AirGuide Business back issues from December 2008:
Aerospace & Defense News - Space.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are locked in a pricing battle to build the next-generation GOES weather-observation constellation, industry officials said. The winner of the more than $1 billion job ...
Aerospace & Defense News - Defense Asia / Pacific.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Boeing Boeing has asked for the right to refuse employment on racial grounds within Queensland to comply with US security requirements. The move is being opposed by Queensland's Anti-Discrimination Commissioner. The firm, which is based in Chicago but ...
Aerospace & Defense News - Defense Europe.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 AgustaWestland AgustaWestland has taken delivery of the first of 70 complete Future Lynx airframes assembled by GKN at its Yeovil, UK facility. GKN made extensive use of monolithic machine components and three-dimensional digital modeling to reduce the ...
Aerospace & Defense News - Defense North America.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Bases brace for surge in stress-related disorders. Some 15,000 soldiers are heading home to this sprawling base after spending more than a year at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and military health officials are bracing for a surge in brain injuries and psychological ...
Aerospace & Defense News - Technology.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 AgustaWestland, Boeing, Airbus, EADS, Sikorsky US- and European-based helicopter makers are taking new interest in a revived armed reconnaissance helicopter contract after a US Army decision to reassess its performance requirements. AgustaWestland, ...
Air Cargo News.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Bangkok International Airport Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport's prolonged closure, which can handle 3 million tonnes of cargo a year, would do serious damage to an export-driven economy already struggling to cope with a global slowdown, experts say ....
Aircraft News - Africa / Middle East.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 When the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) a couple of years ago began the process of rejuvenating the local aviation industry, not very many observers ever believed the initiative could within the shortest space of time yielded exceptional returns. The NCAA ...
Aircraft News - Asia / Pacific.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Air New Zealand, Boeing, Rolls-Royce Air New Zealand is to operate a demonstration flight from Auckland on 3 December using a Boeing 747-400 with one of its four Rolls-Royce RB211 engines powered in part by fuel that is 50% standard Jet A and 50% ...
Aircraft News - Europe.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 AgustaWestland Finmeccanica's helicopter unit AgustaWestland has taken delivery of the first complete Future Lynx airframe from GKN. The airframe, for which AgustaWestland is the design authority, has a part count 80% lower than that of the Super Lynx ....
Aircraft News - North America.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 FAA Acting Administrator Robert Sturgell said "The next generation of air travel has arrived," Monday in announcing the nationwide roll-out of ADS-B, the first step in a satellite-guided air traffic control system. Eleven ground stations in Florida will be followed ...
Aircraft Finance & Leasing News - Africa / Middle East.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 South African Airways South African Airways (SAA) plans to select in mid-2009 one manufacturer to supply replacements for its entire 50-aircraft fleet by 2020, as well a modest amount of growth aircraft. SAA head of business development Jason Krause says ...
Aircraft Finance & Leasing News - Asia / Pacific.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Trade fears arise after China cancels EU summit. The head of France's business lobby said Thursday she is worried about the trade implications of China's decision to pull out of a summit with the European Union. The summit was planned for Dec. 1 in the French city ...
Aircraft Finance & Leasing News - Europe.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Airbus The head of France's business lobby said Thursday that she is worried about the trade implications of China's decision to pull out of a summit with the European Union. The summit was planned for Monday in Lyon, France. On the sidelines, around 150 ...
Aircraft Finance & Leasing News - North America.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Airbus, Boeing Airbus' and Boeing's bulging order books, each has a backlog of more than 3,700 planes are showing surprising resilience given the plight of most of their customers. Many airlines, especially in America, have begun deferring orders since ...
Aircraft Supplier & MRO News.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Aircraft Parts Maker Grows Through Acquisitions In Tough Market. While most companies are hoarding cash and ducking for cover during this financial crisis, TransDigm Group (TDG) is spending money to make money. At the end of September the aircraft parts manufacturer ...
Company Watch - American Airlines.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Following months at or near the bottom of various quality rankings, American Airlines "may have turned a corner," says Mark Mitchell, the carrier's customer service chief. Fewer passengers and fewer checked bags have helped American improve on-time performance ...
