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Special inaugural offer: Johannesburg - Athens

2010-05-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the inauguration of our scheduled flights to and from Johannesburg we have a special offer for the 8th and the 11th of June 2010 with return on the 23rd or 24th of June 2010.

The flight regards a roundtrip from Johannesburg to Athens.
Special price: € 510 / ZAR 5.000 *

Actual prices.
Direct flights to or from Johannesburg to/from Athens from € 800 / ZAR 7760, round trip *.

*Price does not include taxes, fuel surcharges or insurance.

source: HIA

United, Continental to announce merger on Monday

2010-04-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

United Airlines and Continental Airlines are expected to announce that they are merging to form the world's largest airline on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources.

Continental's board would meet on Friday and Sunday, and United's would meet on Friday, the newspaper said on its website.

United declined to comment and Continental did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, a source close to the situation said concern over the share-price ratio to be used in a potential stock swap was "no longer an issue" and added that an announcement of the deal would likely be made early next week.

The two US airlines resumed merger negotiations earlier this month, two years after walking away from similar talks.

Other aspects of the potential deal have already been agreed to, including naming United chief executive Glenn Tilton as chairman and Continental CEO Jeff Smisek as chief executive, sources previously said. United would be the surviving brand and the combined company would be based in Chicago, they added.

The Journal report, citing people familiar with the matter, said that Tilton would be non-executive chairman for two years, after which Smisek would also take on that post.

Shares of United fell 1.3 percent to USD$21.47 on Thursday, while Continental rose 2.4 percent to USD$22.70

source: Reuters

EU to lift ban on liquids in hand luggage

2010-04-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

After 2013 passengers will no longer have to hand over expensive bottles of perfume or aftershave at airport security as the ban on liquids is due to be lifted. The European Union will end current restrictions on liquids in passengers' hand luggage by April 2013. New screening equipment capable of detecting liquids will have to be installed by the deadline, the EU executive announced.

The ban on liquids in containers larger than 100ml came into force in Europe 2006 after British police uncovered an al-Qaeda plot to blow up transatlantic airliners bound for North America using bombs made from liquid explosives. Three Britons were jailed for life in September 2009 for their plan to destroy at least seven aircraft using explosives hidden in soft-drink bottles.

"By 29 April 2013 at the latest, all liquids will be allowed in cabin baggage and will be screened," the European Commission said in a statement. As a preliminary step from April 2011, bottles of duty-free drinks and perfumes bought at third country airports or onboard third country airlines will be allowed if they are carried in tamper-proof bags and screened.

Another two years seems like quite a wait, but apparently that is due to the high cost of technology. "The ban was always meant to be temporary but scanning technology is expensive and has been slow to develop," a Commission spokeswoman said.

source: UBM

Aladia to restart ops

2010-04-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

ALADIA Airlines, a former mexican carrier, plans to restart operations with a single (according to other sources, two) ex-Maxjet 767-200. One aircraft (msn 23306/125) was removed from storage at Victorville, CA, where it has been stored since March last year. Aladia ceased operations on October 21st 2008 "due to economic crisis", and was operating four 757-200s and one leased B767-200 at the time. Initial target markets will North America to / from Mexico with off-route charters to the Caribbean / Latin America to back up inclusive tour operations and wet-lease operations in conjuction with other airlines.

AVNews

Cancellation of the 2nd International Aero Expo Icarus

2010-04-11T03:03:00.000-07:00

Due to the financial circumstances and the problems facing our country, the AOPA Hellas board appreciates that an aviation event of international magnitude during the year 2010 will not have the expected success. Due to these reasons we decided the non realization of the 2nd International Aero Expo Icarus for this year and we are instead planning the Expo for June 2011.

source: AOPA Hellas

Allegiant announces Eugene-Los Angeles flights

2010-04-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

Allegiant Air says it will add twice-weekly non-stop jet service to Los Angeles from Eugene starting June 3. A limited number of introductory fares will be offered for $59.99, one way, plus tax and fees. After the introductory period, fares will start at $79.99 one way, plus tax and fees.

Flights will be Thursdays and Sundays.

source: statesmanjournal.com

Spirit Airlines to charge for carry-on bags to pull down fares

2010-04-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines said Tuesday that it would be the first carrier to charge for carry-on luggage, the latest step in de-bundling products and services traditionally included in the price of a ticket.
The Miramar airline said the new policy would help reduce its fares further. The company also raised its fee for a second check-on bag.
"Bring less; pay less. It's simple," said Chief Operating Officer Ken McKenzie in a statement.
For flights on or after Aug. 1, Spirit said it will charge passengers $45 for a carry-on bag, or $30 if they register the bag ahead of time either online or on the phone. Members of the airline's $9 Club Fare will be charged $20.
Passengers are allowed just one carry-on bag.
Spirit raised its second check-bag fee to $45 from $25 when checked in at the airport. The first check-bag fee is held at $25.
The new rules encourage customers to check on more of their luggage, which Spirit says will help with efficiency.
"I think this is more of an operations move to speed up boarding and deplaning," said Terry Trippler, an analyst with Rules to Know, a travel advisory. "Just get in and sit down. If you shave just 15 minutes off of boarding you are shortening your turnaround time, and that's utilizing your equipment to the maximum."
"The real question is will other airlines follow," said Airfarewatchdog.com founder George Hobica.
Major legacy carriers such as American parent AMR Corp. and Delta Air Lines are likely watching customer reaction. Legacy carriers could likely add such a fee on their domestic routes while excluding their frequent-flier members, which represent the bulk of their core revenue.
Since 2008, airlines have been adding checked-on baggage fees to offset higher fuel costs and declining ticket sales.
For the third quarter, the latest data available, revenue from checked-on baggage fees exceeded $700 million, up 11 percent from the year-ago period, according to U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
In the same time period, average fares fell 14.4 percent.
"The other question is when will more shoes drop," Hobica added, referring to the need of carriers to increase revenue further in a industry that's projected to post a loss for the third year in a row.
Airlines could still charge customers for using a credit or debit cards, or eliminate airport check-in counter staff completely, with passengers instead showing up at the airport with a printed boarding pass and paid luggage already paid for, Hobica said.

source: jacksonville.com

BA and Iberia sign tie-up agreement

2010-04-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

The merger of British Airways and Iberia moved a step closer today after the two airlines signed the agreement approving their tie-up.

BA said it expected the merger to be completed by the end of this year in a move that will create one of the world's largest airline groups, with 408 aircraft carrying more than 58 million passengers a year.

The tie-up will create a new holding company called International Airlines Group, but the airlines will retain their current operations and continue to use their individual brands.

Today's merger agreement follows the memorandum of understanding signed between the two airlines in November.

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said the merged company will provide customers with a larger combined network.

'It will also have greater potential for further growth by optimising the dual hubs of London and Madrid and providing continued investment in new products and services,' he added.

The merger is subject to regulatory approval from competition authorities including the European Commission, and to approval by both British Airways and Iberia shareholders.

Iberia will also be entitled to terminate the merger agreement if the pension recovery plan agreed between BA and its pension trustees is found to be 'materially detrimental' to the merger.

BA has a comparatively thin presence in central and South America, flying only to Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in Brazil and Buenos Aires in Argentina. Iberia, on the other hand, operates numerous flights to this region so a merger allows passengers more access to South American cities.

Similarly, Iberian passengers will benefit from direct flights to areas where BA has more flights than the Spanish carrier.

BA and Iberia are also working on a transatlantic joint venture with US carrier American Airlines.

