Thai Air Sees Lower Passenger Growth In 2014

Thai Airways said on Friday it aimed for passenger growth of 4 percent in 2014, lower than the 4.6 percent growth to 20 million in 2013.

Airline aimed for cabin factor at 76 percent in 2014, but first-quarter numbers will be down around 70 percent because political woes have affected the tourism sector, he said.

The slower growth forecast was attributed to weak economic outlook and the impact from domestic political unrest, the carrier's acting president Chokchai Panyayong told reporters.

Thai Airways, whose president resigned for health reasons this month, posted a heavy net loss for the second consecutive quarter, hit by a lower passenger yield, fierce competition and foreign exchange losses.

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Jordan Military Plane Crashes, Pilot Survives

A Jordanian air force plane on a training flight crashed on Sunday due to a technical fault, but the pilot survived the accident.

On Sunday, "around noon (0900 GMT), a Royal Jordanian Air Force plane crashed after encountering a technical problem, an army statement.

The pilot, "Capitan Ahmad Hazem Alawneh survived  in the crash.

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Investigation after NZ-registered plane crash

An investigation is underway following the crash of a New Zealand-registered Boeing 737 in the Solomon Islands yesterday.

Auckland-based company Airwork says three crew members were on board the freight plane when it crashed on landing at Honiara airport.

The right-hand main landing gear collapsed vausing the aircraft to slide to a halt on the runway.

Airwork says none of its crew were injured in the crash.

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FAA To Order Boeing 767 Safety Checks

FAA plans to order safety checks of more than 400 Boeing 767s because of elevator flight control surfaces that may jam and possibly cause some pilots to lose control of the aircraft.

Elevators that do not work correctly have not been identified as causing a 767 accident.

Federal Aviation Administration, set for publication in Monday's Federal register, calls for enhanced inspections of the elevator flight control mechanism, which helps planes climb and descend.

FAA first became aware of the problem in 2000, when it ordered enhanced checks to find problems. The inspections at that time were viewed as a temporary response. Boeing eventually designed a permanent fix, which the FAA order will direct airlines to make, according the Journal.

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Air Europa awarded Almeria PSO contracts

AIR EUROPA has won a tender to operate Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes from Almeria to Seville and Madrid Barajas. Seville flights recently launched while Madrid services are expected to launch on February 17, 2014.  The twice daily services will operate onboard a wet-leased Swiftair (WT, Mafrid Barajas) ATR72-500s replacing those of Iberia Regional operated by Air Nostrum (YW,Valencia Manises ).

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Airport Privatizations To Bring $8 Billion In Investments

BRAZIL Two international consortia won the latest round of Brazilian airport privatizations, in deals totaling $9 billion . One consortium, which includes Brazilian construction company Odebrecht and Singaporean airport operator Changi, paid $8.24 billion for a 25-year concession to operate Rio de Janeiro's Galeao International Airport , the country's secondbusiest airport. Another consortium, including CCR, Brazil's largest highway operator; Germany's Flughafen MÜnchen, which operates Munich Airport ; and Switzerland's Flughafen ZÜrich, which operates Zurich Airport ), paid $780 million to operate Belo Horizonte's Confins International Airport under a 30-year concession. Infraero, the Brazilian federal airport management agency, will retain a 49% stake in both airports, with concession winners holding 51%. The government expects the concessions to attract $5.6 billion in investments at Rio de Janeiro's airport and $2.4 billion at Belo Horizonte's airport.The auction is Brazil's third airport privatization program since 2011.
Britain's Jaguar Land Rover became the latest luxury carmaker to expand in Brazil . The company will invest $437 million to build a new auto plant in the state of Rio de Janeiro , with construction expected to begin in 2015. Earlier this year Germany's Mercedes Benz and Audi announced plans to restart production in Brazil . The two German automakers, along with BMW , plan to invest a total of $220 million in local production facilities. According to a 2012 McKinsey report, sales of luxury cars are growing by 45% annually in Brazil . Daimler, Mercedes Benz's parent company, predicts Brazil's demand for luxury cars will triple by 2017. Brazil's Vale, the world's largest iron ore producer, reached a $9.6 billion settlement agreement with the Brazilian federal government over a pending tax case. The figure is half of what the government had claimed it was owed by Vale for taxes, interest payments and penalties accrued between 2003 and 2012.Vale officials say payments will be made in installments and will not requiretaking on any new debt, as the company will use its cash flow. Shareholders are expected to receive dividend payments, despite the payout.The case had prompted tensions and litigation between federal authorities and one of Brazil's largest companies. - Antonio Guerrero

