General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Airline financing rift deepens as new alliance wants more subsidies to buy planes
Date added: 26 November, 2010
Export credit, which mainly consists of government guarantees to support commercial
loans for airlines to buy planes, underpins more than 30% of Airbus and Boeing
deliveries. 10 global airlines, calling themselves the Aviation Alliance, are among the biggest
beneficiaries of US and European subsidies to buy jetliners. They want an easing
of rules on aircraft-export guarantees and to ensure that export financing isn't closed off. OECD talks are under way.
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IATA says global air passenger demand is strengthening – up +10.1% in October
Date added: 25 November, 2010
There was a +10.1% year on year increase in passenger demand and a +14.4% year-on-year
increase for freight in October. Passenger demand is 5% above pre-crisis levels
of early 2008, while freight is 1% above. Over the first 10 months of the year,
passenger demand grew by +8.5%, with a capacity expansion of +4.0%. European carriers showed a +9.6% increase over October 2009; it is now 4% higher than the pre-recession
levels of early 2008.
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Revamp to shut Manchester Airport main runway at night for eight months
Date added: 24 November, 2010
A £20m refurbishment of the main runway at Manchester Airport is to take place
next year – closing it from 9.30pm to 6am from January to September 2011. It is the biggest runway refurbishment since the airport opened in 1938 but passengers
will not be affected nor flights cut. Night-time take-offs and landings will be switched to Runway Two,
though planes are not normally allowed to land on this runway between 10.30pm and 6am
except in emergencies
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Santa business in poor elf, but increased trips to German Christmas markets, and New York
Date added: 23 November, 2010
German Christmas markets have overtaken visits to Santa in the run up to this
Christmas season, according to the Co-operative Travel. Trips to Lapland have
fallen by 26% while visits to German markets have gone up 25%. People are apparently
keen to " kick start their Christmas shopping and soak up the atmosphere" at a
market. The Co-op said retail trips to New York and Holland have seen a rise of
8% and 21% respectively (bookings 3 - 17th Dec).
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Delta makes 3 emergency landing within a few days
Date added: 22 November, 2010
A Delta Air Lines flight on its way to Moscow had to return to New York JFK airport
after its wings reportedly caught fire. The Boeing 767 aircraft dumped fuel in the Atlantic before turning back to JFK
shortly after take-off last night. Nobody was injured. The incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration. This
was one of three emergency landings involving Delta Air Lines over the weekend.
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British Airways – Iberia merger set for take-off
Date added: 21 November, 2010
Willie Walsh is set to pull off his long-desired merger with Spain’s Iberia next
week if as expected shareholders in both airlines vote for the £5 billion tie-up. The deal to create International Airlines Group (IAG), a joint holding company
for the 2 airlines, goes to a shareholder vote on Nov 29. If the merger is approved the headquarters of IAG will be in London with its
primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and its secondary listing in Madrid.
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Qantas airbus A380 fleet could now be grounded for weeks
Date added: 21 November, 2010
Airbus A380s operated by Qantas Airways might be grounded for weeks as Rolls-Royce
plans how to fix an engine problem that forced one of the superjumbos into an
emergency landing. The airline has lost about 4% to 5% of its seat capacity and £78 million a day so
far. A delay would squeeze the Australian airline's capacity as it heads into
the busy holiday season.
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Former chairman of BMI airlines to become Conservative peer
Date added: 21 November, 2010
The former chairman of airline BMI has been appointed to the House of Lords. Michael Bishop CBE, a long-standing member of the Conservative Party, is to become
a Tory peer. Sir Michael sold the Castle Donington-based airline to Lufthansa in 2009 for
£220m. He took control of the airline in 1978 after a management buy-out. New Lib Dem
peers include ex-MP Susan Kramer, who actively worked on the anti Heathrow campaign.
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Gliders could be grounded by new European safety law
Date added: 20 November, 2010
Gliding - flying a plane without an engine - is popular in Britain, but the sport
is under threat from a new European law. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) wants to introduce a new continent-wide
pilot's licence which will improve safety. This means no more flying in or near clouds, as there are often associated thermals, and
restrictions on evasive manoeuvres often necessary in cloudy British skies for
gliders.
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BAA may face changes to forced UK airport sales – Competition Commission invites submissions
Date added: 19 November, 2010
Britain’s competition regulator said the UK government’s decision to cancel a
3d runway at Heathrow and oppose extra ones at Gatwick and Stansted may affect
its probe of BAA. The current decision calls for BAA to sell Stansted and either
the Glasgow or Edinburgh. The Competition Commission asked competitors and customers
to comment on last year’s decision by Dec 15th 2010, before it makes a final order
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