Here’s the latest in Daily Irregular Departures:
- Save the cookie redux. Midwest Airlines pilots, concerned about the fate of their airline if minority owner Northwest is forced to divest as part of a merger with Delta, are “contacting members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation to make clear their opposition to a forced sale.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Planenews]
- The investigation begins. As expected, the Justice Department has asked Delta and Northwest to submit information about their merger, signaling the beginning of its antitrust inquiry. [Today in the Sky]
- Legal recourse. Air France and its insurers are suing the Toronto airports authority and NavCanada, the national air traffic control provider, over the non-fatal crash of flight 358 at Toronto Pearson International Airport in 2005 as a result of a runway overrun. [Aviation Safety Network]
- Paying the rent. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) have introduced a bill to beef up oversight of overseas aircraft repair stations. The U.S. union representing FAA safety inspectors was pleased. [Aero-News.Net]
- Not so “essential”? Essential Air Service subsidies aren’t keeping up with fuel prices, causing some towns to lose their scheduled service. Watch for Congress to pump up the subsidies instead of reform the system. [Aero-News.Net]
- End of the line. John McCain wants to shut down Amtrak, which is aviation-related vis a vis this post. [Asymmetrical Information]
- Play nice, says FAA. The FAA has instructed Paine Field, the airport north of Seattle where Boeing’s main assembly plant is located, to negotiate in good faith with Allegiant Air or risk losing its federal Airport Improvement Program funds. Neither the airport nor some surrounding communities want Allegiant. [Aero-News.Net]
- Finally, a couple items from Daily Airline Filings, not available online but which come through RSS. First, Northwest’s pilots’ union council has filed a request not to grant permission for international route transfers between Northwest and Delta until labor issues are worked out.
- Second, AirTran, Delta, Northwest, American, United, and US Airways have filed requests to waive minimum slot use requirements, claiming that high fuel prices prevent them from using all their slots at congested Washington National, JFK, Newark, LaGuardia, and Chicago-O’Hare airports. The airlines want to hold on to their slots in anticipation of a better economic road ahead. Virgin America has filed a response which calls their requests “anti-consumer, contrary to precedent, and without merit.”
- Audible aviation. I’ve recorded a new podcast with Addison Schonland of Innovation Analysis Group, available here.