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Boeing bullish on Brazil despite lost fighter jet deal

Boeing company says its failure to win a $4 billion-plus fighter jet deal in Brazil was a lost opportunity that will lead it to scale back planned investments in the country, although it still sees excellent opportunities in cargo, defense and biofuels.

The Chicago-based aerospace company was until last June the clear front runner to win a deal to supply at least 36 jets to the Brazilian Air Force -- one of the world's significant defense contracts

Hrinak said Rousseff's decision will affect Boeing's plans to build local maintenance centers and supply chains that would have taken root had it sold its F/A-18 Super Hornet here.

"It's not that we're not going to do these things ever, but the velocity and intensity of our activities was necessarily affected by this decision," Hrinak said this week in her first interview since Rousseff chose Saab's Gripen AG fighter.

Hrinak emphasized that Boeing is still pushing ahead with several other projects in Brazil, citing biofuels development and a strategic partnership with Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer SA to help develop and market its KC-390 military transport plane.

"We've said all along that we're here for the long haul regardless of what happened" with the jets deal, Hrinak said. "This is a good place to invest, a good place to do business, and we're going to continue to do both."

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Acting Cargo Sales Executive | Qatar Airways | Kuala Lumpur

Organisation: Qatar Airways

Job Function: Commercial

Division: Commercial

Employment Type: Full Time - Permanent

City: Asia Pacific | Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur

Last date of application: 08-Feb-2014

Qatar Airways
Welcome to a world where ambitions fly high
From experienced pilots to dynamic professionals embarking on new careers, Qatar Airways is searching for talented individuals to join our award-winning team.
We take pride in our people—a dynamic and culturally diverse workforce is essential to why we are one of the finest and fastest growing airlines in the world.
We offer competitive compensation and benefit packages and Doha based employees receive a range of allowances and enjoy a tax-free income.

About Your Job: In this role you will be responsible for generating maximum cargo sales in order to meet or exceed the set revenue/tonnage target for stations and to provide customer service in sales and operational areas liaising with Ground Handling Agents at stations and with the Cargo department at Head Office.

About You: You must have completed high school and have a good command of the English language.  You have a minimum 5 years of work experience in the airfrieght industry, of which 3 are required in Sales.  Cargo Marketing, Basic Rating and DGR experience is also required as well as an understanding of IATA/TACT regulations and their impact on sales.
You will be computer literate and familiar with MS Office applications (Word, Excel Power Point and Access). Experience in managing databases in Oracle would be an added advantage. Communication skills & good command in English. Customer service and Negotiation skills

Note: you will be required to attach the following:
1. Resume / CV
2. NOC from current manager (For internal staff) Blank document for externals
3. Highest Educational Certificate

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Customer Service Agent - Part Time - (Customer Contact Centres) | Qatar Airways | Florida

Organisation: Qatar Airways

Job Function: Customer Contact Centre

Division: Commercial

Employment Type: Part Time

City: Americas | USA | Florida

Last date of application: 15-Feb-2014

Qatar Airways
Welcome to a world where ambitions fly high
From experienced pilots to dynamic professionals embarking on new careers, Qatar Airways is searching for talented individuals to join our award-winning team.
We take pride in our people—a dynamic and culturally diverse workforce is essential to why we are one of the finest and fastest growing airlines in the world.
We offer competitive compensation and benefit packages and Doha based employees receive a range of allowances and enjoy a tax-free income.

