All articles by David Kaminski-Morrow – Page 111
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News
El Al strives to settle labour dispute with cockpit crews
Israeli flag-carrier El Al is continuing negotiations with cockpit crew representatives in a bid to resolve a persistent dispute ahead of a labour court hearing. The dispute – focused on pay claims and working conditions – has led to disruptions in the airline’s schedule over the past couple of months ...
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SAS gains more negotiating time as pilots push back strike again
Mediators have obtained a further postponement of threatened industrial action by SAS pilots, at least until 4 July. The planned strike by cockpit crew for the Scandinavian carrier was originally scheduled to commence on 29 June. It was deferred by three days, to 2 July, after the two sides agreed ...
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EASA spearheads rulemaking for VTOL-capable operations and licensing
Europe’s air transport safety authority has laid out pioneering proposals for integrating operation of air taxis within cities, using innovative vertical take-off aircraft, with rules complementing those previously drawn up for unmanned aircraft systems. The proposals cover airworthiness and flight-crew licensing, as well as air operations, and the European Union ...
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Icelandair to take 737 Max fleet to 20 with further leases
Icelandair Group is to take its fleet of Boeing 737 Max jets to 20 through a new agreement to lease additional aircraft. It has entered a pact with Singapore-based lessor BOC Aviation for a long-term operation lease of two 737 Max 8s. Icelandair Group says the aircraft will be delivered ...
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UK airport operational issues are ‘primarily for industry to solve’: transport secretary
UK transport secretary Grant Shapps has unveiled a strategy aimed at tackling the operational problems at the country’s airports, but is resisting pressure to bring in European Union workers to fill staffing gaps. Shapps detailed a 22-point plan on 30 June, aimed at supporting recruitment, delivery of “realistic” schedules, and ...
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News
African airspace set to benefit from European satellite augmentation system
Vast regions of Africa and the Indian Ocean are set to benefit from satellite-based landing technology after the European Space Agency reached agreement with African air navigation service Asecna to deploy augmentation systems covering an area of 16.5 million km². Initial operational capabilities for the project – based on the ...
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News
Frankfurt Hahn administrator sells airport to investment joint-venture
Frankfurt Hahn airport is being sold to an investment joint venture, several months after it filed for insolvency and was taken over by administrators. The administrator, Jan Markus Plathner, states that the business will be transferred to a Frankfurt-based entity called Swift Conjoy. Completion of the contract remains subject to ...
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News
Eurocontrol lays out spectrum-efficiency strategies in wake of ‘5G’ concerns
Pan-European air navigation organisation Eurocontrol has outlined three strategies to improve efficient use of electromagnetic spectrum as it ponders whether increasing spectrum demand from the mobile connectivity sector could affect aviation safety. Eurocontrol has examined the situation following the conflict caused in the USA by roll-out of ‘5G’ technology, potential ...
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IAG single-aisle modernisation continues as more A320neo options firmed up
British Airways and Iberia parent IAG is converting options for another 14 Airbus A320neo-family twinjets into firm orders. The options were originally disclosed as part of an agreement for up to 220 Airbus single-aisle jets in 2013. IAG says the latest firming of options covers three A321neos and 11 A320neos. ...
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News
US Treasury exempts civil aviation safety measures from United Aircraft sanctions
US government sanctions on Russian entities have expanded to cover aerospace firm United Aircraft, although the government is allowing export and provision of services and technology aimed at ensuring civil aviation safety. As part of its economic response to the Ukrainian conflict, the US Department of the Treasury is directing ...
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News
El Al to continue Arkia merger talks despite exclusivity period ending
Israeli flag-carrier El Al aims to continue negotiating with leisure airline Arkia regarding a proposed acquisition, but the exclusivity period for the talks is not being extended. El Al entered talks with its fellow Israeli carrier last year with a view to purchasing the entire share capital of Arkia and ...
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News
SAS pilot strike postponed but not averted as talks deadline extends
Negotiators attempting to avert a pilot strike at Scandinavia’s SAS have obtained a three-day window to conduct further talks. Cockpit crews had been scheduled to commence industrial action on 29 June. But mediators have requested that the various sides in the dispute continue their talks for another 72h, and the ...
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News
UK’s Flypop to expand Hi Fly co-operation to passenger flights
Wet-lease operator Hi Fly is to expand its co-operation with new airline Flypop by conducting passenger flights for the carrier. Flypop, which is based at London Stansted, says it is forming a joint venture with Hi Fly for the services out of the UK. The two companies already co-operate through ...
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News
Assistance snag preceded reduced-mobility passenger's fall from A350 stairs
Lack of capacity on a special-assistance vehicle during disembarkation preceded a reduced-mobility passenger’s fall from the staircase attached to an Air France Airbus A350-900 at Paris Charles de Gaulle, investigators have determined. The passenger was hospitalised with a broken arm and head injury after falling from the stairs on 29 ...
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News
Norwegian government prepared to back short-term SAS debt-to-equity swap
Norway’s government is not prepared to put any new capital into Scandinavian carrier SAS, but is prepared to consider converting outstanding debt into shares. But the government will “not be a long-term owner” of the company, insists the Norwegian trade ministry. The government had previously been a part-owner of SAS ...
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News
Norway’s Flyr drops latest share offer after stock value declines
Norwegian carrier Flyr has axed plans to offer up to 62.5 million new shares in the company, after the stock’s trading value remained below the offer price. Flyr had raised NKr250 million ($25 million) during a rights issue at the beginning of the year, an issue which was oversubscribed by ...
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News
SAS braces for schedule disruption as pilots threaten industrial action
Scandinavian carrier SAS is bracing for a potential cockpit crew strike across its three main operating states within days. The airline has been negotiating with various parties to secure support for its ‘SAS Forward’ restructuring plan. SAS says industrial action by pilots – about which it has received notification from ...
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News
Lufthansa to reinstate A380s next year to offset capacity issues
German flag-carrier Lufthansa is to re-introduce Airbus A380s next year to counter aircraft delivery delays and address the sharp rise in passenger demand. The airline says the 509-seat aircraft will be used on its network from summer 2023, but it has yet to determine either the routes or the number ...
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Russian fleets to comprise over 80% domestically-built aircraft by 2030: government
Russia’s government has outlined a plan to re-invigorate its commercial aviation industry, aiming for domestically-built aircraft to represent more than 80% of the Russian fleet by the end of the decade. Deputy prime minister Yuri Borisov, speaking during a high-level meeting of government figures, said around 800 helicopters would also ...
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El Al formally signs for $130m loan against its loyalty programme
Israeli flag-carrier El Al has signed a formal agreement for the sale of its frequent-flyer scheme, valued at $500 million, in order to provide additional liquidity to the airline. The scheme and its assets are being sold to a subsidiary of the carrier, El Al Matmid Frequent Flyer. El Al ...