NewsFighter Planes Intercept Airliner In Hijack Scare
The Netherlands intercepted a Spanish airliner with two fighter planes and then sent security forces to surround it on the tarmac at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport in a hijack scare caused by a loss of radio contact.
LinkAmsterdam Airport Reopens After Bomb ScareAmsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest transport hubs, reopened its runways and terminals on Wednesday afternoon after a World War Two bomb found on the site was removed and reports of a hijacking proved unfounded.
LinkItalian Carrier Cuts Routes In Ryanair ProtestLoss-making Italian airline Meridiana-Air Italy accused low-cost giant Ryanair on Wednesday of "unfair competition," cutting two local flights to the Southern Italian city of Bari in protest.
LinkAir New Zealand Swings To H2 Profit
Air New Zealand reported a return to profit in the second half of the year on Thursday and said it expected to more than double earnings for 2013 as passenger numbers pick up.
LinkLufthansa Stands Firm As Strikes Loom
Lufthansa stuck to plans to limit pay rises and switch some staff to less generous contracts, as cabin crews prepared for strikes from Thursday that could disrupt hundreds of flights and cost the company millions of euros.
LinkAeroflot halts Rossiya An-148 deliveries 
Aeroflot appears to have shelved plans for subsidiary carrier Rossiya to double its Antonov An-148 fleet, following a hike in the twinjet type's catalogue price. Following the delivery of six domestically built An-148s, Rossiya had been in talks to specify technical terms, with the aim of firming up an order for a further six.
LinkUnited outlines initial domestic 787 operations United Airlines will operate its new Boeing 787-8s on routes between Houston Intercontinental and its domestic hubs from 4 November. The Chicago-based carrier will fly the aircraft roundtrip from Houston to Newark daily from 4 November to 3 January 2013 except for 18 November, San Francisco five-times a week from 4 November to 2 December and daily from 3 December to 3 January 2013, Chicago O'Hare six-times a week from 4 November to 3 December and daily from 4 January 2013 to 29 March 2013, Los Angeles six-times a week from 4 November to 3 December and daily from 4 December to 31 March 2013, and Denver daily from 5 December to 2 January 2013 and then from 31 March 2013 on, according to an employee bulletin on 29 August.
LinkAerolineas Argentinas joins SkyTeam 
Aerolineas Argentinas became the first South American carrier to join the SkyTeam alliance in a signing ceremony held in a hanger at Buenos Aires's Jorge Newbery airport on Wednesday, 29 August 2012. The achievement is symbolic of the state-owned airline's reorganisation and emergence from a decade-long bankruptcy last year, Aerolineas president Mariano Recalde said in a speech during the ceremony.
LinkUSAF details F-16 life extension program
The US Air Force is hoping to upgrade some 300 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon aircraft as a stopgap measure until the Lockheed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter comes online. The aircraft, which are drawn from the USAF's fleet of Block 40, 42, 50 and 52 machines, will undergo a structural service life extension program (SLEP) and a combat avionics programmed extension suite (CAPES) upgrade. The modifications will greatly boost the venerable warplane's capabilities.
LinkUS airlines lose $1.07 billion in 1HThe 10 largest US airlines incurred a $1.07 billion net loss in the first half operating on a net negative profit margin of 1.5%, deteriorating from a 0.4% negative margin in the 2011 first half, according to Airlines for America (A4A). First-half operating revenue rose 8.2% year-over-year, A4A reported. Expenses lifted 9.4%, driven by a 13.1% hike in fuel costs.
LinkEC investigates Ryanair’s third takeover bid for Aer Lingus
The European Commission (EC) has launched an in-depth investigation into Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair’s (FR) third takeover bid of Ireland’s national flag carrier Aer Lingus (EI), citing “potential competition concerns.” The EC said its preliminary investigation noted the two carriers were the main operators out of Dublin airport and that “on a large number of European routes, mainly out of Ireland, the two airlines are each other’s closest competitors.”
LinkUS Airways is reviewing nondisclosure agreement from AMR
A US Airways spokeswoman says the airline is reviewing a nondisclosure agreement from AMR. If signed, the two could share financial information. The US Airline Pilots Association spokesman said, "US Airways has in fact been asked by AMR, as a sign of good faith, to cease union negotiations and behave as if the NDA has already been signed. US Airways has agreed to honor that request."
Link United Airlines resumes normal operations after computer outage
United Airlines passengers around the world suffered flight delays and cancellations Tuesday after the carrier's Shares passenger-reservations system went down for several hours, also disabling the carrier's website. The airline has offered free rebooking or cancellation services to affected passengers.
Link Hurricane Isaac's path leads to flight cancellationsFour airports in the Gulf Coast have suspended flights due to Hurricane Isaac. Airports in Mobile, Ala.; Biloxi, Miss.; and Pensacola, Fla., joined the airport in New Orleans in canceling flights until the hurricane passes. Airlines are waiving change fees for travelers affected by the hurricane, but carriers have different policies on rebooking deadlines.
Link Opinion: NextGen will help prevent aviation weather delaysThe Federal Aviation Administration estimates that NextGen technology could prevent two-thirds of the weather delays experienced by commercial aviation, writes Andrew B. Zogg, vice president of Raytheon Network Centric Systems. "NextGen's weather and automation initiatives will standardize aviation weather products, and consolidate various weather displays to streamline the decision-making process while improving strategic planning and tactical operations through decision support tools for maximum benefit," Zogg writes.
Link Denver airport informs public about NextGen initiativeDenver International Airport held an informational meeting Tuesday for the public on the benefits of NextGen technology. Arriving airplanes at the airport are expected to begin using NextGen to perform more efficient descents starting in December, while departing planes have until February to make the change to the new system.
Link Judge doesn't dismiss antitrust suit against travel firmsU.S. District Judge Terry Means has denied a request by travel companies to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit filed by American Airlines. American Airlines claims that companies such as Orbitz Worldwide, Sabre Holdings and Travelport monopolize flight information and airfares available to travel agents.
Link JetBlue widens markets for upgraded Go Pack offering
JetBlue Airways has reintroduced its Go Pack travel deal, which has been expanded to include 32 markets. The new package offers fliers 10 nonstop one-way flights for a fixed price, and the travel window has been extended to three months.
Link Gogo secures license in CanadaAirlines in Canada may soon be able to use some of the country's radio-frequency spectrum because Gogo has obtained a license. The move opens up the potential for Air Canada and WestJet to offer Internet access on flights, though the license was originally secured to enable access for passengers flying on Alaska Airlines between the U.S. mainland and Alaska. Air Canada offers Gogo service on only two aircraft that are specifically outfitted for the service.
Link 
