Delta, Northwest, AirTran customers affected by storms in ATL may change travel plans free of charge
February 28, 2009
Delta Air Lines announced that travel options are available for customers whose flight plans may be affected by severe winter storms at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport through Monday.
Customers booked on flights operated by Delta, Northwest Airlines or Delta Connection carriers to, from or through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport through Monday, March 2 may make a one-time change to their travel schedule without fee if tickets are changed by March 9, 2009.
AirTran Airways also advises passengers that due to severe winter weather forecasted for Atlanta and the northeast corridor of the country, some flight operations may be affected through Sunday, March 1, 2009.
Passengers holding reservations for travel scheduled February 28 through March 1, 2009, on AirTran Airways to, from or through Atlanta, Ga., may make a change without penalty as long as changes are made up to five days following the date of the original scheduled departure date, based on space availability without change fees or fare adjustments.
Aviation user charges in Obama’s budget proposal
February 28, 2009
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the proposal on Feb. 26 and, although there is not much detail, the document makes it clear that the administration wants to replace some aviation excise taxes with “direct user charges”, starting in 2011.
The budget “proposes repealing some aviation excise taxes and replacing these taxes with direct user charges”. “Direct user charges are just another name for user fees,” Fuller stated. The proposed user fees would add up to some $7 billion in 2011, or about half of the FAA’s total budget.
The Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), a staunch opponent of user fees, released a statement saying: “I note that the budget appears to propose some type of aviation user fee. Aviation user fees have been proposed several times in the past by OMBs of various administrations, and have not been adopted by Congress.” Fuller testified in support of Chairman Oberstar’s bill, H.R.915, to finance the FAA through the current system of aviation excise taxes, earlier in February.
Jeppesen Announces First Flight Using Class 2 EFB With Airport Moving Map
February 28, 2009
Jeppesen announced today that Continental Airlines has successfully completed the world’s first flight using Jeppesen Airport Moving Map on a Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). Jeppesen Airport Moving Map uses a detailed database to dynamically render map images of the airport, and using GPS technology, show pilots their current position on the airport surface. As the result, pilots get much improved positional awareness, which is a critical safety factor for reducing runway incursions during ground operations at busy airports with complex runway and taxiway layouts.
Jeppesen was granted FAA Technical Standard Order (TSO) authorization for its Airport Moving Map application for Class 2 EFB devices in March 2008, and is the first and only company to have received such approval. The TSO-authorized Airport Moving Map software from Jeppesen is also selected for use by numerous airlines in the U.S. as part of the FAA Capstone 3 program. In this program, the FAA is providing approximately $600,000 to each airline to install equipment that will use Airport Moving Map technology. This program is part of the FAA’s effort to improve runway safety.
Alaska Airlines to offer inflight Wi-Fi
February 28, 2009
Alaska airlines has joined the number of airlines offering inflight Wi-Fi internet. The service will have a 60-day free trial period on flights between San Jose, CA and Seattle with plans to expand to other flights. After the 60-day trial, the airline will determine how much to charge for the service based on customer feedback.
The Boeing 737-700 jets will have web browsing, online music, email, IM, and more. Plus, the Inflight splash page will have quick links to news, music, shopping and services directly applicable to Alaska Air.
30 injured on Northwest 747 flight to Japan
February 28, 2009
About 30 people were injured Friday when a Northwest Airlines flight suffered turbulence before landing at Japan’s Narita International Airport, a spokesman said. Three people where seriously injured. There were 408 passengers and 14 crew members on the Boeing 747-400 flight from Manila, Philippines.
Turkish Airlines 737 crashes in Amsterdam
February 26, 2009
A Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 has crashed into a field while attempting to land at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. There were conflicting reports about whether anyone was killed on the plane, which had 127 passengers and seven crew members. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said one person was killed, according to the semi-official Anatolia news agency, but an airline spokesman and Turkish Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said no one had died. The aircraft, which originated in Istanbul, Turkey, was trying to land at Schiphol International Airport when it went down at about 10:40 a.m. local time, Dutch airport officials said.
Wind gust causing small plane to crash in Centennial, CO
February 25, 2009
The wind appears to be the cause for a small plane crash that happened at a general aviation airport in Centennial, Colorado Wednesday afternoon.
Emergency officials say the small, single engine plane was taking off from Centennial Airport and was about 10-feet off the ground when a gust of wind slammed the plane back to the ground. The landing gear collapsed on impact and the plane came to a stop.
Emergency teams say two people were onboard the plane, both walked away from the crash with no injuries.
A pilot may face charges for using interstate as a runway
February 5, 2009
Cessna 150 made an emergency landing on Interstate 80 west of Salt Lake City Feb 4th when it ran out of fuel, no one was hurt. But the owner of the plane could face criminal charges for filling up the plane’s tanks several hours later and using I-80 as a runway to take off again. The owner allegedly flew the Cessna back to its base at an airport about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City. Police who responded to the plane on I-80 told the owner to hire a truck to tow the plane back to its airport and specifically told him not to fly it away. But the next day, the plane was gone and no truck had ever been sent to the scene. The owner, who was not piloting the plane when it made the emergency landing, could face charges of reckless endangerment.
