NewsAmerican Airlines Says Operations Back To NormalAmerican Airlines said its operations returned to normal on Wednesday after it cancelled nearly 1,000 flights on Tuesday because of a computer outage. The airline also said it halted about 100 flights on Wednesday to reposition crews and planes, and because of bad weather in the Chicago area. At Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW), American's biggest hub, the carrier cancelled 37 fights for Wednesday but was operating on schedule, spokesman David Magana said.
LinkLufthansa Faces More Strikes As Union Rejects OfferLufthansa was threatened with a second round of strikes as the Verdi union, representing thousands of staff at the airline, rejected as "unacceptable" an offer for wage increases from the company. Lufthansa offered to increase salaries by 1.2 percent from October this year and a further 0.5 percent a year later, in a deal that would run for 29 months and would not contain job guarantees, a spokeswoman for Verdi said on Wednesday. "We will discuss the offer tomorrow and possibly decide... if we're going on strike again," she said, noting passengers would be informed in due course if the union was calling further stoppages.
LinkLibyan Passenger Jet Shot At Landing at TripoliA Libyan passenger plane with around 150 passengers on board was shot at as it prepared to land at Tripoli airport on Wednesday evening but sustained no major damage, airline sources said. The Buraq Air Boeing 737 was a few miles from the capital's airport when the incident occurred early in the evening. It was not immediately clear whether it was accidental fire or an attack. Celebratory gunfire is a regular occurrence in post-war Libya, which is awash with weapons left over from the 2011 war that ousted long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi.
LinkEmirates To Sponsor Roland Garros TennisEmirates has added Roland Garros tennis to a spending spree on high-profile sports sponsorships, a strategy aimed at leapfrogging its rivals for global attention. The Dubai-based carrier said it would sponsor the French grand slam tournament starting with the upcoming event in May. The airline is also on the verge of announcing a deal as a shirt sponsor of soccer team Real Madrid, a person familiar with the matter said. Media reports have pegged the shirt rights for one of the sport's biggest brands at EUR€30 million (USD$39 million).
LinkCessna Maker Forecasts Lower Jet Sales In 2013Textron cut its profit forecast and said it would sell fewer corporate jets this year as business owners defer purchases in an uncertain US economy. Shares of Cessna parent Textron, the world's largest business aircraft maker, were among the biggest percentage losers on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday after the company's first-quarter results missed expectations of a recovery in jet orders. "We were hopeful that demand would recover as the impact of last year's election and fiscal uncertainties move behind us," Textron chief executive Scott Donnelly said on a post-earnings conference call. Sequestration-related budget cuts, however, have put a lid on spending by many small businesses -- Cessna's main customers.
LinkFAA reviewing 787 ETOPS certification separately from battery decision US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Michael Huerta confirms that the Boeing 787's extended operations (ETOPS) certificate is being reviewed separately from the battery redesign investigation. Addressing a Senate Commerce committee panel on the three-month anniversary of the Boeing grounding, Huerta's remarks clarified for the first time that Boeing has been answering the FAA's questions on two key fronts. Boeing not only has to prove to the FAA that the 787 battery redesign and new containment system is safe enough. The company also has satisfy the agency that the 787 is reliable enough to fly routes that take the twinjet up to 180min away from an eligible runway.
LinkAmerican adds flights following computer glitchAmerican Airlines has repaired a computer outage that grounded flights on Tuesday, and plans to add flights as needed to accommodate passengers whose travel plans were disrupted. "We apologize to our customers and our people for this inconvenience," the airline said in a statement.
LinkAMR, US Airways predict $2.6B profit for 2013AMR Corp., parent company of American Airlines, and US Airways forecast a profit of $2.6 billion for the merged carrier in 2013. The companies were required to submit forecasts as part of AMR's plan to emerge from bankruptcy. The carriers are projected to close the merger Aug. 31.
LinkAbu Dhabi preclearance facility draws sharp rebuke from A4A, AEAA deal between U.S. Department of Homeland Security and United Arab Emirates authorities to establish a preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi drew sharp criticism from European airlines. "Passengers arriving in the States have to wait up to three hours at certain airports before they can pass migration. Due to the recent U.S. budget cuts, the situation will get even worse," said Geert Sciot, general manager for communications for the Association of European Airlines. Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas Calio also weighed in strongly against the proposal, saying "at a time when U.S. carriers and airports are fighting to maintain our global competitiveness, the U.S. government should not be signing a deal that benefits a foreign emirate and its wholly owned national carrier, particularly since no U.S. carrier serves that emirate." A4A led a coalition of aviation groups, including support from key airline unions, to launch the "Draw the line here" campaign urging the U.S. government to abandon the ill-conceived deal.
LinkBoeing to focus on pilot training, add simulatorsBoeing plans to increase pilot training in the Asia Pacific region, Europe and the Americas. The aircraft manufacturer will also bump up the number of flight simulators for its 737, 777 and 787 aircraft. "Continued development of a robust global training network is vital, not just for Boeing, but for the industry," said Bob Bellitto, global sales director of Boeing Flight Services.
LinkFAA decision on 787 battery will be made "very soon," Huerta saysMichael Huerta, the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, said the agency will issue a decision "very soon" on the Boeing 787 battery fix. "We're on our own timetable in terms of completing the analysis," Huerta said. "Once we're ready to move and make a determination, we will."
LinkBoston airport tightens security after marathon bombingMassport, the agency that manages Boston's Logan International Airport, has tightened security at the airport after the bombing Monday at the Boston Marathon. Massport said there was "heightened security on roadways, in terminals and on the airfield." Several airlines waived change fees for travelers flying into Boston who wished to change their flights.
LinkFAA to proceed with closure of 149 control towersThe Federal Aviation Administration is proceeding with plans to shutter 149 air-traffic control towers in June. "We don't have the money to keep them open," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told a House Appropriations transportation subcommittee.
LinkSouth Korea to buy 36 AH-64E Apaches Boeing has won a contract to supply South Korea with AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, defeating the Bell AH-1Z Zulu and Turkish Aerospace Industries T129B for the 36-aircraft AHX requirement. "Boeing is pleased with the announcement that the Republic of Korea has selected the AH-64E Apache as its new heavy-attack helicopter," the US airframer said in an email to Flightglobal. "We look forward to working with the US Army and the Republic of Korea Army as they finalize the Foreign Military Sales contract for 36 AH-64E Apaches." According to US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notifications in September 2012, the Apache deal could be worth up to $3.6 billion; considerably higher than the proposed AH-1Z contract, which was valued at $2.6 billion.
LinkOrbital Sciences aborts Antares test flight Orbital Sciences Corporation aborted the first Antares medium-lift rocket test launch into space on 17 April from Wallops Island, Virginia. The test mission was scrubbed 12min prior to lift-off due to "premature separation" of one of the "umbilicals" on the second stage of the rocket. According to NASA, the rocket will now have to be defueled and safed. It will take engineers at least 48h to figure out what went wrong before the next launch attempt.
LinkRussian air force commander eyes MiG-31 replacement Russia's air force expects to begin fielding a replacement for its Mikoyan MiG-31 interceptors by 2020 and to retire the type by 2028, says its commander, Lt Gen Viktor Bondarev. "We have started development of a new aircraft of this type and I think we can develop this plane before the end of the state armament programme in 2020," Bondarev said at a meeting with Russian parliamentary deputies. "The new plane should replace the existing fleet by 2028."
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