ANA and Malaysia Airlines Expand Code-share Co-operation Networks to include domestic cities in Japan and Malaysia from December 1, 2007

SUBANG/ TOKYO : ANA and Malaysia Airlines are extending their code-sharing agreement to include domestic sectors within both countries, effective December 1 this year.

In the second expansion since they began code-sharing in March 2004 on flights between Malaysia and Japan, ANA will carry Malaysian Airlines’ flight code, MH, on journeys between Tokyo and Fukuoka, and Tokyo and Nagoya, while Malaysia Airlines will carry the ANA flight code, NH, on journeys between Kuala Lumpur and the Malaysian destinations of Langkawi, Kuching, Penang and Kota Kinabalu.

“ANA passengers will have the convenience of travelling to even more destinations in Malaysia – including the ever popular resorts of Penang and Langkawi – using just ANA’s flight code and a single e-ticket,” said Keisuke Okada, ANA’s executive vice president International Relations. “With through baggage and on-line booking, it will make their journeys simpler and smoother,” he continued.

Malaysia Airlines Managing Director/CEO, Datuk Sri Idris Jala said “The further enhancement of this code share agreement strengthens our hub-and-spoke business strategy that allows our customers access to many destinations in Japan. As both carriers provide seamless passenger connections to more domestic destinations in Japan and Malaysia, we are optimistic that our load factor on the Malaysia-Japan return routes will further improve and contribute to our bottomline”.

“The strategy of developing hub-and-spoke is a crucial part of our Business Turnaround Plan. To date, we are seeing yield and load factor improvements on routes which we do hub-and-spoke," he added.

About Malaysia Airlines and All Nippon Airways Code Share Agreement
In February 2004, Malaysia Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ANA) signed the first code share agreement on air routes between Japan and Malaysia on a “block seat” arrangement basis where a pre-determined passenger seat inventory of Malaysia Airlines was marketed by ANA.

Currently, Malaysia Airlines operates 14 weekly return services between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo with two return services operated via Kota Kinabalu. It also operates daily services between Kuala Lumpur and Osaka with two flights from Osaka to Kuala Lumpur operated via Kota Kinabalu. All these flights are operated using a 282 seater Boeing 777-200 aircraft. It also operates 3 weekly services between Kuala Lumpur and Nagoya using a 229 seater Airbus 330-200 aircraft.

ANA operates two daily flights on the Tokyo Narita – Nagoya and Tokyo Narita – Fukuoka routes. One each of those flights will carry the Malaysia Airlines flight code

Boeing Delivers Okay Airways’ First 737-800 on Lease from AWAS

SEATTLE, Nov. 29, 2007 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] yesterday delivered a Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 to Tianjin-based Okay Airways Company Ltd., the Peoples’ Republic of China’s first private airline. The new airplane, which is the seventh 737 in Okay Airways’ fleet, is under lease from AWAS.

This 737-800 is the first new-airplane delivery for Okay Airways and the first new-airplane delivery in four years for AWAS, an aircraft leasing company based in Dublin, Ireland.

“Okay Airways selected the Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 to provide the optimum in safety, reliability and economics,” said Liu Jieyin, president of Okay Airways. “We believe that the Next-Generation 737-800 is the best airplane to meet passenger needs and generate profits for the company, while offering lower ticket prices and benefiting our customers.”

Okay’s 737-800 will be used primarily in passenger service, initially for routes such as Tianjin to Kunming, Changsha, Zhang Jiajie, Guilin, Hohhot, Taiyuan and Harbin, followed by other routes as the fleet expands.

“We are very proud of our relationship with Okay Airways, which is yet another milestone in our 90-year history with China,” said Rob Laird, vice president, China and East Asia Sales - Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “China’s projected growth and the superior economics and reliability of the Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 provide an excellent basis for Okay Airways’ success.”

The Boeing 737-800 is the best-selling version of the successful Next-Generation 737 family of airplanes, which are the world’s most popular and reliable commercial jet transports. Known for its reliability, fuel efficiency and economical performance, the 737-800 has been selected by leading carriers throughout the world. The single-aisle jet, which can seat between 162 to 189 passengers, can fly 260 nautical miles farther and consume 6 percent less fuel per seat while carrying 12 more passengers than the competing model.

To date, Boeing has received more than 2,400 orders for the 737-800 from 79 customers.

Source: Boeing

Boeing, Qatar Airways Celebrate 777-300ER Delivery

DOHA, Qatar, Nov. 29, 2007 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Qatar Airways today celebrated the arrival of the first Boeing airplane to join the airline’s fleet. Qatar Airways’ new flagship 777-300ER arrived after a nearly 15-hour direct flight from Paine Field in Everett, Wash.

Qatar has ordered a total of 27 777s with options for five additional airplanes. Qatar also has ordered 30 787 Dreamliners and holds 30 options.

Lee Monson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of Sales for the Middle East and Africa, led the Boeing contingent at today’s ceremonies in Doha.

“Today truly marks a milestone in our relationship with Qatar Airways,” Monson said. “We look forward to a strong future of cooperation as we see Qatar’s Boeing fleet expand to become the core of its operations.”

Source: Boeing

Oman set to limit liquids on flights

Muscat: Oman has decided to bar passengers from carrying liquids aboard flights originating from its airports as of next January 1.

"In line with new global security guidelines issued by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, effective January 1, 2008, established security measures will commence to restrict the carriage of liquids, aerosols and gels in the carry-on baggage of travelling passengers on commercial flights originating from all airports in the Sultanate," says a statement released by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Under the restrictions, liquids, gels and aerosols are referred to as LAGs, and include but are not limited to water and other drinks, soups, syrups, jams, stews, sauces and pastes, foods in sauces or containing high liquid content; creams, lotions, cosmetics and oils, perfumes; sprays; gels, including hair and shower gels; contents of pressurised containers, including shaving foam, other foam and deodorants; pastes including toothpaste; liquid-solid mixtures; mascara, lip gloss or lip balm; and any item of similar consistency at room temperature.

New security screening measures require that all LAGs be placed in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag of specified dimensions (approximately eight by eight inches).

All LAGs must be carried in containers with a capacity not greater than 100ml each (or the equivalent in other volumetric measurements like fluid ounces). Any LAGs carried in a container larger than 100ml is not permitted, even if the container is only part-filled.

Containers with LAGs must be placed in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag of a maximum capacity not exceeding one litre. The containers must fit comfortably within the transparent plastic, which must be completely closed.

Each passenger is permitted to carry only one such bag, which is to be presented separately for screening. Exemptions are allowed for medication for which prescriptions and/or medical certificates are required.

Other exemptions are baby milk/food, provided the baby is travelling as well, and special dietary products.

To facilitate screening and to avoid a cluttered X-ray image, transparent plastic bags with the 100ml containers must be presented separately from other carry-on items, coats, jackets and laptop computers for X-ray screening at all screening points.

Passengers are advised that items exceeding the allowed limits will not be permitted to be carried in the hand baggage.

AIRPORT NEWS

IATA slams Bush for inadequate congestion response

Right: Giovanni Bisignani, IATA director general, accuses President Bush of attempting to alleviate air traffic congestion with a 'political placebo'

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling on the White House and Congressional politicians in the United States to take more aggressive short-term action to reduce air traffic congestion.

IATA’s director general, Giovanni Bisignani, warns there will be more air delays next summer if the US Government continues to move too slowly in making capacity and efficiency improvements. “President Bush’s recent announcement about making limited airspace changes in an attempt to alleviate congestion during the holidays is a political placebo for a serious long-term illness,” says Bisignani.

The White House is considering peak pricing at New York JFK airport to reduce delays, but Bisignani says: “Congestion pricing has never worked effectively for air transport anywhere in the world, so it is foolhardy to believe that it will work in New York.”

He claims the US Government should immediately implement IATA’s Worldwide Scheduling Guidelines and introduce infrastructure improvements. “There’s already a list of at least 75 projects that could begin tomorrow and we can’t wait any longer.”

Macau breaks through five million barrier

Macau welcomes its five millionth passenger so far this year

Macau International Airport yesterday (Thursday 29 November) registered its five millionth passenger so far this year – the first time the airport has exceeded five million passengers in a single year.

Airport officials predict the airport will handle over 5.5 million passengers this year, close to the six million design capacity for the airport.

