Career Pilot

Industry News

Industry news is more important to career development and the job search than many aspiring career pilots realize. What new regulations that could affect your career lurk just over the horizon? A proposal is pending, for example, that could eliminate the longstanding FAA regulation that required airline pilots to leave the cockpit when they turn 60.

Which airline is thinking about buying another carrier? That could affect you directly if you work for the acquired carrier. Who is ordering new airplanes? If new aircraft are an addition to the carrier's existing fleet, it will have to hire more pilots to fly them. How is the industry—and individual airlines—doing financially? While a company's financial situation can change over time, you should know how an airline stands when you apply.

Airlines resume Houston flights after Ike

Airlines resumed regular Houston flights just two days after Hurricane Ike ravaged the city. The Category II hurricane blew through over the weekend causing widespread damage and power outages, but Houston’s Hobby and Bush Intercontinental airports planned to operate the majority of scheduled flights starting 48 hours after the hurricane. “I know my co-workers have gone through many sacrifices and hardships to try to return their personal lives to normalcy after Hurricane Ike, and they’ve helped each other and our customers in that effort,” said Larry Kellner, chairman and chief executive at Houston-based Continental Airlines. “I want to thank them for all they’ve done.”

[POSTED SEPTEMBER 16, 2008]

Alaska Airlines cuts routes, workers

Alaska Airlines is slashing its capacity 8 percent and its workforce 9 percent in the face of high oil prices and falling travel demand. “The one-two punch of record oil prices and a softening economy, on top of increased competition, has burdened Alaska Air Group with a $50 million loss on an adjusted basis for the first half of this year,” said Bill Ayer, chairman and chief executive. “That demands decisive action to ensure the viability of our company.” Alaska Airlines operates a fleet of 111 Boeing 737s.

[POSTED SEPTEMBER 16, 2008]

Boeing’s IAM strike could last a long time

Boeing and its striking machinists are digging in for what could become a long and costly labor battle. The strike by 27,000 IAM workers at Boeing began Sept. 6, and workers say they are determined to win anti-outsourcing guarantees by walking out at a time when Boeing has a backlog of nearly 3,700 aircraft and faces mounting pressure to deliver fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliners. “The unions believe they have been giving back [to the company] for years,” said Sheryl Willert, managing director of a Seattle law firm that represents many union members. “They are thinking now is the time to make it up.” Boeing appears equally determined to preserve its flexibility to pursue global projects like the 787, parts of which are manufactured all over the world.

[POSTED SEPTEMBER 16, 2008]

Gulfstream to announce G250

Gulfstream reportedly plans to announce the launch of a new aircraft capable of carrying eight passengers 3,600 nm at Mach 0.80. The new G250, expected to use a smaller version of the G550 wing, is set to debut at the NBAA annual convention in Orlando beginning Oct. 6. Like the larger G550 wing, the G250's will use heated engine bleed air for ice protection, and will not have any high-lift devices on the leading edges. The G250 is slated to use Honeywell engines and Rockwell-Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics with large cockpit displays that offer synthetic vision.

[POSTED SEPTEMBER 2, 2008]

Mexican airline offers tickets to ride-the bus

VivaAerobus, a Mexican low-cost carrier with flights between Austin, San Antonio, and several resort cities south of the border, is offering bus service that picks up passengers downtown in U.S. cities and takes them to local airports for $20 per person. There, they can catch VivaAerobus flights to Mexico. Taxis and airport limos in some U.S. cities can cost as much as airfare on discounted VivaAerobus flights, company officials say, and the program was designed to appeal to budget-conscious leisure travelers. "It's a great value in convenience and time gained for passengers who fly, for instance, to and from Monterrey and Cancun," said Juan Carlos Zuazua, a VivaAerobus spokesman.

[POSTED SEPTEMBER 2, 2008]

Faulty oxygen bottle exploded on Qantas 747

Australian investigators blame a faulty oxygen bottle for an explosion that ruptured the skin of a Qantas Boeing 747 on July 25 that led to a forced landing in Manila. No one was hurt in the explosion, which ripped a gaping hole in the jet and depressurized the cabin at 29,000 feet. Pilots made a mayday call, descended rapidly to 10,000 feet, and jettisoned fuel before landing in the Philippines. "We don't really know why the bottle failed," said Julian Walsh, an investigator with the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau. "That's a key question for the investigation." Determining the cause of the bottle's failure is complicated by the fact that it is at the bottom of the Pacific-it became dislodged near the time of the explosion and fell from the airplane.

[POSTED SEPTEMBER 2, 2008]

American Airlines shows MD-80s the door

American is speeding up the retirement of its aging, gas-guzzling jets and replacing them with newer, more fuel-efficient Boeing 737-800s. The Dallas-based airline plans to move up deliveries for about 47 of the 737s it’s committed to buy. “We believe that beginning to replace some of our MD-80s in a measured way makes economic sense and represents prudent and strategic reinvestment in our business,” said Gerald Arpey, AMR chairman and chief executive. The new 737s will “lower operational costs, boost the fuel efficiency of our fleet, and also bolster our efforts to lower emissions and noise levels.” American says the 737s will consume 25 percent less fuel per available seat mile than an MD-80.

[POSTED AUGUST 19, 2008]

FAA affirms $10.2 million fine for Southwest; dings American for $7.1 million

The FAA is sticking with a proposed $10.2 million fine for Southwest Airlines as a penalty for failing to perform required maintenance inspections. The FAA said the fine is appropriate for failing to complete structural inspections of some Boeing 737 fuselages in 2007, and the agency called Southwest’s actions “serious…and deliberate violations.” Southwest has until August 29 to decide whether to contest the penalty through a formal process. FAA officials also announced they plan to fine American Airlines $7.1 million for improperly deferring maintenance. The bulk of the penalty stems from a pair of MD-83s that were improperly returned to service and flew 58 times before maintenance and paperwork problems were corrected.

[POSTED AUGUST 19, 2008]

Avemco offers insurance coverage to part-time CFIs

Part-time CFIs who want to give dual instruction in their own aircraft will get full coverage at a reduced rate under a new Avemco insurance plan. Previously, instructors who wanted to teach in their own planes had to buy the same policies offered to flight schools flying large numbers of students on a full-time basis. “At Avemco, we’re concerned about the low rate of student starts, the shortage of CFIs, and the overall low level of flying activity across the marketplace,” said Jim Lauerman, Avemco president. “Our hope is to facilitate an increase in the number of qualified, experienced flight instructors available to the general aviation community offering more options for people to seek flight instruction.” Avemco said rates for the new insurance policies are about 30 percent lower than traditional rates.

[POSTED AUGUST 19, 2008]

European carriers shop for new jets

European passenger carriers plan to take advantage of the weak dollar and new technology that improves fuel efficiency by buying large numbers of new aircraft. Since Airbus prices are linked to the dollar, however, there’s no guarantee exchange rates will favor U.S. giant Boeing. Spanish carrier Iberia is considering dumping four-engine Airbus A340s in favor of two-engine A330s, and Ryanair is weighing a massive order of up to 200 new aircraft with options for 200 more. Ryanair, the largest discount carrier in Europe, currently operates Boeing 737s, but says it’s considering Airbus planes as well. “If you buy a lot of aircraft now, you make amazing savings,” said Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair. “They are 50 percent cheaper than a few years ago.”

[POSTED AUGUST 11, 2008]

Airlines threaten lawsuits for slot auctions

The U.S. Transportation Department said it will go forward with a controversial Sept. 3 slot auction for landing rights at Newark International Airport despite strenuous airline objections. The single arrival and departure slot at the chronically delayed airport became available when Eos filed for bankruptcy in April. “This auction will allow us to implement market mechanisms on a small scale, gauge interest, and determine the slot’s market value,” said Transportation Secretary Mary Peters. But airline officials said the auction defies logic, increases congestion, and is meant to serve as a precedent for the FAA to conduct many more and larger slot auctions at Newark and elsewhere in the future. “DOT’s auction proposal is unlawful, unwise, and will do absolutely nothing to reduce congestion and flight delays in New York,” said James May, president of the Air Transport Association. “DOT has left us no options. We will sue to prevent this illegal action.”

[POSTED AUGUST 11, 2008]

Homes to be bulldozed for O’Hare expansion

A Chicago judge has cleared the way for demolition of about 500 homes in the village on Bensenville for the planned expansion of O’Hare International Airport. Lawyers for the village had sought to block demolition until the city showed it had the funds to go forward with the multi-billion-dollar project that includes building a new runway, extending an existing one, and adding a new concourse. Village officials said they plan to appeal the ruling.

[POSTED AUGUST 11, 2008]

United, ALPA try to avoid slowdown

An apparent sickout among United Airlines pilots forced the airline to cancel scores of flights. Pilots angered at the pending furlough of 950 United pilots launched the unauthorized labor action, and a deal between United and the Air Line Pilots Association—which represents the company’s pilots—is meant prevent a wildcat strike. The Railway Labor Act governs airlines and prohibits a strike until a long series of negotiated steps are exhausted. The union that represents American Airlines pilots was hit with a $45 million fine after an illegal job action in 1999 forced the cancellation of more than 6,000 flights.

[POSTED AUGUST 6, 2008]

Gulfstream order backlog grows

A surge in firm orders for Gulfstream Aerospace’s ultra-high-end G650 jet has nearly doubled the value of the company’s order backlog to $18 billion. Customers have placed nonrefundable deposits of about $3 million on 100 of the high-speed, luxury jets. The first G650 is scheduled to fly next year, and the company is scrambling to accelerate production to meet burgeoning demand. “Demand is such that we will crank it up as best we can,” said Nicholas Chabraja, chairman of Gulfstream corporate parent General Dynamics. About half the G650 orders have come from North American customers, and overseas buyers have purchased the rest.

[POSTED AUGUST 6, 2008]

PiperJet gets airborne

Piper launched its entry into the emerging Very Light Jet category with the first flight of its single-engine jet. The beginning of the 50-hour flight test program is a “major milestone” for the company that “marks the beginning of a new era,” said James Bass, Piper president and CEO. The PiperJet is designed to fly 360 KTAS at 35,000 feet with a range of 1,300 nm and a full-fuel payload of 800 pounds. Customer deliveries of the $2.2-million plane are scheduled to begin in 2011. The PiperJet joins an increasingly competitive category of single-engine jets that include the Cirrus SJ-50, Diamond D-Jet, and Eclipse 400.

[POSTED AUGUST 6, 2008]

U.S. bizjet demand slowing

Slow sales at high-profile aviation events such as the Farnborough International Air Show in England are forcing industry analysts to reassess the conventional wisdom that rich U.S. customers and corporations are “recession proof.” U.S. sales have always accounted for more than 50 percent of the total business jet market, but that share has recently fallen to about 30 percent of future sales. The good news for manufacturers is that the falling dollar is making U.S. products a bargain when purchased with foreign currencies—and international demand is surging. Russia, south Asia, and the Middle East are the areas showing the fastest growth in demand. Embraer CEO Federico Curado blamed the credit crunch for slowing U.S. sales: “Already we are seeing a slowdown in business jets in the United States. Credit today is much more selective than a year ago. It’s not as easy as six months ago to finance new aircraft.”

[POSTED JULY 22, 2008]

Fuel reserve policy pits union against US Airways

US Airways pilots accused the airline of forcing pilots to fly with unacceptably low fuel reserves in a full-page ad in USA Today. The airline rejected the charge and said the fledgling union, the US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA), was looking for leverage in contract negotiations. James Ray, a USAPA member, said eight US Airways pilots, all senior captains, were sent for additional training on fuel reserve policy after they repeatedly added fuel before flights. “We think this is an intimidation tactic,” Ray said. US Airways countered that its fuel reserve policy exceeds regulatory requirements. The eight pilots selected for additional training regularly carried significantly more fuel than their peers, and that the training isn’t meant as punishment, airline officials said.

[POSTED JULY 22, 2008]

TSA tests separate lines for airline pilots

The TSA has begun testing separate security lines for airline pilots only at a half-dozen U.S. airports including Atlanta, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. The move is meant to get pilots to their gates faster and avoid angering passengers who currently have to watch airline crews cut to the front of security lines. “It will definitely be a benefit to passengers not having to see someone cut in line,” said John Prater, head of the Air Line Pilots Association. Not all airline crews are happy with the experiment, however. The Association of Flight Attendants opposes the move.

[POSTED JULY 22, 2008]

American Airlines cuts maintenance staff

American Airlines is planning to eliminate about 1,500 jobs from its maintenance and engineering division, including about 1,300 union positions. The Dallas-based carrier lost $1.4 billion in the second quarter, and American—the only legacy carrier that has so far avoided Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection—is grounding its entire fleet of 34 Airbus A300 aircraft as well as about 95 additional airframes. The maintenance job cuts will likely begin in September and coincide with the aircraft retirements. American didn’t say where the cuts would take place geographically. American has about 7,000 maintenance workers in Tulsa, Oklahoma; 1,900 in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas; and 900 in Kansas City, Missouri.

[POSTED JULY 22, 2008]

United, Continental pilots share information

After their parent companies announced their intention to form a global alliance, United and Continental pilots decided to share information and cooperate to advance their own careers. "Just as United and Continental management have decided to form an alliance to strengthen the relative positions of their airlines against competitors and reap the benefits of a cooperative relationship, we are also positioning ourselves to use the combined strength of our pilot groups to leverage opportunity and defend against threats their alliance presents," said Steve Wallach and Jay Pierce, pilot union representatives for United and Continental, in a joint statement. United and Continental announced a wide-ranging agreement to coordinate schedules and services on June 19, and Continental said it will join United in the international Star Alliance. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) represents pilots at United and Continental, but union representatives said the amount of information sharing and coordination will go far beyond that which normally takes place among ALPA units.

[POSTED JULY 8, 2008]

Northwest pares international flights

In a troublesome trend for U.S. airlines rushing to beef up international service in the face of declining domestic demand, Northwest Airlines announced it is suspending or canceling several transatlantic routes. The carrier will suspend Minneapolis/Paris flights for the winter and end Detroit/Dusseldorf and Hartford/Amsterdam flights in the fall. Northwest called the cuts "inevitable" in the face of record fuel prices and the falling value of the dollar. "The U.S. dollar has fallen substantially against the euro, making it more expensive for Americans to travel to Europe and softening demand," Northwest said in a written statement. Northwest intends to merge with Delta Air Lines, the largest U.S. airline in the transatlantic market.

[POSTED JULY 8, 2008]

Frontier slashes fleet, staff

Frontier Airlines will cut 17 percent of its fleet and a similar percentage of its 6,000 workers, the Denver-based airline said. Frontier has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection since April. Frontier plans to sell 11 Airbus A320s. The discount carrier said it was pushed to seek Chapter 11 when credit card processor First Data Corp. held back the proceeds from ticket sales until passengers actually traveled. Frontier had previously been paid when travelers purchased tickets. Frontier and First Data have negotiated confidential new terms.

[POSTED JULY 1, 2008]

Horizon Air embraces Q400

Horizon Air is moving toward an all-Q400 turboprop fleet to simplify maintenance and training and reduce fuel costs. The regional airline will ditch smaller, 37-seat Q200s and 70-seat CRJ-700 jets in favor of the 76-seat Q400s. Horizon will quit flying Q200s this year. Horizon, a regional airline with routes centered in the western United States, said the move to an all-turboprop fleet was driven by record fuel costs.

[POSTED JULY 1, 2008]

Eclipse 500 OKed for icing; throttle glitch fixed

Eclipse 500 jets won FAA approval to fly into known icing conditions--an important step for the very light jets seeking to become standards for air taxi operators. All aircraft delivered in the fall will be FIKI certified. Existing planes will receive retrofits that bring them into compliance. Some of the changes include new wing and empennage deice boots, rain-repellant paint around static ports, and windshield coatings. Eclipse also altered its engine FADEC systems to avoid a problem that occurred June 5 when an Eclipse 500 crew apparently pushed the throttle levers too far forward and both engines stayed at full power. A software change will allow for much more aggressive throttle handling.

[POSTED JULY 1, 2008]

Continental joins United's alliance

Stopping short of an outright merger, Continental said it will coordinate schedules and capacity with United Airlines and its Star Alliance. Houston-based Continental had been part of the SkyTeam, led by Delta and Northwest. Continental rejected United's merger overtures in April. "Alliances can work better than mergers in raising revenues and reducing costs without the integration, regulatory, and labor headaches," said Jim Corridore, a Standard & Poors analyst. United CEO Glenn Tilton said Continental will strengthen the Star Alliance. "Continental will bring significant new assets to our global alliance, and our two companies will work together effectively with our partners to provide the best overall network in America and the world."

[POSTED JUNE 24, 2008]

LaGuardia slot auction gets Bronx cheer

The Transportation Department's proposed slot auction for New York's LaGuardia Airport is "hare-brained and goofy," according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). It won't reduce air traffic or congestion, he said at a Senate hearing, and is an "ideological, untested experiment coming from someone sitting in an ivory tower." Schumer said the agency should increase air traffic capacity by hiring more air traffic controllers and implementing the "NextGen" ADS-B system. Airline trade groups have called the auction misguided and illegal and accuse the Transportation Department of taking airline assets-in this case, takeoff and landing slots-without compensation. Chronic air traffic delays in New York commonly cascade throughout the national air transportation system.

[POSTED JUNE 24, 2008]

Southwest sees modest growth in 2008

In a harsh airline environment where most passenger airlines are slashing capacity, Southwest Airlines anticipates 4 percent growth for the current year. "We know like everyone else knows that we're going to have to move fares along gradually and continuously to be able to overcome these dramatically higher (fuel) costs," said Southwest CEO Gary Kelly. "If we have to slow our growth to zero next year, we're obviously prepared to do that." Southwest will likely add flights in large markets like Denver where competitors are pulling back.

[POSTED JUNE 24, 2008]

Gemini Air Cargo bankrupt, again

Gemini Air Cargo filed for bankruptcy court protection for the second time in two years and furloughed or terminated 75 pilots. The Virginia-based firm flies internationally, and Gemini pilots said they were surprised by the company's decision to seek protection from creditors under Chapter 11. "We are very surprised by the bankruptcy announcement," said Bill Atchison, a Gemini pilot and union chairman. "The furloughs were done in direct violation of our current contract, and we will take whatever steps are necessary to protect the rights of those pilots affected."

[POSTED JUNE 24, 2008]

Continental drops routes

Continental Airlines plans to cut domestic capacity 11 percent with most of the dropped routes coming from the airline's main hubs in Newark and Houston. Smaller hubs in Cleveland and Guan will see reductions, too. Most of the cuts will result in fewer frequencies on existing routes, but 44 routes are going away entirely. Washington-Dulles International Airport loses service from Houston and Cleveland; and Sarasota, Florida, loses flights from Newark and Houston. Continental will close its facilities in nine U.S. cities: Chattanooga, Tennessee; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Montgomery, Alabama; Oakland, California; Palm Springs, California; Reno, Nevada; Sarasota and Tallahassee, Florida, and Toledo, Ohio.

[POSTED JUNE 17, 2008]

Eclipse 500s subject of emergency AD

The FAA sent out emergency airworthiness directives to all Eclipse 500 owners and operators saying throttle quadrants in the very light jets must be inspected immediately. An Eclipse jet landing at Chicago's Midway Airport on June 5 apparently exceeded the allowable travel on the throttle quadrant, leading both engines to go to full power. When the pilots shut down one engine, the other reverted to idle power and was unresponsive to other commands. The crew performed an emergency landing and blew both main landing gear tires, but no one was injured. Eclipse founder and chief executive Vern Raburn said he doesn't believe there's a design problem with the throttles. "There's no need to fix something that isn't broken," he said. "If you abuse an airplane by pulling 6 Gs and pop some rivets on the wings, that doesn't mean the aircraft was designed improperly. The person just exceeded the design limit."

[POSTED JUNE 17, 2008]

No white knight for Silverjet

There will be no miracle comeback for Silverjet. The grounded airline hoped private investors would revive the all-business-class carrier, but a deal failed to materialize. All employees have been laid off and the company's assets are being sold. "We continue to negotiate the sale of Silverjet's assets for the benefit of the company's creditors," said Mark Fry, a U.K. administrator for the London-based carrier.

[POSTED JUNE 17, 2008]

Big carriers vulnerable to fuel prices, too

So far, surging fuel costs have claimed a few small passenger airlines-but industry analysts say big carriers are at risk of bankruptcy, too, if relief doesn't come soon. American, Continental, Delta, and United have trimmed their fleets and domestic schedules in recent weeks, and low-cost carriers AirTran, JetBlue, and Southwest have said they will scale back growth plans. "If you don't have an oil price of about $75 or $80 a barrel, at the end of 2009, you'll have most of the airline industry on the financial ropes," said Harlan Platt, a finance professor at the Northeastern University in Boston. Morgan Stanley analyst Ole Slorer said oil prices are likely to top $150 a barrel this summer as Asian demand for the commodity increases. "If that happens and if that price holds...they'll need to file for bankruptcy protection," Platt said. "And by 'they,' I mean most of the airline industry."

[POSTED JUNE 10, 2008]

An upside of downsizing?

Virgin America says capacity cuts among major U.S. competitors could open new opportunities for the fledgling low-cost carrier to break into busy airports such as New York's JFK and Chicago's O'Hare. "You're seeing capacity cuts of 15 to 18 percent," said David Cush, chief executive at Virgin America. "These capacity cuts are a great opportunity for airports to regain control of their facilities and airspace." Cush said competition from Virgin America would lead to better service and lower consumer prices in the long run.

[POSTED JUNE 10, 2008]

Bill would regulate foreign repair stations

Senators from both major political parties are lining up behind a bill that demands closer scrutiny of overseas airline repair stations. The "Safe Air Act" would boost FAA inspections of foreign facilities to at least twice a year and screen workers for drugs and alcohol. "If we don't do something, this will remain a disaster waiting to happen," said U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). "Oversight of this area is not something we should shirk." The White House and European regulators oppose the bill and say drug and alcohol testing is illegal in some countries where airline maintenance is being performed. U.S. airlines have increasingly sent aircraft to Central and South America and Asia for labor-intensive heavy maintenance.

[POSTED JUNE 10, 2008]

Record oil prices draining airline profits

The global airline industry is on pace to lose $2.3 billion this year-a sharp reversal of fortune from previous projections of modest profits this year, according to the International Air Transport Association. Record oil prices that have surpassed $135 a barrel have burdened the airline industry with $40 billion in additional costs this year. IATA had previously projected a $4.5 billion industry profit for 2008. IATA officials urged governments to "stop crazy taxation," reign in monopolies such as airports and aviation authorities, improve airport infrastructure, and promote trade liberalization.

[ POSTED JUNE 3, 2008 ]

Heathrow a "national embarrassment"

IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani took aim at London's Heathrow Airport and the U.K.'s Civil Aviation Authority for a relentless series of price hikes that have come on top of a dramatic drop in airline profitability. The CAA has increased airline charges 50 percent in the past five years and plans to hike them 86 percent in the next five years-even while service is reduced. "Service levels are a national embarrassment," he said. "Could anyone in this room ask for a fare increase of 86 percent? Nobody. That only happens in monopoly land." CAA officials defended the increases as necessary to pay for modernization and expansion.

