Accusations
fly as Atlas Air pilots' union requests mediation.
A dispute involving 1,300 pilots
flying for DHL-contracted airlines Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo in the US
looks set to go to mediation. The Teamsters union said on 26 April that
the National Mediation Board (NMB) which facilitates labour relations in
aviation had agreed to the request despite the fact that the companies had
“strongly objected”.
It added that the NMB had assigned
a specialist airline labour mediator to assess the parties’ dispute and
determine how best to proceed. In response, Atlas Air said it
believed the request for mediation was premature as negotiations had only just
begun
.
"The NMB is currently
investigating how to best move forward and will let the parties know what it
concludes. While we continue to believe this request is early, we will
cooperate fully with the process," Atlas said.
Atlas pilot Captain Mike Griffith
and union communications chairman said that his colleagues were “fed up with
Atlas and Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (AAWW)’s game playing and backroom
corporate maneuvering to try to deny us basic workplace protections like the
much-needed time to rest between international flights.”
AEI
bags new freighter conversion orders.
Aeronautical Engineers (AEI) has signed a contract with Vallair to provide
the company with four 11 pallet position Boeing 737-400SF freighter
conversions. All of the conversions will be modified by Commercial Jet’s
Dothan, Alabama facility with the first one commencing in May 2016, followed by
the remaining three modifications in June, July and September of this
year.
"The AEI B737-400SF is the only passenger to freighter conversion product
that offers operators ten full height 88” x 125” container positions,"
said AEI. The additional container position increases AEI’s volumetric
carrying capability by 10%. The deal is the latest in a spate of
conversion orders, primarily fuelled by demand from the express industry.
Last week, PACAVI confirmed the first orders for its Airbus
A320-321passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion programme. São Paulo
based business charter company Colt Aviation/Colt Cargo, has ordered two converted A321 freighters
with an option for one more and Norway’s Airline Management will acquire six
A320 freighters.
Etihad
adds new freighter connection into Muscat.
Etihad Cargo, the freight division
of the UAE’s national flag-carrier, Etihad Airways, has introduced a new twice
a week freighter service to Muscat, Oman, from its home hub of Abu Dhabi.
It has also added an additional frequency on its link to Kuwait City.
Both routes are operated by Airbus A330 freighter.
David Kerr, vice president of
Etihad Cargo, observed: “By strengthening our existing connectivity to Kuwait
and introducing a new freighter service to Muscat, our frequency in the Middle
East has now increased to 11 flights weekly.
“The Middle East market continues
to perform strongly for us and is at the core of our operation. We will also be
looking to expand elsewhere around the globe during the year ahead.”
That programme of expansion is
being boosted by the addition of new freighters to the Etihad Cargo fleet (a
B777F was delivered at the end of February and an A330F is expected later this
year). Currently, Etihad’s freighter inventory consists of three B747
freighters, four B777Fs and four A330-200Fs
SF
Airlines takes delivery of latest converted freighter.
PEMCO World Air
Services has announced the redelivery of a Boeing 737-300
freighter aircraft to China-based SF Airlines, the air cargo division of SF
Express. The freighter, converted by PEMCO’s partner STAECO in Jinan
Shandong, China, marks the fourteenth redelivery of a B737-300/400 to SF
Airlines since 2013.
SF Airlines plans to add five more
PEMCO converted aircraft to its cargo fleet this year. SF Airlines is a
leading courier in China providing delivery service to over 15 countries,
including the US. PEMCO and STAECO have partnered on more
than 50 Boeing 737-300 and -400 freighter modification projects since 2006.
PEMCO’s latest 737-300 freighter
conversion for SF Airlines provides nine pallet positions, up to 43,100 pounds
of payload, and 4,600 cubic feet of total volume.
Slow
start to the year for production freighter orders.
Orders for production freighter aircraft slowed in the first quarter of
this year, but Boeing’s 747-8 programme did receive a boost through an order for
four of the aircraft.
The latest updates from Boeing and Airbus show that during the first quarter of the year four orders were placed for
B747-8 freighter aircraft from an unnamed customer, while FedEx placed an order
for a single B767-300 freighter.
The total of five production freighters ordered during the quarter compares
with 14 placed during the same period last year, when Korean Air ordered five
B777Fs, Etihad took another two of the aircraft, Silk Way went in for three
B747-8s, and Turkish Airlines opted for four Airbus 330-200Fs.
