AirOptions Blog

Gus Lira, Vice-President of Jetoptions has advised us that the Federal Aviation Administration is increasing the safety of winter flying by prohibiting takeoffs with “polished frost” — frost buffed to make it smooth — on the wings, stabilizers and control surfaces of several classes of aircraft. The new rules are effective on January 30, 2010. There are 57 operators flying 188 aircraft affected by the rule changes. The FAA already prohibits major and regional air carriers from operating with polished frost.

For the second time in less than a year and a half, a technical glitch sent air travel in the U.S. into chaos. On Thursday, a computer failure disrupted travel for hours, affecting thousands of travelers and travel-industry workers. The situation has renewed calls for the Federal Aviation Administration to prevent such problems. Jetoptions read about it here: The Wall Street Journal (11/20)

Gus Lira, Vice President of Operations at JetOptions tells us that business jet flight activity was up in September, a good sign for the business jet market. Business jet activity is a key indicator of the market.

Takeoffs and landings, considered a “cycle,” were 18 percent higher in September than in March, when they hit a low, according to a just-released report from UBS Securities.

September’s increase was the fifth uptick in the past six months, the report said. They still, however, were 9 percent lower than a year ago, and 27 percent lower from their peak in mid-2007.

Activity for short-range aircraft, which declined the most in the downturn, showed the largest increase, according to UBS.

But don’t get ready to pop the champagne cork yet.

“We still think the business jet market is characterized by significant oversupply, weak pricing and tight financing,” the report said. “While our key indicators point to a market that is stabilizing at lower levels, we still see risk of an extended downturn.”

The Phoenix police have discovered a stash of nearly 1,000 stolen bags in a home about 35 miles from Sky Harbor International Airport. Detectives searched the home after airport surveillance cameras showed Keith King removing bags from the luggage-claim area, just weeks after he was issued a misdemeanor citation for the same crime. Though Sky Harbor officials say baggage theft is “a rare occurrence,” they will consider reinstating routine bag checks that were suspended several years ago in a cost-cutting move. Airoptions suggests that you immediately to to the baggage carousel after deboarding your flight. More about this: The Arizona Republic (Phoenix) (11/4)

In airline new followed by AirOptions we see that USAirways will be cutting up to 1000 jobs next year. They will also be cutting their least profitable international routes. AP says the carrier is suspending flights between Philadelphia and London Gatwick; Birmingham, England; Milan, Italy; Shannon, Ireland; and Stockholm.

Airoptions has learned that the Department of Transportation said it will not make its original Oct. 31 deadline for ruling on a proposed alliance between British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia, the Spanish airline. The delay is a result of differences between the DOT and the Department of Justice, as well as other issues. The delay could push the final ruling into 2010, sources said. The Wall Street Journal (10/27)

AirOptions has received a travel alert for the State Department. It said the political and security situation in Honduras is unstable, prompting a recommendation that all U.S. citizens defer nonessential travel to the country. Political demonstrations have been taking place around Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and Roatan, and they are expected to continue. Read the official Travel Alert for Honduras.

In the second quarter, spending on travel and tourism declined 1.4% compared with the first quarter of the year. In the first quarter, the sector was down nearly 9%. The decline’s slowdown indicates a turnaround may be near. “People are starting to think about traveling again,” said Gus Lira, Sales Director of AirOptions. But, “the unemployment rate still increasing and the businesses still not showing the corporate profits are going to mean that both leisure and business travel are going to take another quarter or two to really start to rebound.” Read more about it here: The Wall Street Journal/Real Time Economics blog (9/23)

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has dowgraded its 2009 forecast due to lack of activity. NOAA’s new prediction calls for 11 named storms.

State department has adivised Americans against traveling to Honduras because of the current unstable political situation. Read the warning here.