[ POSTED JUNE 3, 2008 ]

AirTran says no thanks to more 737s

Atlanta-based AirTran Airways deferred delivery of 18 new Boeing 737s and slashed its growth plans for the next four years to reduce costs in the face of record fuel prices. "We are reducing planned growth for September 2008, through at least 2009, from 10 percent to no more than flat," said AirTran CEO Bob Fornaro. AirTran grew aggressively by increasing seat capacity more than 20 percent annually through the first part of this decade. AirTran operates 54 Boeing 737-700s and 87 Boeing 717s. Last month, rival discount carrier JetBlue deferred delivery of 21 Airbus A320s.

[ POSTED JUNE 3, 2008 ]

Lessor is biggest Boeing 777 owner

International Lease Finance Corp. took delivery of its seventy-fifth Boeing 777, an extended-range model that will be used by customer Cathay Pacific on long-distance flights. ILFC has ordered 79 777s from Boeing beginning in 1992 and owns more of the two-aisle, twin-engine jets than any other firm. To date, 57 Boeing customers have ordered 1,080 777s.

[ POSTED JUNE 3, 2008 ]

Air traffic changes confusing Newark departures

New departure procedures at Newark Liberty International Airport have caused confusion among some pilots accustomed to always turning left after departing to the southwest. The new procedures allow for left or right turns when departing during peak traffic periods, and air traffic controllers say several pilots have turned the wrong way. Pilots sometimes aren’t notified of the new departure procedures until they arrive at Runway 22R ready for takeoff. “The pilots are being told one thing 30 minutes before departure and then they get on the runway and we’re required to tell them another thing,” said Ray Adams, vice president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. The FAA has recently modified air traffic procedures in the New York area as part of a comprehensive effort to cut aerial congestion, and Newark’s new procedures are part of that effort.

[ POSTED MAY 27, 2008 ]

Kelleher to write Southwest’s inside story

After stepping down as chairman on May 21, Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher said he plans to write a book. The iconoclastic entrepreneur also expects to work on several ongoing projects for Southwest, including designing a 737 replacement with Boeing and haggling with the FAA to reduce or eliminate a record $10.2 million fine imposed on Southwest for failing to comply with a disputed airworthiness directive. Kelleher had planned to write a book beginning in late 2001, but the terrorist attacks that year disrupted his schedule. Now, he says he has enough material for a few new chapters. “I’ve got lots of fascinating stories to tell,” Kelleher said. “I do know more of the inside stories of Southwest Airlines probably than anyone else. It’s really a very, very colorful story. There are lots of layers, a lot of dimensions that haven’t been addressed.”

[ POSTED MAY 27, 2008 ]

Boeing in no hurry to replace 737

Boeing is slowing efforts to replace its best-selling 737 because the narrow-body jet remains popular with domestic and overseas buyers. Boeing said it’s focusing on technological and manufacturing improvements that will raise the performance of its entire product line in the future. “We’ve reduced our airplane-design effort and are focusing more on the technology breakthroughs,” Boeing spokeswoman Sandy Angers told the Seattle Times. “We need technology breakthroughs in engines, aerodynamics, materials, and other systems.” Rival Airbus is planning to replace its 150-seat A320—a direct 737 competitor—in 2020, and Boeing could wait to see what Airbus does before committing to the 737’s successor. Boeing has delivered more than 5,700 737s and has 2,200 orders through 2014.

[ POSTED MAY 27, 2008 ]

Airlines furious over planned New York slot auctions

The FAA—not the airlines—owns prized takeoff and landing slots at New York City’s busy airports, the federal Transportation Department said in a novel legal argument that has infuriated airline managers. The FAA plans to cap Newark flights at 83 an hour and auction slots at Newark and JFK. D.J. Gibbon, a DOT lawyer, said the FAA has the legal authority to impose caps and auction assets due to an “implicit” and “intangible” grant. “Carriers have no authority or legal property interest in the slots,” he said. Airline officials angrily called the proposals ill conceived and unlawful. Airlines have paid millions of dollars for the valuable slots, and any “attempt to take away that property would require due process and just compensation,” said Douglas Lavin, an airline industry spokesman. “There is no legal authority that airline slots are the property of the government.” Both airline and government officials are under pressure to cut gridlock at the perennially clogged New York City-area airports, and the FAA believes a combination of flight restrictions and market-based incentives are the answer.

[ POSTED MAY 20, 2008 ]

Groundings blamed on poor communication

Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters blamed massive April schedule disruptions at American, Delta, and Southwest on miscommunication between the carriers and FAA. The FAA imposed multimillion-dollar civil penalties against Southwest for failing to comply with airworthiness directives on its Boeing 737s while the discount airline said it thought it was following the letter and spirit of the regulations. Fearing similar penalties, American and Delta grounded hundreds of short-haul aircraft. American later accused the FAA of misinterpreting the relevant directives. In a recent statement, Peters seemed to agree. “When situations of this magnitude evolve, it is critical that all parties have the right information so the right decisions can be made,” she said.

[ POSTED MAY 20, 2008 ]

Frontier employees accuse execs of bad faith

Frontier Airlines employees who accepted 10-percent pay cuts when the Denver-based carrier sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month accused airline executives of feathering their own nests by seeking golden parachutes that include six-month pay deals for executives but none for workers. “Golden parachutes for executives are a deal-breaker,” said Matthew Fazakas, president of Teamsters Local 961, which represents more than 400 Frontier employees. “They want us to have confidence in their plan to emerge from bankruptcy, but obviously they have no confidence in it themselves.” Frontier executives have taken 20-percent wage cuts in an effort to attract outside investment. The company has a workforce of about 6,200 people.

[ POSTED MAY 20, 2008 ]

Fuel heist lands worker in hot water

A contract airport worker at Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine, has been arrested and charged with stealing jet fuel from a JetBlue Airways A-320 for use as home heating oil. With kerosene prices at record levels, the thousands of gallons of kerosene-based jet fuel stored in aircraft are increasingly valuable. Airport security officials say they caught the worker in the act of siphoning jet fuel into a five-gallon can, and they believe he took about 25 gallons total. The man also is accused of damaging the aircraft and faces local and federal charges.

[ POSTED MAY 20, 2008 ]

New business jet deliveries speed up

Deliveries of new business jets surged 40.8 percent in the first quarter and billings jumped 16.1 percent to a record $5.3 billion, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Jet manufacturers delivered 297 new airframes in the first three months of 2008 compared to 211 in the same period last year. GAMA said total deliveries this year are likely to surpass last year’s record 1,138 business jets. Although slow growth and weak corporate earnings have dogged the U.S. economy, the financial picture is brighter overseas. “The trend of increasing market share occurring outside of North America continues for most manufacturers,” said Pete Bunce, GAMA president and chief executive.

[ POSTED MAY 13, 2008 ]

SkyWest, ASA sign Bombardier maintenance deal

Airline pilots accustomed to cruising at max power are being told to fly more fuel-efficiently to save money, if not time. With record high fuel prices, savings from flying higher, or slower—or both—can more than offset the price of keeping flight crews on duty a bit longer. Southwest, JetBlue, and Northwest are among the airlines shaving about 10 knots off cruise speeds, changing altitudes to maximize tailwinds (and minimize headwinds), and making other small changes the carriers hope will trim fuel use. The airlines also have invested in new software that allows dispatchers to plan more efficient routes, altitudes, and speeds.

[ POSTED MAY 13, 2008 ]

Airlines slow down to save fuel

Airline pilots accustomed to cruising at max power are being told to fly more fuel-efficiently to save money, if not time. With record high fuel prices, savings from flying higher, or slower—or both—can more than offset the price of keeping flight crews on duty a bit longer. Southwest, JetBlue, and Northwest are among the airlines shaving about 10 knots off cruise speeds, changing altitudes to maximize tailwinds (and minimize headwinds), and making other small changes the carriers hope will trim fuel use. The airlines also have invested in new software that allows dispatchers to plan more efficient routes, altitudes, and speeds.

[ POSTED MAY 6, 2008 ]

American blames FAA for groundings

A last-minute change in rule interpretations within the FAA caused American Airlines to abruptly cancel more than 3,000 flights last month, the Dallas-based carrier said in a report to the U.S. Transportation Department. American was working with manufacturer Boeing on a wiring fix for its MD-80s, had a “handshake agreement” with local FAA inspectors, and planned to finish upgrades months in advance of FAA deadlines. But FAA headquarters overruled local officials and forced American to make immediate, costly, and disruptive changes that caused chaotic cancellations throughout American’s network. Southwest and Delta have suffered steep fines and thousands of flight cancellations over similar issues.

[ POSTED MAY 6, 2008 ]

Business jet prices fall

The domestic market appears to be softening for new and used business jets, but increasing demand overseas is preventing fire sales. Research from JP Morgan shows the number of business jets for sale jumped to 7.2 percent of the active fleet from 6.2 percent in January, and asking prices have dipped about 1 percent. The weak U.S. economy and slumping corporate profits are at the root of the downturn. About 80 percent of the world’s business jet fleet is based in North America. But growing demand from Asia, Europe, and Russia has cushioned the blow, so far.

[ POSTED MAY 6, 2008 ]

Virgin Atlantic nixes in-flight beauty therapy

The British carrier known for indulgent frills has ended in-flight beauty therapy. The service that used to be available to premium customers will still be available at some airport terminal lounges, but not at 33,000 feet over the Atlantic. About 320 in-flight beauty therapist jobs are going away. But Virgin employees needn’t furrow their brows. The company is offering them new jobs as cabin crew, or ground-based beauty therapists.

[ POSTED MAY 6, 2008 ]

Lawmakers promise merger scrutiny

Congress will take a hard look at the proposed Delta/Northwest merger and the wave of consolidation that is likely to follow, key House and Senate lawmakers said. “We are concerned that this merger could result in a cascade of mergers,” said Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). The proposed Delta/Northwest deal would create a globe-spanning super-carrier. Delta is strongest in the transatlantic market, while Northwest’s franchise is built in the Pacific. But lawmakers and employee groups say they are concerned the merger will eliminate jobs, U.S. hubs, and competition. Meanwhile, Continental Airlines, widely reputed to be considering a merger with United or American, said it intends to remain independent—at least for now.

[ POSTED APRIL 29, 2008 ]

Carriers post bleak first-quarter results

The first three months of 2008 were financially ruinous for U.S. passenger carriers, with American, Delta, and United posting massive losses. Delta’s staggering $6.4 billion loss was worst on paper—but $6.1 billion of it was related to non-cash accounting measures that included charges based on the falling value of its stock. Delta posted a 12-percent revenue increase in the first quarter, but a dramatic increase in fuel prices overshadowed all else. All told, Delta lost $274 million on operations (about $3 million a day) in the first quarter. American lost $328 million and United lost $537 million during the same period.

[ POSTED APRIL 29, 2008 ]

Being CEO still pays

Delta CEO Richard Anderson took home more than $11 million in total compensation during his first four months on the job. Most of Anderson’s pay came in the form of stock and other grants, which have declined in value as Delta’s stock has tanked. His salary was about $200,000 during the last four months of 2007. Anderson, a former Northwest Airlines CEO, took the helm at Delta in September. Since then, he has helped engineer a proposed merger between the two network carriers.

[ POSTED APRIL 29, 2008 ]

CAPT Program links with Bangkok Airways

The CAPT Program, an airline pilot training firm with flight operations in Florida, will become the model for the newly formed Bangkok Flight Academy, a subsidiary of Bangkok Airways. The academy in Thailand will operate 27 aircraft, including two jets, and prepare pilots for what it says is a burgeoning international market. The Jackson Group, a team of aviation consultants based in Duluth, Georgia, put the deal together.

[ POSTED APRIL 29, 2008 ]

Southwest pares growth

Southwest Airlines will defer about half its scheduled aircraft deliveries next year and slow its 2009 capacity growth to about 3 percent, the Dallas-based discount airline said. The airline also is considering forming new, international code-share relationships with up to six airlines after former partner ATA abruptly exited the passenger business. Southwest will take delivery of no more than 14 new Boeing 737-700s in 2009, half its previously announced number. At one time, the company expected to increase its 2009 capacity by 8 percent. Southwest is making the changes in response to record high fuel prices, but its pain isn’t as acute as some of its competitors—Southwest locked in fuel prices at $51 a barrel for about 70 percent of its purchases this year while oil prices on the open market have more than doubled.

[ POSTED APRIL 22, 2008 ]

DOT wants LGA slot auctions

The federal Department of Transportation wants an auction to decide which carriers get coveted landing slots at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA)—but the airline industry detests the idea. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said “congestion pricing” and a slot auction would cut traffic and smooth operations at the airport notorious for chronic delays. But the International Air Transport Association criticized the DOT’s “eBay approach.” The Air Transport Association also howled about new charges at a time when the airlines are in dire financial shape. “It is truly mystifying, with the airline industry in a financial meltdown due to the overwhelming fuel prices, that DOT decides now is the time for a costly economics experiment at LaGuardia,” said James May, ATA president. Virgin America, which doesn’t fly to LGA, also opposes the pricing scheme, fearing it could lock out new entrants and set a precedent for other busy airports.

[ POSTED APRIL 22, 2008 ]

Delta, Northwest merger not overcapacity fix

Airline executives and industry analysts say overcapacity has lead to destructive competition and an inability to pass along fuel price increases to consumers. But consolidation in the form of the proposed Delta/Northwest merger isn’t likely to do much to solve the airline industry’s capacity woes. Delta and Northwest have very few overlapping routes—so the merger, if approved by regulators, is unlikely to pull much capacity out of the market. The new Delta could eliminate one or two domestic hubs and ground inefficient DC-9s, MD-80s, and MD-90s, but the number of routes and daily flights is unlikely to change substantially. Other proposed combinations such as United/Continental could slash fleets, routes and jobs—but not as much as industry analysts say is needed. JPMorgan analyst Jamie Baker, for example, said the U.S. airline industry must shed 20 percent of its current capacity to return to financial health.

[ POSTED APRIL 22, 2008 ]

Delta, Northwest tie the knot

After a long and stormy courtship, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines have agreed to a merger that will create the world’s largest passenger carrier—but probably not for long. Their marriage is likely to lead to a flurry of consolidation, with United and Continental the next to join forces. The combined Delta/Northwest will keep Delta’s name and Atlanta headquarters. Delta operates more transatlantic flights than any other carrier, and Northwest is strongest in Asia. Delta CEO Richard Anderson—a former Northwest CEO—will run the merged airline with combined annual revenues of more than $31 billion. Delta and Northwest have been talking about a merger for months, but the two sides appeared to abandon a deal when unions representing their pilot groups failed to come to terms. The boards for Delta and Northwest decided to go forward, however, without the blessing of Northwest’s pilots.

[ POSTED APRIL 15, 2008 ]

Northwest workers displeased

Northwest pilots and ground workers say they will do everything they can to torpedo the merger. Pilots at Delta and Northwest were unable to come to terms during months of talks, and Northwest’s pilots vow to resist any arrangement that gives their Delta counterparts advantages in seniority, pay, or ownership. Northwest pilots offered arbitration to resolve their differences, but Delta pilots said no. Delta pilots also get a 3.5-percent stake in the combined carrier and a contract extension through 2012. Northwest pilots say that, even if regulators approve the deal, labor discord could keep the new Delta locked in internal battles for years—just like US Airways three years after it merged with America West. “A merger built on this unstable foundation is likely to put the combined airline in a position similar to US Airways,” said Dave Stevens, leader of Northwest’s pilot union.

[ POSTED APRIL 15, 2008 ]

Musical hubs

The new Delta will have hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, Salt Lake City, and Tokyo, and the company says it will keep all of them—for now. Airline analysts say it’s highly likely that some of the hubs will be jettisoned in the future, and Memphis and Cincinnati are most expendable. Memphis is overshadowed by Atlanta, Delta’s headquarters city and the world’s busiest airport in terms of passenger volume. Cincinnati is too close to Northwest’s Detroit hub where the airline has made huge investments to upgrade international capacity—the bright spot as a result of the weak dollar. Delta said it has no plans to close hubs or furlough workers.

[ POSTED APRIL 15, 2008 ]

More cancellations ahead

Minnesota Congressman James Oberstar said the thousands of maintenance-related flight cancellations that have plagued American, Delta, Southwest, and other U.S. airlines in recent weeks could be a hint of what is yet to come. Oberstar, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation Infrastructure, blames lax FAA oversight for allowing airlines to skip required maintenance inspections. Now, Oberstar said he’s unapologetic about planes being taken out of service for safety inspections and predicts there’s more to come. “I think we can expect more aircraft being pulled out of service because they weren’t inspected when they should have been. It’s now reached a crisis point beyond the inspection dates that they’ve had to take large numbers of aircraft out of service in order to conduct the inspections that should have been done on a routine basis.”

[ POSTED APRIL 15, 2008 ]

Three airlines gone in a week

High fuel prices and reduced passenger demand led to the demise of three airlines in a single week last week: Aloha, Skybus, and ATA. Aloha fell first, blaming unfair competition in its core interisland markets. Skybus was next, as rising fuel prices made it impossible for the deeply discounted carrier to keep offering one-way fares as low as $10. As the dismal week finished, 35-year-old carrier ATA shut its doors, parked its planes, and cut loose 2,230 workers. ATA’s corporate parent, Global Air Logistics, will continue flying air cargo and charter flights through other subsidiaries, but ATA shut down immediately and it is unlikely to reopen. ATA operated Boeing 757s and 737-800s, and it had what was regarded as a highly successful alliance with discount juggernaut Southwest Airlines. Southwest was scrambling this week to accommodate thousands of passengers with ATA tickets.

[ POSTED APRIL 8, 2008 ]

Goodbye Skyway; hello SkyWest

Midwest Airlines ditched Skyway, a company-owned regional carrier, in favor of Utah-based SkyWest and its fleet of 50-seat regional jets. Midwest announced in January it planned to jettison its regional subsidiary, and this week it cut more than 300 Skyway employees. SkyWest is a growing firm that has been picking up a larger share of regional routes from major U.S. passenger carriers who find SkyWest can operate the routes more profitably than they can through owned subsidiaries. SkyWest is based in St. George, Utah, and owns ASA Airlines, a Delta Express carrier based in Atlanta, Georgia.

[ POSTED APRIL 8, 2008 ]

A new unlucky number?

London Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 might have to be renumbered—it’s been unlucky for British Airways. The state-of-the-art facility has been hampered by baggage woes that forced BA to cancel hundreds of flights. Supermodel Naomi Campbell is reported to have had a major meltdown there and spat at a British police officer. This week there were scores of additional cancelations as snow snarled travel. The facility opened March 27, and BA officials have been forced to make repeated apologies and assurances that it would improve its operational performance at T5.

[ POSTED APRIL 8, 2008 ]

Aloha shuts down

Aloha Airlines shut down passenger flights and agreed to sell its cargo operations, the 61-year-old carrier announced. The shutdown ends the jobs of about 1,900 Aloha employees. “This is an incredibly dark day for Hawaii,” said David A. Banmiller, Aloha’s president and chief executive. “Despite the groundswell of support from the community and our elected officials, we simply ran out of time to find a qualified buyer of secure continued financing for our passenger business. We had no choice but to take this action.” Aloha blamed “unfair” discount competition from new carriers for cutting prices and revenue in its core inter-island flights, and skyrocketing fuel costs, for its demise.

[ POSTED APRIL 1, 2008 ]

Open skies won’t shake up Heathrow

A new “Open Skies” agreement between the United States and the European Union is unlikely to disrupt the status quo at London’s Heathrow Airport, Europe’s largest international gateway, according to an official from Virgin Atlantic. U.S. and E.U. officials praise Open Skies as a way to increase flights, routes, and airline jobs, as well as lower consumer prices in transatlantic markets. But Barry Humphreys, Virgin’s director of route development, said flights between Heathrow and the United States are forecast to grow by about nine daily this year—in line with current trends, and definitely not a major increase or transformation. European airline officials say they plan to lean on E.U. negotiators and U.S. airlines to push for greater access to U.S. markets in future talks. European carriers also want to eliminate U.S. laws that currently limit foreign ownership of U.S. carriers to 25 percent.

[ POSTED APRIL 1, 2008 ]

Delta launches Shanghai route

Delta Air Lines inaugurated its first China flight with a nonstop, 15.4-hour trip from Atlanta to Shanghai. A Boeing 777-200 ER will make the 7,659-mile trip daily between Delta’s Atlanta hub and China’s main business center. Delta can carry up to 268 passengers on each flight, and the twin-engine plane will typically consume about 34,000 gallons of jet fuel on each leg. Delta, which has a robust transatlantic route network but trails Northwest and United in the Pacific, had been seeking a China route for many years. Delta and other U.S. carriers are beefing up international routes to gain from favorable currency exchange rates and avoid increasing discount competition in domestic markets.

[ POSTED APRIL 1, 2008 ]

Brazilian jets for AirBrazil

JetBlue founder (and former CEO) David Neeleman placed an order for 36 new Brazilian-made Embraer 195 jets for his start-up passenger carrier, AirBrazil. Neeleman launched his last airline, JetBlue, with a fleet of Airbus A320s, but he said the smaller Embraers are a better tool to compete with Gol and other Brazilian airlines that fly larger jets. Gol flies 150-seat Boeing 737s. “The Embraer 195 is the perfect plane for the Brazilian market,” Neeleman said. “With 30 percent fewer seats than the aircraft favored by the competition, the Embraer 195 offers competitive unit costs and much lower trip costs. Because we can make money with fewer passengers per flight, we can provide nonstop service in more markets than exists today.” AirBrazil expects to take delivery of its first 195 late this year.

[ POSTED APRIL 1, 2008 ]

2008’s first airline bankruptcy

Aloha Airlines’ corporate parent filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection and plans to keep flying while it tries to sort out new deals with creditors and its 3,500 workers. The inter-island passenger carrier blamed new competition from Mesa Air Group’s Go! subsidiary for its financial woes. Go! first landed in Hawaii in 2006, and the discounter has been cutting deeply into the market long dominated by Aloha and Hawaiian airlines. Rising fuel costs didn’t help, either. Aloha predicts its annual fuel bill will rise $71 million above last year’s levels.

[ POSTED MARCH 25, 2008 ]

FAA predicts flat airline demand

The FAA’s forecast for 2008 air travel demand has changed to a flat line. The agency revised its predictions sharply downward and said domestic air travel demand will be flat at best—not the steady surge it had predicted. “We’re seeing a definite pause in growth,” FAA Acting Administrator Paul Sturgell said. Domestic air travel growth is expected to rise 0.6 percent in fiscal 2008, down from a forecast 3.4 percent. High oil prices and a sluggish U.S. economy are the main reasons for the sharp drop in demand, Sturgell said.

[ POSTED MARCH 25, 2008 ]

NetJets, FlightSafety invest in Columbus

NetJets will keep its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio; add more than 800 new employees; and invest $220 million, the growing fractional ownership group announced. The company had been evaluating other cities in North Carolina and Texas but stuck with Ohio when state and local governments offered upwards of $67 million in incentives. FlightSafety International, a sister company, also said it will dramatically expand its simulator training in Columbus to create the world’s largest flight sim facility there.

