Delta Air Lines keeps 787 aircraft, defers deliveries into next decade

Delta Air Lines Inc., the world’s second-largest carrier, reaffirmed its order for 18 Boeing Co. 787-8 jets, while deferring deliveries into the next decade.

Delta and Boeing reached the agreement to defer the planes until 2020-2022 in the quarter that just ended, the airline said today in a regulatory filing.

Northwest Airlines Corp., which Delta bought in 2008, was to take deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner planes between 2008 and 2010, and Delta has repeatedly said it was in ongoing discussions with Boeing about the matter, leading some analysts to speculate that it might cancel the order.

“I’m kind of surprised” Delta kept the order, said Richard Aboulafia, a fleet analyst at consulting firm Teal Group in Fairfax, Virginia. “Then again, how meaningful is a 10-year deferral? A lot can change in 10 years. Maybe Delta did this for contractual reasons. Maybe they didn’t have walk-away rights. Maybe they’re still examining the issue and had to say something by a certain time.”

Boeing has delayed the plastic-composite Dreamliner’s entry into commercial service six times, until 2011’s first quarter, after planning a May 2008 debut. The first U.S. customer for the 787 is scheduled to be United Continental Holdings Inc., which plans to begin flying its first plane in November 2011. AMR Corp.’s American Airlines expects deliveries of the 787-9 version in 2014.

Delta is pushing out the delivery schedule of the wide-body jets because it already has 180 planes capable of ocean-crossing flights, with an average age of about 11 years. Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson said as recently as April that the company is “in good shape in terms of trans-ocean airplanes right now.”

Trebor Banstetter, a Delta spokesman, declined to comment on the Atlanta-based company’s order beyond the regulatory filing.

“We are pleased that Delta Air Lines has reaffirmed its order for 18 firm 787 Dreamliners,” said Jim Proulx, a Seattle- based spokesman for Boeing. He declined to comment on delivery schedules or other terms of the Delta discussions.

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Boeing 757 Hole Forces Airplane To Land

Several online reports said that a hole was found in a Boeing 757 airplane after it took off from Miami travelling to Boston last Tuesday night. It caused a loss of cabin air pressure forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing.

The 1-foot-by-2-foot hole opened in the roof of the airplane immediately after American Airline flight 1640 took off in Miami. People inside the plane panicked when oxygen masks were released and the airplane went into a sharp descent.

“It was pretty chaotic and confusing. It just was kind of surreal. We kind of looked at each other when the masks came from the ceiling and thought, ‘This is it,’”, one of the passengers, Edward Croce, 34, said. He said that he tried to send a goodbye text to his son but his hands were shaking uncontrollably.

The pilot was able to successfully guide the plane back to Miami and landed safely. None of the 154 passengers and 6 crew members were injured, American Airlines said.

Investigation of the incident by the National Transportation Safety Board is still ongoing. Spokesman Keith Holloway said that the cause is still unknown.

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Pan-Am Airline Set To Return To The Air Next Month

America's first international airline will take to the skies again in November, when Pan American Airways begins flying out of its Texas hub. But the brand's glamour days are behind it: The new Pan American will start out carrying cargo, not passengers.

The new airline — the fifth attempt to re-establish Pan-Am since it went bankrupt in 1991 — will operate out of Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, near Texas' Mexican border.

On its website, company president Robert Hedrick says the new Pan-Am will launch its inaugural flight — to Monterrey, Mexico — after a rededication ceremony on Nov. 12.

As reported by Robert J. Hawkins at Sign On San Diego, the company says it will use the same building that was the Latin American headquarters for the original Pan-Am.

Brought back to life in a deal with shipping firm World-Wide Consolidated Logistics, Inc., the new Pan-Am hopes to begin passenger service in 2012 to cities throughout Latin America. And it has another ambitious plan: to someday provide service to Africa, via a southern route.

The airline may have trouble establishing itself, as its website was a bit hard to find. For now at least, the top Pan-Am website in search results is an archival one, celebrating the airline's glory days after its birth in 1927. One thing that site's got going for it: some cool images of old Pan-Am planes.

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Flydubai Debuts New Boeing 737 Sky Interior

Boeing has introduced stage one of its mid-life update for the 737 Next Generation family with the delivery of the first aircraft equipped with the new “Sky” cabin interior to Flydubai.

The United Arab Emirates’ low-cost airline is launch customer for the new cabin architecture, which features revised lighting, larger stow bins and sculpted sidewalls and window reveals. The upgrade is being followed by a performance improvement package that will deliver a 2% reduction in fuel burn reduction through an aerodynamic clean-up, and revised CFM56-7B Evolution powerplant. Boeing says that this package will begin certification testing soon, and will be fully in service by early 2012.

“The package will make the airplane a full 7% more efficient than the first Next-Generation 737 delivered,” says the manufacturer.

The new cabin’s larger stow bins incorporate an assist mechanism that gives easy access and allows them to pivot upwards providing greater headroom around the aisle seats, says Boeing. Mood-lighting is a feature of the new interior, and customers have a choice of schemes. Brighter light-emitting diode technology is employed to replace incandescent signage, attendant and halogen reading lights.

Flydubai will put the new 737-800 into service in November and will receive three more Sky Interior-equipped aircraft this year. CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith says the airline is “very proud to be the first to offer an enhanced onboard experience” with the new cabin.

The Dubai carrier is the first of five airlines that will receive 737s with the new interior this year. In total, Boeing holds orders for over 1,200 Sky Interior-equipped 737s from 46 customers.

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Eithad commences all economy services

Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based national airline of the UAE, will start flying its first 'all Economy' class aircraft next week. The Airbus A320 will be configured to carry 162 Economy class passengers, an increase of 42 from the current economy capacity.

From October 31, the 'all Economy' aircraft will be operating to Alexandria, Colombo, Damascus, Thiruvananthapuram, Calicut and Peshawar.

