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A pilots’ union that had threatened a two-day strike at Japan Airlines has called it off while the union and management keep talking to work out differences over the right to strike, an airline spokesman said Thursday.Japan Airlines Corp. had been in talks with one of its labor unions to avoid a strike on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 over new work conditions that will come about with the company’s planned integration of its domestic and international services.

source: chron.com

Four U.S. airlines this week are intensifying a contest to open the next non-stop route to China, the world’s hottest growth market.

On Monday, American, Continental, Northwest and United airlines will submit briefs to the U.S. Department of Transportation to boost their bids for the one China route to be approved this year.

The DOT decision is expected to give an economic boost to one of the four U.S. metro areas that would be linked to China by the new air service: Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Washington, D.C., or New York City. Of the four, only the New York area now has a non-stop link to China.

The DOT is charged with choosing a route that will best serve the public interest. But that hasn’t stopped the airlines from waging intense public lobbying campaigns to try to influence the decision.

source: USATODAY.com

Continental Airlines said it is applying for permission to launch a daily service from Newark to Shanghai. The US will award one new flight designation next year.

Continental is competing against applications from American Airlines, United Airlines and Northwest Airlines.  American Airlines hopes to launch a service from Dallas Fort Worth to Beijing, United is looking to fly from Washington DC to Beijing, while Northwest will apply for a service to Shanghai from Detroit.

source: Forbes

The world’s largest airline said traffic dropped to 12.48 billion revenue passenger miles from 12.65 billion, in the year-ago period. A revenue passenger mile is an industry unit measuring one paying passenger flown one mile.

Capacity declined to 15.21 billion available seat miles, down from last year’s 15.5 billion. Occupancy grew by less than 1 percentage point, to 81.9 percent from 81.5 percent.

fuente: chron.com

American Airlines is to run its biggest marketing campaign in the UK since the 11 September attacks to establish itself as the leading airline servicing routes between the UK and US. The carrier, which has struggled to recover from the impact of the terror attacks, is spending more than £5m on the activity.

source: Brand republic

American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines Inc., the three largest US carriers, rescinded a $10 increase on round-trip tickets because rivals didn’t match the higher prices. UAL Corp.’s United, which initiated the increase Thursday for tickets usually purchased by business travelers, canceled it yesterday.

source: boston.com

An American Airlines flight from Seattle to Chicago was forced to return after its compressor stalled and the crew shut down an engine.

American flight 526 was scheduled to leave Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Monday at 11:26 p.m. The plane was in the air for about 26 minutes when it returned to Sea-Tac.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier put nearly all of the 136 passengers on a different airplane, which left Sea-Tac on Tuesday at 1:52 a.m. The flight landed in Chicago at 5:39 a.m., Seattle time.

source: seattlepi.com

The airline industry across the world is making progress in delivering non-fuel cost efficiencies, International Air Transport Association (IATA) airline business confidence index for June has stated.

This is despite the confidence in airline business shrinking considerably since March this year in the wake of 25% increase in the fuel prices over the period.

Amidst soaring prices, nearly 45% of the players have managed to reduce total input costs over the past three months and nearly 60% expect to witness no change or lower total input costs over the next year.

source: Financial Express