August 2008 Archives

As one door closes, another door opens.

So it would seem the case in Canada where Zoom Airlines has found itself in dire financial straights. The carrier has closed its doors and entered administration, after one of its 767s was ceased at Calgary airport by its owner.

At the same time, however, proposed Canadian start-up Newair & Tours is moving quickly to gain certification, and recently secured a lease for a single Boeing 737-700 from Aviation Capital Group.

I'd like to say that the writing was on the wall for niche carrier Zoom (can you say Harmony, Canjet?). But Zoom gave no such indication of in June when, at a conference in London, Zoom managing director Jonathan Hinkles said the carrier was looking at another six US airports suitable for its services.

While admitting that customer confidence was affecting the UK market, Hinkle said the US and Canadian markets were still performing satisfactorily.

Gee. What a difference two months make!

Meanwhile, Newair & Tours - which will change its name to something more appropriate in the not-too-distant - plans to lease four additional aircraft by the end of its first year of operations, reports Flight's premium news service Air Transport Intelligence.

Left, right, left. Do the shuffle... 

The other day I had what I'd like to think was a brilliant idea. Airlines that offer uncomfortably snug seating arrangements in steerage class (you know who you are), could start charging for compression stockings to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

Hear me out. A trendy compression stocking supplier - if there is such a thing - or some other willing clothier could design fashionable yet sturdy hose for use on long-haul flights. Just imagine the array of designs and logos that could be employed.

"JetBlue won't let your leg turn blue" or "Skip the trains. Protect your veins. Fly Delta" or "United we stand in our stockings". And just as passengers can now purchase "pillow and blanket" sets for keeps, so too would the stockings be reusable on other flights. 

But alas, I'm afraid this idea may never fly. Why? Passengers pursuing damages for DVT injuries allegedly sustained during flights have lost yet another landmark lawsuit.

In what could very well close the book on these types of cases (and give airlines even more incentive to keep seat pitch tight), the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has rejected the argument that airlines are liable for such injuries because they had not properly warned passengers of the risk of developing DVT.

Here's the ruling.

A key quote:
"Passengers maintain that such DVT warnings as were given through videos, magazines, and in ticket packets, failed to notify them of the risks of DVT. This is beside the point, given our holding in Caman that the airlines have no duty to warn of the risks of DVT. Given no duty to warn, it follows that there is no duty to warn in any particular way."

An attorney for the defense, Rod Margo, has followed the issue on his insightful blog. Speaking to me yesterday, he said: "The House of Lords in the UK has decided DVT in favour of the airlines and the High Court of Australia has done the same so effectively the courts here are following well-established international precedent as well."

He adds: "I would say that the airline industry and the airline insurers are relieved by the outcome."

No doubt they are. I guess it's back to the think tank for me. But first, I'm taking a walk. Gotta let the blood flow, don't ya know...

When US Airways recently emerged as one of most aggressive amongst its peers to implement in-flight food and beverage sales - notoriously charging passengers for life's most basic necessity, water - the news media, including myself, skewered the Star Alliance member's decision.

But support for the move is coming from a rather unlikely source - some of the carrier's very own flight attendants. Below are the words of one veteran US Airways flight attendant, who insists that the airline isn't being cheap, it's being smart.

Tell me if this doesn't give you pause. And then remember to bring those nickels and dimes with you on your next US Airways flight.

"At first I was very weary of charging for beverages, however the two weeks before the change, I took it upon myself to be objective and look at the ordering habits of passengers during the beverage service.

"What I found was that many people actually hesitated when asked if they wanted something as if they weren't sure if they actually WANTED something. They would then respond with a "well, I guess I will have..." What I began to discover was that many passengers took something just because it was there.

"Might I just add that many times those same passengers would give back a half full glass of soda. Like many other service cutbacks, it has usually taken time to understand how wasteful past practices were.

"We saw the same thing with free food and serving entire cans of soda. The most excessive waste I saw was when we served a meal on redeye flights. A full 150 seat jet would find about 10 takers of the meal. That means 140 meals were thrown into the garbage upon arrival. I now feel differently about what we are doing.

