http://www.flightglobal.comen-gbFri, 09 May 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/09/223577/former-qantas-exec-gets-8-months-jail-for-price-fixing.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/09/223577/former-qantas-exec-gets-8-months-jail-for-price-fixing.html A former senior Qantas Airways executive has agreed to plead guilty and spend eight months in jail for taking part in an international cargo price-fixing conspiracy that is still being investigated by the US Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ says in a statement that Bruce McCaffrey, former Qantas VP of freight for the Americas, has agreed to plead guilty, spend eight months in jail and pay a criminal fine of $20,000 “for participating in a conspiracy to fix rates for international air cargo shipments”. McCaffrey is the first person to be charged in the DOJ’s ongoing investigation of price-fixing in international air cargo shipments. Late last year Qantas agreed to plead guilty and pay a $61 million criminal fine for price-fixing related to its air cargo operations. British Airways, Japan Airlines and Korean Air have also paid fines and many otherFri, 09 May 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/09/223576/isle-of-man-carrier-euromanx-suspends-operations.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/09/223576/isle-of-man-carrier-euromanx-suspends-operations.html Isle of Man-based regional EuroManx has this morning announced it is ceasing operations, citing increased fuel costs and reduced passenger numbers. EuroManx, which operated a pair of Bombardier Dash 8 turboprops, has been flying for the last five years on domestic routes from the Isle of Man. But a statement on 9 May says it is ceasing operations and will operate no further flights. © Simon Murdoch A EuroFri, 09 May 2008 10:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/08/223564/video+pictures-finnair-a319-to-carry-retro-finnish-airlines-livery.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/08/223564/video+pictures-finnair-a319-to-carry-retro-finnish-airlines-livery.html Finnair is to follow the trend for retro colour schemes by painting an Airbus A319 in a 1950s livery. Chief executive Jukka Hienonen revealed the plan, which will mark the airline's 85th anniversary, at a briefing in Helsinki today. © Finnair Finnair's retro 1950s livery The aircraft will carry the blue-striped 'Finnish Airlines' colours and will begin flights at the end of July. Cabin crew will also be dressed in uniforms from the pThu, 08 May 2008 16:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/08/223539/icelandair-cargo-chief-resigns.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/08/223539/icelandair-cargo-chief-resigns.html Icelandair Cargo managing director Petur Eiriksson has resigned from his post at the head of the freight division. He is stepping down after leading the company since it was founded eight years ago. Icelandair Cargo has just decided against acquiring a batch of Airbus A330-200 freighters and Eiriksson says that, while he supports the decision, he believes the new strategy requires a new leader. Eiriksson, who has been with Icelandair Group and Flugleidir for 26 years, will take a seat on the Icelandair Cargo board. No successor has yet been named. Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news Thu, 08 May 2008 13:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/08/223536/easyjet-looks-to-convert-some-a319-orders-to-a320s.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/08/223536/easyjet-looks-to-convert-some-a319-orders-to-a320s.html UK budget carrier EasyJet is to accelerate its Boeing 737 phase-out and open negotiations with Airbus over converting some of its A319 orders to the larger A320 variant. London Luton-headquartered EasyJet, which today posted a £57.5 million ($113.4 million) pre-tax interim loss, is making the changes to drive down its aircraft ownership costs and counter spiralling fuel prices. It says: “The decision has been taken to accelerate the phasing out of the higher cost Boeing 737 fleet and the rationalisation of the expensive GB Airways sub-fleet.” EasyJet’s fleet includes 30 737-700s on operating lease, but its 112 Airbus A319s form the backbone of its operation. GB Airways’ former fleet comprises nine Airbus A320s and six A321s, giving EasyJet experienceThu, 08 May 2008 09:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/08/223524/dnata-ties-up-with-dubais-empire-aviation-to-offer-luxury-air-travel.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/08/223524/dnata-ties-up-with-dubais-empire-aviation-to-offer-luxury-air-travel.html Emirates Group's ground services division Dnata is expanding its business jet charter business...Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/07/223525/maxjet-to-be-reinvented-as-luxury-charter-service.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/07/223525/maxjet-to-be-reinvented-as-luxury-charter-service.html All-premium transatlantic carrier Maxjet is to start services as a "luxury" charter service. The grounded carrier...Wed, 07 May 2008 15:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/07/223183/bombardier-wins-maintenance-business-from-skywest.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/07/223183/bombardier-wins-maintenance-business-from-skywest.html US regional operator SkyWest inked a deal with Bombardier Services Corporation for heavy maintenance of the Bombardier CRJ aircraft operated by its subsidiaries SkyWest and Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA). The 10-year deal covers 222 CRJ-200/700/900 aircraft flown by Utah-based SkyWest and 110 CRJ-200s in the fleet of ASA. Bombardier plans to perform the work on SkyWest’s aircraft at the Bombardier Aircraft Services facility in Tucson, Arizona while maintenance on ASA’s CRJ-200s will occur at the airframer’s maintenance facility in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Financial termsWed, 07 May 2008 10:46:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/07/223509/austrian-ceo-rejects-new-saudi-investors-allegations.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/07/223509/austrian-ceo-rejects-new-saudi-investors-allegations.htmlAustrian CEO rejects new Saudi investor's allegationsWed, 07 May 2008 09:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/06/223470/good-week-bad-week.