Air Transport World

Bombardier reported $598 million net income for its 2012 fiscal year ended Dec. 31, down 28.6% from the $837 million reported a year ago.

FAA, along with other US government agencies, faces the imposition of mandatory budget cuts on March 1 that could lead to disruptions in air transport services.

Russia’s Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC) leasing company has ordered 32 Bombardier CS300 aircraft, plus 10 options.

ICAO Council president Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez has called for “a fundamental shift in perspective” if a more efficient and globally harmonized air navigation system is to be achieved

Alaska Airlines will operate daily Fairbanks-Portland, Ore. service June 9-Sept. 2. Virgin America will launch daily San Francisco-Austin Bergstrom service May 21. Hawaiian Airlines will launch 3X-weekly Honolulu-Sendai-Sapporo Boeing 767-300ER service June 25. JetBlue Airways will add a second daily San Francisco-Fort Lauderdale flight as well as a second daily summer seasonal San Francisco-Austin Bergstrom flight May 21.

Air Greenland has named Michael Højgaard as its new CEO from Aug. 1.

IATA reported that international premium traffic for December was up 4.5% year-over-year, up slightly from 4.4% in November.

Cologne Airport security workers will strike Thursday in a fourth day of strikes called by trade union Verdi over pay.

Boeing’s engineers and technical workers returned a split decision after voting on a new four-year contract.

Lufthansa Group has announced more changes and cuts as its cost-savings program SCORE goes into the second year.

AirAsia Berhad has tied up with Indian business conglomerate Tata Group to launch a new airline in India.

Pratt & Whitney’s PW1500G geared turbofan (GTF) engine, set to power the Bombardier CSeries, has gained Transport Canada type certification.

Lufthansa Group has announced plans to purchase 108 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft, valued at €9 billion ($12 billion) based on list prices.

Europe’s budget carriers are preparing a legal challenge against the European Commission’s decision to partly suspend the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).

Hamburg Airport’s security workers will strike Wednesday, Feb. 20, in a third day of strikes called by trade union Verdi over pay.

The Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking has launched a call for proposals for Remotely Piloted Air Systems.

Greenland Express, a new carrier based in Greenland, plans to start operations this year using one wet-leased Airbus A319 or A320.

Lao Central Airlines has taken delivery of its first Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100).

Chinese carriers reported a net loss of CNY1 billion ($158.9 million) in January, reversed from a net profit of CNY1.7 billion in the year-ago period.

Spirit Airlines earned net income of $108.5 million in 2012, up 42.1% over a net profit of $76.4 million in 2011.

The European Parliament has backed plans to increase the price of carbon permits.

Japanese investigators probing the Jan. 16 All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 787 emergency landing said swelling has been found in the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU) battery.

International Airlines Group CEO Willie Walsh supports Airbus’ decision to switch the A350 XWB back to nickel cadmium batteries.