Ms. Liu Suning, executive director of Macau International Airport, says that the airport is investing US$500 million to develop the airport in line with a five-year development plan produced by Dutch consulting company NACO. The first phase of the airport expansion includes the extension of the southern area of the passenger terminal and an expansion of the retail area by 2009. After completion, the retail and restaurant area will increase to 2,627m² and 3,631m² respectively. The departure hall will also increase to 9,450m², while the number of boarding gates will double to 12.

The expansion at the airport is due to be complete by 2012, by which time capacity will have risen to 12 million passengers annually.

Macau International Airport is the smallest of four international airports in the Pearl Delta region after Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Frankfurt prepares for 2D barcodes

Next year Frankfurt Airport will introduce 2D barcode technology for boarding cards

Fraport will roll-out its ‘2D barcode’ technology for boarding cards in 2008, which simplifies the check-in and transfer process for passengers. The system enables passengers who have already printed their boarding card at home to bypass the check-in counter, provided they are travelling with hand baggage only.

The system will also be installed in the transfer areas of the airport. Boarding passes of transfer passengers will be scanned and compared with actual flight information. This comparison will enable ground service employees to inform travellers about gate changes or changed departure times.

Fraport predicts that the system will generate valuable management statistics, such as the time passengers spend within the terminal as well as passenger flows.

Frankfurt Airport will also open six new food outlets in 2008, including a 128m² coffee bar operated by Casualfood, which is due to open early in the New Year. Another 65m² bar will be opened on the third floor of Terminal 2 in the summer of 2008.

Germany’s largest airport will also get two new restaurants in mid-2008. A new 200m² fast food restaurant will open its doors in the summer, while the airport will also get a 200m² casual dining restaurant.

A new Starbucks outlet and an Asian noodle counter are also planned in the E section of Terminal 2.

LAX plans US lead in Airbus A380 services

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has pledged the city’s airport terminal facilities will be ready for commercial Airbus’s A380 services following a billion dollar modernisation initiative. The plane returned to Los Angeles International Airport this week for further testing.

“Los Angeles is the obvious destination for the first US flights of new large aircraft, so it is critical that LAX has the infrastructure necessary to receive them,” says Villaraigosa. “We are investing the resources necessary to be ready for next-generation aircraft and to preserve LAX’s status as a premier international gateway.” LAX is expected to be the first US destination of an A380 passenger flight next year with a service provided by Qantas Airways.

LAX claims to be the leading US airport for travel to the Asia/Pacific region, and Asia/Pacific carriers account for 40% of A380 orders.

LAX officials claim that by 2012 LAX will have 12 daily A380 flights, the most of any airport in North America.

More than US$1 billion has been invested in airport modernisation projects in Los Angeles since the beginning of the Villaraigosa Administration, including a US$723.5 million renovation of Tom Bradley International Terminal.

T-ray future for airport security?

Scientists at the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory are working with collaborators in Turkey and Japan to develop a compact device that uses terahertz radiation, or T-rays, to detect dangerous articles and substances in passenger luggage.

Scientists claim t-rays are far better suited to security scans than x-ray devices

Although terahertz radiation does not penetrate through metals and water, it does penetrate many common materials, such as leather, fabric, cardboard and paper, making it far better suited than existing x-ray and metal detection technology for security screening.

T-rays also have a safety benefit over x-rays, they are far less powerful, and are therefore incapable of ionising atoms, which can cause cellular damage that can lead to radiation sickness or cancer.

The scientists have been able to produce a compact T-ray device thanks to developments in semiconductor technology. They have created a solid-state semiconductor capable of generating radiation at around one terahertz.

"You can make those frequencies if you are willing to put together a whole table full of expensive equipment,” explains Ulrich Welp of Argonne's Materials Science Division. “But now we've been able to make a simple, compact solid-state source.”

A scientific paper based on the research, "Emission of Coherent THz Radiation from Superconductors," appears in the 23 November issue of Science.

Sita plans Bangalore baggage reconciliation

An integrated passenger-baggage reconciliation system will go live at Bangalore International Airport when it opens on 30 March next year. Sita claims the system will be India’s first deployment of such technology.

Marcel Hungerbuehler, chief operating officer of Bangalore International Airport (BIAL), says, “Given our location in the home of India’s formidable IT industry, it is entirely appropriate that this world-class airport should take advantage of the latest technology that Sita is providing to ensure an operationally efficient, secure and passenger-friendly airport.”

The Sita system combines barcodes, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and highly redundant IP-based global connectivity to ensure baggage gets to its destination on time.

“This is a significant milestone for the air transport industry in India and will set a benchmark for the future development of airports,” says Elyes M’Rad, regional vice-president, Sita. “Passenger-bag reconciliation reduces aircraft delays through quicker off-loading in case of passenger no-shows and automatically redirects bags that missed their connection onto alternative flights.”

Sita’s system in Bangalore includes two modules, BagManager and BagMessage. BagManager interfaces with check-in and baggage sortation systems, and integrates with flight information systems for updates on aircraft loading. It can also be linked to the airport’s security systems to verify that bags have been screened and that passengers are matched with the correct luggage.

BagMessage provides airport managers with the latest information about passenger bags as required.

Chinese scanner detects explosives

Nuctech claims its latest scanner can identify dangerous liquids in hand luggage within five seconds

Scanners capable of detecting liquid explosives will be installed in all of China’s 147 airports before the 2008 Olympic Games, says Yang Chengfeng, head of the public security division of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). And all civil airports have been required to install at least one such scanner this year.

So far, Nuctech’s THSCAN LS 8016 X-Ray Liquid Security Scanner is the only equipment approved for installation at airports throughout China. Nuctech has just installed its LS 8016 X-Ray Liquid Security Scanners at White Tower International Airport in Huhhot.

Using proprietary Chinese x-ray technology, the scanner allows rapid detection of potentially explosive or hazardous liquids, without the need to open the container. In a demonstration to the media, the THSCAN LS 8016 Liquid Scanner successfully identified and distinguished explosive, flammable, and corrosive liquids from ordinary daily-use substances within five seconds.

For airports, the adoption of the THSCAN LS 8016 X-Ray Liquid Security Scanner will allow both checked and carry-on luggage to be scanned quickly and more thoroughly than ever before, reducing inconvenience without compromising security.

Chinese airports have traditionally adopted an interesting method for security checking unidentified liquids – they would ask the traveller to take a sip!

Liquid security detector starts trial at Ruzyně

Prague’s airport is this week beginning testing of a new technology designed to detect hazardous liquids. The new device, known as Emili 1, uses microwaves and could eventually lead to the elimination of the security ban on liquids in hand luggage.

“We are testing it in operating conditions and are interested in how it affects the process of security screenings,” says Stanislav Jonáš, security specialist at Prague-Ruzyně International Airport. The tests over the next two weeks will focus on how the machine impacts wait times, rather than how well it detects dangerous liquids.

It will be tried at Terminal 2, which is used for flights to and from Schengen zone countries. During the test, nothing will change in current security regulations and passengers will still not be allowed to bring drinks past the security checkpoint. Instead, the machine will be tested on the few liquids that are already allowed on board.

Although other devices that seek to detect harmful liquids are being tried at terminals worldwide, Prague is the first to test the Emili 1, which was developed by Julich-based company, Emisens. The company claims that Emili 1 can scan a liquid bottle in one second.

Emisens director, Norbert Klein, says he is in talks with airport officials in Dubai and Tel Aviv about testing the machine there. Emisens is also developing a portable scanner to detect ceramic instruments, and on a step-on scanning device for shoes.

Eva Krejčí, spokeswoman for Ruzyně Airport, says it is too early for airport officials to be considering buying Emili 1.

Oman Air begins Gatwick flights

Oman Air has begun its first service to Europe with the launch of non-stop flights between Muscat and Gatwick Airport. Gatwick is the airline’s 24th destination, and it plans to launch a 25th destination by the end of 2007.

Oman Air CEO Ziad bin Karim Al Haremi says the new destination is part of an ambitious route expansion plan with a special focus on long-haul routes and will result in a substantial increase in commercial ties and tourist flow between Oman and Britain.

The airline also operates direct flights to destinations to the Indian subcontinent, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Kochi, Hyderabad, Thiruvanthapuram, Chennai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Karachi and Chittagong, plus domestic flights linking Muscat with Khasab and Salalah.

