All Ops & safety articles – Page 1192
-
News
Eurocontrol training goes to FANS
FANS Information Services has been contracted by Eurocontrol to develop an online training course for pilots, air traffic controllers and airline operational staff on procedures to be followed for 8.33kHz channel-spacing. Seven European countries - France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg - are due to introduce ...
-
News
European wrangle looms over EASA's powers
A special committee of European member states and the European Commission (EC) has finished preparing a draft convention for the planned European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The document is due to be sent to relevant European aviation bodies for comment this month. A battle is expected between aviation organisations ...
-
News
Controlling the future
Peter Bennett VIENNA Commercialisation, privatisation and the empowerment of Eurocontrol are possible solutions to Europe's growing delays. The solution for Europe's air traffic delays is simple. First, look at the causes - a fragmented air system controlled by a patchwork of control centres that leads to the inefficient management ...
-
News
FedEx deal condemned
The UK has granted fifth freedom rights from Prestwick Airport to US carrier FedEx, allowing it to load freight at the Scottish terminal for delivery to third countries. Although a similar application for London Stansted was rejected, the move has been branded a "sell-out" by UK cargo carriers seeking improved ...
-
News
China's fortunes improve
Nicholas Ionides SINGAPORE The Chinese Government is claiming success in its struggle to turn the country's unprofitable airlines around, but has warned that the industry is not out of the woods yet. The state-run China Daily newspaper says total losses by the country's 30-plus airlines in the first half of ...
-
News
US carriers gripe over China routes
David Knibb SEATTLE All three US carriers that have been tentatively awarded new rights to China have asked the US Department of Transportation (DoT) for more flights than they have received. Of the 17 new weekly flights allowed under the China-US bilateral between now and next April, the DoT ...
-
News
CAL crash raises fresh fears
Brent Hannon/TAIPEI Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE The crash on 22 August of a China Airlines (CAL)Boeing MD-11 at Hong Kong International Airport has placed both the airline and the airport authority on the defensive. In a bad week for Asia-Pacific air safety, the crash was followed days later by a ...
-
News
United offers more business legroom
Jane Levere NEW YORK Battling, like every other carrier, for the higher-yield market, United Airlines is installing improved seating at the back of the cabin in its domestic fleet in order to reward its most frequent or full-fare economy passengers. The carrier is reconfiguring the first six to 11 rows ...
-
News
Brazilians refute merger speculation
Brian Homewood RIO DE JANEIRO Brazil's four major airlines have described reports that they are considering merging into two as "mere speculation". But the Brazilian airline industry remains awash with rumours that Varig, Vasp, Transbrasil and Tam could join forces. Varig says that company president Fernando Pinto, who went on ...
-
News
Better times beckon in the South Pacific
David Knibb SEATTLE Airlines of the South Pacific islands have had one of their best years ever, led by Fiji's Air Pacific. Two of the region's chronic losers are showing profits, but the scene at Air Niugini stays turbulent. Fijian flag carrier Air Pacific had a record year, posting ...
-
News
Philippines toughs out 'protectionist' attack
Nicholas Ionides ATI SINGAPORE The Philippine Government has come under attack for growing protectionism in its air services policy, but mounting criticism appears only to have toughened its stance. Accusations of protectionism were lodged by Taiwan in July when its national carrier, China Airlines (CAL), was hit with a 30-day ...
-
News
ARINC kicks off next classic upgrade talks
ARINC is talking to two flight management system (FMS) suppliers about the next stage of its cockpit upgrade programme for classic aircraft. The move follows recent US Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type certification (STC) for phase one of the communication upgrade for Boeing 747 Classic aircraft. The first phase ...
-
News
Negotiating change at ALPA
Karen Walker WASHINGTON DC ALPA's new president, Duane Woerth, says he is not afraid of change. But the US pilots he represents are beating the same drum: they expect to see their airlines' profitability reflected in new contract negotiations. If Duane Woerth is looking for a fight, he does a ...
-
News
KLM, Alitalia produce the goods with cargo deal
Peter Conway LONDON Airline alliances tend to generate much rhetoric about cargo partnerships, but little action. However, the tie-up between KLM and Alitalia, announced in July, looks set to be different. Cargo departments within the two carriers have already gone further in their planning than KLM's long-running tie-up with Northwest. ...
-
News
Airports
Brussels Zaventem Airport is planning to spend BFr1 billion ($26 million) to build a new air traffic control tower. This has become necessary because the view of one of the runways from the existing tower will be obstructed when terminal construction work is completed. The new 75m (246ft)-high tower will ...
-
News
Ottawa ponders Canadian Airlines rescue options
Canada's federal government has been forced to intervene to avert a looming crisis at Canadian Airlines. Ottawa stepped in because of a growing threat that Canadian might not survive this coming winter. The beleaguered carrier has reported an annual profit in only one of the past 10 years, ...
-
News
TAP Air Portugal signs deal with pilots' union
Barry Cross LONDON Following two and a half years of labour unrest, TAP Air Portugal has signed an agreement with pilots' union (SPAC). As part of the new deal, all employees will now receive previously agreed increases of 3% for both 1998 and 1999. The pilots' working week will ...
-
News
Regional aid ruled illegal
The long and bitter dispute between Brazil and Canada over government subsidies for regional jet sales has been settled by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which has upheld earlier rulings that such activities are illegal. An appeal panel's investigation found that original WTO rulings were correct and ordered that ...
-
News
AeroPeru's hopes crash
AeroPeru entered bankruptcy in August, putting an end to remote hopes of a rescue deal for Peru's flag carrier. The decision by creditors to reject any last-minute bids for AeroPeru did not surprise observers, who believed that an earlier failed attempt by Continental Airlines to invest in the Peruvian ...
-
News
AAIC calls police in SilkAir 'suicide' crash
Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Indonesian accident investigators say they have contacted police after formally confirming that a SilkAir Boeing 737-300 may have been deliberately crashed by one of the crew in December 1997, near Palembang, Sumatra. All 104 passengers and crew on board the 737, which was operating flight MI185 ...