Tag: organization (Page 2 of 3)

U.S. Leaves Tariffs on Airbus Aircraft Unchanged at 15%

August 12, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Wednesday said it would maintain 15% tariffs on Airbus <AIR.PA> aircraft and 25% tariffs on other European goods, despite moves by the European Union to resolve a 16-year-old dispute over aircraft subsidies.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (USTR) said the EU had not taken actions necessary to come into compliance with World Trade Organization decisions, and Washington would initiate a new process to try to reach a long-term solution.

USTR said it would modify its list of $7.5 billion of affected European products to remove certain goods from Greece and Britain and add an equivalent amount from Germany and France.

It ignored calls from EU officials and U.S. lawmakers to drop tariffs on EU food, wine and spirits, but did not add tariffs to vodka, gin and beer as it had threatened.

Airbus said it “profoundly regrets” the U.S. decision to keep tariffs in place on its aircraft.

Washington’s decision to refrain from increasing the tariff rates would help prevent a further escalation, an EU official said, calling for intensified efforts to resolve trade conflicts between the powerful economic blocs.

EU trade commissioner Phil Hogan would continue his active engagement with Lighthizer to reach a negotiated settlement, the official said, noting that the current economic slowdown underscored the urgency of ending the conflict.

Last month, Airbus said it would increase loan repayments to France and Spain in a “final” bid to reverse U.S. tariffs and jog the United States into settling the long-running fight over billions of dollars of aircraft subsidies.

The United States declared itself in full compliance with WTO findings in May after Washington state abolished aerospace industry tax breaks that largely benefited Boeing.

Trade groups are bracing for an escalation of the row in the autumn when the EU is expected to win WTO approval to hit back with its own tariffs over subsidies for Boeing <BA>.

Airbus said in a statement it “trusts that Europe will respond appropriately to defend its interests and the interests of all the European companies and sectors, including Airbus, targeted by these tariffs.”

Boeing urged the EU and Airbus to launch prompt and “meaningful negotiations with the U.S. to address the full scope of their noncompliance and finally bring this case to an end.”

USTR in October 2019 imposed 25% tariffs on an array of EU food, wine and spirits, including Italian cheese and single-malt Scotch whisky in retaliation for EU subsidies on large aircraft.

It initially imposed 10% tariffs on Airbus aircraft but hiked that to 15% in March.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, David Shepardson and Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Chris Reese, Richard Pullin and Tom Brown)

Embraer Announces Phenom 300MED Light Jet Medevac Solution

August 9, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Embraer today announced the Phenom 300MED, a unique Medevac solution for Phenom 300 series aircraft, which is also available for retrofit, through a partnership with umlaut and Aerolite. Embraer and umlaut are jointly developing and certifying a new supplemental type certificate (STC) utilizing Aerolite equipment.

The Phenom 300MED, which is now available for customer configuration, is representative of Embraer’s modern and versatile product portfolio and the company’s intent to deliver the ultimate experience in business aviation, now including the Medevac segment. Designed as an ideal solution for both civil and government applications, the Medevac solution will be installed exclusively by Embraer’s award-winning Services & Support organization, ensuring the highest quality, reliability, and service experience, direct from the manufacturer.

Together, Embraer and umlaut are developing a comprehensive set of configuration alternatives for the Phenom 300MED, which will feature either one or two stretchers, as well as the ability to carry an incubator and additional medical equipment. The aircraft will also feature hospital-grade trim and finishing. As a purpose-built Medevac solution, created in collaboration with the leading companies in the industry, the Phenom 300MED is designed to be quickly and easily configured to meet the various needs of both healthcare providers and patients.

The Phenom 300MED benefits from the platform’s heritage of best-in-class cabin pressurization, low operating costs, high mission flexibility, state-of-the-art avionics, plus its speed and range capabilities. With best-in-class cabin altitude of 6,600 feet, passengers and crew enjoy more oxygen in the cabin. This feature equates to a healthier flight experience, which is essential for medical staff and patient care.