BA believes the three-way agreement will benefit consumers by improving connections and flight schedules.Rival airlines have expressed opposition to the agreement, with Ryanair recently likening the merger to 'two drunks trying to prop each other up'.

Virgin Atlantic said the deal would increase BA's dominance at Heathrow Airport.

The merger is expected to produce annual savings of around €400m by the end of the fifth year after the merger's completion.

source: rte.ie

Delta pumping nearly $1B into retirement plans

2010-04-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Delta Air Lines says it is on track to contribute nearly $1 billion to its employees' retirement plans this year, and it is providing some of the funding earlier than previously scheduled.The world's biggest airline said Thursday that by the end of April it will have contributed $665 million to its traditional pension plans in the first four months of this year, in addition to $100 million that has been contributed to employees' defined contribution 401(k) plans.
Another roughly $200 million is scheduled to be contributed to 401(k) plans during the balance of the year.
Delta, based in Atlanta, says its pension funding is normally distributed throughout the year, with the majority of contributions being added near the end of the year.

source: kxnet.com

Midwest, Frontier to officially become one airline

2010-04-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

According to The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
Midwest Airlines has planned an event for April 13 at which time it will release details about the combination of the Oak Creek air carrier with Frontier Airlines of Denver.
Indianapolis-based Republic Airways Holdings Inc. purchased Midwest and Frontier in separate deals last year. In recent months, Republic has been evaluating how to merge the Midwest and Frontier brands.
Two weeks ago, Republic Airways' vice president of marketing and branding told The Denver Business Journal, a sister publication, that Republic will select either Frontier or Midwest as the name. No other options are under consideration.

source: The Business Journal of Milwaukee

Blue Air chooses Larnaka International Airport as a hub

2010-03-31T03:06:00.000-07:00

It is with particular pleasure that Hermes Airports welcomes the decision by the Romanian airline Blue Air to choose Larnaka International Airport as its base. This move demonstrates Blue Air’s continuing development and its intention to offer even greater choice to the travelling public. Specifically, from 28 March 2010, Blue Air will be inaugurating its new flights to Austria, Italy and Poland.
In a statement, Antonis Orthodoxou, Managing Director of Orthodoxou Aviation Ltd, noted that, “It is generally accepted that last year was quite a difficult one as the global economy went through an extremely crucial phase. Early indications suggest that this year will be even more difficult but we are here to help not only the Cypriot tourism sector but the broader economy of the country, by reinforcing the major efforts that are being made by all sides. We know that it is not enough to utter fine words – we are taking action. This year, which will be a significant one for the economy, we want to see a level of tourism that corresponds to our country’s worth and needs. But to achieve our goal, we shall need every possible support and assistance from all parties involved.”
For his part, Hermes Airports CEO Alfred Van der Meer welcomed Blue Air’s decision to make Cyprus its base. He stressed that, “the new, modern installations at Larnaka Airport and the leading role that it can play in south-east Europe and the Middle East is something that is gradually being recognized and exploited, both by airlines and by the rest of the Cyprus tourism industry. Hermes Airports remains committed to its aim of providing high-level services to the travelling public and to its associates. It is precisely for this reason that we feel particularly proud and honoured by Blue Air’s decision.”
Blue Air will operate the following flights:
7 flights from Larnaka to Bucharest (Monday to Sunday)
3 flights from Larnaca to Milan (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday)
3 flights from Larnaca to Warsaw (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
3 flights from Larnaka to Vienna (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday)
It should be noted that Blue Air already operates routes linking Pafos with Bucharest and Thessaloniki with flights every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

source: Larnaka International Airport

Virgin Atlantic Global Website unavailable

2010-03-27T02:03:00.000-07:00

Please be advised the Virgin Atlantic Global Website (virginatlantic.com) will be unavailable tomorrow, Saturday 27th March between the hours of 0100 - 0800 GMT due to scheduled essential maintenance. The whole website will be affected including Online Check-in.

Lufthansa pilots to stage new 4-day strike

2010-03-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

A union representing pilots at Deutsche Lufthansa AG says it is calling a four-day strike for mid-April after failing to resolve a dispute over pay and job security.

The Cockpit union said Monday the strike is set to run from April 13 through 16.

Cockpit said talks with Germany's biggest airline have "remained without a result."

It said it was delaying the start of the planned strike until mid-April to avoid disruption during the Easter vacation and give Lufthansa's management "time to realign its course."

The pilots already staged one strike last month. A planned four-day-walkout was cut short then with an agreement to resume negotiations.

source: Associated Press

600 Boeing 737’s need Emergency inspection worldwide

2010-03-21T01:26:00.000-07:00

Emergency inspections of 600 Boeing 737 planes are being conducted worldwide following concerns a faulty mechanism could render the aircraft uncontrollable. Worldwide airlines have been affected by an “emergency airworthiness directive” issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the issue, but insist passengers won’t be affected by the checks.

The order was issued following an incident on March 2 when a Ryanair 737-800 en route from the Netherlands to Madrid experienced severe vibrations and had to make an unscheduled landing in Belgium.

Extensive damage to the left elevator, a movable flap on the horizontal tail that controls the pitch of the airplane, was found.

The FAA is now concerned the “unsafe condition” is “likely to exist or develop on other planes of the same type design”, the airworthiness directive stated.

“Severe vibration in this attach point is suspected of allowing rapid wear of the joint, and resulted in failure of the attach lugs,” Ali Bahrami, Manager of Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, said in the order.

“This condition, if not corrected, could result in a loss of aircraft control and structural integrity.”

Boeing spokeswoman Sandy Angers said the company supports the FAA’s order and remains committed to the safety of its aircraft.

“The interim measures serve to ensure that safety continues at the highest levels while we work diligently to determine a permanent resolution for this issue,” Ms Angers said.

The directive affects approximately 600 Next-Generation 737s, Ms Angers said.

The order applies to Boeing 737-600, 700, 700C, 800, 900 and 900ER series planes.

The planes must be inspected within 12 to 30 days.

source: news.com.au

British Airways crew to strike

2010-03-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

A three-day strike by many of British Airways' cabin crew will go ahead after union talks with management collapsed, leaving the ruling Labour government with a major headache weeks before a general election.

The strike begins on Saturday and is likely to disrupt travel plans for thousands. It risks embarrassing Prime Minister Gordon Brown because the Unite union organising the action is Labour's biggest single financial backer.

Brown, who had earlier called the strike "unjustified and deplorable", demanded that it be called off at once.

Meanwhile railway signal workers added to the government's problems by voting to strike over job cuts and changes to working practices, raising the threat of a first national rail strike in 16 years. They did not name a date.

Labour, which is trailing in opinion surveys ahead of an election widely expected to be called for May 6, has strong union ties that go back to its foundation in 1900. Unite's political director is Charlie Whelan, Brown's former spokesman.

Opposition Conservative leader David Cameron has accused Brown of failing to stand up to Unite and compared the situation to the 1970s, which saw periods of severe industrial unrest under Labour.

His party have launched a billboard campaign entitled "Cash Gordon", featuring a picture of Brown clutching a fistful of union-supplied bank notes behind his back.

"When the crunch comes, he can only act in the union interest, not in the national interest," Cameron said this week.

"HAWKS" GROUND PLANES

Tony Woodley, Unite's joint general secretary, told reporters that BA cabin crew who are in dispute would go on strike at midnight for three days, and then again from March 27 to March 30, just as the Easter holiday season begins.

Woodley said "hawks" within BA who wanted confrontation had won the day, including chief executive Willie Walsh.

