Air Transport World

Central and Eastern Europe-based Wizz Air will introduce one new 180-seat Airbus A320 at Bucharest Otopeni Airport, bringing its Romania-based fleet to 17 Airbus A320s.

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) and Eurocontrol have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly contribute to the implementation of European Union GNSS aviation policies.

The air navigation service providers (ANSPs) of two of Europe’s fledgling functional airspace blocks (FABs) have signed a cooperation agreement to optimize air traffic management in the region.

Global air freight volumes increased 6.7% in July year-over-year, according to Airports Council International (ACI).

Aircraft News-Sept. 18

For 87 commercial airlines worldwide, year-to-date passenger traffic, RPKs, load factors, and FTKs

Changes in scheduled passenger airline full-time equivalent employment by airline group, displayed as percent changes from the previous year; differential changes for each of the last 13 months are shown.

Republic Airways Holdings has placed a $2.1 billion order for 50 more Embraer E-175s, including 20 previously destined for Flybe, and has agreed to sublease 24 Bombardier Q400s to the UK regional.

Lufthansa Group has ordered 15 Airbus A320neos, with 10 options for its subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS).

Lufthansa Group has ordered 10 A320ceos for its Eurowings subsidiary, which is being repositioned as a low-cost carrier.

Ethiopian Airlines is expected to announce a Boeing 737 MAX order on Sept. 20, maintaining its all-Boeing narrowbody fleet.

House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) has called FAA reauthorization “one of my highest priorities” and pledged to push for “transformational” aviation legislation next year.

Oneworld member Qatar Airways has taken delivery of the first of 10 A380s—plus three options—it has on order. The Doha-based carrier will become the 12th operator of the type.

United Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) have agreed to an unprecedented $100,000 buyout for as many as 2,000 eligible flight attendants, who agree to leave the company between November of this year and November 2015.

Irish lessor Avolon has finalized an order for six Boeing 787-9s and five 737 MAX 9s, valued at more than $2.1 billion at list prices.

Lufthansa has made significant progress in achieving labor deals for lower cost operations on long-haul routes after reaching an agreement with UFO, the union representing flight attendants, on how a fleet of Airbus A340s can be used on low-yield routes.

Airline News

Airport passenger traffic, year-to-date, organized by world region. Year-over-year percentage changes provided by Airports Council International.

Airport freight traffic, year-to-date, organized by world regions. Year-over-year percentage changes provided by Airports Council International.

Briefs from the Sept. 17, 2014 issue of ATW’s MRO Digest

OEMServices has opened a new service center in Dubai dedicated to the aerospace market.

Embraer has opened its new Engineering & Technology Center in Melbourne, Florida.

Airbus has established a new subsidiary in Thailand for the production of flight operations data for use by airlines worldwide.

AJW Aviation has signed a global distribution agreement with Chicago Miniature Lighting (CML).

American Airlines (AA) chairman and CEO Doug Parker has chastised the US political system for treating the airline industry like a vice rather than a business that fuels the economy and warned that the fast growth of major Gulf carriers is an increasing threat to US carrier global competitiveness.