The Phenom 300MED is further distinguished by the integration of Aerolite medical equipment. Aerolite is a leader in the design, engineering, production, and installation of Air Medical interiors. With over 500 Medevac interiors delivered, the company offers the ideal blend of equipment for the mission.

Ronald Hengartner, CEO of Aerolite, said, “We are honored that Embraer and umlaut have selected Aerolite’s innovative aeromedical equipment for the new Phenom 300MED. From providing the most modern EMS interior solutions to offering customer-specific support and training, Aerolite is uniquely positioned to help deliver the ultimate Medevac solution.”

Embraer’s products, including the Phenom 300 series, are recognized for high reliability and utilization. More than 550 Phenom 300 series aircraft have been delivered since the aircraft entered the market in December 2009, and it has accumulated more than one million flight hours. According to VREF’s 15-year business aircraft residual value forecast, the Phenom 300E will retain one of the highest residual values in the industry.

Airbus Offers Subsidy Concession to End U.S. Tariffs

July 26, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

PARIS (Reuters) – Europe’s Airbus <AIR.PA> said on Friday it would increase loan repayments to France and Spain in a “final” bid to reverse U.S. tariffs and jog the United States into settling a 16-year-old dispute over billions of dollars of aircraft subsidies.

The European Union, France and Spain said the move to raise interest rates paid by Airbus on A350 aircraft development loans should settle the row at the World Trade Organization and urged Washington to withdraw tariffs on EU goods.

“In the absence of a settlement, the EU will be ready to fully avail itself of its own sanction rights,” EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan said.

The loans are part of a system targeted by the United States in the world’s largest corporate trade dispute, which has also aired condemnation of U.S. support for Boeing <BA>.

The United States last year won WTO authorization to impose tariffs on up to $7.5 billion of EU goods from wine to whisky.

Trade groups are bracing for an escalation of the row in the autumn when the EU is expected to win WTO approval to hit back with its own tariffs over subsidies for Boeing.

Click the link below to read the full story!

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/airbus-offers-final-concession-jet-073157204.html

Delta Reduces Japan Flight Schedule Due To COVID-19

March 4, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Customers with affected travel plans can go to the My Trips section of delta.com to help them understand their options.

Delta will reduce its weekly flying schedule to Japan through April 30 and suspend summer seasonal service between Seattle and Osaka for 2020 in response to reduced demand due to COVID-19 (coronavirus).

The health and safety of customers and employees is Delta’s top priority. The airline maintains an ongoing relationship with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, the world’s foremost experts on communicable diseases, to ensure training, policies, procedures, and cabin cleaning and disinfection measures meet and exceed guidelines. The latest information about Delta’s response to COVID-19 is here: news.delta.com/coronavirus

Flight schedule changes

Beginning March 7 for U.S. departures to Japan and March 8 for Japan departures to the U.S., the airline will operate the following schedule:

Market	Peak Frequency	Frequency March 7-April 30
Tokyo-Detroit	Daily	Daily
Tokyo-Los Angeles	Daily	Daily
Tokyo-Honolulu	Daily	Daily
Tokyo-Seattle	Daily	Daily
Tokyo-Portland	Daily	3x weekly
Tokyo-Atlanta	Daily	5x weekly
Tokyo-Minneapolis	Daily	5x weekly
Nagoya-Detroit	Daily	3x weekly
Nagoya-HNL	Daily	3x weekly
Osaka-Seattle	Daily	Suspended
Osaka-Honolulu	Daily	3x weekly
Tokyo-Manila	Daily	Daily*

*ends March 27

Delta’s planned consolidation of Tokyo flights at Haneda Airport beginning March 28 will happen as planned. Flights between Seattle, Detroit, Atlanta, Honolulu and Portland will transition from Narita to Haneda beginning March 28 for departures from the U.S. to Tokyo, and March 29 for departures from Tokyo to the U.S. Delta’s Tokyo-bound flights from Minneapolis and Los Angeles already fly into Haneda and will continue to do so.