"When I first started flying, we didn't have malls in airports or the wide variety of food and beverage choices. Also, the cost of a simple snack in an airport was the same 20 years ago as it is today. The airplane was basically the only place you could get something to eat or drink without going broke. Today this simply is not the case.

"While many may argue that US Airways is being cheap, I see it as being smart. In our country we have too many airlines trying to survive. Most countries have either state owned airlines or airlines that dominate certain markets such that they can charge what they want and provide an array of amenities.

"Those NOT dominating have similar structures as what we are now seeing with US Airways. It doesn't look like any of the US airlines are going to simply fold for the betterment of the industry, so the survivors will have to do what ever they can to survive.

"How many years with very small profit margins or losses does this industry have to report before the flying public gets it? My co-workers and I have supplemented and refuse to give a dime more. We have been penny, nickel, and dimed for too many years. Why NOT the passenger?"

(Photo from http://www.bigfoto.com)

Bombardier's CRJ1000 is scheduled to make its first flight within weeks, the Canadian airframer told Runway Girl today.
Clarifying an earlier report, a Bombardier spokesman says the CRJ1000 is "on schedule".

"We are en route to an entry-into-service date during the fourth quarter of 2009. We have undergone engine and systems tests. Following completion of all systems tests and safety of flight certification, we'll get into taxi tests followed by first flight," he says.

"First flight is expected before the end of summer," adds the spokesman. The company has had a standing prediction that first flight would occur by summer's end, but had thought it likely to occur in July.

So, you ask, when does summer actually end? In the Northern hemisphere, based on astronomy, summer ends on the September equinox, around 22-23 September, says our Wikipedia friend. That gives Bombardier about four more weeks to get this bird in the air per its scheduled timeframe.

The flight test program is expected to take about 590 flight hours up to basic certification, plus about 150 flight hours to support entry-into-service of the 100-seat aircraft. The prototype CRJ1000 was created through the stretch of the CRJ900 test aircraft. The aircraft is currently at Mirabel.

The old in-flight porn debate has reared its big ugly head. With a slew of US majors bringing WiFi connectivity on board their aircraft, the question of whether they should regulate content is now splattered across the news.

American Airlines, which recently became the first US carrier to offer broadband, has opted to provide unfiltered Internet access to passengers. In the event that someone complains about their neighbour's decision to view explicit content, then it will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by the sky police, aka flight attendants, says this Fox report.

A number of other international operators are said to be planning the same strategy. But is this something we should really be concerned about? Haven't blokes been bringing racy magazines on board aircraft for eons? And haven't they been generally pretty discreet about it?

Okay, a laptop screen sitting (oft precariously) on a seat-back tray table ensures a wider audience. And yes, if I'm travelling with my four year old daughter and some guy (or gal) in the seat beside me is downloading the hardcore stuff, I'll probably ask him oh-so-politely to have some bloody decency.

However, I'm simply not convinced the issue will pose a real problem. When Boeing launched its now defunct high-speed Connexion service, everyone wondered if the skies would turn Triple X. It just didn't happen.

Indeed, the real story here is that in-flight broadband - and more specifically Aircell's air-to-ground broadband service Gogo - is in fact working well! The initial reviews are rather good. And Aircell is pleased as punch, as you can imagine.

"Aircell on American has been a phenomenal success. The system, network and service have all been outstanding (as we knew they would be)," says an Aircell spokesman, adding: "The passenger response has been great and the results to date have exceeded even our expectations."

To wit, the person who is handling Aircell exec John Happ's interviews at the upcoming World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) conference and exhibition in Long Beach "is on AA Flt. 19 from JFK to LAX right now and she was able to log into the schedule on Aircell's servers while in flight and e-mail to let me know that John can meet with you at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at booth #255", an Aircell spokesman told me yesterday.

Fantastic!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

"Monkey see monkey do. Just what the world needs, another bloody regional jet." So said one observer upon learning that India is looking to build a 70- to 100-seat RJ. I'm guessing that the aviation industry may have a similar reaction.

Reports out of India say state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has been asked by the government to prepare a roadmap for the design and construction of a so-called Indian Regional Jet (IRJ), and that the project will seek assistance from Bombardier or Embraer.

