When Donald Douglas Sr. said in 1958 at the first flight of the DC-8 that every major advance in aviation had been due to the development of the engine, he couldn’t possibly have imagined the GE90.
Alaska Airlines is a carrier that certainly won’t win any awards for patience. “If it doesn’t exist, invent it,” seems to be the modus operandi for the airline, which pioneered the development and introduction of Required Navigation Performance in the 1990s to address the safety and operational risks of flying into terrain- and weather-challenged places like Juneau.
The traffic and revenue performance of this year’s Market Leadership Award winner more closely resembles that of a low-fare carrier or Middle Eastern startup than a mature flag airline with more than 75 years of history.
In a part of the world in which shrinking customer expectations are the rule rather than the exception, San Francisco-based Virgin America is like a brilliant lighthouse on the darkest night. The carrier, which launched operations in August 2007 and serves 14 destinations in the US, Canada and Mexico, is redefining passenger service in North America.
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity,” Albert Einstein said. This is exactly the approach ATW’s Regional Airline of the Year for 2011 adopted when the Spanish economy slid into a stinging recession at the end of 2008 and passenger numbers at Spain’s airports did the same.
Twenty-three years is a long time in human years, let alone airline years. Yet that is how long it has been since Emirates Airline ended a financial year in the red.
Iberia launched thrice-weekly Airbus A340/300 Madrid service to Fortaleza and Recife. S7 Airlines reached a codeshare agreement with British Airways, opening up joint flights from Russian regions via Moscow Domodedovo to London Heathrow starting Feb. 8. Ryanair will launch thrice-weekly London Stansted-Thessaloniki service April 13, its first UK-Greece route.
AFI KLM E&M signed an agreement with Air New Zealand expanding its Boeing 777 Component Services Program to cover support for common parts for the carrier’s 777-300ERs. The CSP previously covered only its 777-200ER fleet. The 777 CSP program is offered jointly by Boeing and AFI KLM E&M.
Alaska Airlines said the carrier's 2,600 clerical, office and passenger service employees represented by the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers ratified a new three-year labor contract. More than 90% of union members casting ballots voted in the affirmative. The new contract includes wage increases, a signing bonus, job security protections, improved productivity measures and participation in the AS performance-based pay annual incentive plan.
Barfield won a 10-year contract from Avianca-TACA to provide full component support for the Airbus A320 fleet operated by the group’s four airlines, Avianca, TACA, Aerogal and Ocean Air. Barfield’s MRO support includes an option to provide logistics in Miami as well as the supply of consumable items. As part of the agreement, the US subsidiary of Sabena Technics committed to setting up specific repair capabilities in Bogota to better support Grupo Avianca-TACA’s airlines. The facility will also support other operators in South America.
ST Aerospace joint venture company ST Aerospace (Guangzhou) Aviation Services Co. received a business license from the Guangzhou Municipality Administration of Industry and Commerce to establish its aircraft repair facility in Guangzhou, China. It already received endorsement from CAAC and approval from the Ministry of Commerce.
Republic Airways Holdings said Monday it will transfer eight Embraer E-170s from Frontier Airlines to contract flying for Delta Air Lines. The aircraft are expected to be placed into Delta Connection service between May and September and will have a term of six years from the in-service date for DL, RAH said. After the addition of these aircraft, the company and its subsidiaries will operate a total of 48 aircraft on behalf of DL: 16 E-175s, eight E-170s, and 24 E-145s.
OnAir, under an expanded contract, will install its on-board connectivity system in 26 TAM aircraft following a "successful pilot project" with the Brazilian carrier. Passengers will have access to voice, SMS, and Internet on their BlackBerrys and Smartphones, making TAM the first airline in the Americas to offer onboard mobile calling services.
CFM International named Jean-Paul Ebanga president and CEO, succeeding Eric Bachelet, who is joining Safran as executive VP-research and technology. CFM is a 50/50 joint venture between GE Aviation and Snecma, a unit of Safran. Ebanga joined Snecma in 1988, and most recently served as chairman and CEO of PowerJet, the engine JV between Snecma and Saturn (Russia), after serving as VP of Snecma’s Commercial Engine Division. “His assignments at Snecma have included leadership positions in electronics, systems and aircraft engines,” CFM said.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker is still "happy" with the airline's relationship with Boeing despite the seventh delay of the Dreamliner program announced last month ( ATW Daily News, Jan. 19).
Pratt & Whitney announced that Trans States Holdings finalized an order for engines to power 50 firm and 50 option Mitsubishi Regional Jets the airline ordered. Pratt said the order covers 100 PW1200Gs, plus eight spares and options for up 100 more with deliveries scheduled to start in 2014. Value of the contract was not disclosed.
UPS on Tuesday reported 2010 net income of $3.49 billion, up 62.1% over a $2.15 billion profit in 2009 and surpassing its 2008 net profit of $3 billion.
Allegiant Travel Co., parent of the airline, reported a fourth-quarter 2010 net profit of $12.4 million, up 17.5% over $10.5 million earned in the year-ago period.
ANA and Hong Kong-based First Eastern Investment Group said Tuesday they have "finalized" a joint venture agreement to launch a new LCC based at Osaka Kansai International. A JV company called A&F Aviation will own and operate the airline.
ANA and Hong Kong-based First Eastern Investment Group said Tuesday they have "finalized" a joint venture agreement to launch a new LCC based at Osaka Kansai International. A JV company called A&F Aviation will own and operate the airline.
SR Technics reached a seven-year contract with Airblue to provide the carrier with overhaul, repair and engine on-wing condition monitoring services on its CFM56 engines, covering Airbus A319s and A320s. Lufthansa Technik signed a multi-year contract with USA3000 Airlines to provide Total Component Support services for five A320-200s.
(Corrected) Air Astana said it will seek injunctive relief from Spanish courts to require Amadeus to continue to provide services to the Kazakhstan-based airline. On Jan. 21, Amadeus cancelled Air Astana's Participating Carrier Agreement. The two are negotiating over a contract to replace the one that expired Dec. 31.