Delta’s service between Narita and Manila will continue to operate daily until March 27, after which the flight will be suspended as part of the carrier’s previously-announced consolidation at Haneda. The airline’s new service from Incheon to Manila, previously scheduled to begin March 29, will now start on May 1.

The airline’s seasonal summer service between Seattle and Osaka will be suspended for the summer of 2020, with a planned return in summer 2021. Delta will continue to serve Osaka from Honolulu.

Full schedules will be available on delta.com beginning March 7. The airline will continue to monitor the situation closely and may make additional adjustments as the situation continues to evolve.

Kopter Receives Production Organization Approval from FOCA

February 22, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

This certificate confirms Kopter as a duly recognized Production Organization. It is attesting that Kopter has in place qualified personnel, the necessary methods, processes and procedures, as well as a reliable quality system. It is a major milestone for Kopter making it eligible to produce and ramp up its light single-engine SH09 helicopter.

The handover ceremony of the certificate took place today at the Kopter premises in Mollis with the participation of the Chief Operations Officer of Kopter, Dr. Jan Nowacki, the FOCA POA Team Leader for Kopter, Urs Frei, and Andreas Boss, national FOCA POA coordinator.

Jan Nowacki said, “We are extremely satisfied to receive this certificate, which acknowledges all the work we’ve done in building a well performing team and organization. We thank FOCA for their trust and strong support in reaching this key step and look forward to pursuing our close cooperation on our way to produce our new turbine engine helicopter.”

Andreas Boss and Urs Frei commented: “We are proud to handover this POA certificate to Kopter. It demonstrates that Kopter fulfills the highest aviation standards and possesses the capability, facilities, manpower, resources and quality assurance systems to produce and support the SH09 helicopter which is on its way to certification.”

Mitsubishi Postpones SpaceJet Delivery Again, Books $4.5 Billion Special Loss

February 6, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said on Thursday it will book a 496.4 billion yen ($4.5 billion) special loss after its aircraft unit delayed the delivery of its SpaceJet regional jet for at least another year until after March 2021.

The sixth delay announced by Mitsubishi Aircraft is a fresh blow to Japan’s commercial jet ambitions and could stretch Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ finances.

The company cited the special loss as one reason for wiping out a forecast for operating profit of 220 billion yen in the business year ending March 31.

The new postponement also means an aircraft that Mitsubishi Heavy had planned to bring to market in 2013, will have to compete against a new generation of regional jets built by Brazil’s Embraer SA <ERJ>.

Japan’s biggest airline by revenue, ANA Holdings Inc., is now to take the first delivery of the jet sometime after March 2021.

Mitsubishi Heavy, which builds products ranging from nuclear reactors and ships to rockets and industrial machinery, has traditionally relied on stronger units to support weaker businesses.

“We use cashflow and borrowing to finance our projects and going forward the SpaceJet development will require further funds,” a spokesman for Mitsubishi Heavy said. The company, he added, had no plan at the moment to raise capital for aircraft development.

Government funding would not be an option for Japan’s biggest heavy machinery maker even though the SpaceJet is backed by the government because doing so would contravene World Trade Organization (WTO) rules banning taxpayer subsidies.

A spokeswoman for Mitsubishi Aircraft declined to say how much development of the SpaceJet has cost so far.

The company on Thursday said it had appointed Takaoki Niwa, the head of its U.S. operations, as its new president, replacing Hisakazu Mizutani, who will become chairman.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Kim Coghill and Christopher Cushing)

American Airlines Pilots Union Sues to Stop China Flights

January 30, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON/PARIS/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – A pilots union filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to immediately halt American Airlines U.S.-China service, as cabin crews worldwide voiced unease about exposure to the rapidly-spreading coronavirus which has killed more than 170 people in China.

