NewsAlitalia Bankruptcy Risk If No Capital InjectionAlitalia risks having to file for bankruptcy if it fails to agree a deal for a capital increase in the next couple of weeks, a government source said on Tuesday. Alitalia needs about EUR€500 million ($680 million) to stay in business and invest in a new turnaround strategy, analysts have said, after accumulating losses of more than EUR€1 billion and debt of a similar size since being rescued from bankruptcy in 2009. Its shareholders, a disparate group of 21 Italian investors including bank Intesa Sanpaolo and road operator Atlantia, will vote on a capital increase of at least EUR€100 million on October 14 to keep the business operating as it seeks fresh bank financing and a longer-term solution to its financial plight.
LinkAirbus, Boeing Japan Battle Switches To ANAStung by the loss of a multi-billion dollar jet order from Japan Airlines to rival Airbus, Boeing will mount a "can't lose at any cost" campaign with Japan's other major airline, ANA, a source close to the US plane maker said. Boeing executives are still trying to understand why long-time customer JAL ordered 31 Airbus A350s - worth USD$9.5 billion at list prices - in a deal, announced on Monday, that was the US company's first major loss in Japan. ANA wants around 35 aircraft to replace its older long-haul Boeing 777s and, like JAL, is considering both the A350 and the Boeing 777X, the re-engined, updated variant of the long-range wide-body jet.
LinkBoy Who Sneaked On Flight Previously Stole Car - ReportA nine-year-old boy who passed through security at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and caught a flight to Las Vegas without a ticket had previously gained entry to a water park without a ticket and stolen a car, a local newspaper reported on Tuesday. The apparent ease with which the boy, who is from Minneapolis, was able to get through security and onto a flight on Thursday raised questions about airport and airline security. The boy is the son of a woman who works at the airport and county child-protection staff have reviewed his family situation four times since December, according to an email from Janine Moore, area director of Hennepin County's Human Services and Public Health Department, which was obtained by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune newspaper.
LinkKabo 747 incident details yet to become clearNigerian investigators have yet to ascertain the full details of an incident involving a Kabo Air flight which landed at the city of Sokoto on 4 October. The Boeing 747-200 apparently landed on Sokoto’s runway 26 despite having been cleared for runway 08, according to a government statement widely carried within Nigeria. It also struck a section of the instrument landing system during the landing and came to a halt with deflated tyres.
LinkGovernment Shutdown Stymies US AviationThe US government shutdown is blocking Boeing and Airbus from delivering aircraft to US airlines and raising safety concerns, even though hundreds of furloughed workers are being recalled this week. The problems faced by airlines and aerospace companies show the far-reaching impact of the shutdown, now in its eighth day. With nearly one-third of the Federal Aviation Administration's 46,000 employees on furlough, airlines, aircraft makers and suppliers can't get parts and systems certified for use in planes, can't deliver new jets to customers, can't perform drug and alcohol tests, and can't carry out safety inspections and oversight of airlines. Some observers say this poses a growing risk of a plane crash. "We're not going to drop one out of the sky tonight," said John Goglia, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates air accidents. "But over time the safety system is deteriorating."
LinkUS shutdown poses $1.5 billion in lost deliveries for general aviation Nearly 150 general aviation aircraft deliveries worth $1.5 billion could be delayed if the week-old US government shutdown continues until mid-October, says the General Aviation Manufacturing Association (GAMA). The industry trade group also says that a recent order by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to recall 800 furloughed employees will have no impact on the aircraft deliveries halted by the shutdown. “The Registry closing threatens our economic recovery and our ability to provide good, high-paying jobs at a time when the industry is making a comeback,” says GAMA president and chief executive Pete Bunce.
LinkQantas mulls fleet replacement optionsQantas Airways is assessing its options for replacing its core fleet of Boeing 737s, 747s and 717s. In a recent investor presentation in Seattle, the Oneworld carrier’s chief financial officer Gareth Evans noted that it was in an “ongoing assessment” of the options to replace the three types in the Qantas fleet. The airline now has 60 737-800s in service and eight more on order, but it says that it is assessing the 737 Max and Airbus A320/A321neo as possible replacements over the long term. Qantas already has orders for 78 A320neos, although those have been allocated to its budget subsidiary Jetstar and its Asian affiliates as replacements for their A320s.
