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Main News April 24

TSA adds new security measures

Since the recent gun smuggling operation carried out by baggage handlers at Atlanta airport, the Transportation Security Administration has implemented stricter security regulations for airline and airport workers.

Homeland Security’s Jeh Johnson ordered a 90-day review of security measures in the immediate aftermath of the operation and the TSA is no addressing some of the concerns the review has highlighted. Among the changes announced April 20 are new rules requiring real-time, recurring criminal background checks for aviation workers, including airline employees. Every two years fingerprint-based background checks will also be conducted for airport employees who hold Secure Identification Display Area badges. Airport and airline workers traveling as passengers will also have to go through TSA screening before boarding a flight and the number of access points to secure areas will be reduced to an “operational minimum,” Johnson reportedly said.

Napping baggage handler banned by Alaska

Unsurprisingly, the baggage handler who fell asleep inside an Alaska Airlines cargo hold during his shift will not be making the same mistake twice. Alaska Airlines has reported that the unnamed handler has been banned from working for the airline in the future. Menzies Aviation, a contractor for the airline and employer of the perpetrator, has said the unidentified man is still with the company but has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of its investigation.

Emirates SkyCargo set to expand in the US

Emirates SkyCargo plans to launch a daily service to from Dubai to Orlando, Florida, as of September 1, expanding its US cargo network to 11 destinations.

The new route will be operated by a Boeing 777-200 LR, which has a belly hold capacity of up to 17 tonnes of cargo per flight. This comes in addition to Emirates SkyCargo’s belly hold cargo services to San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC, Boston, Dallas, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, with the latter four cities also comprising part of the carrier’s US freighter network, along with Atlanta.

Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo, said of the expansion: “With the addition of Orlando to the Emirates SkyCargo network, we will now serve 11 points across the US, giving us good connectivity to serve our customers both within the country and across our network. Last year we carried more than 100,000 tonnes of cargo to and from the United States, facilitating foreign trade and opportunities between the world’s largest economy and markets within our network, mainly in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.”

Emirates Cargo expects exports from Orlando to include aircraft parts, pharmaceuticals, perfume and machine parts, while imports are likely to be electronics, garments, automotive spare parts, aircraft spare parts, construction equipment, hospital instruments and equipment.

EPIC and UAS launch collaborative fuel program

UAS International Trip Support and EPIC Aviation have announced the launch of their fuel program components, which will be a great value-add to their customers.

The details of the project became available to customers, who’ve been anticipating information regarding the enhanced programs since its announcement in February. Tailored UAS pricing has now been merged into the EPIC system, enabling EPIC Cardholders to fuel at more than 3,000 international locations.

Jay Husary, Executive Vice President of UAS, said of the venture: “This is an important step for this fuel program and great news for EPIC Cardholders. They no longer have to thumb through a stack of credit cards, trying to determine the best method of payment at FBOs overseas – plus they get the added value of enhanced trip support and expertise from an established network.”

Main News April 16

Food workers protest against understaffing in Los Angeles

Flying Food Group workers in Los Angeles airport went on strike on April 14, requesting more staff be taken on to cope with the workload and better equipment to do their jobs.

The company provides in-flight meals for Air France, China Airlines and Virgin Australia, amongst others. China Airlines and Virgin Australia said they had not experienced disruption to their schedules as a result of the action.

The strike, organized by Unite Here, comprised some 100 employees who sometimes work 12-15 hour shifts to compensate for lack of staff, with four workers often required to do the work of seven. Additional they bemoaned a lack of equipment, machinery and meal ingredients to do their jobs properly. Flying Food Group had previously promised to resolve the understaffing problem, but is yet to take action.

Southwest 737s to have widest seats in US

From 2016, customers of Southwest Airlines can expect to enjoy wider seats on the carrier’s 737 flights. Southwest intends to enlarge seats by almost an inch, taking them from 17.1 inches to 17.8 inches wide and earning them the accolade of the widest 737 seat of any US airline. By comparison, seats on the same model of aircraft belonging to Alaska Airlines measure 17 inches wide, and as much as 17.3 inches on some United Airlines 737s in economy class, according to the SeatGuru.com.