[ POSTED MARCH 25, 2008 ]

Costly oil could take toll on RJs

Major hub-and-spoke airlines are likely to slash fleets of 50-seat regional jets as high fuel prices make the cost of using the planes prohibitive, according to The Boyd Group, an aviation consulting and forecasting organization. Small RJs, operated by regional carriers on fuel cost-plus leases, are less efficient measured on a seat-mile basis than larger aircraft. A decade ago, labor costs were a higher percentage of airlines’ total operating costs. But post-9/11 wage cuts and escalating fuel prices have made small regional jets less attractive, and The Boyd Group anticipates that many older RJs will soon face forced retirement.

[ POSTED MARCH 25, 2008 ]

Biggest Boeing 787 customer expects more delays

International Lease Finance Corp. Chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy expects a redesign of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner center wing box to delay the highly anticipated program six months—but the company isn’t commenting. The 787 program has been delayed three times to date, and top management has been replaced once. The first 787 is scheduled to fly this year, and the first delivery is supposed to take place next year. Hazy, with 74 of the ultra-efficient aircraft on order, said increases in the aircraft’s weight have required a redesign of the center wing box, a key structural component that determines wing strength.

[ POSTED MARCH 25, 2008 ]

Southwest grounds a bunch of Boeings

Southwest Airlines parked 43 older Boeing 737s and suspended three employees after an examination of maintenance records turned up questions about the kinds of inspections performed on the aircraft. The Dallas-based discount airlines canceled about four percent of its flights because the planes were unavailable. The FAA hit Southwest with a proposed $10.2 million fine for continuing to fly 46 aircraft without performing required safety inspections of the aircraft fuselages. The grounded planes were scheduled to return to service after the inspections had been completed at maintenance bases in Dallas and Chicago.

[ POSTED MARCH 18, 2008 ]

More than 1,000 new pilots hired last month

AIR Inc., an Atlanta pilot placement firm, said U.S. airlines hired 1,038 new pilots in February despite a slowing national economy and record high oil prices. The hiring forecasts for the rest of this year remain bullish as pilot retirements continue. Among major carriers, Continental plans to hire 350 new pilots this year; JetBlue, 380; and US Airways, 325. Regional airline hiring will be even more robust with American Eagle hiring 700 new pilots; ASA, 500; and Republic, 600. AIR Inc. anticipates that more than 10,000 new airline pilots will be hired this year.

[ POSTED MARCH 18, 2008 ]

Filling those job aerospace job vacancies

JSfirm, a Web site that lists aerospace positions, said it’s helping job seekers match a growing demand. “When JSfirm started nearly 10 years ago, we had no idea the demand to find qualified aviation professionals would be this high,” said Tonya Salatino, a manager at the Fort Worth, Texas, company. The company’s Web site pulls in more than 3 million hits a month from job seekers and advertisers. About 40,000 aviation professionals have posted resumes on the JSfirm site.

[ POSTED MARCH 18, 2008 ]

SAS buys Bombardier jets, turboprops

SAS Scandinavian Airlines will buy 27 jets and turboprops from Bombardier with options for up to 24 more, despite the airline’s concerns over several landing-gear failures on Bombardier Q400 turboprops last year. SAS banished Q400s from its mainline fleet last fall after it experienced three landing-gear incidents in six weeks. An investigation revealed no flaws with the landing gear design. SAS will buy CRJ900s and Q400s with a total value of $883 million; that could grow to $1.75 billion if the airline exercises all options.

[ POSTED MARCH 18, 2008 ]

Continental pilots increase their war chest

Pilots at Continental Airlines voted to increase the size of a fund designed to protect their interests in case of a future merger. “Pilots at Continental are preparing themselves in the event the airline becomes engaged in a potential merger,” said Jay Pierce, head of the Air Line Pilots Association at Continental. Airline consolidation rumors have intensified as Delta Air Lines and Northwest confirmed they were holding merger talks, although steps toward a deal appear to have halted over a dispute about how to combine pilot seniority lists. United Airlines also has unsuccessfully sought combination with other hub-and-spoke carriers.

[ POSTED MARCH 18, 2008 ]

Cessna Caravan takes heat over ice

A lawyer for nine skydivers who were killed when the Cessna 208B Caravan they were riding in struck a mountain in Washington has sued Cessna, claiming the single-engine turboprop shouldn’t be certified for flight in icing conditions. “Our goal is to have the 208B decertified from flying in icing conditions,” said Dean Brett. Cessna declined comment citing pending litigation. According to a preliminary NTSB report, the pilot of the accident airplane didn’t file a flight plan despite warnings for IFR conditions and icing along his route. The pilot also died in the crash.

[ POSTED MARCH 18, 2008 ]

Another Dreamliner delay?

Boeing’s 787 may be facing more delays as wiring problems push back the first engine start from spring to summer, according to Richard Safran, a Goldman Sachs analyst. “Changes to the airplane have caused a delay in completing wiring of the aircraft,” Safran wrote in a research note. Boeing has delayed the Dreamliner delivery schedule several times already and replaced key leaders in the development of the ultra-efficient, long-range aircraft. The first 787 customer delivery is scheduled for early 2009. Boeing has sold 857 Dreamliners to date.

[ POSTED MARCH 11, 2008 ]

Southwest responds to FAA fine

Southwest Airlines seemed genuinely surprised by the FAA’s record $10.2 million fine and a chorus of accusations from FAA and Congress over missed safety inspections. The Dallas-based discount carrier said that it discovered the maintenance oversights on its legacy Boeing 737-300 and -500 aircraft, disclosed them to FAA officials, and received assurances that the airline was in compliance last year. “The FAA approved our actions at that time and we considered the matter closed,” Southwest spokesman Paula Berg said on the company’s Web site. “The safety of our fleet was not compromised.”

[ POSTED MARCH 11, 2008 ]

Fan blades cause CRJ engine failures

Defective fan blades on General Electric CF34-3B1 engines that have caused two in-flight failures on Canadair CRJ-200 regional jets should be taken out of service, the NTSB recommended. Manufacturing defects caused failures that resulted in loud banging and severe vibrations aboard CRJs in 2006 and 2007. The planes landed safely and no one was injured in either incident. Both failures were traced to a manufacturing defect at a Teleflex plan in Mexico that has produced about 28,000 blades now in service.

[ POSTED MARCH 11, 2008 ]

US Airways pilots feel slighted

Although their carrier was bought out of bankruptcy court and merged with America West in 2005, US Airways pilots say they are still paid at lower rates than their peers within the same airline. “The US Airways pilot group has been living under the same bankruptcy-derived contract for years, although US Airways is now a viable standalone carrier that has produced hundreds of millions of dollars for its shareholders,” said Jack Stephan, chairman of the union representing US Airways pilots. “The pilots of this airline deserve pay parity in line with what the America West pilots are compensated.” Even thought they fly many of the same airplanes on the same routes for the same company, the two pilot groups continue to work under separate labor contracts.

[ POSTED MARCH 11, 2008 ]

Judge’s order could harm airline safety

Pilots and airlines sharply criticized a federal judge for ordering Comair to turn over confidential safety violation reports to families seeking punitive damages for the 2006 accident in Lexington, Kentucky, that killed 49 people. The reports give details of at least four incidents in which pilots lined up with the wrong runways. The Lexington crash took place when a Comair regional jet crew mistakenly attempted to take off from a too-short runway before dawn. Pilots and airline officials say the confidential Aviation Safety Action Program is a valuable tool that will become useless if flight crews and air carriers know the information they provide can be used against them. “If these safety reports are released to third parties, this revolutionary, nonpunitive safety system will be in jeopardy, putting the traveling public at undue risk,” said John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association. “This ruling undoes a lot of hard work we’ve all accomplished in airline safety and sets us back by decades. It will bring preemptive, proactive safety solutions in our industry to a screeching halt, forcing us to rely once again only on information gathered after accidents. The public deserves better.”

[ POSTED MARCH 11, 2008 ]

How not to land in a crosswind

A viral video of a Lufthansa A320 attempting to land in a severe crosswind—and scraping its left wing tip—in Hamburg, Germany, on March 1 lit up aviation blogs around the world. Some took the crew to task for attempting to land in winds that were reportedly gusting to 55 knots and may have exceeded the A320’s crosswind limits. Others praised the crew for quickly reacting with a timely go-around. The strong winds came in the wake of a powerful cold front that swept across Europe. The botched landing video claimed the top spot on YouTube for a time, and NBC Nightly News featured it as well.

[ POSTED MARCH 4, 2008 ]

Delta, Northwest pilots discuss seniority

The on-again, off-again courtship between Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines may be on again. Pilot union leaders from the two large U.S. hub-and-spoke carriers reportedly met to discuss the seniority issues that have prevented the airlines from consummating a merger. Delta has the strongest transatlantic network of any U.S. carrier, and Northwest has a powerful route network in lucrative Asian markets. Delta CEO Richard Anderson used to be the top executive at Northwest. Anderson has insisted that any combination be named Delta and that its headquarters stay in Atlanta. A marriage between the two carriers would likely eliminate some jobs, reduce some domestic routes, and put existing hubs in Memphis and Cincinnati in danger of closure. The airlines say they need to increase efficiency and reduce overcapacity in the face of record high fuel prices.

[ POSTED MARCH 4, 2008 ]

Southwest fined for skipping inspections

The FAA is seeking to slap Southwest Airlines with a $10.2 million penalty for flying 46 Boeing 737s without performing mandatory fatigue crack inspections. The Dallas-based discount carrier reportedly found cracks in six of those planes. “The FAA is taking action against Southwest Airlines for failing to follow rules that are designed to protect passengers and crew,” FAA Associate Administrator Nicholas Sabatini said. “We expect the airline industry to fully comply with all FAA directives and take corrective action.” The FAA accuses Southwest of ignoring a September airworthiness directive that required detailed inspections of the aircraft fuselages. Southwest has 30 days to respond to the FAA’s charges.

[ POSTED MARCH 4, 2008 ]

Pilots oppose British Airways plan

European and U.S. pilots are resisting an effort by British Airways to launch a separate carrier known as “OpenSkies.” British pilots say the carrier would use the same planes but different flight crews paid at lower rates than BA crews. “Allowing BA airplanes to operate without BA pilots will do irreparable harm to all British Airways pilots, indeed to all the world’s airline pilots,” Air Line Pilots Association President John Prater said in the video message to BA pilots. “If British Airways succeeds in its current demands, it will open the door for every international carrier in the EU to follow the same path.” BA plans to use the “OpenSkies” alter-ego airline to provide passenger service from Paris and Brussels to the United States under a new U.S.-European Union air services agreement. Set to begin with a single airliner in June 2008, BA is expected to attempt to expand “OpenSkies” to six airplanes by the end of 2009.

[ POSTED MARCH 4, 2008 ]

Let’s all move to first class

American Airlines is under fire from environmentalists for flying a Boeing 777 from Chicago to London with just five paying passengers. The London Daily Telegraph said a trip on February 9 carried fewer passengers than crew. It’s one of four daily flights American operates between Chicago and London. American said it had to send the nearly empty aircraft across the Atlantic to handle a return flight that was heavily booked. American certainly would have liked to avoid the expense of operating the international flight—sending the nearly empty plane on the one-way trip cost the Dallas-based company more than $60,000.

[ POSTED MARCH 4, 2008 ]

Pilot seniority issues cloud merger

It seemed as if Delta and Northwest Airlines were close to revealing a long-awaited merger deal. But now an impasse concerning pilot seniority has placed the alliance at risk, reported the Associated Press from Atlanta. As a result, the airlines might remain independent, merge with other competitors, or even wait until next year to make a deal. “I can conceive of the pilots not coming to an agreement and destroying a potential merger,” the AP quoted airline analyst Ray Neidl as saying. Sources told the AP that the two airlines’ pilots’ unions agreed on a joint contract, equity stakes for pilots, and some pay raises, but have been unable to reach a consensus on how seniority for 12,000 pilots working for a combined airline could be structured.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 26, 2008 ]

Other unions oppose mergers

Northwest’s baggage handlers and ticket agents’ union said that it would oppose any merger, reported the Associated Press from Minneapolis. And the International Association of Machinists believes airline mergers harm employees and passengers; it also bargains for workers at United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and other carriers. The statements came as pilot unions at Northwest and Delta Air Lines studied ways to work out their differences in the event of a possible combination. The International Association of Machinists does not represent workers at Delta, the report noted.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 26, 2008 ]

Pinnacle pilots preparing to strike

Pinnacle Airlines pilots have opened a strike operations center in Bloomington, Minn., said an Air Line Pilots Association news release. The preparations for a potential strike come after three years of contract negotiations. “We want to send a clear message to Pinnacle management: Pinnacle pilots are serious about doing whatever it takes to negotiate a contract that recognizes the sacrifices the pilots have made to the financial success of this airline,” said Capt. Scott Erickson, chairman of the ALPA unit at Pinnacle. Capt. Erik Addy, chairman of the Strike Preparedness Committee, said that pilots “are fully prepared to conduct a strike if management refuses to negotiate a reasonable agreement.” Low morale and “en masse” departures of pilots to other airlines have stemmed from lack of pay raises and increased time away from home, said the announcement. Pinnacle, based in Memphis, operates as Northwest Airlink and Delta Connection.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 26, 2008 ]

Oil prices force new fare hikes

United Airlines increased fares $10 on most domestic round-trip flights in an effort to offset fuel cost increases, reported the Associated Press from New York. It was the fourth such move by the airline industry this year, based on data from FareCompare.com. Fuel remains one of the industry's biggest expenses. Surging oil prices climbing back above $100 a barrel recently are seen threatening new profitability airlines have achieved.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 26, 2008 ]

Virgin tests ‘natural’ jet fuel

Jet fuel derived from coconut and babassu nuts oils? Last Sunday, Virgin Atlantic flew a Boeing 747 from London Heathrow to Amsterdam “with one of the four engines burning a mixture of 80 percent jet fuel and 20 percent oil from naturally grown plants,” reported the online edition of the Wall Street Journal. That first commercial airline test of biofuel “came off without a hitch” and demonstrated that airliners may not always depend on petroleum alone. The report said that Virgin and the other project participants hope that in three to six years, jets could be partly powered by naturally grown oils, and that the fuel’s production process could reduce total emissions by 20 percent.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 26, 2008 ]

New ATC simulators deployed

“Sim time” is not just something for pilots to keep track of when meeting training requirements. Air traffic controllers can log sim time, too. The FAA announced that it will deploy new air traffic tower simulators to 19 locations around the country “to help train thousands of new air traffic controllers in an operational environment that is interactive and provides realistic scenarios.” The FAA will also install six additional simulators at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Tower simulators have been used for training in Chicago, Miami, Phoenix, and Ontario, Canada since 2006. Last December the agency awarded a contract to Adacel Systems of Orlando, Florida, to provide another 24 simulators. The Tower Simulation System “includes a large, graphic depiction of the airfield and the area around the airport and can be adjusted to depict different weather conditions and times of the day,” the FAA said.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 26, 2008 ]

Prescription: merger?

Could a merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines spur a joining up of United and Continental? Reuters New Service, in a dispatch from New York, cited sources close to the action as making such a prediction. The report added that industry analysts believe “mergers are needed to help stabilize the volatile industry, which finally emerged from a five-year slump in 2006 after racking up $35 billion in losses.” Consumers may not welcome the news, as combinations might also lead to higher fares in markets where flight are scaled back. And the Justice Department could prevent mergers that adversely affect competition, further complicating the deal making.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 19, 2008 ]

Gates, slots eyed after mergers

AirTran Airways’ chief executive said that he supports airline industry consolidation because it could free up gates at busy airports. In the event of a large-carrier merger, regulators likely would require that the combined company divest both gates and traffic slots in the name of antitrust compliance, said Bob Fornaro, president and CEO of AirTran Holdings Inc. He spoke at a luncheon speech sponsored by the Aero Club, according to an Associated Press report from Washington. Fornaro also said increased congestion and delays in the skies and on runways could be blamed on “many carriers' preference for using smaller planes to operate more flights,” said the AP report. He endorsed incentives for carriers to use larger aircraft, in addition to capacity growth, over a government plan to make it more costly for airlines to fly to congested airports at peak traffic periods.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 19, 2008 ]

Pilot pay snapshot

The Web site Airline Pilot Central has published a February 2008 edition of the Airline Pilot Pay Snapshot, providing hourly pay figures for flight crew members. The previous edition from July 2007 was downloaded more than 25,000 times, and “as always, it's free for the taking and distribution,” said an announcement on the APC home page.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 19, 2008 ]

ALPA educates on incursions

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has joined AOPA and other aviation industry organizations in highlighting runway incursions as a subject of pilot education. ALPA launched a “Hold Short for Runway Safety” campaign on its Web site, “designed to raise the awareness of the measures that can prevent runway hazards through an interactive web site and a series of informative newsletters. The web page will highlight where runway incursions occur most often and suggestive ways that pilots can avoid this ever-increasing safety risk.” In the United States alone, approximately 2.5 runway incursions happen every day, the union’s announcement said.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 19, 2008 ]

Opening Pacific skies

The latest open skies agreement to make headlines is coming with a Pacific flavor, now that Australia and the United States have agreed to drop limits on air service between the two countries, reported the Associated Press from Sydney. The agreement clears the way for more competitiveness on “one of the world's most lucrative and protected long-haul routes.” The terms remove all restrictions for carriers of both countries, ending “a virtual duopoly” by Qantas and United Airlines. Qantas has a 75-percent market share on the Australia-U.S. route, said the report. Agreement came after three days of negotiations in Washington. The pact will become effective after formal approval by both governments.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 19, 2008 ]

Speeding controller hiring

The hiring process for air traffic controllers can be reduced by as much as a month, say government officials, but union members are skeptical, reported the Associated Press from Washington. The FAA last week said it has devised a means for streamlining security clearances, medical screenings, and other delays, allowing the process to be completed in about two weeks. Meanwhile, the FAA and the union have been deadlocked in a contract dispute since 2006. “While the agency insists staffing has no impact on flight delays, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association says congestion problems will worsen unless the government hires more controllers and pays them more,” the report said. It added that the Government Accountability Office cited FAA leadership, malfunctioning technology, and overworked controllers in a spiking of safety incidents in 2007. The FAA has plans to hire more than 1,800 controllers this year and increase staff levels above 15,000.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 19, 2008 ]

Major merger could come soon

A Delta-Northwest Airlines combination could be announced in just weeks, with Northwest pilots reviewing details of a deal, reported Reuters from New York. Citing “people briefed on the situation,” the news service reported that Northwest's Air Line Pilots Association unit was provided an outline of how a merged airline would shape up. Another source said a merger, creating the world’s biggest passenger airline, might be announced very soon. However, spokespersons for Northwest, financial advisors, and the pilot unions all declined comment. Reuters quoted an industry analyst saying a great “sense of urgency” associated with cost cutting is driving the deal-making.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 12, 2008 ]

Career flight instructors finding niche

Airline hiring trends that include reduced total-time minimums have left many aviation educational institutions in a struggle to find and retain well-qualified flight instructors, said a Daniel Webster College official. The school has responded by refocusing its search “on more career-oriented professional flight educators, moving away from new grads who used their brief CFI time as the first rung on their professional ladder to the major airlines.” Future trends are also being studied. “Within the college, we have always wanted and have tried to recruit the career-oriented professional flight instructor," said Daniel Webster Chief Instructor Aidan Wilps. "However, industry norms and expectations have always been a huge burden to overcome.” Instructors with flight education as a career goal may now find new incentives to stay in their chosen field, Wilps said. For more information about Daniel Webster’s Aviation program and CFI opportunities, visit the employment page.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 12, 2008 ]

Air Canada a merger candidate?

The majority owner of Air Canada has been approached by private investors and others about ways the airline could become part of the industry’s trend toward consolidation, reported Reuters from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, citing comments by ACE Aviation Holdings Chief Executive Robert Milton. A weak share price for the airline spurred the talks. “In my view, as I watch the U.S. airlines scurrying around to merge, anybody that actually ties up with Air Canada gets a unique piece of geography relative to the way the U.S. guys would split it up," Milton said. He had not yet consulted with government officials about means of amending federal legislation that restricts foreign ownership to 25 percent of a Canadian air carrier. But a merger could also be a Canada-only deal, he said.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 12, 2008 ]

United’s passengers are listening

How do pilots feel about their passengers listening in on ATC communications in flight? An article on the Wall Street Journal’s Web site explored that question. Some passengers found the radio traffic entertaining; others found it relieved some of their stress from flying—especially if their pilot had a confident air on the air. United Airlines makes audio feeds available in the passenger cabin and says the channel “tends to be the most listened-to channel on its entertainment system during takeoffs and landings,” the WSJ reported. But technology is changing the rules of the game. Some captains opt to cut off the transmissions and “say they have grown wary of possible YouTube postings of their work and are concerned about lawsuits should passengers overhear mistakes,” the article reported.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 12, 2008 ]

ASTAR contract talks completed

ASTAR Air Cargo crewmembers and management reached a tentative agreement on a third labor contract, reported a news item on the Web site of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The negotiations have continued since January 2005, aided since April 2006 by the National Mediation Board. ASTAR crewmembers “will receive retro pay and more than 20 percent in pay increases over the course of the four-year agreement. In addition, the pilots will receive furlough protections and a commitment by the company to secure new aircraft,” ALPA said. The contract is now pending ratification by crewmembers. ASTAR carries “roughly 50 percent of the weight out of Wilmington, Ohio, each night for DHL, the world’s largest and most experienced international air express network,” the announcement said.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 12, 2008 ]

LUV and marriage?

Southwest Airlines, which flies under the stock ticker symbol LUV, is surveying the landscape for opportunity as acquisition and merger talk swirls in the airline industry, reported the Dallas Morning News in an article that appeared on the newspaper’s business Web page. "I think consolidation provides an opportunity for Southwest regardless of what we do," said CEO Gary Kelly, adding, “We have enough exposure to other airlines in the U.S. that if they shrink, we'll benefit. And of course, I wouldn't eliminate the possibility that we would participate in some form or fashion in consolidation.” Although the airline continues to operate only its trademark Boeing 737s, the report said Kelly told those attending a Raymond James Growth Airline Conference in New York “that Southwest is willing to consider a partner that flies other types of airplanes.” He described the differing aircraft type issue as an “impediment” but not a “deal killer.”

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 5, 2008 ]

Investors close Midwest deal

The private-equity firm Midwest Air Partners LLC and minority partner Northwest Airlines officially closed a deal to purchase Midwest Air Group, reported MarketWatch. Midwest added that it would work with Northwest to help reduce costs in aviation insurance and tackle fuel expenses. MarketWatch said Midwest Air Partners’ affiliate TPG Capital had investments in Continental Airlines, America West, Ryanair, Hotwire.com, Gate Gourmet, Sabre, and others, as well as 15 years’ experience in the aviation business.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 5, 2008 ]

United employees to choose union

Employees of United Airlines will begin voting this month on representation by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, reported MarketWatch from New York. Some 9,300 employees are represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which the Teamsters say lacks enough clout to prevent more mechanic jobs moving overseas. Workers will vote between February 26 and March 31 on whether or not they agree. A minimum of half the eligible employees, which include 5,770 mechanics, must vote to validate the election, said the report.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 5, 2008 ]

TSA launches security blog

Airport security, with its frustrations for travelers, flight crews, and airport workers, has spawned an interactive twist. The federal government is inviting airport users with gripes to express them on the Transportation Security Administration’s new web log introduced last week. Cynical air travelers aren’t impressed just yet. “This will just make it easier for them to receive complaints for them to ignore in the name of national security,” said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, according to the Associated Press. But TSA Administrator Kip Hawley said, “We will incorporate what we learn in this forum in our checkpoint process evolution. Our postings from the public will be reviewed to remove the destructive, but not touch the critical or cranky.” Airline expert Terry Trippler cautiously praised the idea, noting that TSA “was in the right church, just not the right pew yet.”