Company Watch - Airbus.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 US- and European-based helicopter makers are taking new interest in a revived armed reconnaissance helicopter contract after a US Army decision to reassess its performance requirements. AgustaWestland, Boeing, EADS North America and Sikorsky say they will respond to ...
Company Watch - Air France KLM.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Airline drops profit target. Air France KLM reported a fall of 44.1% in its operating profits for the second quarter to September 30 from [euro]725m in 2007 to [euro]405m this year. The world's largest airline in terms of revenue also said it was not forecasting ...
Company Watch - Amadeus.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Amadeus has launched a new version of its self-booking tool for corporations, which includes a feature enabling users with mobility impairments to request special assistance at airports at the time of booking their trip. Visually impaired travelers or those with ...
Company Watch - Arora Hotels.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 The network connects all seven Arora International hotels - three at Heathrow airport, three at Gatwick airport and one in Manchester - and the company's headquarters through an advanced Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IPVPN). The Sofitel London Heathrow ...
Company Watch - AgustaWestland.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 AgustaWestland has taken delivery of the first of 70 complete Future Lynx airframes assembled by GKN at its Yeovil, UK facility. GKN made extensive use of monolithic machine components and three-dimensional digital modeling to reduce the part count by 80% compared ...
Company Watch - British Airways.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Flights planned to Jeddah and Riyadh. British Airways will resume flying to Saudi Arabia next March after a four year absence. The carrier will fly five times a week from London Heathrow to both Jeddah and Riyadh whenthe service starts on March 29. Flights to Riyadh ...
Company Watch - Bombardier.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Bombardier has tabled a new schedule for future DHC-8-Q400 deliveries to Horizon Air, which is seeking to defer and retime delivery of the 14 remaining 76-seat turboprops it has on order with the Canadian airframer. The proposed schedule would see Horizon take one ...
Company Watch - Boeing.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 US- and European-based helicopter makers are taking new interest in a revived armed reconnaissance helicopter contract after a US Army decision to reassess its performance requirements. AgustaWestland, Boeing, EADS North America and Sikorsky say they will respond to ...
Company Watch - Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Expedia have announced a new multi-year distribution agreement between the two parties. This agreement allows Carlson Hotels Worldwide properties to access promotional and merchandising opportunities within Expedia[sup.1]s global ...
Company Watch - Celebrity Cruises.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Celebrity Cruises launched the first phase of its retooled website with enhancements such as a richer homepage experience and the [sup.3]Starring You Network,[sup.2] a series of web episodes that link users to various actions on the site. The new homepage design ...
Company Watch - Crowne Plaza Hotels.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 IHG opens its second Crowne Plaza hotel in the Irish capital - Crowne Plaza Dublin-Blanchardstown. With 188 bedrooms and 13 meeting rooms, the contemporary hotel is located in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, just off the N3 and minutes from the M50 motorway - ideal ...
Company Watch - Delta Air Lines.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Flight attendant joins union suit against Delta. A Salt Lake City-based flight attendant at Delta Air Lines is trying to help block the carrier from starting the process of combining the seniority lists of Delta and Northwest Airlines flight attendants until both ...
Company Watch - Eclipse Aviation.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 The US Federal Aviation Administration has increased oversight at Eclipse Aviation after the VLJ manufacturer told officials on 12 November that it was having "some financial problems" but had a short-term solution. Eclipse on 13 November told employees they would ...
Company Watch - Eurocopter.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Eurocopter[sup.1]s first EC175 heavy twin came one step closer to completion on 15 November as 50/50 partner in the development program, Harbin Aviation, delivered the first airframe structure for the 16-passenger helicopter at its facility in China. Assembly of the ...
Company Watch - Expedia.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Expedia have announced a new multi-year distribution agreement between the two parties. This agreement allows Carlson Hotels Worldwide properties to access promotional and merchandising opportunities within Expedia[sup.1]s global ...
Company Watch - EasyJet.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannu, founder of EasyJet, has refused to sign the airline's annual accounts. In a statement, he said he was "concerned about the application of certain of the accounting policies adopted by the board in a way that I believe is at odds with ...
