NEWSFAA forecasts slower rate of passenger growthFAA forecasted that US airlines' collective traffic will grow at an average annual rate of 3.2% over the next 20 years to reach 1.57 trillion RPMs by 2032, down 15.8% from the 3.8% average annual passenger traffic growth rate predicted by the agency last year.
LinkLaHood: EU ETS law ‘very, very bad’The European Union’s approach in passing its Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) tax “was totally wrong,” US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in his opening remarks at the 37th annual FAA Aviation Forecast Conference in Washington Thursday. “The law is bad, and it doesn’t help our relationships with the EU. What I say is, sit at a table, talk to one another, reach a compromise,” LaHood said.
LinkIATA’s Tyler warns Washington on over-regulation, lack of aviation policyIncreasing US regulatory interference in the business of airlines is a retreat from the free market principles that are the basis of deregulation and could have unintended negative consequences, IATA DG Tony Tyler told a Washington audience Thursday.
LinkFAA to expedite NextGen implementation to meet long-term demandActing FAA administrator Michael Huerta said the agency is optimistic about strong, long-term US air passenger traffic growth despite a near-term stagnation in capacity expansion. This includes US carriers reaching the milestone of 1 billion passengers carried annually by 2024, up 36.9% from 730.7 million passengers flown by US airlines in 2011, according to FAA.
LinkQantas Ends Talks With Malaysia Airlines
Qantas Airways has called off talks with Malaysia Airlines to set up an Asian premium carrier because deal terms could not be agreed, a big setback to the Australian airline's plans to turn around its ailing international operations.
LinkQatar Airways IPO Postponed For Years
Any stock market flotation of Qatar Airways has been pushed back several years due to wider economic turmoil, the chief executive of the Gulf state's flag carrier said.
LinkFrench Charter Airline Packs Bags For GreeceFrench charter airline Air Méditerranée in the next few weeks will move part of its operations to Greece to cut costs, creating jobs in the debt-stricken country while leaving around 85 workers in France out of work.
LinkRolls-Royce pushes new engine concept for 777X Rolls-Royce has unveiled its all-new RB3025 engine concept for the 777X, responding to the airframer's 2011 request for information issued to itself, GE and Pratt & Whitney for Boeing's conceptual widebody. "Boeing asked the three engine [manufacturers] what we could do in terms of product for what is now called the 777X, at around the end of this decade," says Rolls Royce vice-president of strategic marketing, Robert Nuttall.
LinkStart of A350 final assembly slips into April Final assembly of the first Airbus A350 will slip into April, missing the airframer's first-quarter target. Airbus had delayed the A350's final assembly from the end of 2011 but intended to begin the process in the first three months of 2012. Chief executive Tom Enders had said that the work would begin in March.
LinkKingfisher Airlines blames tax authorities for IATA suspensions
Ailing Kingfisher Airlines has again blamed its most recent suspension from two of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) accounts settlement systems on the local tax authorities' freezing of its bank accounts. "We are making all possible efforts to remedy this temporary situation," said Prakash Mirpuri, the airline's vice-president for corporate communications.
LinkUSAF pilot lost spatial awareness before A-10C, report saysThe US Air Force is attributing the 1 April 2011 crash of a Fairchild Republic A-10C Warthog over Germany to spatial disorientation, a USAF accident report released on 7 March says. "The accident investigation board (AIB) president found clear and convincing evidence that the cause of the mishap was human factor error," the report reads. "Specifically the [mishap pilot] suffered from [spatial disorientation] in the weather and entered an unusual and ultimately unrecoverable attitude."
LinkUS finalizes $11.4 billion Saudi order for F-15sBoeing has received a previously announced contract worth $11.4 billion to supply Saudi Arabia with 84 F-15SA Strike Eagle fighters, the US military announced on 8 March. "This particular undefinitsed contract action covers development efforts for the new aircraft and retrofit as well as procurement of the 84 new production aircraft," the announcement reads. "Work is expected to be completed October 2020."
LinkAirbus Military offers Canberra a sixth A330 MRTTAirbus Military has offered Australia a sixth A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft, giving Canberra until mid-2012 to make a decision. The unsolicited offer involves an aircraft, MSN 871, that previously involved in the US KC-X tanker competition, said Airbus in an email to Flightglobal. After years of controversy, the Boeing 767-based KC-46 emerged as the ultimate winner of the KC-X competition in 2011.
LinkAMR offers to freeze pensionsAMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, has offered to freeze pensions instead of terminating them as part of negotiations with labor unions as it reorganizes under bankruptcy protection. "We believe this solution would remove a major obstacle to reaching consensual agreements and help to spark needed urgency at the bargaining table," wrote Jeff Brundage, American's senior vice president for human resources, in a letter to employees.
LinkMachinists union will represent some United Continental workersAlmost 17,000 customer service workers at United Continental Holdings will be represented by the International Association of Machinists. "We have a long-standing relationship with the IAM," United said in a statement. "We will work closely with them on a contract for all of our passenger-service co-workers that is fair to the company and fair to employees."
LinkStockholders ask Pinnacle Airlines for seats on boardTwo stockholders are pressing for seats on the board of Pinnacle Airlines. Investors Wayne King and Ryan Morris, who together hold 6.18% of Pinnacle stock, sent an open letter to the carrier asking for seats on the board. "Without meaningful ownership at the board level, Pinnacle Stockholders for Representation believes board and stockholder financial incentives are dangerously out of alignment," King and Morris wrote.
LinkSome airlines adjust schedules due to solar stormA solar storm, the largest in five years, is heading for Earth and could disrupt air travel. Charged particles from the sun will hit the Earth's atmosphere today and Friday, which could make GPS signals less accurate and knock out power grids. Some airlines have rescheduled flights with flight paths at the north and south poles due to increased radiation.
LinkBoeing completes flight, ground tests for GE-powered 787Boeing has finished flight and ground testing for its 787 Dreamliner equipped with General Electric engines. The Federal Aviation Administration will inspect the flight-test documents before issuing certification. Once certified, the GE-powered 787 can be delivered to customers, including Japan Airlines.
LinkFAA asks for public comments on test sites for UAVsThe Federal Aviation Administration is seeking public comments on its process for choosing test sites for unmanned aerial vehicles. "Unmanned aircraft can help us meet a number of challenges, from spotting wildfires to assessing natural disasters," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. "But these test sites will help us ensure that our high safety standards are maintained as the use of these aircraft becomes more widespread."
LinkHouse committee passes bill requiring TSA to donate loose changeA House committee has approved a bill that would require the Transportation Security Administration to donate loose change left behind by travelers. The TSA says it found $400,000 in loose change in 2011. The bill requires the money to be donated to the United Service Organizations, which supports military personnel.
LinkReagan airport offers new slotsSouthwest Airlines and Virgin America are aiming for new flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The airport, which has not added long-distance flights since 2004, has four round trips up for grabs "for carriers with no or limited service" at the airport, a feature says. The airport will also offer four round trips for established carriers.
LinkAirlines tinker with seats, seating patterns to attract travelersThe airlines are spending lots of thought and money on lie-flat seats and the perfect cabin configuration -- one that provides total passenger comfort but won't result in lost seats. The aim is to attract the profitable business-class traveler who flies long distances. Side- and rear-facing seats are becoming common, this feature notes.
Link 
