April 2011

The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), identifying Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and O’Hare International Airport (O’Hare) as “sister airports.” Last year, HKIA and Beijing Capital International Airport forged a similar partnership.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed that the current political situation in North Africa and the Middle East is affecting passenger and cargo traffic. Although up from 2010, February numbers were well below January averages.

East Horizon Airlines, the first Afghan airline certified under the country's new internationally compliant cargo aviation standards, has obtained its first aircraft. Commercial operations will begin in May.

Radiant Logistics will acquire DBA Distribution Services, a New Jersey-based logistics company founded in 1981, for $12 million.

Delta, Air France and KLM have announced a joint venture to connect Florida with three international hotspots. Fourteen new nonstop flights to London, Amsterdam and Paris will serve Florida each week.

In an effort to curb the United States’ dependency on oil, President Obama called Wednesday for the development of advanced biofuels. His message attracted the attention —and support — of one aviation giant: the Air Transport Association of America (ATA).

The UK-based Competition Commission has renewed its call for BAA to sell London Stansted Airport and either Edinburgh or Glasgow Airport. The ruling is provisional, and a finalized report is due out in a few months.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has found that Boeing received illegal state, local and federal subsidies.

FedEx has launched four weekly non-stop 777F flights from its Memphis hub to South Korea to allow for delivery from the U.S., Canada and Latin America markets to Seoul in two to three business days.