AirGuide Airport Business News

Branson AirExpress prepares for takeoff

2010-03-12T08:46:00.000-05:00

Branson AirExpress is scheduled to begin a three-month trial as a charter service May 17 operating out of the new Branson, Mo., airport that opened last year. Like Branson Airport, the air service is being started without taxpayer funding and aims to bring more visitors to Branson, a growing tourist destination for country and pop music fans. Initially, flights will be offered from Des Moines, Houston and Austin as well as Terre Haute, Ind., and Shreveport, La.
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Vista Field Airport to remain open in Washington

2010-03-11T08:48:00.000-05:00

Port commissioners have decided to keep Vista Field Airport open in Kennewick, Wash. Vista Field provides general aviation services but does not have a fixed-base operator. The airport was valued at $7.7 million in a recent appraisal.
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GA advocate visits Charleston International Airport

2010-03-10T08:47:00.001-05:00

James Coyne, president of the National Air Transportation Association, met with aviation advocates at Charleston International Airport in South Carolina. According to Coyne, general aviation is showing signs of rebounding from recessionary lows. "We want to show everyone that private aviation is not just for the president," Coyne said.
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Hilton Head airport faces opposition over runway extension

2010-03-10T08:47:00.000-05:00

To comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, South Carolina's Hilton Head Island Airport must extend its runway from 4,300 feet to 5,400 feet. However, town officials oppose the runway extension because it would expand the airport beyond its current boundaries. The Hilton Head airport provides service for general aviation aircraft, as well as commercial flights through USAir and Delta Airlines.
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Yemen Must Upgrade Airport Security

2010-02-02T11:42:00.000-05:00

"We hope that we can identify very quickly the enhanced security measures that will be necessary," -- President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Yemen has yet to upgrade airport security to allow the lifting of a suspension of direct flights to Britain from the impoverished Arab country, a British official said on Tuesday. Last month, Britain suspended direct flights of Yemeni state carrier Yemenia on security grounds after the failed Christmas Day attack on a Detroit-bound airliner for which a Yemen-based al Qaeda affiliate has claimed responsibility. "We hope that we can identify very quickly the enhanced security measures that will be necessary, that those measures can be put in place to cope with higher levels of security," said Ivan Lewis, minister of state in the foreign office, after meeting Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh. He declined to say when direct flights might be resumed, saying only that Britain was helping Yemen to improve airport security in the capital Sanaa. Yemen has increased staff at its main airport but experts say providing security is a challenge due to the lack of space at the small airport built in the 1970s.
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Body Scanners Introduced at UK's Manchester Airport

2010-02-01T11:39:00.000-05:00

Passengers flying through Manchester Airport in the North West of England may be body scanned as part of the airport's routine security procedures. Manchester has been trialling a Rapiscan Secure 1000 scanner in its Terminal 2 since October. It is one of two airports that have been directed by the UK Government to introduce the technology. Additional scanners are planned in the airport's Terminals 1 and 3 by the end of the month. The introduction of the scanners follows the incident on an airliner bound for Detroit on Christmas Day. Since that time the UK Government has been working closely with airport authorities to introduce additional security measures including introducing body scanners at airports. Under the new rules, any passenger refusing to be body scanned will not be allowed to travel.
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Florida Airport Gets Commercial Spaceport License

2010-01-12T11:51:00.000-05:00

"The big difference between Cecil Field and the New Mexico spaceport is that we have facilities already in place," -- Todd Lindner, Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
Cecil Field airport in Jacksonville, Florida was awarded a federal license on Monday to fly commercial space vehicles being designed to ferry tourists, researchers and others beyond Earth's atmosphere.
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority, which worked to get its commercial spaceport licensing for four years, plans to offer Cecil Field's 12,500-foot (3,810 metre) long, 200-foot (61 metre) wide runway -- one of the biggest in Florida -- to a range of commercial space operators including Virgin Galactic.
The company, owned by Richard Branson's Virgin Group, last month unveiled the first of six planned suborbital spaceships which initially will fly out of a commercial spaceport in California. Virgin Galactic, which is selling tickets for USD$200,000 per seat, is building a base in New Mexico.
"The big difference between Cecil Field and the New Mexico spaceport is that we have facilities already in place," said Todd Lindner, who has been overseeing development of the Jacksonville spaceport.
Cecil Field becomes the country's eighth licensed commercial spaceport and the first in Florida cleared to fly space vehicles that take off and land horizontally, like planes.
"This is a relatively new component to the space industry," Lindner said.
"Up until this point, people are automatically assuming space launches are vertical because we all grew up watching the rockets go up from the Cape."
In addition to suborbital passenger flights like those Virgin is offering, Cecil Field hopes to offer commercial orbital launch services staged from the suborbital craft.
Lindner said the Jacksonville Aviation Authority is working with several potential customers, but declined to identify them. A study to estimate the potential economic benefit of the spaceport is pending.
"This is giving us options that we didn't have," Lindner said.
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Flu Shots Now Offered in Los Angeles International Airport Terminals

