An AeroUnion A300B4-200 freighter crashed on approach to Monterrey at around 11 p.m. local time Tuesday, hitting a roadway leading to the airport and striking a car, killing all five crew and a motorist on the ground. Flight 302 operated by the Mexico City-based cargo carrier was en route to Los Angeles via MTY after originating at MEX. According to the Aviation Safety Network, it had been cleared to land but came down about 2 km. short of the runway threshold and "burst into flames."
Amadeus IT Holding launched its IPO on the Spanish stock exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia yesterday following approval and registration of its prospectus by the Spanish Financial Securities Markets Regulator. It set an indicative per-share price range of between €9.20 ($12.50) and €12.20, giving it an enterprise value (equity plus debt) of between €7.3 billion and €8.4 billion.
Korean Air reported 2010 first-quarter net income before taxes of KRW226.9 billion ($202.3 million), its fourth consecutive quarterly profit and a major reversal from a deficit of KRW673.9 billion in the year-ago period, citing "surging growth" in its international passenger business and "rising demand" for premium services for the strong result.
Southwest Airlines Executive VP and COO Michael Van de Ven will deliver the opening address at ATW's Third Annual Eco-Aviation Conference June 23-25 at the Capital Hilton in Washington. Van de Ven will deliver his remarks on the morning of June 24. Later in the day, SWA Senior Director-Flight Operations Jeff Martin will give conference attendees a close-up and in-depth look at developments with the airline's ongoing RNP initiative, the largest such project in the industry.
The Air Transport Assn. and the Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Energy Support Center last month signed a strategic alliance agreement designed to spur the development and deployment of alternative aviation fuels. The airline industry and the US Dept. of Defense collectively require more than 1.5 million barrels of jet fuel per day.
Air France and American Airlines separately conducted the first "next-generation technology and procedures" on transatlantic flights in April as part of the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions. The AF flight was operated by a 747-400ER from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Miami on April 6 while the AA flight was a 767-300ER the next day in the reverse direction.
Air New Zealand CFO and Group GM Rob McDonald says the carrier aims to be recognized as "the world's most environmentally sustainable airline." It has 40 environmental projects underway at the moment.
Some exciting new feedstocks for biofuels are on the horizon while development of existing sources is moving ahead, according to Boeing MD-Environmental Strategy Billy Glover. A new--to-aviation potential feedstock is tallow, or animal fat. Tallow (triglyceride) has been used for years as a raw material for biodiesel and as a metal lubricant. A significant amount of tallow goes to waste and it is "a significant feedstock. We are talking about large quantities," Glover said. Trials on conversion to jet fuel have been completed, although no test flights have been conducted.
Governments around the world need to a take a leading role in shaping and accelerating biofuel development, according to Boeing MD-Environmental Strategy Billy Glover. Speaking with ATW's Eco-Aviation Today in Sydney this week, he said that while he does not favor mandates, government incentives and loan guarantees for feedstock production and development are "essential" if the airline industry is to achieve the goal of 25% of fuel from biofuels by 2030.
Bmibaby appointed Julian Carr MD succeeding Crawford Rix. Carr joined the airline in May 2008 as commercial director, responsible for revenue management, network planning, marketing, PR, customer relations and e-commerce.
Air France KLM Group could gain between €230 million ($313 million) and €280 million in cash from the planned IPO of Amadeus, Les Echos reported. AF KLM declined to comment. Amadeus IT Holding last month announced it would float at least 25% of its share capital on the Spanish stock exchange in the first half of this year
American Airlines 767-300 carrying 145 passengers and crew made an emergency landing yesterday morning at Reykjavik Keflavik after five flight attendants "became aware of some fumes in the cabin," a spokesperson for AA told
Dutch court fined Milan resident Thomas Salme €2,000 ($2,700) for piloting commercial passenger jets in European countries "for more than a decade" without a license, the Associated Press reported. Salme was apprehended in the cockpit of a Corendon Airlines 737 shortly before it was to depart from Amsterdam Schiphol for Ankara carrying 101 passengers.
