QANTAS has signed off on the largest aircraft order in Australia's aviation history, paying $9 billion for 110 Airbus 320s in a contract that paves the way for its dual-airline Asian push.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the Airplanes would be used for the carrier's "new, premium airline based in Asia and will support Jetstar's enlargement plans as well as the establishment of Jetstar Japan".

The first 11 aircraft will be fitted out for the new premium carrier, while the remaining together with 78 of the fuel efficient A320 Neo models will be distributed amongst Jetstar's Asian and Australian operations.



Mr Joyce said the new airplane would give the Qantas group more flexibleness.

The Airbus contract came as International Air Transport Association figures bring out airline traffic fell 1.5 per cent between June and July.

Association chief Tony Tyler said the industry has change over gears downward.

Mr. Joyce said it was early to say that the airline market was contracting, but Airbus officials said there were signs that the market in Europe, which recovered powerfully, last year, was flat.

Qantas said profits from domestic passengers for July and August was 7.6 per cent above 2010 figures, whereas international yields, including Jetstar were up 5.6 per cent.

But Commonwealth Bank analysts said yesterday the yields could be force in coming months amid "soft economic situation".

The analysis said extra costs owing to industrial act and weaker yields would see a delay in return to gainfulness at Qantas international, which lost $200 million last year.

The CBA analysts have scaled back their forecasts for cost savings at Qantas from $85 million to $25 million this year, approximation that the roll-out of the new Qantas Asian operations will help produce extra savings in 2012-13.

Airbus is highly optimistic on the long term aviation future in the Pacific region; figure that carriers will need 736 new passenger and freighter aircraft worth $102 billion up to 2030.

Chennai’s require for a world-class airport is getting late because the secondary runway has hit a roadblock.



The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has made it clear that without the taking away of barriers like houses, water tanks and trees, it cannot open the full-portion of the secondary runway.

Also, with metro rail works also projected to begin at the airport stretch, the full use of the secondary runway is not possible.

“We are only looking at operating 2,400 metres even after all the obstructions are removed and proper security preparations made for the bridge over Adyar River,” said a senior airport official. About 2,085 metres of the runway was previous used for landing only smaller aircraft, like ATR types.

The AAI had envisaged on the bridge an extension of secondary runway to permit bigger aircrafts to land and also to meet the difficulties from the increased air-traffic.



AAI chairman V.P. Agrawal told Deccan Chronicle that the construction part of extended portion of secondary runway was over but the blockage must be removed to fulfill with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations.

Airport sources said a re-survey was done at Kolapakkam area, where the impediments are present. “We have now minimized the acquisition area and have saved around 26 houses. About four to five houses, trees and telecom towers want to be removed also re locating a public water-tank,” the sources added.

The secondary runway has been closed for the last 15 months and airline operators are under pressure to schedule their flights, especially through the four hours of compulsory closure of the main runway weekly.

“We desire to operate more flights to Chennai, but we are finding it hard to get slots especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays, when the main runway is also closed for two hours,” said a domestic operator.

The airport handles about 310 flights a day and 12 million passengers yearly and will be capable to handle 23 million passengers with the new terminals.

Long Beach Airport (LGB) declares the opening of three Air carrier flight slots. Allegiant airlines will stop service effective November 3, 2011, following a shift in business direction.

Several airlines instantly expressed interest in providing service from LGB. The airport presently has a total of 41 air carrier slots. LGB has been experiencing more demand from the traveling public than current capacity allows.

“With the availability of these slots, we will be capable to provide more choices and service to new cities with a concentrate on superior customer service,” noted Mario Rodriguez, Airport Director.

Allegiant has loved high passenger load factors from Long Beach, but will be serving other markets with their fleet of MD-80′s. The Airport will reallocate flight slots to increase the potential to extend flight service to better serve Long Beach travelers.

In reallocating these three slots, the Airport is allowing for the possible to have new destinations from around the country connect to Southern California.

While other airports have experienced declining seat capability, passenger seat totals from Long Beach Airport have enlarged 4% since last year.

About Long Beach Airport:

Long Beach Airport (LGB), placed in Long Beach, CA, was founded in 1923, making it the oldest municipal owned airport in California. During its 87-year history, LGB has been a source of substantial economic activity and business chances, also as a leader in maintaining a sustainable environment.

LGB, its tenants and users are dedicated to operating in an environmentally responsible manner by minimizing the crash of business on the environment and surrounding community with methods that are socially responsible, scientifically based and economically sound.

Presently, LGB serves nearly three million commercial airline passengers yearly, offering non-stop service to 14 US cities and is amongst the top five busiest general aviation airports in the world, with more than 300,000 annual operations. As a center for air cargo carriers more than 34,000 tons of cargos are transported via LGB yearly.