2010-01-11T11:50:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), in partnership with FLU*Ease, Inc., is now offering flu shots to travelers in most of the airline terminals as a public safety measure against the flu, especially the H1N1 strain.
FLU*Ease stations, complete with privacy screens, are set up beyond passenger security screening in Terminals 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). Stations will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays, with registered nurses administering shots to interested travelers for a $30 fee. The program will continue throughout the flu season.
"This initiative is a convenient resource for travelers and part of LAX's contribution to helping contain the spread of flu and protect the public's safety during this flu season," said Debbie Bowers, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) deputy executive director for commercial development. "Travelers have the convenience of getting a flu shot without having to go to a health center or a doctor's office."
FLU*Ease, Inc., a physician-supervised medical organization based in Chicago, Illinois, provides immunization services to companies and organizations nationwide. LAWA awarded FLU*Ease the contract to administer flu shots in the terminals. More information about FLU*Ease is available at http://www.fluease.net/Default.aspx.
Independent of the FLU*Ease program, Reliant Immediate Care also offers H1N1 flu shots and other travel immunizations at Reliant Medical Center at 9601 South Sepulveda Boulevard (blue building next to the LAX Airport Police station). The H1N1 flu shot costs $24. Reliant Medical Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provides transportation to/from airline terminals to their medical center. More information is available at http://www.reliantmedicalcenter.com/index.html or by calling (310) 215-6020.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a Los Angeles City department that owns and operates two other Southern California airports: LA/Ontario International (ONT) and Van Nuys (VNY) general aviation. LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world, offering more than 565 daily flights to 81 destinations in the U.S. and over 1,000 weekly non-stop flights to 65 international destinations.
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BWI Airport Expands FlightView Partnership to Keep Travelers Happy

2009-12-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI) Airport, one of the 30 busiest airports in the U.S. selected FlightView, its trusted partner for in-terminal displays of flight and weather tracking, to bring the same technology to a newly upgraded Web site. The airport, which consistently ranks among the best for passenger satisfaction (JD Powers and Smarter Traveler Readers’ Choice), launched the new features from FlightView on October 15th that help passengers fly in and out smoothly.
Serving more than 55,000 passengers on more than 675 flights daily, BWI has earned a reputation as one of the most customer-centric airports anywhere. From well-designed terminals with a wide range of amenities to its volunteer force that helps harried passengers get where they need to be, the team at BWI is committed to making travel through the airport as smooth possible. With the new Web site, BWI extends that commitment to passengers before they arrive at the facility.
Successful flight tracking displays in all of the BWI terminals already give BWI patrons the answers to the most stressful queries in travel: where is my plane? What’s causing the delay? Now, travelers coming in and out of BWI can get real-time, actionable updates on flight arrivals and departures – from their computer or smartphone by simply logging on to www.bwiairport.com.
“We wanted to continue to provide our passengers with top-quality service at their convenience,” said Timothy Campbell, executive director for the Maryland Aviation Administration. “We enhanced our Web site to make it accessible, simple and informative for the travel community—whether it’s someone deciding whether to leave for the airport, or a visitor tracking a loved one’s flight.”
FlightView’s custom tracking map, data, and updates were integrated into the new site in less than a month. The flight tracking tool and status updates blend seamlessly with the Web site’s interface, contributing to a simple, understandable display. With the addition of precise weather radar overlays, site visitors don’t need to navigate away from the page to gain a comprehensive view into their flight status.
“With BWI’s new Web site, customers can get the information they need to make smarter decisions about travel plans,” said Mike Benjamin, CEO of FlightView. “We’re pleased to be working with BWI, which sets the standard for travel information – both in and out of the terminals.”
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Lawmakers Back New London Gatwick Runway

