News in Brief

Feb. 16, 2010

Business Buzz

¦ ECOtality Inc. announced that it has established a new, wholly owned subsidiary, ECOtality Australia Pty Ltd. The company, headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, will market and distribute battery-charging equipment to support on-road electric vehicles, industrial equipment, and electric airport ground support equipment.

¦ The IPWT Group announced it has launched a GSE division. IPWT AGSE will be an independent entity and profit center under the IPWT Group and would be responsible for marketing GSE, offering after sales service, backed by maintenance and other logistics support services. The company aims to target existing and upcoming airport projects in India, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

¦ The International Air Transport Association reported December and full-year 2009 demand statistics for international scheduled air traffic that showed the industry ending 2009 with the largest-ever post-war decline. Passenger demand for the full year was down 3.5 percent with an average load factor of 75.6 percent. Freight showed a full-year decline of 10.1 percent with an average load factor of 49.1 percent. International passenger capacity fell 0.7 percent in December 2009 while freight capacity grew 0.6 percent above December 2008 levels. Yields have started to improve with tighter supply-demand conditions in recent months, but they remained 5-10 percent down on 2008 levels.

¦ Quantum Aviation Solutions completed its first BagScan installation in India at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). BagScan was implemented to provide a common-use baggage tracking and reconciliation system (BTRS) to the community at the airport’s newly developed domestic Terminal 1D.

¦ Schopf Maschinenbau GmbH announced its new F110 electric aircraft tow tractor was successfully tested recently at Stuttgart Airport. Battery capacity in the electric F110 pushback prototype unit was sufficient to run a two-shift operation at Stuttgart Airport. In the coming months, after a period of adjustments and optimization, Schopf’s e-tractor will enter series production.

¦ Swissport International announced the strike at Geneva Airport ended. The delegations from Swissport and the VPOD union reached an agreement, which brought an end to their industrial dispute at Geneva Airport. The strike lasted 10 days with about 7 percent of the workforce of Swissport Geneva having participated in the strike called by the VPOD union. All the strikers returned to their workplaces Jan. 13.

¦ UFIS Airport Innovation (UFIS AI) announced it has completed the extension of its BRAINS® (Baggage Routing and Information System) at the expanded main terminal at Geneva International Airport, Switzerland. The successful completion of the project, which started in October last year, allows UFIS AI to continue to play an integral role in the baggage handling and logistics operation at Geneva. The baggage handling system installed at Geneva includes BRAINS® high-level control system, interfaces, configuration, workstations, servers, low-level controls, electrical construction and wiring, and the BHS core network. UFIS AI is also providing 24-hour hotline support.

¦ The Air Transport Association of America reported that passenger revenue, based on a sample group of carriers, fell 4 percent in December 2009 versus the same month in 2008, marking the 14th consecutive month in which passenger revenue declined from the prior year due to the combination of continued reduced passenger traffic and lower average ticket prices.

Partnerships/Acquisitions/Contracts

¦ I.D. Systems Inc. announced that it has received a follow-on purchase order from American Eagle Airlines Inc., a subsidiary of AMR Corporation, to expand deployment of I.D. Systems’ AvRamp® Wireless Vehicle Management System on a fleet of aircraft ground support equipment at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. The order follows American Eagle’s initial implementation of the AvRamp system on a large fleet of GSE at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in 2009.

¦ Cargolux announced it has concluded a five-year agreement with ULD supply and management provider, Unitpool. The five-year contract, which started mid-January 2010, includes the sale of the Cargolux ULD fleet to Unitpool, provision of service including 24/7 ULD management across the airline’s worldwide network, repairs and maintenance, and supply of ULD to secure replacement and growth. Unitpool has been working closely with Cargolux since the end of October 2009 refining processes, visiting the various stations across the network, and bringing on board new staff to ensure all is set for a seamless transfer of operations in January.

¦ JBT Corporation announced that its JBT AeroTech business was awarded a contract by HMMH, the Construction Manager for the new Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal (MHJIT) at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The contract includes the supply and installation of 12 new Jetway(R) passenger boarding bridges and all associated ancillary equipment for the gates in the new Concourse F.

¦ Cargologic AG and CFS (Cargologic Freight Services AG) merged on January 1, 2010. The aim of the merger, according to the companies, was to simplify and consolidate the service offering for customers, and to generally improve profitability.

¦ Era a.s., a subsidiary of SRA International Inc., announced that Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide has selected Era to supply 228 of its latest-generation Squid® vehicle tracking units at Frankfurt Airport (FRA). The Squid units will support the airport’s advanced surface movement guidance and control system (A-SMGCS).

¦ National Aviation Services announced that it has been awarded handling contracts at three prominent airports in India’s western region, Ahmedebad, Pune and Goa.Through this award, NAS India will provide passenger services and ramp handling to airlines operating at the three airports which boast some of the highest passenger volumes and aircraft movements among non-metropolitan cities in India. The award was made by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the organization working under the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages around 126 airports in India, both domestic and international.

¦ Swissport International has concluded a comprehensive partnership with Aer Lingus in the cargo field. The multinational agreement offers a model of how such accords may be structured in future to ensure sustainable long-term success for the partners involved. As a result of the Irish-based carrier’s decision, Swissport will be named “preferred partner” at 10 Aer Lingus stations in Europe over the next few weeks. The stations will include key hubs such as Paris, London, Frankfurt and Brussels.

¦ AERO Specialties was selected by all three Vancouver FBOs to supply a complete package of ground support equipment to meet the aircraft traffic demands of the 2010 Olympics’ athletes, fans and organizers. Avitat, Landmark Aviation and Million Air all began receiving the equipment in January to complement their current equipment fleets. Among the 40-some units supplied were Eagle TT series pushback tractors, TLD and JetGo ground power units; as well as a large selection of AERO Specialties towbars, heads, lavatory and potable water carts.

People in the News

¦ The National Air Transportation Association announced that it has named Avfuel Corporation Vice President of Supply and Business Development Owen Busch as chairman of the NATA Environmental Committee.

¦ Swissport International announced the appointment of Johannes C. Spindler to the post of general counsel & head legal affairs. Upon assuming his new duties as of March 15, 2010, Johannes C. Spindler will hold the title of executive vice president and become a member of Swissport executive management.

¦ Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation announced it has promoted Rick Edmondson to the position of hub director at their Washington Dulles hub operation, reporting directly to Vice President Customer Service Vince Portaro. In his new role, Edmondson will assume responsibility for all decisions relevant to the United Express operations. Additional aspects of Edmondson’s responsibilities include monitoring and measuring Air Wisconsin’s operations to maximize cost effectiveness while ensuring operational quality and reliability.

¦ Swissport International has appointed Ricky Saghir as the new commercial director of its German cargo organization. Saghir will also be overall in charge of Swissport’s commercial cargo activities in Eastern Europe in his new function, which he assumed on Feb. 1.

¦ The BEUMER Group, an international manufacturer of intralogistic systems for conveying and loading, palletizing and packaging technology, as well as sortation and distribution systems, headquartered in Beckum, Germany, has increased the membership of its managing board by appointing Dr. Thomas Borghoff to managing director sales.