Spirit AeroSystems Holdings said Wednesday it was well placed to adjust to planned changes in output by the world’s two largest jet makers, calming investors who remain nervous about a potential oversupply of aircraft. The company’s production of large components for Boeing, Airbus and the big engine manufacturers make Spirit a key bellwether of the health of the aerospace supply chain ahead of large planned increases in output. Spirit CE Larry Lawson said it wouldn’t need to construct a new factory to expand production of fuselages for the Boeing 737 as the aerospace company boosts monthly production to 47 and then beyond to 52 and eventually 57. The company produces fuselage parts for the Airbus A350, and Airbus plans a big boost in production this year to more than 50 jets. <br/>
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Acknowledging that passenger throughput at US airport security checkpoints has slowed slightly in recent months, TSA head Peter Neffenger said he’s eager to collaborate with airlines and airports to test new, innovative security procedures. Neffenger, who took over as TSA administrator in July 2015, said that he’s talked with all of the major US airline CEs and hopes to soon establish partnerships with the industry to trial new security processes. He did not get specific about what could change, but suggested technology upgrades are possible. “I would love to get us to a place that is very different from the current technology that we have,” Neffenger said, adding that there are “really some promising new technologies out there … not yet mature enough to deploy.” <br/>
The US air-traffic control system would be spun off to a non-profit corporation and airline passengers wouldn’t be allowed to talk on mobile phones under sweeping legislation unveiled Wednesday to set aviation policy for the next 6 years. The job of guiding planes would be taken away from the FAA and put under the auspices of a new non-profit funded by fees on commercial flights that would replace most current airline taxes, said representative Bill Shuster, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "I believe that what we are doing is taking this organisation out of a bureaucracy that doesn’t manage the costs well," said Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican. "Taking it out, I think, you can have a much more efficient corporation." <br/>
Two days before the start of Carnival in Brazil, the country’s main airports faced chaos as airline personnel went on strike Wednesday morning for 2 hours. The strike, conducted from 6AM to 8AM brought confusion to 12 of the country’s busiest airports in 9 state capitals. Data shows that at least 300 flights were delayed or cancelled during that time. The National Airline Crew Union (SNA) called the strike demanding an 11% increase in wages retroactive as of Dec 1st, 2015. According to the Union, the more than seventy thousand union members are “unsatisfied with the position of airline companies, which offer a disgraceful wage increase, which only brings losses to the sector”. The airline companies’ main association, Brazilian Airline Companies Association disagreed with the actions taken. <br/>
Russia and Cyprus have agreed to remove “all the limitations on the number of designated airlines of both sides on agreed routes” between the countries. The liberalisation was established in a memorandum of understanding signed by Russia and Cyprus aeronautical authorities March 16, 2012, but became effective in Jan 2015 after a letter exchange between the administrations. Cyprus authorities also asked Russia to allow non-Cyprus but EU carriers to operate flights on the routes. Bilateral agreements between Russia and most other countries stipulate that flights can only be operated by airlines that are owned and managed by residents of the two countries. The non-residential ownership was the main obstacle for Wizz Air to get the designation for Budapest-Moscow route after Malev ceased operations. <br/>