Baggage handling revolution on way

Researchers at the Delft University of Technology are currently developing a revolutionary system that aims to replace manual baggage handling altogether. The university is designing an automated loading system for aircraft containers called SkyBax.

The SkyBax system weighs and measures luggage immediately after baggage check-in at the airport. The associated computer program then determines how all pieces of luggage should best be stowed within specially designed containers. The filling of containers will be done automatically.

This way, SkyBax relieves workers of the physical strain of lifting heavy bags, reduces the number of employees required for baggage handling and minimises the opportunity for pilfering. Labour is only needed for process control. “It’s an optimal system for security,” confirms Roel Reynen of start-up company Quintech that developed the system in cooperation with the university.

Delft researchers claim their SkyBax system determines how all pieces of luggage should best be stowed within specially designed containers

As fewer employees are needed for baggage handling, researchers believe SkyBax could provide important cost reductions. Moreover, by automating the container-loading process, a higher capacity can be achieved in terms of bags per minute and loading ratio. According to the researchers, the new technology improves system throughput and customer service, reduces costs and decreases processing times.

Companies participating in the pilot project are Schiphol Group, KLM and manufacturer Vanderlande Industries. A pilot project is planned for Schiphol airport, but no start date has yet been announced.

RAK Airways takes off on inaugural flight to Dhaka

RAK Airways – the UAE’s newly launched fourth national carrier – took off on its inaugural flight to Dhaka, Thursday 29th November. The full-service airline will fly to Dhaka three times a week, and plans to increase the frequency of flights in the near future.

Commenting on its maiden flight, Captain Khalid Almeer, Chief Operating Officer of RAK Airways, said: “I am pleased to announce that RAK Airways has taken off on its inaugural flight. We have been working very hard to achieve this milestone and are proud to contribute to the economic development of Ras Al Khaimah.” He further added, “We look forward to servicing our customers and will take pride in making each flight a stress-free, comfortable experience.”

Launched under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince & Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. RAK Airways also plans to unveil more destinations, including cities in the GCC countries, India, Nepal, and Tanzania, within three to six months as part of an ambitious growth strategy.

RAK Airways will be operating Boeing 757s for its start-up operations, and will consider introducing more flights if it experiences high enough demand.

The airline plans to undertake trans-continental flights over the next two to three years, and aims to cover about 20 destinations within the Gulf, South Asia, Middle East and East Africa.

Aviation industry needs to tackle looming pilot shortage

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned the world’s airlines of a severe pilot shortage unless industry and government work together to change training and qualification practices. IATA issued a new estimate that the industry may need 17,000 new pilots annually due to expected industry growth and retirements.

"Increasing the retirement age to 65 will help but it can’t be the only solution. It’s time to ring the warning bell. We must re-think pilot training and qualification to further improve safety and increase training capacity," said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA Director General and CEO.

He told the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) International Safety Forum, "the industry is concerned that there are no global standards for training concepts or regulation. Pilot training has not changed in 60 years - we are still ticking boxes with an emphasis on flight hours."

IATA supports the competency-based approach of multi-crew pilot licensing (MPL) training programmes. Unlike traditional pilot training, MPL focuses from the beginning on training for multi-pilot cockpit working conditions.

It also makes better use of simulator technology. Europe was among the first regions to adopt MPL and Australia and China are moving ahead with implementation.

IATA launched the IATA Training and Qualification Initiative (ITQI) to support a global approach to MPL implementation. "Our goal is to increase the pool of candidates and training capacity while improving standards," said Bisignani.

As part of ITQI, IATA will host a database to track the progress of MPL cadets and allow the industry to make training adjustments, if necessary. IATA also called for greater cooperation with governments. In China, IATA is working with the government to develop the syllabus and incorporate MPL into national regulation.

Bisignani also called on government leaders at the Safety Forum to incorporate the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) into their own regulations. Most recently, Mexico, Costa Rica and Turkey have committed to make use of IOSA.

"The list is growing too slowly," Bisignani said. "There is no cost to government and the results are clear."

South Africa Grounds Nationwide Air's Flights

South Africa's Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said on Friday it had grounded Nationwide Airlines flights, raising fresh concerns after an engine fell off one of the airline's planes earlier this month.

SACAA said the company could not guarantee continued safety and that it had suspended approval for the unlisted airlines' maintenance organization, which had failed to comply with regulations to meet the authority's safety standards.

SACAA also suspended the certificates of airworthiness of all aircraft maintained by Nationwide. Both suspensions took effect at midnight, November 29, the SACAA said in a statement.

"As a result of this action the aircraft that constitute the Nationwide air fleet will not be permitted to undertake any further flights until their airworthiness status has been verified," the air authority said.

On November 2 South Africa's Civil Aviation Authority grounded all Boeing 737-200 aircraft in the country for safety checks after an engine fell off the wing of a Nationwide Airlines aircraft carrying 106 passengers in Cape Town. There were no injuries sustained by anyone on board or on the ground.

Nationwide's spokesman Rodger Whittle had earlier said all its domestic and international flights had been grounded by the country's civil aviation authority, but did not know how long the ban would last.

"The civil aviation authority has removed our aviation maintenance organization license, which effectively grounds our airplanes," he said.

"We do not know for what period of time, we have asked the civil aviation authority for clarification and information, and we don't anticipate that it will be a long situation."

Whittle said the airline operates about 50 to 55 flights a day, locally and internationally.

Nationwide, which has flights to London's Gatwick Airport, says on its web site that it has more than 350 domestic, regional and international weekly flights, including to Zambia.

Turkish Plane Crash Kills All 57 On Board

A Turkish domestic airliner crashed in the mountains in southwest Turkey on Friday, killing all 57 people on board, officials said.

Private AtlasJet Airlines Chief Executive Tuncay Doganer said the cause of the crash was not clear as weather conditions were normal and the aircraft had no known technical problems.

Officials said all on board were Turkish.

The 165 seat MD 83 plane, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, crashed in the early hours of Friday before it was due to land in the city of Isparta. It had been flying from Istanbul with 49 passengers and seven crew.

The plane crashed outside Keciborlu, a town some 12 km (7.5 miles) from Isparta's Suleyman Demirel Airport.

The death toll, previously reported as 56, rose to 57 as a baby on the plane had not been counted, Turkish Pilots Association Chairman Tuna Gurel told a news conference, adding it was too early to speculate on the cause of the crash.

Fifty-three of the bodies have been recovered.

Media reports said emergency workers had retrieved the plane's data recorders, which were expected to shed light on the cause of the crash.

Turkey is in the grip of winter with snow and fog common on higher ground in much of the country.

"No matter what measures you take, plane accidents happen and we see that 80 to 85 percent are due to human error," said Transport Minister Binali Yildirim, adding regular inspections had been carried out on the leased plane.

Rescue workers reached the mountainous crash site after military helicopters spotted the wreckage of the airliner.

Sahin Kartal, who lost his nephew and sister-in-law, later reached the cordoned-off site in the forested mountain.

"The authorities made us wait for news until this hour. They told us that the plane took off and then landed, but we didn't know it landed like this," Kartal said.

A reporter from state-run Anatolian news agency who arrived aboard a military helicopter said she saw bodies strewn around the crash area, with personal belongings and luggage scattered on the hillside along with aircraft debris.

Some dead passengers were still strapped to their seats.

Some 300 soldiers later sealed off the crash site to keep people away as a forensic team collected blood samples from the victims for DNA identification. Authorities used heavy machinery to clear trees from the hilly area.

Ambulances arrived and rescue workers began removing the bodies, which were to be taken to local hospitals.

Turkish television showed a large section of the plane, with emergency exits open, intact on the side of a forested mountain. It appeared the front and back of the aircraft were smashed.

Anxious relatives arrived at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport seeking news of the passengers.

"They have great pain. This is a terrible thing, we should all support them," Istanbul deputy governor Cafer Yildiz told reporters. A plane carrying the relatives flew to Isparta.

The aircraft disappeared from radar screens shortly before it was due to land at Isparta, about 150 km (90 miles) north of the Mediterranean resort of Antalya.

"As the plane was approaching its descent, it sought permission to land and after receiving a positive reply from the tower, contact was lost," Anatolian news agency quoted local deputy governor Tayyar Sasmaz as saying.

The aircraft was leased by Turkish-based World Focus Airlines to AtlasJet, which operates 15 planes.