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 5, 2008 ]

FBO operator announces technological upgrade

FBO operator and business aviation service provider Signature Flight Support announced a technology move that it said will provide “real-time flight, customer, and airspace status for customer service, line operations, and marketing through visual flight tracking and web dashboards.” The upgrade comes from a new PASSUR FBO software package contracted from Megadata Corp. “The program includes detailed marketing reports and analytics for FBO managers and marketing staff. It is based on the PASSUR proprietary database powered by the PASSUR radar network deployed throughout the U.S. and abroad,” said a news release.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 5, 2008 ]

The season for internships

Mid-winter isn’t too early for college students to be looking for summer internships that could open the door to an aviation career. Career sites such as Aviationnews.net can take you where you want to go. Internships recently listed as open to applicants in the web site’s job bank included a 12-week full-time internship at the Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming. See the listing for detailed requirements. Also, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority was accepting resumes/applications for a variety of internship positions in airport management-related areas.

[ POSTED FEBRUARY 5, 2008 ]

Unions contemplate merger talks

Airline labor unions are trying to develop strategies for capitalizing on consolidation in the industry if it happens, reported the Associated Press from Dallas. Continental Airlines’ unionized pilots set up a special group to study possible deals. The AP reported that Tom Donaldson, union chairman at Continental, said his members would be content if the airline continues to fly solo but would want a voice in proceedings if “merger mania”—as the AP described it—comes to the airline, especially after his 5,200 pilots took wage cuts in 2005 to help save the airline. Northwest pilots and flight attendants had also said they would support a merger “if employees get an ownership share in the new company.”

[ POSTED JANUARY 29, 2008 ]

Labor coalition seeks contract compliance

Labor groups representing about 30,000 union members at US Airways have formed a coalition “to demand that management complete the merger that began nearly three years ago. Specifically, management needs to adhere to current labor contracts and reach new collective bargaining agreements that improve the wages, benefits, and working conditions of US Airways employees,” said a news release on the Web site of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The coalition of workers from the former America West and US Airways units included union leaders for pilots, flight attendants, customer service representatives, dispatchers, fleet service workers, and mechanics. “US Airways management failed to work with labor from the beginning of this merger and has continued this practice for nearly three years, leading us to where we are now—a once promising airline with a plummeting stock price, consistent rankings at the bottom of the industry, and disgruntled employees,” said the statement.

[ POSTED JANUARY 29, 2008 ]

Airlines tweak surcharge strategies

Fuel surcharges continue as the airlines’ method of choice for responding to volatility in fuel prices. Reuters reported from New York that American Airlines, United and US Airways doubled fuel surcharges to $40 from $20 on domestic round-trip tickets to match last week’s move by Continental Airlines. Following the rejection of many surcharge attempts by the flying public recently, however, airlines “were more selective in increasing the fees, raising them on 66 percent of their respective networks,” said Reuters, citing information provided by FareCompare.com.

[ POSTED JANUARY 29, 2008 ]

American Eagle launches new service to Mexico

American Eagle Airlines, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, plans to add a daily nonstop flight between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and General Francisco Javier Mina International Airport in Tampico, Mexico (TAM), starting on April 7. American Eagle will fly 44-seat Embraer ERJ-140 jets on the route. Peter Bowler, president of American Eagle, said Tampico becomes the eighth city in Mexico served from DFW by the airline.

[ POSTED JANUARY 29, 2008 ]

US Airways Express gets new president

A 41-year-old vice president of financial analysis at US Airways will take over as president of US Airways Express, said a company announcement. Dion Flannery will succeed Robert Martens, who announced his retirement. Flannery will be responsible for oversight of US Airways’ wholly owned regional carriers, Piedmont and PSA Airlines, and the seven regional affiliates operating as US Airways Express. Flannery joined America West Airlines in 2002 as vice president of route planning and scheduling. He became vice president of financial analysis in 2005. His career began in 1993 at Continental Airlines, where he served in a variety of capacities.

[ POSTED JANUARY 29, 2008 ]

Northwest’s pilots open to merger

Pilots at Northwest Airlines could support a merger as long it includes a pay hike and satisfies other conditions, the Associated Press reported from Minneapolis. Union leaders who met last week unanimously passed a resolution saying that “a merger may be in the best interests of the Northwest pilots.” Delta Airlines is looking at possible combinations with Northwest and United Airlines. The AP report said that even tentative pilot approval of a merger is significant because pilots “are likely to be one of the biggest sticking points in any airline combination. Integrating the unionized pilots of two large airlines is difficult because they both want to hang onto their hard-won seniority and the pay and scheduling perks that go with it.”

[ POSTED JANUARY 22, 2008 ]

Airlines boost fuel surcharge

Airline fuel charges are increasing, reported Reuters from New York. American Airlines recently doubled its domestic fuel surcharge, to $40 per round-trip ticket, although it held back the fee in markets with competition from low-cost operators. Delta, United, and Continental matched the increase. The news service cited FareCompare.com reporting that Continental matched the increase and in some cases “levied different surcharges on many city pairs” depending on travel dates. FareCompare “also said that United and Continental raised fuel surcharges on some round-trip fares to as high as $60,” Reuters said.

[ POSTED JANUARY 22, 2008 ]

China carriers contemplate consolidation

Airline combinations and acquisition bids are bringing a flavor of free enterprise to China’s carriers, reported the Associated Press from Hong Kong. The parent of China's flag carrier, Air China Ltd., offered $1.9 billion for 30-percent ownership of rival China Eastern Airlines Corp. in what the AP called “the latest twist in an unusual public takeover battle between two Chinese state companies.” China Eastern doubted the sincerity of the CNAC offer, “because it was sent in a letter that did not have the endorsement of the company's directors, according to a statement issued late Sunday,” reported the AP. The report noted that China's aviation market is fast-growing but hindered “by the inefficiencies of its state-owned airlines.”

[ POSTED JANUARY 22, 2008 ]

Will Boeing lose sleep over Dreamliner?

Boeing’s recent announcement of an additional three-month delay rolling out its 787 Dreamliner may provoke a lawsuit from Japan Airlines. Reuters reported from Tokyo that JAL, which has ordered 35 Dreamliners, might seek compensation from Boeing for delays in delivery. “Of course, we will consider such an action,” JAL CEO Haruka Nishimatsu responded to a reporter’s inquiry. Nishimatsu said JAL had not yet determined the damage to its business, but was accountable to shareholders. The Dreamliner is the fastest-selling airliner in history, but delays have put the program about nine months behind schedule, the report said.

[ POSTED JANUARY 22, 2008 ]

Northwest chief hints at consolidation

Northwest Airlines’ chief executive said the company could benefit from the right kind of merger, according to a report by the Associated Press from Minneapolis. The statement came as the board of Delta Air Lines met to discuss that possibility. The AP said an internal memo to employees from Northwest Airlines chief Doug Steenland stated that his airline's board and leadership would carefully study any proposal. “The right transaction could be of benefit to our employees, our shareholders, and the communities we serve,” he said. Sources cited by the AP said that “Delta's board was expected to be asked to allow formal talks between Delta and Northwest and UAL Corp.'s United Airlines, with the idea that Delta would ultimately choose to combine with one of the two.”

[ POSTED JANUARY 15, 2008 ]

Controllers’ union questions staffing

An insufficient number of veteran air traffic controllers means that there is a “staffing emergency” eroding air and runway safety in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and Southern California, said the union representing the nation's 14,800 controllers in an article on CNN.com. “The whole system is going to hell in a handbag, and it doesn't seem that anybody cares,” Patrick Forrey, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told reporters in a conference call, predicting that overworked controllers would make mistakes. An FAA spokeswoman disagreed with the union’s assessment and described union statistics as “misleading.” The FAA planned for a recent surge in retirements, hiring 1,815 new air traffic controllers last year—more than projected, said spokeswoman Laura Brown.

[ POSTED JANUARY 15, 2008 ]

Mesa in ‘expedited’ talks

Mesa Air Group and its pilots have launched “expedited negotiations” for a new contract, the Air Line Pilots Association said in an Associated Press dispatch from Phoenix, Arizona. The union asked the regional carrier to “address pilot staffing and morale issues that it says have negatively impacted Mesa operations,” the report said. It added that upwards of 500 pilots left Mesa in 2007, which ALPA said caused delays and cancellations. Mesa employs about 1,800 pilots and is primarily a regional flight operator for Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and US Airways Group.

[ POSTED JANUARY 15, 2008 ]

Pact spawns new airline

First it was the name of a transcontinental air travel agreement. Now it will name a new airline. Business Week reported online that British Airways plans to launch a new airline flying between the United States and continental Europe. “By flying from the Continent to the U.S. without stopping over at London's crowded Heathrow airport, BA aims to claw back some of the business it may lose when American and European rivals add competing flights to Britain from the U.S.,” the report said. The new carrier, to be called OpenSkies, “takes its name from the treaty to liberalize air travel that will allow operators from either side of the Atlantic to fly anywhere within the EU and the U.S.,” pending regulators’ approval. The airline will provide service with a Boeing 757, with another to be added by year’s end.

[ POSTED JANUARY 15, 2008 ]

Continental receives Boeing 737-900

Continental Airlines has taken delivery of the airline's first 737-900 extended-range jet, according to a Boeing announcement. The model is expected to increase the airline's capacity and to improve fuel efficiency. The airline said it has 26 additional 737-900s on order from Boeing. The manufacturer said that Continental’s 737-900ER has a 173-seat configuration accommodating 20 first-class and 153 economy-class seats.

[ POSTED JANUARY 15, 2008 ]

Career view: airport management

Want to know what it’s like being a senior operating executive of one of the nation’s largest airports? Ever wonder what’s it like to deal with the competing interests of the major carriers that fly—or would like to fly—to and from that hub? “It's like having a bunch of children; every one of them is different and they all have different needs. As long as you can keep them all happy, you can have a pretty good operation,” says Joe Lopano in an interview with Aviation Week. Since 1997, Lopano has served as executive vice president for marketing and terminal management for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. There he oversees passenger and cargo network development, advertising, and marketing programs, among other duties. He has management experience from Lufthansa, Continental, and Pan Am airlines. Read the complete interview on the Aviation Week Web site.

[ POSTED JANUARY 15, 2008 ]

Delta AirElite adds Learjet 45

Delta AirElite, the business aircraft charter and management subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, announced that it has added a Learjet 45 to its fleet. In October, the company put two similar aircraft and a Cessna Citation to work, reported the Associated Press. Delta AirElite “has access to more than 400 business jets, mostly through charter agreements, according to its Web site,” said the AP dispatch.

[ POSTED JANUARY 8, 2008 ]

American pilots oppose seniority arbitration

The union representing pilots at American Airlines said it opposes a new law permitting the use of binding arbitration in seniority disputes when two carriers merge. The Allied Pilots Association said Congress should stay out of labor negotiations, reported the Associated Press from Dallas. The union has 12,000 pilot members at American. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Kit Bond (R-Mo.) proposed that employee seniority rosters be combined in a “fair and equitable manner” in future corporate combinations. Seniority disputes would enter binding arbitration after 20 days. The proposal was attached to a $555 billion spending bill signed by President Bush last month, the AP reported.

[ POSTED JANUARY 8, 2008 ]

Pilots to picket at NBA game

What do pro basketball and airline labor protests have in common? Usually not much—unless Champion Air, the airline that transports 13 National Basketball Association teams is involved. “On Tuesday, January 15, Champion pilots will be picketing the Wizards/Knicks game and you need to help them send their management team a message to stop crying ‘Foul’ and calling ‘Time Out,’” said a news release on the Air Line Pilots Association’s Web site. Champion’s pilots and management have negotiated since January 2005; a mediator joined the talks in September 2005. There have been no meetings since September 2007, but ALPA was instructed “to be ready to return to the bargaining table early in 2008,” the news release said.

[ POSTED JANUARY 8, 2008 ]

Airliner anti-missile tests planned

As many as three American Airlines aircraft will be equipped this spring with laser technology under development to protect airplanes from terrorists’ missiles, reported the Associated Press from Dallas. There will be no tests on passenger-carrying flights. “But the tests, which could involve more than 1,000 flights, will determine how well the technology holds up under the rigors of flight,” the AP reported.

[ POSTED JANUARY 8, 2008 ]

Airline execs rose from the ranks

Two executives who came up through the ranks in the airline business have been named to top management positions for operations on the East Coast by US Airways. Suzanne Boda, 48, “will have responsibilities for the airline’s hub at Philadelphia International Airport, Shuttle operations, international operations, and the airline’s cargo business,” the announcement said. Boda began her career in 1983 at Northwest Airlines in customer service at the airline’s Minneapolis hub, rising to vice president for in-flight services. Robert Ciminelli, 56, will serve in the newly created position of vice president, Philadelphia hub, with direct oversight of all operating functions. His career began in 1979 at American Airlines as an airport agent at LAX. He rose to managing director at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport.

[ POSTED JANUARY 8, 2008 ]

Pilot retirement age increased to 65

President George W. Bush signed a law December 13, 2007, making it legal for airline pilots to fly until age 65. This newly signed Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act requires that international crews abide by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards set in 2006 requiring at least one of the pilots to be less than 60 years old, but the legislation does not apply that restriction to domestic operations. The FAA had proposed the age change in January 2007, but legislation shortened the process. It’s unclear how many pilots will choose to continue their flying careers beyond age 60; pilots who turned 60 before the legislation was signed cannot return to work unless they return to the bottom of the seniority ladder. More information on the change can be found on the FAA’s Web site.

[ POSTED JANUARY 2, 2008 ]

DOT approves China routes

The Transportation Department has finalized the awarding of new China routes to four domestic airlines starting in 2009, reported the Associated Press from Washington. US Airways’ China service will begin with a flight between Philadelphia and Beijing. American Airlines, Continental Airlines, and Northwest Airlines each got approval to add a new daily flight to their existing service. The service additions were enabled by a July 2007 agreement between the two countries that will double the daily flights permitted between them over the next five years, the AP reported.

[ POSTED JANUARY 2, 2008 ]

US Airways recalls flight attendants

US Airways said it would recall more than 200 flight attendants effective February 15 in preparation for the busy summer travel season, and to fill slots expected to become vacant through retirement and attrition. Notices were being sent to eligible employees on a seniority basis among furloughed flight attendants. Since merging with America West in 2005, US Airways has recalled 330 flight attendants, said a company news release.

[ POSTED JANUARY 2, 2008 ]

MAXjet bankruptcy issues in court

A federal judge said newly bankrupt MAXjet Airways Inc. can use $390,000 to “accommodate” about 1,000 customers stranded by the airline's Christmas Eve bankruptcy filing, reported the Associated Press. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, issued interim approval of MAXjet's request to compensate other airlines for carrying its passengers, and to book hotel rooms for the affected travelers. The order also authorized credit-card company refunds to customers who had booked tickets on the airline. The airline operated flights from London's Stansted Airport to New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. It ceased operations “in the face of high fuel prices, fierce competition and its failure to raise new capital,” the AP reported.

[ POSTED JANUARY 2, 2008 ]

American Eagle could lose routes

A pilots' union is concerned that American Eagle might cut as many as 250 flights if AMR Corp. divests the commuter to satisfy requirements laid out by pilots of American Airlines, reported the Associated Press from Fort Worth. The Air Line Pilots Association, representing American Eagle pilots, said the cuts could target flights using Dallas Love Field, Kansas City, and San Jose, California, under a contract provision mandating that certain flights be flown “by carriers wholly owned by AMR.” The issue “is just another example of the lack of any strategic vision or coordination over the sale of this airline,” said a union spokesman. A company representative conceded that the contract with American’s pilots might affect the commuter airline’s schedule, but added that continuing negotiations could solve the problem.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Merger watchers focus on Alitalia

Airline consolidation has many industry watches’ eyes turned toward Europe, where Alitalia SpA's labor unions contemplated Christmas strikes unless included by the Italian government in talks about the struggling airline’s fate, reported the Associated Press from Rome. The Filt Cgil union said the action could even occur during a period when strikes are illegal. Unions wanted details of offers for Alitalia presented by groups including Air France-KLM and the small Italian carrier Air One. Alitalia's board delayed its choice of bidder until December 18 to negotiate merger terms. The government has a 49.9 percent stake in Alitalia, but reports said the Italian Cabinet is split on a choice, the AP said.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Pilot pensions head to court

A joint announcement by Northwest Airlines and the Air Line Pilots Association noted union support for the airline filing a federal lawsuit asking approval of a restructured pension plan for its pilots, said a news release on the Northwest Web site. The new pension plan, which was proposed by ALPA and endorsed by the company, “is designed to provide an equitable distribution of retirement income for the airline’s approximately 4,500 pilots,” it said. The plan is opposed by “some longer-serving pilots,” the announcement added, and for that reason Northwest petitioned the court to determine the plan’s legality, with the union holding status as an intervener through a motion to the court.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 18, 2007 ]

American announces new routes

American Airlines has launched new routes and service to domestic and Latin American destinations from South Florida. Passengers flying from Miami International Airport will find greater access to Colombian cities and the option to fly nonstop to Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Phoenix, Ariz.; Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla.; and Savannah, Ga. Fort Lauderdale departures will now fly to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic without requiring connections. The service expansion “demonstrates our strong commitment to sustained growth and progress in South Florida and Latin America,” said Peter Dolara, a Miami-based American Airlines senior vice president.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 18, 2007 ]

WhyBlue?

In an online article about the airline industry, BusinessWeek.com described as “a peculiar lifeline from across the Atlantic” the news that Deutsche Lufthansa was to become a minority shareholder of JetBlue Airways. The advantage for JetBlue was the “obvious” $300 million capital infusion at a time of financial squeeze. But the article quoted a Morgan Stanley analyst saying that “it's not clear to us what Lufthansa gains from such a transaction.” One motivation might be better access to JFK International Airport beyond what it has with its other partners. And the move comes at a time when JetBlue shares are down 50 percent from their 52-week high price, “making the investment far cheaper and more attractive,” the article noted.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Maintenance workers to be recalled, hired

American Airlines announced plans to recall or hire 200 to 250 maintenance employees in anticipation of increased workloads in 2008. Staffing levels will change at American's overhaul bases in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Fort Worth, Texas; and Kansas City, Missouri; and at line maintenance facilities across the airline's system, the announcement said. The round of hiring will help support increased work volume next year now that American has begun overhauling landing gear on its Boeing 777 and 737 fleets and on the American Eagle Embraer Regional Jet fleet. American “will also start heavy checks on the General Electric CFM56-7 engine, which powers its Boeing 737-800 fleet,” the news release said.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Careers for aviation educators

If finding a position in aviation education is your career goal, there are many ways to go about it. Universities, colleges, and flight training institutions are many, and most of them post job openings on their Web sites. Another, more concise approach to finding a position as a professor of aviation is to scrutinize professional opportunities posted on the web site of the University Aviation Association. UAA, based in Auburn, Alabama, describes itself as “The Voice of Collegiate Aviation Since 1947.” Among the goals in its mission statement is “to provide and nurture the linkage between college aviation education, the aviation industry, and government agencies.”

[ POSTED DECEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Pilots developing consolidation strategy

Unionized pilots at Delta Airlines are planning ahead for the impact of industry consolidation. The governing body of the Delta Air Lines pilots union met recently in Atlanta to discuss consolidation and union strategy, according to the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Also attending were outside legal counsel, investment bankers, and industry experts. “Consolidation is an ever-present possibility in the airline industry and at some point may become inevitable or even desirable,” the news release said. “After years of career threats including the 9/11 repercussions, concessions, bankruptcy, and an attempt to reject the pilot labor contract, a hasty and ill-conceived merger attempt would be disastrous.”

[ POSTED DECEMBER 11, 2007 ]

Pact seen triggering mergers, fare cuts

The Open Skies Agreement that will end four carriers’ route dominance of traffic between London’s Heathrow Airport and the United States is comparable to “a new battle of the Atlantic,” said an article on Barron’s Online. “A study prepared for the European Union by the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton suggests that the initiative will generate at least 26 million additional trans-Atlantic passengers annually within five years, a 50-percent increase over the current 50 million. That could help the global aviation industry continue increasing its earnings,” said the article, an extensive treatment of the pact’s implications. In the more competitive environment, it said, fares would likely fall 10 percent or more; the changes also could trigger a round of airline mergers in Europe.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 11, 2007 ]

Record passengers, record delays

U.S. airlines are on track to transport a record number of passengers this year, reported the Associated Press from Washington, citing a government agency study. Despite the industry’s well-publicized struggles with delays, more than 522 million passengers traveled on U.S. airlines the first eight months of 2007, reported the Transportation Department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. That was up 3.4 percent from the same period in 2006. Another record was the 81.2-percent-full domestic and international flights during the period. But “the industry's on-time performance in 2007 is the worst since comparable data began being collected in 1995. More than 24 percent of flights arrived late in the first nine months of 2007,” the report said.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 11, 2007 ]

Colgan to serve 9 new cities

United Airlines announced service to nine new East Coast cities from Washington-Dulles International Airport. Service between Dulles and Bradford, Penn.; Jamestown, N.Y.; and Parkersburg, W.Va. is to begin January 7, 2008. Service will begin a bit later from Altoona and Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Beckley, Clarksburg, and Morgantown, West Virginia; and Shenandoah Valley, Va. United Express regional partner Colgan Air will provide the service, using 34-seat Saab SF-340 aircraft.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 11, 2007 ]

Retrenchment at Frontier

Soaring fuel costs have forced Frontier Airlines to cut 100 “corporate employees” in Denver and target fleet reductions, reported the Denver Business Journal, citing company sources. Some $5 million in savings are expected from the workforce reduction, which did not include any pilots, flight attendants, or other employees who work directly with aircraft. Fleet size and future deliveries would be evaluated, said Frontier President Sean Menke. Frontier has a fleet of 60 Airbus 318, 319 and 320s. “The cost of jet fuel has climbed 18 percent since October,” Menke said.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 11, 2007 ]

AMR to divest American Eagle

AMR Corporation, parent of American Airlines, has announced plans to divest American Eagle, its wholly owned regional carrier. AMR said the divestiture “is intended to provide it with the structure, incentives, and opportunities to win new business and provide new opportunities for American Eagle's employees. AMR also believes that the divestiture will enable American to focus on its mainline business.” The two airlines would continue operating under “a mutually beneficial air services agreement.” The form of the divestiture could be “a spin-off to AMR shareholders, a sale to a third party, or some other form of separation.” The target time period for completion is 2008. American Eagle operates an estimated 300 aircraft, with approximately 1,700 daily flights to more than 150 cities in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Mexico. American Eagle is expected to generate $2.3 billion in revenue this year.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 4, 2007 ]

ALPA unit responds to divestiture news

American Eagle pilots union chairman Captain Herb Mark said Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) officials were awaiting a meeting with airline executives about the proposed divesture of American Eagle by American Airlines parent AMR Corp. “Any new ownership would be subject to our existing collective bargaining agreement, which contains protections for our pilots in the event of a sale or merger,” the statement said. “Regardless of who owns American Eagle, nothing is more important to ALPA than resolving the issues that have created strained labor relations between pilots and management. For several years pilots have been forced to fly more hours in a day because of understaffing. The staffing shortage has led to exhausting flight schedules, causing our pilots to sacrifice needed rest in order to meet the company’s bottom line.”

