Airport News

Armenia became Eurocontrol's 36th member state. Mar 2, 2006

Atlanta airport

Atlanta airport officials want to expand Wi-Fi. Officials at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport want to use the facility's wireless Internet service for other functions, including allowing police crews access the airport security cameras. The airport said more than 20,000 people use the service each month. Mar 3, 2006

Canadian airport

Canadian officials want more open skies pacts. Canadian airport officials want to increase the country's number of open skies agreements and liberalize its restrictive international airport policy. Canada's new transportation minister is being briefed on the issue. Airport officials are also advocating for lower airport rent and lower aviation taxes. Mar 2, 2006

Chicago Midway Airport

Chicago runway offered poor traction on night of accident. The runway at Chicago's Midway International Airport provided minimal traction the night a Southwest Airlines jetliner skidded of the runway and killed a young boy, USA Today reports, noting the accident reveals flaws in the system of testing runway conditions. The Federal Aviation Administration wants a better system for evaluating runways, and has not yet found a system that works for all types of planes. Mar 2, 2006

China

China is to spend more than $17 billion expanding its airport infrastructure over the next five years to meet ever-increasing demand. Some 44 new airports will be built by 2010 and there will be upgrades to existing facilities, especially in major cities, like Shanghai and Beijing. The expansion will give China 186 airports by 2010. Aviation growth in China is running at 14% and carriers are expected to have 1,580 aircraft within four years - almost double from what they have today. Mar 5, 2006

China

China to improve airports as traffic rises. China will spend $17.4 billion to improve existing airports and build new ones over the next five years. In addition, China expects domestic air traffic to grow 14% annually. "By 2010, the mainland will have about 186 airports, up from 142 currently," said Gao Hongfeng, vice minister of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Mar 1, 2006

Dallas Love Field

Talk of compromise emerges in Wright debate. The debate over the Wright amendment is moving toward a compromise, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Mitchell Schnurman writes. Wright limits flying from Dallas Love Field. Schnurman writes that lifting Wright could actually lead to more local traffic at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Mar 1, 2006

Community leaders, airport officials watch Wright debate . Airports and communities outside of Texas are following the debate over the Wright amendment. The law limits flying from Dallas Love Field, where Southwest Airlines operates a hub. Southwest wants the law lifted; American Airlines believes it should stay in place. Feb 28, 2006

Denver airport

Denver airport launches large review of operations. Denver International Airport is conducting a large study of its operations to prepare for the next decade of growth. "The master plan for DIA was done well before 9/11, before new security restrictions ... before all of the recent airline bankruptcies," said Hana Rocek, DIA's deputy manager for maintenance and engineering. "We've been in operation for [more than] 10 years, and we now need to look ahead to the next 10 years." Mar 3, 2006

Animals interfere with air traffic at Denver airport. Animals on the airfield at Denver International Airport caused more than $4 million in damage to commercial planes in 2005. "As fast as those airplanes are going, even if you have a medium-sized bird, that's a pretty big force that can cause damage," said Mike Yeary, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services director for Colorado. Feb 28, 2006

London airports

BAA is set to be the subject of a formal bid by Spain's Ferrovial group this week, according to insiders on a potential deal. Speculation has also been rife that Australia's Macquarie group, which already runs airports, may join the bid for the owner of Heathrow and Gatwick or make its own go-it-alone offer. Airlines have reacted coolly to talk of a BAA buyout, saying swapping one company which runs London's three biggest airports for another would not help charges or free up competition. http://www.ferrovial.com Mar 5, 2006

BAA Heathrow has confirmed the massive Airbus A380 will visit the airport this summer. New managing director Tony Douglas, who is also responsible for Terminal 5, said the double-decker will come to the airport as part of a test of its facilities prior to Singapore Airlines launching the world's biggest commercial aircraft later this year. A series of posters have been produced heralding the arrival of the A380. Heathrow is among the first three airports in the world to welcome the aircraft. http://www.baa.co.uk Mar 5, 2006

Malta International Airport

Revenues for the third fiscal quarter dropped 4.7% to MTL19.9 million. Despite a slight 0.8% reduction in costs to MTL24.5 million, operating loss widened to MTL4.6 million from a MTL3.8 million deficit in the year-ago quarter. The airline said the lost revenue came from flights to and from Malta and its operations at Malta International Airport, while "tough competition on all fronts" resulted in declining unit revenue. "Other airlines have the luxury of shifting their operations to other non-Malta routes. Although we do have intra-European operations, it is significantly more difficult for us to take this course," CEO Ernst Funk said. Mar 3, 2006