Singapore Airlines To Increase Fuel Surcharge

As a result of a further escalation in the price of jet fuel recently, Singapore Airlines will increase its fuel surcharge for tickets issued on or after 4 December 2007. The price of jet fuel has increased sharply in recent weeks, and is now hovering around US$115 per barrel.

The new levels will apply to Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights as follows:

· On regional routes, US$26 (from US$24) per sector, for flights between Singapore and ASEAN countries.

· US$123 (from US$104) per sector, for flights between Singapore and gateways in the United States and Canada on a single-sector basis; and

· US$75 (from US$67) per sector, on all other flights.

The new surcharge is subject to official approval in some markets, and some local variations may apply where regulatory approvals dictate.

The adjustments will offer only partial relief of higher operating costs arising from increases in the price of jet fuel.

Singapore Airlines will continue to monitor the price of jet fuel and keep the application of the fuel surcharge under active review.

AIRPORT NEWS

Tender planned for New Mexico’s spaceport

Right: Designed by Foster + Partners and URS Corporation, the proposed Spaceport is due to enter service in late 2009 or early 2010

A tender for the construction of the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport is due to go out in the first half of next year, says Spaceport America. The 9,300m² hangar and terminal facility in New Mexico will serve as the operational base for flights into space by Virgin Galactic.

The design, by a US-British team of URS Corporation and Foster + Partners, is a low-lying shape that makes widespread use of earth for insulation and relies on passive energy for heating and cooling, with photovoltaic panels for electricity and water recycling capabilities. A rolling concrete shell acts as a roof with massive windows, offering views of the runway and spacecraft.

The terminal and hangar facility is projected to cost about US$31 million. It will provide Virgin Galactic’s pre-flight and post-flight training facilities and lounges, as well as the maintenance hangar for two White Knight 2 and five Spaceship 2 aircraft.

Stuttgart proposes growth plan

Right: Stuttgart's target of more than 17 million passengers is dependent on approval of its development plan by the Baden-Württemberg County government

Stuttgart Airport aims to handle 17.3 million passengers annually by 2020. The airport operator unveiled this target yesterday as it presented its airport masterplan for the period until 2020. Airport officials say it will only reach this target if the local government approves the building of a second runway for around US$880 million (Euro 600 million), which will help it to remain competitive.

Stuttgart also wants to limit its existing night curfew and claims that without infrastructural measures, it will lose traffic to Frankfurt and Munich. The airport says it expects to grow to handle no more than 14.1 million passengers per year in 2020 if the County rejects the plan for a second runway.

The Baden-Württemberg County government will decide on the airport development plan in spring 2008. If it grants permission to build the runway, Stuttgart Airport officials claim the project could be complete by 2015.

If the runway gets the go-ahead, the airport operator says it will need to extend its existing terminal to the west, adding 20-30 more aircraft positions and expanding airport facilities such as the check-in area. Stuttgart Airport forecasts that the terminal extension would cost around US$185 million (Euro 125 million).

Stuttgart is Germany’s sixth largest international airport, and handled 10 million passengers in a year for the first time in 2006. It expects to grow by 4.2% per year to 2020 if the expansion plans are improved, but to grow by just 2.8% per year if they are not.

Retail boom awaits China’s airports

Right: Duty free shops at Shanghai Airport

China’s airport retail sector is expected to experience “eruptive growth” in the next three to seven years, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Liu Shaocheng, CAAC policy department director, says, “China’s airport retail business is a gold mine waiting to be explored.”

Shaocheng says that retail revenues at China’s airports last year amounted to US$3.08 billion (Yuan 22.85 billion), but less than 40% came from the non-aviation sector. “This is much less than at airports in Europe, Australia and the rest of Asia, which means the commercial potential of Chinese airports has not been developed fully,” he says.

The presence of players like Sunrise Duty Free and King Power Group in Shanghai Pudong International Airport and DFS in Meilan International Airport suggests that China’s airports are increasingly aware of this potential and are changing their operations to exploit the opportunities.

Shaocheng predicts further cooperation between international airports and Chinese airports will contribute to the development of airport retail in the country.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has just signed a contract with Schiphol Group for the development of commercial activities, including retail, food and beverage facilities.

Shanghai plans self-service baggage check-in

Right: Wincor-Nixdorf self-service check-in kiosks at Shanghai Airport

From March next year, air travellers holding electronic tickets will be able to check in their own luggage at self-service kiosks at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Officials claim that Pudong will be the first airport in China to provide self-service kiosks that allow passengers to check in their luggage.

Last June, the airport installed six self-service Proair kiosks from Wincor-Nixdorf at check-in Island B in the domestic check-in hall. The six machines are used by more than 1,000 travellers each day, but they do not, at present, allow passengers to check-in their baggage.

The kiosks software was co-developed by Materna Information & Communications and a local system integrator.

Shanghai Airport Authority is working with airlines and kiosk suppliers to develop a self-service kiosk that allows passengers to check in their luggage. They plan to put the kiosks near traditional check-in counters so passengers can tag the luggage by themselves and then load the luggage onto the conveyors once they have received a boarding pass and baggage tags from the kiosks. It is estimated that by March next year, such kiosks will be deployed by the airport.

Green campaigners challenge Manchester’s masterplan

Plans by Manchester Airport to become one of the most environmentally friendly airports in Europe have been blasted by environmental campaigners. The airport’s latest master plan to 2030, proposes increasing its passenger volume by 50% to 33 million, but also includes plans to make the airport’s terminals carbon neutral from ground operations by 2015.

“This is an ambitious target and would place us ahead of every other UK airport,” says Tim Walmsley, the airport’s environmental manager. “We will deliver major environmental and financial benefits from reducing our carbon emissions.”

Manchester Airport plans by 2020 to get all of its electricity from renewable sources (the present figure is 20%) and to generate up to one fifth of its energy needs on-site.

The master plan has not, however, been welcomed by local councillor Vanessa Hall, a member of the Green Party. “Manchester Airport could tow the planes to the runway using a fleet of bicycles, but this would not get away from the fact that flying already accounts for 13% of the UK’s global warming,” she says. “Manchester Airport already produces double the emissions of Uganda.”

Dr Graeme Sherrif of Friends of the Earth says, “Manchester Airport aiming to become carbon neutral is like a tobacconist shop becoming a smoke-free zone. The reality is that the carbon emissions from the flights it encourages dwarf those of its ground operations. The airport must take responsibility for these emissions and this means abandoning its aggressive growth plans, refusing to operate domestic flights and ceasing to overestimate its importance to the region’s economy.”

East Midlands wins fifth award this year

East Midlands Airport in the UK has been awarded the title of Airport of the Year in this year’s British Travel Awards in London. East Midlands was chosen for the award by an independent panel of travel trade experts.

This is the fifth award won by East Midlands in 2007. In January, it was named Best Regional Airport at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards and World’s Leading Eco Friendly Airport at the World Travel Awards. It was also been Best UK Regional Airport at the Travel Bulletin 2007 Star Awards and Best Airport at the Baltic Air Charter Association (BACA) Awards 2007.

“We are very proud of the titles we have been awarded this year, which recognise the hard work and dedication of our great team,” says Penny Coates, airport managing director.

IATA to launch ground handling safety audit

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will launch a worldwide safety audit programme for ground handlers in early 2008. The programme is aimed at preventing accidents involving ground handlers that cost billions of dollars in aircraft damage each year.

IATA’s new Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) aims to reduce accidents and injuries on the ground, while reducing the number of redundant audits, through the creation of a global safety audit standard for ground handling companies.

The new programme will be led by Mike O’Brien, IATA’s director, programme implementation/auditing, who says that ISAGO aims to create an environment in which companies will undergo a single audit that applies a consistent set of commonly agreed standards, tailored to the operating regime of each company.

Upon completion of the audit and correction of any findings, the ground handler will be placed on a Registry. Airlines will then be able to use the ISAGO Registration and access the report as necessary, instead of conducting their own safety audit, as is the case today.

A total of 14 trial audits are already under way and the first real audits will start in March 2008. ISAGO will be made available to all ground service providers worldwide, irrespective of size or independent status, and will be tailored to each entity’s specific ground handling activities.

IATA will conduct a number of regional seminars in 2008 about ISAGO.

Consultants chosen to manage Jeddah airport expansion

Above: Expansion will raise capacity at King Abdulaziz airport to 80 million

Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdulaziz, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation regulator (GACA), has signed a US$68.3 million deal this week with the international consultancy Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners) to manage the construction of Jeddah’s new US$4.8 billion airport.