Southwest’s Chief Commercial Officer, Bob Jordan, said: “The new aircraft seats are the widest economy seats available in the single-aisle 737 market, and offer a unique design that gives our customers what they asked for: more space.”

Air Canada Teamsters approve new contract

A new contract affecting more than 500 US-based Air Canada employees was confirmed by Teamster members who voted 200-to-101 in favor of the agreement. The seven year contract provides increases to the top of the wage scale of 2% in 2012 and 2013, 3% in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and 2% in 2017 and 2018. In 2018 employees will additionally receive a 2% bonus.

Captain David Bourne, Director of the Teamsters Airline Division, said of the agreement: “We are pleased that our members at Air Canada have approved a strong contract that keeps their jobs secure and raises workplace standards at the airline. Our focus was to negotiate a contract worthy of our members’ hard work and dedication. That’s why we went back to the table after members voted down the previous tentative agreement. The members have now spoken, showing the new contract meets the exceptional standards that our members deserve.” The new agreement will be in effect until June 2019.

CanJet cuts 70% of its staff

Layoff notices, to become effective as of May 6, were sent to 47 of CanJet’s 62 pilots and 68 of its 100 flight attendants as a consequence of the cancelation of its European routes for summer 2015. The carrier announced it had to “realign [its] employee group to a much smaller group” after terminating its European routes because they weren’t proving to be profitable.

In winter 2014, the airline had to make 21 pilots redundant as it canceled 40% of its scheduled flights because of overestimated sales for its first winter season. Soon to terminate is CanJet’s contract for charter flights on behalf of Transat Holidays, which will further decrease flights from the airline’s schedule. The carrier is reportedly considering its options, possibly scheduled flights in Canada and internationally.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo gains new Jan de Rijk contract

A new three-year road feeder services contract between Virgin Atlantic Cargo and Jan de Rijk Logistics has extended the carrier’s delivery network to over 50 airports across Europe.

Under the new contract, the airline is to offer an even greater choice of destinations to customers sending freight on its flights into the UK from North America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Virgin Cargo’s collaboration with Jan de Rijk will allow the airline to offer customers destinations across the Europe and Scandinavia, becoming responsible for moving some 50% of the airline’s cargo into Europe.

Sebastiaan Scholte, Chief Executive of Jan de Rijk, said: “Our customer service and operations teams are very familiar with the Virgin Atlantic Cargo product and this contract extension reflects the trust the airline has in our extensive trucking network. In addition, being Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and now IATA CEIV Pharma Handling certified will help to support Virgin Atlantic’s value proposition to customers in the pharmaceutical industry and their logistics partners.”

Jenny Holdaway, European Service Delivery Manager at Virgin Atlantic Cargo, said: “Jan de Rijk not only provides an extensive scheduled delivery network across Europe, they also understand our high customer service expectations and have consistently met our requirements.”

In addition to Jan de Rijk, Virgin Atlantic recently extended its contract with Cranleigh Freight Services, which provides its main trucking routes linking London with Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Paris, by a further three years.

Main News April 2

Industrial action in Latin America

A number of flights of South American LAN Airlines were affected when the airline’s unions began a series of actions on March 25 in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Miami. The company has so far not responded to the union’s demands to improve working conditions. LAN Airlines workers are responsible for passenger safety, aircraft maintenance, and customer connections in airports.

A leaflet to be distributed to passengers at various airports in the aforementioned regions, reads: “National and international passengers could be subject to extensive delays and cancellations. Chile, Colombia and Ecuador are important hubs for the airline”.

The dispute has gained support from many of the large transport unions in the US, including Teamsters Local 769 of Miami and the community organization, South Florida Voices for Working Families. The latter will be joining others in handing out information at the 2015 Sony Open tennis tournament in Miami, Florida, of which LAN Airlines is an official sponsor. Leaflets will alert the public about the conditions of the LAN Airlines workers and the potential delays that could affect those attending the tennis tournament.

According to Luis Chavez, President of the LAN Express union in Chile, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador are important connecting hubs to flights throughout Latin America. “These difficulties are preventable and predictable. The problems are cascading due to LAN Airlines refusal to provide fair conditions for their workers.”

United issues job cuts at Will Rogers airport

United Airlines is cutting 79 union jobs at Will Rogers World airport as part of a companywide effort to cut costs through outsourcing. Three management and two administrative staff positions in Oklahoma City are also part of the jobs cuts.

The cuts affect United airport operations staff at Will Rogers, specifically 34 customer service workers and 40 ramp workers, according to a layoff notice the company sent to the Oklahoma Commerce Department.

United spokesman, Luke Punzenberger, said: “These were difficult decisions, but we need to ensure our costs are competitive.” He went on to say that in some instances, affected employees – who are represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers – will have an option to transfer to jobs at other airports.

These cuts come as part of a cost-cutting plan the carrier revealed earlier this year, to outsource 2,000 jobs at 28 airports. The job cuts will not affect any of United’s Oklahoma City routes, said Will Rogers spokeswoman Karen Carney. She went on to comment: “It’s kind of an overall strategy by carriers to switch over to contract employees and Oklahoma City was not alone.”

Oklahoma City United employees are expected to lose their jobs over a two-week period beginning May 16.

ICAO to develop international drone standards?

The technology for small, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for domestic business use is evolving faster than standards for larger drones, but how to regulate them has been a point of contention. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is devising new safety standards for 2018 on large UAS that cross borders, and is considering helping countries draw up domestic rules for integrating drones into their airspace. It has been estimated by industry analyst Teal Group that the UAS industry will become a US$91bn market in ten years.

On March 23, aerospace manufacturers urged all 191 ICAO member countries to collaborate with the organization to create common global safety standards for drone use, such as licensing and pilot qualifications.

Marion Blakey, the chair of the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries, said of the matter: “We shouldn’t drag our feet on developing a global regulatory system.”

Following the FAA’s delayed response to Amazon and the company’s need to test new drones, FAA deputy administrator Michael Whitaker said the agency also favored international standards.

Amazon received approval from the FAA to test-fly its delivery drones in the US – with many restrictions – but by the time the company got the approval for the drone it was testing, the device was already obsolete. Amazon has since developed newer models, which it is testing in the UK and other countries, and has said that the FAA is too restrictive on their drone-related policies, and would prefer to have a commercial drone exemption, as has already been granted to roughly 50 operators in the US.

Main News March 25

United: cutbacks continue

United Airlines is to effect 66 redundancies at Jacksonville International as of May. This comes following an announcement in January that it was considering cutting up to 2,000 jobs at 28 airports in total, with the intention of outsourcing the positions. The decision will mostly affect baggage handlers or gate and customer service agents.

Additionally United has announced 69 redundancies at Palm Beach International and a further 115 at Miami International. United says that staff were told of the decision earlier in the year, and the hope is that they will have the opportunity to transfer to other stations in due course.

Servisair accused of violating drug testing policy

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed fining Servisair (Las Vegas) US$105,500 for alleged violations of drug and alcohol testing regulations. The FAA believes that the handler failed to administer drug and alcohol tests to the minimum required number of employees during 2013. It is also believed that, following the completion of their training, five employees were excluded from the company’s random testing pool for a length of time. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that Servisair failed to distribute its drug use policy, and to display and distribute educational material, along with an employee assistance helpline, after moving to a new terminal.

FAA plans alterations to drone restrictions

The US Federal Aviation Administration plans to facilitate the commercial use of drone aircraft for specific business operations. Generally, drones of this nature are banned in the States, except in a small number of cases where the FAA has granted an exemption. More than 750 requests for exemptions to the ban have been received but up till now only 48 have been awarded.

However, the FAA now intends to simplify the process by removing the need for companies with exemptions to acquire new authorisation for each new use of a drone. The policy change could benefit a host of companies that are pushing for a removal of bans on commercial uses of automated aircraft, and boost business operations for manufacturers and service providers built around drone technology. Also in line to benefit are companies that already have exemptions from the commercial drone ban, such as Chevron, Berkshire Hathaway’s BNSF Railway Company, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance and a number of film and media companies. All stand to gain more flexibility in the use of pilotless aircraft for rail and pipeline inspections, crop surveys and aerial photography for commercials or movies.

Currently awaiting exemptions are Amazon and Yamaha Motor Company.

