News
- CIFFA: Air Updates
- 1/25/2010
- Air Updates
• Second Haiti Airport to Open
The U.S. military said it expected to open a runway Wednesday at the provincial Haitian city of Jacmel to supplement the overburdened airport at Port-au-Prince as an entry point for earthquake supplies reports “JOC Online”. Jacmel airport, 30 miles south of Port-au-Prince, initially will receive C-130 air freighter deliveries to support Canadian humanitarian assistance efforts centered in Jacmel. Haiti’s main airport at Port-au-Prince has been bottlenecked since the earthquake. Traffic at the one-runway airport has increased from a pre-earthquake average of 13 commercial aircraft arrivals daily to more than 200 arrivals and departures a day, the military said. In addition to the airstrip in Jacmel, officials said they are looking for other sites in Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic for delivery of relief supplies and equipment. An overland route has been established for shipments via the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, but the flow of trucks has been slowed by clogged roads. Navy divers, meanwhile, were working with engineers to determine how to reopen the wrecked seaport at Port-au-Prince.
• IATA Notice to Agents – Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines (JL) filed for protection under the Corporate Reorganisation Law of Japan at the Tokyo District Court on 19 January 2010 as part of a pre-packaged corporate revitalisation plan. The purpose of that filing is to provide protection for the company from its creditors, while it reorganises its business. IATA’s position is to use its best efforts to support our Member Airlines which are undergoing reorganisation, whilst taking steps to protect as much as possible, the integrity of the IATA Industry Settlement Systems (ISS), the interests of other participants in the ISS, including IATA Agents, and the interests of the travelling public. Accordingly, IATA and JL have signed an agreement whereby JL has assumed its obligations under the existing IATA agreements, including MITA, ICH, BSP and CASS Resolutions, and IATA Passenger and Cargo Agency and Services Conference Resolutions.
JL has undertaken to continue honouring and performing both pre-petition and post-petition obligations under these agreements, and has provided IATA with a security deposit. The IATA – JL agreement has been ratified by the trustee appointed by the Court. JL is continuing to operate services during its reorganisation. The security deposit will be held centrally by IATA, and will be used in the event of a shortfall by JL of its obligations under the IATA agreements, and such shortfall is not recovered under the normal BSP procedures. While we do not expect to have to use the security deposit, the existence of this fund should serve to reassure you that your interests are being addressed. As far as JL’s BSP and CASS operations are concerned, it is “business as usual,” with no disruption to data processing, remittances or settlements. If you have any questions, please contact your local IATA office. We will keep you informed of any changes to the situation.
• Lufthansa Cargo, British Airways Face Strike Threats
It has been reported that Lufthansa Cargo pilots will vote on strike action after the carrier and their union failed to reach agreement on a new contract. The German pilot union VC asked approximately 4,500 pilots employed by parent company Lufthansa and its cargo and low cost airline units to vote by Feb. 17. The union says an acceptance rate of seventy percent is needed to allow an open ended strike at Europe's second largest airline.
British Airways cargo operations also face disruption as the carrier's 13,500 flight attendants prepare to vote on possible strike action over cost-cutting plans. A strike could begin as early as March if the cabin crew members vote in favor of industrial action. BA's cargo operations would be affected since much of its freight is carried in the belly holds of its passenger aircraft.
+ Back to Top
|
|