2009-12-07T10:32:00.000-05:00

The British Government should consider building an extra runway at London's Gatwick Airport rather than at the city's Stansted Airport, according to a report from a group of MPs.
The House of Commons Transport Committee said they were "not convinced that a national case for an additional runway at Stansted has been made."
The report said that delays in a decision on a second Stansted runway, coupled with the recession and declining passenger numbers meant that the runway would be unlikely to be completed before 2019.
The report said: "The Government should reconsider whether the additional runway, if required, should be located at Gatwick rather than Stansted."
The MPs also backed the British Government's decision to support a third runway at London Heathrow.
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Delta to fly to Honolulu from San Diego, Detroit

2009-12-04T10:41:00.003-05:00

Delta Air Lines Inc. said Wednesday it will add flights from Detroit and San Diego to Honolulu beginning in June.
The company said the routes restore flights that were cut from San Diego roughly 20 years ago and from Detroit in 2004.
The flight from San Diego will run daily, while the Detroit flight runs three days a week.
The company said it was able to add the routes because its combination with Northwest gives it enough passengers in each city to make the flights viable. Northwest has long maintained a hub in Detroit. Delta bought Northwest last year and has been integrating their operations.
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Five Stunning Travel Secrets

2009-12-04T10:41:00.001-05:00

The holiday season means a busy travel season. On "The Early Show" CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg shared five stunning travel secrets to help you better prepare for your trips.
Greenberg first shared so-called "secret flights." He said they aren't officially secret, but these scheduled flights are published, but no one knows about them.
"They're on airlines that you would never expect to fly these routes," he said.
Greenberg said the fares are either comparable to the airlines you'd expect would fly the routes or much cheaper, and the flights are hardly ever full.
An example of these flights is a flight from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to Vancouver in British Columbia.

JFK (New York)- YVR (Vancouver)
Cathay Pacific $498 nonstop
US Airways $509 via Phoenix
Delta $515 via Seattle
United $528 via Los Angeles

Flying from JFK to Vancouver?
"Most domestic airlines can get you there, with a stopover," he said. "But Cathay Pacific is not just non-stop, it's also the cheapest option at $498."
Another surprise flight is available if you want to fly from Los Angeles to London:

LAX (Los Angeles) - LHR (London)
Air New Zealand $797
British Airways - $807
bmi - $798
Virgin Atlantic - $807
Continental - $807
United - $807

Air New Zealand, Greenberg said, flies non-stop from LAX to London, and they serve New Zealand wines throughout the flight -- even in coach. And among the other well known airlines for that route, it's the cheapest at $797.
Another big surprise flight from LAX, Greenberg said, is a flight that flies to Sao Paulo Brazil. No one would guess it, he added, but Korean Air flies nonstop on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between Los Angeles and Sao Paolo, Brazil. Delta seems to be the only other airline that flies nonstop (they code share). And check out this deal: If you wanted to travel between December 23-31st Korean air prices out at $1,861 non-stop, which in many cases is $1000 cheaper than other carriers on the route.
Another stunner Greenberg mentioned is security loopholes.
Greenberg said more than nine years after 9/11, while the Transportation Security Administration, still makes us go through security inspections, what about the 12 million pounds of cargo carried in the very belly of the planes we're traveling on? Greenberg said it's still not thoroughly inspected, or inspected at all.
He said the 12 million pounds of cargo a day works out to 6 billion pounds a year that are not being screened for liquid, plastic or conventional explosives.
"Most of us fly assuming that everything that's on our airplane has been inspected or checked," he said. "Tthink again."
Additionally, in some major cities pilots and flight attendants, he said, do not have to go through security.
Some people may also be shocked to learn that there are expensive and inexpensive airports, Greenberg said.
Most Expensive Airports
Airport Average Fare
1. Hunstville, AL $471
2. Grand Rapids, MI $403
3. Savannah, GA $402
4. Washington Dulles, DC $383

MOST INEXPENSIVE AIRPORTS
Airport Average Fare

1. Long Beach, CA $216
2. Dallas Love Field, TX $223
3. Orlando, FL $228
4. Ft. Lauderdale, FL $229
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics
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Allegiant Air establishes new base at OIA