Main News March 4

Airline employee numbers increase from 2013 to 2014

According to the US Bureau of Transportation’s Statistics, US scheduled passenger airlines employed 1.4% more workers in December 2014 than in December 2013. The number of full-time employees, at 386,219, was precisely 5,410 more than the previous December, and December also marked the thirteenth consecutive month that full-time equivalent (FTE) employment for US scheduled passenger airlines was higher than the same month of the previous year.

Included in the statistics are network airlines, low cost, regional and other carriers. Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and US Airways saw an increase in FTEs from December 2013 while United Airlines saw a reduction.

The six low cost carriers, namely Allegiant Airlines, Spirit, JetBlue, Frontier, Southwest and Virgin America, all reported increases, employing 4.4% more FTEs in December 2014 than in December 2013.

The 13 regional carriers reported 0.2% fewer FTEs in December 2014 than in December 2013. Seven regional airlines – PSA Airlines, Shuttle America, Mesa Airlines, Republic Airlines, Compass Airlines, Horizon Air and GoJet Airlines – reported increased employment levels.

WestJet Cargo voted number one in Canada

WestJet Cargo was named Best Air Cargo Provider 2014 at the first annual Cargo Logistics Canada Awards of Excellence, which was hosted in Vancouver. Canadian supply chain companies voted online to select the top providers in 11 different categories.

Stephen Platt, WestJet’s Director, Cargo Operations and Sales, said of the victory: “We are very proud to win this prestigious award. It is particularly satisfying that the award is voted on by members of the logistics community in which we work. To receive this type of recognition from our partners and peers tells us we’re providing our guests with a great experience for their cargo needs.”

In the last two years, WestJet Cargo has expanded its network by over 70% and now services more than 40 cities in Canada, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. In addition, the company has cargo interline relationships with more than 15 carriers worldwide, carrying everything from family pets to fresh produce and seafood to every continent in the world.

New lounge at San Diego International airport

San Diego International airport has opened Airspace Lounge, purported to be the airport’s first and only common-use lounge.

On February 25, a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of the lounge in Terminal 2 East, which has panoramic views of the airfield, comfortable seating areas, a full food and bar menu and even showering facilities.

According to officials, Airspace Lounge is operated by Swissport and is open to all airport passengers… for a fee. Unless, of course, you are the proud owner of an American Express Platinum or Centurion card, in which case you are entitled to complimentary access to the lounge.

Atlanta airport tightens employee security

Following the recent gun-smuggling scandal at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International by a Delta Air Lines handler, the airport has implemented a screening procedure, which will check employee bags before permitting access to secure areas or closing access doors to the airfield.

Prior to the newly-introduced measures, the airport’s 70 access points for employees, including baggage handlers and ramp workers, only required them to swipe their badges to gain entry and workers were not subject to bag or body checks when going to work. Now, however, private security guards are checking their bags and personal belongings before allowing them to enter the main terminal through a security door.

Delta employees have confirmed that to access the ramp, they now have to enter an security code to open one door and then swipe their badges to open a second.

Airport spokesman, Reese McCranie, said that the airport had plans to reduce the number of employee access points from about 70 to 10. Additionally, secure area access has been revoked for about 4,400 employees working for various companies at the airport, who will now have to go through Transportation Security Administration screening to access these areas.

Main News February 20

WASP sells to Tronair

WASP has announced the sale of its commercial towbar and tailstand product line to Tronair. Of the business deal, Harley Kaplan, President and CEO of Tronair, said: “The addition of the WASP commercial towbar product line further strengthens Tronair’s growing position in the commercial GSE market and will be a tremendous value add to our customers.”

WASP’s President and CEO, Dane Anderson, commented: “It’s a win-win situation. Tronair can diversify its offerings with additional, specialized GSE for its customers around the world, while we at WASP can fully concentrate on the large format GSE products that our customers rely on us for in their daily operations.”

All major commercial aircraft types, from single aisle aircraft, like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 family, to a range of widebody aircraft, including the Airbus A330 and Boeing 767, 777 and 787 models, are supported by the commercial towbar and tailstand product line.

Xceding expectations

GSE finance and asset management company Xced Aviation Services, a subsidiary of Sasser Holdings, has finalized a major GSE lease contract with an industry-leading ground services provider as well as a top domestic airline operating out of Dulles International airport.