Under the five-year contract, the consultancy, which operates from Cairo and Beirut, will supervise the work at the largest airport to be built in Saudi Arabia. The construction is expected to start in the beginning of 2008 and will develop the outdated King Abdulaziz airport in Jeddah into a regional hub.

Construction will take place in three stages, the first of which should be completed by the first quarter of 2011. At the end of the first stage, the airport’s capacity will increase from 13 million passengers to 30 million passengers each year. Once all three construction stages are complete, the airport’s capacity will rise to 80 million passengers per year.

The new airport will have four new crescent-shaped passenger terminals, and a high-speed rail link connecting the airport to the two Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

The expansion of the airport includes the construction of a support services building, renovation of the existing South and North Terminals and upgrades to the existing runway and airfield systems to accommodate the Airbus A380.

Abdullah Rehaimy, president of GACA, says the project will be built by local companies. He claims the airport is not commercially feasible at present, but that it will start to make a profit once construction is completed.

Changi launches concierge shopping

Singapore’s Changi Airport has introduced a shopping concierge service, which is due to run until 5 January next year. The service is aimed at reducing the stress of Christmas shopping for passengers using the airport.

“This is part of CAAS’ efforts to enhance passengers’ shopping experience at Changi Airport. We hope that passengers will find shopping a breeze at Changi Airport Shopping City, given the extra help from our new shopping concierge staff, and take full advantage of the great buys being offered during this Christmas shopping promotion period,” says Lim Kim Choon, director-general & chief executive officer, of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

The shopping concierge counters are located within the Transit Malls of Terminals 1 and 2. Staff stationed at these counters will provide passengers with gift ideas and recommendations and will advise passengers on the best buys at the airport.

Lufthansa, TUI, Eurowings Discuss Airline Alliance

The merger plans of Lufthansa's Germanwings unit and of TUI's TUIfly division are set to include Eurowings too, people familiar with the talks said on Thursday.

The parties plan to build a larger alliance that also involves Eurowings as a third airline, it was said.

Building entrepreneur Albrecht Knauf, who holds a majority stake in Eurowings, may also take a stake in the possible new entity. Lufthansa owns 49 percent of Eurowings but has all the voting rights and operates the regional airline.

Lufthansa, Germanwings and TUIfly declined to comment.

Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported in a pre-released article from Friday's edition, citing unidentified people in the industry, that Lufthansa and TUI agreed to hold 40 percent of the merged entity each and Knauf 20 percent.

Iran To Buy Five Passenger Planes From Russia

Iran's national airliner Iran Air will buy five Tupolev passenger planes from Russia to meet high demand for domestic flights, Iran's state broadcaster said on Wednesday.

"Iran Air has various plans to complete its fleet and is to buy five Tupolev 214 passenger planes," Managing Director Saeed Hessami was quoted as saying on the web site of state broadcaster IRIB.

"The deposit has been prepared for transfer to the (Ilyushin Finance) company and they (the aircraft) will gradually join the fleet," Hessami said without giving any financial details on the deal.

Hessami did not mention any other plans to buy Tupolev planes from Russia.

In Moscow on Monday, a source with knowledge of the deal said Iran had started talks to buy 30 Russian Tupolev 204 passenger aircraft worth more than USD$1 billion.

The source, who asked not to be identified, said the deal was likely to be reached by the end of the year.

It is likely to embarrass Western powers which are trying to persuade Russia and China to join them in tightening sanctions on Iran to make it halt its uranium enrichment program.

Washington and its close allies suspect it of trying to build nuclear weapons, but Tehran says it wants only to produce electricity.

Russia and China, both with strong trade ties with Tehran and veto power on the UN Security Council, have argued for more negotiations to encourage Iran to comply with the international demand for a halt in uranium enrichment.

Government-owned Iran Air operates a fleet of Boeing and Airbus planes, while its Iran Air Tours subsidiary flies Tupolev 154 planes. Iran's airline sector has been under US sanctions for almost three decades, preventing it from buying new US planes or spare parts.

(Reuters)

Heathrow growth to bring UK £10 billion a year

Future Heathrow, representing employers, staff and aviation organisations, hailed the UK Government's confirmation that proposals for a short, third runway and fuller use of the two existing runways would meet stringent requirements for reducing noise and improving local air quality.

The group urged that firm decisions should be taken quickly to implement the first increases in runway capacity at the UK's national hub since 1946. Expansion would benefit wealth and job creation across the country by nearly £10 billion a year.

The airport's growth would remove the threat to London's status as a global business capital and establish world-class air links for the UK regions to boost inward investment.

Richard Lambert, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said: "Good air links are vital to UK businesses operating in a global economy, and Heathrow, as our national hub, has been constrained for too long. The government needs to move forward swiftly so that extra capacity at Heathrow can become a reality."

"This verdict that the local environmental tests can be met is an important step forward. We must also ensure that, as the threat from climate change grows, aviation plays its part in the move to a low carbon economy - even as demand for air travel increases."

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said: "Aviation supports around 500,000 jobs in the UK, and many others in support services, so the future of Heathrow is crucial to our economy. We want to see Heathrow's development to deliver secure, high quality jobs in a well-unionised environment."

"We welcome the Government's commitment to balancing the economic benefits of airport expansion with environmental aspects, not only local noise and air pollution, but also national climate change priorities. The TUC looks forward to working with government to ensure the sustainable development of Heathrow."

Stephen Nelson, chief executive of BAA, said: "This consultation spells good news for passengers. Heathrow is full and its dependence on two runways, while European competitors have four or five, causes delays, stacks and crawling taxiway queues. The cost of this congestion can be measured economically and environmentally. "

"More efficient, or mixed-mode, use of the existing runways would allow us to cut delays at a stroke, while a third runway will mean we can add new destinations to the UK's global reach. There will be no more noise overall from the airport, better air quality, and improved public transport links."

Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways, said: "We are committed to ensuring that growth is sustainable. By the time a third runway becomes operational, aviation emissions will have been capped by the EU for several years."

"If airlines want to fly more, they will have to pay for emissions reductions in other industries - so overall CO2 in the atmosphere will not rise because of a third runway."

Steve Ridgway, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said: "Limiting growth at Heathrow wouldn't prevent climate change because that growth would only go elsewhere."

"It would only serve to damage the UK's competitiveness, as well as limit the choice available to the huge number of people living in London who want to travel to visit friends and family. We rely on air travel to connect people and places on a wider scale.

Airlines welcome Heathrow consultation

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the UK Government’s announcement of a consultation into the third runway at London Heathrow Airport. “Heathrow is Europe’s busiest international hub and critical to the UK’s competitiveness. It is also bursting at the seams. Short-term fixes, including mixed mode are useful. But the only real long-term solution is a third runway,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA Director General and CEO.

Heathrow airport ranks among the world’s most congested airports. The capacity cap is 480,000 slots per year. For the airline schedule commencing next March, 477,000 slots are taken-up. The remaining 3,000 slots are at undesirable off-peak times.

Heathrow operates with dedicated runways for take-offs and landings. Mixed mode operations (allowing the runways to be used flexibly for take-offs and landings) could bring capacity to 550,000 slots per year. A third runway would allow up to 720,000 slots.

“Heathrow has been operating with the same runway capacity for 60 years. On infrastructure, it is the poor cousin among Europe’s great airports. Paris operates with four runways, Frankfurt with three and Amsterdam with five. If Heathrow does not catch-up on capacity, the economic benefits of being Europe’s premier hub are anything but guaranteed,” said Bisignani.

“The consultation committee will be weighing up the costs as well as the benefits for the economy and the environment. Let’s get the calculation right. A congested airport with chronic delays has an unnecessary environmental cost. So capacity expansion has an environmental benefit,” said Bisignani.

“The airline industry’s commitment to a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency by 2020 is solid and endorsed by the UK government. The next step is carbon neutral growth while aiming for a carbon-free future. Short-sighted decisions must not saddle UK competitiveness with the long-term burden of second-rate infrastructure,” concluded Bisignani.

UK and Singapore sign landmark air services agreement

The UK and Singapore have signed a landmark aviation agreement on air services which removes all remaining restrictions on air services between the two countries. The agreement, the terms of which were finalised at talks last month, was signed by the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, and the Singapore Minister for
Transport, Raymond Lim.