2009-12-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

Low-fare carrier Allegiant Air LLC will establish a new base at Orlando International Airport beginning Feb. 1, 2010, and initially serving 10 U.S. cities.
Allegiant currently offers nonstop, scheduled service to Orlando from 31 U.S. cities via Orlando-Sanford International Airport.
The 10 selected cities reflect a portion of the company’s current operations at Sanford, which will move to Orlando International Airport. By March 5, 2010, it will base five, 150-seat, MD-80 series jet aircraft at Orlando International Airport.
To kick off the new service, Allegiant is offering low introductory fares between Orlando International and Knoxville, Tenn.; Lexington, Ky.; Allentown, Pa.; Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Springfield, Mo.; Tri-Cities, Tenn.; Huntington, W.Va.; Youngstown, Ohio; and Des Moines, Iowa.
Allegiant will continue to offer flights to Orlando-Sanford International Airport from the other 21 cities currently served by the airline.
The new base is the carrier’s eighth scheduled service base. Allegiant also has scheduled service bases in Las Vegas; Sanford; Fort Lauderdale; Bellingham, Wash.; Phoenix; Los Angeles and St. Petersburg/Clearwater. Allegiant now provides nonstop scheduled service to and from 69 U.S. cities.
The move is aimed to provide Allegiant customers with more convenient access to Orlando theme parks and to remain competitive in the markets it serves, according to a Dec. 1 Allegiant release.
Vicki Jaramillo, director of marketing for Orlando International Airport, said Allegiant’s move “positions this airport as Florida’s leader in service by low-cost carriers by adding the Allegiant’s schedule to the current 2,900 flights operating per week.”
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co., parent company of Allegiant Air, is focused on linking travelers in small cities to leisure destinations such as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg and Los Angeles.
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Delta to cut 5 more cities from CVG

2009-12-03T10:42:00.001-05:00

Delta Air Lines will trim more flights at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in February, eliminating direct service to five more cities.
Delta officials confirmed this morning that cities to be dropped starting Feb. 10 include Montreal; Oklahoma City; Des Moines, Iowa; Providence, R.I.; and Tri-Cities, Tenn.
The Atlanta-based carrier previously had announced an overall 10 percent cut in departures in early January. Those cuts, and the additional cuts in February, will leave CVG - once Delta's second-largest hub - with just 70 direct destinations and between 180 and 190 total daily departures.
That's down from a peak of more than 120 destinations and more than 400 daily departures four years ago. Delta has since gone through bankruptcy reorganization, merged with Northwest Airlines, dealt with major fluctuations in fuel prices and perhaps most significantly, been caught in a recession that's drastically depressed demand for flying.
Airport officials are meeting with Delta today in Atlanta to review the ongoing schedule changes.
Delta also has cut local fares significantly. Tickets for flights originating from CVG dropped 38 percent in the second quarter as compared with the same period last year. Still, the airline lost $161 million in the third quarter.
"Delta's focus is to ensure we maintain nonstop service to the largest markets from Cincinnati, and no mainline Delta flying is impacted by these changes," airline spokeswoman Kristin Baur said. "Delta continues to do everything possible to position Cincinnati for long-term success, including schedule and fare changes aimed at returning the hub to profitability."
Delta did not say whether the new cuts would result in any changes in employment at the airport or what the cuts would mean to Erlanger-based regional subsidiary Comair. That airline had planned to furlough pilots and flight attendants, but Baur said that Comair will be recalling some workers because the cuts aren't as deep as previously thought.
Delta and Comair combine to employ nearly 4,000 locally, but Comair now operates the majority of its flights in the Northeast. Employment at the two airlines was 7,000 at the beginning of the decade.
Bair would not comment on any potential future cuts in the spring or summer schedule, saying that future flying is still under review.
Airport officials said this morning that they are still analyzing the reductions and will comment later today.
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Emirates Unit To Buy Two UK Ground Handling Ops

2009-12-03T10:42:00.000-05:00

Dubai's Dnata, a unit of the Emirates Group said on Thursday it was acquiring two British ground handling operations.
"These acquisitions, which are valued at GBP15 million pounds (USD25.05 million), mark Dnata's entry into the airport handling business in the UK," it said in a statement.
The transaction will be completed on January 30, it said.
The group is buying Plane Handling, part of the Go-Ahead Group, and passenger and ramp handling operations at Terminal 3 and 4 at London Heathrow Airport from Aviance, also part Go-Ahead.
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Delta Airlines open new Sky Club at Raleigh-Durham International Airport