Of the agreement, William Long, President of Xced Aviation, said: “This deal is one of the first of its kind and our biggest contract since the firm opened its doors in May 2014. It is also an important example of the industry accepting what we are doing. For us to land such a contract so soon validates that we are offering a competitive service product that is not currently being provided to the market.”

The equipment package Xced Aviation will provide includes a combination of new and used ground support equipment in excess of 600 pieces, for the ground services provider to use in servicing the aforementioned airline. The sale also anticipates Xced supplying used GSE to the ground handler on a short-term basis, while the new equipment is delivered over a two month period, to ensure the seamless integration of service under the new contract.

Swissport Canada and Canada Council of Teamsters renew agreement

The Canada Council of Teamsters has renewed its collective agreement with Swissport Canada Handling Inc., who provide ground and cargo handling services from a unit at Dorval and Mirabel airports in Montreal.

With the help of the Labour Program’s Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service – which provides dispute resolution and prevention assistance to trade unions and employers – the terms of the renewed contract were agreed. The Canada Council of Teamsters was the bargaining agent for the unit at Swissport Canada Handling Inc., made up of 281 groomers, ramp and ground handlers, and mechanics and communications co-ordinators working at the international airports in Montreal.

Dr Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, congratulated both companies on the partnership, saying: “I applaud Swissport Canada Handling Inc. and the Canada Council of Teamsters for working together and finding a solution that will benefit everyone. The best solution is always the one that the parties reach themselves.”

Main News February 16

Hawaiian Airlines most on-time US carrier for 11 years running

Since 2004 Hawaiian Airlines has held the nationwide top spot for punctuality amongst US carriers – a winning streak that has now lasted for 11 consecutive years.

The airline, which is incidentally the largest and longest-serving in Hawaii, averaged a 91.9% on-time performance rating for the whole of last year, and ranked top in 11 of the 12 months, surpassing the industry average for 2014 by 15.7%. The only month it did not come top was December, when it landed second place with an 87.9% on-time performance rating. However for this month it is also ranked second for fewest flights cancelled at 0.3% – only 21 cancellations out of 6,426 flights.

Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian Airlines President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “That we have been better at this than our competitors for 11 years in a row is a testament to the passion and commitment to the customer of Hawaiian Airlines’ more than 5,000 employees.”

During the fourth quarter of 2014, not one of the Hawaiian Airlines’ almost 2.5m passengers was involuntarily denied boarding, earning it first place nationally for the least number of “bumped” passengers during this period.

Winnipeg becomes first airport in Canada to receive LEED certification

Winnipeg’s Richardson International has become the first airport terminal in Canada to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. The LEED certificate signifies sustainable excellence for green buildings and the Winnipeg terminal achieved a silver rating, exceeding initial expectations.

Barry Rempel, CEO of Winnipeg Airports Authority, said of the achievement: “Attaining external validation of our commitment to the principles of sustainable development is truly exciting… our teams delivered a beautiful, functional facility that minimized its carbon footprint.”

LEED strategies utilized in the 51,500 square metre terminal’s design include daylight optimization to flaunt a continual view of the landscape and sensors that activate electric lighting only when necessary. The building is heated and cooled by circulating warm or cool water in tubing beneath the floor and the windows and roof are significantly more energy efficient thanks to superior insulation, which also prevents fuel emissions entering the building. Local and recyclable products and materials were used as much as possible to minimize energy used in transportation.

Winnipeg International claims to be located at the geographic centre of North America and handles over 3.67m passengers annually. With round-the-clock operations it also says that it is the leading dedicated freighter airport in Canada as measured by the number of flights.

The airport notes it is one of only 17 terminals in North America, and 24 worldwide, to have received LEED certification for new construction projects.

In 2011, the Montreal head office of Air Transat became the first building in Canada to be awarded LEED platinum certification in the existing buildings category.

Airfreight recovery imminent?

According to the International Transport Forum, airfreight tonnage has recovered to its pre-crisis level in the US and European Union – possibly indicating a wider global economic recovery.

ITF says, consistent with its quarterly figures to the end of November 2014, that this is the first time an upsurge like this has happened since the second quarter of 2012. For some four years, the quarterly ITF index has not been encouraging.

