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NEWS

Turkish eyes regional jets for expansion strategy

Turkish Airlines (TK) is eyeing regional jets as an important plank in its ongoing expansion strategy. Speaking in Istanbul at the Airline Business Seminar for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, TK COO Abdullah Soner Akkurt said the airline has grown rapidly over the past decade, carrying 32.6 million passengers in 2011 compared to 10.4 million in 2003. Its fleet has nearly tripled over the same period, rising from 65 to 179, he said.
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EC investigates possible state aid infringements at BVA
The European Commission (EC) has launched an in-depth investigation to assess whether France’s Beauvais Airport (BVA) has benefited from injections of state aid, which is against EU regulations. BVA, a large regional airport north of Paris, is owned by the Syndicat Mixte de l'Aéroport de Beauvais Tillé. It was operated by the local Chamber of Commerce (COC) until May 2008 when the airport’s operation was awarded to Société Aéroportuaire de Gestion et d'Exploitation de Beauvais (SAGEB), whose main shareholder is the COC.
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French government set to veto executive payoff at Air France-KLM

France’s new finance minister Pierre Moscovici, is expected to vote against a €400,000 ($497,608) compensation package awarded to Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, former CEO of Air France-KLM. Gourgeon was ousted in October last year, as increasing fuel prices sent profits nose-diving at the Franco-Dutch airline.
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Kingfisher Posts Worst-Ever Quarterly Loss

India's Kingfisher Airlines posted its worst-ever quarterly loss on Thursday, as huge cuts in the number of flights compounded the woes of a cash-strapped carrier facing high fuel prices and intense competition for low fares.
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JetBlue Gets Nod To Expand JFK Terminal 5

JetBlue Airways said it received approval to build a facility for international arrivals at New York's John F Kennedy airport.
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US Airways, TPG Weigh Joint Bid For AMR

US Airways and private equity firm TPG Capital may team up to bid for American Airlines' parent, AMR, according to people familiar with the discussions.
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Parolee Bypasses Security, Boards Plane
The US Transportation Security Administration is looking into how a man newly paroled from jail breached airport security and boarded a commuter flight at San Diego Airport before he was arrested, authorities said.
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Rating the prospects of the 747-8 Freighter

In November 2005 when it was launched, with 13 orders from Cargolux and 14 from Nippon Cargo Airlines, the 747-8 Freighter looked like a no-brainer. In a cargo industry growing at 6% a year - and whose workhorse for more than 30 years had been the 747-200F, and later the -400F - the 747-8 seemed the logical next step.
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Jet Aviation restructures Basel operation
Jet Aviation has reorganised its facility in Basel, Switzerland, into two independently managed organisations covering completions and maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO). The initiative is driven, the company says, by the difficult economic environment, an ongoing industry-wide slowdown "and other unfavourable conditions, including the strong Swiss Franc". The recent, unexpected cancellation of a Boeing 747-8 cabin interior VVIP completion project has also impacted the business, it adds.
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US DOD's first non-test pilot qualifies on F-35
The US Department of Defense's first non-test pilot finished his qualification to fly the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter on 31 May. "I was excited not only to complete my flight to become an F-35 instructor pilot, but also for the rest of the initial cadre since this opens the door for them to also become qualified in the F-35," says US Air Force Lt Col Lee Kloos, commander of the 58th Fighter Squadron (FS).
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Other News

Sabre, American antitrust trial date set for October: A Texas state judge has granted Sabre Holdings a 60-day extension in the Texas antitrust lawsuit filed by American Airlines (AA) last year. The trial is now set to begin Oct. 3. AA and global distribution services (GDS) providers, including Sabre and Travelport, have been in dispute since last year.

Myanmar and India have signed an air services agreement (ASA) to “enhance direct air connectivity and facilitate easy business interaction, tourism and people-to people exchanges,” the governments said in a joint statement. India’s prime minister Manmohan Singh signed the ASA during a state visit to Myanmar by. In all, 12 agreements were reached. Few details were released; however, The Wall Street Journal reported the ASA would give Indian carriers fifth freedom rights, “allowing them to combine Myanmar with flights to other destinations in Southeast Asia.”

Panalpina Group is cautiously optimistic about the airfreight market. Panalpina CFO Marco Gadola told ATW the market should show modest growth in the second half, but may be not enough as industry-wide problems such as excess capacity remain. “We anticipate in the third quarter we will see a pick-up” Gadola said. “We believe inventory levels are low; we believe consumption especially in the US will start to increase,” he said.

Southwest Airlines’ (SWA) "appearance" techs, represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Assn. (AMFA), voted to ratify its tentative labor agreement. The new contract is good through February 2017. The current collective bargaining agreement became amendable in February 2009.

United Continental Holdings will reduce flights and 1,300 jobs at Houston's biggest airport after that city gave Southwest Airlines (NYS:LUV - News) approval to add international flights at a smaller airport in Houston. United's biggest hub is Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The City Council of Houston voted on Wednesday to allow Southwest to expand William Hobby Airport to build new gates and a customs facility for international routes.

Lockheed Martin submitted its proposal today to the U.S. Air Force for the KC-46 Aircrew Training System, a program that will prepare pilots, boom operators and other on-board personnel for air refueling, cargo transport and medical evacuation. The KC-46 Aircrew Training System supports the Air Force's strategy for global mobility. Aircrews will refuel fixed-wing receiver-capable aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and coalition forces. The first aircrews are expected to begin training with the system in 2016.

