Factory, design flaws caused A380 cracks | Reuters

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Airbus blamed a combination of manufacturing and design flaws as more examples of wing cracks arose during checks on the A380, while analysts said its bare-all strategy of addressing the problems in public should limit any lasting damage.

A top executive at the European planemaker said it had established how to repair the cracks found on a small number of parts inside the superjumbo’s wings, which prompted European safety authorities to order inspections last week.

Airbus and one of the leading operators, Singapore Airlines, confirmed a Reuters report that more examples of the cracks had been discovered during compulsory inspections.

Airbus moved to shore up confidence in the world’s largest jetliner amid a drip-feed of disclosures about cracking on components used to fix the outside of the wing to its ribcage.

via UPDATE 5-Factory, design flaws caused A380 cracks | Reuters.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Spirit Airlines giving away 5,000 tickets to Las Vegas – USATODAY.com

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Spirit Airlines is promoting its new Mesa-Las Vegas service by giving away free flights to Arizona residents on Thursday and Friday.

The Florida-based airline, which begins service at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Feb. 9, is giving away a total of 10 million frequent flier miles, equal to 5,000 round-trip tickets to Las Vegas, to residents and Arizona travel agencies.

The bulk of the tickets — 3,200 — will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to residents who show up at two Phoenix-area mall locations.

via Spirit Airlines giving away 5,000 tickets to Las Vegas – USATODAY.com.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

‘Premium Coach’ Gets Popular – WSJ.com

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

More airlines are offering a way to escape spartan coach without buying pricey business-class tickets: an increasingly popular mid-tier class called premium economy.

Among international carriers, premium economy can be downright swanky, with larger seats, upgraded food service over coach and privileges such as dedicated check-in lines, priority security screening, early boarding and expedited baggage handling. Domestic carriers aren’t as generous, but there is more space—from 3 to 5 inches more legroom—than coach.

Enlarge Image

AFP/Getty Images

Japan Airlines’ premium economy cabin features a ‘Sky Shell Seat,’ demonstrated above, with 20% more room than economy seats.

Airlines say passengers most likely to buy premium economy are business travelers whose companies won’t buy business class but will let them upgrade within coach, and older, wealthier leisure travelers eager to buy more comfort. In addition, some airlines give elite-level frequent fliers upgrades to premium economy as consolation for not getting a first-class upgrade.

via ‘Premium Coach’ Gets Popular – WSJ.com.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Copa Airlines Strengthens Position in the Americas, Announces Service to Four New Destinations – PR Newswire – sacbee.com

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Copa Airlines, subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A., {NYSE: CPA} announced that it will begin non-stop service in June 2012 from Panama to four new destinations: Recife, Brazil; Liberia, (Guanacaste), Costa Rica; Las Vegas, Nevada and the island of Curacao.

Passengers who depart or connect to these new flights through Copa’s Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport will have access to a network of 63 destinations in 29 countries in North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

As part of the airline’s strategic plan, Copa will add 10 new Boeing 737-800s Next Generation aircraft this year, for a total of 83 aircraft equipped with cutting-edge technology.

via Copa Airlines Strengthens Position in the Americas, Announces Service to Four New Destinations – PR Newswire – sacbee.com.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

United and Houston Airport System Begin Redevelopment Project at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport

January 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Houston Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston Airport System in partnership with United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: UAL), today broke ground on the first phase of a three-phase redevelopment project at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Phase one of the project, to be completed in 2013, will create a new Terminal B south concourse dedicated to regional jet operations.

The $160 million south concourse project will replace the existing south side flight stations with a new 225,000 square-foot facility to accommodate United’s regional aircraft. At nearly four times the size of the existing space, the new concourse will provide a better customer experience, as it will feature modern and expanded gate lounge areas, concessions and restroom facilities.

Travelers will access the new concourse from the terminal via a 95-foot-wide bridge with 13,000 square feet of food, beverage and retail concessions – a 500-percent increase in concession space over the current facility. The concourse will feature 28-foot-high floor-to-ceiling glass windows, offering expansive tarmac views from spacious central passenger lounge areas with durable and modern interior finishes.

“As I noted in my inaugural address, creating jobs for Houstonians is my number-one job for the next two years,” said Mayor Parker. “Phase one of this billion-dollar investment with United is the first delivery on that promise. We celebrate the boost to our local economy that will result from this investment. Houston will thrive as our global gateway expands to include more flights and greater access to business connections around the world.”

“Houston is our largest hub and a vital international gateway in United’s network,” said Pete McDonald, United’s executive vice president and chief operations officer. “This investment in the Houston hub will allow us to accommodate more customers and more aircraft types, provide new amenities for travelers and improve efficiencies for the new United.”

via Fly2Houston – Houston Airport System.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Superman display coming to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport | cleveland.com

January 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By summer, visitors and returning travelers to Cleveland will be welcomed to the city by its most famous son — Superman.

