Qantas called on Canberra to help develop a sustainable biofuel industry in the country's vast outback. The concept is included in the airline's submission to the Australian government's call for submissions to its National Aviation Policy. The government's green paper does not mention development of a local biofuel industry, which Qantas sees as "critical to the future reduction in airline emissions." It notes that "building an economically sustainable biofuel supply chain is not possible for an individual airline given the huge capital cost requirement and supply chain challenges.
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IS COMMITTED to a $12 billion-plus program "to make a 1960s airport fit and accommodate the 21st century aircraft and the 21st century passenger. We're in a serious catch-up mode of construction," says Los Angeles World Airports Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's goal is to make Los Angeles the Western US's No. 1 international gateway.
Airbus Americas welcomed former NTSB Member Steven Chealander as VP-technical training. A J Walter Aviation appointed Andrew Braley director-corporate communications. Austrian Airlines Group promoted Paul Paflik to VP-ground operations. Boeing tapped David H. Morrison as VP-government operations, Sean I. McCormack as VP-communications and Brig. Gen. (ret.) Leo A. Brooks Jr. as VP-national security & space, all in the Washington, DC, government operations office. Continental Connection named Missy Kelson VP-finance.
HEAVY ENGINE OVERHAULS CAN COST from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars depending upon engine and workscope. The major cost elements are time off-wingsince spare engines must be bought or leasedparts, labor and overhead, including interest on inventory. Part costs can be controlled by smart acquisition or workscoping. The other elements are reduced chiefly by getting engines overhauled faster with more efficient processes and fewer errors. Through Lean and other techniques, engine shops are pursuing these goals aggressively.
The Aviation Global Deal Group, comprising British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Air France KLM, Virgin Atlantic Airways, BAA and international nongovernmental organization The Climate Group, presented a draft policy framework for addressing carbon dioxide emissions from international aviation in Bonn earlier this month. According to Cathay Pacific GM-Environmental Affairs Dominic Purvis, the framework is an "ambitious, equitable and effective" way of tackling emissions under a global climate change deal to be agreed in Copenhagen in December.
Branson Airport, which claims to be the first privately developed commercial airport in the US, is scheduled to open for business May 11. Branson, Mo., has become a showcase for country music and live theater performances, attracting 8 million visitors to the city each year. An estimated 5.4 million of them travel more than 300 mi. To date, Sun Country Airlines and AirTran Airways have announced service to the city, nestled in the Missouri Ozarks.
THE DELIVERY OF V AUSTRALIA'S FIRST 777-300ER afforded ATW Senior Editor Geoffrey Thomas the opportunity to spend a few days with Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group, and Brett Godfrey, CEO of Virgin Blue and V Australia. You are launching V Australia in very difficult times. How confident are you that it will succeed?
Air Transport Assn. President and CEO James May will deliver the first day's luncheon address at the ATW Leeham Eco-Aviation Conference in Washington next month, while Virgin Atlantic Airways Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility Manager Sian Foster will talk about the Aviation Global Deal Group and its goals at the second day's luncheon.
CALL IT A BLACK SWAN EVENT. THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME in history, Southwest Airlines will shrink. That's right: The carrier that wrote the book on consistent growth is cutting back, reducing seat miles 4% compared to 2008, after growing in every year since it commenced service in June 1971.
The potential and timeline of biofuel came under intense scrutiny in late March with Boeing's self-confessed "born again" biofuel expert, MD-Environmental Strategy Billy Glover, talking up the prospects and stating he was "very confident" about plant-derived biofuels after recent flights. "We think it is quite reasonable that there will be commercial availability of some type in the next 3-5 years," he said from Geneva, where he attended the Aviation and Environment Summit.
Farelogix unveiled FLX Commando, a patent-pending agency reservations tool that simulates cryptic GDS command-line functions, and E-FLX, described as the travel industry's first "hub" for issuing, storing, managing and reporting Electronic Miscellaneous Documents.
