Sky Talk

Goodbye, 400 West Seventh Street

After ninety years of putting out the newspaper from 400 West Seventh Street, the Star-Telegram is saying goodbye to its historic building.

While it was announced several months ago that XTO Energy founder Bob Simpson had purchased the building, today was moving day for the reporters, editors, photographers, designers and copy editors that have spent endless hours getting the news into print.

I started my career at the Star-Telegram at this building, as the technology reporter in its business department. I spent six years working from a cubicle here in this building before moving out to the Arlington office. I cut the cord completely two years ago when I became a mobile reporter, telecommuting from my home or wherever the news happens to be taking place.

On Monday, the Star-Telegram opens the doors to its new home, 808 Throckmorton, which is only 100 yards away from our old one. It has been designed with the digital newspaper in mind with big screen monitors and tablet computers.

So we said goodbye today to 400 West Seventh Street. You've been a good home.

-Andrea Ahles

129 American pilots will retire on Oct. 1

For the second month in a row, over 100 pilots have chosen to retire from American Airlines, which could impact the carrier’s fall schedule.

The Allied Pilots Association said that 129 pilots will retire on Oct. 1. Last month, 111 pilots, many who flew Boeing 777s on international routes for American, also retired.

The Fort Worth-based carrier said it will be able to operate its schedule "with minimal customer inconvenience." However, American is anticipating near-term staffing shortages as it made a proposal to the APA late Friday afternoon to help mitigate the issue.

"In preparation for a higher than usual number of retirements, we’ve taken a number of steps to minimize any customer inconvenience," said American spokeswoman Susan Gordon. "We have made a proposal to the APA that would mitigate near-term staffing shortages that is good for both the airline and our pilots. Recent schedule reductions also have allowed us to absorb a higher retirement number than our historic rate for our current schedule."

American has already cut capacity in the fourth quarter partly because of the high number of pilot retirements. Usually about a dozen pilots retire from the carrier each month.

The APA told its members in a hotline message Friday that it is evaluating management’s proposal but did not give details of the proposal.

The high number of retirements is partly due to the pilots’ concerns about the financial health of American Airlines and because of a rule in the pilots’ retirement funds, APA spokesman Captain Sam Mayer said.

In addition to their pensions, American pilots also have a defined contribution retirement plan, called "Plan B." That plan’s rules allow pilots to lock in the value of the fund 60 days before their effective retirement date, so pilots who retire on Oct. 1 can lock their plan value based on stock market values on Aug. 1. The Dow has dropped 8 percent in the past two months.

"Our pilot pensions are tied to the stock market and the recent performance of the market has led several people to retire," said APA spokesman Captain Sam Mayer. "You’ve got segment there that is concerned about the economic uncertainty in the industry and in particular to American Airlines."

Shares of AMR also fell below $3 on Friday, closing at $2.96, down 5 percent.

It takes six to eight weeks to train a pilot on a new aircraft, and American has been recalling 30 to 40 pilots a month. Last year, the carrier announced that it was recalling 250 pilots as it added international routes as part of its agreement with British Airways and Iberia.

More pilots will have to retire starting in December 2012 because of requirements by the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2007, the FAA increased the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 60 to 65, which led many to stay on the job longer. The first group of pilots who will be forced to retire under the new requirement will hit 65 at the end of next year.

-Andrea Ahles

Waiting for American pilot retirement numbers

Some time this afternoon, American Airlines and its pilots union, the Allied Pilots Association, will know how many pilots are retiring this month.

Usually, the number of pilots retiring from an airline doesn't make news. But after 111 pilots chose to retire on September 1, instead of the typical dozen or so in a month, investors, analysts and the media are wondering how many will chose that path this month as well.

American has already pulled back capacity in the fourth quarter partly because of the high number of pilot retirements. In the September retirement group, most of the pilots were captains and significant number of them flew Boeing 777s, which American uses primarily on international routes.

While some suggest the high number of retirements is due to the pilots' concerns about the financial health of American Airlines, another reason is because of a rule in the pilots' retirement funds.

In addition to their pensions, American pilots also have a defined contribution retirement plan, called "Plan B." That plan's rules allow pilots to lock in the value of the fund 60 days before their effective retirement date, so pilots who retire on Oct. 1 can lock their plan value based on stock market values on Aug. 1. The Dow has dropped 8 percent in the past two months.

Will we see another 100 pilots leave American this month? We'll let you know as soon as we find out.