Hareb Mubarak Al Muhairi, Etihad Airways' Vice President Sales, United Arab Emirates, said: "customers travelling on the new 'all Economy' aircraft will receive the same world class service and product for which we are renowned, such as seat back in-flight entertainment screens and hot and cold meals and beverages, as well as a 32 inch seat pitch."

The 'all Economy' services will operate on all four weekly return flights to Alexandria, operating as Etihad flights EY663/662.

The 'all Economy' services to Damascus will be available on flight EY541/542, one of the airline's double daily return services to the city.

The 'all Economy' services to the Indian Subcontinent will operate daily to Thiruvananthapuram on EY272/273; three times weekly on Calicut flights EY 250/251; twice weekly on flights to Peshawar in Pakistan on EY261/262; and four times weekly to the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, operating on EY 266/267.

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Smarter card for frequent flyers

Qantas frequent flyers who have earned platinum, gold or silver status, as well as Qantas Club members, will find their plastic is about to become even handier. Those members are starting to receive replacement chip-enabled cards that will allow one-touch check-in at Sydney's T3 domestic terminal from November 10.

The cards also double as a boarding pass at the gate. The introduction of Qantas's Next Generation kiosks follows a successful trial at Perth's domestic airport.

The kit containing the whiz-bang new cards also comes with sleek Marc Newson-designed Q Bag Tags. These permanent tags link luggage dropped at the bag-drop facility with its owner's flight details. All eligible flyers will receive their kits by early next year and the time-saving system will be introduced at Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra airports next year.

No word yet if and when poor old bronze-level frequent flyers will receive chip-enabled cards - and as for the bag tags, Qantas's website urges bronzies and non-frequent flyers to register interest in buying them. Every flyer can still use the Next-Gen kiosks - it will just take a little longer to tap in details. The smart ones will check in online or via their mobile anyway.

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Explosives bound for US found: Obama

President Barack Obama says authorities had uncovered a "credible terrorist threat" against the United States after the overseas discovery of US-bound packages containing explosives aboard cargo jets.

Obama said both had been addressed to Jewish organisations in the Chicago area.

The disclosures triggered a worldwide alert amid fears that al-Qaeda was attempting to carry out fresh terror attacks.

The events "underscore the necessity of remaining vigilant against terrorism," the president said.

The packages both originated in Yemen, but Obama did not explicitly assign blame to al-Qaeda.

The events unfolded four days before US elections in which discussion of terrorism has played almost no role.

Obama stepped to the podium in the hours after officials disclosed that authorities in Dubai intercepted an explosive device bound for a Chicago-area Jewish institution.

The second package was aboard a plane searched in England, and officials said it contained a printer toner cartridge with wires and powder.

That second package was aboard a plane in the East Midlands, north of London.

Obama did not identify any institution that had been targeted.

Several other cargo planes at airports along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States also were searched, and officials said no explosives were found.

An Emirates Airlines passenger jet carrying cargo from Yemen was escorted from the Canadian border to New York City by two military fighter jets, US officials said.

They said it was a precautionary action.

An FBI spokesman in Chicago, Ross Rice, said both suspicious packages had been sent from the same address in Yemen.

The president refrained from assigning blame to Yemen's al-Qaeda branch, but officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were increasingly certain that was the source.

The same group was responsible for the attempted bombing of a US-bound airliner last Christmas.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the ongoing investigation.

White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan later told reporters that the explosives "were in a form that was designed to try to carry out some type of attack," but he provided no further details.

"The forensic analysis is under way," he said, adding, "clearly from the initial observation, the initial analysis that was done, the materials that were found in the device that was uncovered was intended to do harm."

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Airphil Express to acquire 20 aircraft in next 3 years

Using its P10-billion expansion program, budget carrier Airphil Express will acquire 20 aircraft in the next three years to service both its domestic and regional operations, an airline official said Friday.

This move is intended to meet the growing demands of people to travel by air, said Airphil Express executive vice president and COO Cesar Chiong.

“Our forward booking is very strong and we expect to close the year with compelling numbers," Chiong said, noting that the low-cost carrier already “exceeded its revenue expectations" for September and October.

“After our maiden flight to Singapore, we will fly to other regional routes like Hong Kong and Thailand in the coming months," he said.

Airphil Express, formerly Air Philippines, had its debut flight from Manila to Singapore on Wednesday. The carrier will fly 14 times to and from Singapore.

“This new air transport link is a strong indicator of the growing connectivity between our two countries…. This will spur business and trade, strengthen the bonds among Southeast Asians, and facilitate cultural interaction," said Consul General Neil Imperial of the Philippine Embassy in Singapore.

Apart from Airphil Express, Philippine Airlines, Singapore’s Jetstar, and Cebu Pacific fly on a daily basis to and from Singapore.

Airphil Express’ Manila-Singapore flights leave at 4 p.m. while the airline’s Singapore-Manila flights leave at 8 p.m.

The low-cost carrier will add Cebu-Singapore (vice versa) routes on Dec. 1. — JE/OMG

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Philippine budget carrier launches first international flight

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Air Philippines, the budget airline of Chinese-Filipino tycoon Lucio Tan, launched its first international route as part of it's plan to compete with dominant player Gokongwei-led Cebu Air, Inc.

With competition moving towards the more affordable-type of traveling, the sister company of flag carrier Philippine Airlines on Thursday said the first of its daily flights to Singapore from Manila took off on Oct. 27. The company also announced plans to fly to Singapore from Cebu in Central Philippines.

"Singapore's vibrant travel enthusiasts have responded to this new offering and the fast growing Philippine based low cost carrier is enjoying brisk sales in anticipation of the holidays," the company said in a statement.

"Travelers out of Singapore to the Philippines have been very receptive of our start of operations. Even before our maiden flight yesterday, Oct. 27th, our forward sales for December are now close to full for both Singapore-Cebu and Singapore-Manila," it added.

By Dec. 1st, the company plans to start its daily service to Singapore from Cebu and over the next three years, the company expects to spend 250 million U.S. dollars to grow its fleet to 18 A320 aircraft from the current 3.

