Bombardier, a crown jewel of Canadian manufacturing, is billing itself as a major US employer in a bitter trade fight with Boeing that has profits, diplomatic ties and the future of a fledgling aircraft on the line. The maker of the narrow-body jet at the heart of the dispute has assembled an influential group of US politicians, vendors and customers to back its side in a case brought by Boeing, which reaches a critical hearing next week in Washington. Bombardier says more than half its all-new C Series aircraft is made in US factories even though final assembly takes place near Montreal. The US International Trade Commission is slated to hear arguments Dec 18 on whether American industry was harmed by Bombardier’s sale of its jet to Delta Air Lines at what Boeing calls an unfairly low price -- enabled in part by subsidies in Canada. <br/>
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Consumer advocacy groups are raising concerns about the US DoT’s decision not to pursue regulations that could have increased transparency of airline baggage fees and other add-on charges. The federal agency last week announced it was withdrawing 2 notices of proposed rulemaking that were investigating possible regulations requiring airlines to disclose bag fees earlier in the booking process and provide more detailed reporting about the fees they collect. While the rulemaking processes wouldn’t have necessarily resulted in regulations, consumer advocacy groups said the DoT's action is the latest in a string of decisions that have leaned in airlines’ favour. It's also another sign of a light-touch regulatory approach that has marked president Donald Trump's first year in office. <br/>
Marc Garneau’s hope the Senate would approve an air passenger rights bill by Christmas failed to take off Tuesday during a hearing marked by strong rebukes and a fiery exchange between the transport minister and a former Liberal party operative. The Liberals had been pushing the upper chamber to pass a transportation bill that would set the stage for a new air passenger bill of rights, make changes to rail safety rules and affect grain shipments. Transport committee members, however, killed any hope Garneau had of convincing them to fast-track the legislation, putting off until next year any changes. Garneau blamed the media for the perception that the legislation, once passed, would itself enact a passenger bill of rights, rather than simply clear the way for one. <br/>
The EU must make Britain's air industry sign up to the bloc's environment rules if it wants to keep access to European skies after Brexit, a campaign group warned in a report Wednesday. Airlines should stay in the EU's emissions trading scheme and follow rules against subsidies to prevent Britain becoming a "carbon haven", Brussels-based group Transport and Environment said in the report. The group - which has had meetings with EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier's task force - warned that without a deal British planes could be unable to land in the bloc the day after the UK leaves. The publication of the report comes on the eve of a EU summit at which leaders are expected to approve the opening of talks on a future relationship with Britain, including on a trade deal. <br/>
The UK will now allow large electronic items in the cabin on the majority of flights from Turkey and Tunisia, relaxing restrictions imposed on security grounds earlier this year. In March 2017, the UK banned large personal devices in the aircraft cabin on inbound flights from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey. This followed a similar sudden move by US authorities, which has also since been relaxed. The UK govt said: “After working with the aviation industry and international partners to introduce tough additional security measures, the UK govt has begun lifting these restrictions on some UK-bound flights.” Large electronic items will now be allowed on incoming flights from 4 Turkish airports—Antalya, Bodrum, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen and Izmir—as well as Luxor in Egypt and Tunis-Carthage in Tunisia. <br/>