Sri Lankan Airlines staff wear masks at Bandaranaike International Airport after Sri Lanka confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the country, in Katunayake

The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, cited “serious, and in many ways still unknown, health threats posed by the coronavirus.”

American, the largest U.S. carrier, did not immediately comment on the suit, filed in a Texas court. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline announced on Wednesday it would next month suspend flights from Los Angeles to Beijing and Shanghai, but continue flights from Dallas.

The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the coronavirus outbreak in China a global emergency as cases spread to 18 countries.

The lawsuit came as an increasing number of airlines stopped their flights to China. Air France-KLM, for example, suspended its Beijing and Shanghai flights after cabin crews demanded an immediate halt.

Others that have dropped mainland Chinese destinations besides Wuhan, the outbreak’s center, include British Airways and Germany’s Lufthansa. Wuhan is closed to commercial air traffic.

Virgin Atlantic also said on Thursday it would suspend its daily operations to Shanghai from Sunday for two weeks because of the safety of customers and staff and a declining demand for tickets, but would continue flights to Hong Kong.

Other major carriers have kept flying to China, but protective masks and shorter layovers designed to reduce exposure have done little to reassure crews.

Thai Airways is hosing its cabins with disinfectant spray between China flights and allowing crew to wear masks and gloves.

“I don’t think it’s safe at all even with gloves and masks, because you catch it so many ways, like your eyes,” said one flight attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“My friends also feel unsafe and don’t want to fly,” she said. “When we fly, we don’t sleep a lot.”

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are operating fewer China flights, with Delta offering food deliveries so crew can stay in their hotels.

Korean Air Lines Co Ltd and Singapore Airlines are sending additional crew to fly each plane straight back, avoiding overnight stays.

The South Korean carrier also said it was loading hazmat suits for flight attendants who might need to take care of suspected coronavirus cases in the air.

The outbreak poses the biggest epidemic threat to the airline industry since the 2003 SARS crisis, which led to a 45% plunge in passenger demand in Asia at its peak in April of that year, analysts said.

(Reporting by Laurence Frost, Aradhana Aravindan, Chayut Setboonsarng, David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski Additional reporting by Caroline Pailliez in Paris, Josephine Mason in London, John Geddie in Singapore, Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, Jamie Freed in Sydney and Joyce Lee in Seoul; Writing by Jamie Freed and Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines Airbus A321 plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport

U.S. Says May Raise Tariffs on EU Products in Aircraft Subsidy Row

December 2, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Monday said it would review the possibility of raising tariffs on European Union products and applying tariffs to more products, given what it called lack of progress in resolving a dispute over aircraft subsidies.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office said Monday’s decision by the World Trade Organization (WTO) affirmed the U.S. position that European Union launch aid to planemaker Airbus continued to harm the U.S. aerospace industry.

“In light of today’s report and the lack of progress in efforts to resolve this dispute, the United States is initiating a process to assess increasing the tariff rates and subjecting additional EU products to the tariffs,” USTR said in a statement. It said it would release more information about the process later this week.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

EU hasn’t ended illegal subsidies to Airbus, WTO panel says

CIAF Leasing Signs Order with Embraer for Three E190 Jets

November 17, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Dubai, UAE, November 17, 2019 – Embraer and Cairo-based CIAF Leasing have signed a firm order for three E190 aircraft. The deal has a value of USD 161.4 million at current list prices and will be added to Embraer’s fourth quarter backlog.

The three new aircraft will join CIAF’s existing fleet of three E170s, two of which are on lease with Jasmin Airways, the other with Air Cairo. CIAF are also due to receive two E195s in mid-November.

Dr. Hassan Mohamed, Chairman and CEO of CIAF Leasing said, “The three new E190s will be an excellent addition to our growing fleet of Embraer E-Jets. With a fleet of E170s, E190s, and E195s, CIAF will have the flexibility to offer to both our wet and dry lease customers a service that fits their needs exactly.”

