Neha Jain: http://philippinesaviationnews.blogspot.com/ 31

A woman sits down on a floor as she waits in a line to check into her flight at Narita International Airport, east of Tokyo, March 19, 2011. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak

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1. Airlines change schedules in wake of Japan disaster
(Reuters) - At least three major airlines have added a stop in Seoul for flights in and out of Japan due to staffing and supply concerns.

Japan has had fuel, food and power shortages in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami. The world's third largest economy is also grappling with serious problems at its Fukushima nuclear plant.

British Airways, Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) and Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) have moved crews to Seoul and are using catering services out of Incheon airport, adding a stop in the country for flights through Japan, a Seoul Regional Aviation Administration official said.

The stopover in Seoul adds at least two hours to long-haul flights.

Air France's sister airline, KLM of the Netherlands, has added an intermediate stop on flights out of Tokyo at Kansai airport, near Osaka in Japan, until April 8, a spokeswoman said. The carriers share a parent company but operate independently.

Other carriers serving Asia-Pacific, including Australia's Qantas (QAN.AX), have added stopovers in Hong Kong, according to industry data.

AMR Corp (AMR.N), parent of American Airlines, said it planned to suspend flights from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport to Narita and one of the two Dallas/Ft. Worth to Narita round trips, effective April 6. Those flights are expected to resume April 26. Four other round trips to Narita operated by American Airlines from Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Dallas/Ft. Worth will not be affected.

"This is driven by falling demand," AMR spokesman Tim Smith said in an email. "We continue to monitor the situation."

It would continue operating nonstop service through its hub at Narita, between Japan and the cities it served at the time of the earthquake.

Delta said on its website that it would delay the start of nonstop service between Tokyo-Narita and Guangzhou, China, to July 5 from April 6.

Qantas said on Wednesday that it planned to scale back flights and cut management jobs to help offset fuel costs and an estimated $144 million hit to earnings from natural disasters in key markets.

2. A mysterious offer from a company called Sterling Global Holdings to buy AMR Holdings, the parent of American Airlines, for more than $3 billion sent airline stocks on a wild ride Wednesday. But no one, including AMR, seems to know anything about Sterling Global Holdings. American Airlines is among the busiest major carriers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

3. Air traffic controller, Southwest pilots suspended after flying too close to another airplane

An air traffic controller and two Southwest Airlines pilots have been suspended while officials investigate an incident that saw a Southwest jet fly too close to a small airplane over Florida.
The air traffic controller on Sunday asked a Southwest Airlines plane over Florida to check on a small airplane that wasn’t responding to radio calls. But, the Federal Aviation Administration said, it appears the controller let the Southwest jet fly too close to the Cirrus SR22 airplane.
“By placing this passenger aircraft in close proximity to another plane, the air traffic controller compromised the safety of everyone involved. This incident was totally inappropriate,” FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement announcing the controller’s suspension.
“We are reviewing the air traffic procedures used here and making sure everyone understands the protocols for contacting unresponsive aircraft,” Babbitt added.
Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King said the airline has put the pilots “on paid leave pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
The National Transportation Safety Board also is investigating.
According to the FAA statement, the smaller airplane was headed toward Kissimmee, just south of Orlando. Air traffic controllers at the Jacksonville center had been unable to get a response from the airplane for an hour.
The controller at the central Florida center asked pilots on Southwest Flight 821, approaching Orlando from Phoenix, to check on the other airplane. The Southwest flight was 10 miles behind the Cirrus and flying at 12,000 feet; the Cirrus was maintaining an altitude of 11,000 feet.
“The controller asked the Southwest crew if they could check the cockpit of the Cirrus,” the FAA said. “The Southwest crew agreed, was directed towards the Cirrus and reported the aircraft in sight. The Southwest pilots reported seeing two people in the cockpit.”
However, the airplanes apparently got too close to each other in violation of FAA minimums for separation of aircraft.
The FAA declined to disclose how near the airplanes came, but the Southwest pilots were close enough to the private aircraft to clearly observe the Cirrus pilots in the cockpit.
The Southwest flight then turned away from the Cirrus and was sent on to Orlando. “Approximately 30 seconds later the Cirrus contacted Jacksonville center who gave them the current frequency. Both aircraft landed safely at their destinations.

NEHA JAIN

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