2009-12-02T10:44:00.000-05:00

Delta Air Lines opened a new, 4,000-square-foot Sky Club at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Tuesday.
The facility, which is located in the redeveloped Terminal 2, offers Sky Club members and their guests everything from Wi-Fi, beverages and snacks, to personalized flight assistance, and a full-service bar and satellite TV. Delta previously had a Sky Club in Terminal A (now called Terminal 1), but it was closed in November 2008 because the airline knew it eventually was going to move into Terminal 2 due to the redevelopment project.
Delta designed the club in conjunction with Toronto-based Scott Associates Architects Inc. Passengers can join the club either by paying a membership fee or by logging certain numbers of miles flown.
The fees and mileage depend on the level of membership. The lowest level of annual membership costs $300 or 40,000 miles. There is an additional $50 fee – or 10,000 miles -- for new members.
More than 408,000 passengers boarded Delta planes at RDU through the first 10 months of the year. That makes the Atlanta-based carrier the third busiest at RDU, behind Southwest Airlines and American Airlines.
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BAA Seeks GBP500 Mln, Targets Bond Market

2009-11-13T12:53:00.000-05:00

"We believe this additional equity will be used to improve coverage ratios and is therefore driven more by opportunism than a need for more equity," -- Scott Ryall, Macquarie Equities Research.
BAA, the debt-laden operator of Britain's Heathrow airport, said on Friday it is to raise GBP500 million pounds (USD$831 million) in equity to help shore up its balance sheet as it works to access cheaper bond financing.
The chance for it to raise bonds will be a welcome relief for its majority owner, Spain's Ferrovial, which used debt to buy BAA at the top of the market in 2006, and is now being forced to sell off several key airports during a recession.
"The capital hike is in preparation for a bond issue, which will take place at the end of the first quarter of 2010," a Ferrovial spokesman said.
The spokesman later specified that the issue, which Ferrovial chief executive Inigo Meiras said in October would top GBP1 billion, was more likely to be launched before the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
"We believe this additional equity will be used to improve coverage ratios and is therefore driven more by opportunism than a need for more equity," said Scott Ryall, analyst for Macquarie Equities Research.
BAA said in October that it was planning to re-enter the bond market "soon" after it offloaded Gatwick airport and paid down GBP1 billion of its debt.
The firm currently has in place expensive bank loan financing, a legacy of its takeover in 2006 by a group led by Ferrovial.
At that time it planned to use the bond market to take out a GBP9 billion bridge loan, but the securitisation market shut down before it could complete the arrangements.
Ferrovial suffered a further setback when the UK's Competition Commission ruled in March that it should sell London Stansted and either Edinburgh or Glasgow airports just as the credit crunch kicked in and financing disappeared or became highly expensive. It is now appealing the decision.
Bond pricing has since recovered, but before BAA can access the bond market it wants to raise equity to pay down more of its expensive bank debt and improve its financial ratios.
One bright spot came when the UK Department of Transport issued a watered down version of proposed solvency rules for airport operators, a move which analysts said would pave the way for new bond issues by BAA.
The airports operator will need to sell bonds on a regular basis to help it fund its programme of upgrading its portfolio of airports.
The new equity capital consists of GBP200 million of new equity from shareholders, and GBP300 million from BAA Airports and FGP Topco, the ultimate holding company of BAA, which is jointly owned by BAA's three controlling shareholders.
Ferrovial, which holds 55.87 percent of BAA, will contribute GBP112 million to the cash injection, a spokesman said, with the remainder coming from BAA's other shareholders.
Canada's Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec controls 26.48 percent of BAA and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation 17.65 percent.
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Los Angeles International Airport Breaks Ground on New Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Facility

