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Al Baker springs to Boeing's defense
Qatar Airways’ Akbar Al Baker rarely holds back when pointing out suppliers’ shortcomings. Airbus and Boeing have both been publicly chastised when they have fallen short of the uncompromising standards set by the boss of the fast-growing Gulf airline. Indeed, although he was full of praise for Airbus and the “masterpiece” he collected at Hamburg on 16 September, the saga of the carrier’s first A380 has been rocky. Slated for service two years ago, a series of niggles delayed an expected handover before Farnborough, and Al Baker accused Airbus in July of huffily refusing to take it to the show because it had not been signed over.
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Transatlantic capacity reaches new peak
As transatlantic capacity flies towards a new peak, the market’s newest arrival has unveiled plans to bolster its operations across the pond. Low-cost carrier Norwegian is to start services from bases in Copenhagen and London Gatwick to Orlando in the spring of 2015. Since launching services between Oslo and New York JFK in May 2013, the low-cost carrier has added four more US destinations and a bevy of new routes from Bergen, Copenhagen, London Gatwick, Oslo and Stockholm.
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Families Of German MH17 Victims To Sue Ukraine
Relatives of German victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 plan to sue Ukraine and its president for manslaughter by negligence in 298 cases, the lawyer representing them said. Professor of aviation law Elmar Giemulla, who is representing three families of German victims, said that under international law Ukraine should have closed its airspace if it could not guarantee the safety of flights. "Each state is responsible for the security of its airspace," Giemulla said in a statement. "If it is not able to do so temporarily, it must close its air space. As that did not happen, Ukraine is liable for the damage."
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Russia Critical Of MH17 Inquiry
Russia says the international investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine, "doesn't contain convincing information" and that it can be transparent only with more UN involvement. The UN Security Council met, at the request of Russia, to discuss a preliminary Dutch Safety Board report that said MH17 crashed due to a "large number of high-energy objects" penetrating the fuselage. The conclusion supported a theory that the plane had been shot down by a ground-based missile. "The preliminary report of the DSB (Dutch Safety Board) is not very informative and doesn't contain convincing information about the circumstances of the crash," Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the 15-member council. He said Moscow believed a transparent and objective investigation could be carried out only "with the help and participation in the investigation of the UN," suggesting that a UN envoy and assistance mission should be considered.
LinkAirlines
Air Canada adjusts baggage policy
Air Canada said on Thursday it will start charging some economy passengers for their first checked bag on flights within Canada and to the Caribbean and Mexico, days after rival WestJet Airlines Ltd introduced a similar fee. The new C$25 ($22.73) fee will be paid by customers flying with Air Canada's cheapest economy tickets, and the airline said it expects the change will affect about one in five passengers on domestic flights, or about five percent of its overall customers. WestJet introduced a first bag fee for the first time on Monday, for so-called "Econo" bookings within Canada and between Canada and the United States. Other international flights, including Mexico an the Caribbean, are exempt.
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Air France Cancels Flights As Strike Continues
Air France expects to operate 41 percent of its flights on Monday as pilots strike over cost cuts and plans for the company's budget Transavia unit enters its second week. The SNPL pilots union, which has extended the strike until Friday said it could seek to prolong it further as talks with management stall. The union called on French Prime Minister Manuel Valls to intervene to try to resolve the dispute. "Talks have reached a complete impasse," the SNPL said in a statement. "Management is playing for time, waiting for the movement to weaken." The industrial action began on Monday, and Air France estimates it is costing the company EUR€10 million to EUR€15 million a day, implying the cost of the walkout could rise to EUR€80 million by September 26.
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American Airlines offers first-class with private berth
American Airlines is wooing first-class passengers from Los Angeles with a luxury experience. The airfare includes three-course meals, a private berth and ventilated space for a pet. The transcontinental fares are available on Airbus aircraft.
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American Airlines to sell $750M in unsecured notes
American Airlines Group announced that it has raised its offering of unsecured notes to $750 million from a previous offering of $500 million. The notes are due in 2019, and American said proceeds will be used for "general corporate purposes."
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American Reaches Tentative Deal With F/As
American Airlines has struck a tentative contract agreement with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, an important step in finalizing a deal with 24,500 US-based attendants at the airline. If members of APFA ratify the agreement, it will be the first contract passed since American merged with US Airways last year and the first that applies to workers from both carriers. APFA would not disclose the agreement's content, however an APFA spokesman said the terms were more generous than flight attendant contracts at United and Delta. "Our team was tenacious, they were well prepared, and in the end they brought home an outstanding agreement," APFA President Laura Glading said in a news release. American's flight attendants had waited for a favorable contract since 2003, when they conceded about 30 percent of their wages and benefits as the airline's performance soured. They then lost another 20 percent in 2011 when American entered bankruptcy.
