News
Aegean strikes deal to acquire Olympic Air
Greek carrier Aegean Airlines (A3) has struck a deal to acquire Olympic Air (OA) from Marfin Investment Group for €72 million ($94 million), creating a €1 billion company. A3 plans to acquire 100% of OA from Marfin and turn it into a subsidiary. The two airlines will operate under their existing brands; their networks will be optimized to improve efficiency and connectivity. Back office functions will also be combined. The European Commission (EC) must approve the deal on competition grounds.
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AirTran service at four airports to be converted to Southwest in April 2013
Southwest Airlines (SWA) said it will convert AirTran-branded flights to SWA flights at four cities from April 14, 2013. The airports include Charlotte, from which SWA will fly to Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Chicago Midway (MDW) and Houston Hobby (HOU); Flint (Michigan), from which SWA will operate flights to BWI, Orlando (MCO) and Tampa (TPA); Portland (Maine), from which SWA will fly to BWI; and Rochester (New York), from which SWA will operate flights to BWI, MDW, MCO and TPA.
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Virgin closing on selection of 747-400 and A340-600 replacement
Virgin Atlantic expects to decide soon on a type to replace its Airbus A340-600s and Boeing 747-400s as part of its drive to phase out four-engined aircraft. The airline is introducing Airbus A330-300s and - from summer 2014 - Boeing 787-9s to replace some of its A340s and is examining potential replacements for the rest of its larger widebodies.
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AgustaWestland and UK government invest £100m in Yeovil site
AgustaWestland and the UK government will jointly invest more than £100 million ($161 million) in the Anglo-Italian airframer's factory in Yeovil, the UK, to turn it into a centre of excellence for civil helicopter research, development and production. The company sees the move as necessary to diversify the plant away from its traditional defence roots in an era of reduced spending on military programs.
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Kingfisher Makes Offer To Striking Workers
India's debt-ridden Kingfisher Airlines, which is seven months behind on salary payments, is offering to pay three months wages by November 13 and clear the arrears every month after that, if striking employees return to work by Friday.
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Ryanair Offers EU Concessions On Aer Lingus Bid
Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has offered concessions to European Union antitrust regulators in a bid to secure regulatory clearance to acquire local rival Aer Lingus.
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Air France Wants Air Berlin Alliance Change
Air France wants Air Berlin to join its SkyTeam alliance and abandon its membership of the rival oneworld grouping, according to a newspaper interview with the French carrier's chief executive.
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Airbus May Increase A350-1000 Output
Airbus is looking at increasing planned production for the largest member of its A350 family, two people familiar with the matter said.
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Turkish Air To Buy 15 Boeing 777-300ERs
Turkish Airlines has decided to buy 15 Boeing 777-300ERs by 2017 with an option to buy five more, it said in a statement on Monday.
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TSA moves body scanners out of busy airports
The Transportation Security Administration is taking units that use backscatter technology, also known as body scanners, out of busy airports and implementing the technology in airports that don't have as much traffic. Taking their place in the busier airports are millimeter wave units, which serve the same purpose but use a different technology.
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Trans-Atlantic travel flat in September
Travel from the U.S. to Europe saw no growth in September, but industry experts expect U.S.-based airlines' expanded service to Europe next year to increase travel on those routes. Reporting airlines showed an average increase of only 0.4% over the peak travel months, with average capacity down 0.9%, according to the most recent Trans-Atlantic report
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AmEx Global Business Travel: 2013 Airfares may increase up to 4%
American Express Global Business Travel expects airfares in North America to increase anywhere from 1% and 4% next year.
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Other News
GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and Brazil’s GOL have signed a sale and leaseback agreement for four new Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Delivery of the first aircraft is scheduled for December, according to a GECAS statement. GOL operates a fleet of 128 aircraft to more than 63 destinations in 12 countries.