Company Watch - Flybe.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Flybe, Europe's largest regional airline carrier, has launched a convenient Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) service. The service will be of particular benefit to those customers wishing to pay for flights with a payment card not issued in the same currency as that ...
Company Watch - GOL Linhas Aereas.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 By all accounts it has been a challenging 12 months for Brazilian carrier Gol and chief executive Constantino de Oliveira Junior. Exactly a year ago Oliveira was touring Europe to promote a slate of new routes being launched by its new subsidiary VRG as part of an ...
Company Watch - Jet Airways.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Recent labor actions at American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways could be a sign of things to come as unions begin to flex their muscles under a new administration perceived as friendly to labor. "Never before have we seen such a convergence of ...
Company Watch - Lufthansa.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Both Air France KLM and Lufthansa are still in talks with the consortium aiming to save Alitalia about buying a stake in the Italian carrier. Roberto Colaninno, chairman of the consortium CAI, quashed rumours that it had already done a deal with AF KLM. He told ...
Company Watch - Lockheed Martin.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Twelve European Union nations have voiced their willingness to collaborate on or pool their military air transport assets within the next decade, with the Airbus Military A400M and Lockheed Martin C-130 to provide the backbone of the proposed system. Outlined ...
Company Watch - Mesa Air Group.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Mesa Air Group has taken steps that may allow it to rebrand its interisland airline, go!, as Aloha Airlines. Phoenix-based Mesa says it has settled a lawsuit with Yucaipa Cos., Aloha's former controlling shareholder. Mesa has agreed to pay Yucaipa $2 million, issue ...
Company Watch - NASA.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 The space shuttle Endeavour will remain at the International Space Station one day longer than planned to give NASA extra time to fix a balky water-recycling system. The shuttle is now scheduled to return to Earth on Sunday, following 16 days in space. Nov 25, 2008 ...
Company Watch - Norwegian Air.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Norwegian Air, a low-cost airline with flights in Scandinavia and in Europe, plans to offer passengers a premium in-flight entertainment system by signing an agreement with Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) to supply Digital MPES (DMPES) on forty-five (45) ...
Company Watch - Northrop Grumman.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are locked in a pricing battle to build the next-generation GOES weather-observation constellation, industry officials said. The winner of the more than $1 billion job is expected to be announced next month by the ...
Company Watch - Pleasant Holidays.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Pleasant Holidays features 162 hotels and resorts in addition to 14 new hotels for 2009. The company also offers 26 hotels and resorts in Los Cabos and 26 properties in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. Travelers may save even more with Pleasant Holidays' ...
Company Watch - Qantas Airways.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Northrop Grumman is testing the flight computer system that on 7 October caused a Qantas Airbus A330 to suddenly descend several hundred feet. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau says tests of the system's three air data inertial reference units aim "to ...
Company Watch - Qatar Airways.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Qatar Airways, one of the fastest growing carriers in the world, has launched an innovative boarding pass delivery service which will allow their passengers to receive a boarding pass straight to their mobile phone. The mobi-passTM service has been made possible by ...
Company Watch - Raytheon.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Raytheon Missile Systems is developing a Multiple Kill Vehicle designed to protect against ballistic missiles with multiple warheads. Raytheon landed the $54 million contract earlier this month after the Missile Defense Agency opted for a dual-path development ...
Company Watch - Raytheon.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 The many faces of a maverick. After more than a decade of calling European transportation officials "wankers," journalists "mutton heads," environmentalists "half-witted loons," and slagging competitors as "bastards," Ryanair chief executive officer Michael O'Leary ...
Company Watch - Sabre.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Sabre Travel Network has devised a way for travelers and travel agents to compare the true costs of flights when factors such as checked-bag fees and preferred seat selection are taken into account. Nov 25, 2008 Sabre's Attribute Based Shopping allows ...
Company Watch - Swiss International.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Amadeus is to extend its reimbursement program for agents in Germany, Austria and Switzerland faced with surcharges imposed by Lufthansa and SWISS. The German carrier charges [euro]4.90 per sector and SWISS [euro]5 on bookings on fares by Amadeus agents in the three ...
