Small tsunami waves have hit northern Japan, according to the country’s meteorological agency (JMA).
The JMA initially expected a tsunami of at least two metres (6.5 feet) high after an 8.1 magnitude earthquake shook the Kuril Islands, north of Japan.
Tsunami warnings for the area and for Russia’s Pacific coast were later called off.
source: BBC
The airline industry on Wednesday hit back at plans to include it in Europe’s greenhouse gas trading scheme as early as 2011, accusing Brussels of acting unilaterally.”This is about politics, not the environment,” said Anthony Concil, communications director at IATA, which represents the world’s big carriers. “Air travel is responsible for two per cent of emissions and for Europe to act before a global agreement is putting the cart before the horse.”
source: MSNBC
US Airways Group said Wednesday it has made an $8 billion cash and stock offer for Delta Air Lines in a deal that would create one of the world’s largest airlines.
The offer to buy Delta once the Atlanta-based airline emerges from bankruptcy protection would give Delta’s unsecured creditors $4 billion in cash and 78.5 million shares of US Airways stock.
The offer is a 25% premium over the current trading price of Delta’s pre-petition unsecured claims as of Tuesday, and a 40% premium over the average trading price for Delta unsecured claims over the last 30 days.
source: USA Today
British Airways said it had purchased American Airlines’ stake in Spanish carrier Iberia for 19 million euros ($24.29 million).
BA, Europe’s third-largest airline, said in a statement it now owned about 10 percent of Iberia, up from 9 percent previously.
source: Reuters
Apple Computer Inc. said Tuesday it its iPod music players will be integrated into the in-flight entertainment systems of six airlines.Passengers on U.S. airlines United Airlines, Continental and Delta, as well as Dubai-based Emirates, Dutch carrier KLM and Air France, will be able to power and charge their iPods during flights and watch the video content on their iPods on their seat back displays.
The service will be available on the airlines beginning in mid-2007.
source: BusinessWeek
Shares of American Airlines parent AMR Corp. surpassed the price they reached the day before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as the world’s largest carrier benefits from more than five years of retooling.
“AMR has built itself a huge cash position and done a good job cutting its costs,” Jim Corridore, a New York-based airline analyst with Standard & Poor’s, said today in an interview. “The outlook has really brightened for the airlines that have done the hard work.”
American is simplifying operations after posting more than $8.2 billion in losses from 2001 through last year. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company cut its workforce by 27 percent, reduced its aircraft fleet by 16 percent and built its cash position to $5.5 billion as of Sept. 30.
source: Orlando Sentinel
The new partnership between the two carriers, which is expected to drive incremental revenue and new customers to both AirTran Airways and Frontier, consists of three key components which will allow customers to easily book tickets to over 80 destinations from one another’s sites.
source: Earthtimes.org
Eos Airlines has announced that it has secured a second round of institutional investment, which will enable the airline to expand its fleet of 757 aircraft in preparation for new routes in 2007. Eos, which launched innovative premium class-only service between New York and London in 2005, announced that new expansion capital of $75 million has been raised from both current and new institutional investors.
The new funding will help underwrite the acquisition of additional aircraft, as well as continued product and service innovations. Eos‘ dedication to personal service and its specially configured 757‘s, redesigned to carry 48 guests in suites with horizontal beds and 21 square feet of personal space, has earned the loyalty of a growing segment of trans-Atlantic travelers.
source: Business Wire
Qantas will let passengers use mobile phones in the air but only if it is sure the chat and chimes will not drive others to another airline.
South Australian flights next year will be part of a trial to test if passengers want to make and receive calls, emails and text messages – or if they would just like some peace and quiet.
source: News.com.au
Austrian Airlines will start regular flights from Vienna to the northern Iraqi city of Arbil twice a week from December 11, nine months after it abandoned a similar plan.
Austrian, the first European carrier expecting to launch scheduled flights to Iraq, said it saw the capital of the country’s Kurdistan region as a secure destination.
source: Airwise