"I think it is a classic case of Mr Walsh unfortunately being one of the hawks who is looking for a war with our members as opposed to a negotiated settlement," he said.

The airline wants to save an annual GBP£62.5 million pounds (USD$95 million) to help cope with a fall in demand, volatile fuel prices and increased competition from low-cost carriers.

In full-page newspaper advertisements on Friday, Walsh said a "significant number" of cabin crew would work during the strike and the majority of BA staff did not support the action.

Brown's spokesman said the prime minister believed the strike "is in no-one's interest and will cause unacceptable inconvenience to passengers".

"He urges the strike be called off immediately. He also urges BA's management and workforce to get together without delay to resolve what is a dispute about jobs and wages."

Many crews, including those working on long haul flights from London Gatwick airport and all flights from the smaller London City airport, will be unaffected by the action as they have already agreed to the airline's proposed changes.

BA hopes to fly at least 60 percent of customers booked for the March 20-22 period, having retrained staff to provide cover.

The union had said cabin crew would call off the strike if the airline reinstated an offer that was withdrawn last week.

Walsh said he had put forward a new offer on Friday, which would remain open until the strikes begin, but admitted it was lower as a result of the costs the airline has incurred due to the planned industrial action.

"I have made it clear to the trade union that that is an expense that must be recovered, so the financial value of the proposal that we have tabled is definitely not as attractive as the previous one," he told reporters.

"Our business must make changes, and I am disappointed that the union has not been able to see the sense of the proposal that we tabled today."

source: REUTERS

EXLCLUSIVE: Will Olympic Air become one more time the carrier of the 5 contintents?

2010-03-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

According to inofficial, unconfirmed informations, Olympic Air has began to plan the next steps of reorganizing and extension of the business plan and route structure for the time after the merge with Aegean Airlines. According to these informations, Olympic Air plans to start intercontinental flights on own direction.

AVNews

Air Berlin reduces 787 orders

2010-03-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

Air Berlin, Germany’s second biggest airline, is to reduce its 787 orders. It has “mutually agreed” with Boeing to lower the number of firm 787 orders from 25 to 15 and to reduce the number of options on 787s from 10 to 5. The 10 aircraft order reduction has a current list price of about $1.7bn. Air Berlin said it has also delayed delivery of nine 737 aircraft to 2015. These aircraft were originally scheduled for delivery in 2010 or 2011.

Delta may cut 840 jobs in cost-cutting move

2010-03-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

Delta Air Lines may slash 840 jobs at a subsidiary that provides ground-handling operations as part of a cost-cutting plan to consolidate operations in Cincinnati. The airline plans to operate mainline and regional flights out of one concourse instead of two at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, effective May 1, and reduce the number of gates used at that airport to 28 from 50, according to Kristin Baur, Delta spokeswoman. She explained that Delta expects to save about $20m annually as a result of the changes.

BA adds more flights during strike

2010-03-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

British Airways is to fly thousands more passengers during a three-day strike by its cabin crew after more staff volunteered to work.

The company said more employees had offered to stand in for members of the Unite union who will walk out for three days from Saturday in a bitter row over cost cutting.

The union accused BA of "bluffing" and claimed only 350 volunteers were prepared to stand in for strikers this weekend as opposed to the 1,000 announced by the airline.

BA said earlier this week that it aimed to fly 60% of its customers during the strikes. But today the airline announced that since then the number of cabin crew offering to work as normal had increased "significantly" - and was expected to grow further.

The airline said: "British Airways is also pleased that the number of other airlines offering their help for the strike period through charters or provision of spare seats has increased from 50 on Monday to more than 60. These developments have enabled the airline to reinstate some previously cancelled flights and provide extra capacity for both long haul and short haul destinations. For example, this will allow the airline to fly home more competitors and supporters from the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver."

Chief executive Willie Walsh said: "The determination of our colleagues across the whole business to keep the flag flying this weekend is increasing. I am delighted by the numbers of cabin crew who have been getting in touch with us to express their disillusion with Unite's position. Our crews just want to work as normal, do their usual terrific job and look after our customers.

"We will now have the potential to fly more than 4,000 additional customers per day and serve more destinations. We believe this is a helpful move at a time when customers are facing rising fares with alternative carriers. Morale among our operations teams is high. Yesterday was our most punctual day at Heathrow for months, thanks to the efforts of all parts of the airline."

BA said passengers who will benefit from the extra flights will include those who had rebooked to a later date as well as people who had cancelled but not decided whether to rebook.

The extra staff coming forward were mainly members of BA's cabin crew, said the company, which has warned strikers they will lose their travel perks.

The announcement appears to have dashed any hopes of a last-minute deal to avert the strike and another four-day stoppage from March 27. BA said it remained available for "meaningful" discussions, but even though behind the scenes contacts have been maintained, there were no signs tonight of any fresh talks.

source: Hampshire Chronicle

AirTran starts fare war

2010-03-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

Discount carrier AirTran Airways fired the first shot of the summer airfare wars this week, causing bigger rivals to match prices at a time when they would rather be raising them.

The sale that AirTran started — set to end at midnight heading into Friday morning — included some seats on a few short trips as cheap as $44 each way, not including taxes and fees. What really made the sale stand out was its duration, covering travel from March 19 until Nov. 16.

AirTran operates non-stop flights from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to its hubs in Atlanta and Orlando.

Other carriers were forced to match on routes where they compete with AirTran or risk losing many passengers to their low-cost rival. Those sales too were set to expire at midnight.

"It's very rare that we see a 200-day sale — that we get to buy that far out into the future," said Tom Parsons, CEO of travel Web site BestFares.com. "This is the first big summer airfare sale."

The length of the AirTran promotion is important for other airlines because it means they were forced to sell some seats for the peak summer travel period cheaply.

Airlines have seasonal clocks when it comes to revenue: They try to make enough money in the summer to last through the winter.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect five of the six largest U.S. airlines to lose money in the first quarter of 2010, with only Southwest forecast to make a profit. But in the second and third quarters, each of which includes part of the summer travel season, analysts think all six will make money.

By next winter, even with an improving economy, analysts believe at least two of the six will be losing money again.

It's impossible to know how much money airlines will leave behind by selling some of their summer seats at such cheap prices this week.

For one thing, the AirTran sale didn't include flights on Fridays and Sundays, which tend to be busy days that are popular with business travelers. AirTran offered only a few routes at the cheapest prices, such as $44 each way between Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., and $54 each way for Boston-Baltimore and St. Louis-Milwaukee.

Airlines strictly limit the number of seats that they sell at the advertised cheapest rates.

Still, with fewer flights this summer than a couple of years ago, planes probably will be full and airlines could be getting top dollar for last-minute tickets by May or June — if they didn't sell the seat cheaply in March.

Among those matching AirTran's sale were Delta, American, United, Continental and US Airways.

Airlines have recently reported better traffic, a sign that the deep slump in travel demand is finally lifting.

"The past few weeks we have seen the first discounting for early summer as airlines want to keep up the momentum in the revenue side," says Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com.

But it's not all cheap thrills for travelers.

Seaney said there have been recent attempts to raise prices to Florida by $20 per round trip, and also to boost fares on some routes favored by low-cost carriers in the Midwest.

source: AP

Continental Airlines to charge for food

2010-03-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

Continental Airlines is ending free hamburgers, barbecue and sandwich rolls for many of its passengers in favor of a food-for-sale program that mirrors what other carriers are already doing.

A spokesman said today that the airline, based in Houston, expects a $35 million annual benefit, from cost savings and added revenue.

Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, US Airways and United Airlines are among carriers that already charge for food on flights.

Continental passengers on some international routes, on domestic flights over six hours and those who sit in first or business class on routes worldwide will continue to get free food. Snacks like pretzels and nonalcoholic drinks will continue to be offered for free.

The changes take effect in the fall. Menu choices and prices will be disclosed later.

Air travelers have seen a steady erosion of amenities included in the price of their ticket over the last two years or so, from checked bags to pillows and blankets on board. Airlines call it unbundling the product, allowing them to offer lower base fares and only charge extra for people who want more. But with so many add-on fees these days, a traveler could end up paying more when everything is added together than what they previously paid for an all-inclusive ticket.

Some travelers have been packing lighter or carrying more on board flights to avoid checked bag fees. Likewise, some bring their own food on flights to avoid paying for meals.

Continental, which has about 900 daily mainline flights, said its food-for-sale program is about offering passengers more choices.

Currently, Continental flights lasting less than two hours usually have a free beverage service with a small snack like pretzels. Flights of two to three hours offer a small sandwich roll, or a muffin in the morning. Flights over three hours currently offer a free hot sandwich or other hot meal, or cereal in the morning.

"While free food was a nice point of distinction for Continental, we could not provide the same caliber of food on that basis that we can under a food-for-sale program," spokesman Dave Messing said.

Continental shares fell 28 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $22.76 in afternoon trading.

source: twincities.com

Pilots who overshot airport won't fight for revoked licenses

2010-03-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

Two pilots from the Pacific Northwest who overshot a Minnesota airport because they weren't paying attention will not fight to for their revoked licenses.

However, Captain Timothy Cheney of Gig Harbor, Wash. and First Officer Richard Cole of Salem, Ore. can apply for new licenses Aug. 29. That's about 10 months after they flew an Airbus A320 with 144 passengers about 150 miles past Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. They did not respond to radio calls for over an hour.

Cheney and Cole have said they were distracted by looking at a new crew scheduling system on their laptops. Using laptops is a violation of Northwest Airlines' policies.

In order to fly commercial airplanes again, Cheney and Cole would reportedly have to start their training all over.

source: king5.com

2nd International Aeroexpo Athens 2010

2010-03-09T17:35:00.000-08:00

ICARUS 2010
2nd INTERNATIONAL AERO EXPO ATHENS
18 - 20 June 2010, Dekeleia Airport, Tatoi

AOPA HELLAS and the organizational committee of ICARUS 2010 would like to invite you to participate to the 2nd International Aero Expo of Athens ICARUS 2010 to be hosted at Tatoi Airfield (LGTT), Athens. ICARUS Aero Expo Athens 2010 is the only International Business and General Aviation Exhibition in Southern Europe.
Southern Europe is proving to be a rapidly developing aviation market thanks to the good weather conditions and to the recent enlargement of the European Union. The aviation world currently has the potential to advertise and dynamically penetrate to the surrounding market, based on Athens, the crossroads between East, West, and a bridge to Middle East.
In June 2008, AOPA Hellas organized ICARUS AEROEXPO 2008, the 1st International General Aviation and Business Aviation Exhibition in Greece, under the auspices of ΙΑΟΡΑ, the Greek Air force and the Ministries of Transportation and Tourism, and sponsored by the Ministries of Transportation and Tourism, ΑΝΤΕΝΝΑ Channel, AIRBP, the aviation press and many others. With more than 40.000 visitors, 60 exhibitors, representing 108 companies, 20 international seminar speakers, 105 airplanes from 12 countries of Europe and the Middle East, airshow with the participation of both civilian and military airplanes, ICARUS 2008 was a great success. It appealed not only to the aviation world but to the general public as well and rightfully gained the 3rd position among European Aero Expos

Visit the land of Icarus, where aviation was born

Aero Expo ICARUS 2010 of AOPA HELLAS will be once more hosted at the Dekeleia airport, which will be ready to receive with a free entrance, its visitors and the aviation world. During the Expo an international Fly-in will be taking place with various events scheduled for the participants, airshow, seminars, happenings and Fly Trials by the aviation schools. There will be free access to the Hellenic Air Force Museum and to a unique private war bird collection within Tatoi airfield.
The Tatoi airfield (LGTT) is home for the majority of airclubs and pilot schools of Athens. It is located just 15 min. to the north of the city and 3 min from the national roads and Attiki Odos. The suburban railway, the subway and the train can transport thousands of visitors from the greater area. The airport offers vast, covered exhibition areas, 35,000m2 of apron, ample hard surface for static displays and can accommodate a vast number of private aircraft. The 5,800 ft asphalt runway is sufficient for up to business jet level aircraft. Car parking facilities inside the airfield are vast and there are hotels in the surrounding area.

The events of the 2nd International Aero Expo Athens are being organized under the auspices of ΙAOPA Europe, which invites the international community to participate in ICARUS 2010. Given the international recognition of IAOPA in the World's General Aviation community, the organizational support of the Hellenic Air Force and the support of the Greek Government, Aero Expo ICARUS 2010, is bound to be another resounding success with even more resounding benefits for the exhibitors as well as the region's aviation key players.

The new web site www.icarusaeroexpo.gr will be available after 3 March.
More information coming soon

source: AOPA HELLAS

HIA: Appointment of passenger general sales agent (GSA) & cargo general sales & service agent (GSAA)

2010-03-09T04:59:00.000-08:00

Hellenic Imperial Airways was incorporated in May 2006, based in Athens, Greece and is now expanding its activities as well as its fleet and will be fully operating scheduled flights to many new destinations, both domestic (Mainland & Greek Islands) and international, as of the end of May 2010.

The airline aims for high standards of service, safety and establishing a wide network of destinations linking Athens directly to the rest of the world.

Hellenic Imperial Airways aims to secure their high standards of service and are currently looking to appoint Passenger Sales Agents (GSA’s) and Cargo General Sales & Services Agents (GSSA) at the countries of destination for the expansion and widening of its selling base. Reputable and financially sound agencies or tour operators interested are invited to send their complete company profile as well as their financial proposal to claim the GSA of their country.

Countries are as follows for Phase 1:

Beirut, Beirut (BEY)
Cyprus, Larnaca (LCA)
France, Paris (ORY)
Morocco, Casablanca (CMN)
Romania, Bucharest (OTP)
Saudi Arabia, Jeddah (JED)
South Africa, Johannesburg (JNB)
Switzerland, Geneva (GVA)
Syria, Damascus (DAM)
United Arab Emirates, Dubai (DXB)
United Kingdom, London (LTN or STN)
USA, New York (JFK)

Applying firms / companies must meet the following minimum requirements/ documentation:

A locally registered firm/company possessing trading license as per local laws.
Experience in the respective field of Passenger and Cargo Sales. Preference will be given to parties having a proven track record in the relevant field.
GSA applicant should not be an IATA approved Passenger Sales Agent for passenger GSA. However, there is no such binding for cargo GSSA.
Owners, directors/shareholders should have not been involved in default/ bankruptcy proceedings or had a financial interest or a position of management in defaulted IATA agency or GSA/GSSA or any other firm/ company.
Office premises should be preferably on ground floor and easily accessible to general public with ample parking space.
Should have qualified staff that has the ability of selling international air transportation. DGR certification for at least one GSSA staff is mandatory.
The applicant should have minimum paid-up capital/investment required under local laws. Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Accounts of the preceding fiscal year, duly audited by a Chartered Accountant should be submitted at the time of application. Additionally, Bank Guarantee will also be required.
Mutually agreed commission or service charges will be paid to the GSA/ GSSA.
Validity of GSA/GSSA agreement will be initially for three years. Other terms and conditions of the agreement would be negotiable.
Company’s legal documentation and profile must be submitted along with the application.
Any other document/ information, if so required will be intimated prior to the appointment.

