Airline News - Asia / Pacific

Airguide Online, Nov 17, 2008

Nov 17, 2008

Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority has decided to keep the present system for the issue of private pilot medical certificates. The authority had sought public opinion on proposals to delegate the issue of Class 2 medicals to designated aviation medical examiners (DAME) after support from pilots. Currently CASA issues the certificates after examination by an authorized doctor. It was thought the change could result in lower costs, reduced administration for CASA, increased autonomy for DAMEs and a one-stop shop for pilots in good health. However, after a safety-case and cost-benefit analysis was conducted, it was determined that risks included inconsistency in medical decision-making, increased liability for DAMEs, a decrease in the number of DAMEs as some were opposed to a change in role, a potential loss of a central medical records system and possible increased costs. In addition, it would have resulted in two medical systems - one for private pilots and one for commercial pilots and air traffic controllers. Nov 12, 2008

Air India

India's airlines should cut airfares after jet fuel prices eased, the federal aviation minister said on Saturday. Fares rose by almost half last year but should start coming down by the New Year, Praful Patel, whose ministry controls state-run carrier Air India. Nov 23, 2008

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand today will roll out its new domestic airport product featuring a range of technical and design innovations designed to speed check-in and boarding. Unveiling will take place at Auckland's domestic terminal, where new kiosks will enable passengers to print their own bag tags and a conveyor belt bag drop zone will help shorten or eliminate queues. New gate scanners will allow for straight-to-gate check-in and boarding for those without bags. Christchurch will follow on Nov. 17 and Wellington shortly thereafter, with other airports getting the upgrade over the next six months. Nov 10, 2008

Air New Zealand, Boeing

The world's first commercial aviation test flight powered by a sustainable second-generation biofuel will take place on Dec. 3. The jatropha-based fuel for the Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 test flight out of Auckland, New Zealand, has been certified as suitable for use by Rolls-Royce. Chris Lewis, company specialist for fuels at Rolls-Royce, said the fuel is a 50-50 blend of standard Jet A1 fuel and synthetic paraffinic kerosene derived from jatropha oil. The test flight is a joint initiative between Air New Zealand, Boeing, Rolls-Royce and UOP, a Honeywell company, as part of commercial aviation's drive for more sustainable air travel for future generations. The jatropha oil Air New Zealand has sourced and refined for its test flight comes from South Eastern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania) and India. www.airnewzealand.com Nov 14, 2008

Air Pacific

Air Pacific will cease twice-weekly Honolulu-Vancouver Nov. 28 owing to losses of FJD11.7 million ($6.5 million) over the past five years. It will continue to offer access to Vancouver via Los Angeles in partnership with Alaska Airlines. Nov 12, 2008

Cathay Pacific Airways

Cathay Pacific Airways CEO Tony Tyler said the current industry downturn will last longer than the one associated with SARS in 2003 but that there will be little, if any, cross-border consolidation, particularly in Asia, as a result. But relief will not come through consolidation, which did not occur during the 1997 Asian financial crisis or SARS, as many analysts predicted. Cathay lost HK$663 million ($85.5 million) in the first six months of 2008 and said last week it expected a "disappointing" full-year result. It will maintain its network but will not leverage its balance sheet to buy aircraft during a depressed market, as it has before. Nov 12, 2008

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines's labor unions are planning a strike on Wednesday and Thursday that may disrupt some domestic flight services. The airline commonly known as JAL said late Monday that three unions representing the cockpit crew, cabin attendants and others, have warned that they will hold a one-day strike Wednesday over the year-end bonus payment proposed by the company. Nov 18, 2008

Siem Reap Airways

Cambodia's Siem Reap Airways International and all carriers from Angola have been added to the European Commission's 'blacklist' of banned airlines. But the update, released today, gives no specific information on whether the Commission has acted against any carriers from the European Union. Nov 14, 2008

ZZ AirGuide 081117

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