The aircraft, which has a range of around four hours, will allow the airline to fly to almost any city in the Southeast Asian region or in North Asian countries like China, Japan and South Korea.

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Emirates Airline expands its operation in Saudi Arabia

New York:Emirates Airline under its expansion operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will provide 10 services per week to Riyadh and Jeddah, highlighting the increased economic ties between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.With a 71 percent increase in operations and a 75 percent increase in overall passenger capacity, the new services will further boost business and leisure trade between the two Arab nations.

Riyadh will receive five additional services per week, increasing its weekly service to 12 flights from October 31st.Starting January 2,2011 Jeddah will receive five additional services, increasing its weekly operation to 12.

Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran, Ahmed Khoory said,"the additional 3,770 seats per week on the two routes will further enhance passenger movement between the two countries. Travelers in Saudi seek connectivity to key commercial and leisure centers in Europe, as well as the Americas and Australasia, and these new flights will help expedite their journey."

Services to Riyadh will be operated by an Airbus A330-200 with 12 First Class seats, 42 Business Class seats and 183 economy class seats. Jeddah will benefit from a second A380 service with capacity to seat 517 passengers in a three class configuration. The first A380 was introduced to the Jeddah route this February.

These flights will also help with religious based travel to Saudi Arabia, which continues to grow exponentially each year. The airline's expansion program closely follows its announcement of an increase of Al Medinah al Munawarah services to a daily from October 31st.

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Singapore Airlines To Fly A330-300 Aircraft To Guangzhou

Singapore Airlines has announced that it is set to start using Airbus A330-300 aircraft on its Singapore to Guangzhou route on October 31, 2010: in a move to celebrate the opening of the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games.

On October 31, the maiden flight SQ850 will leave Singapore Changi Airport at 8:10 and arrive at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 12:05. The return flight will depart Guangzhou at 13:15 and arrive in Singapore at 17:25.

Thereafter the flight frequency of the scheduled round flights using A330-300 aircraft will be increased to one per day from the current five per week.

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Flydubai gets latest B737-800NG

Dubai-based low-cost carrier Flydubai’s 10th B737-800NG was delivered to the airline by Boeing in Seattle yesterday.

The aircraft is the first to be fitted with the new Boeing Sky Interior, which has been developed with the aim of improving passenger comfort, reducing emissions and maximising cost effectiveness, said a statement.

Flydubai is the first airline in the world to receive a new Boeing Sky Interior 737-800NG.

This aircraft will now be fitted with flydubai’s new In-Flight Entertainment system before it arrives in Dubai in early November. The airline will receive another three Boeing Sky Interior 737-800NG aircraft before the end of December, it said.
 
The new interior has mood lighting to simulate night time, day time and sunrise/sunset, as well as redesigned overhead bins to give more cabin space and increased storage, said the airline. -TradeArabia News Service
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And The Worst Airline In America Is...

Tom Johansmeyer

Question: What is the worst airline in the United States?
Answer: The one you’re flying!

Everyone has an airline-related horror story, and business travelers tend to have far more than most. We’ve endured long lines at security, nightmarish parking lots and poor customer service even before the wheels leave the ground. Yet, talk of which airline is really the worst typically descends into a game of “my boss is meaner than your boss,” making anything resembling an objective conclusion unlikely.

Well, that’s about to change.

The Airline Quality Rating (AQR) Report just came out, covering 18 U.S. carriers. In the spirit of fairness, the AQR rates large and regional airlines separately – because they tended to score even lower than their already dismal bigger counterparts.

According to Yahoo! Travel, the report was developed using airline industry experts, which evaluated various aspects of airline quality, including “on-time arrival, mishandled baggage, delays and involuntary denied boardings.” It also considered other sources, such as the American Customer Satisfaction Index and the Air Travel Consumer Reports by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

So, who sucks most? Take a look at the worst five below:

1. Delta
It’s scary that Delta’s regionals were even worse than the mother ship. This airline suffered the largest decline in passenger satisfaction according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, and led in delays according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports, with only 78 percent arriving on time. The consumer complaint rate hit 2.23 per 100,000 enplanements, making it worst overall. There isn’t really a lot of good news here for Delta.

Conclusion: Take the bus, however long it takes.

2. United Airlines
There are conflicting reports on customer service with United, as it scored “above average” with J.D. Power and last in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. SeatGuru’s survey last year puts United with American and US Airways for meals and flight attendants that won’t agree with you. And, it only trails Delta in consumer complaints, with 1.82 per 100,000 enplanements, Yahoo! Travel reports.

Conclusion: Bring your own food, and sit in a window seat to avoid the beverage cart.

3. Alaska Airlines
Alaska got nailed for mishandled baggage reports, with a rate of 3.98 incidents per thousand passengers. This is particularly tough given the airline’s 88 percent on-time arrival rate. Basically, you hit the ground on time but wind up at your destination late because your bags didn’t make it. Sneaky …

Conclusion: Stick to carry-on luggage. Find a way to make it fit.

4. American Airlines
Though its reputation got spanked because of its regional airline, American Eagle (the worst of the regional carriers), it seems American has some room to improve on its own. The airline’s mishandled baggage rate of 4.07 reports per 1,000 passengers makes it the worst in the report, and its flight attendants were among the bottom three in the survey. American ranked worst in food. So, don’t eat, and don’t expect anyone to offer you something anyway.

Conclusion: Definitely take a carry-on. Bring your own food, and keep your head down.

5. US Airways
What’s scary is that US Airways actually improved in passenger satisfaction (why can’t they just call it “customer satisfaction” like every other business?) according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index. It was one of the three worst in terms of flight attendant rudeness and food in a SeatGuru survey last year.

Conclusion: Fly Air Koryo, the North Korean airline, instead.