All above mentioned documents must be in English or translated into English.

Hellenic Imperial Airways reserves the right to reject or accept any application without assigning any reason or cause thereof.

Interested parties may send their applications for Passenger GSA and/or Cargo GSSA by

E-mail or on the following address through registered mail or courier service not later than the 15^th of March, 2010.

gsa@hellenicairways.com

By mail to:

ATTN.: Mr. T. SILVESTROS

COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

HELLENIC IMPERIAL AIRWAYS

22, VOULIAGMENIS AVE

16777, HELLINIKON

ATHENS - GREECE

source: ΗΙΑ

Falcon 7X receives type certification by Chinese Authorities

2010-02-24T23:45:00.000-08:00

On February 2, Dassault Falcon recently received Type Certification for the 5,950 nm Falcon 7X from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The Falcon 7X is the latest current production Falcon to be certified by the Chinese authorities. The Falcon 900 family and Falcon 2000 family were both certified several years ago.

“Before the end of the first quarter of this year, we will have delivered three Falcon 7Xs in mainland China,” said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon. “As an industry, we’ve been waiting for China to emerge as a strong force for several years. That time has arrived and this certification will not only help Dassault Falcon continue to grow in China but will be of vital importance to all of our operators.”

The Falcon 7X can connect Beijing with Paris, France; Sydney, Australia and San Francisco, California. It can also connect Shanghai with Auckland, New Zealand; Seattle, Washington and London, England.

The Falcon 7X is the first and only business jet to incorporate a digital flight control system which provides more positive, operational safety and a smoother flight. The aircraft also comes standard with the award-winning EASy flight deck. The EASy flight deck is designed to reduce pilot workload and improve pilot interaction through elevated situational awareness in the cockpit. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 2001, the Falcon 7X was the first large cabin jet to be simultaneously certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on April 27, 2007. It’s powered by three highly reliable and efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A engines which help to give the Falcon 7X a greater airport performance and increased peace of mind during long over water flights. The Falcon 7X also has 15-30% greater fuel efficiency than other aircraft in the large cabin, long range class. With a range of 5,950 nm (eight passengers, M.80 with NBAA IFR reserves), the aircraft can comfortably connect 95% of the commonly used business aviation city pairs worldwide.

source: Dassault

Bahrain plans to privatise Gulf Air

2010-02-24T23:34:00.000-08:00

MANAMA – Bahrain plans to privatise the country’s loss-making carrier Gulf Air within about a year, after its turnaround programme bears fruit, said the chief executive of the top economic planning body in the Gulf Arab state.Bahrain also plans to privatise other public services, from hospitals to waste management, as it seeks to diversify its economy from oil and build up a viable private sector and a tax-based economy.

Gulf Air, which said in November it expected making an operating loss of about $500 million in 2009, plans to return to profits by focusing on regional routes and cutting costs. “The intention is to privatise but if you’re going to privatise something, people want something that doesn’t have a hundred-tonne anchor weighing it down,”Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa al-Khalifa, head of the Economic Development Board, told Reuters. “It will take realistically a year.” The Economic Development Board controls all government decisions on economic policies, making Sheikh Mohammed the small island kingdom’s top policy-maker in economic matters. Management of the King Hamad Hospital, currently under construction, and of petrol stations owned by state-run Bahrain Petroleum Co (Bapco) could be tendered to the private sector at the end of the year. Contracting out management of postal services and waste water treatment was currently under study, he added.

The country is also planning to phase out subsidies in the long run to relieve public finances, a sensitive issue that has sparked protests.

Ending gasoline subsidies is the biggest bone of contention, and Sheikh Mohammed said these would not be touched any time soon. “Fuel prices are not going up any time soon,” he said.

Bahrain plans to target other subsidies, including on electricity, to only the needy instead of all consumers, but that would be a gradual process taking some years, he added.

source: business.maktoob.com

Aerolineas eyes 15 787s with near-term delivery slots

2010-02-21T02:23:00.000-08:00

Aerolineas Argentinas is considering acquiring 15 Boeing 787s with deliveries beginning as early as 2011 as part of a new tender which also seeks bids for up to 40 narrowbody aircraft.The carrier's chief commercial officer, Juan Pablo Lafosse, reveals Aerolineas "is in the process of issuing requests for proposals" for new aircraft that meet narrowbody and widebody requirements outlined in its recently revised fleet plan. He says the airline, which now operates five Airbus A340s and two 747s, is considering 787s and A330s but not A350s for the widebody requirement.
Aerolineas has been looking for new widebodies since the carrier was renationalised in late 2008. For several months last year the carrier was considering taking over part of the 61-aircraft Airbus widebody order placed in 2008 by former owner Marsans. In October 2009 Lafosse told, that the Argentinean government was negotiating with Marsans and Airbus over inheriting 13 A330/A340s from this order, but that as an alternative the carrier was also looking at leasing six A330s and seven A340s. Over the last couple of months, however, efforts to take over part of the Marsans order have since been dropped altogether. Meanwhile, Aerolineas also has widened its widebody evaluation to consider the 787.
Lafosse tells, there are two scenarios now under consideration. The first envisions transitioning to a widebody fleet consisting entirely of 787 family aircraft but also acquiring at least two additional A330/A340s to support near-term expansion until 787s are available. Lafosse is confident Aerolineas could "transition to a 787 fleet starting one and a half or two years from now", claiming that "there are positions from lessors" in this timeframe. The second scenario envisions replacing all of Aerolineas' seven active widebodies with new A330/A340s as well as acquiring eight additional A330/A340s for growth. Lafosse says Aerolineas is "not yet" considering A350s.
source: flightglobal.com

Lufthansa routes update

2010-02-11T06:31:00.000-08:00

Lufthansa from 28MAR10 launches Daily Munich – Bari with CRJ900 (aircraft by Cityline). Schedule as follows:

LH2632 MUC0915 – 1100BRI CR9 D
LH2633 BRI1155 – 1340MUC CR9 D

WizzAir routes update

2010-02-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

New: Belgrade, Nikola Tesla (BEG) to Antalya (AYT)
New: Belgrade, Nikola Tesla (BEG) to Dortmund (DTM)
New: Belgrade, Nikola Tesla (BEG) to London, Luton (LTN)
New: Belgrade, Nikola Tesla (BEG) to Rhodes, Diagoras (RHO)
New: Bucharest, Baneasa (BBU) to Cuneo, Levaldigi (CUF)
New: Bucharest, Baneasa (BBU) to Dusseldorf, Weeze (NRN)
New: Cluj-Napoca, Someseni International (CLJ) to Dusseldorf, Weeze (NRN)
New: Zaragoza (ZAZ) to Antalya (AYT)
New: Zaragoza (ZAZ) to Bucharest, Baneasa (BBU)
New: Zaragoza (ZAZ) to Cluj-Napoca, Someseni International (CLJ)
New: Zaragoza (ZAZ) to Rhodes, Diagoras (RHO)
source: TheAirDB

