Delta sceptical on US Airways bid
Merger Delta Air Lines chief executive Gerald Grinstein has told employees that, while the carrier is obliged to review US Airways' merger proposal carefully, it remains "sceptical that it would make sense to deviate from our plan". That plan envisages Delta emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the first half of 2007 as an independent company. US Airways last week announced a proposal to invest $8 billion in cash and stock to merge the two carriers and operate under the Delta brand.
Twenty-one injured on Taiwanese 757
Manoeuvre Sixteen passengers and five crew were injured on 16 November on board a Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) Boeing 757-200 flight from Taipei to Jeju Island in South Korea when the aircraft had to make a sudden descent to avoid a Thai Airways Boeing 777-300 following an airborne collision avoidance system resolution advisory. The Thai aircraft was flying from Seoul to Bangkok with 356 passengers and 20 crew on board.
Russia to lift Glonass restrictions
Navigation Russia will scrap selective availability of its Glonass satellite navigation system by 1 January 2007, allowing it to "work for the benefit of the national economy and transport", deputy prime minister and defence minister Sergey Ivanov said on 13 November. The 14-satellite constellation is currently accurate to within 30m (100ft), but this will improve to below 1m from next year. The move will follow the planned launch of three more Glonass satellites on a Proton rocket on 25 December.
US WTO filing sets September deadline
Dispute The US government has filed an updated submission with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in its complaint against European state support for Airbus, which fixes a September date for a ruling on the trade dispute. It comes after the USA and European Commission in May 2005 requested a formal WTO procedure to settle the row between the two over support for Airbus and Boeing civil aircraft programmes. "We always have, and continue to, prefer a negotiated settlement," says Boeing. "But there is no indication that the EC or Airbus are willing to end launch aid."
Qantas withdraws New Zealand application
Alliance Qantas has decided to withdraw its application to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the New Zealand government for an alliance with Air New Zealand on trans-Tasman routes following last week's negative draft determination by the ACCC. The two airlines had sought approval for a Tasman Networks Agreement to allow them to work together on scheduling, pricing and marketing on trans-Tasman services. Earlier this month, however, the ACCC said in its draft ruling that it could see limited public benefits of the alliance and it would instead lead to higher prices and reduced travel options.
Croft boards Flight
Appointment John Croft has joined Flight International as Senior Editor, based in our Washington DC office. Croft became an aviation journalist in 2000 after spending nearly two decades working for NASA in aerospace engineering. Following a two-year stint with Aviation Week & Space Technology, he became a freelance writer for numerous publications, including Air & Space magazine, Air Transport World, Aviation Week's Show News, Overhaul & Maintenance magazine and C4ISR journal. Croft has flown light aircraft since 1979, building up more than 1,000h with instrument, commercial and flight instructor ratings, and holds a BS degree in aerospace engineering (1984) and an MS degree in journalism (2000), both from the University of Maryland. At NASA, he helped build several scientific satellites, including the successful Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer and the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer.
Source: Flight International