Should the plan progress, the world of regional aircraft manufacturing is going to get awfully crowded. China's AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Corporation, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Russia's Sukhoi have already thrown their hats into the ring with the ARJ, the MRJ and the SSJ, respectively. They are hoping to ride a wave of order activity that has seen Bombardier and Embraer build record backlogs and forecast robust demand for larger-capacity types for many years to come. Whether the newbies will attract large orders outside of their own backyards remains to be seen.

For the record, Bombardier says it does not have any industry arrangement with HAL on commercial aircraft at this time "and we do not comment on discussion with aerospace companies on future programmes". Embraer could not be immediately reached for comment.

I question whether either company will be keen to help India develop something that will squarely compete with aircraft in their own portfolios. Then again, Bombardier says it remains committed to supporting the Chinese-built ARJ21-900.

Regardless, the news means potentially big business for HAL, which is also likely to be the production house for India's very first civil transport aircraft, a 14-seat multi-role twin turboprop now in testing. This will give HAL a foray into commercial aircraft development.

On hearing news that the same firm will probably take the lead on both projects, our oh-so-cynical industry observer quips: "Even better, they'll take 50 years to get on with both and then realise that it is out of date." Easy tiger.

(HAL logo from company web site www.hal-india.com)

I have one question for Delta executive VP of network planning and revenue management Glen Hauenstein. What's your definition of sexy? In a new promotional video about Delta's 2008 "flight plan", Hauenstein says: "We are all addicts in the airline business because it is sexy and it is fast-moving and it does change a lot and we want Delta to be on the forefront of that change."

Sorry Glen, but are you referring to the same Delta that posted a second quarter net loss of $1 billion; the same Delta that is slashing capacity and removing the equivalent of 100 regional aircraft from the system by year-end, and the same Delta that is in the middle of a widespread voluntary leave programme?

I don't think I'm going out on a limb here to say the business is rather un-sexy these days, Delta included.

Among a laundry list of other boasts in this video, Delta champions its plan to merge by year-end with Northwest Airlines, which lost $377 million in the second quarter.

Egads! That one big, fat combined loss of nearly a billion and a half sexy dollars (about the same number of people who will eventually view Delta's sexy new in-flight safety video).

Despite all the comparisons that one could make about Delta and its US rivals (checked bag fees, capacity reductions, etc, etc), the carrier insists it is setting itself apart from the pack.

"If you think about we were a carrier that pre-Chapter 11 we weren't sure where we were going to go or how we were going to make it happen and such a short time later we have set ourselves so far apart from the others, it is a very exciting time," says senior VP of global sales and distribution Pam Ellege.

Adds senior VP airport customer service Gil West: "We're battling the competitor. A lot of airlines today are battling themselves."

Why don't we wait and see how the battle plays out post-merger? Then we'll have a clearer idea about Delta's appeal, sexual and otherwise. 

It ain't right, it ain't decent. Privately-held Gemini Air Cargo quietly ceased operations on 12 August without providing its customers with any sort of advance notice.

The firm has issued an online statement explaining that the closure was prompted by its inability to find a buyer during Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, its second such restructuring in two years.

"Accordingly, we were not in a position to provide our customers with advance notice. We regret the inconvenience and the impact this has caused," says Gemini, while adding that as of 29 August, it will no longer receive or respond to any inquiries via telephone.

Conveniently, Gemini has removed its telephone number (703-260-8100) from the web site, and is directing folks to claims information and bankruptcy court documents.

Talk about bowing out ungracefully!

Flight's premium sister publication Air Transport Intelligence on 13 August broke the story that Gemini had shuttered its doors. But the article was based on well-informed sources, not Gemini management. Nobody at the company's Washington Dulles and Miami offices even bothered to pick up the phone. A staffer at Gemini's Belgium office refused to "confirm or deny" the closure. Hmmm, that's rather rich.

Gemini leases McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighters and owns DC-10-30Fs, several of which are listed in storage in Flight's ACAS database. Let the liquidation process begin (and good luck with that).

