Qatar Airways launched five-times-weekly Doha-Brussels service and will launch four-times-weekly Doha-Stuttgart flights March 6. WestJet launched twice-weekly Edmonton-Maui service, which it will operate until April 30 with a Boeing 757-200 leased from North American Airlines. Spirit Airlines launched four-times-weekly Ft. Lauderdale-Pittsburgh/Latrobe service and will operate seasonal four-times-weekly Latrobe-Myrtle Beach service beginning May 5.
South African Airways took delivery of its first of six Airbus A330-200s this week. The aircraft will replace its current A340-200 fleet. Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of its third new Boeing 777–200LR on Jan 28. ET will take delivery of two more 777-200LRs before the end of 2011. It operates a fleet of 45 aircraft. Germania signed a long-term contract with the Austrian LCC Niki to lease two Airbus A319s from 2011 onwards.
Delta Air Lines and United Continental Holdings will pay out a combined total of $537 million in profit sharing to their respective employees as a result of their strong 2010 performances. DL earned $593 million in 2010 ( ATW Daily News, Jan. 19) and UCH had pro forma earnings of $854 million ( ATW Daily News, Jan. 27).
Boeing said it welcomes reports that El Al has selected the 737-900ER and looks forward to finalizing a contract. El Al said it ordered four 737-900ERs with an option for two more, in a deal valued at up to $320 million, Reuters reported. The 737-900s are intended to replace its 757s. EL AL took delivery of its first 757 in 1987.
A Central American Airlines Let L-410 crashed in Honduras Monday, killing all 14 persons on board including both pilots and 12 passengers. Among those onboard were the Honduran Assistant Secretary for Public Works and the leader of a key union, Associated Press reported. Flight No. 731 departed from San Pedro at 7:04 a.m. local time en route to Tegucigalpa, a 40-min. flight according to the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network. It crashed in a forest near Cerro de Hula at 8:02 a.m. The aircraft made its first flight in 1991 according to ASN.
Air Astana President Peter Foster told ATW that the carrier's dispute with GDS provider Amadeus is not over and could escalate. Amadeus was obliged to restore distribution services to KC after a Madrid court granted the Kazakh carrier injunctive relief on Feb. 3. Amadeus canceled KC’s agreement, which expired on Dec, 31, on Jan. 21 after 15 days’ notice, alleging a breach of the terms of the agreement ( ATW Daily News, Feb. 9).
Alitalia and Meridiana Fly are in talks about a possible partnership, Meridiana said, although it did not confirm reports in Il Messaggero that the airlines’ respective management teams are reviewing the details of a possible acquisition.
IATA projected that worldwide annual airline passengers will rise to 3.3 billion by 2014, up 32% over the 2.5 billion passengers that flew commercially in 2009.
Boeing on Sunday rolled out the 747-8 Intercontinental in Everett in front of 10,000, employees, government officials, customers, partners and suppliers.
Debate over FAA funding heated up in Washington, with a House of Representatives panel last Friday introducing a new FAA reauthorization bill and President Barack Obama on Monday issuing his budget proposal for the federal government's fiscal year starting Oct. 1.
Eurocontrol released its latest 20-year forecast that shows the number of flights increasing 1.8 times to 16.9 million IFR movements from a 2009 base in the most likely scenario.The range of the forecast scenarios is between 13.1 and 20.9 million flights in 2030 with growth at an average of 1.6% to 3.9% annually, with 2.8% the most likely.
BioJet Corp. received a three-year, $1.2 billion funding facility from Cayman-based Equity Partners Fund SPC to allow the company to move its feedstock and refining projects forward. BioJet Chairman Mitch Hawkins said in a statement that the funding agreement will form the cornerstone of capital projects over the next five years.
Airbus said more than 2,600 students have registered for the second biennial Fly Your Ideas contest that challenges university students from around the world to develop new ideas for a greener aviation industry. Students of 75 nationalities made up the 315 teams that entered the first round, a 40% increase compared to the first year of the competition in 2009.
New fuel-efficiency mandates could force the re-engining of today's aircraft, one senior airline executive reportedly told Airbus. Speaking with ATW's Eco-Aviation Today about the promised 15% fuel saving of the A320neo
London Mayor Boris Johnson continues to lobby for a new airport for the southeast region of England with a report warning that London will lose jobs to European competitors unless Prime Minister David Cameron backs one. “The capital’s airports are full, our runways are crammed and we risk losing jobs to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Madrid or other European cities should we fail to act,” Johnson cautioned, according to a report in the Financial Times.
EADS claims that nanotechnology may pave the way for new hydrogen storage tanks that could enable use of the fuel on aircraft. According to the European aerospace giant, its scientists are working with Scottish counterparts to develop the storage tanks.
Emirates Airline President Tim Clark sits down with ATW at the 37th Annual Airline Industry Achievement awards to discuss his outlook for 2011. Emirates is ATW's 2011 Airline of the Year.
Air Nostrum CEO Carlos Bertomeu sits down with ATW at the 37th Annual Airline Industry Achievement awards to discuss his outlook for 2011. Air Nostrum is ATW's 2011 Regional Airline of the Year.
Turkish Airlines CEO Temel Kotil sits down with ATW at the 37th Annual Airline Industry Achievement awards to discuss his outlook for 2011. THY is the 2011 winner of ATW's Market Leadership Award.
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings President & CEO Bill Flynn sits down with ATW at the 37th Annual Airline Industry Achievement awards to discuss his outlook for 2011. Atlas is the 2011 recipient of ATW's Phoenix Award.
Virgin America President & CEO David Cush sits down with ATW at the 37th Annual Airline Industry Achievement awards to discuss his outlook for 2011. Virgin America is the 2011 winner of ATW's Passenger Service award.
ATW at 30,000 ft. onboard a Lufthansa Airbus A330 Frankfurt-New York JFK flight, the official relaunch of its inflight Internet service (after a four-year suspension). More information
Henry Hubschman, who led GE Capital Aviation Services from 1997 first as president and CEO and then as chairman, died of cancer Feb. 9. He was 63. Under Hubschman's leadership, GECAS' aircraft assets grew from $10 billion to $49 billion as the fleet reached 1,800 aircraft operated by nearly 250 airlines in more than 75 countries.
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