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July 2012 |
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Now that the Convention is over...
RAA Works Even More for You this Summer!
1) Do you handle Inflight, Human Resources or Alcohol and Drug Testing? Then attend next month's RAA Summer Seminars. Jam-packed with regulatory updates, best practices and team building exercises, this educational event is vital to our airline members. More information below in "Coming Up"!
2) RAA's Annual Report is underway preparing North American regional aviation industry statistics for decision makers in Washington and around the world. You won't want to miss this go-to-sourcebook for RAA members--whether you are seeking a supplier of products/services or airline operations data.
3) Representing the interests of this vital sector of the industry continues with staff presentations before Congress, DOT, TRB, FAA and other government agencies. It's at the forefront of everything we do. Your participation in RAA at all levels--membership, sponsorship and attendance at events--helps the association maintain our safe, professional and reliable reputation.
Coming Up...
RAA Summer Seminars for Human Resource, Inflight and Drug/Alcohol testing professionals- August 5-8
The Regional Airline Association organizes the Summer Seminars to meet the educational needs of our member airlines. Our seminars are open to all suppliers and non-member airlines as well. This year, the event includes three professional streams that will provide subject matter expert briefings, peer discussions and incredibly valuable networking opportunities that are essential to keep new and veteran management up to date on the latest legal guidelines and best practices in the areas of Human Resources, Inflight/Cabin Services and Drug & Alcohol Testing programs. Click here to see the preliminary agendas for all 3 seminars.
Act now! The cut-off date for the RAA room rate is July 1! Hotel reservations can be made online!
Register online!
Headlines
Members in the News
Associate Members- Please update your membership information!
Seaborne Airline Plans Business Changes
RAA Convention News
Join us in Montreal, Quebec on May 6-9, 2013
Industry News
Vast Majority Of 50-Seat CRJ Engines Due for Overhaul in Next Three Years
Airlines Face Pilot Availability Shortfall
U.S. Scope Clause 'Relief' a Double-Edged Sword
Sea-Tac Airliner Tests Could Yield Quieter, More Efficient Landings
Cape Air Spreads its Wings in the Caribbean
AeroMexico to Launch Mexico City-Atlanta Service
Pinnacle Airlines Suspends Talks With Unions
Pending Pilots Deal Highlights Delta's Regional Contracts
Flight Attendants Ratify Contract
American Eagle Airlines Launches Daily Service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport from Waterloo Region
Cape Air Starts Provincetown-White Plains Route
SkyWest To Lay Off 600 Ground Workers
Silver Airways Expands Fort Lauderdale Service
Members in the News
Associate Members- Please update your membership information!
Has your company representative or address changed since you renewed your RAA membership earlier this year? We want to make sure your information is current and correct in our membership directory before we publish it in our 2012 Annual Report. Please confirm or update your listing by July 13. You can search for your listing here.
There are two ways to update your listing:
1) All members have a company representative and/or a billing representative who has a login and password to access the listing. Login here and go to the RAA Home page and choose "update listing" (right above the Stop Air Tax logo) and follow each step. Don't know your login and password? You can have it automatically sent to you by clicking here.
2) Send changes to morgan@raa.org using this form.
Seaborne Airline Plans Business Changes
Upgrading its passenger service, mew RAA airline member Seaborne Airlines will launch Saab 340B service in January 2013 replacing the de Havilland Twin Otter. A minimum of three Saab 340Bs will be added by the first quarter of next year to supplement its St. Croix/St. Thomas flying. Seaborne also introduced a new reservation system by Videcom and will begin Tortola service this October with daily flights from San Juan International and St. Thomas.
RAA Convention News
Join us in Montreal, Quebec on May 6-9, 2013
Check out the MSP highlight reel- starring YOU!
Industry News
Vast Majority Of 50-Seat CRJ Engines Due for Overhaul in Next Three Years
Aviation Week (06/27/12) Compart, Andrew
Seventy-five percent of the General Electric CF34-3 engines that power 50-seat regional jets will need to be overhauled within the next three years at a total expected cost of more than $1 billion, according to data compiled with Aviation Week Intelligence Network’s MRO Prospector tool. The CF34-3 powers Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 aircraft, and more than 1,300 of the engines are in service. The biggest impact will be at U.S.-based SkyWest Airlines, where essentially all of the 284 engines currently listed as in-service are projected to require overhauls within the next three years at an expected cost of nearly $300 million. Such maintenance costs do not fall solely on regional carriers as their major-airline partners often cover those costs directly or indirectly, partly explaining why some friction has developed among U.S. major carriers and their regional airline partners about maintenance payments or fixed-fee adjustments.