Go to the front page of Mesa Air Group's web site and you'll discover that the regional has launched an all-out hiring blitz. The web page is flanked with hiring notices. Captains, first officers, mechanics and dispatchers are all urged to apply for "immediate" openings.

If you're looking for "great, friendly service or you're keen to work in a fun, professional environment with the best in the business, we'd love to welcome you to Mesa, ATW Regional Airline of the Year 2005", beckons the carrier.

At a time when US carriers are downsizing at a rapid and alarming rate, why is Mesa seemingly moving in the opposite direction? Hasn't its Air Midwest unit just shut down, and didn't Delta just sucker punch the carrier's CRJ flying? 

Perhaps Mesa's web site simply needs to be updated. Or is more at play here?

A quick browse through airline employee forums will give you some indication of how Mesa staffers feel about their jobs. To put it kindly, many aren't necessarily singing the praises of the company (although crew members on one site were grateful that management had given them instructions on what to do if they find bed bugs in crew hotel rooms and the steps to take if they get bitten).

The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents Mesa's pilots, says more than 500 pilots left the company in 2007. It might be best if both sides can stay on the same page right now because Mesa is at a critical juncture in its history.

Myriad troubles have served to deplete the company's cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities to $60.1 million at 30 June from a 31 March total of $158.1 million.

This prompted Mesa's recent decision to sign a letter of intent to sell its interest in Chinese joint venture Kunpeng Airlines to majority owner Shenzhen Airlines. In explaining its decision, Mesa chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein perhaps put it most succinctly when he said: "We felt that if we had the opportunity to generate some cash that might make some sense right now."

Now let's try to make sense of the rest of it.

Saints above, it has finally happened! Aircell's in-flight connectivity service Gogo this morning went live on American Airlines' Boeing 767-200 fleet. Regular readers of this blog know that I've been praying for this day for a long time. And frankly, right now I'm wishing I had booked on American for my upcoming flight to Los Angeles, where nearby Long Beach is hosting both the WAEA and Interiors events.

With all systems now go, go, go on American, the onus is on Aircell to prove that its long-touted system not only works, but works really well. All eyes are on the carrier - and all ears on Gogo users - as the three- to six-month test of Aircell's system begins.

The stakes are ever so high. The outcome of American's trial will help determine the speed at which in-flight connectivity is adopted in the United States.

If the system proves robust and passenger take-up is fierce, Aircell is in a very sweet place, and could very well capture a sizeable chunk of the US market. An Aircell success could also prompt LiveTV, which holds a narrowband slice of air-to-ground spectrum, to step into broadband via satellite-based means (heck, it's got loads of experience with satellite television). 

If Aircell's system falters or doesn't live up to expectations, it would be a major setback for the Colorado-based company (and its investors alike) as well as other connectivity providers because carriers will grow ever more cautious about adopting new services. 

The Aircell trial will also decide - perhaps once and for all - whether an air-to-ground network can truly support broadband services. The jury is currently out on whether Aircell can offer in the air the type of high-speed functionality that we have all come to know and love on the ground.

Stay tuned...

Signs, signs, everywhere is signs. And yet some are more objectionable than others. At least that's the argument that Northwest Airlines is making after it asked Clear Channel Communications to remove a Union of Concerned Scientists' (UCS) anti-nuclear-weapons billboard in the Minneapolis airport.

"We received several complaints from customers and employees on the content of this ad and erred on the side of avoiding objectionable content," says Northwest VP of communications Tammy Lee.

"The airport is a place where people of all political persuasions come for business and pleasure and we wanted to avoid any issues related to what was perceived as a political message."

Erected on 13 August, the billboard is one of two placed by UCS at the Minneapolis and Denver airports to coincide with the Republican and Democratic conventions. They urge both parties' presidential candidates to address the threat of nuclear weapons. 

The UCS says Northwest officials in an email exchange with Clear Channel complained that the billboard image is "scary" and "anti-McCain" (click on the photo above for a clearer image).

"Nuclear weapons are scary, and that's why we need to pay attention to them. But to say that the billboard is anti-McCain is ludicrous," says Elliott Negin, a UCS spokesman.