-Andrea Ahles

 

 

A friendly baseball wager between DFW and Tampa airport executives

What's a little bet between friends?

Last year, Tampa Airport hired away Dallas/Fort Worth Airport's longtime executive Joe Lopano to head up their airport. And now with the Texas Rangers scheduled to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs this weekend, Lopano and DFW chief executive Jeff Fegan have decided to place a small wager on the best-of-five series.

Usually it's mayors that make the sporting bet, offering food to the winning team. For the airport executives, it's hats.

If the Rangers win, Lopano has agreed to wear at Rangers cap at his next board meeting. And if the Rays win, Fegan will wear a Rays cap at his next board meeting.

Both executives have board meetings scheduled for Thursday, October 6, the same day Game 5 will be played if it is necessary.

"This bet is a no-brainer for me, because we are confident the Texas Rangers will repeat last year's playoff victory over the Rays with the full support of DFW Airport and the entire Dallas/Fort Worth community," Fegan said in a press release.  "After DFW's home run yesterday in landing Emirates daily flights to Dubai, we're sure the Rangers will continue their own record-breaking season all the way to the World Series.  All I really need to know is whether Joe would prefer his Rangers cap in red or blue."

Lopano countered, with the statement, "I fully expect to win this bet. The Rays made it into the playoffs in a thriller of a game on Thursday night, scoring eight runs to win after being down 7-0. That kind of can-do spirit shows the team has what it takes not just to win this series, but to go all the way to the World Series. First, the Tampa airport landed new direct flights to Zurich. Now the Rays are on their way to becoming champions. It just goes to show you that exciting things are brewing in the Tampa region."

-Andrea Ahles

Laser hits American Airlines plane near Meacham Airport

An American Airlines flight, westbound from D/FW Airport, reported being hit by a green laser at 10,000 feet late Tuesday, seven miles northwest of Meacham Airport.

No injuries were reported, according to Lynn Lunsford, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman.

"We notified Fort Worth police," Lunsford said. "This nonsense happens multiple times a night in cities all across the United States."

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Randy Babbitt announced this summer that the FAA would begin imposing civil penalties against people who point a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft.

The FAA’s legal interpretation found that directing a laser beam into an aircraft cockpit could interfere with a flight crew performing its duties while operating an aircraft, a violation of Federal Aviation Regulations.

The maximum civil penalty the FAA can impose on an individual for violating the FAA’s regulations that prohibit interfering with a flight crew is $11,000 per violation. The offender can also face jail time.

-Marty Sabota

 

Emirates Airlines to offer daily non-stop flights from D/FW to Dubai starting in February

Getting to the Middle East from Dallas/Fort Worth is now a little easier.

On Wednesday, Emirates Airlines announced that it will start daily non-stop flights from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to Dubai, United Arab Emirates on February 2.

The airline, owned by the government of Dubai, will use a Boeing 777-200LR on the sixteen-hour flight to the Middle East. The flight will leave Dubai at 2:45 a.m. and arrive at DFW Airport at 9:05 a.m. The return flight will leave DFW at 11:50 a.m. and arrive in Dubai at 12:20 p.m.the next day.

"Our latest expansion also serves as a powerful indicator of how Emirates continues to invest in products and services even during difficult economic climates," said Tim Clark, president of Emirates. "In making this investment now, Emirates is providing a timely economic boost to the United States whilst ensuring that we are soundly placed to serve America's future air travel needs."

The flight, which have a "bellyhold" capacity of 15 tons, will help facilitate trade between North Texas and the UAE, the carrier said.

DFW Airport said the new service will have a $227 million economic impact on North Texas.

"Emirates daily nonstop service between DFW and Dubai connects two global super-hub portals for U.S. travelers to the Far and Middle East, the Indian sub-continent and Africa on a trendsetting airline," said DFW Airport chief executive Jeff Fegan.

DFW Airport has offered Emirates $5 million in incentives which includes free landing fees and terminal rent for two years as well as $250,000 for marketing during the first year of service.

Emirates is the latest carrier to come to DFW Airport. In May, Qantas Airways launched service to Australia from DFW. The airport has also added service from Spirit Airlines and Virgin America in the past year.

On Wednesday, Emirates also announced a daily, non-stop flight from Seattle to Dubai that will start on March 1 and a new customer lounge at San Francisco Airport that will open in November.

-Andrea Ahles

 

Follow ANA's Boeing 787 to its new home

ANA has finally received the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner and it is now flying the aircraft back to Japan.

You can follow the flight's progress on FlightAware.com here.