Air Berlin routes update

2010-02-01T00:32:00.000-08:00

Restarted: Westerland, - Sylt (GWT) to St Petersburg, Pulkovo (LED)
Restarted: Ibiza (IBZ) to Moscow, Domodedovo (DME)
Restarted: Punta Cana (PUJ) to Stockholm, Arlanda (ARN)
Restarted: Punta Cana (PUJ) to Vantaa, Helsinki-vantaa (HEL)
New: Cologne, Bonn (CGN) to Stuttgart, Echterdingen (STR)
New: Dubrovnik (DBV) to Vienna, Schwechat International (VIE)
New: Moscow, Domodedovo (DME) to Thessaloniki, Makedonia (SKG)
New: Dusseldorf, International (Rhein-Ruhr) (DUS) to Karlsruhe/Baden Baden, Soellingen (FKB)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Stockholm, Arlanda (ARN)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Cairo, International (CAI)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Copenhagen, Kastrup (CPH)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Dusseldorf, International (Rhein-Ruhr) (DUS)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Karlsruhe/Baden Baden, Soellingen (FKB)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Muenster/Osnabrueck (FMO)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Frankfurt, International (Rhein-Main) (FRA)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Gothenburg, Landvetter (GOT)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Westerland, - Sylt (GWT)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Vantaa, Helsinki-vantaa (HEL)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Krakow, J. Paul II Balice Intl (KRK)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Oslo, Gardermoen (OSL)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Paris, All s (PAR)
New: Graz, Thalerhof (GRZ) to Saarbruecken, Ensheim (SCN)
New: Heringsdorf (HDF) to Berlin, All s (BER)
New: Heringsdorf (HDF) to Naples, Capodichino (NAP)
New: Ibiza (IBZ) to Brindisi, Papola Casale (BDS)
New: Ibiza (IBZ) to Olbia, Costa Smeralda (OLB)
New: Olbia, Costa Smeralda (OLB) to Palma Mallorca, Palma Mallorca (PMI)
New: Palma Mallorca, Palma Mallorca (PMI) to Cagliari, Elmas (CAG)
New: Punta Cana (PUJ) to Gothenburg, Landvetter (GOT)
New: Punta Cana (PUJ) to Oslo, Gardermoen (OSL)
Cancelled: Westerland, - Sylt (GWT) to Reykjavik, Keflavik International (KEF)
Cancelled: Paphos, International (PFO) to London, Stansted (STN)
Cancelled: Berlin-Schoenefeld (SXF) to Milan, All s (MIL)
Cancelled: Berlin-Schoenefeld (SXF) to Paphos, International (PFO)
Cancelled: Berlin-Schoenefeld (SXF) to London, Stansted (STN)
source: TheAirDB

Transavia routes update

2010-01-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

New: Heraklion, N. Kazantzakis Apt. (HER) to Lyon, Satolas (LYS)
New: Nantes, Atlantique (NTE) to Palma Mallorca, Palma Mallorca (PMI)
source: TheAirDB

Delta Airlines route update

2010-01-28T01:47:00.000-08:00

Cancelled: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Mumbai, Chhatrapati Shivaji (BOM)
Cancelled: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Boston, Logan International (BOS)
Cancelled: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
Cancelled: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Newark, Liberty International (EWR)
Cancelled: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Memphis, International (MEM)
Cancelled: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Minneapolis, - St. Paul Intl (MSP)
Cancelled: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Portland, International (PDX)
Cancelled: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Seattle, tacoma International (SEA)
Cancelled: Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) to Rome, Leonardo Da Vinci (Fiumicino) (FCO)
Cancelled: Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) to Frankfurt, International (Rhein-Main) (FRA)
Cancelled: Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) to Georgetown, Owen Roberts International (GCM)
Cancelled: Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) to Seoul, (Incheon) (ICN)
Cancelled: Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) to London, Heathrow (LHR)
Cancelled: Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) to Nassau, Intl (NAS)
Cancelled: Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) to Punta Cana (PUJ)
Cancelled: Grenada, Point Saline Intl (GND) to New York, John F Kennedy Intl (JFK)
Cancelled: Tamuning, Antonio B. Won Pat (GUM) to Osaka, Kansai International (KIX)
Cancelled: Minneapolis, - St. Paul Intl (MSP) to Paris, Charles De Gaulle (CDG)
Cancelled: Minneapolis, - St. Paul Intl (MSP) to Georgetown, Owen Roberts International (GCM
Cancelled: Minneapolis, - St. Paul Intl (MSP) to London, Heathrow (LHR)
Cancelled: Minneapolis, - St. Paul Intl (MSP) to Punta Cana (PUJ)
Cancelled: Nagoya, Central Japan International (NGO) to Tamuning, Antonio B. Won Pat (GUM)
Cancelled: Nagoya, Central Japan International (NGO) to Manila, Ninoy Aquino Intl (MNL)
Cancelled: Nagoya, Central Japan International (NGO) to Saipan, International (SPN)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Bangkok, International (BKK)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Seoul, (Incheon) (ICN)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Manila, Ninoy Aquino Intl (MNL)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Beijing, Capital (PEK)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Busan, Gimhae (PUS)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Shanghai, Pu Dong (PVG)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Singapore, Changi (SIN)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Saipan, International (SPN)
Cancelled: Tokyo, Narita International (NRT) to Taipei, Chiang Kai Shek (TPE)
source: TheAirDB

Thai International Airways route update

2010-01-27T21:41:00.000-08:00

Per 21JAN10 GDS timetable display, THAI’s Bangkok – Athens service is to be operated by Boeing 777-300, starting 28MAR10, replacing Airbus A340-500.

Service is operating 4 weekly, increase from 3 weekly.

Croatia Airlines route update

2010-01-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

Croatia Airlines from 01JUN10 launches 3 weekly Seasonal service on the Zagreb – Athens service with Airbus A319/320. Schedule as follows:

OU300 ZAG1525 – 1815ATH 32S 247
OU301 ATH1905 – 2005ZAG 32S 247
319 Day 27
320 Day 4

Viking Hellas Aviation route update

2010-01-27T21:22:00.000-08:00

Viking Hellas Aviation launches operation on 01FEB10. The Athens-based carrier is offering service on following routes:

Athens – Baghdad 1 weekly eff 01FEB10
Athens – Manchester 3 weekly eff 01FEB10
Athens – Sulaymaniyah 1 weekly eff 03FEB10
Athens – Erbil 1 weekly eff 05FEB10
Service operates with Boeing 737-300, airline code is VQ

International aviation phonetic alphabet (ICAO)

2010-01-23T16:24:00.000-08:00

A = Alpha
B = Bravo
C = Charlie
D = Delta
E = Echo
F = Foxtrot
G = Golf
H = Hotel
I = India
J = Juliet
K = Kilo
L = Lima
M = Mike
N = November
O = Oscar
P = Papa
Q = Quebec
R = Romeo
S = Sierra
T = Tango
U = Uniform
V = Victor
W = Whiskey
X = X-Ray
Y = Yankee
Z = Zulu

1= Wun
2= Too
3= Tree
4= Fow-er
5= Fife
6= Six
7= Seven
8= Ait
9= Nin-er
0= Ze-ro

Embraer 2009 deliveries

2010-01-23T05:19:00.000-08:00

Route news: TRANSAVIA

2010-01-23T04:34:00.000-08:00

Restarted: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Argostoli, Kefallinia (EFL)

New: Amsterdam, schiphol (AMS) to Jerez De La Frontera (XRY)

New: Bodrum., Milas (BJV) to Eindhoven (EIN)

New: Eindhoven (EIN) to Palma Mallorca, Palma Mallorca (PMI)

New: Palma Mallorca, Palma Mallorca (PMI) to Groningen, Eelde (GRQ)