On Monday night, City Council is expected to vote to allow the Siegel and Shuster Society to install a permanent Superman display in the lower concourse of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport near the baggage retrieval area.

“We want Superman to be one of the first things people see when they fly into the airport,” said Irving Fine, one of the founders of the society formed to honor Superman and his creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster of the Glenville neighborhood. “We want to remind people that Superman was created right here in Cleveland. DC Comics says Superman was born on Krypton, but there was no Krypton until Jerry Siegel created it.”

via Superman display coming to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport | cleveland.com.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Silicon Valley’s airport hopes to build on new international flight to Tokyo – San Jose Mercury News

January 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

San Jose’s four-year campaign to attract an air carrier linking Silicon Valley directly to Asia picked up favorable tail wind with All Nippon Airways’ recent announcement it will launch daily nonstop service between Mineta San Jose International Airport and Tokyo, which the airline aims to start this year.

Shifting flight patterns, the valley’s large Asian population and the huge number of frequent-flying business travelers living in the region’s ZIP codes helped city officials land the coveted contract and prevail over its chief competitor to the north — San Francisco International Airport, which had hoped to add a second daily flight from the Japanese carrier. For San Jose, the deal, which the city estimates will generate $90 million in business for the area, represents a new era of international travel for the newly renovated airport.

“ANA kind of validated what we’ve been talking about: We can support (international) service down here,” said Ed Nelson, director of air service development who works to convince airlines to come to San Jose. He believes the airport will be able to attract two or three more carriers with overseas service within five years.

via Silicon Valley’s airport hopes to build on new international flight to Tokyo – San Jose Mercury News.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

US to streamline travel visas for Chinese | chinadaily.com.cn

January 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The United States is expected to simplify and quicken the process of visa applications for Chinese travelers, US President Barack Obama announced on Thursday as part of an initiative to boost tourism.

“Every year, tens of millions of tourists from all over the world come and visit America. And the more folks who visit America, the more Americans we get back to work,” Obama said in the White House news release.

Emerging markets such as China, Brazil and India are specifically mentioned in his plan as tourists from the three countries contributed about $15 billion and thousands of jobs to the US economy in 2010.

The number of travelers from China is projected to grow by 135 percent by 2016 compared to 2010. Chinese tourists on average spend more than $6,000 per trip, according to the US Department of Commerce.

Under the initiative, the non-immigrant visa processing capacity in China will increase 40 percent this year and 80 percent of non-immigrant visa applicants will be interviewed within three weeks of receiving the application.

Charles Bennett, minister counselor for consular affairs of the US embassy in Beijing, told China Daily earlier that 50 more American staff members will be deployed to the embassy and US consulates in China this year.

via US to streamline travel visas for Chinese|Top News|chinadaily.com.cn.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

US Airways Said to Develop AMR Merger Plan to Lift Revenue – Businessweek

January 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

US Airways Group Inc. is studying a potential merger with bankrupt AMR Corp. that would fix a weak domestic route system at American Airlines and boost revenue, two people familiar with the matter said.

President Scott Kirby is leading US Airways’ analysis of how to combine the airlines, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. Any bid may still be close to a year away, because AMR now holds the exclusive right to file a reorganization plan, the people said.

American has pared its flight network to the point that some corporate travelers have gone elsewhere, leaving the money- losing carrier unable to support most of its hub airports, one person said. That deficiency could be solved by blending American, the third-largest U.S. airline, with No. 5 US Airways, the people said.

“Unsecured creditors would get a better return out of a merged airline than American trying to go it alone,” said Jeff Straebler, an independent airline analyst based in Stamford, Connecticut.

The combination would hold about a 20 percent domestic market share, basically putting it on equal footing with United Continental Holdings Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co., Straebler said in an interview. Those carriers rank first, second and fourth in the U.S. by traffic.

via US Airways Said to Develop AMR Merger Plan to Lift Revenue – Businessweek.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Blake Fleetwood: The Travel Holy Grail: Finding An Inexpensive,Truthful Price For An Airline Ticket

January 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The holy grail of finding an inexpensive, truthful price for an airline tickets was woefully illustrated in a Wall Street Journal piece last week that found 8 different prices on 14 different websites for a simple trip from Phoenix to Philadelphia.

As most flyers already know, it’s very difficult to find accurate fares on the web because of the difference in how airlines and websites present their pricing. The fares ranged from $284 to $341, but the cheapest fares had mandatory fees which were not immediately disclosed.

Meanwhile the ongoing back and forth struggle between airlines and the DOT continues.

Two weeks ago, the DOT rejected the latest attempt by the airlines for a one-year extension beyond January 26 to delay enforcement of rules mandating the advertising of real prices, including all mandatory taxes and fees.

via Blake Fleetwood: The Travel Holy Grail: Finding An Inexpensive,Truthful Price For An Airline Ticket.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts