GECAS warns of supply outstripping demand
AIRLINERS GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) warns that capacity growth in the air transport sector may start to outpace market demand this year if current trends continue. "We believe we are starting to see a gap developing between the supply of seats and the demand for seats," says Ian Gurekian, vice-president product evaluation and strategy. Speaking at the SpeedNews Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference in Los Angeles, Gurekian says world airline traffic must continue to grow at a pace of 6% to 7% in order to justify the current rate of demand for airliner orders, but US growth looks likely to be negative in the near term. Even a 1% drop in US air traffic demand would wipe out double-digit growth in the world's developing markets, such as India, he says. See News Focus P13
BOEING R&D CENTRE OPENS IN ITALY
EXPANSION Boeing has opened its new Italian research and development Office at the IMAST technological district of Portici near Naples. IMAST is an operational consortium for polymeric and composite materials and structures engineering. The Boeing R&D office was created within a framework agreement signed last year by the US corporation and Alenia Aeronautica to jointly develop research and innovation activities in the field of advanced materials and aircraft structures.
NETJETS EUROPE EXPANDS INTO INDIA
FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP NetJets Europe has joined forces with Mumbai-based Shreyans, which markets high-end cars such as the Porsche, to create a fractional ownership venture in India. At least 20 Indians use NetJets' services in Europe, says the fractional company, which hopes to tap into Shreyans' customer network and appeal to more high-value air passengers.
KUWAIT AIRWAYS NAMES ENGINEERING DIRECTOR AS ITS CHIEF
APPOINTMENT Kuwait's government has named Hamad Latif Al-Falah as the new chairman and managing director of Kuwait Airways. He has been with the airline for over 27 years and has a technical and engineering background at the airline. He succeeds short-lived chief Barrak Abdulmohsen Al-Sabeeh who resigned at the end of last year after clashing with the Kuwaiti National Assembly over the timing of the airline's privatisation.
INDIA SIGNS FOR SIX C-130J TRANSPORTS
AIRLIFTERS India has signed a $1 billion letter of offer and acceptance with the USA for six Lockheed Martin C-130J tactical transports, with deliveries to conclude by late 2011. The deal also includes ground support equipment and through-life maintenance services, with a further six aircraft as options. Equipped with missile approach and radar warning systems, the new aircraft will be used to support operations involving special forces personnel.
EMIRATES CLAIMS FIRST COMMERCIAL IN-FLIGHT MOBILE CALLS
COMMUNICATIONS Emirates is claiming to have enabled the first authorised in-flight mobile phone call on a commercial service, following installation of technology developed by AeroMobile. The first call took place on 20 March on board an Airbus A340-300 operating between Dubai and Casablanca. Meanwhile, the airline says that the low-cost carrier being created by the Dubai government will not be part of Emirates Group, but it will provide support during its start-up period.
WEEKEND Success for TAG FARNBOROUGH
APPROVAL TAG London Farnborough Airport , the UK's only dedicated business aviation airport , has been granted permission from the UK government to double movements to 5,000 at weekends, although the facility's annual movement ceiling of 28,000 remains unchanged. The decision ends a protracted battle with the local council.
Source: Flight International
