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Press Release: Airline Consumer Complaints Down From Previous Year


WASHINGTON – Airline consumer complaints filed with DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division during the first nine months of this year were down 14.1 percent from the first nine months of 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released today.
From January to September 2013, the Department received 10,439 consumer complaints, down from the total of 12,153 filed during the first nine months of 2012. In September, the Department received 1,008 complaints about airline service from consumers, down 6.8 percent from the 1,081 complaints filed in September 2012 and down 23.5 percent from the 1,318 received in August 2013.

The consumer report also includes data on tarmac delays, on-time performance, cancellations, chronically delayed flights, and the causes of flight delays filed with the Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by the reporting carriers. In addition, the consumer report contains information on airline bumping, mishandled baggage reports filed by consumers with the carriers, and disability and discrimination complaints received by DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division. The consumer report also includes reports of incidents involving the loss, death, or injury of pets traveling by air, as required to be filed by U.S. carriers.

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    Fourth Investigative Update on Boeing 787 Battery Fire


    NTSB Provides Fourth Investigative Update on Boeing 787 Battery Fire in Boston

    January 27, 2013
    WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board today released a fourth update on its investigation into the Jan. 7 fire aboard a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 at Logan International Airport in Boston. The fire occurred after the airplane had landed and no passengers or crew were onboard.

    The event airplane, JA829J was delivered to JAL on December 20, 2012. At the time of the battery fire, the aircraft had logged 169 flight hours with 22 cycles. The auxiliary power unit battery was manufactured by GS Yuasa in September 2012.

    NTSB investigators have continued disassembling the internal components of the APU battery in its Materials Laboratory in Washington, and disassembly of the last of eight cells has begun. Examinations of the cell elements with a scanning-electron microscope and energy-dispersive spectroscopy are ongoing.

    A cursory comparative exam has been conducted on the undamaged main battery. No obvious anomalies were found. More detailed examination will be conducted as the main battery undergoes a thorough tear down and test sequence series of non-destructive examinations.

    In addition to the activities at the NTSB lab, members of the investigative team continue working in Seattle and Japan and have completed work in Arizona. Their activities are detailed below.

    ARIZONA
    The airworthiness group completed testing of the APU start power unit at Securaplane in Tucson and the APU controller at UTC Aerospace Systems in Phoenix. Both units operated normally with no significant findings.

    SEATTLE
    Two additional NTSB investigators were sent to Seattle to take part in FAA’s comprehensive review. One of the investigators will focus on testing efforts associated with Boeing’s root cause corrective action efforts, which FAA is helping to lead. The other will take part in the FAA’s ongoing review of the battery and battery system special conditions compliance documentation.

    JAPAN
    The NTSB-led team completed component examination of the JAL APU battery monitoring unit at Kanto Aircraft Instrument Company, Ltd., in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan. The team cleaned and examined both battery monitoring unit circuit boards, which were housed in the APU battery case. The circuit boards were damaged, which limited the information that could be obtained from tests, however the team found no significant discoveries.

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    Boeing Press Release:

    Statement on Virgin Blue’s Selection of the Next-Generation 737
    SEATTLE, Feb. 23, 2010 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] is delighted that Virgin Blue has selected the Boeing Next-Generation 737 for the replacement and expansion of its single-aisle fleet. We look forward to working with Virgin Blue to finalize the order, at which time it will be posted to the Boeing Orders and Deliveries Web site.

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  • Merry Christmas


    We have come again to the twenty-fifth of December, the one day a year when the fire of hospitality and charity is kindled in heart and hearth, in the smell of pine needles and the laughter of children, the day of gift-giving, the light in children’s eyes, the day, to paraphrase the Grinch, that “doesn’t come from a store, the day that means, perhaps, a little bit more.” Okay Grinch, it means a whole lot more than a visit from St. Nicholas.

    This year, may those who sit alone this year, may that those who are without, those who have no homes nor a holiday fire to circle around, find what they want and need.

    This season is kind of like a boxing match, except instead of all the bouts of practice behind the scenes, the preparation is all the planning of gifting, the thought behind the choosing of gifts, the shopping, the choosing of paper and ribbons, the act of wrapping and tying of bows, the presenting of gifts leading to a day that hangs like a smile on the face of the world. It’s a day that is about both the journey and the arrival. Today shines like a bright holiday mirror reflecting all the days of Christmas past. Yet it is a time to be of the moment too. So let me wish you this, all my friends and all my family, and even the ones I don’t get along with the rest of the year: that you may have a Christmas to exceed all expectations. To all of my friends and family, to all of Los Angeles and America, to all of the world, my wish for the season—May you and yours have all your wishes granted, the Merriest of Christmases, and the Happiest of New Years.

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    Goodrich Introduces New Lighter-Weight Wheels and Brakes for the Boeing 777 Fleet

    New main wheels and brakes will provide weight and cost savings for airline operators

    CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) has introduced new lighter-weight main wheel and brake assemblies for Boeing 777-200LR, 777 Freighter, and 777-300ER airplane models. The new configuration wheels and brakes provide a weight savings of 260 pounds (118 kg) per airplane, resulting in reduced fuel costs for 777 operators. The new equipment is now standard on 777 airplanes delivered with Goodrich equipment, and will be available in the aftermarket starting in January 2011.

    The new assemblies are approved by Boeing, and are intermixable with existing Goodrich wheel and brake assemblies for the 777-200LR, 777 Freighter, and 777-300ER. In addition, the new brake will continue to provide a 35% brake life advantage over competitive products through the use of Goodrich’s latest DURACARB(R) carbon brake disk material.