About Your Job: We are looking for Customer Services Agent with a natural flair of delivering unforgettable service at our Qatar Airways Customer Contact Centres located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
As a Part Time Customer Service Agent you will provide service excellence to Qatar Airways customers through telephone, email and fax and optimise passenger satisfaction. Your main duties will be making new reservations; changes to existing reservations; quoting the correct fares, rules of carriage; issuance / re-issuance of tickets; and processing any refunds.

About You: You must be interactive, customer service oriented person with warm, cheerful and expressive personality and excellent communication skills.
You must hold at minimum your High School Certificate. Ideally you will have knowledge of Amadeus reservation program and experience in airline or hospitality industry. If you have previous experience in reservations and ticketing we would be very interested to hear from you.
We certainly want to speak to you if you are bi-Lingual in English and French! We defintely want to speak with you if you also speak Arabic. You must have a strong sense of customer satisfaction through responding to customer enquiries and offering the best solutions means that you are the right person that we are looking for!

Important Notes: Qatar Airways Group does NOT charge candidates for application forms or interviews. If somebody has solicited money from you in relation to this recruitment, please report the incident to reportfraud@qatarairways.com.qa

Note: you will be required to attach the following:
1. Resume / CV

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Lead Marketing Officer | Qatar Airways | Doha

Organisation: Qatar Airways

Job Function: Commercial

Division: Commercial

Employment Type: Full Time - Permanent

City: Middle East | Qatar | Doha

Last date of application: 02-Feb-2014

Qatar Airways
Welcome to a world where ambitions fly high
From experienced pilots to dynamic professionals embarking on new careers, Qatar Airways is searching for talented individuals to join our award-winning team.
We take pride in our people—a dynamic and culturally diverse workforce is essential to why we are one of the finest and fastest growing airlines in the world.
We offer competitive compensation and benefit packages and Doha based employees receive a range of allowances and enjoy a tax-free income.

About Your Job:: In this role you will be required to coordinate the setting of the station’s passenger revenue and marketing budget and the elaboration of the stations business and marketing plan in coordination with the station’s management.
 You will work with the Regional Marketing Manager to implement customised marketing plans. You should monitor the Return on Investment (ROI) for each activity. You will be responsible for developing and souring a range of promotional and marketing products that can be used in customised marketing programs. You must execute  the stations’ workshops, presentations, sales blitz, Fam trips, functions and other marketing events.

About You:: We require you to have a Bachelor degree in Marketing with minimum 5 years in managing and executing marketing campaigns. You need to have working knowledge in computer applications, including Microsoft Excel, Word, Ms Access and Powerpoint. You will have excellent communication skills at all levels.

Note: you will be required to attach the following:
1. Resume / CV
2. NOC(No Objection Certificate- applicable only to Qatar Airways Staff)

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Manager Service Quality & Safety| Qatar Airways | Doha

Organisation: Qatar Airways

Job Function: Commercial

Division: Ground Services

Employment Type: Full Time - Permanent

City: Middle East | Qatar | Doha

Last date of application: 30-Jan-2014

Qatar Airways
Welcome to a world where ambitions fly high
From experienced pilots to dynamic professionals embarking on new careers, Qatar Airways is searching for talented individuals to join our award-winning team.
We take pride in our people—a dynamic and culturally diverse workforce is essential to why we are one of the finest and fastest growing airlines in the world.
We offer competitive compensation and benefit packages and Doha based employees receive a range of allowances and enjoy a tax-free income.

About Your Job:: Are you looking for an exciting and challenging position? We have the right  role for you! We are looking for a Manager Service Quality & Standards.
You will be required to develop, manage and deliver the Hub Operations Support Model, through delivery of an assurance program that provides oversight capability and a regular quality auditing schedule. You will also be required to assist the Qatar Airways Hub Operations in developing commonality in process and ensuring consistency and 5 Star standards are maintained.
The best candidate should be able to Develop, Plan, Monitor Service, Quality Compliance and manage Hub Operation's strategy development.

