Civil AviationAA, US Airways reach settlement with DOJAmerican Airlines and US Airways have reached a settlement with the Justice Department, according to court documents. The carriers will divest 104 takeoff and landing slots at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., as well as slots at other airports, as part of the deal. The Federal District Court still needs to approve the settlement before it becomes final. Tom Horton, chief executive of AMR, American’s parent company, and the incoming chairman of the combined company, said in a statement: “This is an important day for our customers, our people and our financial stakeholders. This agreement allows us to take the final steps in creating the new American Airlines.”
LinkLinkAirlift armada converges on stricken PhilippinesSeveral regional powers in Asia-Pacific have dispatched airlift assets to provide humanitarian relief in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. On 8 November, Typhoon Haiyan wreaked havoc when it struck eastern Philippines, laying waste the city of Tacloban and potentially killing thousands with both the initial storm surge and the flooding that followed. The Philippine air force was able to dispatch Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transports to affected areas, delivering relief supplies and evacuating victims to safety. It was also able to deploy Bell UH-1 utility helicopters and PZL-Swidnik W-3A Sokol helicopters. Manila’s Sokols are optimised for the search and rescue role.
LinkNOAA launches T56 engine upgrade on WP-3D fleetA US civilian agency will launch an upgrade program for the venerable Rolls-Royce T56 engine, the engine maker announced on 11 November. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will upgrade two four-engined Lockheed WP-3D Orion weather research aircraft, plus two spares with the Series 3.5 retrofit kit, says Tom Hartmann, senior vice-president at Rolls-Royce North America.
LinkMitsubishi Proposes Building 777X Wings In JapanMitsubishi Heavy Industries has suggested a cost-saving way to build the wings of Boeing's newest jet, the 777X, in Japan that could offer the plane maker a 'Plan B' should its own workers reject a deal. Details of the unsolicited proposal emerged on the eve of a crucial vote by 31,000 Boeing workers on a contract that may determine whether the 777X is built in Washington state, the home of nearly all Boeing's commercial jet manufacturing. Boeing has said that if its machinists reject a proposed eight-year deal it will open talks on alternative locations for the assembly of the jet's fuselage and wings.
LinkFuel Costs, Currency Moves Trim Emirates ProfitsHigh fuel costs and weak currencies in some key markets held back first-half profit growth at Emirates, showing that the Gulf's fast-growing carriers are not immune from a slowdown in the global aviation industry. Emirates, ranked number one globally in terms of international passengers carried per kilometer flown according to IATA, reported a net profit of AED1.7 billion dirhams (USD$463 million) for the six months ended September 30, up 2 percent from the corresponding period in 2012. The company did not provide figures for the year-ago period but in the first-half of 2012, Emirates' net profit had more than doubled. Emirates and its home base Dubai are betting that its location - a third of the world's population is within a 4-hour flight radius - will continue to attract passenger traffic away from other global hubs such as London, New York and Singapore.
LinkLATAM Air Turns Profit As Margins ImproveLATAM Airlines swung to a net profit for the third quarter and improved its operating margin in a sign the region's biggest airline, battered by weakness in its Brazilian market, has started to turn the corner. The company - which formed in mid-2012 when Chile's LAN took over Brazil's TAM - reported a net profit of USD$52 million for the three months to September. For the same period a year ago, LATAM posted a USD$49 million loss, according to the company's revised figures. The airline's operating margin for the quarter was 7.6 percent, compared with 3.2 percent a year ago, as it saved money on wages, fuel and other costs.
LinkAlitalia Calls Board Meeting, May Discuss Job CutsAlitalia has called a board meeting for Wednesday to discuss a revised industrial plan that could include heavy job losses, sources familiar with the situation said. One source said a few thousand jobs could be cut as a result of the revised plan, although there was no definite number given. Any proposal would need to secure a number of approvals, including that of unions. Labour representatives said last week they were not prepared to accept any job losses at the airline. The chief executive of UniCredit, one of Alitalia's key lenders, confirmed on Monday that Alitalia's management was reviewing the company's industrial plan last approved in July, but did not give any details.
LinkDelta, Virgin Atlantic aim to offer maximum customer convenienceDelta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic have released their joint schedule for their trans-Atlantic joint venture, which starts in the summer of 2014 and seeks to "offer maximum customer convenience, particularly for business travelers." The schedule includes "seven daily flights from Heathrow to New York-JFK, including two late afternoon and early evening departures," the airlines said.
LinkHawaiian to fly Boeing 767-300ERs to SeattleHawaiian Airlines will boost capacity on its routes to Seattle before Thanksgiving. The carrier will deploy Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, which have 30 more seats than its current aircraft, beginning Nov. 26.
LinkLufthansa CEO: Consolidation makes sense for U.S. airlinesChristoph Franz, the CEO of Lufthansa, said the size of the U.S. network makes it ripe for consolidation in the airline industry. "We have always embraced this general movement, because it does make sense," Franz said. Lufthansa and United Airlines are both members of the Star Alliance, and also share a joint venture for trans-Atlantic flights.
LinkUnited is part of FAA's air traffic control messaging initiativeUnited is one of five U.S. carriers that will participate in the Federal Aviation Administration's Data Comm equipment initiative. Harris, the program's contractor, is facilitating the initiative as part of the FAA's Data Comm Integrated Services program, which will build a nationwide data communications network for air traffic control messaging.
LinkWash. state approves tax incentives for Boeing 777XWash. Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill for tax incentives for Boeing to build its 777X in the state. The $9 billion in tax benefits are through 2040, and were approved in a special session. Member of the Machinists union are scheduled to vote on a contract with Boeing on Wednesday.
LinkEU favors larger aircraft for trans-Atlantic routesMore European airlines use larger jets to fly across the Atlantic ocean than their U.S. counterparts. While many U.S. carriers serve several hubs, most European carriers only have one hub, so a larger aircraft makes sense. Another reason is that more European passengers favor first- or business-class seats, which makes larger aircraft more financially viable.
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