Flydubai has inked an eight-year sale/leaseback agreement with MC Aviation Partners, securing $80 million in financing for the remaining Boeing 737-800NG the airline is due to receive this year. FZ will soon issue an RFP for the airline’s 2012 financing requirements. This will be the carrier’s 10th new 737-800NG aircraft, its final one to be delivered this year.
A majority of airlines have taken steps toward migrating toward IATA's Simplified Interline Settlement initiative, but only 19% of airlines expect their systems to be compliant by the September deadline, according to the latest survey by Kale Consultants Ltd. ( ATW Daily News, Jan. 17). Kale is the prime technology supplier for the development of the SIS platform.
A Merpati Nusantara Airlines Xian MA60 crashed Saturday near Kaimana Airport in Indonesia, killing all 21 passengers and six crew aboard. Flight 8968 was en route from Sorong and was cleared for an approach to KNG's lone runway. According to Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network, the aircraft crashed into the sea about 600 m. short of the runway. Citing the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, ASN reported that the "weather at the time of the approach was poor with heavy rain and strong winds."
Qantas aircraft engineers are planning work stoppages starting on Friday after walking out of negotiations over their list of 28 demands, which include job security.
Star Alliance CEO Jaan Albrecht told ATW that Air India has until July 31 to fulfill the requirements to join the airline grouping or the carrier's invitation will be withdrawn.
Amadeus and United Airlines, a unit of United Continental Holdings, said they reached an agreement to cancel United's planned move to Amadeus's Altea Suite of customer management solutions in two years.
China Air Transport Assn. urged Beijing to take tougher action against next year's inclusion of non-EU airlines in the EU's controversial Emissions Trading Scheme.
Aer Lingus launched twice-weekly Izmir-Dublin A320 service. Royal Jordanian Cargo will operate five-times-weekly Amman-Maastricht service from June 12 using an Airbus A310F. RJ Cargo used to operate to MST but switched its European cargo activities to Brussels in June 2007. The carrier said its return to MST was in response to customer demand. MST increased cargo volume in the first quarter 10% year-over-year to 25,000 tonnes.
The AirAsia Group reported a 19% year-over-year increase in first-quarter passengers carried to 7.2 million. Load factor jumped 6 points to 81%. ASKs increased 12.5% to 10.58 billion while RPKs leapt 25.9% to 8.52 billion. The core Malaysian operation experienced a 17.2% increase in passenger boardings to 4.3 million, while Thai AirAsia enjoyed a 22.7% hike to 1.81 million. Indonesia AirAsia posted a 22.4% increase in passenger boardings to 1.09 million.
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings,parent of ACMI cargo carriers Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo, last week posted first-quarter net income of $10.5 million, down 68.9% from a $33.8 million profit in the year-ago quarter.
Boeing is considering a major upgrade or replacement for the 777 as well as the launch of the 787-10, according to a Buckingham Research Group report issued after Boeing Capital Corp.'s investor conference last week. "Upgrade options [for the 777] include a new composite wing, a composite fuselage, upgraded avionics, and new engines," said New York-based Buckingham. According to the firm, Boeing is looking at a 2020 timeframe for a 777 upgrade as it believes Airbus will be delayed in delivering the A350-1000.
Air Canada reported a first-quarter net loss of C$19 million ($19.7 million), narrowed from a C$112 million net deficit in the year-ago period, and cut domestic capacity in the face of escalating energy expenses.
Austrian Airlines Executive Board Member and CCO Andreas Bierwirth told ATW that OS plans to reduce capacity 40% to destinations in Northern Africa/Middle East on its summer schedule.
International Airlines Group, formed by the merger of British Airways and Iberia in January, reported a first-quarter net profit of €33 million ($48.7 million), turned around from a pro forma net deficit of €243 million in the year-ago period.
Air Canada reported a first-quarter net loss of C$19 million ($19.7 million), narrowed from a C$112 million net deficit in the year-ago period, and cut domestic capacity in the face of escalating energy expenses.
Alaska Airlines and the Transport Workers Union jointly announced the carrier's 36 dispatchers have ratified a new four-year contract by a ratio of nearly 86%. The contract includes wage increases and provisions that improve quality of life issues, among other changes. A tentative agreement was reached in March ( ATW Daily News, April 5) and becomes amendable March 24, 2015.
Korean Air's first A380 flew on Wednesday in Hamburg for the start of a final phase of flight and ground tests by Airbus ahead of delivery later this month. KE will become the sixth operator of the A380 when it begins flying the aircraft in June, initially operating it from Seoul Incheon to destinations in Asia such as Hong Kong. It plans to later deploy A380s on long-haul services to North America and Europe.
Virgin Atlantic Airways expects further delivery delays of the 15 Boeing 787s it has on order and will be seeking compensation, Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson said Wednesday in Australia on the sidelines of the event marking the rebranding of Virgin Blue to Virgin Australia ( ATW Daily News, May 5).
Boeing's response to the A320neo is likely to be both a higher-performance 737NG ready by 2015 and an all-new aircraft, which will probably be a light twin-aisle entering service in 2019 or 2020, according to an assessment by Buckingham Research Group.
Vueling Airlines reported a first-quarter net loss of €23.6 million ($35 million), widened from a €6.3 million deficit in the year-ago period, citing sharp increases in fuel costs and a “significant” 15% fare reduction owing to the weak domestic Spanish market and increased competition.
Air Transport Action Group Executive Director Paul Steele said the airline industry failing to achieve its stated goal of a 1.5% improvement in fuel efficiency/carbon dioxide emissions annually through 2020 and CO2-neutral growth beyond 2020 would "destroy our credibility."