Row 44, the leading provider of inflight WiFi and device-based entertainment content for airlines around the world, announced today that it has partnered with Icelandair, the leading carrier of Iceland serving Europe, the United States and Canada, to enhance their passengers' travel experience. Row 44 will equip Icelandair's fleet with high-speed WiFi, starting this year. Upon rollout, Icelandair will be the first North Atlantic airline to operate WiFi fleet wide.

United Airlines introduces new menu options in its premium cabins beginning tomorrow. Customers on long-haul international flights traveling in United Global First and United BusinessFirst can choose from high-quality, restaurant-style entrees, including selections of beef, chicken, fish and vegetarian-style pastas.

British Airways is serving up a feast of six new flights from London City Airport this summer with the first of the new services taking off to Mahon in Menorca. The airline will complete its Balearic Islands portfolio, launching flights to Mahon in Menorca. British Airways launched highly successful services to Majorca and Ibiza from the Docklands airport for the first time two years ago. Other cities served direct from the Docklands will include Angers in the Loire Valley, Quimper in Brittany, Venice in Italy, the Isle of Man and Aberdeen. The addition of the new routes means a total of 23 destinations in the UK, Europe and the USA will be served by British Airways from London City Airport. As the airline continues to grow its network customers have more choice to more business and leisure destinations, flying on one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the business.

Boeing today marked the 20th delivery of its new 747-8. The airplane, a 747-8 Freighter, was delivered to Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. Atlas Air will operate it on behalf of Panalpina, the Swiss-based freight operator. This marks the first time in Panalpina's history that an airplane has been painted in the company's livery. The 747-8 Freighter will immediately enter service when it departs Seattle for Hong Kong later today. The airplane, named the 'Spirit of Panalpina', will then fly from Hong Kong on to Luxembourg with cargo on board.

Vueling starting 31OCT12 is launching Malaga – Copenhagen service, operating twice a week. In addition, Barcelona – Copenhagen service will increase from 11 to 14 weekly from 28OCT12.

Delta’s summer seasonal Detroit – Paris CDG service is to operate as year-round basis. The flight, which begins today (01JUN12), will operate beyond 04SEP12. From 28OCT12, service to be operated by Airbus A330-300, replacing Boeing 767. At this point it is unclear whether this flight will operate along with the existing Air France service, or will replace AF service during the Winter season.

VivaColombia, the new start-up low-cost carrier in Colombia, has launched domestic operations on 25MAY12.

AVIATION QUOTE

This thing we call luck is merely professionalism and attention to detail, it's your awareness of everything that is going on around you, it's how well you know and understand your airplane and your own limitations. Luck is the sum total of your of abilities as an aviator. If you think your luck is running low, you'd better get busy and make some more. Work harder, Pay more attention. Study your NATOPS more. Do better preflights.

— Stephen Coonts, The Intruders.

ON THIS DATE

---In 1925... A car dealer covers himself in stamps worth $718 in a bid to be sent airmail from San Francisco to New York; the U.S. Post Office refuses to accept him.

---In 1940... U.S. Army Air Corps announces plans for the construction of the world’s most powerful wind tunnel at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio.

---In 1949... A survey conducted by a firm of New York aviation consultants shows that for the first time in history air travel volume is greater than first class rail travel. Revenue passengers-miles for domestic airlines totals 603 million compared to 582 million for Pullman trains.

---In 1950…BEA commences the first regular passenger service to be flown by helicopter, between Liverpool and Cardiff.

---In 1951… BEA commences helicopter services between London and Birmingham.

---In 1953…The USAF Thunderbirds are activated as the 3600th Air Demonstration Team at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

---In 1960… Trans-Canada Air Lines begins transatlantic jet service with Douglas DC-8 aircraft on the route Montreal (Canada)--London (UK).

---In 1961… United Air Lines absorbs Capital Airlines to become the largest airline in the West, with a fleet of 267 aircraft.

---In 1981…First flight of the Shorts 360.

---In 1983…Singapore Airlines announces it has bought six Boeing 747s and four Boeing 757s, making it the first Asian airline to buy the 757.

---In 1992… The United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command is disestablished.

---In 1999… American Airlines Flight 1420, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, overran the runway while landing during a storm at Little Rock, Arkansas; the aircraft's captain and 10 of the passengers were killed.

---In 2002…First flight of the Aero L159B.

---In 2004… America West Airlines starts service between Phoenix and Anchorage.

---In 2009… Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330-203 (registration F-GZCP) from Rio de Janeiro to Paris with 228 people onboard lost contact with air traffic control while over the Atlantic Ocean, 300 km (186 miles) north-east of the Brazilian city of Natal. In the days following the crash only portions of the plane and 51 bodies were found. All passengers and crew members were killed in the crash, the cause of which is still under investigation, but a possible pitot tube failure has been speculated.

---In 2009…Flydubai commences operations.

DAILY VIDEO

EDITOR’S CHOICE

HUMOR

The Passenger

A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax... OH, MY GOD!" ----- (Silence) ----- followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier.

While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!"

A passenger in Coach yelled, "That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"

TRIVIA

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