Simply does it

Menzies’ Simplicity ground handling product has ousted the SkyWest Airlines operation with United at Denver International, with the loss of over 600 jobs. Menzies was successful in its below-the-wing bid for the carrier after the airline had revealed that the incumbent had experienced problems with on-time reliability. The win marks another step forward for Simplicity’s presence in the US.

De-icing operation now a Yingling service

Yingling Aviation recently purchased the assets of the aviation de-icing company, ICT Aviation Services, in order to enhance its service offering. Thanks to this acquisition, Yingling will now be able to furnish de-icing and anti-icing services at Wichita Mid-Continent airport. Contracts have been signed with airlines operating at the station and it is envisaged that the contracts will allow Yingling to de-ice commercial aircraft at the station whilst being on hand to provide a back-up service, as and when required. Anything up to a B767 will be accommodated and included in the sale were two de-icing rigs. The de-icing season at Mid-Continent typically runs from October to April, so this is seen as a useful adjunct to the company’s main portfolio: both Type 1 and Type 4 fluids will be available.

Study finds Atlanta is the place to be

According to a new ranking of global airports, Atlanta International has come out as the most efficient airport in the world. The report was compiled by a team of international aviation academics at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.

In the study, the ATRS Global Airport Benchmarking Report compares the operational and management efficiency, as well as the cost competitiveness, of 200 airports and 26 airport groups around the US, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

Atlanta was followed by Douglas International in second place and Minneapolis in third in the rankings: these constituted the category with over 15m passengers per annum. For airports under the 15m passenger mark, Oklahoma came out on top; Calgary took the runner-up position, with Raleigh-Durham making third place. In Canada, Vancouver took first place, followed by Victoria and Calgary.

“Our report finds that the highly efficient airports are more likely to generate a large share of total revenues from concession and other retail activities in terminal buildings, as well as parking, office rentals and real estate development on airport lands,” commented UBC Sauder School of Business Professor Tae Oum, who led the study.

Fuel company in expansion mode

Air BP has confirmed an agreement that will see it purchase the aviation fuel business Statoil Fuel & Retail Aviation from Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard. The deal will add around 73 new airports in the Nordic countries and Northern Europe to Air BP’s 600-strong global fuels network. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close by the end of 2014. On completion, around 59 SFR Aviation employees, currently based in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, are expected to join Air BP.

United jobs to go at Detroit

United Airlines has said that it is preparing to lay off 109 staff at Detroit Metro airport and outsource their job functions. Those affected include 51 customer service representatives, 49 ramp workers and various other positions. The redundancies are expected to be implemented at the start of October; United announced the terminations in a notice filed with state officials.

The carrier said that the restructuring was needed so that it would have “sustainable financial success and run an efficient and reliable operation.” The notice did not identify the new vendor or specify whether the workers would be able to find re-employment.

Passport kiosk initiative

Delta Air Lines has unveiled ten new passport kiosks at Los Angeles International to enhance its customers’ level of convenience. The kiosks are located at Terminal 5, which is currently undergoing a US$229m renovation.

Delta thus becomes the first carrier to offer kiosks at this station: its competitors, such as American Airlines and United Airlines, have delayed installation at their respective terminals because of the ongoing airport renovation work.

The new kiosks are part the company’s plan to reduce waiting times for those requiring passport and customs clearance.