LinkAirbus keeps A380 improvement options openAirbus says it will examine ways to improve the A380 as and when the market need arises and it deems it necessary to introduce developments. Speaking at the World Routes Strategy Summit in Las Vegas, Airbus head of strategic marketing Richard Carcaillet said the manufacturer would react to market developments, such as customer requirements for improvements.
LinkUS Airways flexes schedules with new aircraftUS Airways is using deliveries of new Airbus A321s and A330s to flex its schedules and provide more capacity in specific markets based on seasonal shifts in demand. The Star Alliance carrier will be able to upgauge flights to more sun destinations this winter with the additional A330s, says Jason Reisinger, director of route planning at US Airways. US Airways plans to upgauge some flights to St Maarten from its Charlotte and Philadelphia hubs for the first time this winter, he says. Cities such as Cancun and Punta Cana have seen the larger aircraft in the past.
LinkAir China thinks outside the box with Houston launchAir China says it tore up its normal business model with the decision to launch services to Houston, but the move has instantly reaped rewards. The Star Alliance carrier started operating four flights a week between its Beijing hub and Houston on 11 July using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, and the route was immediately profitable, says Air China’s vice president and general manager for North America, Zhihang Chi. “We operated a total of 12 flights in July, and we actually turned a small profit, which I’ve never seen [happen so quickly] before in my career for a new widebody route,” he says.
LinkHelsinki airport eyes Gulf carrier connectionHelsinki airport is aiming to land a Gulf carrier and sees good potential for connections through their hubs to the Indian subcontinent and Australia. The Gulf carriers have been gradually building their presence in the Nordic region but none of the big three currently serve the Finnish capital. Home carrier Finnair currently serves Dubai with frequencies varying on a seasonal basis.
LinkDassault flies first upgraded Indian MirageDassault conducted the first flight of an upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter for the Indian air force at Istres air base in France on 5 October. The activity was performed using the first of two aircraft to be upgraded in France, as the program's remaining 47 examples are to be modified in India by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) in Bengaluru. The $2.4 billion upgrade was originally contracted for 51 aircraft (file image, below), but two were lost last year due to reported engine trouble.
LinkIsraeli Apache upgrade adds avionics podAn under-belly compartment for electronic systems is part of an upgrade programme for the Israeli air force's Boeing AH-64A Apache attack helicopters. Lt Col C, head of the repairables department in the air force's Unit 22 says that the AH-64A - referred to by the service as "Peten" - are undergoing a comprehensive upgrade. This includes replacing original wiring and some main computers, plus the addition of the new compartment beneath the fuselage that houses modern avionics equipment. The external compartment was the only solution, as all of the Apache's internal space is already packed with systems.
LinkDelta installs passport kiosks at JFK to reduce wait timesJohn F. Kennedy International Airport in New York has installed automated passport kiosks to reduce wait times for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Delta Air Lines purchased the kiosks, and began testing the process on Monday. "If all goes well, we'll go fully live on Wednesday," Delta spokeswoman Leslie Scott said.
LinkUnited consolidated traffic rose 1% in Sept.United Continental Holdings reported a 1% increase in consolidated traffic for September, as compared to the same month last year.
LinkSouthwest reports 1.3% increase in Sept. trafficSouthwest Airlines reported a 1.3% increase in traffic for September on a year-over-year basis. The carrier's passenger revenue per available seat mile also increased by 7% to 8% for the month.
LinkHawaiian carries 2.8% more passengers in Sept.Hawaiian Airlines transported 2.8% more passengers in September than during September 2012. The carrier transported 782,120 passengers for the month. Hawaiian also boosted capacity for September.
LinkFAA recalls some furloughed airline, aircraft inspectorsThe Federal Aviation Administration is recalling more than 800 furloughed workers this week. The employees returning to work include airline and aircraft inspectors. "As the government shutdown continues, the agency will determine whether additional employees need to be recalled to provide oversight of potential risk," the agency said.
LinkThunderstorms impact travel on East CoastThunderstorms on Monday temporarily caused delays at airports along the East Coast, including Reagan National Airport in D.C. and Logan airport in Boston. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch on Monday for a swath of the Northeast. Operations have returned to normal.
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I noticed that too. Thought about editing it myself, but I thought maybe a point was trying to be made, or something to that effect.
