WestJet flew 1.37 billion RPMs in March, up 10% year-over-year, on a 7.4% lift in capacity to 1.63 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 1.9 points to 83.8% Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz flew a combined 4.23 billion RPMs in March, up 9.6% year-over-year, on a 7.7% lift in capacity to 5.16 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 1.4 points to 82.1%. Ryanair transported 5.3 million passengers in March, a 13% increase year-over-year. Load factor rose 2 points to 79%.
Jeppesen yesterday unveiled FliteDeck Pro, an electronic flight bag application integrated with its moving map applications including airport moving map. It also includes data distribution management and features "clear guidance on how to handle failure conditions," "easily managed inflight chart revisions," the ability to incorporate "data from wireless or portable memory stick technology," "enhanced touchscreen highlighting" and the "ability to easily record air traffic control instruction and integrate performance tools from airframe manufacturers."
Vueling will launch thrice-weekly flights between Barcelona and Edinburgh and a four-times-weekly service between Ibiza and Amsterdam from June 24. It also will operate a new seasonal thrice- weekly service between Valencia and Munich from June 24 to Oct. 30. American Eagle launched seasonal daily Asheville-Dallas/Fort Worth service, to run through Oct. 31, aboard an ERJ-140. AirAsia will launch daily Penang-Langkawi service May 13.
Aircell yesterday announced its Gogo Inflight Internet service will be available as a monthly subscription for $34.95, initially purchasable through inflight portals on AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Virgin America. The subscription, which automatically renews each month, will be redeemable on all equipped airlines. More than 800 aircraft currently are equipped with the Gogo service, Aircell said. It will continue to offer single-flight passes that start at $4.95.
China Eastern Airlines signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Taipei-based China Airlines to explore jointly the fast-growing cross-strait market. Under the accord, both carriers would deepen cooperation in ground handling, cabin service, MRO and cargo. "We expect to enhance our service level and boost our international competitiveness to better serve passengers across Taiwan Strait through cooperation with China Airlines," CEA Chairman Liu Shaoyong said.
AirBridgeCargo Airlines added a fifth 747-400F, a move it said was necessitated by the delay in delivery of its first new 747-8F that was due to join its fleet this year. Boeing now is forecasting delivery of ABC's first -8F, one of five it has on order, in February 2011. "By the end of 2009, we could clearly see that there are some markets in the world, such as Shanghai, that require increased aircraft capacity," ABC Executive President Tatyana Arslanova said.
Turkish government is considering selling part of its 49.1% holding in Turkish Airlines, although neither the size of the stake to be offloaded nor the timing have been determined. Reuters quoted Transport Minister Binali Yildirim as saying, "We don't think it is right to leave such a strategic company completely to private ownership. We would prefer to keep some public stake."
Hong Kong Airlines finalized its firm order for six A330-200s powered by PW4170 Advantage 70 engines. The carrier signed an MOU with Airbus to purchase the aircraft at the Singapore Airshow ( ATWOnline, Feb. 8). It now has a total of 23 A330s on order.
American Airlines yesterday became the first US airline to "test next-generation technology and procedures" on a transatlantic flight aboard a 767-300 from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Miami using several fuel conservation measures including single-engine taxi on departure and arrival, continuous climb and descent, a tailored arrival and "several key elements" of its existing fuel conservation program Fuel Smart.
TAP Portugal recorded a 2009 net profit of €59 million ($79 million), a sweeping reversal from the €209 million deficit incurred in 2008, crediting its change in fortunes to declining fuel prices, cost-cutting measures, a "selective" capacity reduction and a commercial policy that allowed it to minimize the fall in revenue.
Boeing and Airbus, driven by competition from Bombardier's CSeries, will both announce narrowbody re-engining programs this year, Bernstein Research predicted in a newly released report. The New York firm said the decision will center on Pratt & Whitney's PW1000G geared turbofan and CFM International's LEAP-X, both of which promise a 15% fuel burn gain over engines powering today's 737s and A320s. The PW1000G will power the CSeries set to enter service in 2013 and the LEAP-X will power COMAC's C919 slated to enter service in 2016.
Regional Airline Assn. last week approved establishment of the RAA Safety Council, comprising safety representatives from RAA's 32 member airlines. Dave Faddis of SkyWest Airlines and Ric Wilson of American Eagle were elected chair and vice chair respectively. RAA said the council will meet quarterly to share industry best practices.
Travelport, which operates the Galileo and Worldspan GDSs, and IBM announced a "multiyear, multimillion-dollar agreement" under which IBM will provide Travelport with "significant upgrades to its existing systems architecture and software infrastructure." Under the agreement, Travelport will upgrade its core operating system software to the IBM z/Transaction Processing Facility. Sabre Travel Network signed a three-year global distribution agreement with British Airways, providing global access to the airline's full content and inventory via the Sabre GDS.
Lufthansa will commence thrice-weekly Munich-Riyadh service April 26. The route will be flown with a 737-800 that currently is operated by PrivatAir on behalf of LH. It is fitted with 24 seats in business and 84 in economy. All seats have individual in-seat video screens and feature ergonomically designed backrests and additional legroom. Hawaiian Airlines will operate daily Maui-Oakland service June 5-Sept.6 aboard a 767-300. HA said it previously announced the start date as June 17 but will begin earlier due to high demand.
AirTran Airways yesterday opened pilot and flight attendant bases at Milwaukee for more than 100 737 crewmembers. "Opening these crew bases is the next natural step of our expansion in Milwaukee," Chairman, President and CEO Bob Fornaro said. AirTran began operations at MKE in 2002. Yesterday it launched twice-daily MKE-Dallas/Fort Worth service, saying it is "the only carrier to operate full-sized, Boeing jets on the route." A spokesperson told ATWOnline it is operating the service with 717s.
TAM and Continental Airlines yesterday signed a reciprocal frequent-flyer program agreement that was described by TAM VP-Commercial and Planning Paulo Castello Branco as "another important step for our integration with Star Alliance." Members of TAM's Fidelidade and Continental's OnePass programs now can earn and redeem miles on flights operated by both airlines.
Air France and Vietnam Airlines signed a codeshare agreement under which AF will add its code on VN's thrice-weekly flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from July 3. Within the terms of the agreement, AF will start operating its own seven-times-weekly 777-300ER flights between CDG and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from November.
Virgin Blue Airlines and its long-haul affiliate V Australia will join Virgin America in allowing each carrier's loyalty program members to earn points when taking flights on the sister-branded airlines. Passengers also will be able to redeem points on each carrier's frequent-flyer programs.
European Regions Airline Assn. said its members recorded a 4.2% decrease in passengers carried for 2009. ASKs remained stable compared to 2008 and RPKs rose a slight 0.5%, inching load factor up 0.3 point to 64.8%. "The economic recession has been worse than the combined effects of the Gulf War and 9/11, making 2009 the most challenging year on record," the organization stated. "Nevertheless, ERA has continued throughout to fulfill its role in providing essential air services for Europe's regions.