Ms Kelly said: "I am delighted to sign this landmark deal, which will be good for passengers and for the aviation industry, both in the UK and Singapore. As the most liberal agreement of its kind to date, I hope it will set the standard for other comparable agreements in the future."

"This is a major step forward in extending the benefits of open aviation agreements such as travellers already enjoy within Europe."

The new agreement opens access to each country's aviation market for the other country's airlines, including flights to any onward destination in other countries. It is the first agreement that gives unfettered access to the London-US market to a non-EU or US airline. It applies state aid rules to ensure fair competition on both sides. It also finalises a new treaty that liberalises arrangements on a wide range of further issues, including codesharing and ground handling.

The UK-Singapore deal will come into effect from 30 March 2008.

Singapore concludes open skies agreement with Slovak Republic

Singapore and the Slovak Republic have concluded an Open Skies Agreement (OSA) on 22 November 2007, allowing for full flexibility on air services operated by carriers of both countries. The agreement was reached during air services consultations which took place from 20 to 22 November 2007 in Singapore.

The consultations were led by Mr Lim Kim Choon, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Mr Jan Breja, Director General, Ministry of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications of the Slovak Republic General Directorate of Civil Aviation and Water Transport.

With this agreement, which takes effect immediately, Singapore carriers will be able to operate flights as frequently as desired between Singapore and points in the Slovak Republic, as well as beyond the Slovak Republic to any other city in the world. Similarly, the Slovak Republic carriers will be able to operate any number of services to and beyond Singapore.

Mr Lim said, “This is a very positive agreement that reflects our two countries' commitment to promoting free competition in the aviation industry.”

He added, “Singapore and the Slovak Republic share warm bilateral ties, and I am confident that this agreement will allow our carriers the full flexibility to react quickly to future market opportunities.”

With the Singapore - Slovak Republic OSA, Singapore has concluded OSAs with more than 20 countries, including 11 in the European Union.

Adam Air To Double Fleet Size

Officials with Adam Air, an Indonesian low cost carrier, are planning a fleet expansion with a plan that could increase its size from 50-to-60 jets in the next five years, according to AFP.
Adam Air, a privately owned airline operating from Jakarta, began operation in 2003 and is the largest low fare airline in Indonesia's market by passenger number.

"We plan to add more planes to our fleet, four or five additional aircraft, each year. So in five years we will have about 50 to 60 aircraft. Right now we have 23," said Adam Air spokesman Danke Dradjat.

Dradjat said that Adam Air has not made a decision to fly only Boeing 737 series jets, or make a switch to Airbus aircraft. He indicated that the "terms and conditions" that are offered by the world's two largest commercial aircraft manufactures will be deciding factors in the jet type for its expansion. Adam Air had previously offered its plan to expand with Airbus aircraft, according to a company press release.

Dradjet did not offer cost estimates for the fleet expansion or a timeframe for delivery needs, but added that the rapid expansion of other low cost carriers in India and China were making it harder to obtain lease aircraft and causing costs to soar, forcing Adam Air to look for a fleet purchase deal.

Adam Air opened a new domestic route this week to Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan province on Borneo Island, and was studying opening flights to Ambon and Kupang in the east, Dradjat said.

Passenger numbers have resumed to previous levels after one of its jetliners crashed into the sea on New Year's Day, with average passenger loads at 92 percent'" Dradjat said. The disaster killed 102 people,as reported ANN

"We had quite a bad time the first and second month after the accident, but then conditions rebounded very quickly, especially after the Garuda accident when people saw it could happen to any airline," the airline spokesman said.

Man Arrested For Threatening To Kill UA Pilot

Five Passengers Restrain Drunk While En-Route

An apparently inebriated passenger was restrained on a United Airlines flight and later arrested after threatening to kill the aircraft's pilot on Wednesday.

Damien R. Sexton was charged in federal court with assaulting a passenger on board a San Francisco-bound flight after he allegedly stood up in his seat and blurted out, "I'm going to kill the pilot," according to court records.

The intoxicated man the stepped on the thigh of passenger Patricia Mace trying to gain access to the aisle of the plane while it was en route from Philadelphia on November 21, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Mace's thigh muscle and nerves were damaged by Sexton's actions, that came moments after he threatened to kill the pilot, authorities said.

Sexton was restrained by four or five passengers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Danner wrote in court papers. A flight purser gave the passengers duct tape and handcuffs while restraining Sexton, according to reports. Sexton was arrested upon arrival at San Francisco and charged Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco with assaulting a passenger and threatening to injure the pilot.

Boeing, KLM Announce Order for Additional 777-300ERs and 737-700s

Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, part of the AIR FRANCE/KLM Group, has placed an order for additional 737 and 777 aircraft. The airline will add three Next-Generation 737-700s and two 777-300ERs (Extended Range) to its fleet. As part of the agreement, KLM took options on one additional 737 and two additional 777s. The order, worth approximately $716 million at catalog prices, was previously posted to the Boeing Orders and Deliveries Web site and attributed to an unidentified customer.

With today’s announcement, the airline has six 777-300ERs on direct order with Boeing and is scheduled to take delivery of its first of this model in the first quarter of 2008. KLM currently operates a fleet of 15 777-200ERs in a combination of leases and direct purchases.

The airline continues to strengthen its short-haul fleet with the Next-Generation 737 to improve overall efficiency and reliability and to strengthen its competitive position in the European market.

“KLM and Boeing enjoy a long-standing and productive partnership through programs in engineering, maintenance and flight operations. Together, we work for the most optimal utilization of Boeing products in KLM’s fleet,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales for Europe, Russia and Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “KLM’s expansion and renewal program demonstrates their commitment to improving fuel efficiency and reducing environmental impact, a commitment that Boeing shares.”

Over the life of the 777 program, 53 customers worldwide have placed more than 1,000 orders for 777s. The program has approximately 350 unfilled orders worth more than $90 billion at current list prices.

As of Oct. 31, Boeing had logged orders for more than 4,200 Next-Generation 737s, and has unfilled orders for more than 1,800 airplanes worth more than $130 billion at current list prices.

Source: Boeing

A380 Confirmed Quietest Long Range Aircraft In The Skies

Airbus has received validation in November 2007 for the external noise values of the A380 powered by Engine Alliance GP7200 engines from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). External noise certification is part of the process for the joint EASA and FAA type certification for the GP7200-powered A380, which is scheduled in December 2007.

The approval of the A380’s very low noise values confirms it is by far the quietest long-range aircraft in the skies. The noise levels certified on the GP7200-powered A380 are equivalent to those already approved on the Rolls Royce Trent 900 powered A380. With an impressive 17 EPNdB (Effective Perceived Noise in Decibels) cumulative margin to the ICAO Chapter 4 noise standard, voluntarily used by Airbus instead of the mandatory Chapter 3 standard, the A380 is easily compliant with today’s most stringent noise standards and is well prepared for the future.

“The GP7200-powered A380 has been performing extremely well throughout the development and certification programme. This excellent result is one of the final milestones before certification in December,” said Mario Heinen, Airbus Executive Vice President, A380 Programme. “The aircraft is consistently meeting and often exceeding its design targets”, he added.

Generating at least 50 per cent less noise than its nearest competitor at take-off and on landing, both A380 models meet the most stringent noise rules at any international airport, namely London’s Heathrow airport - QC2 for departures and QC0.5 for arrivals. This is of major benefit both to A380 operators who have more flexibility to operate night-time flights, and to airports, since passenger capacity will be increased while limiting the impact of noise on the surrounding communities.

The certification programme for the GP7200-powered A380, including noise testing, has been carried out with A380 flight test aircraft MSN009. In May this year, MSN009 confirmed its low noise emissions during a series of certification tests that were performed at the Spanish Air Force base at Morón de la Frontera in southern Spain and jointly witnessed by European and US noise authority specialists.

Being greener, cleaner, quieter and smarter, the A380 is already setting new standards for air transport and the environment. The A380 has unmatched fuel efficiency, consuming less than three litres per passenger per 100 kilometers.

Source: EADS

Boeing Delivers Third C-40C to U.S. Air Force Reserve Command

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] Friday delivered the third of three C-40C transport aircraft to the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), providing a critical airlift asset to government leaders on official business.

Maj. Gen. Robert Duignan, commander, 4^th Air Force, accepted the aircraft at Boeing facilities in Seattle and flew it to Scott Air Force Base (AFB), Ill., where it will begin service with the AFRC.

