February 16

Plaudit for diversionary airport

Bangor Aviation Services, which is Bangor airport’s ground handling and services division, was recently presented with the WOW award by United Airlines for its outstanding service to the airline’s multiple diver­sions to Bangor during the last few months.

Commenting on the award Andrew J Pratt Jr, Regional Performance Manager for United Express operations, said: “United Airlines is pleased to recognize our partner Bangor Aviation Services for their commitment to our customers.”

In reply, Bangor airport’s Director, Tony Caruso, said: “We appreciate this acknowledgement of our employees’ dedication, hard work and good customer service when the unexpected happens. Bangor handles many diversions in the course of a year. We strive to make every flight’s experience in Bangor a good one, whether scheduled or not. It is nice to be recognized for our efforts.”

In a typical year, Bangor International deals with more than 100 diversions. The airport’s long runway, experienced staff and its history of always being open and ready for any aircraft in operation globally, along with its strategic location, have all contributed to the station’s reputation of being a suitable diversion point, when required.

“We have a very experienced staff. They handle diversions as a matter of course. We are always ready and able to handle any flight that comes through Bangor, whether they have been on the schedule for a week or they give us 20 minutes’ notice,” remarked Assistant Airport Director, James Canders, who oversees those divisions recognized by United.

February 15

New contract ratified with Air Canada

The Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA) has announced that its members have ratified a new contract with Air Canada on collective agreement terms that will last for 12 years. Air Canada’s flight dispatchers are based at the airline’s Operations Center near Toronto Pearson International airport.

This new contract with CALDA follows on the conclusion of  ten year agreements with the IAMAW, which represents Air Canada’s 7,500 technical, maintenance, airport ramp and cargo personnel; with CUPE, representing the airline’s 6,500 flight attendants, and with ACPA, which represents around 3,000 pilots. It actually represents the seventh agreement reached by Air Canada and its unions.

February 10

New app unveiled at Miami

Miami airport has just launched its new mobile app, which is designed for passengers and all airport users. This is the first airport app in the US to use the latest technologies, including Bluetooth beacons, to get the right information to the right people, when and where they need it. Developed by IT provider SITA, the app presents an easy-to-use interface and gives travelers personalized updates, directions and tips based on their location and needs.

Described by the airport as “Your Personal Travel Assistant,” the MIA Airport Official app can be used on iOS and Android devices from anywhere in the world. When the user opens it, options are provided based on location, so a user in Miami will have a different experience from someone opening it up in London, Bogota or New York.

As travelers make their way through the airport, the app provides information and support that is relevant to their individual journey, including updates on their gate, flight times and baggage collection, as well as nearby food and retail outlets, prioritizing suggestions based on their current location.

February 5

REN upload Feb2016 - Signature BBA

BBA gets clearance for Landmark

British aircraft services company BBA Aviation has announced that it has won US antitrust approval to buy Landmark Aviation in a deal, signed last year, reputed to be worth US$2m.

BBA, which owns Signature Flight Support, agreed to divest fixed base operators assets, which supply fuel and other support to smaller aircraft, at six airports as a condition of antitrust approval. The airports in question are Washington Dulles, Scottsdale Municipal, Fresno Yosemite, Jacqueline Cochran Regional, Westchester County and Ted Stevens in Alaska.

February 2

REN upload Feb 2016
B
atteries packing more punch

Trojan Battery, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of deep cycle batteries, has announced the establishment of Trojan Battery Sales, a wholly owned subsidiary of Trojan Battery. Trojan Battery Sales, formerly Safe-Start, now operates factory sales locations throughout the south-eastern US, with several distribution centers in Florida to maximize support to Trojan’s extensive dealer base in the region.

Trojan Battery Sales has distribution centers in Birmingham, Alabama, Macon, Georgia, Nashville, Tennessee and four locations in Florida based in Fort Myers, Miami, Pensacola and St Petersburg, with plans for continued expansion of Trojan Battery Sales centers throughout the south-east region.