Here’s some advice to these five airlines, and the rest of the industry for that matter: don’t get defensive. Your customers are speaking to you. Now is the time to listen, take a hard look at your operations and employees and do something that makes a difference. You may be constrained by regulations, weather and other forces beyond your control, but this doesn’t mean your hands are tied. Use this opportunity to understand your customers’ concerns and take meaningful action.

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Lockheed offers advanced F-16 fighter aircraft to India

US aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corporation has offered India its tailor-made advanced F-16IN Super Viper aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

Michael R Griswold, Director of Advance Development Programme, Lockheed Martin Corporation, told media persons here on Thursday that the offer of the customised fighter plane should be seen as a step ahead of the F-16 series as integration into India's infrastructure and operations.

"F-16 has a long history of operations around the world. As everyone understands the F-16 Model Airplane that we are offering here to India is by no means the end of the line of F-16s, in fact it represents the beginning of what we think is great future for F-16 in India," said Griswold.

The advanced version of the F-16 has been designed after long discussions between the IAF and Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Features like Active Electronic Scanned array (AESA), enhanced high-thrust engine, and large weapon inventory have been specially integrated to suit the needs of the IAF.

"We had to show all our requirements during trials, we debated and tried to come up with exact number of requirements but it's an extra 650 unique requirements to meet MMRCA (Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft) and the Indian Air Force had a very rigorous process in place to step through the requirements one-by-one and check them all," said Griswold.

"So in the case we had to provide new capability beyond what the F-16 block has, say a new weapon that the Indian Air Force wanted or the new sensor Indian Air Force wanted, we had to put that capability in many cases we demonstrate in flight whenever we could on the F-16, some cases it was not practical in incorporating on the aircrafts so we did it in assimilation in the laboratory environment but every single of those requirements we have shown to the Indian Air Force we are capable of it," he added.

He, however, declined to comment on President Obama's visit to India in November.

" I read a lot of stories about what the President's visit is or is not going to accomplish. I think clearly if you look at the trajectory the relationship is on between the two countries, it is more of growing closer in many areas not just defence but across the broad spectrum of commercial and cultural, social and defence issues. No reasons to believe that all the generals will be part of the visit. But defence probably will come up. By no means will it be all that they will discuss," Griswold noted.

The F16IN Super Viper is a fifth generation fighter, sharing a heritage with the F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter and the F-22 Raptor.

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French fighter jets could land on British carriers

Herve Morin told a European defence industry conference in Paris that French Rafale jets could fly from Britain’s new Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.

The prospect of French military planes flying from British carriers is likely to fuel the Royal Navy’s anger over David Cameron’s decision to scrap Britain’s Harrier jump jets.

Plans for extensive Anglo-French military co-operation will be discussed by David Cameron and Nicholas Sarkozy next week in London.

The summit follows Britain’s defence review, which made cuts that will leave Britain without a fully-functioning aircraft carrier until 2020. The review also said that in future, Britain will normally only fight wars alongside allies like France and the US.

Under plans set out in the defence review, the new first British carrier will enter service in 2016. But scrapping the Harriers means there will be no British combat jets able to fly from its deck until 2020, when new Joint Strike Fighters are due to be delivered.

Trying to bridge that “capability gap”, ministers have said the new carriers will be redesigned to have catapults to launch aircraft. That will allow them to carry planes like the French Rafale.

Mr Morin told the Euronaval conference: “I've asked our military command to consider the feasibility of stationing British aircraft on our aircraft carrier and vice versa."

He added: "The idea is an exchange of capacity and an interdependence. It's a new approach.

“The British have decided to equip their aircraft carriers with catapults -- we can have joint exercises, but also arrange to have a Rafale squadron make use of the British platform.”

The plan would give France “a permanent presence at sea” even when its single aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, is in dock for maintenance and cannot sail, he said.

The defence review cut Britain’s surface fleet to only 19 ships, and some analysts have questioned whether the Royal Navy will have enough vessels to support the new aircraft carrier when it enters service.

Mr Morin suggested that Britain and France could agree to deploy frigates to escort each other’s aircraft carrier, effectively making up an Anglo-French naval unit.

"We are in favour of sharing the accompanying of aircraft carriers," said Morin. "A British frigate could perfectly well participate in the protection of the Charles de Gaulle and vice versa.”

Mr Cameron is painfully aware of the potential for political controversy over his defence plans. The Anglo-French summit was originally to be held in Portsmouth, home of the Royal Navy, but then shifted to London in the wake of the defence review.

Other co-operation plans to be discussed next week could see French spyplanes flying over Britain and scanning the North Sea for Russian submarines.

France made the offer after the defence review announced the scrapping of new Nimrod MRA4 spyplanes for the Royal Air Force.

The two countries could also share refuelling military aircraft, officials said.

The British and French armies will also hold a joint exercise in Flanders later this year.

The Ministry of Defence said: "The UK and France are facing the realities of the tough financial climate and it is in our best interests to work together to deliver the capabilities that both our nations need. Closer co-operation is in both our countries' interests."

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Bomb scare aboard cargo flight to US sparks terror alert

TWO suspicious packages intercepted on cargo planes in transit to the United States were addressed to religious institutions in Chicago, the FBI said today as Jewish synagogues were placed on alert.

A suspicious package found aboard a cargo flight from Yemen to the United States had earlier sparked an international terror alert.

The FBI said it does not believe an attack is imminent but cautioned area religious institutions to be on the alert.

"There have been no threats made or received indicating that anyone or any location in Chicago is at risk," Ross Rice, spokesman for the FBI's Chicago office, told Agence France Presse in an email.

"The two suspicious packages did not contain explosives."

"Since two of the suspicious packages that were intercepted were addressed to religious institutions in Chicago, all churches, synagogues and mosques in the Chicago area should be vigilant for any unsolicited or unexpected packages, especially those originating from overseas locations," Rice said.

Jewish organisations were contacted early today and warned of the threat, said Linda Hasse, vice president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

"We were told that synagogues should be on the alert," Hasse told Agence France Presse.

"We are taking appropriate precautions and advising local synagogues to do likewise."