The 932^nd and 375^th Airlift Wings, units of the AFRC and Air Mobility Command respectively, will use the Next-Generation 737-700 Boeing Business Jet derivative to provide congressional delegations and senior government personnel safe, secure and reliable transportation — often to remote locations around the world — while supporting their need to conduct in-flight business.

“The leading-edge capabilities and 21^st century capacities of the multi-mission C-40C provide us with an advanced platform for taking great care of our distinguished visitors and accomplishing a range of essential missions, including air evacuation and cargo transportation and, when necessary, maintaining team integrity for critical missions,” said Duignan. “The C-40C has the mission legs and operational versatility we’ve always hoped for, and the Boeing team, as always, has delivered the right-sized platform and the right capabilities to do the job.”

Maureen Carlson, Boeing C-40C program manager, added, “In working together with our Commercial Airplanes unit, Mission Integration Center and key supplier Greenpoint Technologies, we incorporated lessons learned on the first two aircraft to deliver this third one six weeks ahead of schedule. This will enable our Air Force Reserve and Air Mobility Command customers to assure availability of a critical asset to our nation’s leaders.”

Aircraft modifications include military avionics that augment the 737’s commercial flight deck; satellite communications equipment for passenger use; a reconfigurable interior that comprises 40 business-class seats, two work areas with conference table or divan and accommodations for 11 crew members; and auxiliary fuel tanks that extend the aircraft’s range to approximately 4,400 nautical miles.

The airplane joins a family of 18 C-40s already in service with the U.S. government: three C-40Cs with the Air National Guard at Andrews AFB, Md., as well as the two already delivered to AFRC at Scott AFB; four Air Force C-40Bs supporting the U.S. Combatant Commands at Andrews, Ramstein AFB, Germany, and Hickam AFB, Hawaii; and the U.S. Navy Reserve’s nine C-40As stationed at Naval Air Stations North Island, Calif., Fort Worth, Texas, and Jacksonville, Fla.

Source: Boeing

Kingfisher to launch operations to Sydney

Kingfisher Airlines reportedly plans to launch four times weekly service from India to Sydney from Oct-08, subject to government approval. The carrier plans to increase frequency to daily in the future.

Meanwhile, Kingfisher has requested that Airbus advance delivery of its five A380s scheduled for 2011-12 to the end of 2009. Kingfisher is the only Indian customer for the A380, and plans to operate the aircraft to the US and on other long haul routes.

Air India converting aircraft to freighter configuration

Air Indias expected 100 widebody aircraft order will make way for the carrier to convert aging widebody aircraft in its existing fleet into freighter configuration. The carrier recently announced plans to convert two additional A310s to freighter configuration for Air India Cargo operations between Jul-08 and Sep-08, and additionally plans to convert all its B747-400s into freighter configuration.

Air India, has so far converted two A310s and two B737-200s into freighters.

According to Express Travel World, P K Gupta, Executive Director of sales and marketing, stated, “cargo is an emerging industry today, which is why Air India Cargo came about. Until now, we didn't have dedicated freighters to carry cargo and would depend on the empty belly space, but now things are changing and we already have two passenger aircraft converted into freighters and will be converting another two A310s and inducting around mid-2008. However, there is scope for more synergies between passenger aircraft and freighters to carry load”.

Meanwhile, Air India officially handed over the first of five B737Fs to India Post and logistics firm, Gati, to operate daily Delhi-Mumbai-Bangalore cargo service through a JV. The remaining four aircraft are reportedly expected to be provided to Gati by mid-08.

Qatar Airways and United Airlines implement codeshare agreement

Qatar Airways and United Airlines have implemented their code share agreement following approval from the US Department of Transportation to place their codes on each others flights giving passengers more destinations to choose from. Under the agreement, Qatar Airways significantly expands its presence in the United States, a market it entered in June with scheduled flights from Doha to New York (Newark).

In July, Qatar Airways added daily non-stop scheduled services between Doha and Washington DC. Qatar Airways’ QR flight code is now placed on selected services operated by United Airlines, giving the Doha-based carrier access to a number of domestic cities across the United States from Washington DC, and on flights from key European gateways to the US.

United Airlines’ UA flight code is also placed on Qatar Airways’ flights between Doha and Washington DC and Newark, as well as a number of routes operated by Qatar Airways across its network from the Qatari capital. As part of the agreement, Qatar Airways has applied its QR flight code on:
• Flights operated by United Airlines from Washington DC to more than 50 cities across the US
• Flights operated by United Airlines from London Heathrow, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, Rome and Munich to one or all of the following cities – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC and Chicago.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said that passenger feedback had been extremely positive since the airline launched flights to the United States this summer.

“We are delighted with the strong passenger response to our New York and Washington DC flights – and the codeshare arrangement we have entered into with United Airlines will strengthen our position across the US,” he said.

“United Airlines has an extensive reach across the US domestic market. Our passengers travelling from Doha, the Indian subcontinent, Asia and the Middle East will gain online access to an array of US cities via connecting flights operated by United Airlines through Washington DC and Europe.

“For passengers it means seamless transfers between flights, baggage checked-through to their final destination and a host of other benefits.”

Qatar Airways began its relationship with United Airlines in November 2005 when members of the airline’s Privilege Club frequent flyer programme were able to earn and redeem Qmiles on flights operated by United Airlines.

Both carriers have also enjoyed a strategic cargo partnership through which the airlines have carried more than 600,000 kilos (1.3 million pounds) of general freight and in excess of two million kilos (4 million pounds) of mail since its inception in early 2006.

Emirates commences construction of Australian luxury resort

Emirates Airline commenced the development of the USD69 million luxury Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa in Australia's Blue Mountains, a project that will see the transformation of 4,000 acres of distressed farming land into a high-value conservation site. The opening ceremony is the result of two years of planning, investment and approval processes and marks the beginning of Emirates' first resort project outside of Dubai.

Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is the second conservation-focussed property within the expanding portfolio of Emirates Hotels & Resorts - the premier hospitality division of Emirates Airline.

Two per cent of the 4,000 acres will be used to create an exclusive resort of 40 free-standing suites and a main homestead that will feature fine dining, a Timeless Spa, pool area and conference facilities. The remaining land will be progressively restored to its natural state with the reintroduction of native fauna and flora.

Sheikh Ahmed and the local dignitaries planted a Wollemi Pine as the first of tens of thousands of trees that will help regenerate the Valley. The Wollemi Pine is one of the world's oldest and rarest plants that was discovered deep in the neighbouring Wollemi National Park.

Commencing the formalities, representatives of the Wiradjuri people performed a traditional ceremony to prepare the site for its new use.

Sheikh Ahmed welcomed the beginning of construction: "We are delighted to see this project taking shape after many years of careful planning. The search for this location began in 2004 and we are now well on our way to making Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa an important asset for Australian tourism, the local community and Emirates."

In late 2009 the resort will welcome its first guests, some 70 per cent of whom are expected to be international visitors to Australia.

Guests were treated to a preview of the resort's world-class hospitality, sitting down to a luncheon featuring regional produce in a specially erected marquee on the future site of the main homestead.

Environmental considerations feature prominently in the plan for the resort including 100 per cent water recycling, green power and a strict waste management system.

Emirates has also worked closely with National Parks and Wildlife Service on a conservation plan to protect and conserve the heritage value of the property, including wildlife and threatened species such as the spotted-tailed quoll.

The luxury development is anticipated to positively impact the local economy, generating 100 jobs and increased local and international tourism to the area.

Emirates Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa was the airline's first conservation-focussed property. The resort is recognised internationally for its leadership and contributions to conservation in the region, and is among the Cond� Nast Traveller's Top 20-Hotel List. The success of Al Maha is being used as the basis for designs and operations in the Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa and the Emirates Cap Ternay Resort & Spa in the Seychelles; currently in its design and planning phase, and promising to shape up as one of the Indian Oceans' best resorts.

Boeing 1,044 orders in 2007, challenges Airbus all-time sales record - and Middle East airlines make it possible

Both major aircraft manufacturers look likely to exceed their record order lists before the year is over. And it would not have been possible without massive orders from the Middle East airlines.

For the third year in a row, Boeing has achieved its all time record sales, yesterday reporting it has received 1,047 net orders for commercial aircraft so far in 2007, exceeding its 2006 total of 1,044 orders. In turn, that exceeded 2005's previous record of 1,002.