These locations carry several brands of batteries, chargers and accessories, to address all customer needs. Trojan’s factory sales locations will support various battery-powered applications including automotive, floor machine, golf cars, industrial, marine/RV, motorcycle, mobility, renewable energy and utility vehicles.

“Trojan Battery Sales distribution centers are strategically located in areas which boast a large Trojan Battery customer base,” said Brian Jaibur, Director of Sales for Trojan Battery. “This new sales channel enables Trojan Battery Sales to better service customers by providing a wide selection of products and enhancing on-time delivery, while at the same time strengthening the Trojan brand.”

New contract for Air Canada workers

Air Canada and the Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association have signed a new contract, on collective agreement terms, for a period of 12 years. The agreement is subject to ratification by CALDA’s membership as well as to certain openers over the 12-year period. Details of the agreement will not be released, since ratification by CALDA is pending, as is approval by the Air Canada Board of Directors.

This agreement follows on from ten year contracts with the IAMAW, which represents Air Canada’s 7,500 technical, maintenance, airport ramp and cargo personnel; with CUPE, representing the airline’s 6,500 flight attendants; and with ACPA, which represents its 3,000 pilots.

The carrier‘s flight dispatchers are based at the airline’s Operations Centre, near Toronto Pearson International.

January 22

Nashville order for JBT

JBT Corporation has announced that its JBT AeroTech business has been awarded a contract in excess of US$20m for the supply of gate equipment at the Metropolitan Nashville International airport.

The order, placed by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, includes 36 Jetway passenger boarding bridges, along with JetAire preconditioned air units and Jetpower 400 Hz ground power units. These gate improvements are targeted at Concourses A, B and C.

Boeing to cut 747-8 production

Boeing has announced it will cut the production rate of its 747-8 aircraft as a result of a currently weak cargo market.

In an effort to match supply with demand, from September the Seattle-headquartered manufacturer intends to halve the production of its aircraft from one per month to one every two months.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief executive, Ray Conner, said: “Global air passenger traffic growth and airplane demand remain strong, but the air cargo market recovery that began in late 2013 has stalled in recent months and slowed demand for the 747-8 freighter.
“While we remain confident in the 747-8’s unique value-proposition and an upcoming replacement cycle for late-model 747-400 freighters, we’re taking the prudent step to further align production with current market requirements.”

On a pre-tax basis at the segment level, Boeing Commercial Airplanes will report a charge of $885m as a result of the production slowdown.

Boeing executive VP of business development & strategy and chief financial officer, Greg Smith, added: “We are closely monitoring the air cargo market as we work to win additional orders to support ongoing future production.
“At the same time, we continue to aggressively drive productivity to lower costs across our production system to offset the current market challenges.”

 

January 8

New sorting platform announced

FAST container sort platform

FAST Global Solutions’ container sort platform is designed to increase sorting efficiency for the parcel handling industry. Designed with a large deck (more than 800 square feet of sorting space, in fact), the platform gives customers space and maneuverability, without the expense of a fully automated system. An integrated engine powers a built-in light tower to keep the platform lit under any conditions while a hydraulic pump lifts and lowers the platform.

Workers can sort as much as 40,000 pounds of cargo on the 17 x 48 foot platform. Its 11 foot light tower uses two 1,000 watt, metal-halide floodlights so that workers can easily read labels in low light conditions to quickly move packages to the correct route for delivery. The hydraulic system allows workers to easily adjust the platform height, anything from 46 to 60 inches, so that loading and unloading can be performed easily.

The platform’s key components for safety also maximize efficiency. High handrails surround the platform to protect workers from falls, and when loading or unloading packages from a truck or a trailer, operators can speedily remove each handrail and secure it behind another section to keep it out of the way. A Morton Deck-Span Surface features diamond-shaped grating to reduce the risk of slipping while keeping the deck clear of snow and rain. On each short side, the CSP features a built-in ladder with two steps and a handrail for safe access to the platform.

