NEWSTornadoes hit the DFW area
Tornadoes and hail damage caused by a severe thunderstorm in the Dallas area forced American Airlines to cancel operations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and prompted the evacuation of the MRO Americas forum at a nearby convention center.
LinkDiscuss HereDiscuss HereUS Air Sees USD$1.5 Bln Synergies In AMR MergerUS Airways sees USD$1.5 billion in synergies from a potential merger with AMR, the bankrupt parent of American Airlines, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
LinkEU Bans Conviasa Over Safety ConcernsThe European Union banned Venezuelan state airline Conviasa on Tuesday from flying in the 27-nation bloc over safety concerns in a move that Venezuela's government said was disproportionate.
LinkCanada Air Safety Checks Have Big FlawCanada's system for monitoring airline safety has major flaws that could result in more accidents unless improvements are made, the government's spending watchdog said on Tuesday.
LinkUTair Grounds ATR 72-200 Fleet After CrashRussia's UTair Aviation has suspended flights of its ATR 72-200 aircraft until it knows the results of an investigation into a deadly crash in Siberia, the company said.
LinkATR rolled sharply before crash but engines were functioning Both engines on the crashed UTAir ATR 72-200 at Tyumen were operating before the impact shortly after take-off, but the aircraft exhibited instability in the roll axis beforehand. Investigators from the Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) state that the turboprop reached an altitude of 210m (690ft) then banked sharply to the right, about 35°.
LinkSouth Korea receives final two F-15K fightersThe Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has taken delivery of its final two Boeing F-15K fighter aircraft. The delivery was made on 2 April at the Daegu air base and all of the F-15Ks were delivered on cost and on schedule, says Boeing.
LinkJapan Airlines 777-200 suffers serious damage in tailstrikeThe tail section of a Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 777-200ER suffered serious damage on 31 March after it struck a runway at Tokyo's Haneda Airport when the pilot aborted a landing and started a go-around. The aircraft left Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 12:43 local time and the incident took place at approximately 16:10 local time, says a JAL spokeswoman. The aircraft eventually landed safely at Haneda at 16:38, and none of the 296 passengers and 12 crew onboard were injured, she adds.
LinkAllegiant Airlines to charge for carry-ons
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air confirmed to ABCNews.com it will begin charging as much as $35 for carry-on bags for reservations made starting April 4. Reservations made prior to this date will not be affected.
LinkVenezuela: EU ban on state airline is unwarrantedVenezuela rejected the European Union's decision on Tuesday to prohibit the South American country's state airline from flying into European airports due to safety concerns.
LinkPinnacle bankruptcy reflects market for regional carriers, analysts say
The bankruptcy filing of Pinnacle Airlines reflects a broader trend of restructuring by regional carriers, analysts say. "It's the final stages of restructuring in the industry, particularly in the regional industry in which Pinnacle is a part of," said Ray Neidl, an airline analyst. As larger carriers reduce flights to small airports, regional carriers face higher costs.
LinkChocolate-chip cookie bites the dust at Frontier
Frontier Airlines will discontinue the free, warm chocolate-chip cookies on its flights once the inventory runs out, the company said. "Frontier is the only domestic low-cost carrier offering a free perishable snack to all customers, which does not align with either the perception or financial reality of the ultra-low-cost business model," said Daniel Shurz, senior vice president.
LinkProsecutors ask for JetBlue pilot to be held without bond
U.S. prosecutors are asking for JetBlue pilot Clayton Osbon to be held without bond. Osbon, 49, appeared in federal court for a hearing after witnesses said he disrupted a flight last week. Osborn has been charged with interfering with a flight crew.
LinkAir New Zealand to consolidate China services
Air New Zealand (ANZ) will consolidate its services to China, adding a fifth weekly service to Shanghai from July 4 and serving Beijing as a one-stop destination in conjunction with Star Alliance codeshare partner Air China. The airline will also suspend the 2X-weekly Auckland-Beijing service from June 30 to concentrate on growing the Shanghai service.
LinkGPS interference could cause issues with NextGenThe aviation industry's reliance on GPS will increase with the advent of NextGen. However, the weakness of GPS signals leaves them vulnerable to interference and jamming. Although jammers are illegal in the U.S. and U.K., they can be purchased over the Internet.
LinkBoeing to create research center in BrazilThe facility in San Paulo, Brazil, is expected to concentrate on technology related to sustainable aviation biofuels, advanced air traffic management and advanced metals and bio-materials.
LinkUTair grounds ATR 72-200s following crashUTair CEO Andrey Martirosov said in a statement the company was confident of the technical condition of the aircraft, but that all three -200s will be grounded pending the outcome of the investigation. The carrier plans to replace the grounded aircraft with -500s. According to UT’s website, it has three -200s and 15 -500s.
LinkSan Miguel acquires minority stake in Philippines AirlinesPhilippine conglomerate San Miguel Corp (SMC) will take a minor stake in Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its low-cost partner Air Philippines (Air Phil) after agreeing to invest in their parent companies. Trustmark Holdings and Zuma Holdings and Management, the holding companies of PAL and Air Phil that are owned by Philippine tycoon Lucio Tan, will issue new shares to SMC's wholly owned subsidiary San Miguel Equity Investments as part of the deal.
LinkPrimeFlight will close operations at Houston airport
PrimeFlight Aviation Services plans to close the bulk of its operations at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. The service, which provides wheelchairs and electric carts for airline passengers, is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor. United Airlines ended its contract with PrimeFlight on May 15.
LinkAir Canada labor union challenges back-to-work law
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is launching a challenge against the Canadian government over a back-to-work law. The union represents mechanics, cargo agents and baggage handlers at Air Canada. "Removing free collective bargaining and the right to strike from workers in the federal sector will poison labor relations between our members and Air Canada for years to come," said Dave Ritchie, the union's Canadian general vice president, in a statement.
LinkRussia, Belarus to amend bilateral agreementRussian and Belarusian aviation authorities have agreed to change their bilateral agreement, excluding frequencies and capacity limits on routes between the countries. Belarusian carriers will be able to choose any number of destinations in Russia.
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