AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

*AMERICAN and UNITED AIRLINES sued the City of Chicago yesterday to block the continued expansion of OHare International Airport, escalating a bitter dispute between the once-close allies over how and when to complete the costliest airfield overhaul in US history. The lawsuit made good on the Airlines' threat to try to halt OHare modernization if city officials forged ahead without their approval on the project's $3.4 billion 2nd phase. Airlines would be responsible for paying nearly $2 billion of that tab through higher landing fees and rents. With the $3.2 billion 1st expansion phase nearing completion, Mayor Richard Daley is eager to proceed, worried that any delay would send costs skyrocketing and increase the risk the project might ultimately be abandoned. The city plans to break ground in April and had been preparing to issue about $1.1 billion in bonds over the next 2 weeks, with another large debt financing slated for this spring. The carriers have asked a judge to order an immediate injunction to stop the city from financing or beginning construction on the 2nd phase until the dispute is settled.

*The joint venture between UNITED AIRLINES, CONTINENTAL AIRLINES and ANA will commence on April 1. Under the joint venture, the 2 Star Alliance members will integrate their international and domestic networks, along with common fares, and adjustments to their respective timetables.

*AER LINGUS has been forced to continue to cancel flights each day due to an escalation of a dispute with cabin crew over crew rosters. 2 flights were canceled yesterday, while 10 have been canceled for today. The carrier also operated 3 flights yesterday with cabin crew hired from other companies. Staff say the rosters exceeded existing agreements and an arbitration, and would impose undue hardship. Thus far, Aer Lingus that 32 cabin crew members have been removed from the payroll and that 86 cabin crew members have refused to operate the new schedules so far.

*Airbus said yesterday in Toulouse, France, that it has increased the average list price of its aircraft by 4.4%. The increment applies for all new aircraft from the beginning of January 2011, apart from the A380, for which the increase is 8.4%. Airbus said the price was raised due to "unprecedented global demand". Airbus said the A380’s additional price adjustment reflects the type’s outstanding revenue-generating performance now being demonstrated in service.

*A foundation agreement for the formation of NORTHERN CYPRUS AIRLINES, based in Cyprus, was signed yesterday in Nicosia by the territory’s government, representatives of its private sector and Turkey's national air carrier, TURKISH AIRLINES. According to the deal, 60% of the shares of the newly founded Airline company will be held by northern Cypriot businesspeople, 30% by the northern Cypriot state and 10 percent by Turkish Airlines. The carrier has established to replace TURKISH CYPRIOT AIRLINES after it declared bankruptcy last year. Northern Cyprus Airlines will carry out passenger and cargo transportation to 11 cities with 3 aircraft, starting in March.

*MIDDLE EAST AIRLINES is to sign a formal agreement which will take the carrier into the SkyTeam alliance next year. Beirut-based MEA has long intended to become a member of the group but its accession has been postponed by procedural discussion over issues such as its frequent-flyer program. SkyTeam said that MEA will sign an agreement on February 28 which will enable it to start the process towards joining in 2012.

*India's INDIGO is planning on adding International Service this August. No information on routes or start dates have yet been announced, but according to aviation websites, Delhi and Mumbai will most likely see the startup of International Service from the carrier.

*FLY KUMBA, Zimbabwe's 1st low cost carrier, has shut down, effective immediately. The carrier made its debut last March, but has faced "operational issues" for the last several months. Fly Kumba was operating a single Boeing 737, on lease from AIR NAMIBIA, on flights to Johannesburg, South Africa.

*A Florida attorney has been retained by family of a Charlotte, North Carolina teenager who apparently snuck into the wheel well of a plane and fell to his death in November. Media reports say the family is planning on filing a lawsuit against the Airport. Authorities think the 16 year old teen managed to sneak onto the grounds of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport through a hole in the fence line. He was reported missing from his home in Charlotte on November 14. The attorney said the teen managed to elude Airport safeguards both around the perimeter and on the tarmac at Charlotte-Douglas, pictured above, and was able to sneak into the wheel well of an unidentified airliner, completely unnoticed. The teen then fell to the ground on November 15 when the landing gear of the plane deployed as it approached Logan International Airport in Boston. His mutilated body was found in nearby Milton, directly underneath the flight path for the airliner. The attorney said that while the teen is "culpable for making irresponsible and immature decisions representative of his age" the teen should never have been able to gain access to the plane if the proper security measures at the Airport were in place.

*The NTSB announced yesteday that it is investigating an incident involving a COMPASS AIRLINES ERJ175, on service for DELTA AIRLINES, at Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota, on November 15, 2010. On that date, Flight 5887 was climbing out of MSP, when it collided with a flock of birds at 5000 feet. The crew leveled off at 8000 feet and returned to MSP, safely landing about 20 minutes after their initial departure. In their announcement yesterday of their investigation, the NTSB reported the ERJ suffered substantial damage in the incident.