US President Barack Obama was told late on Thursday of a "potential terrorist threat" from suspicious packages from Yemen on two cargo planes, one in Britain and the other in Dubai, the White House said.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that as a precaution, extra security measures were taken regarding other cargo planes at Newark and Philadelphia international airports in the United States.

US package delivery giant FedEx suspended deliveries from Yemen today after a suspicious package originating from there was confiscated in Dubai.

"In cooperation with the FBI, local authorities have confiscated a suspicious package at the FedEx facility in Dubai," a company statement said.

"The shipment originated in Yemen and as an additional safety measure, FedEx has embargoed all shipments originating from Yemen."

Aviation officials said planes at Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty Airport in the US were towed away to be checked after police found a suspicious package on a US cargo plane at a regional British airport.

Authorities in Britain confirmed that a suspicious package had been found early on Friday in a freight distribution centre at East Midlands Airport in central England.

Earlier, CNN cited a law enforcement official as saying a suspected bomb disguised as a toner cartridge was found on a US cargo plane in London during a stopover on a flight from Yemen to Chicago.

It later cited a second law enforcement source as saying suspicions were raised because the toner cartridge had been manipulated but a test for explosives proved negative.

Fears this is just a test

Concerns remain that the nature of the package meant it could be a test run for a bomb.

US media reports suggested that at least one of the cargo planes being swept in the United States had also passed through East Midlands Airport.

Fran Townsend, who was homeland security adviser to president George W Bush, told CNN the security scare followed growing intelligence concerns about a possible attack by al-Qaeda's Yemeni affiliate.

"There had been a rising concern about packages and cargo being used to launch an attack," she said.

"The US intelligence community has been focused on that. You add to that in the last 24 hours a tip from a very credible US ally who provided some, I'm told, very specific information about packages coming out of Yemen."

Mr Townsend said a plane had been grounded in Dubai in addition to the one in Britain and that the concern was over cargo planes containing packages from Yemen.

"They'll look at every single carrier who potentially either took packages out of Yemen or picked them up en route in a second country on their way here from Yemen."

Yemen, the ancestral homeland of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, faces a growing threat from the local branch of his global jihadist network.

Over the past decade, it has become a haven for violent extremists, becoming the headquarters of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the hiding place for US-born radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaqi, who was linked to high-profile terror plots in the United States.

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Final Countdown

As the space shuttle programs draw to a close, Virgin Galactic prepares for launch, writes Amanda Woods.

During the past 29 years and 132 missions, NASA's space shuttle program has seen triumph and tragedy. The spectacular launches have become a highlight for many travellers to Florida. But the program is coming to an end, with only two more launches scheduled (November 1 and February 27) and a third (in June) only a distant possibility.

One of the challenges of organising a holiday around a space shuttle launch is the unpredictability of the take-offs, with 60 per cent of launches delayed by anything from minutes to months due to technical issues or adverse weather conditions.

But when all goes according to plan, a space shuttle launch is unforgettable. The Kennedy Space Centre has the best and closest view to get the full effect of the rumbling engines and power of lift-off. There are three view points within the centre, with tickets ranging from $20-$59 for adults and $16-$49 for children but the November 1 launch has already sold out.

There are also a number of places where people can watch the launches for free, such as the popular Cocoa Beach, which is described as an ''international tailgate party'' on launch days.

When the US manned space program comes to an end, visitors to Florida will still be able to see rocket launches. While rocket launches are impressive, Kennedy Space Centre spokeswoman Candrea Thomas says nothing compares to watching a space shuttle blast off.

''I've seen them both and the shuttle launches are a lot brighter,'' she says. ''It's because of their weight and the force it takes to get them off the ground. Also, knowing that there are people on board the shuttles adds to the whole experience.''

The program may almost be over but it will not be forgotten. At the Kennedy Space Centre visitor complex, people can step inside a six-storey shuttle launch simulation facility. The popular tourist attraction also features a wide range of exhibits, shows and movies, including a rocket garden and an Astronaut Hall of Fame.

In a sign of the times, as the space shuttles prepare to be relegated to history, space tourism is one step closer to reality. On October 10, Virgin Galactic successfully completed its first piloted free flight of the VSS Enterprise.

After the world's first commercial passenger spacecraft performed a clean release from its mother ship at 13,700 metres and glided back to Earth, the chairman of Virgin, Richard Branson, declared: ''The sky is no longer the limit. We will now begin the process of pushing to the final frontier of space itself over the next year.''

At $200,000 a ticket, Virgin Galactic is beyond the reach of most but 370 people have already paid the minimum $20,000 deposit to reserve their spot.

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Workers on leave after Alaska Airlines jet bump

SEA-TAC AIRPORT, Wash. - Three workers involved in a tarmac collision between two Alaska Airlines jets Wednesday have been placed on leave, KING 5 News has learned.

The Menzies Aviation employees include the tug driver that pushed the 737 out of the gate and the two marshals who walked alongside the wings.

All three have been given drug tests. Menzies says the results are not back yet.

Menzies took over ground operations for Alaska Airlines after it fired its unionized workers in 2005. The transition wasn't smooth.

Passengers on one 2005 flight had to don oxygen masks after a hole opened up in the fuselage. An investigation revealed a Menzies worker had bumped the airplane and never reported the incident.
 
Another plane was damaged when it was moved while it was still hooked up to the gate.
 
What most travelers will remember was the baggage fiasco. Some luggage took 90 minutes to make it down the belt.
  
For years since then, Menzies has stayed out of the headlines. Its safety record has been good and customer satisfaction has been high.

That was until Wednesday's incident.

Federal investigators along with Menzies and Alaska Airlines are still investigating. 

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Police Airplane Crashes in Papua, Three Bodies Found

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:A Skytruck airplane belonging to the Indonesian Police headquarters, yesterday crashed on Wami in Nabire, Papua, at 16:30 PM local time. The plane plummeted after it had delivered logistic aid for the flood victims in Wasior, Papua.