"In fact, both McCain and Obama largely agree with us that we need to rid the world of nuclear weapons. These are not 'attack ads', they are a strong reminder to both candidates that this is a very serious issue they need to address. Northwest Airlines is trying to censor free speech, and I don't think that's their role."

Israel's Starling Advanced Communication is targeting operators of narrowbody aircraft for its new Ku-band antenna, Mijet-Lite, which will support high-speed connectivity services.

Development has been completed and the system is ready for flight testing. A prototype of Mijet-Lite will be unveiled next month at the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) conference and exhibition in Long Beach, California, Starling VP marketing and sales Jacob Keret told Flight's premium affiliate ATI.

He says the system is a lighter weight, lower cost version of Starling's standard Mijet antenna but larger than the mini-Mijet for business jets (click on graph for specifications of each).

Mijet-Lite will provide about two thirds of Mijet's performance, while saving about 50% of the weight, he says.

Separately, Starling is working in partnership with EMS Technologies' Georgia-based Defence & Space Systems (D&SS) division to offer a new ultra-fast, ultra-lightweight (45lb/20kg) Ku-band airborne antenna system for the US commercial airline market.

"We are making a lot of progress with EMS on our partnership. [I can] make a good guess that EMS will announce something soon," says Keret.

Panasonic Avionics previously picked Starling as a non-exclusive antenna partner in its satellite-based connectivity system, eXConnect, but requested performance improvements to the firm's fuselage-mounted Mijet antenna as well as from other would-be suppliers. It is not yet clear whether Starling's antenna offerings are still being considered by Panasonic Avionics, which is expected to reveal further details of its solution in the near-term.

The in-flight entertainment (IFE) hardware giant has been working to fill the void left by Connexion by Boeing's December 2006 closure.

"It wasn't wrong what Connexion did. They just had some problems," says

Panasonic Avionics director of strategic product marketing David Bruner, adding that the eXConnect system will be "lighter, better and have less drag".

He adds: "We didn't want to have a system that was limited to basically the geography of the United States. We wanted something that could scale better and this solution at least we believe is the right solution."

Inmarsat has confirmed the successful launch and acquisition of the third Inmarsat-4 satellite.

The satellite was launched on a Proton Breeze M rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 18 August.

Inmarsat launched the first two I-4 satellites in 2005. With this latest achievement, the satellite network provider's new, higher-bandwidth aeronautical service, SwiftBroadband, will be accessible worldwide - except the extreme polar regions.

"The Inmarsat-4s are the world's most sophisticated commercial network for mobile voice and data services, and the successful launch of the third I-4 allows us to complete the global coverage for our broadband services," says Inmarsat chairman and CEO Andrew Sukawaty.

"Once the third I-4 is operational, Inmarsat will have the only fully-funded next-generation network for mobile satellite services."

The satellite will now undergo a period of deployment and several weeks of comprehensive tests and manoeuvres before being positioned in geostationary orbit at 98º West.

In-flight connectivity provider OnAir is offering a SwiftBroadband-based GSM solution.

On 2 April Air France started the voice element of ongoing trials during commercial flights across Europe on an Airbus A318.

Irish budget carrier Ryanair is readying to begin a trial of the service. Other international carriers have committed to the OnAir solution.

(Photo care of Inmarsat)

United Airlines flight attendants' union, the AFA-CWA, is lashing out at management for instructing attendants to remove wristbands that call for the removal of ever-popular chairman and CEO Glenn Tilton.

"Clearly, the words 'Glenn's Gotta Go' are nothing more than an expression of encouragement for Glenn to consider his career options," says Greg Davidowitch, president of the United chapter of the AFA-CWA, in a letter to management.

The Air Line Pilots Association-represented pilots have their own fun over at the "Glenn Tilton Must Go" web site. But here's the AFA-CWA's letter in its entirety for your reading pleasure.

August 15, 2008

Doug McKeen, - HDQPO
Senior Vice-President
United Airlines Labor Relations
P.O. Box 66100
Chicago, IL 60666

RE:  "Glenn's Gotta Go" Wristbands

Dear Doug:

John Nelson's letter of August 14, 2008 was received in our office.  It would appear management is planning to harass and intimidate Flight Attendants and is reacting to a "report" that does not contain specific information.  This has the makings of a witch hunt.  As for the wristband alleged to be at the center of this matter, it is quite a trendy adornment.  Nevertheless, I am confused as to how it could be viewed as "disparaging" or "offensive."