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Delta uses voice-recognition technology to aid customer service
It’s a bitterly cold week in January, and a deep freeze has blanketed the U.S. Ferocious winds and subzero temperatures have grounded flights from coast to coast—it’s far too dangerous to fly, airlines reason—leaving thousands of flights canceled. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the scene is understandably chaotic. Hundreds of confused customers clamor to speak with a mere handful of agents. You could call customer service instead. But a phone tree? Surely the process for booking a new flight must be better than this. Knowing that travelers wouldn’t stand for an endless series of agents and repeated information—“I said, ‘Flight three-oh-six,’ for Pete’s sake”—Delta implemented speech-recognition technology so that when you place that call, the voice on the other end already knows who you are and where you were supposed to go.
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Emirates could order 60 more A380s if Neo backed
Emirates would sign up for another 60-70 A380s if Airbus is prepared to develop an enhanced “A380neo” derivative, the airline's president Tim Clark says. Dubai-based Emirates already has orders for 140 A380s, of which 50 have been delivered. Clark has previously stated his desire for Airbus to develop an enhanced version powered by advanced engines from Rolls-Royce and he upped the ante at World Routes in Chicago: “We’re in the market for another 60-70 A380s on top of the 140, if they do what I think [they should] with the aeroplane,” Clark said, speaking at the Strategy Summit at World Routes.
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Ethiopian orders up to 35 737 Max 8s
Ethiopian Airlines has ordered up to 35 Boeing 737 Max 8s, as part of its plan to become a leading airline in Africa. The order is split between 20 firm aircraft and 15 options and purchase rights that is valued at $2.1 billion at list prices, the airframer says. The order was previously listed as “unidentified” on its website. “Today's order underlines our commitment to our 15-year strategic plan, 'Vision 2025', in which Ethiopian will strive to become the leading airline group in Africa carrying 18 million passengers per annum," says Tewolde Gebremariam, chief executive of Ethiopian, in a statement.
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Gol In Negotiations To Buy Embraers - Report
Gol, Brazil's second-largest airline, is in final talks to buy an undisclosed number of aircraft from Embraer, a local newspaper reported. Negotiations started seven months ago and have reached a final stage that includes the discussion of pricing and payment conditions, Valor Economico said. The deal would be a setback for Boeing, Gol's exclusive plane supplier for now. Valor said Gol had confirmed talks with Embraer.
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Hawaiian Airlines to deploy SwiftBroadband on 767s
Hawaiian Airlines plans to install SwiftBroadband from Inmarsat on its fleet of Boeing 767-300s. "We fly mostly oceanic routes so VHF is of limited use and satellite communications will help us achieve real-time data far more effectively than before," said Ken Rewick, vice president of flight operations at the carrier. Hawaiian is the first U.S. commercial airline to use the service.
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JetBlue CEO to leave role after contract expires in 2015
Dave Barger, the CEO of JetBlue Airways, plans to leave his position in February after his contract expires. Robin Hayes, a former executive for British Airways, will assume the CEO role on Feb. 16. Hayes was appointed president in January, and recently received U.S. citizenship.
LinkAirports
Bahrain poised for expansion as Gulf Air recovers
Bahrain International Airport expects to complete the detailed design of its new terminal by the end of 2014 as it targets an opening within five years. Buoyed by a recovering Gulf Air, the airport is completing its expansion plans which will also incorporate a general aviation terminal and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities. The refurbishment of Bahrain’s existing terminal is underway, says chief commercial officer Mohamed Khalil, but the main focus of the kingdom’s three-phase airport development plan is the construction of a new $900 million terminal. “The funding is in place. We are targeting to start enabling works by mid-2015,” he says, speaking at the World Routes event in Chicago.
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Chicago aims to tap more emerging markets
Chicago is targeting new services from Asia-Pacific and Latin American airports as it takes centre stage as host of this year’s World Routes and very happy about the breadth of international delegates attending the event. Rosemarie Andolino, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation, says she is “extremely” pleased with the level and scope of delegates attending this year’s World Routes in the city. “Part of the route development is working with the destination airport because it’s important that we work collaboratively to not only meet additional airline personnel and decision makers, but also meeting airport decision makers,” she says.
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Gatwick eyes point-to-point routes for long-haul growth
Gatwick airport is banking on airlines moving toward more point-to-point long-haul traffic in the London gateway’s aim to grow its intercontinental network. The three airline alliances – Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance – have made it clear that none of them are considering a move from Heathrow to Gatwick, the latter’s operating chief Guy Stephenson says. With its single runway, the airport has not enough capacity to accommodate any of the alliances, says Stephenson. But he adds that Gatwick’s expansion plan with a second runway is not built around attracting any of the alliances, because they will “highly likely” need to change their business models as classic hub-and-spoke networks “will play a lesser than a bigger role” in future.
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Smooth start for new Guarulhos terminal
Brazil's Sao Paulo Guarulhos is pointing to a smooth introduction of it new Terminal 3 as it continues to look at ways to improve capacity at the airport. Terminal 3 opened in May, increasing the airport’s capacity by 12 million to 42 million passengers annually. Guarulhos handled nearly 36 million passengers in 2013. The new terminal is 70% operational with its last and largest tenant TAM Airlines scheduled to move in by the end of September, says Marques. “[Terminal 3] is operating very well,” he says. “The response of the public is very nice.”