Boeing orders this year include 580 B737s and 290 B787 Dreamliners. The pre-launch sales for the B787 are the highest ever for a new type, at 736, to date; this number is sure to increase before the aircraft flies. Although delayed, the B787 should make its appearance commercially in early 2009.

Meanwhile Airbus has this year received orders for 1,021 aircraft, with 16 A380s, and, following Emirates’ order for of the new long haul A35XWB, Airbus hopes to exceed 300 orders for the smaller twinjet this year. The European manufacturer too is within shouting distance of its 2005 order record of 1,055 (in 2006, it lagged Boeing, booking a lower 790 units).

Middle East airlines have outstanding orders for a total of 502 Airbus orders at present (not all ordered in 2007). Recent orders at the Dubai Airshow gave Airbus a major boost, with 163 firm orders, including the manufacturer’s largest order ever by value from Emirates Airline – with 70 A350XWBs and a further 11 A380s. The A380 order book was boosted by the first order for a private A380, placed by HRH Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia.

Commitments were received from a further 20 booked to NAS, with newly emerged DAE Capital taking 70 for its fledgling leasing operation. A commitment for 22 aircraft from Saudi Arabian Airlines was the first in a quarter century from the Saudi flag carrier, signalling the revival of the older airlines in the region, as liberalisation spreads quickly.

LCCs also featured heavily with another 34 A320 commitments from Air Arabia, 8 from Air Blue, 9 from Nile Air and four from private customers.

Although typically a strong market for Boeing in the past, it has not fared so well this year, with only 24 firm orders to 31 October, with 22 of those heading to leasing company ALAFCO, for 16 B787s and 6 B737-800s; the other two orders were to Royal Jordanian, both for B787-8s.

In 2005, Airbus' 1,055 orders combined with Boeing's 1,002 to make a previous record combined total for the major manufacturers, of 2,057 firm orders. This fell to a joint 1,834 in 2006. But with this year’s tally already at 2,068, the record may well be set for many years to come.

It won’t be until there is larger airline market base that a sequence of sales years like the last three years may be repeated, probably well into the middle of next decade. But it is a near certainty that both manufacturers will in the meantime be spending a lot of their sales time in the Middle East. There are more sales to come, as the newer airlines, including LCCs, combine with the longer established flag carriers in the increasingly liberal aviation environment sweeping the region.

Tiger takes off at Melbourne Airport

Tiger Airways Australias first services departed from its home base of Melbourne Airport on 23-Nov-07, signalling an exciting new era at Australias low-cost air travel hub.

Flight TT7402 to the Gold Coast departed at 0700 hours, followed shortly by flight TT7452 to Rockhampton at 0715 hours. Flight TT7515 to Mackay departs later today at 1205 hours.

Over the coming months, the airline will also bring on line services between Melbourne and Adelaide, Alice Springs, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Perth and the Sunshine Coast.

Melbourne Airport CEO, Chris Woodruff, said the airport had worked tirelessly to prepare for today’s launch, investing approximately AUD5 million into Terminal 4 (T4) and ensuring Tiger had a terminal built specifically to their needs and specifications.

“A little over 6 months ago we received a call from Tiger Airways about the fact that they were in the planning phases of a new Australian domestic carrier, and were looking for an Australian home,” said Mr Woodruff. “After a tough battle between Australian cities Melbourne Airport was secured as Tiger Airways’ Australian home base. Since then we have, quite simply, pulled out all the stops to prepare for today’s first flight.”

“I congratulate the Tiger Airways team on their launch - and I have no doubt that Australia’s newest domestic airline will be a major success,” said Mr Woodruff.

Tiger Airways Group CEO, Tony Davis, said the airline was proud to call Melbourne Airport its home.

“We are excited about growing our business here at Melbourne Airport. From Day 1, the team at Melbourne Airport has supported our growth plans - and has been a key partner in helping us deliver our ‘real deal’ to Australians,” Mr Davis said.

AIRPORT NEWS

BAA plans to speed up security checks

BAA claims new technology and increased numbers of security staff will cut security delays at its seven UK airports

BAA claims improvements at its seven UK airports will ensure that only 5% of passengers will take more than five minutes to pass through security next year. The airport operator claims that only 1% of passengers will be delayed for more than 15 minutes queuing for security.

The announcement comes a day after the Association of European Airlines released figures showing that Heathrow and Gatwick were the two major European airports with the worst security delays last summer. More than 41% of Gatwick flights were delayed by more than 15 minutes, while Heathrow fared little better with 38.9% of flights delayed more than 15 minutes. Both airports are operated by BAA.

Mike Forster, strategy director for BAA, says that a combination of extra investment and staffing, new technology and the opening of Terminal 5 would enable BAA to meet the new targets.

BAA has appointed 2,000 additional security staff so far this year and invested heavily in new security systems. “Unlike the current systems, the new technology, which is called ATIX, can automatically detect explosives and liquids and it offers the security staff multiple viewing angles, so the margin for error or unnecessary hold-ups is even smaller,” adds Forster.

The airport operator claims that 95% of passengers last month passed through Heathrow security within 10 minutes.

Japan introduces biometric checks for foreigners

This week Japan introduces a new law requiring all foreigners to provide fingerprints and photographs when entering the country

Japan’s Immigration Bureau has introduced a new fingerprinting and photographing device at Narita International Airport in time for a new law that comes into force this week in Japan under which foreigners must provide fingerprints and photographs when entering the country.

Over the past few days, Ministry of Justice officials at airports across Japan have been staging promotional events, showing off the new hardware that will be used to collect the fingerprints and scan the faces of the estimated five to six million foreigners who enter the country each year.

The devices, from NEC, consist of a monitor, two fingerprint readers (one for each hand) and a camera that captures headshots. The devices are being installed at immigration counters nationwide so that passengers can be fingerprinted and photographed while they are questioned by immigration officials about the purpose of their visit and their intended length of stay. The biometric data will then be stored in a database, which law enforcement officials claim will help to deter terrorist attacks.

Officials say the fingerprints and other biometric data will also be checked against foreigners who have been deported from Japan and those wanted by the Japanese police.

Those excluded from the law include ethnic Koreans, permanent residents with special status, anyone aged under 16, diplomats and official state guests.

Passenger numbers boom at UK regional airports

The number of passengers passing through regional UK airports annually has reached 100 million for the first time. The figures, which were released late last week by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), revealed that the number of passengers over the past year totalled nearly three times more than in 1990. The CAA also documented that the strongest growth amongst passengers was for those travelling to international destinations.

A total of eight regional airports in the UK now offer daily flights to twelve or more international destinations, while in 1990 this was limited to only Birmingham International Airport and Manchester Airport, and since flights to the US now depart from regional airports, passengers are being spared transfers to London airports.

Highlighting the popularity of regional airports over busy, congested London airports, CAA representative Harry Bush says, “Regional airports have continued to develop new services rapidly and have put themselves firmly on the map as gateways for travel to and from the regions they serve. There are connections to business, as well as leisure, destinations in Europe and further afield, including services to hub airports in Europe, the US and the Middle East, which allow numerous onward connections.”

SkyTeam gains access to Chinese airports

China Southern Airlines has become the 11th full member of the SkyTeam alliance, and the first from mainland China. The deal allows SkyTeam’s members to provide its customers with access to the most extensive airline route network in China. It also boosts the Sky Team alliance's global hub network with the addition of Baiyun International Airport, a well-positioned, modern hub in Guangzhou, and Beijing Capital International Airport.

China Southern operates the largest airline fleet in the country to 162 destinations around the world, and is the first carrier in China to operate its own terminal at Beijing Capital International Airport, China's busiest hub.

"SkyTeam is known for its unrivalled global connectivity and as a member, we can better serve our customers, particularly as the 2008 Beijing Olympics approach," says Liu Shao Yong, chairman of China Southern Airlines. "Our extensive intra-Asia network serves as a powerful link in SkyTeam's robust global network."

China Southern Airlines first signed a memorandum of understanding with the SkyTeam alliance back in August 2004, and has become a full member of the alliance after reaching agreements with each of the alliance member carriers, including bilateral code sharing, frequent flyer and lounge agreements.

China Southern has guaranteed to improve 80% of the 27 Chinese airports that manage China Southern's flights (including Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai) to meet SkyTeam standards within a year, and 100% in two years.