Clearly, the words "Glenn's Gotta Go" are nothing more than an expression of encouragement for Glenn to consider his career options.  As you know, employees have no confidence in Glenn and are concerned about the future of United Airlines.  Under his tenure, employees, passengers and shareholders have been subjected to the wholesale destruction of United Airlines.  Employees have openly expressed their displeasure with Glenn through picketing, and other protests including the wearing of Vocal Minority wristbands following the disparaging comments Glenn made about employees at the 2007 Shareholder meeting.

There is no Company policy prohibiting or restricting the wearing of wristbands.  To the contrary, as you are aware, it has been, and continues to be, an open and well-known practice of many Flight Attendants and other employees to wear colored wristbands, while at work, to signify support of many causes.  To our knowledge, no employee has been asked to remove any of these multi-colored wristbands, thus establishing a clear past practice permitting the use of wristbands at work in support of causes or opinions supported by the wearer.

This letter serves to advise the Company to cease and desist from instructing Flight Attendants to remove any wristband they deem an appropriate form of expression and/or association.  Further, harassing, threatening or pursuing any discipline or other discriminatory action based upon the color of an employee's wristband will be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

Time is far better spent on a constructive approach to labor relations so that we can work together in bringing about a fundamental change at United Airlines.

Sincerely,

Greg Davidowitch, President
United Master Executive Council

CC: Alex Marren - WHQSW
     John Nelson - WHQLR

We're nearing the end of summer and there has been nary a test of Row 44's satellite-based connectivity system onboard Southwest Airlines' aircraft, as previously expected. What's going on?

Southwest still expects to trial the system this year onboard four Boeing 737s, but doesn't see it happening until the fourth quarter.

"It's a new process for us so there are approvals that we're going through and the technology is new for Southwest as well," says a Southwest spokeswoman.

Pricing has also not yet been determined but it will be "in line with our low-fare model", she adds.

Southwest isn't working with any other connectivity providers at this point. "We are concentrating on Row 44 and this stage is the proof-of-concept. We're working with them and only them right now."

Some Missourians are none too pleased with Bombardier after the Canadian airframer selected its Mirabel, Quebec plant for CSeries final assembly instead of building a new facility on Kansas City International Airport property.

It's hard not to have some sympathy for Missouri; the state seemingly moved heaven and earth to approve a $240 million tax credit programme to lure Bombardier across the border.

But let's be fair, Bombardier was clear that it was leaning toward Mirabel from the start. And the writing was pretty much on the wall that Mirabel would win the business after Montreal-area machinists voted in favour of a labour contract that gave Bombardier the flexibility to employ up to 15% of its workforce on a contractual basis.

Now that Bombardier has granted Mirabel the business, after receiving a commitment of $350 million in loans from Ottawa and $118 million from Quebec, the Missouri Political News Service is displaying a video reaction from YouTube entity "BombardierWatch" (see below).

Despite it's cutting remarks about Bombardier, the group seems most annoyed with the state of Missouri, accusing government in a blog of having taken a rather uncomfortable ankle-grapping position in its dealings with the Canadian company. Err - ouch!

The time has come to use this blog for the noble cause of self promotion. On 9-10 September, I will have the pleasure of moderating some panels at the inaugural Airline Interiors Expo - Americas event, which is making its debut in Long Beach, California.

Co-located with the annual World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) conference and exhibition, Interiors' forums will explore how and why airlines should be using the cabin environment to differentiate themselves; what drives a culture of cabin innovation; and how airlines can make new technology pay.

In addition, noted researcher and blogger, Addison Schonland - IAG will deliver the results of a hard-hitting industry and consumer survey about airline comfort. Please feel free to participate in the survey at http://survey.iag-inc.com/interview.cfm?id=105

That all sounds wonderful, you say, but aren't cabin amenities for those of us in steerage being chucked out the window, especially on domestic flights? Aren't we being nickled and dimed for even basic necessities?