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/06/223470/good-week-bad-week.htmlEOS The all-premium London Stansted-New York JFK carrier filed for Chapter 11 and called in the receivers after failing to close the deal on a $50 million...Tue, 06 May 2008 13:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/06/223461/openskies-757-emerges.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/06/223461/openskies-757-emerges.htmlThe first Boeing 757-200 for British Airways' new OpenSkies division has emerged from the paint shop equipped with Aviation Partners winglets. The airline,...Tue, 06 May 2008 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223481/faa-mandates-a320-stabilizer-inspections.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223481/faa-mandates-a320-stabilizer-inspections.htmlThe US FAA has finalized an airworthiness directive (AD) first proposed in October, calling on operators of 721 US-registered Airbus A320-family aircraft to perform a one-time inspection of the aircraft’s trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator (THSA).Fri, 02 May 2008 23:06:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223443/emirates-awaits-boeings-777-succession-plan.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223443/emirates-awaits-boeings-777-succession-plan.htmlEmirates Airline's president Tim Clark has reiterated his belief that Boeing must...Fri, 02 May 2008 15:30:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223439/us-airlines-face-9-billion-carbon-bill-by-2020.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223439/us-airlines-face-9-billion-carbon-bill-by-2020.htmlUS airlines face $9 billion carbon bill by 2020Fri, 02 May 2008 10:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223418/sas-expects-to-dispose-of-q400s-within-six-months.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223418/sas-expects-to-dispose-of-q400s-within-six-months.htmlSAS expects to sell the remainder of its grounded Bombardier Q400 turboprops within the next six months, but is still forecasting a full-year earnings impact...Fri, 02 May 2008 10:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223419/any-further-a380-delay-would-create-acute-problem-for-emirates.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/02/223419/any-further-a380-delay-would-create-acute-problem-for-emirates.html As Airbus re-evaluates its production ramp-up plan for the A380, Emirates has warned that any further delays to the programme would cause an "acute problem" for its near-term expansion plans. Meanwhile, the Dubai carrier says it will not decide about additional A380 orders until the size, shape and timing of Dubai's new international airport at Jebel Ali are finalised. Emirates has 58 A380s on order, with deliveries due to begin this summer and run through to 2013/14. The first five A380s - originally due for delivery from late 2006 but delayed by the programme's original production problems two years ago - are all due to be delivered by March next year. Airbus's existing A380 production plan calls for 13 deliveries this year, 25 in 2009, with output then stabilising from 2010 at the maximum planned rate of 45 a yearFri, 02 May 2008 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/01/223429/us-department-of-transportation-pulls-boston-maine-airways-operating-certificate.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/01/223429/us-department-of-transportation-pulls-boston-maine-airways-operating-certificate.htmlUS Department of Transportation pulls Boston-Maine Airways’ operating certificateThu, 01 May 2008 16:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/01/223431/emirates-expects-flat-200809-amid-spiralling-fuel-price.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/01/223431/emirates-expects-flat-200809-amid-spiralling-fuel-price.html Emirates Airline is projecting its profitability will remain flat during its next financial year amid the continuing rise in oil prices which is forcing it to examine the re-introduction of fuel surcharges on certain routes. The Dubai-based airline is budgeting a profit of 5 billion dirhams [$1.37 billion] for the year ending on 31 March 2009, says president Tim Clark, a repeat of its achievement in 2007/08 - itself a 62% rise on the previous year. Clark blames the flat outlook on “increasing fuel prices” and says that several measures are being examined to counter the spiralling cost of oil. While Emirates dropped fuel surcharges last year, Clark says it is being forced to re-evaluate that policy due to ongoing oil price hikes. The 2007/08 result included “a $516 million delta in fuel costs, versus our budgeted plan” Thu, 01 May 2008 16:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/01/223430/dubais-low-cost-carrier-on-its-own-after-start-up-emirates.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/01/223430/dubais-low-cost-carrier-on-its-own-after-start-up-emirates.html Emirates is assisting the Dubai government to set up its new low cost carrier but says the airline will be an independent operation once it is up and running next year. “We’re providing technical assistance to the airline,” says Emirates Airline president Tim Clark. “We’re helping it get started and then it’s on its own.” Clark, who expects the airline will begin operations in the summer of 2009, says it will fit well with Emirates existing network: “There are a number of airlines flying into Dubai using very old equipment that you’d thought had gone out with the end of the Cold War,” he says. He points to markets such as the former Soviet states where Emirates “would never go with its widebodies, that the new airline could serve efficiently with a fleet of brand new aircraft”. Plans for the Dubai low-cost airline emerged in March, when the eThu, 01 May 2008 15:00:00 GMThttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/01/223405/aer-lingus-firms-component-service-pact-with-lufthansa-technik.htmlhttp://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2008/05/01/223405/aer-lingus-firms-component-service-pact-with-lufthansa-technik.htmlAer Lingus firms component service pact with Lufthansa TechnikThu, 01 May 2008 10:15:00 GMT