American Airlines might begin charging $25 each way for a second checked bag as jet fuel prices remain near record highs.
American, the world’s largest airline, notified Canadian regulators that it’s considering adding the charge for passengers originating in Canada. The airline isn’t required to file a similar notice in the U.S. No decision has been made, spokesman Tim Wagner said Thursday.
source: theNewsTribune.com
British Airways has confirmed it is continuing to consider a potential bid for Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana.
A BA spokesman said the UK flag carrier was keeping the possibility of a bid for Iberia ”under review” following a report in which BA chief executive Willie Walsh said he had not ruled out an approach for the Spanish flag carrier.
BA is particularly interested in Iberia because a tie-up would give it greater access to South America, a region to which it only runs 10 flights a week from Heathrow.
source: Forbes
The Dubai-base Emirates airline has announced a policy of allowing passengers to make cell phone calls during flight, and is reportedly the first airline in the world to do so.
The airline’s Airbus A340 has been modified to prevent calls from interfering with aviation electronics.
Calls are allowed only at cruising altitude during the day, and passengers are encouraged to use “‘silent mode'” so other passengers aren’t disturbed by ringtones.
source: ComputerWorld
The sun is not shining on Aloha Airgroup as the Hawaiian airline files for bankruptcy to stay in business. The company blames high fuel costs and a local competitor.
The Honolulu, HI-based airline and freight service filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday. Aloha presented the court with a financial plan in hopes that it can keep up normal operations and retain its 3,500 employees. The financial plan will consist of a cash collateral financing arrangement with its principle capital lender General Motors Acceptance Corporation a subsidiary of private -equity firm Cerberus Capital Management and General Motors.
source: Forbes
Air France-KLM Group, the world’s largest airline by sales, agreed to buy Alitalia SpA in a bid valued at 747 million euros ($1.2 billion) as part of the Italian government’s plan to save the unprofitable carrier from bankruptcy.
Air France-KLM will swap one of its shares for every 160 of Alitalia’s, valuing the Italian airline at 139 million euros, or 10 cents a share, Air France said. That’s 81 percent less than the closing price March 14. Air France offered 608 million euros for the carrier’s convertible bonds. Alitalia’s board accepted the bid after a 12-hour meeting yesterday in Rome.
source: Bloomberg
British Airways is looking to use European competition law and a threat to seek “‘unlimited damages’†against the UK pilots’ union in order to stop them going on strike.
An overwhelming majority of BA’s 3,200 pilots voted last month in favour of taking strike action over BA’s plans to set up OpenSkies, a new airline subsidiary, with a pilot workforce separate to its mainline operations, which fly to and from Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
Conciliation talks aimed at resolving the bitter dispute over future pilot staffing at BA subsidiary airlines in Europe collapsed on Friday.
Balpa, the pilots’ union, had planned to issue dates for its first strikes, which would ground the airline, but was forced to postpone the move when BA warned the union it had “‘a valid legal claim’†against it, if it “‘took the disproportionate step of calling a strike’â€.
source: FT.com
European Union competition regulators yesterday began a fresh probe into suspected antitrust abuses in the airline sector, raiding offices of several carriers providing flights to Japan.
The Commission said there was reason to believe that airlines might have violated EU rules on restrictive business practices.
Germany’s Lufthansa quickly confirmed that it was among the companies visited, and said the Commission appeared to be looking into possible price-fixing and collusive behaviour over flights between the EU and Japan, and involving aviation companies in Europe and in Japan.
source: FT.com
Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Europe’s second-biggest airline, will expand seating capacity 7.4 percent this summer as it adds destinations in Europe, Asia and the U.S.
Lufthansa will offer 5.8 percent more seating on European routes and 8.2 percent more on intercontinental flights, Thierry Antinori, the airline’s sales chief, said at a Berlin press conference today. The move takes effect with the summer schedule, which runs from March 30 to Oct. 25.
source: Bloomberg.com
Five people got the lavish ride of a lifetime as the only passengers on a transatlantic flight, causing environmental groups to criticize the major carrier for leaving a wasteful carbon footprint.
Using about 68,000 liters (15,000 imperial gallons) — or 13,000 liters per passenger — of jet fuel for the nine-hour trip from Chicago to London, American Airlines is being accused of unnecessary waste.
Each passenger left a footprint of 35.77 tons of carbon dioxide, enough to drive an average car 160,000 kilometers (100,000 miles).
American Airlines said it chose to continue with the flight because of the full load of passengers waiting at London’s Heathrow airport to return to the United States.
Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana SA said, if its bid for SAS’s Spanair is successful, it will use the low-cost flyer to increase domestic and long haul routes, especially at the Barcelona El Prat airport.
Speaking during a presentation on full-year results, Iberia chairman Fernando Conte said a Spanair tie-up would also increase cost cutting synergies and reinforce more direct routes with hubs.
source: Forbes
