanding overhead binsAirlines are increasing the size of overhead bins to accommodate more carry-on luggage. Boeing is also designing overhead bins with more space as more travelers bring carry-ons, avoiding luggage fees. "We never used to talk about how many bags would fit. We talked about volume," said Kent Craver, Boeing's cabin expert.
LinkBAE challenges Lockheed's role as provider of F-16 upgradesBAE Systems is preparing to compete with Lockheed Martin for upgrades to F-16s. BAE, which is upgrading F-16s for Turkey, has completed upgrades for the U.S. Air National Guard. Lockheed has traditionally served as the upgrade provider for the F-16s it manufactures.
LinkAla. lawmakers express concern about retiring C-130s
Lawmakers in Alabama have sent a letter to Congress over planned military cuts to Maxwell Air Force Base. The Air Force has proposed retiring the entire fleet of seven C-130s flown by personnel at the base. "We want to get down into the details and ... get a better sense as to the methodology that the Air Force is using in its decisions," said Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, who drafted the letter.
LinkChina plans to increase military spending by 11% in 2012China plans to increase military spending by 11% in 2012. The move would surpass the $100 billion mark for the first time in the country's history. Other countries in the region, such as India, Indonesia and Vietnam, have also increased military spending to keep pace.
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