Airlines Face Pilot Availability Shortfall
Flight Global (06/26/2012) Learmount, David
The number of new pilots required to be trained in the next 20 years is 450,000 worldwide, according to the Professional Aviation Board of Certification (PABC). PABC's Asia manager, Capt John Bent, is trying hard to spread the message that training is not only a numbers game. Bent, among the speakers at the Flightglobal Safety in Aviation - Asia conference, insists that quality is also vital, but that this fact is not, at present, being taken seriously.
U.S. Scope Clause 'Relief' a Double-Edged Sword
Aviation International News (06/11/12) Polek, Gregory
Although scope clause amendments at Delta Air Lines and elsewhere in the United States could offer relief for regional jet manufacturers, proposed new scope clauses, especially at Delta, would lead to the grounding of hundreds of 50-seat regional jets, further depressing their values and ultimately slashing total capacity among the airline's regional affiliates. Under the tentative contract, Delta Connection affiliates would be allowed to add 70 76-seat jets to their fleets, boosting the total number of larger, two-class regional jets from 255 to 325. But the arrangement calls for Delta to eliminate 218 50-seat jets from the Delta Connection network as part of a "capacity-neutral" plan requiring the addition of up to 88 Boeing 717s at the mainline.
Sea-Tac Airliner Tests Could Yield Quieter, More Efficient Landings
Seattle Times (06/10/12) Gates, Dominic
Soon, some flights into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will be guided down to the runway by signals from a satellite, marking the start of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) test project that could lead to routine use next year of a navigation technology. Flying along invisible but precise pathways, jets in the trial will smoothly descend with engines at idle until near the runway, saving fuel and reducing emissions. The "Greener Skies Over Seattle" flight trials will continue for up to six months, involving some of the passenger flights flown by Alaska Air, Horizon Air, US Airways, and SkyWest. The FAA project is part of a complicated and expensive revamp of the U.S. air traffic control system. The new technologies and procedures have to work alongside the current ground-based aircraft-navigation system, and they must be introduced without a pause to the immense flow of daily air traffic.
Cape Air Spreads its Wings in the Caribbean
PRNewswire (06/26/12)
Cape Air's Caribbean presence has expanded with the start of service between St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Vieques, Puerto Rico. Cape Air will operate daily service between the destinations. Cape Air Vice President of Planning Andrew Bonney said, "As both Vieques and St. Croix continue to grow as not only tourist destinations, but also commerce centers, we realized that providing inter-island service would benefit travelers and locals alike. It is important for us to be able to listen to the suggestions of our passengers, and respond quickly to meet those needs."
AeroMexico to Launch Mexico City-Atlanta Service
Airlines and Destinations (06/25/12)
AeroMexico is offering daily flights between Atlanta and Mexico City via its regional subsidiary AeroMéxico Connect, which will operate 99-seat Embraer 190s on the route. Thanks to AeroMexico’s partnership with Delta Air Lines within the SkyTeam alliance, premium-class passengers traveling with AeroMexico will also have the opportunity to use Delta Air Lines’ VIP lounge at the new International Terminal (Concourse F) at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airportwhile awaiting flights.
Pinnacle Airlines Suspends Talks With Unions
Flight Global (06/22/2012) Russell, Edward
Pinnacle Airlines has suspended negotiations with unions as it returns to the drawing board on its new business plan, following discussions with partner Delta Air Lines on reductions to its 50-seat regional jet fleet and additions to its 76-seat regional jet fleet. John Spanjers, chief executive of Pinnacle, says that the airline needs to "reformulate" its business plan due to the tentative labor agreement Delta reached with its pilots union recently. The airline amended its capacity agreement with Delta to fly 140 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200s for the carrier though 2017 with extensions through 2022 in May. It also has an agreement to fly 41 76-seat CRJ900s for the airline through 2022. Delta would reduce the number of 50-seat regional jets at its regional partners to 125 from 343 in May, and add 70 76-seat regional jets for a total of 223 if the new contract is approved.