Clearly we're going to see more "pay as you go" items. But this is one road warrior who welcomes the chance to browse the Internet, use e-mail or have a quick phone chat in-flight, even if it means paying a fee.

In any case, the future windfall of ancillary revenue from these endeavours could be substantial to airlines. Recent research from MultiMedia Intelligence suggests that the market for in-flight broadband services is poised to grow to $936 million in passenger revenue in 2012, up from initial revenue of $6.6 million this year. Similarly, the market for in-flight live direct broadcast video is projected to grow from $87 million in 2007 to $913 million in 2012.

American Airlines yesterday announced an expanded partnership with Susan G Komen for the Cure by becoming the organization's official airline and first Lifetime Promise Partner.

As a symbol, an American Boeing 757 and an American Eagle Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft displaying Komen's pink-ribbon graphic and logo were revealed - the first two of eight aircraft that will carry the new co-branded fuselage design.

The airline is pledging $8 million dollars over the next eight years to heighten breast cancer awareness and search for a cure. See more pics below.

Predictions that in-flight mobile phone usage would at best prove a nuisance and at worst provoke an onslaught of air rage episodes haven't materialized.

According to Airbus/SITA partnership OnAir, there are three main reasons why this is so - the OnAir system currently allows up to six simultaneous calls, which is not a high proportion of passengers in any commercial plane; the average length of calls is no more than two minutes; and an aircraft cabin is a noisy place, so the sound of people talking is drowned by other noises.

OnAir has been trialling its service on Air France and TAP Portugal, and is readying to go live on Ryanair.

"Despite the challenging current and foreseeable economic environment in the air transport industry, more and more airlines are trialling, installing or planning to install in-flight passenger communications services in the near future, to allow passengers to use text messages and email, and to make and receive voice calls," says the company.

"The ancillary revenue and service differentiation potential is evidently winning the board-room over."

OnAir CEO Benoit Debains is convinced that once people get a taste of in-flight mobile phone connectivity, they'll want it and come to expect it. He notes that there are "applications that people haven't started to think about" like the ability to access information about each flight, using cell phones as a tool for rebooking and mobile check-in.

Voice calls during flight are presumed to be "something annoying" but the mobile phone "is much more than voice; it can communicate with messaging, make payments, plenty of things and that's why I think there will be a lot of adoption", says Debains.

OnAir's rival, Arinc/Telenor joint venture AeroMobile, has also discovered that in-flight voice call chatter is more than tolerable.

An Emirates Boeing 777 equipped with the AeroMobile system flew into London Heathrow on 7 August with passengers able to make and receive calls, as well as exchange text messages.

"All the evidence so far is that concerns about potential impact on fellow passengers are groundless. The service has been used considerately and with the minimum of fuss," says AeroMobile chief executive Bjorn-Taale Sandberg.

"Text messaging is proving particularly popular, especially because it's an effective way to communicate during a long-haul flight when you are crossing different time zones."

Emirates VP for passenger communications Patrick Brannelly adds: "Passengers have reacted matter-of-factly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"We have had no complaints or incidents since the service was introduced in March.  On airliners the cabin noise level is such that you can't hear people making phone calls, and the call quality has been so good there's been no need to shout."

(Photo of Emirates 777 copyright of AirTeamImages)

As a frequent flyer from our nation's capital, I'm happy to report that Boingo Wireless is adding Dulles International and Washington National to its expanding global network of airport hotspots accessible to travellers.

The Boingo Wireless contracts mean Boingo's WiFi network will now be available to the more than 24 million passengers who travel through Dulles annually, and the more than 18 million annual passengers who fly through Washington National. A statement will be released today.

As Boingo and other mobile Internet aggregators expand on the ground, one wonders what type of competition they will face from airborne connectivity providers.

Will travellers forgo their airport hotspot hook-up in order to connect on the aircraft via Aircell, LiveTV, Row 44 or Panasonic? Or will Boingo and others be able to convince folks to do their e-mailing/Internet searches pre-flight? 