*The crash of IRAN AIR Flight 277, a Boeing 727 that went down on January 9 in Orumiyeh, Iran, killing 78, has raised the issue of the long time sanctions against the country. Officials believe poor weather and Pilot Error may have caused the crash, however many observers and many Iranians believe the American-made plane is the main cause of this tragedy. The 727 that crashed, EP-IRP and pictured above, was purchased from the United States almost 37 years ago. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, US and international sanctions prevented Iran from purchasing spare parts for its military and civilian aircraft. Iran began purchasing spare parts on the black market and resorted to purchasing inferior Russian planes. Iran had some success finding spare parts in the international black market for some of its planes. But in 1984, Boeing stopped manufacturing 727s and by 2010, it had become very difficult for the Iranians to acquire spare parts in the black market for their 727s. According to media reports from Iran, a growing number of people are beginning to blame the crash on the sanctions and are calling for the UN to lift them.

*Russian air traffic controllers in Smolensk have been "wrongly accused" as being the cause of the crash of the POLISH AIR FORCE Tupolev TU154M on April 10, 2010. The crash killed all 96 passengers and crew onboard, including the Polish President. Last week, Russian investigators said the cause of the crash was related to Pilot Error. However, yesterday, Polish officials released transcripts of the CVR and said the controllers caused the crash. According to media reports today, Russian officials dismiss the Polish charges and said the crew was at fault. They pointed out that controllers, as well as a Polish Yak40 which had landed earlier, repeatedly informed "Aircraft Number 1" about the bad weather conditions. However, the crew of the presidential Tupolev were under pressure from the high-level passengers in the cockpit. Russian officials also said that the flight crew made an independent decision to go ahead with the landing for which they took full responsibility.

*EXPRESSJET Flight 2190, an ERJ145 on service for CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, had to make an emergency diversion, yesterday, January 18. While climbing out of Manchester, New Hampshire, the crew declared an emergency, reporting smoke in the lavatory. The crew requested return, however in discussion with controllers, the crew decided to divert to Boston, Massachusetts. The crew leveled off at 6000 feet and as they made their way to Boston, reported the smoke was dissipating and they believed de-icing fluid had entered the engine, causing the smoke. The ERJ landed without incident in Boston, about 20 minutes after taking off from Manchester. According to media reports, a passenger said smoke was visible thru-out the passenger cabin and shortly thereafter, fluid began dripping from the ceiling. The aircraft was removed from service.

*RYANAIR Flight 9052, a Boeing 737, had to make an emergency landing in Brussels, Belgium, yesterday, January 18. While on approach to Charleroi Airport, the crew reported unusual vibrations and requested Emergency Services to be on standby. The aircraft landed without incident and was removed from service for inspection.

*CZECH AIRLINES Flight 855, a Boeing 737, had to divert to Budapest, Hungary, yesterday, January 18, due to unspecified technical problems.

*QANTAS Flight 107, a Boeing 747, had to make an emergency diversion to Nadi, Fiji, yesterday, January 18, due to problems with Engine No.4. The problems were determined to be related to a malfunction of fuel valve. The aircraft was removed from service for repairs and a replacement aircraft was dispatched from Sydney, Australia, to pick up the passengers and continue the flight to Los Angeles, California.

*VIRGIN BLUE Flight 1721, an ERJ190, had to make an emergency return to Perth, Australia, yesterday, January 18, after ingesting a bird into an engine on takeoff. Compressor blades in the engine were damaged, thus the ERJ was removed from service for repairs.

*AMERICAN AIRLINES Flight 31, a Boeing 757, struck its tail while departing Los Angeles, California, on Thursday, January 13. The crew leveled off at 5000 feet and landed back at LAX 20 minutes later. The FAA, which is investigating, said the 757 was damaged, however the extent of the damage has not yet been reported.

*TAROM Flight 421, a Boeing 737, had to make and emergency landing on Sunday, December 26. The incident was just made public yesterday. According to media reports, while enroute at 40000 feet near Genoa, Italy, the Captain announced over the PA: "Cabin crew to your stations NOW". A few seconds later the passenger O2 masks deployed. In the cockpit, the crew had declared an emergency, reporting a loss of cabin pressure. The crew then performed an emergency descent down to 10000 feet. ATC offered diversion to Marseille, France or Girona, Spain, however the crew elected to continue on to Barcelona, Spain, where they safely landed 1 hour later. The aircraft was later ferried back to Bucharest, Romania, for repairs.