Pending Pilots Deal Highlights Delta's Regional Contracts
Flight Global (06/22/2012) Russell, Edward
Delta Air Lines must renegotiate contracts with five regional airlines if it wants to add 76-seat regional jets (RJs) and drop 50-seat RJs. Pinnacle Airlines' contracts cover 140 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200, which ends in 2017, and includes a clause that allows Delta to swap the smaller RJs for ones with 70-seats or more. Bryan Bedford, chief executive of Republic Airlines, said at the recent Regional Airline Association convention that Republic-owned Chautauqua Airlines must lower its 50-seat costs or consider "other options." Delta can terminate the contracts with SkyWest and ExpressJet if the airlines do not maintain competitive base rate costs, but SkyWest can adjust the rates before they can be terminated. Delta's pilots are now voting on a new labor agreement to cap the number of RJs in its regional fleet at 450 by the end of 2015. Delta's pilots will finish voting on the contract on June 29.
Flight Attendants Ratify Contract
Philadelphia Inquirer (06/21/12) Nussbaum, Paul
Flight attendants for Air Wisconsin ratified a new labor contract with the airline on June 21, according to their union. The four-year contract's terms were not disclosed. However, the union said that it included "increased compensation and improvements to scheduling and quality of life issues." Air Wisconsin operates as a US Airways Express carrier from hubs in Philadelphia, Washington, New York, Raleigh, and Norfolk, and operates nearly 500 daily flights as US Airways Express for 70 cities in the United States and Canada.
American Eagle Airlines Launches Daily Service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport from Waterloo Region
Exchange Morning Post (06/15/12)
American Eagle has launched a round-trip service between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Waterloo Region in Canada. "We are delighted that twice daily service to Chicago by American Eagle is now operating out of the Region of Waterloo International Airport," says Waterloo Regional Chair Ken Seiling. "The Chicago service provides our businesses and residents with easy access to the U.S. and destinations worldwide."
Cape Air Starts Provincetown-White Plains Route
USA Today (06/15/12) Mutzabaugh, Ben
Cape Air has begun non-stop service between White Plains, N.Y., and Provincetown, Mass., with four weekly flights between the cities through Sept. 10 using nine-seat Cessna 402 aircraft. "Ever since our first flight took off from Provincetown in 1989, that community has been a special place for the Cape Air family," Cape Air Founder and CEO Dan Wolf said. "Providing a connection between New York and the Outer Cape was a natural fit for us, and more importantly, was routinely requested by members of both communities. It is important for us to be able to listen to the suggestions of our passengers and respond quickly to meet those needs." Cape Air also has resumed its seasonal service from Providence, flying to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
SkyWest To Lay Off 600 Ground Workers
Salt Lake Tribune (UT) (06/12/12) Beebe, Paul
SkyWest Airlines ground employees in seven states will lose their jobs in the coming months as United Airlines, one of its major airline partners, moves some of its business to another provider. United has notified the regional carrier that a new provider will take over ground-handling service operations now provided by some 600 SkyWest employees at 16 airports. No SkyWest pilots will be affected by the change. The layoffs likely will happen by the end of summer or early in the fall, and SkyWest will try to find other jobs for the employees, either with the airline or with the new operator. The decision to hire a different provider came after a review of ground-handling services at airports served only by United Express.
Silver Airways Expands Fort Lauderdale Service
South Florida Business Journal (06/07/12) Torres, Ashley D.
Silver Airways has expanded its service out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport with daily flights to Tampa and Gainesville. Since the time of its rebranding in December, the airline has rapidly expanded, adding more flight frequencies and entering new markets. “Silver Airways is already the largest U.S. airline to The Bahamas, operating more flights to more points in The Bahamas than any other U.S. carrier,” said CEO Darrell Richardson. “In our home state of Florida, we're aiming to achieve similar status, connecting more of Florida than any other airline.” Silver Airways recently accepted delivery of two more Saab 340Bplus aircraft, bringing the carrier's fleet of Saabs to six. The airline plans to integrate 12 new Saab 340Bplus aircraft into its fleet by September.
Abstract News © Copyright 2012 INFORMATION, INC.
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About RAA
With safety as its highest priority, RAA represents North American regional airlines, and the manufacturers of products and services supporting the regional airline industry, before the Congress, DOT, FAA and other federal agencies.
With more than 13,000 regional airline flights every day, regional airlines operate more than half of the nation’s scheduled flights with nearly 75% of US airports relying on regional airlines exclusively.
Founded in 1975, Washington, DC-based RAA also provides a wide array of technical, government relations and public relations services for regional airlines. The association's 28 member airlines and nearly 200 associate members represent the key decision makers of this vital sector of the commercial aviation industry.
For more information on Regional Horizons e-NEWS contact:
Regional Airline Association | 2025 M Street, NW | Suite 800 | Washington, DC 20036-3309
Tel: 202/367-1170 | raa@raa.org
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