How far away are we from having commercial flights powered, at least partially, by biofuel? "We'll probably see some this year," Boeing's Billy Glover says.
American Airlines and Qantas said they are seeking approval for a joint business agreement "on their services between Australia/New Zealand and the US, within these regions and beyond to third countries."
American Airlines launched seasonal daily Boeing 767-300 Chicago O'Hare-Helsinki service, which it will operate until Oct. 29. JetBlue Airways and Icelandair launched an interline partnership under which customers can book a single combined ticket for JetBlue and Icelandair-operated flights. FI will launch twice-daily service from Reykjavik to Boston and New York JFK from June 1, and RKV-Washington Dulles flights from May 17.
Air Lease Corp. signed long-term lease agreements for 29 aircraft with Asian airlines. China Eastern Airlines will lease 10 new Airbus A320-200s and five new Boeing 737-800s, for delivery in 2012 and 2013, in a transaction valued at approximately $700 million. It will also acquire from CEA three 767-300ERs, two under lease with MIAT Mongolian, for delivery in May and November 2011, and one to Orient Thai Airlines for delivery in August 2011.
SkyWest Inc., the Utah-based parent of regionals SkyWest Airlines, Atlantic Southeast Airlines and ExpressJet, on Wednesday named longtime CFO Bradford Rich to the newly-created post of president, effective immediately. Rich will oversee the strategic development and operational and financial performance for all of the company's entities and investments, it said in a statement. Jerry Atkin will remain chairman and CEO. VP-Finance and Treasurer Michael Kraupp will replace Rich as CFO. VP-Controller Eric Woodward was appointed chief accounting officer.
Chile-based LAN Airlines confirmed to ATW it reached a deal with Boeing for the purchase of five 767s, plus options for four more, in a deal valued at $870 million. Delivery is scheduled between December 2012 and August 2013, LAN said. A Boeing spokesman told ATW, “We look forward to finalizing this order for five 767-300ERs in the very near future. This order will bring LAN's total 767 order count to 40.”
Air China and Cathay Pacific Airways formally launched their joint venture cargo operation on Wednesday, consolidating the two carriers' airfreight divisions. The JV, called Air China Cargo, received Chinese government approval last year
GOL reported a first-quarter net profit of BRL31.9 million ($19.8 million), up 33.5% over net income of BRL23.9 million in the year-ago period, saying it continues to tap into a growing market of "emerging middle class" air travelers in Brazil.
Alitalia reported a first-quarter net loss of €89 million ($127.7 million), a 32.6% improvement over the €132 million deficit it incurred in the year-ago period.
US FAA on Wednesday proposed new regulations to overhaul airline training programs for aircraft crewmembers and flight dispatchers, revising a proposal first issued in 2009.
GOL reported a first-quarter net profit of BRL31.9 million ($19.8 million), up 33.5% over net income of BRL23.9 million in the year-ago period, saying it continues to tap into a growing market of "emerging middle class" air travelers in Brazil.
Vistair deployed its online flight manuals management system for Thomas Cook Group members Thomas Cook Scandinavia and Condor Berlin. SITA reached a seven-year contract with Oman Air to provide the Middle Eastern carrier with its fares management software solution, Airfare Insight. Aviareps was appointed by Ethiopian Airlines to serve as its sole partner for global corporate sales in Europe and Asia.
US Dept. of Transportation said the nation’s largest carriers reported no flights in March with tarmac delays of more than 3 hr., down from 25 flights in March 2010. Data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics showed there have only been 16 tarmac delays of more than 3 hr. reported since the tough tarmac delay rule went into effect in April 2010 ( ATW Daily News, April 29, 2010).
AviancaTaca, the parent of Avianca and TACA, announced it raised $279 million from its IPO and noted it became the first airline to allocate 100% of its IPO among frequent flyers and company employees. The new shares will begin trading on Wednesday on the Colombian Stock Exchange.
China Southern Airlines said in a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange that subsidiary Xiamen Airlines will order six Boeing 787s to facilitate its international expansion. The order, which is not yet final, is valued at $1.1 billion at list prices, but the carrier will pay "significantly" below list prices, the filing said. Deliveries are slated for 2014-15. Xiamen GM Che Shanglun said the carrier plans to use the Dreamliners to launch routes to Europe and the US from its Xiamen base and Fuzhou.
EasyJet nearly doubled its net loss for the six months ended March 31 to £114 million ($186.6 million) from a £59 million deficit in the year-ago period, owing to sharply rising fuel costs, cautious consumers and passenger taxes.
Despite challenging conditions and rising fuel prices, the Emirates Group posted a record net profit of AED5.9 billion ($1.6 billion) for its fiscal year ended March 31, up 42.9% over net income of AED4.15 billion in its prior fiscal year, on a 26.4% rise in revenue to AED57.38 billion.
Reversing its previous stance, the US Dept. of Transportation on Tuesday tentatively approved antitrust immunity for Delta Air Lines and Virgin Australia to coordinate services between the US and Australia.
Despite challenging conditions and rising fuel prices, the Emirates Group posted a record net profit of AED5.9 billion ($1.6 billion) for its fiscal year ended March 31, up 42.9% over net income of AED4.15 billion in its prior fiscal year, on a 26.4% rise in revenue to AED57.38 billion.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres won a five-year contract with Icelandair Technical Services to supply new tires and provide retreading for a fleet of 16 Icelandair aircraft and 12 757-200s "flown by airlines in the Nordics and Russia," it said.
Rolls-Royce announced that the Trent 1000 for Boeing's 787 received 330-min. ETOPS approval from US FAA. "ETOPS approval marks a major milestone for the Trent 1000 program," Program Director Simon Carlisle said in a statement, adding, "We now look forward to supporting Boeing's own ETOPS program." The Trent 1000 recently passed 2,800 hr. of flight testing.
