Rising demand will reduce carriers’ red ink to $5.6 billion, the International Air Transport Assn. predicts. A U.S. group, citing volatile fuel prices, is not so optimistic.

The airline industry will rebound modestly next year, losing only about half of what it is expects to lose in 2009, a trade group predicted Tuesday.
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A “core group” of 15 airlines have agreed to buy alternative aviation fuel from two producers, the Air Transport Association of America announced Tuesday.

One of the companies, Seattle-based AltAir Fuels, announced it had entered into a memorandum of understanding to negotiate the purchase of up to 750 million gallons of renewable jet fuel and diesel derived from camelina with Air Canada, American Airlines, (continue reading…)

Air France airline will conduct the first flight by using wide-body aircraft with four engines, the Airbus production. The aircraft used is the Airbus A380. The flight will cross the Atlantic to New York with 538 passengers.
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Airline companies lost more than $6 billion during the first half of the year due to the economic crisis, even as fresh figures showed some signs of recovery in the passenger and freight business, an industry group said Tuesday.
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Southwest Airlines Co. said Tuesday it won approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for plans to replace parts on flap exhaust gate assemblies on 82 of its Boeing Co. 737-300 and 500 series aircraft without grounding flights. Southwest said in a statement that it has already replaced parts on 43 aircraft, and the remaining replacements will be made by Dec. 24. Customers won’t experience any impact on their flight plans as a result of the replacements, the airline said

Millions of passengers face stealth fare rises as a number of major airlines, including British Airways, impose new charges for checking in more than one bag.

Desperate to raise extra cash, airlines have cut the limit on baggage in a move which could add at least £100 to the cost of a holiday for a family of four.
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating Southwest Airlines after a routine inspection found that the airline had installed unauthorized parts on 46 of its planes.

The Dallas-based carrier grounded those planes for several hours Saturday after the FAA’s inspection.

The unauthorized part, known as a hinge fitting, goes on the airplane’s wing, FAA spokesman Les Dorr said. (continue reading…)

The European Commission Friday cleared Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s plan to buy Austrian Airlines AG, subject to conditions.

To remove competition concerns, Lufthansa must reduce the number of flights from Vienna to Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne and Brussels, allowing new entrants to offer flights on those routes. (continue reading…)

Spanish airline Iberia said Friday it plunged into the red in the second quarter as the economic crisis battered the industry, recording a net loss of 72.8 million euros (103.4 million dollars).

The national carrier made a net profit of 21.2 million euros in the same period in 2008.

Revenues plunged 22 percent to 1.07 billion euros while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortization and aircraft rentals (EBITDAR) plummeted to 2.4 million euros from 135.4 million euros a year ago. (continue reading…)