RwandAir (WB) has taken delivery of the first of two Bombardier CRJ900s it had on order that includes two options. WB CEO John Mirenge said the CRJ900 is a “natural progression from the CRJ200 aircraft.” He said the CRJ900 has a two-class, 75-seat interior “that will allow us to offer a premium service.”
The Portuguese government has selected Brazilian conglomerate Synergy Aerospace as the sole bidder in the privatization of ailing flag carrier TAP Portugal. State Secretary for Transport and Public Works Sergio Monteiro said the government would now work with Synergy to finalize a binding bid, according to a Reuters report. It hopes to seal a deal by the end of the year for completion in the 2013 first quarter, Reuters said. TAP has run up debts estimated to be around €1.2 billion ($1.6 billion) and privatization of the airline is part of a disposal of state assets required by the terms of Portugal's €78 billion European Union(EU)/International Monetary Fund bailout. Analysts say TAP’s routes to Brazil—Latin America’s largest country and a former Portuguese colony—are its key selling point.
Air traffic flow management delays in Europe were down 57.6% in September, compared to the year-ago month, despite several weather- and industrial relations-related disruptions. The disruptions include staffing issues at the Langen Area Control Center (ACC); a controller strike and power cuts in Greece; weather conditions at the Marseille ACC; and Lufthansa cabin crew strike
Monarch Aircraft Engineering has signed a line maintenance technical handling agreement with Lithuanian carrier Avion Express (X9) to provide support for X9’s fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft operating at London Gatwick airport.
TAME has extended its contract with Sabena Technics Barfield to include the support of two additional Airbus A319s. This builds on an existing six-year contract between TAME and Barfield for the full support of six A320 family aircraft.
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty was selected by EgyptAir for the exchange and overhaul of landing gear on 10 Airbus A320 aircraft and the center landing gears on three A340s. It was also selected by Maximus Air for the exchange and overhaul of landing gear on five Airbus A300-600RFs until 2017; Cyprus Airways for the exchange and overhaul of landing gear on seven of its A319/A320s and two of its A321s; and Aegean Airlines for the exchange and overhaul of 29 A320 landing gear shipsets until December 2019.
Aviation Quote
Eyesight and seeing the enemy first, or at least in time to take correct tactical maneuvers was very important. However, most important is the guts to plough through an enemy or enemies, and fight it out. There are no foxholes to hide in . . . there is no surrendering. I know of no Navy fighter pilot in the war who turned tail and ran. If one did, he would lose his wings and be booted out of the service for cowardice.
— Richard H. May, USN
On This Date
---In 1906... Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont makes the 1st sustained airplane flight in Europe in his own airplane, the N° 14 bis.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Blind Skydiver
A blind man was describing his favorite sport – parachuting. When asked how this was accomplished, he said that things were all done for him: "I am placed in the door and told when to jump. My hand is placed on my release ring for me, and out I go."
"But how do you know when you are going to land?" he was asked.
"I have a very keen sense of smell and I can smell the trees and grass when I am 300 feet from the ground," he answered.
But how do you know when to lift your legs for the final arrival on the ground?" he was again asked.
He quickly answered "Oh, the dog’s leash goes slack."
Trivia
Aircraft Name Game
1. Poseidon
2. Orion
3. Neptune
4. Avenger
5. Devastator
6. Provider
7. Lancer
8. Wild Weasel
9. Air Comet
10. Liberator
11. Freedom Fighter
12. Bronco
Aircraft Name Game
1. Poseidon
2. Orion
3. Neptune
4. Avenger
5. Devastator
6. Provider
7. Lancer
8. Wild Weasel
9. Air Comet
10. Liberator
11. Freedom Fighter
12. Bronco
HT-ETNW wrote:TriviaAircraft Name Game
1. Poseidon
2. Orion
3. Neptune
4. Avenger
5. Devastator
6. Provider
7. Lancer
8. Wild Weasel
9. Air Comet
10. Liberator
11. Freedom Fighter
12. Bronco
Ain`t these the solutions ? Or am I missing a point here ?
-HT