[ POSTED DECEMBER 4, 2007 ]

Airlines ‘proactive’ about first big storm

Winter weather woes have airlines lining up solutions before big storms hit this winter. United Airlines announced before last weekend’s Midwestern snowstorm that it would “proactively” cancel some flights and rebook customers on others. United also offered advice for customers traveling to, from, and through some Midwest hubs, waiving certain change fees as an incentive for travelers to reschedule their plans. Also reacting to the storm forecasts, Northwest Airlines issued temporary travel reaccommodation options for customers scheduled to travel the first weekend of December. Northwest customers could travel earlier or later than originally scheduled to, from, or through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan “without penalty or administrative change fees.”

[ POSTED DECEMBER 4, 2007 ]

DOT fights ‘chronic’ delays

A government crackdown on “chronically late” airline flights has paid off, reported MarketWatch from San Francisco. A news report said the Department of Transportation’s efforts to scrutinize certain flights “that almost always show up late” seemed to be effective, “with none of the 183 most chronically delayed flights in early 2007 earning those black marks in the third quarter.” A DOT spokesman said schedule adjustments by the airlines involved improved performance.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 4, 2007 ]

Continental offers greener ‘footprint’

Continental Airlines announced the launch of a carbon offsetting program developed in partnership with nonprofit Sustainable Travel International. The voluntary program “allows customers worldwide to view the carbon footprint of their booked itinerary, which Sustainable Travel International calculates from fuel consumption of Continental's aircraft,” the news item said. The carbon-offsetting option was in keeping with a company-wide commitment to environmental responsibility. The airline said it has achieved almost a 35-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption per mainline revenue passenger mile flown over the past 10 years.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 4, 2007 ]

Delta adds Atlanta-Lagos route

Delta Air Lines inaugurated the only flights by a major U.S. airline between the United States and Nigeria on December 3. The daily nonstop service links Atlanta and Lagos, Nigeria, which is one of Africa's major business centers. Delta, which is the only U.S. airline to fly to Africa, flies between Atlanta and Johannesburg, South Africa (via Dakar, Senegal), and between New York-JFK and Accra, Ghana, the report said. A JFK-Lagos flight schedule was planned for June 2008.

[ POSTED DECEMBER 4, 2007 ]

United seeking to merge?

Indications including an “extended pause” in fleet expansion continue to signal that United Airlines parent UAL Corp. is searching for a merger partner, reported Reuters from New York. But the report, based on an analysis in Business Week’s December 3 edition, said that rumored potential partner Delta Airlines might merge with Northwest—not United, as earlier speculation had suggested. Reuters said industry experts “believe that a Delta deal with Northwest Airlines is more likely than one with United, as the two companies belong to the same international alliance and have complimentary route structures.” One industry expert quoted in the report said that United did not work as hard as other airlines to alter its business model during the company’s bankruptcy following the economic downturn of 2001 and 2002. Now the company believes that “a merger is the road home.”

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 27, 2007 ]

Fuel costs drive holiday fares higher

US Airways Group Inc. increased prices by $5 on domestic tickets to offset fuel costs, reported the Associated Press from New York. The fare hike “is the latest in a series of fare increases the industry has attempted in recent months as oil prices have surged,” the report said. When the increase was announced, prices for crude oil were hitting new trading records and closing in on $100 a barrel. The AP report quoted Rick Seaney, chief executive of FareCompare.com, noting that US Airways is not typically the carrier to initiate fare increases. Also, he said ticket price changes are rare during the Thanksgiving travel season. He predicted that other airlines would begin to match the increase.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 27, 2007 ]

Northwest seeks pilots, interns

Northwest Airlines plans to hire 250 to 350 pilots over the next 12 months and is inviting applicants to submit online profiles, said a hiring notice on the fifth largest airline’s Web site. “Pilot candidates who meet our qualifications and prescreening criteria will receive an e-mail and will be invited to complete an online application,” the notice explained. Northwest also has a number of unpaid internships available at the company’s Operations Training Center in St. Paul, Minn. Designed for students pursuing careers as a commercial airline pilot, they are open to juniors and seniors majoring in aviation or aeronautical science; students must earn college credit for their internship. For more information on this and other internships see the Northwest Airlines Web site.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 27, 2007 ]

ASA pilots ratify contract

Pilots at Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines voted to ratify a new contract following five years of negotiations, said a new release on the Air Line Pilots Association Web site. ALPA said 83.45 percent of voting pilots favored the agreement. “Despite many obstacles over the past five years, our pilots persevered and achieved a contract that further secures their jobs and provides overdue increases to their compensation,” said Capt. Dave Nieuwenhuis, chairman of the ASA ALPA unit.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 27, 2007 ]

FAA says UND’s ATC program top

The University of North Dakota Air Traffic Control Training program was ranked number one in the nation by the Federal Aviation Administration, the university announced. The award followed an FAA evaluation of 33 schools participating in the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative. More than 300 students are enrolled in UND’s air traffic control degree program, which incorporates classroom instruction and three air traffic control simulators.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 27, 2007 ]

Denver deicers undergo retraining

Some workers assigned to deice aircraft for many airlines at Denver International Airport must be retrained. A television station showed footage “of an instructor giving some applicants the answers to required written exams,” reported the Associated Press. A contractor serving airlines that account for about half of Denver’s traffic employed the trainer. An undercover employee of KCNC-TV in Denver applied for a deicing post, then secretly recorded some training. “The video showed an instructor giving applicants the answers to multiple-choice and written test questions, as well as telling them how to spell the word ‘hail’ and where to put commas,” the report said. An executive of the contractor said the instructor was fired after an internal investigation.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 27, 2007 ]

Delta bizjet subsidiary named ‘best’

Delta Airlines’ business jet subsidiary Delta AirElite Business Jets was named Best Private Jet Service by Executive Travel Magazine readers. The magazine’s Leading Edge Awards, published in October, honor travel industry leaders and innovators. Delta AirElite Business Jets provides aircraft charter, aircraft management, and a fleet membership program. The 23-year-old enterprise is the only business jet operator owned by a major U.S. airline. The company flies Bombardier Challenger, Learjet, Gulfstream, Hawker, and Cessna aircraft.

[ POSTED ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007 ]

Emirates academy taps Cirrus, Eclipse

Dubai Aerospace Enterprises Flight Academy has purchased two SR22 aircraft from Cirrus Design Corporation of Duluth, Minnesota, accepting delivery at the Dubai Airshow. They will be used for “curriculum development and instructor standardization training,” Cirrus said. DAE Flight Academy also ordered 12 Eclipse 500 jets, marking Eclipse's entry into the ab initio flight training market, said a company news release. Delivery is scheduled to begin next year. The company said the aircraft is “ideal for the new ICAO multi crew pilot license (MPL) and a great tool to prepare for the airline training.” The academy uses technically advanced aircraft to train zero-time pilots.

[ POSTED ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007 ]

Investors push Delta-United combination

Large investors are pressing for a merger of Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. The Associated Press reported from New York that a hedge fund which advocates a combining of the two airlines has taken its case to major shareholders of the two companies in search of support. That presentation was led by former Continental Airlines CEO Gordon Bethune, who is an adviser to hedge fund Pardus Capital Management LP. The agenda “included talks on how to save the U.S. airline business but the focus was on consolidating the Atlanta-based Delta and the Chicago-based United.” The AP reported. Pardus holds about 2.5 percent of Delta's shares and about 4.8 percent of United’s, it said.

[ POSTED ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007 ]

ALPA may face ouster vote

Some dissatisfied US Airways pilots have moved forward with plans to replace their union in contract talks with the carrier. The company wants to put all pilots on a single salary and benefits agreement, reported the Associated Press from Phoenix, Arizona. The new US Airline Pilots Association said it has asked the National Mediation Board to call a representation election. A successful vote would oust the Air Line Pilots Association International. USAPA President Stephen Bradford said more than 3,000 signatures out of about 5,300 of the airline’s pilots have been gathered—enough under federal rules to call a vote and win collective-bargaining rights, Bradford said. ALPA urged pilots to stick with them, reported the AP. The airline is struggling to combine its labor force after America West Airlines acquired US Airways in 2005.

[ POSTED ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007 ]

Retirement-age language passes

By a vote of 270 to 17, the U.S. House passed the Transportation Appropriations conference report that includes language to raise the upper age limit for airline pilots to 65, said a news release on the Air Line Pilots Association Web site. The language “is consistent with ALPA’s Executive Board resolution adopted on May 23” on how such a change should be brought about. The news release expressed optimism that the Senate would pass the appropriations bill conference report promptly. However, a veto threat looms because the appropriations bill “is $3 billion more than the administration requested,” ALPA said.

[ POSTED ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007 ]

Grounding of airliners considered

The rising cost of fuel has led airlines to consider steps such as grounding aircraft, Reuters reported from Washington. The news service said United Airlines might ground up to 100 airliners to save money on fuel. Other carriers are thinking about similar moves, the report said, citing an industry source. United’s chief financial officer, Jake Brace, recently told investors, “We have a lot of flexibility in our fleet in that we have a little over 100 unencumbered aircraft that we could ground, sell, whatever we needed to if the demand environment were such that it didn't make sense to fly those planes.”

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 13, 2007 ]

UPS hiring window closing Nov. 15

The United Parcel Service hiring window was to close Nov.15, 2007, but may reopen in January 2008, depending on the airline’s hiring needs, reported AIR Inc., the Atlanta-based pilot career information firm. Minimum qualifications include 1,500 hours fixed-wing time; 1,000 hours pilot in command of a fixed-wing turbine aircraft; and an ATP certificate or commercial/instrument/multiengine. Experience flying large jets internationally is preferred.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 13, 2007 ]

Probe demanded after underfueling report

Have air carriers “underfueled” aircraft as a cost-saving measure in the high-priced fuel environment? New Jersey’s two U.S. senators called for investigation of that after a New York City TV station’s news report. Reuters said senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez sought investigations into a report that “more planes over a six-month period this year landed at Newark Airport with minimum fuel than in a similar time frame two years ago. In some cases this year, pilots declared fuel emergencies for immediate clearance to land.” Menendez requested that the FAA investigate and issue interim reserve-fuel guidelines that increase the margin for error. FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said, “We don't have any indication right now that airlines are flying planes with less than the required amount of fuel.”

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 13, 2007 ]

Continental’s diversity program praised

Continental Airlines was among 16 companies featured in Latin Business magazine's Corporate Diversity Honor Roll for the second consecutive year. The listings were published in the magazine's Summer/Fall 2007 issue. The companies were praised for their “well above average” employee diversity programs. “We are very pleased that our diversity efforts are being recognized and applauded,” said Pete Garcia, Continental vice president for Latin America. “We embrace and reflect diversity in everything we do, from our workforce to our supplier base, from customer programs to community outreach.” Approximately 17.52 percent of Continental's workforce is of Hispanic descent, and Hispanics occupy many top-level positions at the company, the news release said.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 13, 2007 ]

Union pay plan rebuffed

American Airlines rejected a pilots' union pay-raise proposal on grounds it would cost the company more than $1.4 billion annually, the Associated Press reported from Hurst, Texas. On another labor front, American took on the Transport Workers Union. TWU Vice President Dennis Burchette said members want pay raises next year “that will fully make up for pay cuts they took in 2003, when the company was near bankruptcy,” the AP reported. The pay reductions averaged nearly 18 percent in 2003. Annual raises since then have been 1.5 percent. TWU represents seven worker groups, mostly baggage handlers and mechanics.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 13, 2007 ]

Northwest eyes Vietnam

Northwest Airlines, participating in a first-ever U.S. trade mission to Vietnam, says the airline says it is ready to begin new service via Tokyo as soon as government restrictions are eased. “Northwest wants to participate in the development of this exciting new market and bring the benefits of a new U.S. carrier—and the NWA network—to Vietnam,” said Fred Deschamps, Northwest’s vice president for international marketing and sales. The airline said Vietnam first needs to ease restrictions on U.S. carrier service via Japan.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 13, 2007 ]

ALPA lauds NTSB focus on fatigue

The National Transportation Safety Board’s Most Wanted Transportation Safety Improvements were praised by the Air Line Pilots Association. “NTSB’s decision to again name worker fatigue among its Most Wanted Transportation Safety Improvements reflects both the seriousness of the threat and the slow pace of action to address it. Today’s federal aviation flight- and duty-time limits are an outdated patchwork of rules developed decades ago. The regulations fail to take into account current science, flight schedules, aircraft equipment, and travel distances,” said Capt. Terry McVenes, ALPA’s executive air safety chairman. ALPA would “urge the FAA to pursue realistic, science-based flight- and duty-time limits that make certain that airline pilots in both passenger and cargo operations are rested and ready to perform their jobs,” McVenes said.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 13, 2007 ]

American, Eagle pilots reach agreement

Pilots at American Eagle and American Airlines reached a tentative agreement with their respective managements that settle three outstanding disputes over the parties’ flow-through/flow-back agreement. The agreement will allow a significant number of American Eagle pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, to move to American Airlines. Before that can happen, however, furloughed American Airlines pilots—represented by the Allied Pilots Association—must be recalled to American Airlines. “We believe that if we can create a joint interest centered on career progression and a strong relationship with our mainline, we will be best positioned to address the existing disparity between mainline and regional pilot scope interests,” said Herb Mark, master executive chairman of the Eagle pilot group. The agreement will facilitate pilot recruitment at American Eagle by providing guaranteed movement in the pilot seniority list, bonus programs, and incentives for pilot retention. According to its Web site, American Eagle flight officer candidates currently must have 500 hours’ total time and 100 hours’ multiengine time.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 6, 2007 ]

New era seen for Stewart Airport

Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York, could take on new importance to metro-New York City air travel. The Associated Press reported that the airport was taken over by Port Authority officials “who promised to remake the underutilized Hudson Valley airport into a bustling hub for New York City-area travelers.” With the major area airports confronting capacity and delay problems, officials in New York and New Jersey see Stewart as a potential source of relief. Stewart is about 60 miles north of New York City. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will spend $78.5 million to assume a lease to operate the former Air Force base through 2099, the AP reported.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 6, 2007 ]

Airbus delays taking financial toll

Airbus parent EADS (European Aeronautics Defense & Space Co.) announced that delivery delays of its A400M military aircraft could cost up to $2 billion. That led the company to abandon its full-year profit guidance to the financial community and announce that it would issue a revised forecast when third-quarter earnings are released, reported the Associated Press from Paris. But a company statement warned that additional delays are possible. Analysts compared the announcement to recent schedule troubles with the superjumbo A380; the first of which was delivered to Singapore Airlines nearly two years late.

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 6, 2007 ]

American, Delta increase fares

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines raised round-trip fares on flights within the continental United States by $20 to offset the cost of jet fuel, reported Reuters from Chicago. The increase came after other carriers raised fares in recent weeks, as the price of crude oil was setting new records. “Just since August, average spot market crude oil prices have risen by nearly $14 a barrel,” American parent AMR Corp. said. “That increase translates into more than $1 billion of additional annual expense (for) American.”

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 6, 2007 ]

FAA: Worst incursions down

The Federal Aviation Administration says it exceeded its goal for reducing the most serious runway incursions by 25 percent in fiscal year 2007. The FAA made the announcement in a news release on its Web site. “There were 24 serious runway incursions this past year out of more than 61 million operations, or one incursion for every 2,545,000 operations, improving on the agency’s goal of no more than one incursion for every two million surface movements,” the announcement said. “The agency’s focus on better training, clearer signs, and new procedures has made our runways safer,” said Hank Krakowski, chief operating officer for the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. Long term, the FAA will seek technological solutions including “cockpit warning systems and deployment of runway status lights in conjunction with ASDE-X, a safety tool that enables air traffic controllers to detect potential runway conflicts by providing detailed coverage of movement on runways and taxiways.”

[ POSTED NOVEMBER 6, 2007 ]

Capping JFK flights an 'admission of failure'

Federal dictates to either reduce flights or boost peak-period landing fees for airlines as a means of reducing delays would be an admission of failure for both the government and the industry, a Boeing Company executive said. The comments about so-called congestion pricing—by Scott Carson, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes—were reported by The Associated Press. Federal aviation regulators recently held a two-day meeting focused on addressing "epidemic" delays at JFK, which had "the worst on-time departure record of any major U.S. airport through August," the AP reported. The current government proposal to fix delays seeks a reduction of the airport's hourly flight limit by 20 percent.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 30, 2007 ]

Mesa becomes partner in new China airline

Joint venture carrier Kunpeng Airlines has begun operating in China's Shaanxi Province, reported Reuters from Beijing. The airline is a venture between China's Shenzhen Airlines Ltd. and U.S.-based Mesa Air Group Inc. and marks the first such venture by a U.S. carrier in the expanding Chinese market. Rapid expansion is planned before next year's Beijing Olympics. The airline "gives Mesa a foothold in one of the world's fastest-growing economies at a time when expansion for regional carriers in the United States is slowing," the report said. The new airline, whose controlling stake is held by the Chinese partner, uses three 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 jets. The report said the airline plans to expand to six aircraft by the year's end, with a 20-aircraft fleet to be in operation before the August 2008 Olympic Games.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 30, 2007 ]

ExpressJet trimming routes

Regional airline ExpressJet will halt service between Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Louisville International Airport on December 1, said a report in the Triangle Business Journal. RDU spokeswoman Mindy Hamlin cited the airline's complete exit from Louisville. Houston-based ExpressJet is a regional carrier for Continental Airlines that has begun flying passengers under its own brand on regional routes, using 50-seat jets. The report said ExpressJet would continue flying to six destinations from Raleigh-Durham.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 30, 2007 ]

Air France strike impact worse than expected

Air France flights were disrupted because of several days of strikes by flight attendants, the Associated Press reported from Paris, but officials hoped for improvements this week. Flight attendants were striking over pay and working conditions, but negotiations were expected to resume. The labor action, during a holiday period in France, "proved more disruptive than the company had initially projected, with fallout from domestic delays affecting long-haul flights and international connections as well," the AP reported.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 30, 2007 ]

NWA boasts 'best' margin

Northwest Airlines Corp. reported third quarter pre-tax profits of $405 million, said a news announcement on Business Wire—a 57-percent improvement over the third quarter of 2006, exclusive of reorganization items. For the nine months of 2007 so far, Northwest reported $778 million in pre-tax profits, or a 153-percent improvement over the equivalent period in 2006. Doug Steenland, president and CEO, was quoted as stating that the company's third quarter pre-tax margin "was 12 percent, the highest among U.S. network carriers."

[ POSTED OCTOBER 30, 2007 ]

FAA expands air traffic education program

The pool of air traffic controller candidates could soon increase significantly. Nine more colleges and universities have been selected by the FAA to train future controllers, the agency said in a news release—making a total of 23 schools that participate in the agency's Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) program. "Of the 1,815 new controllers hired in fiscal year 2007—a number exceeding the target set in the agency's controller workforce plan—approximately 800 were graduates of CTI schools," the announcement said. Graduation does not guarantee a ticket to the FAA Academy, but students accepted may skip the initial five-week basic training in air traffic control. Starting pay for new air traffic controllers is higher than for most entry-level pilot jobs.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 30, 2007 ]

ALPA officials testify at Canadian inquiry

Security screening methods ignore the trustworthiness of pilots and focus "on a search for objects," said Capt. Craig Hall, the Air Line Pilots Association's national security committee director for Canada. His comments came in testimony before a Canadian government inquiry to evaluate airline security improvements since the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight that killed more than 300 people. "Unless and until the system becomes more human-centered, rather than weapon-centered, we will remain vulnerable to potential hijackings and other aircraft attacks," he said, according to a news release on the ALPA Web site.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 30, 2007 ]

Southwest, Continental had profitable summers

Summer vacation was a happy time at Southwest Airlines and Continental Airlines. Both reported record passenger loads and higher profits despite rising fuel prices, reported the Associated Press Southwest reported third-quarter profit more than triple those a year ago. Continental’s higher earnings stemmed from heavy volume on international routes. Although recent fare hikes by some airlines do not seem to be deterring travel, a threat does loom. “Long term, the big concern is the economy, but right now fuel is the monkey on their backs,” Ray Neidl, an analyst for Calyon Securities, told the AP. “The airlines would be producing spectacular results if oil weren't at $90.”

[ POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2007 ]

ERAU career expo open to public

More than 100 employers in aviation/aerospace, engineering, and high-tech industries will meet with job hunters at the 2007 Industry/Career Expo at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The free event, open to the public, will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on November 7 and 8 in the university’s ICI Center at 600 S. Clyde Morris Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Airlines represented will include Air Wisconsin, American Eagle, ATA Airlines, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, and World Airways. See the university’s Web site for more information.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2007 ]

AIR Inc. sets Atlanta job fair Nov. 17

AIR Inc., the Atlanta-based pilot career information resource firm, will hold its last job fair of 2007 in Atlanta on November 17. AirTran, Jet Blue, Southwest, Cathay Pacific, and Emirates will be among the more than 20 airlines and companies recruiting pilots. For job fair information, see the Web site.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2007 ]

Independent service costly for regional

Trying to launch its own brand-name service, one regional carrier is finding out about market risk. Reuters reported from New York that ExpressJet Holdings Inc. registered a second consecutive quarterly loss from bearing the cost burden of starting up its own scheduled service. ExpressJet, which operates regional flights for Continental Airlines, began flights under its own brand in April—but reported a net loss of $22.3 million compared to previous-year profit of $22.7 million. ExpressJet had to find new uses for 69 aircraft, roughly 25 percent of its fleet, “after Continental canceled a capacity purchase agreement last year,” said Reuters. Its largest undertaking was its own scheduled service with about 42 aircraft, linking cities such as Oklahoma City and San Diego.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2007 ]

NetJets boosts pilot pay

Fractional-share aircraft operator NetJets has added an addendum to its current pilot contract that increases pay rates and establishes 100 new domiciles, reported AIR Inc., the Atlanta-based pilot career information resource firm. The addendum includes the following salaries:

• 1st year FO: $56,875/year (7 day on/7 day off schedule)
• 5th year CPT: $100,408/year (7 day on/7 day off schedule)
• 1st year FO: $62,563/year (15 day flexible schedule)
• 5th year CPT: $110,449/year (15 day flexible schedule)
• 1st year FO: $69,188/year (18 day fixed schedule)
• 5th year CPT: $122,147/year (18 day fixed schedule)

Pilots are to vote on the addendum October 29. If passed, the current contract will run through 2012.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2007 ]

American to add Chicago-Moscow route

American Airlines will begin nonstop service from Chicago O'Hare to Moscow's Domodedovo International Airport on June 2, 2008, said an announcement on PRNewswire-FirstCall. Moscow will be the fifth major international destination added by American from O'Hare since November 2005, when nonstop service to Delhi, India, began. In April 2006 a daily nonstop flight to Shanghai, China, was initiated. Flights to Buenos Aires and Beijing will be added in December 2007 and March 2009, respectively. American plans to fly the Chicago-Moscow route six days a week, using 225-seat, two-class Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2007 ]

Continental ground crews consider union

The Transport Workers Union has filed union-authorization cards with the National Mediation Board seeking an organization vote by about 8,000 Continental Airlines ground employees, reported the Associated Press from Houston. The workers load bags, handle freight, and do other ground tasks. A previous effort by the union to become the workers' bargaining agent was narrowly defeated last year. Union President James C. Little said the Continental workers’ pay was cut about 10 percent in 2005. Unlike the airline's union employees, they received no written guarantee that the cuts would be undone when the company resumed profitability, the AP reported. Continental recently reported earnings of $241 million for the three months ended September 30.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 23, 2007 ]

New York panel eyes 'congestion pricing'

A federal task force convened by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters in September is pondering how to open the bottleneck of New York's congested airspace, with special focus on curing chronic delays at the three major area airports. Otherwise, said an Associated Press report from New York, the answer may lie in a federal order to cut the number of allowed flights. The discussion has raised the idea of "congestion pricing," creating financial disincentives for scheduling flights during the busiest times of day. But the report said airlines are pushing for better airspace management instead. "For decades, jetliners traveling over the dense Eastern Seaboard have been directed to use a small number of old flight paths, some laid out in the days when pilots still navigated by signal fires," the report said. President Bush has asked the task force to report back by December.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 16, 2007 ]

United, Tam announce code share pact

United Airlines and Tam SA of Brazil have announced a code-sharing agreement allowing passengers to book service on both airlines and also apply frequent-flier miles toward either carrier. Tam operates from the Brazilian cities of Sao Paolo and Rio de Janiero to Chicago and Washington, D.C. When passengers arrive in the States they can connect to United flights for 35 cities including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle; the connecting flight can be booked at the same time as the overseas flight. The agreement is pending approval by oversight agencies in both countries, the Associated Press reported.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 16, 2007 ]

American pilots' union seeks benefits restoration

A pilots' union wants American Airlines parent AMR Corp. to restore benefits yielded during leaner times, reported Forbes.com. A news report cited a "scathing letter" to AMR Chief Executive Officer Gerald Arpey from Allied Pilots Association President Lloyd Hill, who "reiterated the union's frustrations with recent executive stock bonuses—$250 million worth over the last two years"—and accused executives at the parent company of American Airlines of withholding sick pay from disabled employees. The September 18 letter containing a strike threat was only recently made public in a Fort Worth Star-Telegram report. Reportedly the letter told Arpey, "Enjoy your blood money and your union-busting meetings. We'll see you in court, in the newspapers, and on the picket line." An airline spokeswoman described the communication as "a common thing you encounter during contract negotiations."

[ POSTED OCTOBER 16, 2007 ]

EU says yes to open skies, no to ownership limits

The European Parliament has backed an aviation agreement between the European Union and the United States to open up trans-Atlantic routes, reported the Associated Press from Brussels. But the EU remained concerned about U.S. limits on foreign ownership of airlines. The so-called open skies agreement allows airlines to fly from anywhere in the EU to any destination in the United States effective next March 30. "European negotiators now want to push on with new talks to eliminate remaining barriers on airline ownership and limits to routes EU airlines can fly in the United States," the AP reported. At present only four airlines—British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, and United Airlines—have the right to fly from Heathrow to the United States, a route accounts for about a third of all EU flights to the United States, the report said.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 16, 2007 ]

Airbus optimistic about A380

Airbus could sell upwards of 800 A380 superjumbos over the next 20 years, said sales chief John Leahy in an interview with Reuters TV. The European planemaker is set to deliver the first 555-seat airliner to Singapore Airlines following delays "that plunged it into losses and led to a restructuring plan that will see plant sales and 10,000 job cuts," Reuters reported. "I didn't think some of these leading airlines would stay with us through two years of delays on the A380, with five different CEOs and a battle between France and Germany over the governance of the company. They have," Leahy said.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 16, 2007 ]

Airline flight delays continue

Nearly 30 percent of airline flights were delayed in August, according to government data. The news came less than a week after President Bush promised to help address the problem, reported the Associated Press. The nation's 20 top carriers reported on-time arrivals of 71.1 percent in August, down from 75.8 percent a year ago, according to the Transportation Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. "Through August, more than 25 percent of flights have arrived late—the industry's worst on-time performance" since the collection of comparable data began in 1995. "August's on-time performance was the second worst on record for that month, topped only by a 70-percent arrival rate in 2000," the news report said. Aloha Airlines boasted the best on-time arrival rate of 97 percent. Atlantic Southeast Airlines had the lowest on-time arrivals: 55 percent.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 9, 2007 ]

Continental looking to China, India

Continental Airlines will add destinations in booming India and China, tapping their booming economies to boost the carrier's international revenues, a top company official said to Reuters. Continental recently began a nonstop New York-Mumbai service and plans to add more Indian cities on taking delivery of its Boeing 787s, said James Summerford, vice president of European, Middle East, and Indian operations. "The two places to be in today are China and India," he added. Continental launched New Delhi-New York flights in 2005.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 9, 2007 ]

Talks between American, mechanics interrupted

American Airlines and one of its labor unions discontinued talks on extending a contract for mechanics and other ground workers. Now the airline and the Transport Workers Union will attack the task of negotiating an entirely new contract, reported the Associated Press from Forth Worth, Texas. The change was seen as a setback for American's hopes of buying an interval of labor peace with ground workers that would allow it to focus on negotiations with pilots and flight attendants. American is in early-stage talks with pilots and plans to begin negotiations with flight attendants in late 2007 or early 2008.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 9, 2007 ]

Delta sees record traffic

Delta Air Lines Inc. said overseas travel drove traffic and capacity gains in September. Occupancy reached a record for the month, the Associated Press reported from Atlanta. The airline's traffic rose 7.8 percent to 9.79 billion revenue passenger miles, from 9.08 billion during the year-ago period. A 14.1-percent surge in international traffic and 4.7-percent growth in domestic movement contributed to the result. "Overall occupancy rose to a record 77.6 percent of seats filled in September from 74.6 percent last year—driven by mainline, domestic, and Latin America gains," the report said. Pacific flights were the only category in decline. Capacity increased 2.1 percent.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 9, 2007 ]

ASA, pilots reach tentative agreement

Following five years of talks, pilots at Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) represented by the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) reached a deal with management. The tentative agreement was to be finalized and considered by the pilots' union leadership before being sent out to the pilots at large for final ratification, said a news release on the ALPA Web site. The proposed contract "reflects moderate increases in pilot pay, as well as enhancements in pilot scheduling, work rules, and job protections," the news release said. The agreement followed three days of "intense" negotiations. An overview of the agreement may be seen at the ASA pilots' public website.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 9, 2007 ]

Winter ops could be safer, ALPA says

Despite aviation's many technological gains, there is still no "reliable and repeatable way" to measure conditions of a runway in winter, said Capt. Terry McVenes, executive air safety chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association. His comments came following a recent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) session on a runway overrun at Chicago's Midway Airport involving Southwest Airlines. "Winter is not far away, and snow, ice, and slush will soon pose safety hazards at airports across our nation," he said in a news release. "Pilots need to know the condition of runways in terms that mean the same thing to every pilot. Incredibly, we don't yet have a reliable and repeatable way to measure the condition of a runway, especially in dangerous circumstances such as standing water, slush, and wet snow." Describing pilot braking reports as "subjective," he said airline crews need "performance data based on actual flight tests to know how our aircraft will stop in all runway conditions." He also encouraged the FAA's effort to upgrade many airport runway safety areas.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 9, 2007 ]

Congress wants fix for delays

The fallout from last winter's episodes that saw airline passengers kept aboard ground-bound flights continues to settle on the legislative scene. The Associated Press reported that commercial airlines are opposing an official recommendation put forth at a Congressional hearing that the industry set mandatory time limits for removing passengers from delayed aircraft. The Transportation Department's inspector general recommended that airlines develop a definition of "extended delays," set a time limit for deplaning passengers, and publicize the policies. The Air Transport Association countered that imposing deadlines "would do more harm than good after a summer of record-setting delays," the AP reported.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 2, 2007 ]

Regionals emerging under own brands

Some of the 40-plus regional airlines belonging to the Regional Airline Association have undertaken an expansion strategy that stresses flying under their own names, not just under the flags of other airlines, reported the Associated Press in a news item on the CNNMoney Web site. "Passengers might not know, for example, that a plane sporting Continental Express livery in fact is part of ExpressJet's fleet. ExpressJet now has an ambitious plan to take its own brand to 24 cities while it continues to fly for other airlines," the report said. It cited Roger Cohen, head of the Regional Airline Association, as terming that business model a "bellwether" for the industry. Mesa Air Group's inter-island service in Hawaii and a venture with a Chinese carrier, forming a Beijing-based regional, were other examples of the trend cited in the report.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 2, 2007 ]

Russia to build regional jet

Russia plans to sell at least 1,000 of its new Superjet regional civilian airliner, and says that 70 percent are bound for export. The manufacturer, Sukhoi, set a target that exceeds the number of comparable models on backlog with the Canadian and Brazilian companies that dominate the market for airliners with less than 100 seats, reported Reuters. So far Sukhoi has sold 73 Superjets for delivery starting in 2008. United States and European certification are to be sought next year.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 2, 2007 ]

Startup Virgin launches 4th route

Startup airline Virgin America has launched its fourth route, flying between Washington and San Francisco. It plans to add flights between the capital and Los Angeles next month, reported the Associated Press. Virgin is running twice-daily flights between Washington Dulles International and San Francisco International at introductory fares. US Airways Group Inc. and United Airlines also fly nonstop between Washington and San Francisco, while several carriers make the run to Los Angeles. British billionaire Richard Branson's new airline now offers service between New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. A San Francisco-Las Vegas route was to offer service beginning Oct. 10.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 2, 2007 ]

Latin America could need 1,730 airplanes

China isn't the only engine driving growth in aircraft production—a career pilot watching industry trends should keep an eye turned southward as well. Latin American airlines will need 1,730 new airplanes worth $120 billion in the next 20 years, according to Boeing forecasts. At a Rio de Janeiro conference, Boeing officials predicted that air traffic in Latin America "will grow at a 6.8-percent rate in the future, above the world's average of 5-percent growth and second only to China's 8.8-percent growth forecast for the same time," reported the Puget Sounds Business Journal. Most of the planes will be single-aisle aircraft seating 90 or more, the report said.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 2, 2007 ]

Pilots union backs bankruptcy-law fix

Capt. John Prater, Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) president, joined other union leaders and members of Congress to announce legislation aimed at changing bankruptcy laws "that helped airline managements strip workers of their hard-earned pensions, salaries, and work rules following the events of 9/11." The ALPA leader said in a statement that "managements and bankruptcy judges used the law to force America's workers to give too much after terrorists attacked this nation on that dark day in September. But now that the emergency is over, it's time to fix the bankruptcy code, and this bill is a good first step." Prater said that since 2001 pilots have "given more than $30 billion in concessions, sacrificing an enormous amount to save our airlines and our jobs." The bill promotes "economic fairness," through shared sacrifice by all company stakeholders, he said.

[ POSTED OCTOBER 2, 2007 ]

DOT gives tentative OK for NWA Detroit-Shanghai flights

The Department of Transportation notified Northwest Airlines that its bid to provide nonstop service between Detroit and Shanghai has been tentatively approved effective March 25, 2009, said a news release on the carrier's Web site. Northwest plans to use Boeing 787s for the new service, which it said will "usher in a new era of customer comfort and convenience. The 787 will be one of the most environmentally-friendly commercial planes in the sky."

[ POSTED OCTOBER 2, 2007 ]

Hiring minimums continue to drop

The minimum flight-hour requirements keep falling at national and regional airlines, reported AIR Inc., the Atlanta-based pilot career information resource firm. Some operators are willing to consider pilots with as little as 250 hours total time, or with 250 hours of multiengine experience. "Other airlines are offering signing or training completion bonuses as high as $5,000. Other airlines are providing employee pilot referral incentives as high as $1,000 per pilot," said the company in a monthly employment summary.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 ]

B-737 captain named to FAA post

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced that Henry P. Krakowski, a Boeing 737 captain and United Airlines vice president of flight operations, has been named chief operating officer of the FAA's air traffic organization. "As COO, Krakowski will oversee the operational and financial performance of the air traffic control system and the FAA's research and acquisition programs," said an FAA news release. Krakowski, who holds a master's degree in business and management from National-Louis University and a bachelor's degree in aircraft maintenance engineering from St. Louis University, is to start his new job on Oct. 1.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 ]

Boeing raises China forecast

Tracking growth in airliner sales will continue to mean keeping your eye on Asia. Boeing estimates that China will require 3,400 new airplanes over the next 20 years, at a price tag of $340 billion, reported Reuters from Hong Kong. Previously, Boeing had forecast that China would need 2,900 airplanes during the period. Single-aisle jets would account for 64 percent of the new demand. "China domestic frequencies have increased more than sixteen-fold since 1990, while airplane sizes have remained about the same," Reuters quoted Randy Tinseth, Boeing's commercial airplanes vice president for marketing, as saying from Beijing. The company expects China to remain its top non-U.S. market for the next 20 years, with one in 10 planes it builds to go to mainland China.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 ]

Majors see payroll growth

Delta, US Airways, and Continental Airlines Inc. were the leaders among major carriers in July payroll expansion, reported MarketWatch—reversing a four-year trend of industry job-rank reductions. Staffing increases among major carriers "follow sharp contractions from July 2003 to July 2007, as carriers laid off workers and didn't refill positions. Delta Airlines' payrolls shrank 17 percent in the July 2003 to 2007 period, alongside a 23-percent drop in employment at US Airways and a 25-percent drop in employment at Northwest Airlines Corp." the report said, adding that "in the second quarter, U.S. airlines posted their highest operating profit margin since 2000, according to government statistics."

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 ]

British Airways modifies U.S. service

British Airways in the spring plans to cut trans-Atlantic service to Detroit while adding service to four other U.S. cities, the Associated Press reported. The changes coincide with the March 30 date for the open skies agreement between the United States and the European Union, which allows European airlines to fly between any EU and U.S. city. A daily Detroit route, which operated for more than 50 years, will be discontinued as not profitable; the decision was seen as tied to declining U.S. auto industry prospects. London-bound flights from Dallas and Houston will land at Heathrow Airport rather than Gatwick. British Airways will add 10 new flights weekly between Heathrow and New York, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. It will also increase from seven to 10 the flights each week between Gatwick and Orlando, AP reported.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 ]

New cargo airline planned

Deutsche Lufthansa of Germany and logistics group Deutsche Post will launch a joint cargo carrier in April 2009, reported Reuters. The carrier will concentrate on shipments to and from Asia, and will operate a fleet of 11 leased new Boeing 777-200LRF aircraft, due for delivery beginning in February 2009. Lufthansa Cargo and Post's DHL Express parcel delivery division will own the airline. Destinations will include Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, Bombay, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, Nagoya, Chicago, and New York. The two airlines have operated a network between Europe, Asia, and the United States since 2004, the report said.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 ]

Air Inc: Jobs up, furloughs down

Air Inc., the Atlanta-based pilot career information resource firm, reported in its latest hiring summary that "the number of national airlines hiring last month doubled from that of August '06 (13 in '06 to 27 in August of '07), as did the number of pilots receiving jobs (226 in August of '06 to 577 last month)." Major carriers are also in a hiring mood. Last year only seven of the 15 carriers hired pilots in August; that improved to 11 hiring in August 2007. More good news: Pilot furloughs continued to decrease from 8,254 in August 2006 to 3,543 in August 2007. Air Inc. now predicts that upwards of 12,000 new pilot jobs will be created in 2007.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Job seminar set Sept 22 in D.C.

Many major airlines, national airlines, and other aircraft operators will be seeking new-hire pilot prospects at the Air, Inc. job fair on Sept. 22 in Washington, D.C. At the job fair, pilot job seekers will have the chance to meet recruiters, pick up applications, and perhaps even be interviewed. That's why it is recommended that you show up for the job fair and seminar portions of the event in interview attire. More information can be found on the Air Inc. Web site.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Hiring trend gets media notice

The major airlines are starting to hire again—and the trend has come to the attention of the national news media. A USA Today feature by Barbara de Lollis gave expansive treatment to how airlines are dealing with supply and demand dynamics in the pilot and non-pilot labor market of 2007. In the current business climate, airlines "are making selective use of unorthodox tactics to make sure they have an adequate selection of qualified applicants from which to choose: open houses, signing bonuses and referral fees," the report said. It cited government statistics showing that the six big "traditional" airlines in June 2007 saw the second consecutive month of payroll growth after 68 straight monthly declines.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 ]

US Airways to hire, recall pilots

US Airways has announced plans to hire more than 350 pilots. Training dates were to begin in November, said a news release on the company Web site. The airline will also move 140 pilots from US Airways Express carriers back to the mainline flying seats from which they were furloughed several years ago, the release said. New hires will move into the airline's growing fleet of Embraer 190s. That, in turn, will move currently employed pilots into Boeing 737s and Airbus A320-family aircraft. Positions will be filled over 12 to 16 months. Candidates can see qualifications and apply on-line at www.usairways.com/careers or by clicking the Careers link online at www.usairways.com.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Northwest retires 747-200s

Northwest Airlines this week retired its last Boeing 747-200 from scheduled service, reported Business Wire. The 430-seat aircraft built in 1979 most recently operated on the Tokyo Narita-Saipan route. "The 747-200 was the mainstay of our international fleet, particularly in the Pacific, for several decades," said Captain Lane Littrell, Northwest's fleet training captain on the 747-200. Two remaining 747-200s in Northwest's fleet will operate for approximately 18 months more as charter aircraft, the report said.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Senate adopts ALPA retirement-age language

An 88-7 vote of the U.S. Senate added an important modification to its Fiscal Year 2008 Transportation Appropriations bill, said a news release on the Air Line Pilots Association's Web site. The Senate, at ALPA's urging, added "Oberstar language" that ALPA supports for any legislative change of the mandatory pilot retirement age rule, the news release said. The amendment "replicates" language that Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) included in the House FAA reauthorization bill that passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on June 29. The language clarified issues including non-retroactivity, liability protection, and prohibited "unilateral changes to labor agreements and benefit plans." The Senate bill must be reconciled with the House Transportation Appropriations bill, which did not change the rule.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 18, 2007 ]

Boeing’s Dreamliner delayed

Boeing has decided to delay the initial flight of its new 787 Dreamliner another two months, and the move “acknowledges the enormous challenges of assembling the world's first composite-based commercial jetliner,” reported Businessweek.com. The company maintains that the 787 will be delivered on time, and that there are no threats to the new airplane program, which has achieved record-setting sales. Industry watchers expected a delay, the report said. The first flight would now likely take place in mid-November to mid-December, some three months behind the original schedule. Uncompleted work on the first aircraft and unfinished coding of flight-control software were cited as the main causes.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 ]

Pilots wanted—in China

China's expanding civil aviation sector faces a shortage of 2,000 pilots over the next several years, reported Reuters from Beijing. An official said there would be an effort to get more women into flying careers. Gao Hongfeng, the deputy head of China’s General Administration of Civil Aviation, predicted the country would need an additional 9,000 pilots by 2010 as airlines add aircraft at a rate of up to 150 a year. “But speaking truthfully, we only have the capacity to train about 7,000, leaving us lacking 2,000 pilots,” he said during a Webcast carried on the central government's Web site and reported by the news service.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 ]

VLJ air-taxi service gets FAA OK

Dayjet has received FAA authorization to fly Eclipse 500TM very light jets, the company announced. The company is readying its VLJ fleet to launch its so-called “Per-Seat, On-Demand” jet service. In the coming weeks, the Boca Raton, Florida-based company will begin taking online reservations, the company said in a news release. It will operate under FAR Part 135 charter rules with two-pilot crews.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 ]

WAI offers career scholarships

Women in Aviation Inc. has announced the availability of scholarship applications for 2008. A link provided on the organization Web site  takes you to the current scholarship list, guidelines for applying, and a means of downloading the official application in pdf format. “Our scholarship awards are a major part of what our organization is all about. In the past 10 years WAI has disbursed more than $4.5 million to its members to help them get ahead and advance into the aviation and aerospace careers they have always dreamed about,” said an announcement on the WAI Web site. Applications must be postmarked by December 1, 2007.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 ]

New York airspace redesigned

The FAA has given final approval to an extensive New York airspace redesign project, reported Aviationweek.com. The redesign is intended to “significantly ease traffic flow into and out of New York and Philadelphia airports,” the report said. The redesign is said to be capable of bringing about cuts in delays of about 20 percent “if all aspects are implemented by 2011.” One of the integrated initiative’s main features is an increase in westbound departure routes from New York, reducing conflict between aircraft departing from different airports. It is hoped that the redesign will give controllers greater flexibility to reroute aircraft around bad weather in the terminal area, the news report said. Legal challenges could still come from communities concerned about noise.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 ]

Planes to be full in the fall

Those airline delays and packed planes for which this summer was known may not disappear with the coming of fall. Reuters reported from Chicago that the airline industry, “struggling to extend a multiyear recovery, will try and keep planes flying as full as possible as it transitions from the hectic summer travel season to a much slower autumn.” Top air carriers recently reported that August flights were extremely crowded. UAL Corp., parent of United Airlines, reported the highest load factor it has recorded for the period. Airline consultant Robert Mann predicted that “what they're looking to do going into the fall and winter is constrain supply growth so as to maintain pricing power.” One risk to the tight-capacity strategy was seen in a possible inability to cope with disruptions caused by fall and winter storms.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 ]

Evergreen union merges with ALPA

Pilots and flight engineers at Evergreen International Airlines voted to merge their independent union with the Air Line Pilots Association, ALPA said. With 79.8 percent of eligible union members voting, 158 members—or 90.8 percent—voted in favor of the merger. ALPA’s executive board is expected to approve the merger next month; it would take effect November 1. Evergreen operates a fleet of Boeing 747Fs, and specializes in charter and contract freighter operations around the world.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 ]

Dreamliner webcast scheduled

Watchers of the aircraft manufacturing industry were being offered a chance to see a progress report on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on September 5 over the Internet. Boeing will webcast its 787 Dreamliner quarterly media briefing on Wednesday, September 5, said a company news release. Commercial Airplanes President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Carson and Mike Bair, vice president/general manager of the 787 program, will discuss progress to date. Catch the webcast online.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 ]

In-flight condition monitoring expands

Six airlines adopted Boeing's in-flight airplane-monitoring system during the first six months of the year, said a company news release. That brought to 15 the number of airlines and freight carriers to initiate the condition-monitoring package, named Airplane Health Management. "With this tool, airlines can address problems proactively and begin working on issues before an airplane lands and arrives at the gate,” said Dan da Silva, vice president of sales and marketing for Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. “That kind of lead time can help an airline turn what might have been a costly, disruptive delay into routine maintenance." The system provides fleet-wide information aggregated from other operators, which can be used to determine the effectiveness of particular maintenance actions in fixing problems, the news release said.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 ]

737 inspections hastened

Federal regulators have ordered airlines to accelerate wing-slat inspections on newer Boeing 737 jetliners after initial inspections turned up new fire risks, reported the Associated Press. It was the second airworthiness directive issued in four days on the aircraft. In the new AD, the FAA cut the time allowed for inspecting the slat downstop assembly to 10 days, from the original 24. Investigators in Japan had found that a right-wing bolt had pierced the fuel tank of the China Air Lines Boeing 737-800 that caught fire after landing in Okinawa on August 20.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 ]

Moscow air show brings $3 billion in contracts

The Moscow international air show closed August 26 with manufacturers reporting some $3 billion in contracts—triple the amount from the last show, but less than Western shows, the Associated Press reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin has set reviving the country’s commercial airliner business, which has suffered severe money problems since the Soviet Union's disintegration, as a top priority. United Aircraft Corp., an umbrella group for Russia’s plane makers, received $1.5 billion in contracts. “Many older-design Russian airliners do not meet Western standards for noise and emissions, limiting Russia's market,” the AP report said.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 ]

American Eagle interviews

Regional airline American Eagle will interview first-officer candidates at Regional Airline Academy (RAA) for training in the Embraer Regional Jet. On graduation from the course, training will continue at the American Eagle Training Center in Dallas, said an RAA news release. American Eagle will conduct interviews at RAA’s Deland, Florida, campus on September 26, 2007. More information is available on the RAA Web site.

