AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

*DELTA AIRLINES is telling customers to name their price, in some cases before they even leave for the Airport. Delta, like other airlines, has long had a system of asking for volunteers to be bumped to a later flight in exchange for vouchers toward future travel. Now, Delta is taking the system one step further. It has turned the voluntary bumping system into an auction that starts online with travelers' bids, a move some industry observers say may be a 1st among major carriers. If a flight is overbooked, travelers checking in at an Airport kiosk or online see a screen asking them if they'd like to submit a bid for the value of a travel voucher they would take to be bumped. Customers enter a dollar amount. Delta makes clear that it accepts lower bids first.

*QANTAS plans to launch non-stop service on the Sydney-Dallas Fort Worth route, drop non-stop service on the Sydney-San Francisco route, and enhance its codeshare arrangement with AMERICAN AIRLINES. Effective May 16, Qantas will operate a 4 times weekly nonstop service on the Sydney-Dallas Fort Worth route using Boeing 747-400 aircraft. The return flight will be via Brisbane. Qantas's 5 times weekly direct service on the Sydney-San Francisco route will be discontinued on May 14. From that date, Qantas will service San Francisco by placing its codes on American Airlines flights on the Los Angeles-San Francisco route. Qantas operates 8 times weekly on the Sydney-Los Angeles route using a mix of Airbus A-380-800s, 747-400s, and 777s.

*Ronaldsway Airport on the Isle of Man has undergone a runway extension that will enable it to handle Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft. TPS was involved in extending the runway out into the Irish Sea by 820.2ft in length and 150m in width. The extension was carried out to comply with UK civil aviation authority guidelines, after the previous runway was found to fall short of recommended standards.

*Sukhoi has rolled out the 1st serial Superjet 100 aircraft in the colors of Russian flag carrier AEROFLOT, ahead of initial deliveries of the regional type. The aircraft RA-89001, pictured above on the rollout, carries the SkyTeam alliance badge and bears the name of Soviet polar pilot Mikhail Vodopyanov.

*The UK AAIB has released their Bulletin into an incident involving a THOMAS COOK Boeing 767 overhead the North Sea on August 15, 2010. The Captain declared PAN PAN PAN and diverted to London Gatwick due to smoke pouring from a galley oven. The cabin crew had to discharge 6 extinguishers in order to stop the smoke from emitting from the oven. According to the AAIB bulletin, the incident was caused by a short circuit, but heat damage prevents further analysis of what caused the short circuit. The full Bulletin can be found on the AAIB website.

*The UK AAIB has released their Bulletin into an incident involving a CITY STAR AIRLINES Dornier DO328 on September 23, 2009, at Dundee, Scotland. The Dornier, which was on a Postioning Flight to Germany with 2 crew members onboard, suffered problems with both engines on departure and had to make an emergency return to Dundee. The Dornier safely landed and neither Pilot was injured. In their Bulletin, the AAIB said the cause of the engine problems was related to the failure of both engine air-switching valves to operate normally. The full Bulletin, including a detailed outline of events as they unfolded, can be found on the AAIB website.

*AIR CANADA Flight 878, a Boeing 767, had to make an emergency landing in Zurich, Switzerland, early today, January 14. While enroute at 35000 feet overhead the Atlantic, the 767 encountered turbulence, which injured 12 passengers and 2 Flight Attendants. The aircraft continued on to Zurich and was met by Emergency Services upon arrival, pictured above. 1 person was taken off the aircraft in a medical stretcher, the 13 others were able to walk off the 767 unassisted. A total of 7 people were transported to hospital for exam, although all injuries were said to be minor. An investigation into the incident will be conducted.

*DELTA AIRLINES Flight 1253, an A320, had to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Wednesday, January 12, due to problems with the braking and nose gear steering. The A320 safely landed with Emergency Services in attendance.

*AIR WISCONSIN Flight 3792, a CRJ200 on service for US AIRWAYS, had to make an emergency return to Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday, January 12, due to the cockpit windshield cracking shortly after departure.

*SOUTHWEST AIRLINES Flight 2771, a Boeing 737, had to make an emergency diversion to Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, on Wednesday, January 12, due to a report of smoke in the cockpit. Emergency Services could find no trace of heat, smoke or fire. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection.

*TAAG ANGOLA Flight 746, a Boeing 747, had to return to Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport on Wednesday, January 12, after the crew was unable to retract the landing gear after departure.

*SUN-AIR Flight 8224, a Dornier DO328, had to make an emergency landing in Billund, Denmark, on Wednesday, January 12. After departure from Brussels, Belgium, the crew reported unusual noises and gear vibrations on takeoff. They continued on to Billund, but requested Emergency Services be on standby for landing, suspecting the landing may have been damaged. The Dornier landed without incident and was removed from service to determine the cause of the noise and vibrations.

*DELTA AIRLINES Flight 2303, an MD88, had to make an emergency diversion to Jacksonville, Florida, on Monday, January 10, after suffering a loss of cabin pressure. The crew declared an emergency at 34000 feet and descended down to 10000 feet within 7 minutes. The MD88 safely landed at Jacksonville about 30 minutes after the incident began.

*A SAFAIR Boeing 737, being operated by AFRICA-AIR CHARTER, suffered substantial damages in a taxiway accident in Hoedspruit, South Africa, on Monday, January 12. According to media reports, the 737 was on taxi for a runway 18 night departure to Johannesburg. The crew possibly intended to use the full length of the runway and were planning to take taxiway C to enter the runway. However the crew missed taxiway C and continued straight ahead. The taxiway ends up on a tar road and doesn't lead back to any taxiway. The crew attempted to turn the aircraft using reverse thrust but it ran off the taxiway backwards into the bush. No one onboard was injured. The 737 is currently undergoing a damage assessment.

*AIR CANADA Flight 850, an A330, had to reject takeoff at low speed from Calgary, AB, Canada, on Friday, January 7, due to a compressor stall on engine No.1.