2009-11-12T12:53:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa was joined today by representatives of local and federal elected officials, executives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and City fire and airport departments in breaking ground for a new replacement Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) facility at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The $13.5 million Los Angeles Fire Department Station 80 project received $10.8 million in federal stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"The new Fire Station 80 at LAX will improve our readiness for an emergency at the airport, clear the way for further airport modernization, and provide jobs to help revive our local economy," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "This Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting facility will make LAX safer and better prepared to handle any type of emergency, as well as to accommodate bigger, cleaner, quieter, modern aircraft that keep pace with the changing world of aviation."
Start of construction on Station 80 marks a key milestone in the modernization of LAX. The new ARFF station will replace the current 30 year-old structure and will be located midway between the north and south airfield complexes further west of the passenger terminal area than where the current station is located. The new station will be double the size of the current one with approximately 27,500 square feet, including seven bays to house and maintain rescue vehicles and emergency response equipment. The new facility is designed to better accommodate the size, volume and nature of operations at LAX associated with new-generation aircraft, such as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing B787. It will also provide living, administrative and training areas for 14 firefighters assigned to each 24-hour shift. Construction is scheduled to be completed Fall 2010.
Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl (11th District which encompasses LAX) said, "We are creating jobs, reinventing our airport, and making LAX and the surrounding area a safer place. This is an example of L.A.'s own economic stimulus package. We could use more projects like this across the country."
Los Angeles Fire Chief Millage Peaks said, "The Los Angeles Fire Department has worked in collaboration with the Los Angeles World Airports staff in the planning and design of a great facility that will protect the airport for years to come."
"The FAA's mission to provide a safe aviation system will be enhanced by the presence of this new Los Angeles fire Department facility at LAX," said FAA Western-Pacific Regional Administrator William Withycombe. "Cooperation between the FAA and LAWA has made this facility possible."
Los Angeles World Airports Board of Airport Commissioners Vice President Valeria C. Velasco said, "Moving forward in modernizing LAX also means modernizing our rescue and firefighting facilities. The new Station 80 will provide state-of-the-art facilities and more space so that the firefighters can continue their tradition of maintaining the highest degree of safety and readiness at LAX as it has done since 1941."
The ARFF construction project is supported by $10,832,000 in Economy Recovery grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration. This funding is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The remainder of the cost is funded by airport revenue bond proceeds. No funding is coming from the City's general fund.
Airport officials estimate up to 200 jobs at prevailing wages will be created during this project, including architects, engineers, inspectors, construction workers, building material fabricators, transport drivers and administrative support personnel.
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Asur October Passenger Traffic Down 7.2 Pct

2009-11-10T12:06:00.004-05:00

Mexican airport operator Asur said on Friday its October passenger traffic fell 7.2 percent from a year before, hurt by declines in six of its nine destinations, including the resort of Cancun.
Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste is slowly recovering from the harsh effects of a flu outbreak in Mexico earlier this year that halted key chunks of the economy for several days and scared tourists away.
In May, Asur's traffic dropped 51 percent but subsequent monthly results have shown less abrupt declines.
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Google's gift: Free WiFi in 47 airports

2009-11-10T12:06:00.003-05:00

Google is planning to foot the bill for WiFi at 47 of the nation's airports for the rest of the year, beginning Tuesday.
With some travelers spending more time on the ground in airports than on planes during the busy flying season, now seemed an especially fitting time to offer up the perk, Google said.
The list includes the international airports in Miami and Orlando, which are among the world's 30 busiest airports, as well as five others in Florida. Travelers through smaller airports, such as Montana's Billings and Bozeman, will also benefit.
"This is one of our holiday gifts to our users, and when you connect, we also hope you'll take the opportunity to try some of the latest Google products," the company said in a statement.
Upon signing in, users will be asked if they want to set Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) as their homepage or try the Google Chrome browser.
The company is also running a charity campaign to raise money for three nonprofit groups: Engineers without Borders, One Economy Corporation and Climate Savers Computing Initiative. When Google WiFi users first log on, the landing page will offer them the option of donating to the organizations. Google will match donations of up to $250,000 per airport.
Google to buy mobile ad provider
Google has inked other free WiFi deals. It already offers free wireless Internet to its hometown of Mountain View, Calif., and last month it partnered with Virgin America to give the airline's customers free access to Gogo's Inflight Internet.
Both the airport WiFi deal and the Virgin America arrangement will end Jan. 15, after the holiday rush subsides.
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Continental Airlines to Relocate Airport Operations at Paris/Charles De Gaulle and Barcelona