New: Rotterdam (RTM) to Antalya (AYT)

New: Rotterdam (RTM) to Bodrum., Milas (BJV)

New: Rotterdam (RTM) to Rhodes, Diagoras (RHO)

ATR 2009 deliveries - orders - etc

2010-01-23T04:19:00.000-08:00

FIGURE 1 – New aircraft orders in 2009

AIRLINE	ATR 42-500	ATR 42-600	ATR 72-500	ATR 72-600
Afrijet (Nigeria)			4
Air Algérie			4
Air Nostrum (Spain)				10
Alenia (for Italian Navy)				4
Arkia (Israel)			1
Belle Air (Albania)			1
Golden Air (Sweden)			1
Libyan Airlines	2
Lion Air / Wings Air (Indonesia)			5
Royal Air Maroc		2		4
Vietnam Airlines			2
TOTAL ORDERS	2 ATR 42-500	2 ATR 42-600	18 ATR 72-500	18 ATR 72-600

FIGURE 2 – New aircraft delivered in 2009

AIRLINE	COUNTRY	ATR 42-500	ATR 72-500
Air Austral	Réunion (France)		1
Air Botswana	Botswana		2
Air Caraibes	French Caribbean		1
Air Guyane	French Guyana	1
Air Saint Pierre	Saint Pierre et Miquelon (France)	1
Air Tahiti	French Polynesia		1
Air Vanuatu	Vanuatu		1
Alenia Aeronautica	Italy	1
Arkia	Israel		1
Aurigny Air Services	Channel Islands (United Kingdom)		2
Belle Air	Albania		1
Berjaya Air	Malaysia		2
Buquebus	Uruguay		1
Capitaneria di Porto	Italy	1
Cebu Pacific	Philippines		2
Firefly	Malaysia		2
Finncomm Airlines	Finland		2
Golden Air	Sweden		1
Lao Airlines	Laos		2
Libyan Airlines	Libya	2
Lion Air / Wings Air	Indonesia		3
MASwings	Malaysia		6
NAYSA	Canary Islands (Spain)		2
Precision Air Services	Tanzania		2
Royal Thai Air Force	Thailand		4
Tarom	Romania		2
TRIP	Brazil		2
Vietnam Airlines	Vietnam		5
TOTAL DELIVERIES		6	48

FIGURE 3 – ATR – Turnover

ATR	31/12/05	31/12/06	31/12/07	31/12/08	31/12/09
Turnover(US $ billion)	0.54	0.70	1.10	1.30	1.40

Boeing 2009 deliveries

2010-01-23T03:57:00.000-08:00

Current Year Deliveries Through December 2009	737	747	767	777	Total
Total 2009 Deliveries	372	8	13	88	481
Air Berlin	7				7
Air Canada				1	1
Air China	9				9
Air Europa	3				3
Air France				7	7
Air India	5			7	12
AirTran Airways	2				2
Alaska Airlines	10				10
All Nippon Airways	7		1	1	9
American Airlines	31				31
Arik Air	1				1
Aviation Capital Group	3				3
BOC Aviation	9				9
British Airways				4	4
Business Jet / VIP Customer(s)	5		1	1	7
Cathay Pacific Airways		4		5	9
China Eastern Airlines	11				11
China Southern Airlines	8			2	10
Continental Airlines	13				13
COPA Airlines	1				1
Delta Air Lines	16			6	22
Deucalion Capital VII Limited				4	4
DHL International			3		3
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise				2	2
Egyptair	7				7
Emirates				10	10
Etihad Airways				1	1
EVA Air				3	3
FedEx				3	3
flydubai	6				6
Garuda Indonesia	5				5
GECAS	25			7	32
GOL Airlines	14				14
Guggenheim Aviation Partners				1	1
Hainan Airlines	11				11
ILFC	12			4	16
Integrated Defense Systems	2				2
JAL International	9		4	3	16
Jet Lite	1				1
KLM – Royal Dutch Airlines	2			2	4
Korean Air				2	2
LAN Airlines			2		2
Lion Air	13				13
LoadAir Cargo		2			2
Nippon Cargo Airlines		1			1
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA	2				2
Pegasus Airlines	3				3
Qantas	3				3
Qatar Airways				8	8
Royal Air Maroc	2				2
Ryanair	54				54
SAS	3				3
Shandong Airlines	6				6
Shanghai Airlines	6				6
Shenzhen Airlines	5				5
Singapore Airlines				1	1
Sky Airlines	2				2
Southwest Airlines	13				13
SpiceJet	2				2
Transavia Airlines	1				1
TUI Travel PLC	6				6
Turkmenistan Airlines	3				3
United States Navy	3				3
UPS		1	2		3
V Australia				3	3
Virgin Blue Airlines	3				3
Xiamen Airlines	5				5
Total 2009 Deliveries	372	8	13	88	481
Current Year Deliveries through December 2009	737	747	767	777	Total

United Airlines A319 at Newark on Jan 10th 2010, right main gear did not deploy

2010-01-10T22:43:00.000-08:00

A United Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N816UA performing flight UA634 from Chicago O'Hare,IL to Newark,NJ (USA) with 48 passengers and 5 crew, aborted the approach to Newark's runway 04R when the crew received an unsafe indication for the right hand main gear. The airplane entered a holding for troubleshooting, performed a low approach to runway 11 for a visual inspection of the landing gear and subsequently landed on runway 04L without the right main gear being locked about 35 minutes after aborting the first approach. The airplane came to a stop on the left main and nose gear and the right hand engine, the passengers were evacuated via slides. No injuries occured.
United Airlines said, that the right hand main gear failed to deploy in full.
The FAA reported, that the right hand main gear did not extend.
source: avherald.com

Ryanair fees draw fire from regulators

2010-01-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

The head of the U.K.’s consumer protection office, the Office of Fair Trading, has attacked Ryanair pricing plans and says some of the bank charges the low-fare airline imposes are barely legal. The airline rejected the comments by Office of Fare Trading CEO John Fingleton, arguing that it had no hidden fees and that extra banking charges cold be avoided if customers use a specific debit card recommended by Ryanair.

Fingleton, in an interview with the British newspaper, The Independent, in particular attacked surcharges imposed when customer pay for online transactions using standard debit cards. Fingleton also raised questions about airlines that automatically add travel insurance to an itinerary, forcing passengers to opt out. Ryanair countered its insurance scheme is already operated on an opt-in basis.
source: aviationweek.com

JAL may drop international routes

2010-01-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

Japan Airlines may lose its entire international operation under a plan that would reduce the mighty but profitless airline, Asia’s largest, to a mere domestic carrier. All Nippon Airways would take over all of Japan Airlines’ international services under the plan that the government is considering. Government and Japan Airlines’ sources apparently leaked the details to the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is opposed to the proposal, but the Mainichi cites some Japan Airlines executives as saying it is not a bad idea.
The rules governing state-directed rescues are forcing consideration of such a radical move. A restructuring agency, the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp. of Japan is working on a bailout plan for the struggling airline but can help companies only if they can be turned around within three years. The government is evidently concerned that a profit within three years would be unachievable if Japan Airlines kept its international network.

