Since its launch, Southwest has always approached business differently from other airlines and its focus on efficiency made it an eco-pioneer long before environmentally-sound business practices were understood or recognized. Southwest’s newest product, Evolve, is an all-new eco-friendly, cost-efficient cabin interior that emphasizes comfort and personal space. Southwest launched the Green Plane to test the latest sustainable products onboard an aircraft and Evolve interior incorporates many elements of the Green Plane test .
An operating company of FedEx Corporation,FedEx’s approach to minimizing its impact on the environment is both comprehensive and innovative. The company’s EarthSmart program aims to find or create new ways not only to improve its own environmental performance, but also to point the way for other companies, in the aviation and logistics industries and beyond. Through myriad efforts from optimized flight planning routes to the introduction of new fuel efficient and lower emission aircraft to the building of solar-powered ground facilities and even the creation of a building with a vegetated roof, FedEx is committed to reducing its carbon footprint across every part of its operations. Its 20 by 20 program has the goal of reducing aircraft emission by 20% by 2020. To date, FedEx has achieved a 13.8% reduction.
Lufthansa’s breadth and depth of environmental efforts across the entire company made it stand out as this year’s Eco-Airline Gold winner. The airline’s dedication to fuel-efficiency, which is achieved through an ongoing investment in fleet modernization, including adding the Airbus A380 and new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental to the fleet, and the development of a more effective flight-route planning solution; humanitarian relief that provides aid to communities struck by natural disasters and supports protection of endangered species; and vital umbrella support from senior-level management via Lufthansa’s cross-departmental Sustainability Board, caught the editors’ attention. Also noteworthy was Lufthansa’s long-term research program conducted through the latter half of 2011 in which it assigned an Airbus A321 to fly routine, eight-times daily scheduled flights between Hamburg and Frankfurt using biofuel in one of its two engines. The burnFAIR project demonstrated that fuel burn was slightly less than with conventional jet fuel, but even more importantly established the principle of biofuel’s technological suitability for routine airline operations.
FL Technics has purchased one Boeing 737NG to tear down for parts and components. MTU Maintenance Hannover has completed the overhaul of its 6,000th engine, a CFM56-7B from a South American carrier.
The Republic of Moldova has signed an air services agreement to make it a full aviation partner of the European Union, gradually integrating the republic into the European common market.
Canada’s WestJet (WS) has signed a conditional order for 20 Bombardier Q400 turboprops following last month’s letter of intent to purchase the aircraft for its new regional affiliate.
The European Commission has given the Maltese government the go-ahead to provide €130 million ($162.3 million) in state aid for restructuring national carrier Air Malta (KM).
A section of the Air India (AI) pilots, who have been on strike for the past 52 days, said the medical condition of one of them who has been on a hunger strike for the past four days is rapidly deteriorating.
The board of directors of the Allied Pilots Assn. (APA) union representing American Airlines’ (AA) pilots voted 9-7 on Wednesday to accept management’s latest labor contract proposal as a tentative agreement, pushing the potential pact to the carrier’s 10,000 flight deck crew for a ratification vote.
Russian Transaero Airlines launched 2X-weekly Moscow Vnukovo-Magadan service June 25. Aeromexico will launch daily Mexico City-Atlanta Embraer E-190 service July 1. ANA Group signed a codeshare agreement with Shandong Airlines (SC) under which ANA will place its code on SC service between Osaka Kansai and Jinan. SC will place its code on ANA service between Tokyo Narita and Qingdao, and from Kansai to Qingdao, Tokyo Haneda and Fukuoka.
Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced financing for the purchase nine new Boeing 787-800s, one 777-300ER and 10 Embraer E-190 aircraft, from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
More formally, that would be D-ABYA, Lufthansa's initial 747-8 Intercontinental, the newest model of Boeing's long-serving 747 line; the German flag carrier was the launch customer for the passenger version. And in a nice acknowledgement of history, Lufthansa has chosen to re-use the same registration for this aircraft that was assigned to the carrier's first 747, a -100 model, delivered in 1970.
As American Airlines’ (AA) pilots consider whether to accept the carrier’s latest labor contract proposal, unions representing AA’s flight attendants and mechanics are also showing a new willingness to negotiate concessionary pacts with airline management.
Infor acquires Easy RMS Ltd. GetTaxi raises $20 million in new funding TravelSky signs hotels agreements with Sabre, Abacus MacroSolve sues JetBlue for patent infringement TravelClick, Groupize team up to streamline group bookings Coverage of the 2012 SITA Air Transportt IT Summit World news briefing
American Airlines asked its bankruptcy court to approve a deal between the carrier and HP Enterprise Services to dissolve their contract to build a next-generation passenger services system. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for June 28, but since both parties have agreed to the terms, the deal is not likely to meet with opposition.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) president and CEO Jim Albaugh has announced he will retire after 37 years with the company, including the last two-and-a-half years as chief of Boeing’s commercial unit, on Oct. 1.
Southwest Airlines (SWA) promoted assistant treasurer Chris Monroe to treasurer. Monroe began his career at SWA in September 1991, and will replace former SWA treasurer Scott Topping, who left the company last year. Heads up Technologies named Marco Laos as quality assurance manager. Laos joins Heads Up from St. Jude Medical where he served as director of quality engineering.
