All Ops & safety articles – Page 1212
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Scope for change
Pressure is mounting for the reform of regional airline pilot scope clauses Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC The simmering debate over regional airline pilot scope clauses is slowly coming to the boil. With most labour agreements due for renewal from next year, pressure is building from a range of sectors - airlines, ...
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EC bows to US pressure on hushkits
The European Commission (EC) has formally approved a ban on the European operation of aircraft fitted with hushkits, but in a last-minute concession to the USA has postponed the regulation's implementation by a year, until 1 May, 2000. As part of the compromise deal thrashed out in the past ...
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Franchise relationships boost expansion of regional market
Chris Jasper/LONDON The rapid expansion of the regional market in North America and Europe continued unabated last year, fuelled by US majors focusing on the consolidation of regional franchise relationships, and franchise expansion by their European counterparts. The US Regional Airlines Association (RAA) reports that passenger traffic increased ...
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The big squeeze
European regional aviation is coming under pressure, and airlines are pessimistic about future expansion Chris Jasper/LONDONOn the face of it, the story of regional aviation in Europe is one of unparalleled success. The sector was the first in Europe to be liberalised, with the 50 and 70-seat markets freed to ...
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Delta-ALPA skirmish may start scope clause battle
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Delta Air Lines and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have locked legal horns over the use of Comair regional jets on the new Boston-Washington DC shuttle in what could be the opening shots of a much wider battle over pilot scope clauses. ALPA is ...
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Lufthansa signals end to Asian malaise
Andrew Doyle/FRANKFURT Lufthansa has revealed that Asian passenger traffic is expected to recover fully by the end of this year, but warns that over-capacity on transatlantic routes is still hurting yields. Despite unveiling record DM2.5 billion ($1.26 billion) pre-tax profits for last year - up 42% on 1997 ...
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All the rage
Prevention of 'air rage' incidents is better than cure, according to IATA David Learmount/LONDON The problem of disruptive passengers is so complex that the world's airlines are struggling to agree on remedies. There is consensus on one thing, however - prevention is better than cure. The International Air ...
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Chinese airlines post big losses
Chris Jasper/LONDONChina Eastern Airlines has become the second of the country's big three operators to reveal disappointing financial results for last year. The Shanghai-based carrier reported a net loss of 632 million yuan ($76 million) for the year, compared with a profit of 332 million yuan in 1997. The result ...
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Airbus' Japan sales drive pays off with Mitsubishi contract
Andrzej Jeziorski/TOKYO Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has secured its first airframe components subcontract on an Airbus Industrie programme as the European manufacturer steps up its sales efforts in Japan. The contract, awarded to Mitsubishi via Airbus partner British Aerospace, covers production of an A319/A320 wing root component, the shroud ...
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Rockwell Collins makes Boeing comeback on 767
Boeing has chosen Rockwell Collins to provide the flightdeck liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for the 767-400ER. This is a significant victory for Collins in its battle to regain Boeing flightdeck display market share from Honeywell. "In a sense it is a comeback for us," says Steve Piller, vice-president Boeing ...
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FAA cracks the whip on US Classic 737 bulkheads
The US Federal Aviation Administration has ordered US operators to inspect 500 of their Classic Boeing 737s for fatigue cracks in aft pressure bulkheads. An airworthiness directive (AD) requires operators of early model 737s to perform either electronic or visual inspections. The emergency order stems from the discovery of ...
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Boeing maintains 717 campaign
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Boeing aims to boost sales of its 717 regional jet by taking a role in maintenance support and certificating a "Lite" version that could cut airport and navigation charges for airlines. The move comes as Greek flag carrier Olympic signs as the type's first European airline operator. Its ...
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Fairchild wraps up 328JET testing and confirms stretch plans
Andrew Doyle/OBERPFAFFENHOFEN Fairchild Aerospace has almost completed flight-testing its 328JET30-seater and expects to receive certification from the European Joint Aviation Authorities and the US Federal Aviation Administration by 1 July. First deliveries to US carrier Skyways will take place that month. Meanwhile, the US company claims to have ...
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Rights and wrongs
Passenger rights bills are currently winding their way through US Congress. Are passengers set for a better deal? Twenty one years after the US Government gave the airlines free rein to run their businesses as they saw fit, Congressional fingers are beginning to itch. A glance at the various ...
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Legend in the making
Since declaring plans to launch an all first-class airline out of Dallas, Texas, management at Legend have fought an uphill battle to get off the ground. It could turn into the stuff of which legends are made - a US startup, with a flamboyant and outspoken chief executive, exploiting ...
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Pilots hamper TAP privatisation
SAirGroup has agreed to take a stake in Tap Air Portugal, but a dispute over pilots' pay may jeopardise the Portuguese carrier's fragile profitability and remaining privatisation plans. As expected, Swissair's parent is to cement its relationship with the Portuguese flag carrier by taking a 20% stake, pending ...
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but UAL doubts US-UK open skies
United Airlines is losing faith that a UK-US open skies deal will ever materialise despite industry hopes that progress is at last being made. Despairing of the lack of progress towards a new UK-US air transport pact, Michael Whitaker, United's vice-president international and regulatory affairs, claims that "there ...
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Iberia sues pilots for strike damages
Iberia is the second major airline in less than two months to sue its pilots, but American Airlines pilots have jumped to their help. Spanish pilots' union Sepla, which has announced a halt in months of escalating industrial action, is facing a possible fine of Ptas4.3 billion ($29 ...
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Growth continues
Regional airlines continue to thrive around the world, with traffic and profits climbing again last year, as the latest rankings indicate. But there are structural issues on the horizon as Kevin O'Toole, Karen Walker, Jackie Gallacher and Tom Gill report. And so regional markets continue to boom. Equipped with ...
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Hushkit friction continues to rub on EC/USA
A readiness by the European Commission (EC) to consider possible US amendments to its new hushkit regulations does not mean that the issue will cease to cause friction between the two sides. "The Americans may suggest amendments which we find unacceptable," warns a well-placed official in Brussels. The ...