2009-11-10T12:06:00.001-05:00

Continental Airlines, which recently joined Star Alliance, announced today that it will move its airport operations at both Paris/Charles de Gaulle and Barcelona this month as part of its continuing effort to provide easy connections between its flights and those of other Star Alliance airlines.
On Nov. 10, Continental will relocate to Terminal 1 at Barcelona's El Prat Airport, a brand-new facility where all other Star Alliance member carriers serving the airport are based. Continental operates a daily Boeing 767-200ER service between Barcelona and its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport.
On Nov. 17, Continental will relocate to the recently-renovated Terminal 1 at Paris/Charles de Gaulle, where most Star Alliance member carriers are based. The terminal features a Star Alliance lounge, open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. From Paris/CDG, Continental operates a 13-times-weekly non-stop service (Boeing 767-400ER and Boeing 757) to New York/Newark and a daily Boeing 767-400ER non-stop service to Houston.
Since Oct. 27, when Continental joined Star Alliance, the airline has also relocated its operations at Frankfurt (Terminal 1) and Tokyo/Narita (Terminal 1, South Wing). Other airports where co-location moves have been made include Beijing, Chicago, Honolulu and Shanghai.
Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,400 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 130 domestic and 132 international destinations. Continental is a member of Star Alliance, which provides access to more than 900 additional points in 169 countries via 24 other member airlines. With more than 41,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries approximately 63 million passengers per year.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For the sixth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 World's Most Admired Airline on its 2009 list of World's Most Admired Companies. For more company information, go to continental.com.
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ISSN 1939-666X - Copyright © 2009 AirGuideBusiness / Pyramid Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

US Airways Resumes Flights between Florida's Space Coast and Charlotte Hub

2009-11-09T12:02:00.000-05:00

US Airways will make getting to Florida’s Space Coast easier as the airline resumes daily non-stop service between Melbourne, Fla. and its largest hub in Charlotte, N.C. after a twelve-year hiatus. Year-round service is set to begin Thurs., Feb. 11, 2010. All three daily flights will be operated by wholly owned US Airways Express carrier PSA Airlines using 70-seat Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets.
The new service will offer Melbourne customers convenient connections through Charlotte Douglas International Airport to US Airways’ extensive network. “We’re glad to be serving Melbourne International Airport again,” said US Airways’ Director, Express Planning Jason Reisinger. “US Airways customers in Melbourne and the Space Coast will once more be able to fly out of their home airport and will be able to connect to more than 125 domestic and international destinations through our Charlotte hub.”
Richard Ennis, executive director, Melbourne International Airport, said, "We are delighted to welcome US Airways back to Melbourne and look forward to a successful partnership for many years to come."
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ISSN 1939-666X - Copyright © 2009 AirGuideBusiness / Pyramid Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

BIA September passengers up 12%

2009-11-05T10:25:00.001-05:00

After a slight dip in August, passenger statistics at Bangor International Airport jumped 12 percent in September compared with the same month a year earlier.
They were buoyed by increased service from carriers Allegiant Air and US Airways.
The boost by those two carriers helped offset the loss of Continental Airlines, which halted its twice-daily service from BIA to Newark, N.J., effective July 31.
“We’re encouraged that passengers are continuing to use the airport and are optimistic that the trend will continue,” airport Director Rebecca Hupp said Wednesday.
Before August, which saw passenger statistics drop 2.6 percent over August 2008, the airport saw increases for six consecutive months from February to July. The aggregate statistics for 2009 also are up 8 percent over the previous year.
By comparison, the number of passengers at Portland International Jetport increased just 1.96 percent in September and were down 2 percent for the year to date.
While Hupp praised the strong numbers by Allegiant and US Airways, she was equally pleased with each carrier’s average load factor, a measure of how full a plane is. Planes that flew in and out of Bangor in September were 86.75 percent full, compared with 76.4 percent in September 2008.
Load factors are a double-edged sword, though. The more full a plane is, the less room for growth, Hupp said.
Allegiant, which offers nonstop flights from Bangor to Sanford, Fla., near Orlando, is preparing to launch another flight — from BIA to Tampa-St. Petersburg — on Nov. 20. However, any increases from Allegiant likely would be canceled out by losses from Delta Air Lines, which is halting its twice-a-day shuttle from Bangor to Boston as of Dec. 1.
Hupp said as the economy recovers, it’s important to note that the airline industry would likely lag by several months. She recently attended an industry conference where consultant Mike Boyd indicated that 2010 likely would see reduced capacity and weak demand at U.S. airports.
She also cautioned that October numbers may not represent a similar increase.
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ISSN 1939-666X - Copyright © 2009 AirGuideBusiness / Pyramid Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