The loss of foreign services would greatly diminish the stakes in the ongoing tussle over Japan Airlines’ alliance membership. The giant carrier is a prized partner in Oneworld, whose leading member American Airlines has been trying to ward off attempts by Delta to lure Japan Airlines to Skyteam. But if All Nippon gets the international operations, the big winners will be that carrier’s partners in the Star Alliance. While restructuring Japan Airlines is a pressing issue, keeping it afloat by warding off a cash crunch is the immediate problem. To do that, the Development Bank of Japan has agreed to increase its unsecured lending to the company, reports Jiji news agency. The state bank had previously agreed to extend ¥100 billion without security to the airline, which has taken up ¥55 billion. The increase followed a meeting between the bank and two ministers, including Transport Minister Seiji Maehara. The restructuring agency has raised the possibility of bankruptcy and court-directed reorganization of Japan Airlines with creditors. That move has increased pressure on the company’s 8,800 retirees to accept a 30% cut in benefits. It also raises the risk that shareholdings in the business would be wiped out. The stock fell to a record low this week.
source: aviationweek.com

Second Boeing 787 Dreamliner Completes First Flight

2010-01-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

EVERETT, Wash., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The second Boeing (NYSE: BA) 787 Dreamliner, ZA002, completed its first flight today. The all-new airplane, which features the livery of the Dreamliner’s launch customer, ANA (All Nippon Airways) of Japan, took off from Paine Field in Everett, completed a two-hour flight and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle. “We are delighted that the second Dreamliner is in the livery of our launch customer, ANA,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. “We are honored by the airline’s support and look forward to delivering ANA the first production airplane next year.”

Captain Randy Neville was at the controls for the flight, with Chief Pilot Mike Carriker operating as co-pilot. Neville and Carriker took the airplane to an altitude of 13,000 feet (3,962 m) and an airspeed of 200 knots, or about 230 miles (370 km) per hour. The airplane took off at 9:09 a.m. PST and landed at 11:10 a.m. PST.
This is the second of six 787s being used in the airplane’s flight-test program. Each of the airplanes will be used for a specific set of tests, with this airplane focusing on systems performance. Like its predecessor, ZA001, the airplane is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.
“We would like to convey our sincere congratulations to the Boeing team for its achievement of this milestone, and we look forward to the delivery into our fleet next year,” said Shinichiro Ito, president and CEO of ANA.
Source: Boeing

Ryanair in discussions on 1st eastern Europe base

2009-11-04T03:31:00.000-08:00

Ryanair has signalled it's intent to open it's first base in eastern Europe if it can hammer out a deal with Bratislava airport in the Slovak Republic. However the deal which would see three based aircraft operating a total of 20 routes and generating 1.6m passengers per year depends on the carrier negotiating a 70% reduction in fees according to the "Slovak Spectator". Ryanair has apparently requested no airport fees be levied on it's proposed operation with 70% discount as the bottom line it will settle for.

The Slovak Ministry of Transport owns 48% of Bratislva airport and considers Ryanair's demands unfair. A spokeswoman for the airport said that if they agree to Ryanair's maximum demand there will be no increase in revenue "Therefore we will consider the conditions carefully".
Last week during a visit to Austria, Michael O'Leary readily engaged in gamesmanship in his attempts to wrangle a deal out of Vienna. He said that passenger numbers in Vienna will continue to fall until such a time as passenger charges were reduced. He added that Ryanair had alternatives - neighbouring Bratislava airport had approached Ryanair in the wake of the collapse of SkyEurope to set up a base at the Slovak capital. Austrian newspaper "Die Presse" reported that Vienna airport were not interested in meeting Ryanair's demands.
contrails

Bmibaby and Germanwings join forces

2009-10-18T03:48:00.000-07:00

Lufthansa-owned carriers Bmibaby and Germanwings are to advertise each others flights on their websites, as Germanwings gears up to launch flights from Manchester to Cologne later this month.

All of Bmibaby’s routes from Manchester, East Midlands, Birmingham and Cardiff are now available for search on the Germanwings site, while Germanwings routes from Manchester, Stansted and Edinburgh to Cologne (and on to other European cities via this hub) are now available via bmibaby.com.
The process works by handling the initial search on the partner website, before redirecting the customer where appropriate to the operating carrier’s site to complete the booking. The new service comes as Germanwings launches five-times weekly flights between Manchester and Cologne on October 25, its third UK destination.
The partnership makes sense for the German carrier, as Bmibaby is well established at Manchester airport, so the carrier will benefit from the increased exposure of its flights being available through Bmibaby’s search engine.
Lufthansa announced it was buying Sir Michael Bishop’s stake in Bmi in October last year , and the carrier also took control of Germanwings on January 1, 2009.

source: aviationnews.eu

Air India pilots arrested after mid-air brawl

2009-10-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

DUBAI – Two Air India pilots involved in a brawl with cabin crew have been bailed after their arrest and questioning by police, Indian newspapers reported on Tuesday.
Passengers on flight from Sharjah to Delhi on Oct. 3 looked on as crew members threw punches and hurled abuse at each other after a female attendant accused the pilots of sexually harassing her.

Police have registered a case against the pilots for “outraging the modesty of a woman”.
“The two pilots joined the investigations on Tuesday. We interrogated them and arrested them. But the charges against them were bailable and they were let off after they obtained bail from the investigating officer,” Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
source: aviationnews.eu

Qatar Airways makes first flight with gas

2009-10-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

Qatar Airways said it has completed the world's first commercial passenger flight powered by fuel made from natural gas, highlighting the aviation industry's continued efforts to reduce its dependency on oil-based fuel.

The flight from London Gatwick to Doha, Qatar, Monday was operated with an Airbus A340-600 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Group engines, using a mixture of synthetic gas-to-liquids, or GTL, kerosene and conventional oil-based kerosene fuel developed by Royal Dutch Shell, the airline said in an emailed statement.

"This milestone flight is the first step in making this alternative fuel available to airlines," Qatar Airways' Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said in the statement.

The aviation industry is under growing pressure from environmental groups to reduce harmful emissions. Airline executives last month pledged to cut emissions to 50% below 2005 levels by 2050.
A number of airlines, including Virgin Atlantic, Continental Airlines (CAL) and Air New Zealand, have been testing biofuels on commercial flights as an alternative to existing pollutants.
Last December, Air New Zealand successfully flew a test flight powered by second-generation biofuel.
It was the world's first test flight using jatropha biofuel and followed a Virgin Atlantic test flight earlier in the year using a blend including coconut oil and babassu nut oil.
In February 2008, Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (EADSY), flew an A380 powered by GTL fuel.
However, Qatar Airways claims to be the first airline to use GTL kerosene on a commercial passenger flight.
"We are now well on the way to launching GTL on a world scale for the first time," said Malcolm Brinded, Shell's executive director upstream international.
Qatar Airways didn't provide any details on by how much the GTL fuel would reduce emissions compared with conventional kerosene.
The Persian Gulf state of Qatar, holder of the world's third-largest gas reserves after Russia and Iran, will become the world's leading producer of GTL kerosene when it is put into commercial production from 2012.
It is already the world's top exporter of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, and by the end of the decade will have a total capacity of more than 77 million tons a year.
Shell and Qatar Petroleum are building the world's largest GTL plant in the Gulf state. The first phase of the Pearl GTL facility being built at Ras Laffan Industrial City is scheduled for completion by the end of next year.
The plant will produce around 1 million tons per annum of GTL kerosene from 2012, enough to fuel a commercial aircraft for 500 million kilometers, the Qatar Airways' statement said.
"Commercial aviation is one of the exciting new markets that this opens up, helping us maximise the value from our natural resources," Abdulla bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Qatar's deputy prime minister and minister of energy and industry said in the statement.
GTL jet fuel, a 50:50 blend of synthetic GTL kerosene and conventional oil-based kerosene fuel, was approved as safe for use in civil aviation by ASTM International last month.

source: business.maktoob.com