And if you missed Monday's celebration at Boeing's facility in Seattle, here is the video put together by Boeing showing the manufacturer handing the keys of the 787 over to ANA.

 

Take-off of ANA Dreamliner leaving Everett, Wash. to head to Japan.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Fitch Ratings affirms Southwest's BBB rating

Southwest Airlines' debt rating remains at investment grade levels, Fitch Ratings said on Tuesday.

The rating agency affirmed its BBB debt rating for the Dallas-based carrier and said that Southwest's rating outlook is stable.

"In spite of industry operating risks and growing concerns over a recession, LUV appears to be on track to lower debt levels meaningfully over the next year as scheduled maturities are funded out of positive free cash flow (FCF) and excess liquidity on the balance sheet," Fitch said in its press release.

Continue reading for the full rating report.

-Andrea Ahles

Using older aircraft as collateral, AMR expects to raise $725 million

AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, said it wants to raise $725 million by using 43 planes as collateral for the loan.

The financing deal was revealed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing made on Tuesday morning and comes as Wall Street analysts have questioned AMR's cash balance and wondered if the carrier was considering filing for bankruptcy protection.

In the filing, AMR said that loan would be secured by the following aircraft:

-four Boeing 737-800s that currently are unencumbered

-ten Boeing 737-800 and two Boeing 757-200 that are currently being used as collateral in other mortgage financings.

-two Boeing 737-800, twelve Boeing 757-200 and 13 Boeing 777-200 aircraft that are currently subject to liens as part of a financing deal that is set to mature on October 1.

J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Streeter has a favorable view of AMR's newest financing deal.

"The bottom line is that this deal makes us feel better about the AMR near-term credit story, we like the deal structure, and we like the pricing on the As above 8%," Streeter wrote in a research note to investors.

AMR may also issue "class B" certificates as part of this financing that would raise an additional $231.9 million which would be secured with the same aircraft.

Shares of AMR were down slightly, off 3 cents, trading around $3.43 in mid-day trading.

-Andrea Ahles

 

Actress/musician says she was kicked off Southwest flight for being gay

Leisha Hailey, an actress on "The L Word" and part of the band "Uh Huh Her," said she was kicked off of a Southwest Airlines flight for kissing her girlfriend.

Hailey was apparently on Southwest flight 2274 that was leaving Baltimore and headed to St. Louis. In several tweets posted on Monday, Hailey called for a boycott of Southwest following her escort off the plane.

Southwest responded, asking Hailey to direct message them about the situation, and then a few hours later issued a statement saying that initial reports said the behavior was excessive but offered an apology to the passengers involved.

"Our crew, responsible for the comfort of all Customers on board, approached the passengers based solely on behavior and not gender," the statement said.

Here are the tweets that Hailey sent out a few hours ago, describing the situation with Southwest Airlines.

"So we've joined the ranks alongside @BJAofficial and @ThatKevinSmith for being kicked off an @SouthwestAir flight, this time for being gay.

"@SouthwestAir We didn't know intolerance and discrimination for slouchy pants, being overweight or being gay was part of your family values

"@SouthwestAir Maybe you guys should put up a big sign that lists what you don't tolerate before we spend our money on your horrible service

"I have been discriminated against by @SouthwestAir. Flt. attendant said that it was a "family" airline and kissing was not ok.

"This is an outrage. I demand a public apology by @SouthwestAir and a refund. Hate is not a family value. I will never fly this airline.

"We were escorted off the plane for getting upset about the issue. @SouthwestAir endorses homophobic employees. No one made her accountable.

"Since when is showing affection towards someone you love illegal? I want to know what Southwest Airlines considers as "family".

"I know plenty of wonderful same sex families I would like to introduce them to. Boycott @SouthwestAir if you are gay. They don't like us.

"I call for a boycott for @SouthwestAir for their intolerance. Period. Unacceptable. Keep hearing more stories of these incidences. Insane!

"Did I mention to @SouthwestAir that I have a lot of their actions recorded on audio and video?

Here is Southwest's statement:

"Initial reports indicate that we received several passenger complaints characterizing the behavior as excessive. Our crew, responsible for the comfort of all Customers on board, approached the passengers based solely on behavior and not gender. The conversation escalated to a level that was better resolved on the ground, as opposed to in flight. We regret any circumstance where a passenger does not have a positive experience on Southwest and we are ready to work directly with the passengers involved to offer our heartfelt apologies for falling short of their expectations."

-Andrea Ahles