ITF also states that sea traffic is also recovering well, but significantly lagging behind the air cargo industry and that it is still 1% below its pre-crisis levels.

Pay protests at JFK

A one-day strike has ensued by Aviation Safeguards employees at John F Kennedy airport in New York. A picket line was set up outside the British Airways terminal by a few dozen baggage handlers protesting unfair labor practices, according to spokeswoman Amity Paye. Paye went on to say that about 30 members of staff walked out at 6am on February 12, one of four shifts of about 100 workers joining the picket line throughout the day. Reportedly no flights were disrupted.

Paye said the baggage handlers are fighting for higher wages, benefits and the right to unionize.

 

Hartsfield-Jackson International plans recycling facility

Proposals have been made for the construction of a large recycling facility in the city of Atlanta to deal with the waste generated at Hartsfield-Jackson International airport, estimated at 25,000 tonnes a year. The Atlanta airport handles over 96m passengers annually, making it the world’s busiest airport; yet a study found that only 5% of the waste stream from the airport’s passenger terminals and seven concourses was recycled in 2012. The city is now looking to avoid landfill use and recycle or compost at least 90% of its waste by January 2020. A 30 acre site has been selected and a tender has been allotted for the development and operation of the facility, which is hoped to be up and running by March 2017 and known as the Green Acres ATL Energy Park.

The aforementioned 2013 study indicated that around 80% of the current waste from the passenger complex consists of materials that could be recycled or composted, with 29% made up of food waste and 32% of compostable paper. In addition to food and paper, the new facility must be capable of handling 175,000 gallons of cooking oil and 50,000 gallons of grease trap fluids every year. Potential developments are already under consideration, including an education centre, a waste-to-fuel facility and local food production.

Airport workers request minimum standards

Airport workers, backed by a labor union, plan to ask the Port of Portland to implement a set of minimum standards to address their concerns over low wages, high turnover, understaffing, safety and equipment problems.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU Local 49) released a paper with findings from a survey of 148 workers employed by subcontractors at Portland International, including fuelers, cabin cleaners, baggage handlers, ramp agents, ticket agents, wheelchair attendants and skycaps. Of those surveyed, 64.6% felt that they did not have enough staff to do their jobs well, 68% felt at risk of repetitive strain injuries and 67% reported that their equipment was in poor condition or insufficient.

Airport workers planned to attend the Port of Portland Commission’s review of a workplace initiatives document and in order to call attention to the importance of adopting a set of minimum standards at the airport. Minimum regulations need to be established as the survey found persistent poverty because of low wages, with many subcontracted workers relying on public assistance programs to afford the bare essentials, such as food, shelter and healthcare.

Main News February 11

Cargo record at Port of New York and New Jersey

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced that it has beaten its previous annual cargo record from 2012 by 4.1%, handling a total of 3.3m cargo containers in 2014. This marks an increase of 5.4% from 2013 figures, in addition to breaking the previously established 2012 record. Subsequently the port maintains its position as the busiest on the East Coast, accounting for nearly 30% of the total market share.

Another annual record was broken in 2014 by ExpressRail, the port’s ship-to-rail system serving New York and New Jersey marine terminals, which handled 9.3% more cargo containers than in 2013, at a total of 465,405 containers. Once again, the previous annual record was set in 2012, with 433,481 containers handled. The agency has invested more than US$600m in ExpressRail, aiming to improve port efficiency, competitiveness and reduce emissions, and plans to build a new facility in Greenville Yard in Jersey City. Funding for all of the port’s road, rail and security projects is now provided by portwide Cargo Facility Charges.

FedEx changes domain at Illinois

FedEx launched new operations at Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington on February 2, following announcements that it was terminating business at Peoria airport, on the west bank of the Illinois River. Flights will mainly operate to Indianapolis and Memphis from the new location. According to the carrier, the move will allow improvements to its priority overnight service and enable earlier delivery times to the central Illinois customer base, while maintaining its Peoria delivery schedule.

