Republic Airways Holdings yesterday unveiled its decision to unite Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines and Denver-based Frontier Airlines under the Frontier brand, a process it said should be completed by October 2011. Republic CEO Bryan Bedford said the decision was "an emotional one for everyone involved" that followed months of "exhaustive research." Both brands had strong loyalty but Frontier had a stronger identity and brand preference, he explained.
News from Travel Technology Update: Travelport signed a new multi-year, multimillion-dollar software agreement with IBM for significant upgrades to the existing systems architecture and software infrastructure of its technology platform. The new investment in IBM software will more than double the information it processes, Travelport said. The deal will upgrade Travelport's core system operating software to the IBM z/Transaction Processing Facility (z/TPF).
Travelport signed a new multi-year, multimillion-dollar software agreement with IBM for significant upgrades to the existing systems architecture and software infrastructure of its technology platform. The new investment in IBM software will more than double the information it processes, Travelport said. The deal will upgrade Travelport's core system operating software to the IBM z/Transaction Processing Facility (z/TPF).
Lanyon introduces tool to address corporate hotel rate disparities Air India selects SITA to provide new passenger services system Orbitz, iSeatz to develop private-label solutions for suppliers Expedia launches hotel booking program for travel agencies Expedia links with direct-connection provider in China In Focus: Travelport signs new deal with IBM for z/TPF upgrade World news briefing
Nyras appointed David Huttner, MD of Antwerp-based consultancy planely spoken and a former executive with Virgin Blue, senior VP with special responsibilities for business development and project management. Planely spoken will be integrated into Nyras.
Precision Conversions will provide Shenzhen-based SF Airlines with a 15-pallet 757-200PCF. The 1992 ex-Air China aircraft recently purchased by SF will undergo modification at the TAECO maintenance facility in Xiamen.
Raytheon will install passenger checkpoint screening equipment at airports nationwide under an $88 million task order issued under the TSA's Security Equipment Integration Services contract. The contract began March 24 and ends March 23, 2011.
Jordan Kuwait Bank and Royal Jordanian signed a marketing alliance agreement by which the two parties launched "Fly and Plus," a co-branded MasterCard credit card.
Pratt & Whitney Canada and FlightSafety International last week announced a long-term collaboration agreement under which FlightSafety will manage daily operations, develop and produce courseware material and provide Learning Management System capabilities. P&WC will oversee the global customer-training program. For the duration of the agreement, P&WC customers and employees will gain access to FlightSafety's learning facilities and training curriculum for the full range of P&WC engine products.
GuestLogix and Alpha Flight Services announced a partnership under which the Australian catering firm's customers will use the GuestLogix onboard retail platform OnTouch. The platform includes handheld point-of-sale devices. Alpha provides inflight catering at nine airports in Australia and serves 16 customer airlines.
Fokker Services and R&D Dynamics signed a 5-year contract renewal for the development and distribution of PMA parts for use in Boeing, Airbus, Fokker and Bombardier air cycle machines as well as the CRJ100/200 starter. The partnership, formed in 1998, is "currently working towards the development of new PMA's for use in other aircraft components," Fokker said in a press release.
Wataniya Airways will launch thrice-weekly Kuwait-Vienna service June 2 aboard an A320. Vienna is the 11th destination for the Kuwaiti airline since it began commercial operations in January of last year. Qatar Airways will launch daily Doha-Sao Paulo Guarulhos-Buenos Aires service June 24. It said capacity to India in the last six months has risen 30% from 56 to 74 weekly flights due to the introduction of services to Bangalore, Goa and Amritsar.
American Airlines flew 10.58 billion system RPMs in March, a 2.5% rise from the year-ago month, while capacity dipped 0.7% to 12.95 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 2.6 points to 81.7%. American Eagle Airlines flew 664.4 million RPMs, up 3.3%, against a 3.4% rise in capacity to 924.4 million ASMs. Load factor matched the year-ago month at 71.9%.
GE Canada plans to invest C$63.5 million ($63.4 million) over the next six years to diversify its product line at its Bromont, Quebec, plant. The funds include C$13.3 million from the provincial government-backed Investissement Quebec's Strategic Support for Investment program. GE said it will allow the facility to manufacture new aircraft engine components such as fan blades' metal leading edges, low-pressure turbine blades and compressor blades and vanes for "next-generation" aircraft engines.
Embraer delivered 21 commercial aircraft in the 2010 first quarter, down from 32 in the year-ago period. Total deliveries for the quarter numbered 41 compared to 40 last year. Commercial deliveries comprised one ERJ-145, five E-170s, one E-175, 12 E-190s and two E-195s. Its commercial backlog totals 243 aircraft.
Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines last week began a reciprocal codeshare agreement under which ANZ will place its code on more than 540 weekly flights to and from CO's Houston, Newark and Cleveland hubs. Passengers will be able to connect to the codeshare flights from ANZ services from Auckland to Los Angeles and San Francisco. CO in turn will place its code on ANZ's LAX-AKL and SFO-AKL flights and onward flights from AKL to Rarotonga, Apia and Tonga as well as all transtasman services, ANZ domestic services and AKL-Hong Kong flights.
China Southern Airlines CEO Si Xianmin said his carrier is seeking to cooperate with other Chinese airlines as well as carriers from abroad to enhance its position in the domestic air cargo market. Si noted the cooperation could include launching a joint venture cargo airline. The Guangzhou-based company had planned to launch a cargo JV with Air France KLM but the plan has been postponed owing to the sharp drop in international cargo demand that started in late 2008. "Air France KLM is not our only choice," he revealed. "We are also negotiating with other carriers as well."
Responding to Spirit Airlines' industry-first decision to impose a carryon bag fee, US Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he is considering introducing legislation to ban such charges and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called the fee "outrageous." Sprit has gotten considerable attention in the US media since last week announcing it would begin charging customers up to $45 for cabin luggage that goes into overhead bins ( ATWOnline, April 7).
Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson said he will consider some form of "legal process" to block the British Airways/American Airlines/Iberia transatlantic joint venture if it is approved by the European Commission.
IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani in Tokyo called on the Japanese government to "put its aviation house in order to compete in the Asia/Pacific market." Following a meeting with Japanese Transport Minister Seiji Maehara, Bisignani said IATA supports the minister's vision "to increase the competitiveness of Japan's air transport sector" and praised the country's airlines and airports for working together to meet the organization's target to achieve 100% barcoded boarding passes by year end.
GECAS announced Friday that it reached agreement with Emirates on the purchase/leaseback of eight GE90-115B engines. EK Senior VP-Corporate Treasury Brian Jeffery noted that the deal is the carrier's "first engine sale and leaseback transaction and is important for Emirates in that it gives us a great deal of operational flexibility for a significant part of our engine fleet." GECAS also reached a sale/leaseback agreement with Air Berlin covering four CFM56-powered A320-200s scheduled for delivery this year.
ST Aerospace reached a $105 million, eight-year maintenance-by-the-hr. deal with Spring Airlines, expanding an existing contract covering 15 A320s to an "expected fleet" of up to 78 A320s. The contract, which includes the setup of a new warehouse at Spring's base at Pudong International, will commence in April.
ARINC and subcontractor IBM announced a four-year, multimillion-dollar contract from BAA to upgrade temporarily 150 older check-in kiosks at London Heathrow Terminals 1, 3 and 4 with new IBM software this month, followed by a complete replacement of all older kiosk units in September. A total of 202 new IBM kiosks will be installed by the 2011 first quarter, the largest deployment of common-use self-service kiosks at the airport, serving more than 18 airlines, ARINC said.
