Kenya Airways signed a letter of intent with GECAS for the lease of two new Boeing 777-300ERs as part of its long-term expansion plan, Group MD Titus Naikuni revealed to ATW on the sidelines of the Connectivity in Africa conference organized by Embraer in Nairobi.
Major US airlines reporting second-quarter earnings Thursday were able to point to profitable results, though net income declined sharply year-over-year, owing mostly to high fuel prices and a sluggish economic rebound. "2011 could easily break 2008's record for highest fuel prices ever," US Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker told analysts and reporters.
Pakistan International Airlines added a Boeing 777 simulator to its training center in Karachi, Deputy MD Salim Sayani told ATW. Flybe Training Academy won a contract from Arik Air for the use of the UK regional's Dash-8 Full Flight Simulator. It will be the first third-party customer of Flybe's flight training facility opened in April.
Negotiations between Air Algerie and its flights attendants, who engaged in a four-day strike last week, will resume Thursday, a union representative told Agence France-Presse. After being grounded by the work action, AH flights resumed last Friday following intervention by Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia. The Algerian government recently appointed Mohamed Salah Boultif president and DG of Air Algerie, succeeding Waheed Bu Abdullah ( ATW Daily News, July 13).
United Continental Holdings signed a multi-year agreement with Travelocity under which customers of its subsidiaries United Airlines and Continental Airlines will be able to access and purchase tickets through Travelocity's online booking sites. “We are committed to being accessible to travelers who choose to do business through high-quality and efficient sales outlets,” United SVP-Marketing Mark Bergsrud said. “This agreement with Travelocity ensures that our mutual customers will continue to have access to our fares and schedules.”
Qantas declared that its future is in China, the world’s second biggest and fastest growing aviation market, but the airline needs its staff to embrace the radical change to succeed.
A bipartisan contingent of US House of Representatives' members proposed legislation Wednesday that would "prohibit operators of civil aircraft of the United States from participating in the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme."
American Airlines made one of the largest aircraft order announcements in commercial aviation history Wednesday, signing up for 130 Airbus A320 family aircraft, 130 re-engined A320neos, 100 CFM56-7B-powered Boeing 737NGs and also committing to order 100 of a new variant 737 with CFM Leap-X engines. Boeing and Airbus will help finance the aircraft, AA said.
Boeing's decision to move forward with an apparent 737NG re-engining—after many months of reluctance by its top executives—is not hard to understand, say analysts who cite, among other drivers, the increasing "pressure" felt by the manufacturer from rival Airbus's success with the re-engined A320neo.
American Airlines announced one of the largest aircraft orders in commercial aviation history Wednesday, signing up for 130 Airbus A320 family aircraft, 130 re-engined A320neos, 100 CFM56-7B-powered 737NGs and also committing to order 100 of a new variant 737 with CFM Leap-X engines. Boeing and Airbus will help finance the aircraft, AA said.
American Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways expanded their codeshare agreement to include daily CX Hong Kong service to Chicago O'Hare and Ho Chi Minh City.
Singapore Airlines said it will increase frequencies to a variety of destinations during the northern hemisphere's winter operating season in response to growing demand. An additional daily service will be introduced on the Singapore-Bangkok route, increasing flight frequency to five per day from four, while services between SIN and Tokyo Haneda will return to twice-daily from daily. Frequency on the SIN-Osaka route will increase to 11 flights per week from 10.
AirBaltic announced it will retire its Fokker 50 fleet this winter season to speed up its fleet modernization process. The Fokker 50s originally were scheduled to operate until 2013. Last year, the carrier introduced Bombardier Q400s to its fleet.
Air Southwest will cease operations at the end of September, owing partly to the planned closure of its home base, Plymouth City Airport, in December. The small UK regional carrier had anticipated keeping its Newquay base, but ultimately decided those flights are "not viable on their own without the association with Plymouth."
Tiger Airways Australia announced the appointment of industry veteran Capt. Chris Manning as safety advisor, a move understood to be the first in a series of steps aimed at satisfying regulators' concerns about TT safety oversight.
Qantas will fast-track modifications of Rolls-Royce RB211 engines powering its Boeing 747-400 fleet to stem failures caused by cracked high-pressure compressor blades, of which the airline has suffered three this year and two late last year.
Tiger Airways Australia announced the appointment of industry veteran Capt. Chris Manning as safety advisor, a move understood to be the first in a series of steps aimed at satisfying regulators' concerns about TT safety oversight.
Lufthansa's recent labor agreement with the Vereinigung Cockpit union, increasing wages for 4,500 LH pilots, is valid until April 30, 2012. SkyWest Inc., the Utah-based parent of regionals SkyWest Airlines, Atlantic Southeast Airlines and ExpressJet, said financial results for the June quarter will be "breakeven," lower than it "previously anticipated."
United Continental Holdings said it will offer approximately 100 to 200 positions to pilots currently on furlough from its United Airlines subsidiary to fly aircraft for its Continental Airlines subsidiary ( ATW Daily News, Feb. 8). "The positions will meet the needs currently anticipated for the combined company's operation in 2012," said UCH.
US National Transportation Safety Board, which has opened an investigation into last Thursday's Boston Logan runway incursion, provided more details on the incident.
