Airlines
TAM honoured
Kudos to Brazil's TAM Airlines, which won in two categories in this year's Skytrax World Airline Awards. TAM took top spot in the Best Airline in South America and the Best Airline Staff in South America categories. The awards, announced July 12 during the Farnborough International Airshow in England, were based on an online survey, focus groups, questionnaires and telephone interviews. TAM is represented in Canada by Airbridge International....
AC, ACPA receive final offer
Air Canada reports that along with the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA), it has received the decision of the arbitrator, Douglas Stanley, in the final offer selection arbitration conducted in accordance with the Protecting Air Service Act. The arbitrator's selection of Air Canada's final offer concludes a new collective agreement with ACPA following negotiations and mediated talks that took place over a period of 19 months. The five-year collective agreement is in effect until April 1, 2016. Calin Rovinescu, president and CEO of Air Canada, commented that the arbitrator's decision "brings...
Air New Zealand getting a new home at LAX
Air New Zealand is getting a new home at Los Angeles International Airport. After nearly 20 years based in Terminal 2, the airline will in early 2014 move to the Tom Bradley International Terminal which is currently undergoing a US$1.7 billion makeover. In a first for the airline, Air New Zealand has also been appointed to design and operate a new Star Alliance lounge in the terminal. The terminal move will enable passengers to access better facilities when arriving or departing Los Angeles and also while in transit. Passengers transiting through Los Angeles on NZ1 and NZ2 will no longer be...
Delta plans Comair shut down
Delta Air Lines is shutting down Comair, effective Sept. 29. Don Bornhorst, senior vice-president of Delta Connection, said in a memo, "While regional flying has and will remain a key component of Delta's network, customer expectations and the unit costs of regional flying have evolved. In response, Delta recently announced its plans to reduce the total number of regional jets in its network while adding more mainline flying. This includes reducing the number of 50-seat regional jets from nearly 350 aircraft to 125 or fewer in the upcoming years. As a result of this reduction and changes to...
Air Canada comments on Aveos restructuring
Air Canada has provided the following comments on the fifth report of the Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) of Aveos, providing an update following an agreement reached May 30 between Aveos and Air Canada in which the airline agreed to arrangements with Aveos to assist the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) firm to find potential purchasers for certain of its divisions. In a July 25 report, the CRO of Aveos advised that Aveos has received offers for the sale of all or certain assets of its components maintenance division and discussions are ongoing. Air Canada continues to work diligently...
WestJet clarifies U.S. DOT baggage fee regulations
Given the U.S. DOT's enforcement of baggage fee disclosure and collections obligations, WestJet is making moves to ensure travel agencies are fully compliant with the intent of these regulations on behalf of the airline. WestJet has elected to defer to IATA 302 resolution for all bookings with itineraries to, from and within the US (and for all international itineraries). This allows the carrier the option to determine baggage fees and allowances based on the most significant carrier. The most significant carrier and their baggage fees will be displayed during the pricing process through most...
UAL by the numbers
United Continental Holdings, Inc has reported second-quarter 2012 net income of US$545 million or $1.41 per diluted share, excluding $206 million of net special charges. Including special charges, UAL reported second-quarter 2012 net income of $339 million or $0.89 per diluted share. UAL's second-quarter consolidated passenger revenue increased 2.3% year-over-year. Second-quarter consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) increased 3.0% compared to the same period in 2011. Second-quarter consolidated fuel expense increased 5.6%, or $181 million, year-over-year....
WTTC talks tough on taxes
Pointing out the important role that the tourism industry plays in stimulating economic growth and in creating jobs, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is urging European Union (EU) finance ministers to avoid making "unproductive knee-jerk tax hikes at a time of austerity." In a letter to all 27 EU finance ministers, WTTC chairman, Dr Michael Frenzel reminded them that travel and tourism is a key generator of employment across the European Union directly generating 10 million jobs across Europe, substantially more than the automotive manufacturing (3.2 million), mining (3.6 million)...