[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 ]

New Delta CEO was chief of competitor

Delta Airlines’ choice of a new chief executive has fueled media speculation about mergers. An Associated Press report on the naming of former Northwest Airlines Corp. CEO Richard Anderson said that the choice “reignited speculation” about a merger, less than four months after the airline exited 19 months of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Anderson, 52, who already serves on Delta’s board and is an executive at UnitedHealth Group, is to replace Gerald Grinstein in September. “Clearly having Anderson named would raise that speculation,” Philip Baggaley, an analyst at Standard & Poor's, told the AP. “I don't think it necessarily draws any direct link, but it clearly will raise that thought.” Anderson told employees in a memo that he plans to “stay the course.”

[ POSTED AUGUST 28, 2007 ]

Pilots exit US Airways talks

Two-year-old talks aimed at creating the first joint contract to cover all pilots at the merged US Airways Group were jeopardized by a walkout of one pilot group’s negotiators. The walkout protested the timing of pay raises, reported the Associated Press. The Air Line Pilots Association represents both contingents of pilots in the talks. One group is from pre-bankruptcy US Airways; the other is from America West. The US Airways pilots walked out. A point of contention has been seniority rankings between the two groups. “We don't want to be talking about a joint contract until we're getting equal pay, right now, period," union spokesman Arnie Gentile said, according to the AP dispatch. Negotiations hit troubled waters in May when an arbitrator merged the pilots’ seniority lists. Former US Airways pilots sued to overturn the arbitrator's decision. Last week, they decided to withdraw from joint negotiations, Gentile said. The union seeks the same pay rate as America West pilots for the US Airways pilots, who on average make less. They have demanded that the pay increases begin Sept. 1.

[ POSTED AUGUST 28, 2007 ]

Aviation security regs proposed

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced “steps that will strengthen aviation security through uniform and consistent passenger prescreening against government watch lists.” DHS is publishing two regulations to initiate the changes: The Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) Predeparture Final Rule, which enables DHS to collect manifest information for international flights departing from or arriving in the United States prior to boarding, and a Secure Flight Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM)—under which DHS would assume watch-list matching responsibilities from air carriers for domestic flights, and align domestic and international passenger prescreening. Both programs carry out 9/11 Commission recommendations, said a news release.

[ POSTED AUGUST 28, 2007 ]

Airlines brace for ‘Open Skies’

Airlines will be getting ready to compete with “new-found commercial freedom” for flights between U.S. and European cities under the Open Skies agreement that takes effect in March 2008, reported a CNN business news item. Business travelers may be the main beneficiaries—not necessarily from pricing, but with greater choices of airlines and with business-focused service gains. Airlines with the strongest brands and best quality products are likely to lure passengers away from European rivals by launching flights from other major European cities, the report said. The Open Skies agreement will end “exclusive arrangements granted to British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines, and American Airlines to fly transatlantic out of (London’s) Heathrow,” the report said.

[ POSTED AUGUST 28, 2007 ]

Simulator enterprise restructuring

A worldwide operator of flight simulators will close four training centers, reported the Puget Sound Business Journal. Alteon Training LLC, a Boeing subsidiary, said it would close training centers in Long Beach, California; Dallas; and Kunming, China, by year’s end. A center in Luton, the United Kingdom, will close next year. The company, which is based in Renton, Washington, will expand training facilities in Miami and Seattle, and at Gatwick and Manchester in the U.K. It also plans to open a new training center in Shanghai, China, that will house the first Boeing 787 full-flight simulator. That effort will be a partnership with Shanghai Airlines, the report said.

[ POSTED AUGUST 28, 2007 ]

Are you a CFI looking for a job?

Looking for a flight instructor’s position that will build your multiengine time and provide a career track to the airlines? Scanning the Web sites of major flight schools is one way to pick and choose among the many opportunities—and locations—available out there. For example, a news release on the Web site of nationwide flight academy Airline Transport Professionals notes that the flight school is “always seeking CFIs with multiengine and instrument ratings.” Check the web site for details.

[ POSTED AUGUST 28, 2007 ]

Southwest takes over top spot

Using passenger traffic as the yardstick, Southwest Airlines is on track to best American Airlines in 2007 as the world's biggest airline, reported the Associated Press. A government study said the domestic discount airline already has surpassed American's domestic and international traffic total in the first five months of the year. Southwest transported 40.3 million passengers on domestic flights between January and May, an increase of 4.2 percent over 2006. American carried 40 million passengers during the same period, down 1.8 percent. The AP report cited the Transportation Department’s Bureau of Transportation statistics, which had placed American in the top spot for the past five years. Overall passenger traffic on U.S. airlines was up 1.8 percent for the five-month period.

[ POSTED AUGUST 21, 2007 ]

Midwest accepts bid

Midwest Air Group Inc., which had been resisting merger overtures by AirTran Holdings Inc., announced that it had accepted a higher bid, of about $450 million, from private equity firm TPG Capital and Northwest Airlines Corp., reported Reuters News Service. The $17-per-share offer, which was raised from $16 per share, “includes a passive investment by number-five U.S. airline Northwest, which partners with regional carrier Midwest,” the report disclosed. AirTran, the tenth largest U.S. carrier, had bid $16.27 per share. It issued a statement saying that it “was walking away from its bid,” said the report, which added that AirTran had sought Midwest because a merger would have created a national low-cost carrier. The sale is expected to conclude during the fourth quarter of the year.

[ POSTED AUGUST 21, 2007 ]

ASA pilots picket

Pilots for Atlantic Southeast Airlines, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association International, took their message to the public last week. The Delta Connection carrier’s pilots picketed in the small communities they serve. “As the primary provider of commercial air transportation in many of these cities, the pilots think it’s only fair to tell the passengers that ASA is having a difficult time recruiting and retaining qualified pilots. The pilot shortage is due to low morale, fatiguing schedules, and low pay dating back to a contract signed in 1998,” said a news release on the Air Line Pilots Association Web site. “Five years is too long to wait for a new employment agreement,” said Dave Nieuwenhuis, chairman of the ALPA unit at ASA.

[ POSTED AUGUST 21, 2007 ]

Northwest subsidiary launches Embraer 175

Northwest Airlines will begin flying the new Embraer 175 regional jet on a flight from Omaha, Nebraska, to Minneapolis, reported the Associated Press. The 76-seat planes will be flown by Compass Airlines, the new Northwest regional subsidiary. The aircraft will be bought by Northwest and leased to Compass. “The regional carrier will begin with two of the jets and will add about two a month through the end of next year, when it will fly 36,” the report said. The aircraft include first-class seats and space for full-size carry-on bags. Compass is based in Chantilly, Virginia.

[ POSTED AUGUST 21, 2007 ]

Reviving Russia’s planemakers

Russian aircraft manufacturers will build approximately 4,500 airplanes by 2025 in a program to revive the industry in the post-Soviet era, officials said in an Associated Press report. Government spending of about $250 billion is aimed at energizing the industry, said Alexei Fyodorov, president of state-controlled United Aircraft Corporation. The company is an umbrella group for the country’s aircraft manufacturers. “Russia's civilian air sector now has some 2,500 aircraft. Only about 100 are Western-made, but they currently carry nearly a third of all passengers,” he said, speaking before the Moscow International Air Show.

[ POSTED AUGUST 21, 2007 ]

Embraer recovery forecasted

A news item on the Forbes.com Web site has put an optimistic spin on an announcement by the world’s fourth-largest aircraft manufacturer that profits dropped 49 percent during the second quarter. The bad financial news was caused by rising labor expenses, currency fluctuations, and efforts to increase production capacity. However, Brazil’s Embraer has carved out a market niche by building 30- to 120-seat regional airliners that “are key to its future, with those planes taking over regional and commuter routes that often don't justify the use of larger jets,” said the article. Shares of the company fell after the reduced profits were announcement. Embraer was also expanding sales of executive jets, the report said.

[ POSTED AUGUST 21, 2007 ]

1,400 apply for NWA pilot jobs

Resurgent Northwest Airlines received a strong response to its call to commence pilot hiring, reported a new s item carried on Business Wire. More than 1,400 pilots applied to join Northwest, "including more than 1,000 applications in the first eight days after the new recruitment was announced on July 24," the report said. "We're pleased with the quality and number of pilots interested in joining Northwest Airlines, and we are particularly gratified that 20 percent of the applicants were referred by current Northwest pilots and other employees," said Doug Steenland, the airline's president and chief executive officer.

[ POSTED AUGUST 14, 2007 ]

Qantas to launch flight training enterprise

In an address to Australia's National Aviation Press Club on August 1, Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon announced a venture by the airline into pilot training. "We are establishing an Australia-based flight training business, to be up and running by the end of this year, and which we expect will train 3,000 pilots over 10 years for all our airlines. We will also look at opportunities to cater to the needs of the broader aviation industry, allowing us to leverage the expertise—and prestige—that Qantas has in pilot training," he said.

[ POSTED AUGUST 14, 2007 ]

ALPA issues pilot awards

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has honored several airline pilots for contributions to safety and security. A Superior Airmanship Award went to a United Airlines crew, Capt. Scott Stoops and First Officer Brad Loper, "for their outstanding effort in avoiding a near runway collision" in Chicago on July 23, 2006. Another Superior Airmanship Award went to Air Canada Jazz Capt. Michael Nelson and FO Paul Cafouros for landing a CRJ 200 regional jet on Nov. 21, 2006, when the flaps malfunctioned during a missed approach in snow and low visibility.

[ POSTED AUGUST 14, 2007 ]

Virgin America launches

New low-cost carrier Virgin America Inc. began service August 8 despite a torrential rainstorm in New York that marred the splashy event's orchestration and prevented some dignitaries from attending. In remarks at the event, the airline's founder had some tart commentary on the state of U.S. airline service, according to Reuters New Service. "The American airline industry is abysmal, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson was quoted as saying at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport before passengers embarked on the first flight, to San Francisco. "The reason they go bust is they don't offer any service to the customer."

[ POSTED AUGUST 14, 2007 ]

Phoenix East adds dispatch course

Phoenix East Aviation, Inc. announced the addition of an Airline Dispatcher Course to its professional aviation courses. Phoenix East now offers the six-week, FAA-approved course at its Daytona Beach, Florida, facility. The training includes meteorology, federal aviation regulations, aircraft systems and performance, global navigation systems, communications, flight planning, and other topics required for FAA certification. "Both U.S. and international airlines in the U.S. readily hire FAA-certified dispatchers," the announcement said.

[ POSTED AUGUST 14, 2007 ]

Business jets mean pilot jobs

Luxury international jet travel is getting media attention as a growing aviation market segment, and that growth may signal new job opportunities for pilots. A recent article by Danielle Sonnenberg of TheStreet.com focused on Talon Air's business model in the highly competitive field. The charter company has a fleet of 11 jets with three more scheduled for delivery. The article examining Talon and its niche in the business-jet market cited "significant” growth in that segment in the past 15 years, as well as a 15-percent increase in the numbers of jets shipped in the first half of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, a statistic provided by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Talon Marketing Director Jason Kaufman hopes the company will expand into such Southeast markets as Florida, "which will entail hiring more full-time pilots along with acquiring additional hangar space.”

[ POSTED AUGUST 7, 2007 ]

ALPA: Expedite 'CrewPASS'

Thousands of "highly vetted" and prescreened pilots are rescreened every day under security procedures at the nation's airports. The government could save millions of dollars eliminating that redundancy, says the Air Line Pilots Association. That is why ALPA expressed satisfaction with the passage by Congress of H.R. 1, the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. "The measure includes an ALPA-backed provision which requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a process that would give flight deck and cabin crew members expedited airport access through screening check points,” said a news release on the ALPA Web site. "We have a proposal that provides a low-cost and effective process to leverage existing technology to screen crew members, saving TSA time and money,” said ALPA President Capt. John Prater. Developed by an industry working group in February, ALPA's Crew Personnel Advanced Screening System (CrewPASS) is "based on the TSA's highly successful Cockpit Access Security System (CASS). CASS uses employee databases of participating airlines to electronically confirm the identity and employment status of pilots so that they may gain access to the jump seats of airplanes belonging to companies other than their own.” Using that concept, CrewPASS would electronically screen flight crews "quickly, efficiently, and effectively, thereby fixing the current security deficiency,” ALPA said.

[ POSTED AUGUST 7, 2007 ]

Northwest tackles cancellations

Plagued by scheduling difficulties that have led to the cancellation of numerous flights, Northwest Airlines Corp. and its pilots have agreed on a way to ease pilot workloads and keep scheduled flights moving. The Associated Press reported from Minneapolis that the tentative agreement would pay pilots time-and-a-half for flying more than 80 hours a month. A previous 80-hour cap was increased to 90 during bankruptcy proceedings. Perfect attendance between Aug.4 and Sept. 3 would bring union workers a bonus of up to $1,000 as an incentive to keep the busy Labor Day holiday period running smoothly. The hundreds of flight cancellations at the end of June and July caused by a shortage of available pilots were seen to have put a blot on Northwest's profitable emergence from Chapter 11, and have angered and inconvenienced passengers.

[ POSTED AUGUST 7, 2007 ]

New light shed on Brazil accident

A Brazilian newspaper reported that a power lever was in the wrong position and was probably a major cause of a Brazil's worst air accident last month, reported Reuters. The newspaper, Folha de Sao Paulo, cited flight recorder data. The Airbus A320 operated by Brazilian carrier TAM Linhas Aereas went off a wet runway after landing at Congonhas airport in Sao Paulo on July 17. It struck a cargo terminal and burned. "Data from the flight recorder suggests that the thrust lever for one of the turbines was in the ‘accelerate' position when it should have been switched to idle,” the newspaper reported, according to Reuters. It added that "the newspaper said a pilot error was likely but didn't rule out a failure of the aircraft's computer.” A transcript made public in Brazil revealed that the crew was aware that a thrust reverser was defective. Airbus has issued a safety advisory emphasizing the need for pilots to follow proper landing procedures when a thrust reverser is not working.

[ POSTED AUGUST 7, 2007 ]

Jet Airways adds to 777 fleet

Boeing and India's largest private air carrier, Jet Airways, announced that the airline will exercise options for three 777-300ER (Extended Range) airliners, according to a news release issued by PRNewswire-FirstCall. Using list prices, the order would be valued at more than $790 million. It follows an order for 10 777-300ERs in 2005. "It is vital that Jet Airways continues to expand its fleet progressively to ensure its leadership position in India's dynamic aviation market," the report quoted Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal as stating. Jet Airways received its first 777-300ER in April.

[ POSTED AUGUST 7, 2007 ]

Mach-speed internet

American Airlines said it will be the first U.S. carrier to test in-flight high-speed Internet service, reported the Associated Press. American said it would test the internet service in 2008 on some Boeing 767-200s, mostly on transcontinental routes. The connection will be fee-based, but the charge will not be revealed "until broadband-equipped flights are ready to go,” reported AP, citing AirCell LLC, the company that will provide the link. Some international carriers offer Internet service. American's executive vice president of marketing, Daniel P. Garton, said that if successful, the service could be extended throughout the airline's fleet.

[ POSTED AUGUST 7, 2007 ]

Brazil fires official

Reuters reported that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva fired his defense minister. There had been calls for the action after nearly 200 people died in Brazil's worst air crash in July. "Waldir Pires was forced out as defense minister after two deadly air crashes in less than a year and months of chaos in Brazil's air traffic system, which is run by the military," the report said. He was to be replaced by Nelson Jobim, a retired Supreme Court justice. Jobim, the report said, previously had declined an offer to lead the ministry.

[ POSTED JULY 31, 2007 ]

Boeing's profits soar

Forbes.com reported a Boeing profit statement in which the company said profits soared in the second quarter, with strong sales in both commercial jetliner and defense businesses. Earnings rose to $1.1 billion versus a loss of $160 million in the comparable year-ago period. The results easily topped investor expectations, the Forbes report added, noting that recently Boeing's earning have been on a "hot streak."

[ POSTED JULY 31, 2007 ]

Booming travel boosts Air China

Air China announced soaring profits for the first half "due to the strengthening Chinese currency, investment gains and a booming travel market," reported FT.com. The carrier said its net profit increased more than 2,000 per cent.

[ POSTED JULY 31, 2007 ]

FAA lauds pay-for-performance agreements

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) have signed an employment agreement covering approximately 1,200 engineers and architects. The covered employees are "responsible for planning, design and installation of facilities, systems and equipment to ensure the safety of the National Airspace System," said an FAA news release. Negotiations took nine months, and the agreement was overwhelmingly ratified by union membership. It was the FAA's second voluntary agreement with labor unions representing agency employees in recent months. A pact was signed in May with the National Association of Government Employees Local covering more than 200 air traffic assistants. An FAA bargaining goal in both negotiations "was to bring more employees under the pay-for-performance plan. As a result of these two labor agreements, the FAA will increase the percentage of employees in its pay-for-performance plan to 84 percent," the news release said.

[ POSTED JULY 31, 2007 ]

APA questions exec stock bonuses

The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing the 12,000 pilots of American Airlines, criticized an announcement that AMR Corp.'s top executive bonuses will continue to be tied to the American Airlines corporate parent's stock. "A service industry corporation should base management bonuses on the quality of the product provided to their customers," said APA President Capt. Lloyd Hill, according to Business Wire. "Basing management bonuses on AMR's stock value does not serve the long-term interests of our stockholders, customers or employees." AMR had previously announced that in April 2010, its top five executives will receive stock grants of at least 258,200 total shares. "It is time for the AMR Board of Directors to realign their priorities and base management bonuses on the quality of the product we provide," Hill added, describing the airline as "understaffed" and the workforce as "uninspired" by management decisions. Some 2,570 American Airlines pilots on furlough.

[ POSTED JULY 31, 2007 ]

United accepting pilot applications

United Airlines has begun taking applications for new pilots for the first time since 2001, reported the Denver Post. The move was seen as a sign of United's recovery since emerging from more than three years in Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2006. In June, United said that it would add international flights, and expected to hire about 100 pilots this year. "We're investing in our business," said Hank Krakowski, United's vice president of flight operations, in a statement was quoted by the newspaper. The hiring follows the airline reaching the end of its list furlough roster. Recruitment will be online at united.com/pilot.

[ POSTED JULY 24, 2007 ]

Profits down at Southwest

Southwest Airlines said that second-quarter profits declined 17 percent. Rising fuel costs weighed on the discount carrier, reported the Associated Press. Ticket demand was sluggish, but improved in June. Cost-cutting moves include an offer of buyouts to 25 percent of Southwest employees and a delay in deliveries of some jets from Boeing. Earnings were $278 million in the April-June quarter, compared to $333 million the previous year.

[ POSTED JULY 24, 2007 ]

Regionals recovering from pilot attrition

Aviation Daily noted that "some of the larger U.S. independent regional carriers appear to be emerging from a pilot shortage that unexpectedly hit the airlines during the first quarter, but challenges continue in recruitment and overall minimums appear to be falling as carriers attempt to cast wider nets for qualified applicants." Pinnacle, ExpressJet, and Republic confronted pilot staffing problems in the first three months of the year. "Pinnacle's 20-per-month pilot attrition rate was almost double that of typical stats in the nine-10 range. ExpressJet lost some of its senior check airmen, which caused a lag in checkride time for other pilots. Republic Airways Holdings attributed part of its reduction in scheduled operations for its legacy partners during the second and third quarters of 2007 to 20-percent attrition levels in the first quarter," said the news item. The carriers reported the situation as "less intense now." Pinnacle and SkyWest Airlines said hiring minimums have not been lowered.

[ POSTED JULY 24, 2007 ]

JetGreen?

Environmental Emissions and training issues head up the agenda of the 2007 Air Line Pilots Association Safety & Security Forum's agenda, aid an ALPA news release. The issues will be addressed at the 53rd Annual ALPA Air Safety & Security Forum from August 8-9, at the Capital Hilton in Washington D.C. Questions to be raised include: Has the global pilot shortage hit North America's shores? Is the airline industry ready to ‘Go Green?' Are new pilots being trained on the job, with passenger lives in their hands? See ALPA's Web site www.alpa.org for more information.

[ POSTED JULY 24, 2007 ]

Northwest petitions on-line

Northwest Airlines is asking for support for its request to launch new nonstop Detroit-Shanghai and Detroit-Beijing service, tapping an on-line petition drive. "The Department of Transportation plans to award a limited number of new routes to China between 2007 and 2009. Northwest Airlines is asking the DOT for authority to fly Detroit-Shanghai nonstop service beginning in 2007 and Detroit-Beijing nonstop service beginning in 2009," the airline said in a news announcement.

[POSTED JULY 24, 2007]

ALPA: civilian flight training is quicker

More airline pilots are finding their way to the flight deck through civilian flight training, and applicants should consider that route, says career guidance for future pilots offered on the Air Line Pilots Association Web site [ http://www.alpa.org ]. "More than half of the pilots currently flying for U.S. airlines have had military training, with the percentage slightly lower in Canada. In both countries, however, the military services are training fewer pilots and requiring longer service commitments. You may reach your goal of becoming an airline pilot sooner through civilian training, much of which is geared to airline flying. Pilot training can be obtained in colleges through aviation courses or from privately operated flight schools," it said.

[POSTED JULY 24, 2007]

Flight-time minimums lower

Kit Darby, president of aviation career consulting firm AIR Inc., told Aviation Daily that minimum flight hours required for airline hiring—which reached 1,500 hours total time and 500 multiengine before September 2001—are down, to as low as 500 hours total time and 50 multiengine in some cases. Darby also noted that several regional carriers were offering captains "off the street bonuses of $2,500-$5,000." Opportunities to earn bonuses have been extended in some cases to nonpilot employees recruiting pilots for regional carriers. One such incentive program, at SkyWest, has acquired the name "Share Our Journey."

[POSTED JULY 24, 2007]

US Airways orders 90 jets

US Airways has announced tentative plans to order at least 90 new Airbus jets valued at more than $10.7 billion to replace planes and add long-range aircraft, according to Atlanta-based aviation career consulting firm AIR, Inc. The purchase will include 60 single-aisle Airbus A320 aircraft, eight wide-body A330s, and 22 long-range A350 XWB jets.

[POSTED JULY 24, 2007]

New JetBlue CEO reviews business strategy

JetBlue CEO Dave Barger said the airline is undertaking a second "rigorous" review of its business strategy and could sell more planes if necessary, AIR Inc. reported. Barger said costs are under control, but "there is still opportunity for improvement."