According to Insp. Gen. Iskandar Hasan, the Police’s Public Relations chief, the airplane was carrying five police officers; the pilot, Comm. Irwan, co-pilot, Insp. Bayu, and crew members Insp. Mohamad Amri, Brig. Hadirianto and Brig. Aipul Bahri. Three bodies have been found, while the others are still missing and being sought. “The bodies were found in an unrecognizable condition,” Iskandar said via a cellular message today.

The Skytruck plane previously landed at Nabire Airport for a fuel refill. The plane was heading for Jakarta with stopovers in Ambon and Makassar. The plane crashed on the way to Ambon. According to Iskandar, the plane lost contact at about 16.30 PM. “The plane may have crashed due to bad weather,” he said.

Around 23.30 last night, the local people reported an airplane crash around Wami. With the local police, they went to the scene and found the airplane and three bodies.

At present, transporting the three unidentified bodies to the nearest hospital has been problematic impeded because they have to cross the sea. Police officers have been deployed to search the other two bodies.

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Boeing hopes to decide on 737 successor 'within several months'

Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh says Boeing hopes to decide "within the next several months" whether the company will develop a replacement model for its popular 737.

The Associated Press notes "Boeing is considering whether to redo the 737 or build an all-new airplane."

Seattle's King 5 TV writes on its website that -- in the meantime -- John Hamilton, Boeing's chief project engineer for the 737, "is talking to the airlines about what they want in the future to keep airlines coming back" with more 737 orders.

Hamilton tells King 5: "We're not getting an overwhelming message that says go put a big new engine on this airplane" to boost its efficiency.

As for the possibility of a completely new jet, Hamilton says: "The airlines are wrestling with this decision just like we are."

Regardless, Boeing's outlook for the 737 appears to remain rosy.

The News-Tribune of Tacoma reports "Boeing could be planning another production increase for its popular 737, the world's best-selling jet."

Though the company did not make an official announcement, Beverly Wyse, vice president and general manager of the 737 program, suggested Boeing could boost its 737 production to as many as 42 a month by 2013.

The News-Tribune notes Boeing "now builds 31.5 planes each month" and already is projected to be at a record rate of 38 a month by mid-2013.

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Qantas woman in mile-high romp probe

A "MILE-high" sex romp involving a female Qantas employee and a male passenger is being investigated by the airline.

Sources told the Herald Sun the pair were sitting side by side in business class on a Melbourne-Los Angeles flight on October 6 when passion got the better of them.

The woman, not a flight attendant, was travelling to the US on a discounted staff ticket and drank several glasses of champagne before the incident.

The fondling began when the cabin lighting was turned down during the 11-hour trip. Other passengers complained the pair tried to hide the encounter beneath a blanket.

The pair were ordered to desist by the senior flight attendant, then ordered to sit in different sections of the plane.

Qantas would only say: "The matter is being dealt with. The employee has returned to work."

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/

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Singapore Airlines To Fly A330-300 Aircraft To Guangzhou

Singapore Airlines has announced that it is set to start using Airbus A330-300 Model Aircraft on its Singapore to Guangzhou route on October 31, 2010: in a move to celebrate the opening of the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games.

On October 31, the maiden flight SQ850 will leave Singapore Changi Airport at 8:10 and arrive at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 12:05. The return flight will depart Guangzhou at 13:15 and arrive in Singapore at 17:25.

Thereafter the flight frequency of the scheduled round flights using A330-300 aircraft will be increased to one per day from the current five per week.

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Korean Airline’s first Air Bus A 380 will leave from USA to Asia

Good News for travelers planning to take flights to USA or Asia as Korean Airlines will be flying its very first Airbus A380 aircraft on a flight from USA to Asia. The airline is the first to win the race, among various five star alliance and top ranked carriers who had their eyes on the Airbus A380. This new craft has been gripping attention from worldwide media and already has attained a highest rank in the world of travel by dint of its extraordinary features, operation qualities, smoothness and a whole new level of comfort and convenience.

Also, Korean Air has ordered about four such highly reputed and technologically, most advance crafts. The first, out of the four A380 Model Airplanes is said to be in its final stages of production and currently at the Airbus headquarters located in Toulouse France. The delivery of this new addition to the Korean Airlines’ fleet is likely to occur in May 2011 that will be followed by others.

Among all of the Asian airlines, Korean Air is the very first to have this utterly modern air craft to be used on its transatlantic routes, the first flight planned to leave from USA to Asia.

The new Airbus A380 will be a double-decker airplane and outfitted with between 400 and 450 seats, making it the most spacious A380 anywhere in the world. There are already hundreds of travelers hoping to be the first, to board this genius invention in May, 2011.

At this auspicious success, Mr. John Jackson, Marketing Director for Korean Air’s Americas stated:

The reduced seating layout will expand cabin space and provide customers with a truly luxurious air travel experience. We are designing the cabin to promote relaxing air travel, and will incorporate some unique features to be revealed later.

Korean has already been a popular airline and a ‘favorite’ for many, however with this new addition in their fleet Korean Airline has raised as a head turner.
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Emirates Airline expands its operation in Saudi Arabia

New York:Emirates Airline under its expansion operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will provide 10 services per week to Riyadh and Jeddah, highlighting the increased economic ties between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.With a 71 percent increase in operations and a 75 percent increase in overall passenger capacity, the new services will further boost business and leisure trade between the two Arab nations.

Riyadh will receive five additional services per week, increasing its weekly service to 12 flights from October 31st.Starting January 2,2011 Jeddah will receive five additional services, increasing its weekly operation to 12.

Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran, Ahmed Khoory said,"the additional 3,770 seats per week on the two routes will further enhance passenger movement between the two countries. Travelers in Saudi seek connectivity to key commercial and leisure centers in Europe, as well as the Americas and Australasia, and these new flights will help expedite their journey."