About You:: To be successful in this role you will have a minimum 5 years of job-related experience in Airline Operations, Safety or Service Quality. Experience as a Lead Auditor preferably in aviation industry, previously meeting QCAA, ICAO and IATA requirements will ensure your place in this role. AQD or similar quality management application desirable.
You should possess a Bachelors Degree or equivalent, Relevant post graduate qualification preferred, i.e. Aviation, Quality or Safety related discipline and audit qualification/experience, i.e. RABQSA lead auditor

.: .

.: .

Important Information:: Qatar Airways does NOT charge candidates for applications or interviews. If somebody has solicited money from you in relation to this role please report the incident to reportfraud@qatarairways.com.qa

Note: you will be required to attach the following:
1. Resume / CV
2. Passport-size photograph
3. Passport Copy
4. NOC
5. Academic Certificates

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XAEC Gets China’s First Airworthiness Certificate

Test and Research center of AVIC Xi’an Aero-engine (Group) LTD. got the approval of CAAC’s review authority for C919 large passenger aircraft, becoming China’s first lab getting certificate about airworthiness of aircraft material from CAAC. Meanwhile, the center and COMAC signed a test contract-the Performance Test of Titanium Alloy Forge Piece of C919.

The material test center of Xi’an Aero-engine has got recognition from CNAL and China’s national defense, meanwhile, it’s one of Asia’s largest lab that ever gets NADCAP recognition; every year, it completes 26,000 tests of metallurgical performance of materials, 6,763 rechecks of routine materials and 17,497tests of manufacturing process of parts and components.  Mr. Haining LI, Chief Engineer of AVIC Xi’an Aero-engine (Group) LTD. will deliver a presentation about “the pilot manufacturing of civil aero engine combustion chamber and the requested manufacturing equipment”

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Army helicopter crashes in Egypt

military helicopter crashed in Egypt's North Sinai near Sheikh Zwayed due to technical problems, a security source.

The source said there was a technical problem with engine, detailing that the helicopter fell in the area of Shalaq in Sheikh Zwayed.

Eyewitness accounts confirmed seeing a helicopter crash in a desert area near Shalaq.   
Egypt's Sinai has witnessed an escalation in attacks by militants against the army and police since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on 3 July 2013.

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Bombardier Q400 aircraft will be launched in Russia in 2015

Bombardier  is planning to build the DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400) in Ulyanovsk, Russia starting in 2015 according to Russian Aviation. The planned output in Russia is two aircraft per month and will be supervised by Bombardier representatives.

Bombardier has not yet confirmed this report.

According to him, representatives of the Canadian manufacturer will be responsible for quality control and certification of the aircraft in accordance with Canadian specifications. The planned output of the plant is 24 aircraft per year. The number of Bombardier aircraft operated in the country will reach 250-270 ones by 2030.
 
Bombardier Director of Business Development and Sales, Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe, Mark Gilbert, said that the low temperature testing of the aircraft has been completed lately. "The liner may be operated at a temperature of –54 C°. Yakutia is the first region of Russia to operate Q400. The aircraft demonstrated good results under conditions of low temperatures", - he said.

The head of Rosaviatsiya said that "it is also necessary to plan the construction of a training center for Q400 pilots".
 


The list price of the aircraft is 900 million rubles. The import duty increases its price by 30%. However, according to Neradko, thanks to provision of subsidies for acquisition of aircraft, the fleet of national carriers is expanding. "About 3 billion rubles per year are allocated for provision of the subsidies", - he added.

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Lightspeed Aviation Foundation nominations due

Lightspeed Aviation Foundation recognizes Each year, through its Pilot’s Choice Awards  select a group of aviation nonprofit organizations that are actively promoting growth in aviation or using aviation to aid in humanitarian causes.

Anyone can nominate an organization, but those organizations that are nominated will need to submit an application, if they have not yet done so, foundation officials explain. Nomination and grant application forms are available at LightspeedAviationFoundation.org.

For this year’s awards, nominations must be submitted by midnight (PST) Jan. 31, while applications will be accepted until Feb. 3 midnight PST.

A group of finalists will be selected from the applicant pool for the opportunity to compete for one of the 10Pilot’s Choice Awards grants.

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