The CSP has been built to withstand years of outdoor use. The entire platform features a hot-dip galvanized finish to protect it from corrosion in harsh environments and achieves a long-lasting, clean look. Customers can choose to have the entire unit galvanized or customize the look of the handrails, steps and towbar by selecting from US military grade powder coat color options. Additionally, bumpers around the perimeter help prevent damage upon contact with a truck, loading dock or other heavy object. The CSP’s easy maneuverability allows workers to move the unit to a convenient location for the loading and unloading of packages. Tug or tow truck operators can hook up to the CSP’s built-in heavy duty towbar to pull the unit precisely to where it’s needed.

For power, FAST offers a 20.4 horsepower Kubota diesel engine or a 480 volt three phase electric motor. Further, a 12 volt DC, two gallons per minute emergency hydraulic pump provides power in the event of an engine failure, allowing the platform to be lowered from operating height and moved to another location.

Contract agreement in sight

At the end of December 2015 Southwest Airlines reached an agreement with the union representing its ground operations workers.

The executive board of Transport Workers Union Local 555 reviewed the Agreement in Principle reached by negotiators and decided to conduct a ratification vote. A copy of the tentative agreement was duly sent to union members and voting is expected to begin this month.

The agreement is considered something of a landmark since it has taken four years to get to this stage. In fact, Southwest’s ground workers have not seen a new contract since 2009 and there have been several incidences of strike action in the intervening period as workers have expressed their discontent with the airline’s management.

The proposed new contract, if ratified, will include salary rises in excess of 20% over the life of the agreement for union members, in all classifications. If approved, this new contract will run for five years.


Hybrid the best of both worlds

LEKTRO has unveiled a new diesel/electric hybrid, the AP8850SDA-H. This hybrid model is the result of an accelerated development program to meet customer demands for a tug that can operate in areas that have a limited or unreliable power infrastructure, or for a vehicle that can continue operations in the wake of a natural disaster. Greater endurance has also been a factor in the equation.

The AP8850SDA-H allows the user to manually choose an all-electric operation like a standard LEKTRO, as well as operate with the diesel engine to preserve battery life and charge the battery bank. The diesel engine can also be set to automatically charge the battery once it reaches a certain level of depletion.

The tug has completed desert operations tests and underwent cold weather operations this winter.

December 15

Liquid Controls acquires Avery-Hardoll meters

Liquid Controls, an IDEX Energy & Fuels Business, has announced the acquisition of the Avery-Hardoll metering product line. The transaction formally closed between Liquid Controls and Meggitt Controls on December 11, 2015.

Flyer-Truck opens new sales and service base in the US

The latest office of Flyer-Truck for North America and the Caribbean has been opened in St Augustine, Florida. Since November 18, TNA-Aviation Technologies, Turwitt and Nielsen Associates PA have been responsible for the distribution, maintenance and service of Flyer-Truck aircraft tugs.

Decision in favour of airport workers

Readers following the wage dispute in Seattle will be interested to learn that the Washington state Supreme Court has turned down Alaska Airlines’ request to reconsider its earlier ruling, that of a US$15 minimum wage law that was passed by the city of SeaTac voters, should apply equally to Seattle-Tacoma International. The result is that now almost 5,000 transportation and hospitality workers at the airport will see their wages upped to US$15.24 per hour. It is uncertain whether Alaska (amongst other employers) will contest the decision, although the carrier has stated publicly that it feels that there are some unanswered questions, despite the ruling.

November 25

Baggage theft conspiracy uncovered in Virginia

Two baggage handlers have pleaded guilty for their involvement in an ongoing plot to steal passengers’ possessions from their luggage in Virginia.

The pair in question, 25-year-old Chris Arthur Perry and 27-year-old Gregory Paul Wingard, were charged by a federal grand jury on October 7, 2015. On December 18, the Department of Justice announced that both men had pleaded guilty to stealing items for the period from December 2013 to June 2015 at Norfolk International airport.

According to the details of the case, the two men broke into checked baggage in order to take money, electronics and other items and sell them on to individuals or pawn shops. The pair reportedly targeted firearm containers while searching for bags to break into and both now face a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on March 14, 2016.

