WASHINGTON — Mitsubishi Aircraft projects airlines will want more than 5,000 regional jets over the next 20 years, and the manufacturer wants a piece of that market.
Regional jets already carry half of U.S. airline passengers, funneling travelers from smaller communities to larger cities or connecting flights. Canada’s Bombardier and Brazil’s Embraer have dominated the market for regional jets with 100 seats or less.
But as demand grows, Mitsubishi is promoting its next plane, the MRJ100X, for fuel efficiency from quieter engines and passenger comfort. The 18-inch seats will be as wide as Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner configured with eight seats in a row.
U.S. airlines bring in more revenue from fees for bags and other products and services than do the world’s other carriers, a new report released today reveals.
United, Delta and American finished in the top three — each generating billions in ancillary revenue outside airfares last year, according to the report by IdeaWorks, a consultant specializing in ancillary revenue and brand development.
The report analyzed financial filings of 50 airlines worldwide and found they combined to bring in $22.6 billion of ancillary revenue last year.
That’s a 66% increase from ancillary revenue reported by 47 airlines two years ago.
“It’s clear that airlines recognize the importance of ancillary revenue and are developing increasingly innovative ways to generate it,” says IdeaWorks President Jay Sorensen.
Many airline passengers, though, are annoyed at buying a ticket and paying extra for services and products that once were free. The extra fees initially were charged by low-fare carriers but have now become a priority for all airlines — and essential for their profitability.
Nearly 3 billion passengers carried by the world’s airlines will generate approximately 650 million tons of carbon emissions according to Bettina Wassener of the NY Times.
Just in November of last year we had many airlines using biofuels as an alternative for the first time. Some of the fuels are being derived from cooking oil, algae, and vegetable oil.
Solazyme Inc., which started in a garage in Palo Alto is a provider of biofuels made of microalgae. United announced on November 7th, 2011 that they signed a letter of intent with Solazyme to purchase 20 million gallons of the biofuel annually. This will take place in 2014.
SkyNRG another biofuel company in the Netherlands is providing biofuels for airlines such as KLM, Asia Pacific and others.
Some of the Airlines that are using biofuels are:
US Airlines/Alaska Airlines started using biofuels on 75 of their flights on Nov. 9th, 2011
Lufthansa
KLM
Virgin Airlines
Continental/United Airlines
“You don’t have any difference at all in terms of performance of the airplane or operations by the pilot,” said Capt. Jackson Seltzer, a 25-year Continental veteran
There is a great deal of controversy around the use of biofuels. The use of factory farmed animal waste and fats used by Tyson Foods-Syntroleum joint venture with Dynmaic Fuels has it’s downfalls.
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Over the summer John Pistole TSA chief launched a trial ‘pre-screening’ pilot program called PreCheck with Delta and American Airlines for frequent flyers.
The program allows the frequent flyers to present personal information in advance to pass through security a little more smoothly. The TSA started testing the program on Oct. 4th.
According to American Airlines the benefits of the program include:
• Expedited screening at designated security checkpoints
• No longer removing shoes, belts or jacket
• No longer removing laptops for separate screening
• No longer removing liquids in 3-1-1- compliant bags from carry-on baggage
Currently this TSA PreCheck pilot program for AA is available only at DFW (checkpoint C30) and Miami International Airport (checkpoint D2).
Also, changes to how TSA screens young children under the age of 12 have been set in place. The agency will no longer pat down children as long as nothing suspicious comes up in metal detector or body scanner detectors screenings.
At this time the TSA PreCheck is only available on domestic flights out of four airports at Atlanta, Detroit, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Miami airports. At the Seante Committee on Wednesday Pistole was to share how successful it was going and that they will likely expand the pilot program.
Anje Vela
All About Travel