Company Watch - Southwest Airlines.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Recent labor actions at American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways could be a sign of things to come as unions begin to flex their muscles under a new administration perceived as friendly to labor. "Never before have we seen such a convergence of ...
Company Watch - United Airlines.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Sabre extends agreement with United. Sabre Travel Network has signed a two year extension of its full contents deal with United Airlines. Under the agreement, all of the US carrier's published fares and inventory, including those on websites, will be available to ...
Company Watch - US Airways.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 A federal judge has refused to order US Airways to keep pilots from the former America West on its payrolls, citing the "grave and unjustifiable cost" to the airline. Lawyers for the "West" pilots had argued that their group has borne the burden of recent layoffs, ...
Company Watch - Virgin Group.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 The network connects all seven Arora International hotels - three at Heathrow airport, three at Gatwick airport and one in Manchester - and the company's headquarters through an advanced Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IPVPN). The Sofitel London Heathrow ...
Airline Finance News - Asia / Pacific.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines Jet Airways and that concerns fuel prices. Unusually for an international carrier, Jet did not hedge its fuel price so whereas its rivals might be paying a hedged rate of USD90 a barrel it's benefitting from the dramatic ...
Airline Finance News - Europe.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Airlines around the world are protesting a British government plan that would roughly double passenger taxes at U.K. airports by late 2010. The new system, billed as a way to cut airline emissions, levies taxes based on the distance flown to or from a U.K. airport, ...
Airline Finance News - Latin America / Caribbean.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Even as the U.S. debates the limits of European open-skies agreements, a top State Department official says he would negotiate similar treaties with Latin America "at the drop of a hat." John Byerly, deputy assistant DoT secretary for transportation affairs, said ...
Airline Finance News - North America.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Investors bid up airline shares on Monday, apparently convinced that a massive federal bailout of Citigroup would help to shore up demand for premium travel. All 13 members of the Amex Airline Index showed gains on Monday, with the index itself finishing up 10.5%. ...
Airport Business News - Asia / Pacific.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Bangkok International Airport Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport's prolonged closure, which can handle 3 million tonnes of cargo a year, would do serious damage to an export-driven economy already struggling to cope with a global slowdown, experts say ....
Airport Business News - Europe.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Airlines around the world are protesting a British government plan that would roughly double passenger taxes at U.K. airports by late 2010. The new system, billed as a way to cut airline emissions, levies taxes based on the distance flown to or from a U.K. airport, ...
Airport Business News - Latin America / Caribbean.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Even as the U.S. debates the limits of European open-skies agreements, a top State Department official says he would negotiate similar treaties with Latin America "at the drop of a hat." John Byerly, deputy assistant DoT secretary for transportation affairs, said ...
Airport Business News - North America.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Top corporate executives may soon be seen more often on commercial flights as companies dump private jets in response to economic and political pressures. Companies such as GM and Louisiana-Pacific are trimming jets from their fleets and cutting their corporate ...
Airline & Airport Services News.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Alteon Alteon's multi-crew pilot license (MPL) program has produced its first crop of graduates. Six cadet pilots completed the MPL beta test at Alteon's Brisbane campus they will be assigned to either China Eastern Airlines or China's Xiamen Airlines ....
Business & General Aviation News.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Top corporate executives may soon be seen more often on commercial flights as companies dump private jets in response to economic and political pressures. Companies such as GM and Louisiana-Pacific are trimming jets from their fleets and cutting their corporate ...
Travel Business News - Africa / Middle East.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Fujairah Fujairah's strategic plan is to position the Emirate as a premium tourist destination. The Fujairah government has allocated over AED2.9 billion toward the development of the coastline and improving infrastructure of the Emirate. A new 45km ...
Travel Business News - Asia / Pacific.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 French Polynesia French Polynesia President Gaston Tong Sang told a French overseas tourism conference in Paris Friday that there is a big potential for US couples visiting Tahiti to get married if the marriage law is modified. Tong Sang, who is also ...
Travel Business News - Europe.
Dec 01, 2008 ... Nov 30, 2008 Rail and hotel reservations soar despite downturn. Rail and hotel booking by member of the UK Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC) rose in the third quarter despite the economic downturn. The Guild which represents the majority of the country's leading TMCS, ...