As 2010 opened, airlines in the Philippines had reason to look to the future with some measure of optimism amid the first signs of recovery appearing on the radar. This is a country where the geography and demographics are ideal for the growth of air transportation. In fact, it consists of 7,107 islands that are home to the world’s 12th largest population, 90 million, with a growth rate of 2%.
US Export-Import Bank and Turkish airline SunExpress reached a $220 million financing deal to support the carrier's purchase of "several" CFM56-powered 737-800s. It will be the airline's first collaboration with Ex-Im.
Emirates will launch thrice-weekly Dubai-Baghdad service July 1 aboard an A330-200. American Airlines will launch daily New York JFK-Tokyo Haneda service Oct. 1 aboard a 777. Air Berlin will operate twice-weekly Berlin-Miami service Nov. 1-April 28 aboard an A330-200.
Bombardier confirmed that ANA last year ordered five Q400 NextGen aircraft plus five options. It announced the order in 2009 but did not name the airline. Based on list prices, the firm portion is valued at approximately $159 million and could increase to $332 million if all five options are converted. Bombardier has booked firm orders for 378 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft with 288 delivered as of Jan. 31.
Airbus COO-Customers John Leahy said Monday that the company may not have a decision on whether to re-engine the A320 family at the upcoming Farnborough Airshow in July but expects to have one by year end. Speaking at the Airbus Innovation Days event in the UK available via webcast, Leahy said, "We go back and forth and the answer has not been taken yet and will not be taken for another couple months and…may have to wait until the end of the year."
Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber told ATWOnline that the German carrier is planning a series of biofuel test flights over an extended period to evaluate the long-term effects of alternative fuels on airline operations.
An ash cloud from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano caused further disruption to airline operations in Europe, mainly affecting flights to and from Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Austria, Scotland and Ireland over the weekend. Transatlantic flights were subject to "significant rerouting" that resulted in delays, Eurocontrol said. There were 22,424 flights within the parameters of Eurocontrol's Central Flow Management Unit on Saturday, about 200 below normal traffic levels, and on Sunday there were 23,491 flights, about 1,500 below normal traffic levels.
A group of US airlines led by the Air Transport Assn. is planning an immediate court challenge to a new federal rule that is expected to help unions organize workers.
AirBerlinwill launch service from Berlin Tegel to Dubai (thrice-weekly), Miami (twice-weekly) and Mombasa (weekly) aboard an A330-200 it will station at the airport to operate the new flights. AirTran Airwayslaunched four-times-weekly Atlanta-Tunica, Miss., service Delta Air Lines will launch daily Oakland-Atlanta service July 10 aboard a 757-200. AirAsia X launched four-times-weekly Kuala Lumpur-Mumbai service aboard an A330.
AerCap Holdings reported net income of $34.4 million for the first quarter ended March 31, up 14.8% compared to income of $30 million in the year-ago period. Excluding the impact of mark-to-market interest rate caps, net income jumped 48.2% to $46.7 million from $31.5 million last year. During the quarter, the Amsterdam-based operating lessor completed its acquisition of Genesis Lease in an all-stock transaction.
US House of Representatives Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) last week wrote a letter to the Dept. of Justice to "strongly urge" it to reject the United Airlines/Continental Airlines merger on antitrust grounds. He said the tie-up would be "another domino in the chain" of airline industry consolidation, likely leading to "further consolidation" and less choice for consumers.
China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines are seeking to launch a JV cargo carrier with Air France KLM, according to KLM Senior VP-Route Network Pieter Elbers.
Gol reported first-quarter net income of BRL23.9 million ($13.2 million), down 61.1% from a BRL61.4 million profit in the year-ago period, and noted that the result was affected negatively by "exchange variation expenses" totaling BRL59 million related to an average 3.5% appreciation of the dollar versus the real, as well as tax and interest charges.
US Dept. of Transportation on Friday tentatively proposed awarding two of four routes at Tokyo Haneda available under the new US-Japan open skies agreement to Delta Air Lines for services from Los Angeles and Detroit. It also proposed granting one route to American Airlines for service from New York JFK to the downtown airport and one to Hawaiian Airlines from Honolulu. It rejected applications from Continental Airlines, Continental Micronesia and United Airlines. United and Continental announced a merger agreement a week ago.