Raul Villaron, Vice President Sales, Africa and Middle East, Embraer Commercial Aviation said, “CIAF is rapidly increasing its footprint in both wet and dry leasing with the addition of further aircraft to their fleet and the establishment of their own AOC (Air Operator Certificate) in June this year. It’s a pleasure to work with an organisation that’s going from strength to strength by exploiting the benefits a family of aircraft can provide.”

All three aircraft will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2020, in a new livery showing off CIAF’s new visual identity.

Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft up to 150 seats with more than 100 customers across the world. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,500 aircraft have been delivered. Today, E-Jets are flying in the fleets of 80 customers in 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 150-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline network carriers.

Record U.S. Tariff Award Over Airbus Aid Could Fuel Trade Tensions

September 29, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

BRUSSELS/PARIS (Reuters) – Transatlantic trade ties face renewed disruption this week when global arbiters are expected to grant the United States a record award allowing it to hit European imports with billions of dollars of tariffs in a long-running aircraft subsidy dispute.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has found that both European planemaker Airbus <EADSY> and its U.S. rival Boeing <BA> received billions of dollars of illegal subsidies in a pair of cases that have run for 15 years.

Both sides have threatened tariffs after the Geneva body found neither adhered fully to its findings. However, the United States has a head start, with the European Union having to wait until early in 2020 to hear what level of retaliation it can exact over Boeing.

The WTO is expected this week to reveal the amount of EU goods the United States can target. People familiar with the case say the three-person tribunal is expected to award it around $7.5 billion, a record for the 24-year-old watchdog.

Such retaliation rights are rarely granted by the WTO – most parties reach settlements – and in many cases complainants do not exercise their rights. The United States though has indicated it will target EU goods to the fullest extent.

It has already published a $25 billion list from which it will pick items to target from aircraft and aerospace parts to wine, cheese and luxury goods.

The WTO award in the world’s largest corporate trade dispute could fuel already strained trade tensions, diplomats say.

EU manufacturers are already facing U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and a threat from U.S. President Donald Trump to penalize EU cars and car parts. The EU has in turn retaliated.

Trade talks between the two, designed to ease tensions and ward off the threat of a tit-for-tat tariff war, have not gone well. The two sides have made some progress on regulatory cooperation, but a proposed deal to reduce duties is stuck, with Washington saying agriculture should be included and Brussels insisting it cannot.

The Trump administration has concluded that tariffs were effective in bringing China to the negotiating table over trade, and in convincing Japan to open its agricultural market to U.S. products. Washington is unlikely to skip the opportunity to implement tariffs in the case over aircraft subsidies, according to current and former U.S. officials.

Airbus has said this would lead to a ‘lose-lose’ trade war.

Some U.S. airlines have urged the administration not to go ahead with the tariffs, saying they could lead to layoffs.

NO SETTLEMENT IN SIGHT

The parties could still theoretically resolve the issue and stave off sanctions, but both sides accuse the other of failing to respond to invitations to reach a negotiated settlement.

U.S. officials say the decision about next steps will be up to U.S. President Trump.

The EU cannot retaliate immediately to any tariffs as it did following the U.S. imposition of metal tariffs in 2018.

It can either wait until a pronouncement in the parallel Boeing case or possibly revive an existing right to hit $4 billion of U.S. imports in a WTO dispute over U.S. tax breaks for exports, even though the two sides settled in 2006. Such a move would likely be strongly contested by Washington.

EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom has urged Washington to hold off sanctions and seek an overall deal on aircraft support, but Washington has shown no sign it wants to talk.

A U.S. government official said Washington has been willing since the very beginning to negotiate a solution, but that the EU gave more support to Airbus rather than fixing the problem.

EU-U.S. trade relations are likely to be a major focus in Brussels during a parliamentary hearing of the next trade commissioner, Irishman Phil Hogan, on Monday, and of national trade ministers meeting on Tuesday.

(Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington, reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

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