The future of de-icing

Gary Lydiate, Chief Executive of Kilfrost, a major supplier of de-icing and anti-icing chemicals, predicts that within 15 years, a durable fuselage coating will be developed to combat icing in aircraft. This may mean an aircraft need only receive preventative treatment monthly, or potentially even less frequently, during the winter months. If the new concept is approved by industry regulators, Gary believes the sector would be open to a verified alternative to chemical spraying. Commenting on the main constraints of the endeavor, he said: “It’s mainly a technical issue at the moment… trying to make something that’s adhesive to the wing and does not distort the airflow.”

Similar ideas already in operation include liquid-metal “heating blankets” such as those bonded inside the leading edge of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner’s wings, which are powered electrically and are intended to deter or remove ice. Other “bleed air” designs use hot air from the engines to remove ice, though according to Boeing this is less efficient and creates additional drag and noise during flight. Eventually, the fuselage coating technique could merge with other aircraft designs and be used more extensively on aircraft. Some researchers even speculate that nanotechnologies might be implemented in aircraft design and used to combat ice-related problems by changing the shape of the wing or other flight surface.

Air Canada agreement with IBT

Air Canada’s US-based workforce has reached a provisional agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents approximately 650 Air Canada airport, cargo and call center employees based in the US. The tentative agreement is subject to verification by union membership. Details of the agreement will not be released prior to ratification and approval by the Air Canada board of directors.

In October last year, Air Canada reached a tentative agreement with the Air Canada Pilots Association, which represents 3,000 Air Canada pilots, on a ten-year labor contract.

Main News February 4

Airline catering employees protest unaffordable healthcare

A union representing some 27,000 airline catering employees has launched a national campaign, involving events in Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas, amongst others, aimed at leading airlines. Recent protests were held in major US cities by employees in the airline catering industry, deploring unaffordable healthcare. Workers claim their healthcare is so extortionate that many are consequently underinsured or uninsured altogether. A petition was delivered to representatives of United, American Airlines and Delta on behalf of nearly 12,000 workers at 31 US airports, who suggest that for just a nickel a ticket the airlines could resolve the issue.

According to a 2014 analysis of nearly 10,000 contracted airline catering workers nationally, over 40% make less than US$10.10 per hour. Such low wages mean workers are unable to pay the premiums of “minimum value plans,” but are also unentitled to purchase more affordable options from health care exchanges. Some employees pay annual premiums for company offered healthcare of over US$1,400 for individuals and US$5,000 for families, in addition to an extra US$5,000 minimum deductible. As a result, many struggle to make ends meet: in the aforementioned survey, 25% of airline catering workers reported receiving some sort of public assistance.

And while all this struggling is going on, the US airline industry is flourishing. American Airlines, for example, reported a record US$1.2bn net profit in the third quarter of 2014. Yet they, along with Delta, United and other airlines, continue to short change their catering staff.

Major jet fuel leak at Honolulu airport

A 43,000 gallon jet fuel spill at the ASIG facility is posing a threat to coastal waters in Honolulu.

The Hawaii State Department of Health, Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office and the US Environmental Protection Agency have been overseeing response efforts since the leak sprung from a 2.8m gallon capacity above ground storage tank, which supplies jet fuel to Honolulu airport.

ASIG is under strict orders from EPA to take measures that will stop contamination of further water or shoreline areas. The company’s recovery efforts include pumping the product from trenches and tank monitoring wells and so far approximately 16,000 gallons of fuel has been recovered. Efforts will continue to remove any released product, ensure the spill is contained and prevent an impact on State waters.

The Health Department has said that the spill poses no risk to drinking water, but fuel has spread from the facility through subsurface contamination and is within 150 feet of the harbor.

Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest, said: “Our action is to make sure the fuel is cleaned up quickly to protect public health and Oahu’s ocean environment. We will be monitoring the work closely, and will investigate the cause of the spill to prevent one from happening again.”

Centurion faces eviction

US-based cargo carrier Centurion faces yet another lawsuit, shortly after returning to action in December 2014.

