AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

*ALLEGIANT AIR is reportedly planning on offering service to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, within the next 2 years. The services would connect smaller cities in Canada and Mexico with Las Vegas, pictured, and Orlando and small cities in the US with resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. The carrier is reportedly eyeing the Boeing 757 aircraft for the expansion. Allegiant is also planning on launching a loyalty program later this year.

*Embraer is reportedly eyeing the possible development of a five-abreast narrowbody aircraft. Speaking to analysts this week, the CROsaid the Brazilian airframer could pursue "a couple of strategies" once Boeing has detailed its single-aisle replacement plans and the competitive landscape is clearer. These include stretching the E-Jets "to get a little bit more size on our brand and then our strategy would be to develop a brand new aircraft, probably a five-abreast aircraft, if we perceive a more vacant space in that area". Boeing recently said that any new airplane will address the "heart of the market" centring around 145 to 185 seats, which likely rules out a twin-aisle solution to replace the larger 201-seat 757-200. Boeing is not expected to clarify its position until the Paris air show.

*There are conflicting reports on whether a FUERZA AEREA BOLIVIANA Cessna T210, that went missing while enroute on Thursday, has been found. According to media reports, the aircraft had departed El Alto International Airport in La Paz at 10:30am for a flight to communities in the Yungas, and was expected back at 2:30pm. Onboard the aircraft were 4 United Nations worker from the Office on Drugs and Crime, and 2 Pilots. The Air Force Cessna failed to return on Thursday afternoon and a search was launched. Media reported that the plane was found in The Assumption region, where it reportedly made a crash landing in a football field at Quinuni, La Asunta. All occupants were reportedly in good condition, with only minor injuries. The Bolivian Air Force said it has yet to confirm that the aircraft has been located and that they were working under the assumption the aircraft was still missing, until its officials can verify the information.

*AMERICAN AIRLINES Flight 431, a Boeing 757, had to make an emergency diversion to Las Vegas, Nevada, yesterday, May 6. While enroute at 34000 feet, and about 160 miles NE of Las Vegas, the crew declared an emergency, reporting the smell of smoke in the cockpit. The 757, which was enroute from Miami, Florida, to San Francisco, California, was diverted to Las Vegas, where it safely landed about 30 minutes later. Emergency Services responded and could find no trace of heat, smoke or fire. The aircraft was cleared to taxi to the gate and offload passengers, and was then removed from service for inspection.

*AMERICAN EAGLE Flight 3024, an ERJ135, had to make an emergency diversion to Fresno, California, yesterday, May 6. While enroute at 34000 feet, and near Fresno, the crew declared an emergency, reporting an electrical odor onboard. The ERJ was diverted to Fresno, where it safely landed about 15 minutes later. Emergency Services cleared the aircraft to taxi to the gate, where passengers were offloaded. The aircraft, which was enroute from Los Angeles, California, to Reno, Nevada, was removed from service.

*EXPRESSJET Flight 5869, an ERJ145 on service for UNITED AIRLINES, had to make an emergency return to Denver, Colorado, yesterday, May 6. While enroute to Grand Junction, Colorado, at 24000 feet, the crew declared an emergency and requested return to Denver, reporting smoke in the cockpit. The ERJ safely landed back in Denver about 15 minutes later. Emergency Services responded and could find no trace of heat, smoke or fire. The ERJ was cleared to taxi to the gate, where passengers were offloaded. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection.

*ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES Flight 5452, a on service for DELTA AIRLINES from Memphis, Tennessee, to Charlotte, North Carolina, had to return to the gate in Memphis, yesterday, May 6, due to a passenger issue. According to media reports, 2 Muslim religious leaders were removed from the flight due to a request from the Captain. The men, one of whom is an adjunct professor of Arabic at the University of Memphis, said they and their bags were checked twice by security agents at the Memphis Airport before boarding Flight 5452 to Charlotte. They said the plane left the gate and was taxiing to the runway when the Captain came over the intercom. "The Pilot said: 'There is an issue. We need to return to the gate,'" the men said in a media interview. Dressed in traditional Muslim clothing, the men said a Delta official apologized to them after they were removed from the plane. He said the official told them that the Captain said some passengers were concerned about them on the flight. A TSA spokesman confirmed the incident and said it was not that agency's decision to deny boarding. "They were screened and cleared to fly," said the TSA spokesman. "The decision to deny boarding was made by the Airline, not TSA". A spokesman for ASA told media in Memphis that the incident was under investigation. The men were flying to Charlotte to attend the North American Imams Federation 2011 Conference this weekend. The men were put on a later flight and arrived in Charlotte last evening.

*OMNI AIR Flight 119, a DC10, had to make an emergency diversion to Shannon, Ireland, yesterday, May 6. The aircraft was on service for the US Mobility Command from Rammstein, Germany, to Baltimore, Maryland, with 352 passengers and crew onboard. The passengers were US troops coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq. While enroute overhead the Atlantic, and NE of Ireland, the crew received intermittent fire warnings for engine No.2. The crew worked their ehecklists, and shut the engine down, but continued to receive the alerts. The crew then turned around and diverted to Shannon. The DC10 safely landed, vacated the runway, and then stopped on the taxiway for inspection by Emergency Services. No trace of heat, smoke or fire was found, thus the aircraft was then allowed to taxi to the apron. The DC10 was then removed from service for inspection and repairs.

*THOMSON AIRWAYS Flight 50, a Boeing 767, had to make an emergency return to London Gatwick, yesterday, May 6. The crew halted their climb out of Gatwick at 7000 feet, reporting hydraulics problems. They then entered a holding pattern to dump fuel, before landing safely back at Gatwick, about 90 minutes after their initial departure. The 767, which was enroute to Orlando, Florida, was removed from service for repairs.

*SWISS Flight 1680, an Avro RJ100, had to make an emergency return to Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday, May 6. While on their initial climb, the crew reported an unsafe gear indication. They halted their climb and entered into a brief holding pattern, before making a safe return to Zurich, about 30 minutes later. According to media reports, the gear remained extended after departure. The Avro, enroute to Florence, Italy, was removed from service for inspection and repairs.

*WIZZAIR Flight 3141, an A320, had to make an emergency return to Bucharest, Romania, yesterday, May 6, after ingesting a bird into an engine while on its initial climb. The crew leveled off at 2000 feet and safely landed back at Baneasa Airport, about 15 minutes after its initial departure. The Airbus, enroute to Rome, Italy, was removed from service for a damage assessment.

*AMERICAN AIRLINES Flight 2285, a Boeing 737, had to make an emergency return to Ft Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday, May 5. While on their initial climb, the crew reported the smell of fuel in the cockpit and passenger cabin and requested return. The 737, which was enroute to Port au Prince, Haiti, safely landed about 13 minutes later with Emergency Services in attendance. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection.

*AIR CANADA Flight 104, an ERJ190, had to make an emergency diversion to Winnipeg, MB, Canada, on Wednesday, May 4, due to a failure notification for the #1 hydraulics system. The ERJ, enroute from Edmonton to Ottawa, safely landed in Winnipeg, about 30 minutes after requesting diversion. According to the Canadian TSB, the #3 spoiler actuator was replaced and the ERJ was returned to service.