CommercialThomas Cook to lease A330 from AirTankerThomas Cook Airlines has entered into an agreement to lease the first Airbus A330-200 which will form part of AirTanker’s “surge” fleet of Voyager tanker/transports for the UK Ministry of Defence. The leisure charter carrier will use the modified widebody for an initial three-year period under the terms of a new letter of intent, with operations to start on 1 May 2015. The A330 will be employed on routes from Glasgow, Manchester and Stansted to locations including Cancun, Las Vegas and Orlando. However, due to the Voyager modification’s use of some restricted US content, the aircraft will not be permitted to visit some locations, including Cuba. AirTanker Services will add the aircraft to its existing air operators certificate, with the commercial customer to use it under a “damp lease” agreement. This will see six of the carrier's captains and four first officers seconded to AirTanker, to fly alongside its own civilian pilots.
LinkNarita to create more stands for larger corporate jetsTokyo Narita International Airport will convert some of its aircraft parking stands to accommodate larger corporate jets, namely the Airbus ACJ320 and Boeing 737 BBJ. Starting 26 June, there will be up to three stands available for larger aircraft to park at the airport, as compared to just one stand now, says the airport.
LinkVirgin Atlantic identifies first routes for 787-9Virgin Atlantic is to deploy its first Boeing 787-9 on the Boston route from London Heathrow, operating the service six times per week from 28 October. The airline operates Airbus A330s and A340s on the route, which it serves in partnership with shareholder Delta Air Lines. Its first 787-9, which will be delivered in September, will be configured in three classes, including premium economy, with 264 seats. As its 787-9 fleet increases over the following five months, Virgin says it will place the aircraft on flights to Washington DC, Newark and New York JFK.
LinkDelta CEO To Back US Ex-Im Bank Support To BoeingDelta Air Lines' chief executive is expected to support the US Export-Import Bank's assistance for sales of Boeing wide-body jets, softening his stance at a time when critics are mounting pressure to wind down the agency, the Wall Street Journal reported. Delta has long argued that Ex-Im Bank financing allows foreign competitors to buy Boeing planes on better credit terms than it can obtain. Delta's chief executive, Richard Anderson, plans to use a speech at the Aero Club in Washington on Tuesday to distance the company from the calls of some Republicans and small-government advocates for the bank to be wound down, the Journal said.
LinkDelta Air Lines files trademark for "most trusted" sloganDelta Air Lines filed for trademark protection for the slogan of "The World's Most Trusted Airline." The carrier's current slogan is "Keep Climbing," but the trademark protection could indicate Delta is changing course with its marketing. Other slogans Delta has used in the past include "We love to fly, and it shows."
LinkDelta's website aims to enhance travel experience for customers There’s a long list of third-party websites that don’t have direct access to Delta’s flights, and Routehappy became one of the latest victims. Routehappy, which has a flight amenity database and offers flight metasearch, tweeted that “Delta withdrew its flights from 30+ search sites, including us.”
LinkOpinion: Alaska invests in employees at Sea-TacJeff Butler, vice president of airport operations and customer service for Alaska Airlines, said that the carrier voluntarily raised wages for workers to $15 an hour at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. "This is a concrete step to move workers from minimum-wage jobs to family-wage jobs, with better income and career potential," he writes. "It also makes our airline better by providing qualified employees who are ready to hit the ground running."
LinkAmerican upgrades style, service on new Boeing 777-300ERNoise-canceling headsets, comfortable seating and custom-made sundaes: They're all part of flying in style on American Airlines' new Boeing 777-300ER. The business-class service and surroundings are part of the airline's effort to match competitors' offerings to business travelers. "If you're looking to compete with international carriers, you need these premium products," Brett Snyder, founder of CrankyFlier.com, said of the new American Airlines fleet. "I think it's a great product, and it's something they can build off of."
LinkHawaiian Airlines moves locations at San Diego airport Hawaiian Airlines is moving its operations at San Diego International Airport from Terminal 2 East to the recently completed Green Build at Terminal 2 West, effective June 25. Airport officials said the airline’s ticketing and check-in counters will be located next to those of United Airlines, west of the security checkpoint. Signs will be posted throughout the terminal to direct travelers to Hawaiian Airlines’ new location at Terminal 2 West.
LinkAirlines face modification for Airbus A380 doors because of noise Airbus A380 operators are bracing for a major modification program to replace the doors on their double-decker aircraft, after Airbus issued an All Operators Telex (AOT) confirming a “door noise issue”. The pending modification is being described by one A380 operator as even “more serious” than the cracks previously discovered in the wing fittings within the jumbo jet’s wings. As a result, this carrier has stopped all other modification work of its A380s. “All 10 doors on our aircraft will have to be modified or replaced.”
LinkEuropean regulators seek to enhance airplane data devices More than three months after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, regulators in Europe are pressing for new ways that would make it impossible to disable safety and communications systems on commercial airliners. Officials from the European Aviation Safety Agency and the European Commission have scheduled a meeting for July 8 with experts from the 28 member states of the European Union to discuss new requirements aimed at ensuring the continuous transmission of location data for all aircraft — regardless of their country of manufacture or registration — throughout the flight.
LinkN.Y. moves to tighten safety restrictions New York lawmakers have voted to outlaw the dangerous practice of pointing lasers at airplanes. The measure would make it a misdemeanor to shine a laser pointer at an aircraft. If the laser forced a pilot to significantly change course or otherwise disrupted the flight, the crime would be a felony.
Link7 tips for breezing through TSA checkpointsAir travelers can get through airport security screening faster by following some simple advice. Top tips include not packing prohibited items in carry-on luggage, packing neatly so scanners can clearly see what's in your bag, tracking wait times with a smartphone application, and enrolling in PreCheck to gain access to faster-moving screening lines.
LinkPayphones replaced by charging stations at Baltimore airportThree phone banks in Concourse D at Baltimore/Washington International Airport were removed to make space for charging stations with 184 outlets and USB ports. The airport plans to add more charging stations in other areas of the airport.
LinkCutting-edge wearable tech from SITACutting-edge wearable technology on display at the SITA IT summit in Brussels included Google Glass, smart watches and Nymi bracelets, which identify users by their unique electrocardiogram signatures. SITA Lab is conducting preliminary trials to see if the bracelets could be used to help passengers clear security before boarding their flights.
LinkPittsburgh airport to cut airline fees in 2018 For airlines, flying out of Pittsburgh International Airport might seem like a bargain come 2018. That's when most of the debt spawned by the midfield terminal construction more than two decades ago will be gone. With it, the cost to the airlines to board a traveler at the airport, now at $13.92, could drop by several dollars, perhaps much more. With lower costs, can more flights -- maybe even another hub -- be far behind? Don't bet on it. In fact, some industry experts don't think it will make much of a difference at all.
LinkGoogle debuts maps for airfare purchases Google has added interactive mapping to its flight search technology, encouraging exploration and random destination selection via the map. Users add the origin and a projected timeframe, and click on the “Expand Map” box to see the entire world on one screen. Airfare pricing pops up upon hover, allowing users to explore the cost of traveling to different destinations from one location. Filters such as the number of stops, price, duration, airline and time allow for more granular control of the displayed prices.
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