Aero Miami III, the carrier’s current landlord, is requesting that the airline be evicted from its facility at Miami International airport. In December 2014, Centurion was accused of owing more than US$10m in lease payments to AWAS subsidiary Pegasus Aviation Finance, which sought to repossess five aircraft operated by Centurion and its sister airline, SkyLease. The case was later resolved outside of court, and Centurion retained the aircraft, yet it is believed that Aero Miami filed its suit against Centurion the very same day. Centurion denies any outstanding rent payments on its 800,000 square foot facility, retaliating with counter-accusations that Aero Miami overcharged for services and criticizing US$9m worth of construction defects at the facility. The first hearing in Aero Miami’s eviction case was set for February 3, in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court. Next month, despite the ongoing legal disputes, Centurion has said that it is planning to relaunch its scheduled B747-400F Miami-Amsterdam service, to be operated by SkyLease. Centurion currently operates three MD-11F aircraft, while Sky Lease operates three B747-400ERF and a B747-400F type.

Main News January 30

It pays to work for Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air employees are receiving annual bonuses of more than 9% of their annual pay, equating to more than five weeks’ pay for most workers. The bonus is in addition to the approximate US$1,000 monthly bonuses in 2014, that most employees were awarded for fulfilling on-time, customer satisfaction objectives. The company’s monthly and annual bonuses, which are part of their incentive-based pay program, came to almost US$116m in 2014, the highest in Alaska’s history.

Tammy Young, Alaska Airlines’ Vice President of Human Resources, said: “We’re really excited to reward our employees for all the great work they’ve done this year. This is the sixth year in a row Alaska and Horizon employees have exceeded their payout targets for performance-based pay.”

The annual bonuses are divided up geographically as follows: nearly US$51m (55% of the total) is being paid to nearly 6,000 Alaska and Horizon employees in the Puget Sound area. US$12m is being paid to 2,122 employees in Portland, Oregon, while US$9m will be paid to employees within the state of Alaska.

Bonuses in the company’s performance-based pay plan are achieved by meeting specific company-wide aims established annually by the board of directors, relating to issues of safety, customer satisfaction, cost control and profit. Since launching the program in 2003, Alaska has paid employees US$624m in combined incentive-based pay and monthly bonuses. Alaska Air Group has contributed a further US$620m over the past six years to its benefit pension plans as part of its goal to provide employees with rewarding careers and good retirement benefits.

LAX police union criticize LAPD for luggage-theft raid

In March 2014, Airport Police suspected around two dozen baggage handlers at Los Angeles airport of being involved in a scheme to steal from travellers’ luggage. However, almost a year later, no one has been charged. When the scheme was first uncovered, the LAPD detained 14 people for questioning and arrested six – four on suspicion of receiving stolen property and two on outstanding arrest warrants – but those detained were never successfully linked to any stolen airport property.

According to the airport police union President, Marshall McClain, the raids took place despite concerns that the taskforce lacked police reports identifying stolen property or victims. He went on to say that one arrest was made following the discovery of several electronic devices at the home of an airport employee, despite no police report identifying the recovered items as stolen. And the suspicious goings-on don’t end there. An Airport Police officer who voiced concerns over the legality of the arrest has since been reassigned from his position as detective, indicating retaliation from his own department. A Los Angeles police chief strongly disputed the union’s claims, saying that prosecutors and a judge approved search warrants prior to the raid, but did acknowledge that the taskforce had been unable to identify specific victims or tie property found during searches to anything stolen from airline passengers. He resolves that the LAPD, “sent a clear message that thievery wasn’t going to be tolerated.”

Union President McClain said that his only motivation was to ensure that officers were not asked to break the law or violate people’s civil rights.

DHL Global Forwarding completes Chicago freight station

Following a year’s construction, DHL’s US$35m freight station located at Chicago O’Hare is open for business. The three-story, 491,000-square-foot facility has become the company’s largest in the US, with a combined office and warehouse capacity big enough for 500 workers.

The facility has been validated by the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and is certified by the US Transportation Security Administration as a cargo screening facility. It is expected that, by the second quarter of 2015, the facility will be authorized as meeting federal security handling guidelines by the Transported Asset Protection Association. The two temperature-controlled chambers, plus a 999 square-foot ambient-temperature receiving area, make the facility one of only eight certified Life Sciences Stations in the US, capable of handling pharmaceutical, biotech or medical products. Additionally, the DHL facility is in the process of obtaining a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for energy-efficient buildings, thanks to its various environmentally-friendly aspects, including high-efficiency lighting and the use of materials with low-emitting indoor air contaminants.

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