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N.C. airport proceeds with plan for new concourse
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is preparing for construction of its new concourse with an environmental review, according to a request for qualifications released Thursday. The new concourse will be just north of Concourse A, where rental cars are parked now. Those cars will be moving to the $120 million hourly parking deck in front of the terminal, which is slated to open in November. On Thursday, the airport said it’s looking for a company to test soil and groundwater at the rental car lot for contamination. The testing will be done in preparation for demolition at the site, which Charlotte Douglas plans to start in early 2015.
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N.J. airport to begin runway repairs this weekend
Repairs to a major runway at Newark Liberty International Airport could be more of an annoyance to residents of two New Jersey cities than to air travelers. Runway 4L-22R will close Saturday for 10 days to complete grooving and the installation of pavement lights. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says the airport's other runways will be available to handle flights. But that means more planes will be flying over Jersey City and Bayonne. The agency says it's working with the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines to try to lessen the impact on customers.
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Va. airport to host 5K/10K on runway for charity
Dulles International Airport plans to host a 5K and 10K race on Saturday, as well as a Plane Pull, to benefit Special Olympics Virginia. In the Plane Pull, 25 teams compete to see who can pull an Airbus aircraft 12 feet. The 5K and 10K take place on a runway at the airport.
LinkMilitary
Boeing promotes 737-derived C-40A in Africa
As Boeing C-17 production winds down next year, company officials have revived a global marketing campaign to sell a military version of the 737-based Boeing Business Jet that can haul passengers and cargo. The C-40A Clipper entered service in 2001 with the US Navy, with 13 delivered to date. The commercial version, designated the 737-700C, has also been ordered by three airlines, with three delivered to date. Now Boeing is marketing the military variant as an alternative to the Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules in Africa and other developing markets, says Paul Oliver, vice-president of Boeing International for the Middle East and Africa. "This is kind of our C-40A coming out party," Oliver says.
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Boeing C-17 lands in Liberia opening US military anti-Ebola airlift
A Boeing C-17 Globemaster landed in Monrovia, Liberia, on 19 September, carrying the first of 3,000 US military personnel that will deploy to West Africa in an effort to stem the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. The aircraft carried a heavy duty forklift, drill set, a generator and a team of seven military personnel, including engineers and airfield specialists who are assigned to assess the payload capacity and stability of airport runways in Liberia’s capital, according to the US embassy in Monrovia. Additional large military aircraft transporting more personnel and medical supplies are expected to arrive in coming days. The forklift will be used to offload incoming supplies.
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Aviation Quote
In the '80's my gut feeling was that airlines were crap. I hated spending time on planes. I thought we could create the kind of airline I'd like. So we got a secondhand 747 and gave it a go.
— Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic. Interview in Men's Journal magazine, May 2006.
On This Date
---In 1902... Stanley Spencer becomes the 1st Englishman to fly in a powered airship over England. The 75-foot-long dirigible is powered by a 3-hp water-cooled engine and makes a flight of 30 miles.
---In 1950…An F-84 Thunderjet completes the first crossing of the Atlantic by a jet fighter.
---In 1966…The Surveyor 2 crashes on Moon due to a mid-course correction failure.
---In 1972…Boeing sells their 1,000th copy of the 727, a record for airliners at the time.
---In 1980… Iraq attacks Iran, various military bases and oil wells affected.
---In 1995…A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry (Callsign Yukla 27, serial number 77-0354), crashes shortly after take off from Elmendorf AFB, AK. The plane lost power to both port side engines after these engines ingested several Canada Geese during takeoff. The aircraft went down in a heavily wooded area about two miles northeast of the runway, killing all 24 crew members on board.
---In 2003…David Hempleman-Adams becomes the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an open-air, wicker-basket hot air balloon from New Brunswick, Canada to Ireland.
---In 2006…The F-14 Tomcat is retired from the Navy. Being first deployed in 1974 on the USS Enterprise, replacing the F-4 Phantom II, the F-14 was replaced by the F/A-18 super Hornet. The F-14 is known in popular culture as being the aircraft flown in the 1980s movie classic Top Gun.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Harley Rider, Little Girl and the Lion
A Harley rider is passing the zoo, when he sees a little girl Leaning into the lion's cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff of her
jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, under the eyes of her screaming parents. The biker jumps off his bike, runs to the cage
and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch. Whimpering from the pain, the lion jumps back letting go of the girl,
and the biker brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly. A reporter has watched the whole event.
The reporter says, "Sir, this was the most gallant and brave thing I saw a man do in my whole life."
The biker replies, "Why, it was nothing, really, the lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger, and acted as I felt right."
The reporter says, "Well, I'm a journalist from The New York Times, and tomorrow's paper will have this story on the front page... So, what do you do for a living and what political affiliation do you have?"
The biker replies, "I'm a U.S. Marine and a Republican." The following morning the biker buys The New York Times to see if it indeed brings news of his actions, and reads, on the front page:
U.S. MARINE ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH!
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