Services to Riyadh will be operated by an Airbus A330-200 with 12 First Class seats, 42 Business Class seats and 183 economy class seats. Jeddah will benefit from a second Airbus A380 service with capacity to seat 517 passengers in a three class configuration. The first A380 was introduced to the Jeddah route this February.

These flights will also help with religious based travel to Saudi Arabia, which continues to grow exponentially each year. The airline's expansion program closely follows its announcement of an increase of Al Medinah al Munawarah services to a daily from October 31st.
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AA plane undergoing investigation after emergency landing

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an American Airlines flight that lost cabin pressure Tuesday night and never made it to its original destination.

The Boeing 757 Model Airplane took off from Miami International Airport at 9:15 p.m. central time and was bound for Boston. About 30 minutes into Flight 1640, oxygen masks deployed and the pilot descended to a lower altitude.

The crew of six declared an emergency, returned to Miami and made a normal landing. None of the 154 passengers on board were injured.

After they landed, investigators report a piece of metal fuselage had peeled back from the area above the door where passengers boarded. The damage left a 1-foot-by 2-foot hole, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

"There's a tremendous amount of pressure inside an airplane, so if you punch a hole in something, there's a lot of air that goes out," Denny Kelly, aviation expert and former pilot, said. "Because of wear and tear in that particular area, a lot of times it's the jetway that comes up to the airplane and hits that."

American Airlines has taken the plane out of service and "has assigned a team of engineers and maintenance technicians who are evaluating the aircraft," according to airline spokesperson Andrea Huguely.

"Anytime something flies off an airplane, there's potential damage on the ground," said Keith Holloway, a spokesperson for the NTSB.

The NTSB investigation into what caused the incident could take 12-18 months or longer.

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Boeing says 'major makeover' awaits fliers on new 737s

Boeing has announced its latest upgrades to its Boeing 737 jet, a move that comes as the company ponders the future of its best-selling Boeing737 model.

In one of the upgrades that will be the most-visible to customers, Boeing on Wednesday delivered the first of its new "Sky Interior" 737s to launch customer FlyDubai.

MORE: Boeing hopes to decide on 737 successor 'within several months'

KOMO News of Seattle writes that "it's the first of more than 40 such planes that the airline has purchased. The redesigned interior offers larger cargo bins and more head room for passengers. The interior's overhead lighting cycles through a full color spectrum, from simulating blue skies to the orange hues of sunlight and sunset."

"I don't know how you did it, but it looks like -- from inside -- you made the fuselage bigger," FlyDubai COO Kenneth Gile told Boeing employees at a delivery ceremony, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Giles made his statement from the cabin of the first Boeing jet with the new interior.

PHOTO GALLERY: Boeing's new Sky Interior (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

The News Tribune of Tacoma calls the Sky Interior "the latest tweak to the interior of the 737, whose interior dimensions have stayed the same for some 45 years. The changes are designed to make the plane's accommodations feel more spacious though the basic fuselage remains unchanged. To do that, Boeing borrowed several features from its yet-to-debut 787 Dreamliner interior."

MORE: Boeing 787 suppliers hold deliveries for 2 weeks

On its own website, Boeing says the new interior is "not a slight upgrade, but a major makeover, with new stowage bins; new sidewalls; a new lighting system; new ceiling panels; new air vents; new passenger service units; and a new flight attendant panel."

MORE: Boeing upgrades aim to cut 737 fuel use by 2% (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Boeing says "Flydubai is one of 45 airlines and leasing companies that have ordered 1,180 Model Airplanes with the refreshed interior. That represents about half of Boeing's 737 backlog. Malaysia Airlines, Jetairfly, Continental Airlines, and Norwegian Air Shuttle are the next carriers to take delivery of a 737 with the Boeing Sky Interior."

The News-Tribune notes that the new interior "will be optional for existing 737 customers ordering new planes and standard for new 737 customers."

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Singapore Airlines doubles A380 flights to Sydney

Singapore Airlines will double the number of Airbus A380 aircraft flying between Sydney and Singapore, adding 140,000 seats a year will be available on the route.
Singapore Airlines will replace one of the daily B777-300ER flights in the afternoon from Sydney with the second Airbus A380 aircraft from this Sunday. SQ222 will depart Sydney each day at 4.30pm and arrive in Singapore at 9.40 pm local time. The return flight, SQ231 will depart Singapore at just after midnight and arrive the same day in Sydney at 11.25 am.

Subhas Menon, Singapore Airlines’ Regional Vice President South West Pacific, said the Airline is rolling out the Airbus A380 along growth routes in accordance with demand.

“The launch of this second A380 service is in response to the growth in demand we are experiencing on the Sydney-Singapore route,”

“As the first airline to fly the A380, we began the super-jumbo services on this same route in October 2007. This second daily A380 will make travel between Singapore and Sydney easier and more convenient for both business and leisure travellers with onward connecting flights from Singapore, particularly to Europe,” Mr Menon said.

Singapore Airlines will also be adding inflight Wi-Fi internet and mobile telephone services from early 2011.

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Southwest Airlines to charge $5 for onboard Wi-Fi

Southwest Airlines senior vice president Dave Ridley says Southwest tried prices from $2 to $12 to connect on its new onboard Wi-Fi service, with different prices for length of trips, types of devices and other factors.

After much consideration, Southwest decided to go simple and charge a flat $5 for all flights and all devices for anyone who wants to go online with their laptop computer, iPhone, other smartphone or whatever, Ridley said Thursday at Southwest Airlines' media day.

The carrier currently has about 32 Model Airplanes with Wi-Fi equipment installed from Row 44. Row 44 uses satellite-based technology, which Ridley says has greater bandwidth and better technology than the ground-based technology offered by competitor Aircell, which has tied up most U.S. airlines. (He didn't name Aircell, but that's the big guy in the room.)

The $5 charge is an "extended introductory offer" that will last at least until Southwest finishes installing the Row 44 equipment in its entire fleet of more than 540 Model Aircraft.