Flight duration will surely be a factor. A two hour flight might not warrant an airborne connection but passengers on a long-haul flight may get the itchy finger (that is, at least, what American Airlines is counting on as it readies to launch Aircell's Gogo service on transcontinental 767 flights).

There is, of course, the possibility that a marketing arrangement can be reached by Boingo with air-to-ground and satellite-based connectivity players. Boingo serves more than 500 airports including 85 of the top 100 airports worldwide. That's a powerful presence. Already laying some groundwork in this regard is iPass, which recently announced it will offer WiFi roaming with Aircell's Gogo.

(Finger pic at Wikipedia here) 

It's 1932. You need to find a way to get from New York to Los Angeles in a timely fashion without totally breaking the bank. What do you do? Fly American Airways Inc of course. A "coast-to-coast" ticket - that includes an initial train ride to Cleveland or Columbus - costs $155. Long, comfortable seats, a "delicious dinner" and refreshments await you.

Fast forward 76 years and a one-way New York-Los Angeles flight on American Airlines, with a little dexterity, can be purchased for as low as - drum roll please - $146 if booked far enough in advance.

So how can airline ticket prices not have changed in nearly 80 years when the price of everything else has? That's the rather astute question posed by American Airlines' pilots union, the Allied Pilots Association (APA), in its latest private message to membership.

Using the government's inflation calculator, $100 in 1932 would be an equivalent of $1,597 today, notes the APA, which is calling to task management's claim that the price of oil is to blame for the industry's current woes.

"Even former AMR CEO Robert Crandall has recognized this flaw by airline managements. Since this past spring, Crandall has appeared on numerous cable news programs and print interviews pointing out that airlines struggled when oil was $20 a barrel, $50 a barrel and now at more than $120 per barrel," says the APA.

"He recognizes that the problem isn't fuel costs, or labour costs, or any other cost - it's the continuing devaluation of ticket prices as the price of everything else increases."

That's why the APA insists it has "drawn a line in the sand" with its latest contract proposal. And it ain't budging. Theirs might just be the ticket to ride.

Not so very long ago, a then nubile Runway Girl blog noted that the adoption by US carriers of in-seat live satellite television - together with connectivity services - was a growing trend. Despite serious industry challenges of late, some airlines are keen to keep this trend alive. And LiveTV appears well-placed to capture a nice chunk of that combination business. After chatting to the JetBlue Airways subsidiary, it sounds like they're poised to announce another US major as a customer.

This follows last year's rather substantial agreement by Continental Airlines to install LiveTV across a large portion of its Boeing narrowbody fleet. While airlines "are distracted", by current operating conditions, many are eager to get a jump on the competition in terms of in-flight entertainment and connectivity, says LiveTV VP of sales and marketing Mike Moeller.

JetBlue was once content for LiveTV to simply supply its own fleet and those of other US low-cost carriers (Frontier, WestJet) with live television and the promise of basic connectivity. Now the message from above is "go forth and prosper young man", says Moeller.

To do that, LiveTV needs the right partners in place. The company recently awarded a $20.1 million multi-year contract to KVH Industries to design, develop and build DirecTV satellite antennas for narrow-bodied commercial aircraft. Moeller says LiveTV hasn't replaced long-time antenna supplier EMS, but that it needs "multiple vendors to be able to meet the level we're going at".

A regular reader of this blog and in-flight connectivity enthusiast recently took the time to listen to KVH's conference call. He reports back that KVH is building and delivering to a very detailed specification, and that the requirement for the FAA and the STC certification is actually LiveTV's requirement.

Obviously there is a lot more to discuss on this subject, and other issues now facing IFE and in-flight connectivity players. Heck, Delta Air Lines - which boasts a transcontinental fleet of Panasonic IFE-equipped aircraft - has just selected Aircell's Internet service for its entire domestic fleet of 330 mainline aircraft. That's the same Delta that posted a $1 billion loss in the second quarter.

I'm currently enjoying some R&R on the banks of Torch Lake, Michigan (thus the reason why things have been a little quiet here lately). But bear with me. We're heading into the fun season. WAEA's annual conference and exhibition and the co-located Aircraft Interiors Expo are just around the corner.