Air Transport World

Japan Airlines (JAL) will this summer offer JAL SKY Wi-Fi onboard international flights, beginning with a Boeing 777-300ER on flights between Tokyo Narita and New York JFK. The carrier will progressively equip its entire international fleet with the broadband Ku connectivity solution eXConnect from Panasonic Avionics.

Maintenance provider Monarch Aircraft Engineering Limited (MAEL) is expanding both its line maintenance stations and scope of approvals.

Aeroméxico (AM) will acquire $171 million in financing from Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) to support the acquisition of Boeing 737s, as well as services and products by US-based providers.

Boeing will collaborate with LOT Polish Airlines, Polish government agencies, and academic institutions to research air traffic management (ATM) solutions that could help make commercial aviation in Poland more efficient and support airline profitability.

The Chinese government has cut domestic jet fuel prices by 9% to CNY 6,724 ($1,064) per ton as international fuel prices keep falling.

Uruguay's government-owned Pluna Lineas Aereas Uruguayas (PU) will temporarily halt all operations, beginning at 9:20 p.m. local time (Montevideo) July 3 after its OFP workers’ union declared its intention to strike.

Slovenia-based Adria Airways (JP) plans to announce a fleet restructuring program by fall and has denied media reports of a possible merger.

Qatar Airways (QR) is interested in launching a start-up carrier registered in Saudi Arabia, although such a move would depend on a “fundamental rethink” of the Kingdom’s aviation policy.

Boeing is forecasting worldwide demand for 34,000 new aircraft over the next 20 years, doubling the world fleet, in its latest market forecast.

Qantas Group’s (QF) new low-cost subsidiary (LCC) Jetstar Japan (GK) has launched operations, joining four other Jetstar-branded airlines in Singapore, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand.

Silver Airways took delivery of its seventh Saab 340Bplus aircraft, part of a fleet upgrade under which it intends to integrate 12 of the aircraft type by September 2012. The aircraft will begin operating schedule passenger service in July on routes throughout Florida and the Bahamas.

Russian Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsia has reinstated permission for VIM Avia (NN) to operate European flights after a ban late last year.

SunExpress (XQ), a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa (LH), will curtail its fleet expansion plan this year due to overcapacity in the Turkey aviation market.

Iberia (IB) is adding frequency to the Canary Islands for the summer season, increasing capacity to Gran Canaria by 32% and Tenerife by 19%.

ACE Aviation, former parent company to Air Canada (AC), has appointed Ernst & Young as liquidator and announced the resignation of all its directors and officers.

Founder and former CEO of Swiss regional airline Baboo Julian Cook is planning to launch a new airline called FlyA in summer 2013.

Figures just released by the European Regions Airline Assn. (ERA) show the economic downturn began to bite its member carriers in March.

The $600 million, 116-acre A320 family assembly and delivery center that Airbus will build in the US will be almost identical to similar facilities in France and Germany.

The Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) and the Airports Council International (ACI) have signed a memorandum of cooperation to promote the global implementation of Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM).

Passenger traffic at Cambodia’s international airports grew 18.9% year-over-year in May. Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanouk airports had combined passenger numbers of 283,000. “This brings the year-to-date passenger arrivals and departures to 1.89 million, a sterling 21.8% jump,” Cambodia Airports said in a statement. Passengers at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap international airports rose 15.5% and 22.8% to 156,000 and 127,000, respectively.

IAG CEO Willie Walsh has dismissed mixed-mode operations at London Heathrow (LHR) as a solution to London’s capacity crunch.

Local residents have voted against development of a third runway at Munich Airport (MUC), Germany's second-biggest airport. Just over 54% of polled voters were against the new runway and 45.7% in favor, according to preliminary results. “The fact that a relative majority of Munich residents voted against the construction of a third takeoff and landing strip shows how difficult it has become to make clear the significance of important infrastructure projects in our country,” MUC chief Michael Kerkloh said in a statement.

The European Commission (EC) is recommending the adoption of ICAO’s so-called "balanced approach" to replace existing regulations on noise management at EU airports. At June’s Council of EU Transport Ministers meeting, the EC recommended that the ICAO standards and EU best practice in noise management become European law in order to even out disparities between states and ensure that certain processes are adhered to where measures are taken to mitigate air traffic noise.

Thai AirAsia (FD) will return to Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport (DMK) by Oct. 1, an Airports of Thailand (AOT) official told ATW. The move was initiated by Thai authorities to ease overcrowding at FD’s base, Suvarnabhumi International (BKK) ( ATW Daily News, June 7).

Boston Logan (BOS) is slated to begin taking delivery of advanced-imaging technology (AIT) body-scanning machines upgraded with auto threat recognition (ATR) software in the next two months, enabling the display of “Gumby-like” images of passengers rather than today’s more detailed passenger-specific images. The process may then be “nearly as fast” as walk-through metal detectors, US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) federal security director-Mass. George Naccara told ATW.