Pegasus Airlines will operate a seasonal weekly service between Antalya and Birmingham May 2-Oct. 17. Royal Air Maroc will commence twice-weekly Agadir-Nantes flights Oct. 30 aboard a 737-800 in two-class configuration. Jazeera Airways will launch thrice-weekly Kuwait-Lahore service May 12.
Baltia Air Lines signed a lease agreement for office space at St. Petersburg Pulkovo. "The signing of the lease agreement in addition to our recently signed fuel and cargo agreements in St. Petersburg were made in preparation for the start of scheduled service," the New York-based startup said. It commenced the FAA Air Carrier Certification process last February ( ATWOnline, Feb. 10, 2009).
MTU Aero Engines completed the first high-speed low-pressure turbine for the PW1524G slated to power CSeries aircraft. Pratt & Whitney VP-Next Generation Product Family Bob Saia said the component's completion "ensures the test program for the PW1524G engine continues on schedule." The turbine will be dispatched to Pratt, which plans to put the first PW1524G test engine through its paces later this year on a test stand at its West Palm Beach facility.
Abu Dhabi Airports Co. appointed James Bennett CEO. Bennett will retire as president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority on May 8 after holding the position for 14 years.
Boeing announced yesterday that TUI Travel will be the launch customer for the manufacturer's 787 GoldCare lifecycle support program. It said it reached agreement with the leisure operator to support its fleet of 13 787s. TUI, which last year lowered its firm order for Dreamliners from 23, is expected to take delivery of its first 787 in early 2012. The 13 787s will be operated by Thomson Airways, Tuifly Nordic, Jetairfly and Arkefly. The GoldCare contract is for a period of 12 years from the delivery date of each aircraft.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it began court proceedings against Malaysia Airlines and its wholly owned cargo subsidiary, alleging they engaged in "price fixing of airfreight." MAS is the 13th carrier to be targeted by ACCC
Merpati Nusantara Airlines 737-300 crashed yesterday while attempting to land at Rendani in Manokwari in the remote Indonesian province of West Papua. The accident occurred at approximately 9:36 a.m. local time, according to the Aviation Safety Network. The runway was described as being wet owing to drizzle. There were no fatalities but the number of injured was put at between 20 and 78 by various press reports. The flight, carrying 109 passengers and crew, originated in Sorong, also in West Papua.
Virgin Blue Group canceled two 777-300ERs on firm order for its V Australia subsidiary scheduled for delivery next year, converting the order to two options for 2012 delivery. The company said the move is designed to allow new CEO John Borghetti an opportunity to review fleet strategy. One option under consideration is to take a few "early 787s that have become available," sources tell ATWOnline. Last month, Virgin Blue ordered up to 100 737s for its domestic, New Zealand and regional international flights.
Indian Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel yesterday told reporters on the sidelines of a New Delhi business conference that "the worst is over" for struggling Air India, which has seen average monthly losses of INR4 billion ($90 million) begin to come down by INR1 billion a month.
China Southern Airlines reported a 2009 net profit of CNY358 million ($52.5 million), reversed from a net loss of CNY4.83 billion in 2008. The Guangzhou-based carrier said its improved performance was driven by a "domestic market rebound stimulated by economic recovery in the second half of 2009." Industry analysts pointed out that a CNY3 billion "subsidy" from Beijing last year also helped CZ return to the black.
Republic Airways Holdings yesterday unveiled its decision to unite Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines and Denver-based Frontier Airlines under the Frontier brand, a process it said should be completed by October 2011. Republic CEO Bryan Bedford said the decision was "an emotional one for everyone involved" that followed months of "exhaustive research." Both brands had strong loyalty but Frontier had a stronger identity and brand preference, he explained.
News from Travel Technology Update: Travelport signed a new multi-year, multimillion-dollar software agreement with IBM for significant upgrades to the existing systems architecture and software infrastructure of its technology platform. The new investment in IBM software will more than double the information it processes, Travelport said. The deal will upgrade Travelport's core system operating software to the IBM z/Transaction Processing Facility (z/TPF).