Earlier in the day, reporters asked Southwest officials about what it will do when it incorporates AirTran Airways into Southwest. AirTran uses Aircell for Wi-Fi, and it also offers XM Radio.

The answer: We'll have to see what AirTran's contracts are with other providers, and we can't know that competitive information until we formally close the merger.

Ridley said Southwest passengers will be able to see information online without paying the fee, such as being able to buy stuff on Airmall's webpage. Once on, Ridley said, passengers are more likely to pay $5 for full access to the Internet.

Before unveiling the $5 fee, Ridley showed a chart from a competitor that showed a matrix of choices of prices depending on flight length or equipment used.

A Southwest guy said that the airline had a really good "take rate" in early trials when it let passengers get on the system for free.

By the way, I tried to file this from a Southwest Airlines airplane upon which the carrier and Row 44 was demonstrating the system.

But even with Row 44 people trouble-shooting the problem, most of us never were able to get online. (Oh, well, the technology is designed to work at 37,000 feet, not 10 feet.)

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Delta re-affirms Northwest order for Boeing 787

Delta Air Lines, after new negotiations with Boeing, has reaffirmed an order placed by Northwest Airlines for 18 Boeing 787 Model Aircraft. Delivery of the787-8 version of the aircraft will be delayed, however, and will now begin in 2020. The Northwest order, placed before Delta purchased the Twin Cities-based carrier in 2008, called for deliveries from 2008 through 2010. The 787 has run into a myriad of problems over the years that have required many delays in its initial delivery. It is now projected that the launch customer, ANA (All Nippon Airways) of Japan, will take delivery of its first 787 in February of next year. This is three years later than originally planned.
 
The first U.S. customer slated to fly the Boeing 787 is Continental Airlines, which is now owned by United Continental Holdings, Inc. Continental, as did Northwest, will fade into the sunset as an entity over the next 12 to 18 months, in turn making United Airlines the largest airline in the world. The first of twenty five  787’s which will become part of the Continental fleet will be delivered in the second half of 2011.
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Etihad Airways signs deal with Asiana Airlines

Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has announced a codeshare agreement with Asiana Airlines, the major airline of South Korea, complementing Etihad’s own service to Seoul, which commences on December 10.

The new relationship will see flights between Abu Dhabi, Seoul and beyond operating under an EY (Etihad) and OZ (Asiana) code.

The codeshare fares will be available from mid-November, for departure from Etihad’s first Seoul service on December 10. The carriers also intend to commence a reciprocal rewards programme, where members of each airline’s frequent flyer programme can earn and redeem points on the codeshared flights.

The codeshare agreement will expand in time to additional territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Korea.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are excited to announce this codeshare agreement with Asiana Airlines less than two months before we commence services to Seoul. South Korea is a very important market for the United Arab Emirates, and we are confident that this relationship will increase the flow of traffic between the two countries.

“The synergy between both airlines made this codeshare a natural alliance. Both Asiana and Etihad are committed to the highest standards of operational and service excellence. We aim to offer guests from Seoul an extension of the quality they have come to expect with Asiana, as they travel west to Abu Dhabi and beyond.”

Commenting on the commercial alliance, Asiana Airlines President and CEO Young Doo Yoon said: “I believe the Etihad-Asiana codeshare will enable our airlines to achieve greater synergies on many different fronts. Also, it will amplify benefits for all our customers in the future by broadening consumer choice through the promotion of transportation between Korea and the United Arab Emirates”.

The airlines will work to cultivate a partnership in a number of fields, including sales and marketing activities, system development, interline expansion and ground handling. 

Etihad Airways will commence a daily return service to Seoul’s Incheon Airport from its home base in Abu Dhabi from 10 December 2010.

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Daily deal: BA offers Canadian discounts, eh?

The chief of British airways slammed the United States over its airline passenger screening policies, saying that certain anti-terror requirements are "completely redundant."

Martin Broughton, the chairman of British Airways, told a crowd at a meeting of Britain's Airport Operators Association that U.K. security officials shouldn't "kowtow to the Americans every time they wanted something done."

He also said the U.S. has imposed excessive checks on flights coming into the country, but not on domestic flights.

"America does not do internally a lot of the things they demand that we do," Broughton said, according to the Financial Times. "We shouldn't stand for that. We should say, 'We'll only do things which we consider to be essential and that you Americans also consider essential.'"

Broughton complained specifically about policies that require travelers to remove their shoes and to have their laptops screened separately.

The shoe rule was created after "shoe bomber" Richard Reid tried to detonate explosives hidden in his shoe during a flight from Paris to Miami in 2001.

Broughton also zeroed in on inconsistent policies regarding the iPad as an example of the way officials have bungled screening procedures.

"Take the iPad: They still haven't decided if it is a laptop or it isn't a laptop," he said. "So some airports think you should take it out and some think you shouldn't."

Broughton's comments come as EUofficials continue to chafe under stringent U.S. airline anti-terror policies.

Privacy advocates in Europe have complained about a program that requires travelers flying into the U.S. to complete online security clearances, saying it violates privacy laws.

The European Union said the online registration procedure has led to Web scams and that that the program's $14 fee could be akin to a visa fee, which the EU and U.S. have waived, The Associated Press reported.

British security officials and U.K. airline industry chiefs applauded Broughton's comments.

Alan West, a security minister under former Prime Minster Gordon Brown, said some measures had gone too far.

"We have had requirement on requirement laid on top of each other, and certainly I need to be convinced about all these various layers," West told the BBC.

"I do think it does need to be rationalized, because I think we have gone too far," West said. "There are too many layers, too much inconsistency."

Virgin Atlantic, another British airline, echoed Broughton's complaints in a statement.

"We have said for many years that new technology is urgently needed to ensure that security checks in airports are effective but quicker and less intrusive on our passengers," the airline said.

As a result of Broughton's comments, Phillip Hammond, Britain's transport secretary, said he was willing to change security regulations at British airports, but would not ask the U.S. to relax its restrictions, the BBC reported.

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