[ Posted July 24, 2007 ]

Job fair planned in D.C.

AIR, Inc. will hold its next job fair September 22 at the Hyatt Regency Reston near Washington, D.C. Airlines already scheduled to attend include majors Continental, Delta, and Southwest; and nationals Air Wisconsin, AirNet, American Eagle, Champion Air, Pinnacle, US Airways/PSA, Republic Airlines, SkyWest, and Trans States. For information on all current and future seminars visit AIR, Inc.'s Web site [www.jet-jobs.com] or call 800/JET-JOBS (538-5627).

[ Posted July 24, 2007 ]

Dreamliner officially in production

Boeing said that it has officially begun production on the company's new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It will be manufactured at the production facility in Everett, Wash., although workers at the Boeing plant at Port San Antonio will also play a major part in the airplane's development, reported bizjournals.com. Four hundred new employees will be hired at the work site in San Antonio "to perform modifications work on 11 Boeing 787 aircraft once they roll off the assembly line in Washington," the report said. That work will include installing electronic and mechanical equipment, making software upgrades, testing systems, and removing or replace wiring, if needed, the report added.

[ Posted July 17, 2007 ]

Get bumped, get paid

Airlines would have to triple passengers' compensation for being involuntarily bumped from flights under a proposal under study by U.S. transportation officials, reported Reuters. Carriers' operating expenses likely would increase if the proposal is adopted. The Transportation Department was seeking public comment on four plans to stiffen the penalty carriers must pay individual travelers in some circumstances for problems arising from overbooking. "A fifth proposal would not change compensation levels now set at a maximum $200 if rebooking results in a delay of up to two hours for domestic travel and four hours for international flights. If those deadlines cannot be met, compensation can increase to $400," the report said. Involuntarily bumped passengers now also receive a refund of their original fare or a voucher for future travel. The report cited official figures that there were nearly 56,000 "denied boardings" in 2006 involving major airlines and affiliates. That was an increase of 10,000 over the previous year. Although no change is required, officials have been criticized for inadequately investigating consumer complaints about airline service, said Reuters.

[ Posted July 17, 2007 ]

On-line petition supports route bid

A news item carried on PRNewswire-FirstCall said that American Airlines has launched a Web site "to gain public support for its application to begin nonstop service to Beijing, China, from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on March 25, 2009." American "is asking its employees as well as travelers; businesses; and civic, political, and community leaders who are interested in supporting American's bid for authority to fly from Chicago to Beijing" to go to a dedicated Web site [http://www.flytochinaonaa.com]. The Web site details the proposed route and directs visitors to an online petition they can sign in support of American's bid.

[ Posted July 17, 2007 ]

China Southern to buy Airbus, Boeing aircraft

China Southern Airlines Co. Ltd. plans to buy 20 A320 jets from Airbus and 25 737-800 planes from Boeing, said a Reuters news dispatch, reporting a filing with the Shanghai stock exchange. In the filing, China Southern disclosed that the 20 Airbus aircraft would be set for delivery from March 2009 and August 2010. The Boeings, to be purchased by a 60 percent-owned unit, Xiamen Airlines, would be delivered from July 2011 to November 2013. Financing would be through "internal resources and bank loans," the report said.

[ Posted July 17, 2007 ]

Record quarter, half for Westjet

Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet announced its sixth consecutive month of record load factors for 2007. The results also were a record second quarter and a record first half for the year, said an announcement carried by Marketwire. The June 79.9 per cent load factor was up 2.8 points compared to June 2006, accompanied by capacity increases of 17 per cent to 1.2 billion ASMs (available seat miles). Revenue passenger miles increased 21 percent.

[ Posted July 17, 2007 ]

Airports going green on the ground

Driven by rules and incentives, airports are employing more vehicles for transporting passengers and employees that put less stress on the environment, reported USA Today.For example, the report said, the buses and cars that are property of Phoenix Sky Harbor and Dallas/Fort Worth airports run on compressed natural gas (CNG). Other airports such as those in San Jose, San Francisco, Milwaukee, and New York have been "aggressively" acquiring alternative-fuel-powered vehicles. The report noted that more than 25 major airports "use shuttles or employee passenger cars using natural gas."

[ Posted July 17, 2007 ]

NBAA awards 53 career-enhancement scholarships

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced on its Web site that the organization and its Flight Attendants Committee have recognized 53 recipients of the 2007 NBAA Flight Attendants/Flight Technicians Scholarship. The acknowledgements came at NBAA's 12th Annual Flight Attendants Conference in San Diego, California on June 29 and 30. "NBAA and its Flight Attendant Committee promote education and training as a means for business aviation flight attendants and flight technicians to enhance their professional careers," the news release said.

[ Posted July 17, 2007 ]

Northwest cuts flights to free up pilots

Capacity cuts by Northwest Airlines were seen restoring efficient service after a week of cancellation difficulties. Pilots, through their union, expressed dismay about probable lost revenue, according to Reuters. "I think this is better than last-minute cancellations, but we would prefer that we have enough pilots to fly all the revenue flights," said Monty Montgomery, spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Northwest said it would cancel one of its Detroit-Frankfurt flights beginning July 18 to make more pilots available; then in August it will cut domestic mainline capacity 3 percent. Between June 22 and June 28, Northwest said it canceled about 11.9 percent of its mainline—meaning owned and operated—flights, the news report said.

[ POSTED JULY 10, 2007 ]

Ex-CEO blue over losing job

In an interview with CNNMoney.com, JetBlue Airways founder and Chairman David Neeleman conceded that he was not happy when his company's board of directors forced him out as chief executive officer in May. He said he believes he'd still have the job if not for the ice storm and service crisis that struck JetBlue in February. "Obviously, when you found a company, and you're the visionary and you start it from Day 1, no one really wants to give up the reins," he said to CNNMoney.com after appearing at the Fortune Leadership Forum. He described his removal as "abrupt" as well as "a traumatic thing for a company," said a news report on the CNNMoney Web site.

[ POSTED JULY 10, 2007 ]

Delays worst in 13 years

CNNMoney also reported that the nation's airlines experienced the worst delays in 13 years, accumulating sharply increased cancellations in the first five months of this year. The numbers were released by the Department of Transportation. "Of the roughly three million flights between January and May, about 73 .6 percent were on time, the government reported, down from 77.4 percent last year. That marks the lowest on-time percentage for the same period since the government began tracking the numbers in 1995," the CNNMoney report said. In the period, cancellations increased 79 percent, to 75,925, compared to the same period one year ago.

[ POSTED JULY 10, 2007 ]

Superjumbo seen meeting Asia demand

The Associated Press reported from an aviation conference in Bangkok, Thailand, that Airbus is expecting its A380 superjumbo to be critical to Asia as an enlarging middle class adopts airline travel. Boeing, however, will stay focused on smaller aircraft, the AP said. Airbus was set to deliver its first A380, seating 555 persons, in October to Singapore Airlines after a year's worth of production setbacks. "The A380 will be very important for the Asia-Pacific region with the large population centers and big hubs," said Joost van der Heijden, senior airline marketing director for Airbus, in attendance at Asia Forum 2007 in Bangkok. "We actually see the hub traffic doubling over the next 20 years so that will definitely continue to grow."

[ POSTED JULY 10, 2007 ]

FedEx expanding China service

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., announced that it has made its next-business-day service available to customers throughout China. FedEx began its next-business-day service on May 28. Coverage has expanded from 19 to more than 30 cities, it said. Forty-eight-hour service "is offered in more than 200 cities and counties. As a result of increasing customer demand, the number of cities being served continues to expand rapidly," the company said. "We have seen healthy and encouraging demand from our existing international customers and potential new customers. Since we began operations less than a month ago, thousands of domestic express packages have already passed through our hub in Hangzhou," said David L. Cunningham, Jr., president, Asia Pacific, FedEx Express.

[ POSTED JULY 10, 2007 ]

U.S. economic expansion seen

A modest expansion of the U.S. economy may develop in the coming months as a vigorous job market overcomes weakness in housing prices, reported the Associated Press. It cited the Conference Board's index of leading economic indicators, which rose 0.3 percent in May, beating expectations. Economists said jobs should continue to be plentiful, even though an unexpected uptick was seen in jobless claims last week.

[ Posted July 3, 2007 ]

Frustration new reality of air travel

Crowded flights and delays may become realities of the slimmed-down U.S. airline industry as it strives for profitability after a long downturn, said a Reuters report from Chicago, citing an industry expert. "On one hand, it's good because it puts airlines closer to profitability," said consultant Michael Boyd. "On the other hand, it's bad because there is no excess slack in the system." The report noted that the Air Transport Association, a trade group, says airliners will average more than 80 percent full this summer when a record 209 million travelers travel by air.

[ Posted July 3, 2007 ]

Continental pilots rally for management

About 100 Continental pilots joined a rally held in conjunction with the Continental shareholders meeting earlier this month in downtown Houston, reported the Air Line Pilots Association. The rally was to acknowledge management's decision to meet with Continental pilots to discuss "a protocol agreement for contract negotiations," said ALPA in a news release on its Web site. In May, the union had asked the company to begin contract negotiations this summer, to finish negotiations by the contract's "amendable date" of Dec. 31, 2008. The company agreed.

[ Posted July 3, 2007 ]

Airliner prices rise

With the cost of raw materials rising, Boeing raised prices on its commercial airplanes by almost 6 percent on average, reported Reuters. Boeing, a large purchaser of aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber, described the price increase as consistent with "the general inflation rate for manufactured goods." Boeing's revised price list appears on its Web site.

[ Posted July 3, 2007 ]

Southwest questions growth expectations

Southwest Airlines' CEO said that the airline could be forced to slow its growth because revenue increases are not meeting expectations. An Associated Press report noted that Southwest has been growing about 8 percent a year "by adding planes and serving more cities, but it might have overshot the runway." Occupancy on planes has dropped, and fare increases can't cover the rising costs of fuel. Chief Executive Gary Kelly said company officials set their 2007 plans assuming a stronger economy, according to the report. Continental Airlines Inc.'s chief financial officer disagreed that air-travel demand has slowed down. Jeffrey J. Misner saw continued strong demand provided fares stay low enough, said the AP.

[ Posted June 26, 2007 ]

Airline, Boeing agree on delay

Continental also announced that it agreed with Boeing Co. to delay delivery of six jets from 2009 until 2010. The airline still plans to receive 30 planes in 2008, with 24 more coming in 2009, reported the Associated Press.

[ Posted June 26, 2007 ]

Jets giants urged to cooperate on tech

Boeing and Airbus should lay aside rivalry and develop together clean aviation-industry technology, according to Louis Gallois, the European aircraft maker's chief executive. Ft.com reported that "Mr. Gallois, echoing the industry's concern as governments seek to crack down on aviation's environmental impact, invited his U.S. rival and other engine and aircraft makers to pool research on technology to cut carbon emissions." He said antitrust regulations would not prevent the two entities from a cooperative research effort.

[ Posted June 26, 2007 ]

Paris Air Show site of news announcements

At the Paris Air Show, Airbus unveiled $30 billion of orders on June 18, including a deal that had been expected to go to rival Boeing, reported Reuters. Airbus on the opening day of the air show announced a $17 billion sale to Qatar Airways and also proclaimed that it had "beaten Boeing to a $10 billion order from US Airways," the news service said. Both sales involved the A350 XWB, with Qatar taking 80 of the A350 XWB and three of the A380 superjumbos. The report quoted Airbus as stating that Qatar will be the first airline to get the A350 in 2013.

[ Posted June 26, 2007 ]

Corporate jet demand grows

The chief of Bombardier's business jet division gave an interview at the Paris Air Show and noted that tight airport security and healthy corporate profits drive demand for the company's "flying boardrooms," reported MarketWatch. "We've seen an increase in demand since 9/11," said Pierre Cote. He said Chinese, Indian, and Russian entrepreneurs have also come to savor the comfort and productivity that private jets can deliver. The report described the Canadian jet maker exec as "keen" to emphasize "improvements Bombardier has made to the existing Lear Jet, Challenger and Global families."

[ Posted June 26, 2007 ]

C-17 resumption planned

Citing a government official, WSJ Online's Paris Air Show notebook reported that Boeing plans to extend production of C-17 cargo jets and resume its full supply chain. The source of the report was U.S. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne. Boeing had started shutdown of the C-17 supply chain in March absent a Pentagon commitment. Still unclear was whether the 2008 U.S. budget would include additional C-17s.

[ Posted June 26, 2007 ]

NEWS ANCHOR TO HEADLINE 787 ROLLOUT

Tom Brokaw will serve as master of ceremonies at the rollout of the new Boeing 787 on July 8, reported the Puget Sound Business Journal. Some 15,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony, and another 30,000 are expected to watch the event via satellite in Japan, Italy, and the United States. The 787 is to enter service in May 2008.

[ Posted June 19, 2007 ]

TRAINING CENTER OPENS IN NEW JERSEY

Training and simulation firm CAE announced the opening of a new business aviation training facility, the CAE SimuFlite North East Training Centre, near the Morristown, N.J., airport. Plans were also announced to expand the center from six simulator bays to 12, the company said in a news release carried on Canada's CNW Telbec. CAE operates 24 civil training centres. The six-bay North East Training Centre will provide training for the new Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft, as well as Falcon 900EX EASy, Falcon 2000EX EASy, Gulfstream IV, and Sikorsky S-76 aircraft. Other platforms to be added include a fully convertible Gulfstream 450/550 full-flight simulator, the statement said.

[ Posted June 19, 2007 ]

EMERGING MARKETS FUEL AIRLINER DEMAND

International Lease Finance Corp. said continued demand from emerging markets such as China will keep demand for commercial aircraft strong through 2008, but expects orders to slacken in 2009, reported the Reuters news service. ILFC, a unit of American International Group Inc., is the world's largest aircraft leasing firm. It expects aircraft orders to exceed 1,000 this year as it did the last two years, Chief Operating Officer John Plueger said, with demand driven by China and India.

[ Posted June 19, 2007 ]

ALPA DEPLORES 'FIXING BLAME' BY BRAZIL

Air Line Pilots Association Executive Air Safety Chairman Terry McVenes issued a statement in response to the indictment in Brazil of two pilots involved in a 2006 midair collision over that country. "ALPA's International Safety Committee has placed a high priority on developing regulatory and investigative policies that will prevent the criminalization of aircraft incidents and accidents throughout the world. While ALPA has been successful in many places, some factions unfortunately remain intent on fixing blame rather than improving safety," said the statement in part. It appeared on ALPA's Web site.

[ Posted June 19, 2007 ]

SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS 'WANTED'

Testifying at a Congressional hearing, ALPA President Capt. John Prater added two items to a "Most Wanted" aviation safety improvement list of the National Transportation Safety Board, said an ALPA news release. He urged the NTSB to add to its list "the need for industry-wide adoption of non-punitive safety reporting programs, such as the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP); and increased training levels for today's new-hire pilots" who have less experience than past hires. "Airline pilots are the ultimate safety net in our industry," Prater told the U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee.

[ Posted June 19, 2007 ]

INVESTORS HINDERING INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION?

Financial Times internet site FT.com reported that the chief executive of Lufthansa warned that increasingly bold attempts by private equity investors to enter the aviation sector hinder industry consolidation. "In an interview with FT Deutschland, the Financial Times's sister paper, Wolfgang Mayrhuber admitted private equity bids for airlines had thwarted the German carrier's own acquisition plans," the report said.

[ Posted June 19, 2007 ]

AIR FRANCE RETIRES 737

Reuters reported that the last Boeing 737 in the Air France fleet had completed its final flight for the carrier. In the late 1990s the airline had operated 50 of the twin-engine Boeing transports on the European and North African network. They have now been replaced by the A320 family of Airbus aircraft, said the news service.

[ Posted June 19, 2007 ]

FAA EXPANDING PEAK SUMMER PROGRAM

The FAA plans to expand an air traffic program that reduces flight delays during the peak summer season. The Airspace Flow Program "gives airlines the option of either accepting delays for flights scheduled to fly through storms or flying longer routes to safely maneuver around them," the agency said in a news release. The program was launched last year at seven locations in the Northeast. "On bad weather days at major airports in the region, delays fell by 9 percent compared to the year before. Cost savings for the airlines and the flying public from the program are estimated to be $100 million annually," the FAA said. This summer, Airspace Flow Program locations will be increased from seven to 18, with the goal of easing delays for flights through the South and Midwest, as well as transcontinental flights. The FAA added that Airspace Flow Programs will also be used in non-weather-related circumstances, such as extreme traffic congestion near major cities.

[ Posted June 12, 2007 ]

RUSSIAN AIRLINE BUYS DREAMLINERS

Boeing announced that it has received an order from the Russian airline S7 Group for 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, as well as rights for another 10 jets. The order's value was $2.4 billion based on list prices, reported the Puget Sound Business Journal. S7, of Novosibirsk, Siberia, became the first Russian airline to order the 787, which is intended to replace the airline's older fleet, Boeing said in a news release. The first 787s are scheduled to fly later in 2007, with the jet to go into service in May 2008. So far, Boeing said the new jet has brought 584 orders from 45 customers worldwide.

[ Posted June 12, 2007 ]

AIRLINE INDUSTRY MEETS IN VANCOUVER

The world airline industry convened its annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada, with global warming and the threat of international terrorism front among the subjects on its agenda, reported Agence France-Presse. It was the 63rd General Assembly of the International Air Transport Association. Anthony Concil, IATA's spokesman, told AFP that this year, one of the top issues during the assembly was going to be the environment. More than 150 airline CEOs, in addition to management representatives from airports, civil aviation authorities, manufacturers, and nongovernmental organizations attended the three-day event.

[ Posted June 12, 2007 ]

AVIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE?

What has aviation got to do with climate change? A CNN report quoted sources stating that the aviation industry has become a notable contributor to atmospheric carbon pollution which is said to be a cause of accelerating global warming. The report cited the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as stating that more than 85,000 flights take off daily from the world's airports, burning 130 million tons of fuel annually—a quantity projected to increase to 300 million tons by 2015 and 450 million tons by 2050. The aviation industry is seen to be responsible for about two percent of the world's carbon emissions—less than the 18 percent placed in the air by the auto industry, but still detrimental. Air travel also generates significant greenhouse gases such as nitrogen oxide, made worse for the environment by having been emitted at high altitudes. "Indeed IPCC scientists have estimated that greenhouse gas pollution from high-flying jets is up to four times more damaging to the environment than identical levels of pollution emitted at ground level," CNN's report said.

[ Posted June 12, 2007 ]

RYAN'S PROFITS EXPECTED TO SLOW

Marketwatch reported that Ryanair Holdings, Europe's largest low-cost airline, warned that the Irish air carrier's profit would rise only 5 percent next year, compared with 42 percent growth in fiscal 2007. The company expected average fares to decline by up to 5 percent while unit costs would rise by 6 percent to 7 percent on longer routes, with higher airport charges at London' and Dublin. CEO Michael O'Leary said that he expected a double-digit profit growth rate the first half of the year, but the airline could sustain some losses in the second half. He said doubled U.K. ticket taxes, higher interest rates, and increased charges at some airports were contributing to higher costs.

[ Posted June 12, 2007 ]

VIRGIN EMBRACES BUSINESS CLASS

Reuters reported that Virgin Group founder Richard Branson plans business class-only flights with a fleet of up to 15 new aircraft. The flights would first serve New York, followed by other US cities. Virgin's business-class flights to New York would originate in Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Milan, and Zurich, as well as from London. The company said that frequent flyer programs and the ability to plug into U.S. domestic flights operated by Virgin America due to begin next month would be advantages over competitors. A Virgin spokesman told the wire service that the new Virgin airline would try to meet or beat competing fares.

[ Posted June 12, 2007 ]

Pilots and crewmembers associations merge

The executive board of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) unanimously approved a merger agreement between ALPA and the Capital Cargo Crewmembers Association (CCCA). The union merger is to go into effect June 1, with the full transfer of representational rights to ALPA. The Capital Cargo crewmembers voted May 1 to merge their independent union with ALPA. The CCCA executive council had endorsed the CCCA-ALPA merger agreement in February, reported an ALPA news release.

[ Posted June 5, 2007 ]

US Airways reports activity

In a report of April and year-to-date results for 2007, US Airways Group announced revenue passenger miles (RPMs) for the month of 5.5 billion, down 0.1 percent from April 2006. Capacity was 6.6 billion available seat miles (ASMs), down 0.2 percent from April 2006. April's passenger load factor was 82.2 percent, compared to 82.1 percent in April 2006. US Airways President Scott Kirby noted that the passenger revenue per available seat mile environment "has weakened from the rapid growth rate seen in 2006 leading to more difficult year-over-year comparisons, particularly in the second quarter. In addition, the month was impacted compared to last year due to the timing of the Easter holiday." America West and US Airways report combined operational performance to the Department of Transportation. For the month of April 2007, the combined domestic on-time performance was 63.2 percent, with a completion factor of 98.6 percent.

[ Posted June 5, 2007 ]

Boeing optimistic about growth

Boeing Co. has reaffirmed its optimistic growth outlook for 2007 and 2008. The Associated Press reported that Boeing informed investors that the company remains on track for double-digit earnings increases and revenue associated with activity linked to its new product, the Boeing 787 jet. The assessment was made public at the aerospace firm's annual investor conference in Chicago.

[ Posted June 5, 2007 ]

US-China aviation pact a milestone

The United States and China have signed a broad civil aviation agreement that is expected to more than double the number of daily passenger flights between the two countries by 2012, to 23. U.S. airlines are currently permitted only 10 flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Officials estimate that the new terms will reap $5 billion of new business for U.S. carriers. The announcement was made by U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters at the close of economic talks in Washington.  The pact allows for one new flight to be added in 2007, one in 2008, four in 2009, three in 2010 and two each in 2011 and 2012. Peters said the agreement allows the United States to designate three more U.S. airlines to operate in China, and by 2011, the Chinese government will cancel restrictions on cargo flights and carriers.

[ Posted June 5, 2007 ]

First pilots typed in Hawker 4000

Two pilots from Talon Air of Farmingdale, New York, are the first pilots to have been certified under FAR Part 135 to fly the Hawker 4000. Pilots Jason Sanders and Reiner Seuss completed initial type ratings. Talon Air worked closely with Flight Safety International and the Federal Aviation Administration to facilitate the certification of the FAR Part 135 training program for the Hawker 4000, said a company news release.

[ Posted June 5, 2007 ]

Citation sales agreement worth $280 million

Cessna Aircraft Company announced at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland that Austria's JetAlliance has ordered 25 Citation business jets valued at $280 million. The order consisted of one CJ1+, six CJ2+, five CJ3, three XLS+, one Sovereign, two Citation X, and seven Citation Mustang aircraft, for delivery in 2009 and 2010. In 2006, Cessna delivered 1,239 aircraft, including 307 Citation business jets, and reported revenues of about $4.2 billion and an order backlog of $8.5 billion. The global fleet of almost 5,000 Citations is the largest fleet of business jets in the world. More information is available on the Web site.

[ Posted June 5, 2007 ]

Jetfly buys PC-12s

JetFly, the European fractional aircraft ownership program, and Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. signed an agreement for JetFly to purchase six PC-12s, to be delivered through 2009. Jetfly is headquartered in Luxembourg.

[ Posted June 5, 2007 ]