Recent Close Calls Due to Lack of Flying Time?, DOJ Sues to Block Airline Merger, and More
Aviation news brief today
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Here are the exciting aviation industry updates for today. Let’s get started.
Close calls on runways increase due to lack of flying time during the pandemic?
Aviation safety expert and pilot Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger has warned that recent close calls on runways in the US are due to a lack of flying time during the pandemic.
Sullenberger has called on Congress to provide more funding to the FAA and for America's airport infrastructure, stating that 'we're not doing Band-Aids.'
He has also called for secure, multi-year funding for staffing, allowing recruitment, hiring, and training of air traffic controllers and maintenance technicians.
Recent near misses include incidents in Boston, Austin, Burbank, JFK, and Honolulu are currently under federal investigation. Read more
American Airlines at crossroads as austerity plan risks revenue growth
American Airlines is implementing an austerity plan as it faces mounting debt and interest payments totaling $2.1bn this year alone. The company has signaled a new era of budgetary restraint with fewer investments planned over the next decade.
While Delta and Southwest have aggressively paid down their debts, American has only reduced borrowing by 5% after heavy borrowing during Covid.
The airline's new CFO, Devon May, will continue the cost-cutting measures previously adopted by the former CFO, Derek Kerr. However, May has acknowledged some capital spending will be necessary to maintain a baseline level of growth. Read more
Will extending the mandatory retirement age of pilots solve the industry's pilot shortage problems?
The proposal to extend the mandatory retirement age of airline pilots from 65 to 67 through the "Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act" is not without criticism in the industry.
While the intention to tackle the so-called "pilot shortage" is understandable, few argue that the legislation would only create more problems than it would solve. One of the arguments is that aging pilots are frequently found on the sick list, exacerbating the shortage issue.
Furthermore, ICAO rules also restrict pilots from flying into a participating country’s airspace beyond age 65.
Incentivizing student pilots to join the industry and bridging the gap between training and ATP requirements are suggested as more viable solutions. Read more
Lufthansa Technik struggles with staffing and supply-chain woes amid rising demand
Lufthansa Technik CEO, Soeren Stark, has highlighted the lack of skilled personnel as the company's greatest challenge in meeting customer demand, despite having hired over 2,100 staff in Germany last year and planning to hire another 4,000 globally.
Lufthansa Technik laid off thousands of employees during the pandemic, and Stark has admitted that, with hindsight, this may not have been the right decision, as it takes a long time to qualify employees in this sector.
In addition, Stark also expects supply chain issues to remain a bottleneck throughout 2023 and into next year. To address the issue, the company is offering to take on more parts repair services from suppliers and making greater use of used serviceable material. Read more
Amazon Air shifts strategy, concentrates traffic at key hubs
According to a report by DePaul University's Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, Amazon Air is shifting its air logistics operations towards a hub-and-spoke model, concentrating more traffic at its Cincinnati hub and three regional bases.
The report said the move aims to increase efficiency and expand the e-commerce giant’s delivery options.
Amazon Air has grown its flight activity by almost 10% since August, now operating 205 flights per day, up from 85 three years ago.
The report predicts the airline will expand long-haul flying through its partnership with Hawaiian Airlines, which is scheduled to begin in H2 2023. Read more
DOJ goes to court to block JetBlue-Spirit merger, citing reduced competition and higher fares
The government has filed an antitrust lawsuit to block the proposed merger of JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, arguing that it would reduce competition and lead to higher fares for air travelers.
It argues that JetBlue's plan to eliminate Spirit and merge its planes, routes, and employees into JetBlue's higher-priced operations would limit choices and drive up ticket prices for passengers nationwide.
If completed, the deal would create the nation's fifth-largest airline, holding about 9% of the domestic market share. Read more
Airbus aces February with 99 orders and 46 deliveries
Airbus delivered 46 aircraft in February 2023, compared to 20 the previous month, and took orders for 99 aircraft, up from 37 in January.
Most of the deliveries were of narrowbody aircraft, with the Airbus A321neo being the most popular, while three widebody aircraft were delivered in February.
The largest single recipient of deliveries was Delta Air Lines. Notably, Qatar Airways reinstated a canceled order for 50 Airbus A321neos and 23 Airbus A350-1000s. The recent historic order from Air India for 250 aircraft has not yet been included in Airbus' statistics. Read more
Middle East fleet to expand 5.1% annually over the next decade
The Middle East aviation market is expected to take off over the next ten years, with the regional fleet set to expand 5.1 percent annually over the next decade.
In addition, the Middle East’s share of the global fleet will grow from 4.9 percent in 2023 to 6 percent in 2033.
Meanwhile, global management consulting firm Oliver Wyman is anticipating a record number of aircraft deliveries over the next ten years, despite current supply chain constraints. Read more
United Airlines sees strong demand for Hong Kong-San Francisco flights, but full recovery will take time
United Airlines has reported strong demand for its flights between Hong Kong and San Francisco, with bookings for the coming months exceeding expectations.
The airline has resumed daily flights between the two cities, with a load factor of almost 97% on its first nonstop service from Hong Kong to San Francisco.
However, the carrier cautioned that restoring passenger traffic between the two places to pre-pandemic levels will take more time.
United Airlines suspended flights along the route in February 2020 due to Covid-19-related travel and quarantine restrictions, and mostly operated cargo-only flights to and from the city since then. Read more
Flaky paint and risk of clogged fuel filters: Boeing's latest woes
Boeing has delayed deliveries of 767 freighter aircraft and 767-based KC-46 refueling tankers for the US Air Force due to a supplier's manufacturing quality mistake.
The problem relates to the interior of some center fuel tanks, which had not been properly cleaned nor the primer paint adhesion tested before they were shipped to Boeing.
The issue increases the possibility that the primer could flake off inside the tank and clog fuel filters that feed the plane's engines.
Boeing has not delivered a single 767 freighter or tanker so far this year due to this problem. The company is investigating the extent of the problem to determine which aircraft will need a lengthy fix. Read more
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