Fast for better conditions

As was covered in Ramp Equipment News recently, unrest in the US over wage levels continues to grab the headlines. Airport and ramp staff have been caught up in the general movement that seeks to set a minimum wage of US$15 an hour for what is often unskilled, manual labor. And with ramp workers taking home perhaps US$8 an hour, and with some having to hold down two jobs at a time to make ends meet, there is clearly a need for a reappraisal.

What hit the headlines in Seattle a couple of years back is now steadily filtering through the rest of the US. In order to draw attention to their plight cleaners, skycaps, baggage handlers, security officers and other ramp workers have been holding a 24 hour fast in the hours leading up to the country’s Thanksgiving Day. Across the country, contracted airport staff are coming together through Airport Workers Unite: in all, some 14 airports have been affected, as the staff show solidarity and try to spotlight their plight. And plight is perhaps not an ill-chosen word in this context.

According to a study carried out by the University of California Berkley Labor Center, some 37% of cleaning staff and baggage workers live on or close to the poverty line; and a survey of 500 subcontracted passenger services workers at John F Kennedy International, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports conducted last year by the Economic Policy Institute revealed that 50% of airport employees in the region were reliant on some form of public assistance to survive. Moreover, 20% of staff admitted that they had missed a meal within the past week because of financial reasons.

Whilst there is plenty of support in high places for these underprivileged sections of the workforce, any sort of concrete proposals seem to be a way off yet.

November 4

Take a walk behind

US manufacturer WASP (now FAST Global Solutions) offers a walk-behind beltloader that features easy, safe operation at a fraction of the cost of a drivable beltloader. To achieve this, WASP has eliminated the drive components to increase the unit’s longevity and to lower maintenance requirements, whilst reducing costs for the air travel and cargo handling industries.

The towable units keep packages and luggage moving as fast as 100 feet (30 meters) per minute, without sacrificing control. The belt operates at variable speeds in forward and reverse for easy loading and unloading, obviating the need for the operator to reposition the machine.

The manufacturer has also announced the production of a new side-tow European dolly. This innovative transporter features a patent-pending pivoting front towbar designed to increase safety and maneuverability. FAST engineers incorporated a foot-activated, quick-release mechanism that easily unlocks the towbar, allowing it to pivot right or left to connect to a tug or another dolly. Once transport begins and the towbar straightens, the mechanism automatically locks the towbar into a straight position for towing.

German technology comes to the US

Materna, the Germany-based developer and supplier of automated passenger handling systems and solutions, opened its own US office in Orlando, in October. The move enables Materna to promote its well-established products and solutions for the aviation sector in the US marketplace. In co-operation with its local partner, Ultra Electronics Airport Systems, Materna has begun delivering passenger handling systems at a large regional airport in California.

At the recent FTE Global, in Las Vegas, Materna focussed on presenting its latest generation of automatic common-use baggage handling and self-tagging solutions. Regarded as one of the real innovators in this sector, Materna has implemented the current self-bag drop standard set by IATA and has integrated components for cashless payments in common-use environments. Materna’s solution offers passengers the opportunity to hand in their baggage by themselves, irrespective of desk opening times. Should baggage weight allowances be exceeded, Materna also calculates the excess baggage charge, which can then be paid on the spot. This new bag drop solution can be deployed by airport operators as a fully automatic system at unmanned kiosks or as a solution accompanied by staff for different airlines.

Continental opens first commercial tire retread facility in Vegas

CMC Tire, a full service tire dealer, and Continental Tire the Americas are celebrating their partnership with the opening of their first commercial tire retread facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.

An opening ceremony was held at the new 25,000 square-foot facility, which will be able to produce up to 24,000 retread tires a year, eventually increasing to a production capacity of 48,000. This will facilitate the service of more than 300 customers and create 18 new job positions.

At the grand opening, CMC Tire announced plans to service both southern Utah and the greater Las Vegas area with new and retread tires, with the latter made using Continental’s ContiTrac premium retreading solution, which extends the overall life of the tire.

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