March 2012 News in Brief

Court Orders Strike’s End: A German labor court ruled in favor of Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport AG and airline Lufthansa over a strike by the airport’s 200 ground workers. The court said the strike violated the country’s labor laws.

Concerns Over Fuel: IATA said 2012 began with no sign of relief in jet fuel prices. After some decline in December 2011, February 2012 has seen jet fuel prices rise 14 percent above levels a year ago.

TIEM Named Company Of The Year: Toyota’s Columbus, IN, manufacturing plant, Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc., was recognized as “Company of the Year,” by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce.

Partnerships/Acquisitions/Contracts

Jet Aviation Acquires 14th FBO: Jet Aviation acquired the Enterprise Jet Center FBO at Hobby Airport in Houston, TX, adding the 14th FBO to its global network of premium aircraft service and support facilities.

Jetway Deal: JBT Corporation announced that its JBT AeroTech business has been awarded a contract in excess of $5 million for the supply of gate equipment, including 13 Jetway® passenger boarding bridges, to a major airport in the western United States. The installation of the gate equipment anticipated to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

Swissport Adds Cargo: Swissport International begins cargo handling services at Kansai International Airport in cooperation with Finnair Cargo. The global ground handling provider has operated passenger ground handling and ramp services at KIX for several years.

ASIG Wins Contract With Spirit: Aircraft Service International Group was selected as Spirit Airlines’ new handler at Los Angeles International Airport. ASIG has already been providing the airline with refueling services at LAX and will now add cabin cleaning and ramp side service for Spirit’s six daily flights.

A KLM First: A joint venture between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Kenya Airways will be the first carriers to offer direct cargo service between China and Africa. The round-trip service will be operated twice weekly.

Flightstar Buys Bloomington: The Flightstar Corp., Savoy, IL, recently purchased the assets of Bloomington Avionics Inc., Bloomington, IL. The staff at Bloomington Avionics, as well as its complete line of overhead and services, will transfer and now operate from Flightstar’s FBO at Champaign-Urbana’s University of Illinois-Willard Airport.

People In The News

Patrick Fisher joins Flightcom Corporation as its new director of federal programs. Fisher will use his more than three decades of experience providing technology solutions to military and federal agencies to broaden Flightcom’s presence to the government sector.

Schiphol Cargo has appointed Berend-Jan Rietveld as its marking and communications manager. Rietveld will plan and manage global marketing activity including advertising, media relations, online, literature production and trade show participation.

Jasper’s Top Branch: The Houston, TX, branch of Jasper Engines & Transmissions took home the President’s Award for 2011 at the company’s annual sales banquet. The award recognizes the company’s top branch based on various sales and financial figures. In addition, the branch received awards for Most Improved Profits; Most Improved Gas Engine Sales; and Most Improved Marine Sales.

Individually, Houston branch manager, David Eschbach, was named Manager of The Year for 2011. Outside sales rep Brian Flanagan was recognized for Most Improved Sales Volume. OSR Matt Miller ranked as one of Jasper’s top five Veteran Sales reps for 2011. OSR Ed Nesbitt ranked as one of Jaspers’s top five Rookie Sales reps for 2011. OSR Steve Beltran was recognized as a Bronze Performance Level recipient.

Ranjiv Ramanathan, head of operations for Air India SATS Airport Services accepted the Air Cargo Terminal Operator of the Year Award at last month’s Indian Supply Chain & Logistics Summit and Excellence Awards.

Damon Danneker was promoted to director of operations for JetFlite International.

Airlines for America named Shelley Rubino to the role of vice president, global government affairs.

Jet Aviation appointed Gary Dolski vice president and general manager of the company’s MRO and FBO facility in Singapore, and includes responsibility for the Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur facilities.