UAE Suspended Five Foreign Airlines Flight Operation as Violating Air Safety and Security Instruction

The civil aviation authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) suspended the operations of five foreign airlines within the Gulf region after they reportedly violated air safety and security instructions.

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Thursday informed authorities about its decision regarding suspension of air operation of the five foreign airlines in the UAE for non-compliance with the applicable safety and security standards.

The five airlines were, however, not named.

One of them was suspended because it went through maintenance at a UAE airport without obtaining a license from the GCAA, another for safety and security reasons, and a third was suspended for violating air instructions applicable in the UAE.

‘The GCAA seeks to ensure that all aircraft operating in the UAE comply with the highest international safety and security standards,’ said Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, GCAA director general.

‘Being the authority in charge of the civil aviation sector in the UAE, the GCAA will not hesitate to take any action against any aircraft and against any local or international air operator in the event of any violation of the applicable instructions in the UAE or non-compliance with any security and safety standards,’ he said.

Negotiations Between Representatives of Cabin Crew And British Airway Management Not Find Solution

British Airways and the union representing its cabin crew were no closer to resolving a dispute over pay and conditions Monday as a strike that has grounded thousands of flights entered its third — and busiest — day.

Operations at the airline were put under more strain Monday than over the weekend as there are far more flights packed into normal scheduling.

The airline said it operated 273, or 78 percent, of its long-haul flights and 442, or 50 percent, of its short-haul flights over the first two days of the strikes. It is yet to release details for Monday.

But it has warned effects of the walkout will be felt throughout this week, and workers are scheduled to strike again for four days, beginning Saturday, if the dispute is not resolved.

At Heathrow’s Terminal 5, German couple Carolin and Stefan Marquardt had a seven-hour wait for their flight home to Stuttgart, after being forced to cut their vacation in India short because their original flight from Bangalore was canceled.

“I’ve been stressed by it all,” Carolin Marquardt said.

The Unite union and BA have both claimed victory over the walkout that has caused the airline to cancel more than half of its 1,950 flights normally scheduled over the period.

BA reported that nearly 98 percent of staff reported for work at Gatwick and more than half showed up at Heathrow, allowing it to reinstate a number of canceled flights.

Unite said only 300 of its 2,200 cabin crew scheduled to work over the weekend turned up and accused the airline of counting inbound crew to inflate the numbers of staff on duty.

BA stressed it was legally obliged, as a listed company, to release accurate figures.

The dispute with its workers is expected to be financially crippling for BA — analysts forecast it could cost the airline more than the $95 million Chief Executive Willie Walsh is trying to save through the changes to workers’ pay and conditions.

Cyprus Airways Posts H1 Loss On Passenger Drop

Cypriot national carrier Cyprus Airways posted a net loss of EUR3.48 million euros (USD$5 million) in the first half of the year, with higher losses avoided by gains on the sale of older aircraft.

Revenue fell 17 percent to EUR116.3 million on a 53,000 drop in passenger numbers compared with 2008.
Read more

Frontier Airlines Reports July Net Profit of $17.8 Million

Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. today reported a net profit of $17.8 million for the month of July and its ninth consecutive monthly operating profit. The results were filed in the Company’s unaudited Monthly Operating Report for July 2009.
Read more

Air France-KLM Withdraws From Tender For Privatisation Of CSA

Air France-KLM announced on Wednesday that it has informed the Czech Ministry of Finance that it has decided to withdraw from the tender process for the privatisation of Ceske aeroliniea (CSA).
Read more

Airlines flying Airbus A330 and A340 Planes

Airlines are replacing airspeed sensors on their Airbus A330 and A340 airliners, which have been a focus of the investigation into the June 1 crash of Air France Flight 447. The only U.S. airlines operating the planes are Northwest, with 32, and US Airways, with 11.
Read more