OAG Launches Cargo Portal Thailand

2009-11-04T13:06:00.001-05:00

OAG Cargo announced today the launch of the OAG Cargo airfreight portal for forwarders and airlines in Thailand through an expansion of its partnership with Trade & Logistics Siam Ltd. The launch of the new portal within the Thai market brings the full range of OAG Cargo's global services to the local Thai air cargo community and represents an increase in activities in the Asia Pacific region for OAG Cargo. To access the portal, log on to www.oagcargo.com.
With local support from the expanded partnership, the portal enables freight forwarders to run their businesses more efficiently through provision of a full complement of powerful tools and services. In addition, airlines are able to use the portal to reach their freight forwarder customers with immediate operational news and data. Giving OAG customers a competitive edge, the portal is a straightforward and unique solution for airfreight companies. It enhances the way rates and schedules information is managed, improving efficiency within any organization. Among other capabilities, portal users will be able to upload or generate electronic rate sheets, create and distribute quotations to global shippers, access real-time airfreight rate information on a secure network and publish time-sensitive operational announcements. The portal is fully customizable and can be localized to fit the needs of each operation.
Bart Jan Haasbeek, Global Sales Director of OAG Cargo Solutions, said that, "The introduction of the OAG Cargo portal in Thailand provides our global customers and the local air freight community with one place to access important information, whenever and wherever they need it. We are delivering this through the portal in conjunction with Trade & Logistics Siam as our General Sales Agent in Thailand, enabling us to build stronger and closer ties with carriers and forwarders in one of the region's major markets"
Dwight Chiavetta, President of Trade & Logistics Siam Ltd. said, "The expansion of our partnership with OAG Cargo to create the airfreight communication portal truly addresses the needs of airfreight forwarders and airlines in the Asia Pacific region. We are proud to be OAG Cargo's local partner with the launch of this product."
OAG Cargo is planning an open free seminar to coincide with the launch of the portal on Tuesday, November 17, 2009, at Plaza Athene in Bangkok. The all-day seminar starts at 9 a.m. with an introduction by Bart Jan Haasbeek and will consist of a live demonstration of OAG Cargo's new online airfreight portal. To RSVP, please call Dwight Chiavetta at +66 (0) 2 650 8690.
OAG Cargo is exhibiting at Air Cargo Americas 2009, booth number 915; Doubletree Miami Mart Hotel & Convention Center West Hall.
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ISSN 1939-666X - Copyright © 2009 AirGuideBusiness / Pyramid Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport Now Using Sensis ASDE-X

2009-11-03T10:39:00.001-05:00

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston, TX) is now operating with Sensis Corporation's Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X), an advanced runway incursion detection and alerting system. Thirty-five airports will receive the technology through the FAA's ASDE-X program.
ASDE-X combines surface movement radar, multilateration and Automatic Dependent Surveillance -- Broadcast (ADS-B) surveillance information to provide air traffic controllers with highly accurate, real-time position and identification information of all aircraft and vehicles on the airport surface. By integrating multiple surveillance technologies, the system delivers a comprehensive picture of ground operations, increasing controller situational awareness and improving airport safety in all weather conditions. The system also features advanced runway conflict detection and alerting technology, Safety Logic, which uses complex algorithms to alert controllers of potential aircraft and/or vehicle incursions. ASDE-X is compatible with NextGen systems such as ADS-B and will serve as the basis for the FAA's Runway Status Lights (RWSL) program.
"ASDE-X provides the controller with the situational awareness and conflict detection and alerting capability to enhance runway safety," said Marc Viggiano, chief operating officer of Sensis Corporation. "The precise surveillance from ASDE-X will directly support additional FAA runway safety initiatives such as Runway Status Lights, which will provide visual conflict alerts directly to the pilots."
George Bush Intercontinental Airport is the 21st airport operational with ASDE-X.
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ISSN 1939-666X - Copyright © 2009 AirGuideBusiness / Pyramid Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.