How low and how long? Those were the primary questions at last month's SpeedNews 23rd Annual Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Con- ference where some of the industry's leading forecasters took turns speculating on the length and depth of the downturn and its likely effect on the aerospace supplier community (disclaimer: SpeedNews and ATW are both units of Penton Media, Inc.).
Bill Me Later likes to keep it simple, for both consumers and merchants. The company can approve U.S. residents for deferred payment in a matter of seconds, with just the address, the last four digits of a customer's Social Security number and a birthdate.
TRANSAERO AIRLINES CAN BOAST OF A LOT OF FIRSTS IN THE Russian airline industry. It was the first carrier to be awarded an AOC following the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was the first 100% privately owned passenger airline in Russia and the first to operate Boeing aircraft. It was the first Russian carrier to introduce business class on domestic routes, to ban smoking on all routes, to develop and introduce a loyalty program for frequent fliers and to open its own business class lounge at its hub at Moscow Domodedovo.
Qantas's international operation suffered its worst-ever traffic decline in February, with passenger numbers plummeting 16.8% year-over-year to 554,000. Domestic passengers slumped 10.1% to 1.2 million, while low-cost subsidiary Jetstar Airways' domestic passenger count was off 3.3% to 556,000. The only bright spot was Jetstar International, where passengers jumped 25% to 162,000. Overall the airline group reported an 8.4% decline to 2.7 million passengers, with RPKs dropping 10.1% to 7.31 billion and ASKs falling 7.6% to 9.32 billion. Load factor sank 2.2 points to 78.4%.
SAS Group announced official completion of its sale of 80.1% of Spanair to Initiatives Empresarials Aeronautiques, a Catalonian consortium comprising Consorci de Turisme de Barcelona, Catalana d'Inciatives, Volcat 2009 and Fira de Barcelona, for €1 ($1.32). SAS will continue to hold the remaining 19.9% and to partner with the carrier ( ATWOnline, Feb. 2).
Contact Air, a Lufthansa Regional partner, was hit by wildcat pilot strikes yesterday in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Hanover, Hof, Nurnberg and Stuttgart. The Cockpit union said more strikes would follow today. It is seeking a new contract for the 130 Contact Air pilots.
American Airlines announced it will install Aircell's Gogo inflight Internet service in more than 300 domestic aircraft over the next two years. It has been trialing the product on 15 767-200s operating transcontinental routes since August ( ATWOnline, Aug. 21, 2008). Installation on 150 MD-80s will begin next year, followed by 737-800s. The service will cost $7.95-$12.95 depending on the length of flight and whether the passenger is using a laptop computer or a PDA.
Delta Air Lines said new signage will be appearing this week at former Northwest Airlines hubs in Detroit, Memphis and Minneapolis-St. Paul as part of its $500 million integration effort. It expects to have all domestic airports re-branded by year end, with international facilities finished next year. Former NWA employees began wearing DL uniforms this week as well. The carrier said 33 NWA aircraft already have been repainted, with some 250 left to complete before the end of 2010.
Lufthansa Technik yesterday officially opened its new Cabin Innovation research center in Hamburg. The €10 million ($13.2 million), 6,300-sq.-m. facility features testing laboratories and an exhibition center to showcase newly developed cabin products. LH's Hamburg base also includes a new engine overhaul center and an expanded Airframe Related Components business unit.
Southwest Airlines has committed to growth in 2010, according to a copy of its tentative contract with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Assn. ( ATWOnline, March 30) obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Jet Airways yesterday launched daily Mumbai-Kuwait City service aboard a 737-800. Emirates announced a May 1 increase in flights from Dubai to Dammam (to seven-times-weekly from five), Beirut (to 17-times-weekly from 14) and Tehran (to 21-times-weekly from 19).
Avianca reported a $23 million profit in 2008, down from $222.4 million in 2007, a drop it attributed partly to early pension payments. Revenue rose 25.3% to $1.9 billion on a 2.4% climb in passenger numbers to 9.8 million.