    Jim Wharton, vice president of sales and program management for Goodrich Aircraft Wheels and Brakes, said, “This is another example of our commitment to continuously improve the products and services we provide to our airline customers. The introduction of these new Boeing 777 wheels and brakes will allow our existing and future customers to realize weight and fuel savings and reduce their cost of operation.”

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    AFA-CWA Holds Holiday Food Drive for Flight Attendants In Need

    NEEDED: Non-perishable food items, everyday essentials, gift certificates and children’s items
    Please bring donations to the airport and drop them off at the food drive

    PHOENIX, Ariz., Nov. 22, 2010 — America West flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), are holding a holiday food drive to assist flight attendants in need during the holiday season.
    When: Wednesday, November 24, 2010
    Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. MST
    Where: Terminal 4, curbside departures, north side
    Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
    Phoenix, AZ

    “The last few years have been difficult for all workers across all industries, but our flight attendants are more in need now than ever before. Our food bank is a response to requests for help from our members who are struggling. America West flight attendants have not had a wage increase since 2002 and are having a hard time eking out a living on wages eroded by time and the poor economy,” said Lisa LeCarre, AFA-CWA America West President.

    The Pantry of Love was a brainstorm of AFA-CWA Council 66 activists. It was formed in 2008 and is managed by Council Representative Erin McLoughlin. Approximately 15 flight attendants visit the food bank each month and during the holidays, those numbers increase.

    “After furloughs and foreclosures, some of our members could not afford to feed themselves or their families. AFA-CWA responded to their needs by organizing the Pantry of Love Food Bank, which relies entirely on donations and volunteers,” said McLoughlin. “It is heart-wrenching to see such need from people who work so hard for such a huge company with all the resources that they have available. Our flight attendants didn’t ask for this merger and didn’t ask for frozen wages. At least when they ask for help, we are here to do what we can.”

    America West Airlines merged with US Airways in 2005, yet flight attendants are still without a contract that merges their two employee groups.

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    Honeywell Press Release: IntuVue Offers Improvement in Turbulence Detection, Reliability and Cost of Operations

    DUBAI AIR SHOW, U.A.E., Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today its IntuVue 3-D advanced weather radar and seven other safety and information management products were selected by PT. Garuda Indonesia (Persero).

    The products will be standard on 25 B737-800 aircraft delivered between mid 2009 and 2011. The contract, valued at more than $28 million, includes an option for 25 additional aircraft.

    “The selection of IntuVue is a testament to PT. Garuda Indonesia’s emphasis on safety,” said Mike Madsen, Vice President, Airlines, Honeywell Aerospace. “Honeywell’s IntuVue weather radar is leading the industry in turbulence and wind shear detection, a key component of safety related incidents. It is important we solve our airline partner needs with equipment that helps them increase safety and reduce operating costs.”

    The total avionics package includes Honeywell’s IntuVue; partial Quantum™ line of communication and navigation sensors comprising Multi Mode Receiver (MMR), Radio Altimeter and Automatic Direction Finder (ADF); the CAS 100 aircraft collision avoidance system, solid-state data recorders and voice recorders, Flight Data Acquisition and Management System (FDAMS), airborne data loader, the cockpit data printer and the Automatic Fixed Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).

    IntuVue is the first fully automatic weather radar system certified to the FAA’s Enhanced Turbulence Detection Minimum Operation Performance Standard (MOPS), improving pilots’ ability to see and avoid weather, wind shears and turbulence sooner. Specific turbulence-related injuries cost the airline industry more than $100 million a year.

    IntuVue is the only commercial radar that displays storms in three-dimensions at up to 320 nautical miles ahead of the aircraft and key analysis tools which allow pilots to dissect and analyze weather and hazards both vertically and horizontally. These features have demonstrated a significant improvement for in-flight weather-related decisions, and more than a 45 percent improvement in turbulence detection, enabling pilots’ to optimally reroute around or through weather for passenger safety and comfort while decreasing fuel burn. Besides enhanced safety, IntuVue offers improved reliability and reduces system weight to lower operating costs for operators. IntuVue increases system reliability by 50 percent, reduces maintenance costs by 30 percent, and reduces weight by 25 percent as compared to other radars — yielding airlines a $10,000/year savings over existing systems.

    Honeywell’s IntuVue is certified and flying on the Boeing 777 and 737NG as buyer furnished equipment and is standard equipment on the Airbus A380. It will become available on the A320 family in 2010 and the A330 family in 2011. It is specified as standard equipment on the Gulfstream 650 and Airbus A350 when they enter service.

    The Flight Data Acquisition & Management System (FDAMS) is a multi-function airborne Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) that collects and sends mandatory aircraft data to the flight recorder.

    Honeywell’s Quantum line of navigation radios, sensors, receivers and communication equipment is derived from more than 75 years of communication and navigation system development experience.

    With more than 40 years of Traffic/Aircraft Collision Avoidance System (TCAS/ACAS) development experience, Honeywell has been a pioneer in providing advanced collision avoidance protection and airspace situational awareness technologies.

    Honeywell’s Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) are simple to operate and provide advanced transmission reliability. They offer global satellite coverage and automatic activation.

    Together, this suite of avionics equipment increases safety while reducing pilot workload, operating costs and maintenance costs for the airlines.

    Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Honeywell’s aerospace business is a leading global provider of integrated avionics, engines, systems and service solutions for aircraft manufacturers, airlines, business and general aviation, military, space and airport operations.

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