Aer Lingus will not announce its 2009 results today as planned owing to its inability to list an accurate charge relating to cost reduction agreements it is attempting to reach with unions. Late last week flight attendants represented by Impact rejected proposals agreed upon by the union and EI ( ATWOnline, March 8). The result of a vote by maintenance employees represented by the Craft Union had not been announced late yesterday.
WestJet yesterday launched a frequent flyer program in partnership with RBC and MasterCard, offering passengers for the first time the opportunity "to earn and accumulate WestJet dollars," the Calgary-based LCC said. "Every WestJet dollar can be used as cash toward the purchase of any flight on any date to any destination. . .There are no points, redemption grids, advance booking, blackouts or seat restrictions--just dollars off flights and vacation packages." VP-Marketing Lauri Feser added that the program will "be simple, open and transparent. .
Jazz Air, Air Canada's regional partner, announced a tentative labor agreement with dispatchers represented by the Canadian Air Line Dispatchers Assn. No terms were revealed. The airline said that negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Assn. and Canadian Flight Attendants Union "are ongoing."
Includes: Top 20 Airlines World Airline Traffic Jet Fuel Prices World Airport Traffic IATA Fuel Prices Exchange Rates Aircraft Data Aircraft Values Aircraft Deliveries US Major and National Airline Traffic US Ontime Performance U.S. Fuel Cost and Consumption US Mishandled Baggage US Consumer Complaints
Includes: Top 20 Airlines World Airline Traffic Jet Fuel Prices World Airport Traffic IATA Fuel Prices Exchange Rates Aircraft Data Aircraft Values Aircraft Deliveries US Major and National Airline Traffic US Ontime Performance U.S. Fuel Cost and Consumption US Mishandled Baggage US Consumer Complaints
Includes: Top 20 Airlines World Airline Traffic Jet Fuel Prices World Airport Traffic IATA Fuel Prices Exchange Rates Aircraft Data Aircraft Values Aircraft Deliveries US Major and National Airline Traffic US Ontime Performance U.S. Fuel Cost and Consumption US Mishandled Baggage US Consumer Complaints
United Aircraft Corp. of Russia announced that it signed an MOU to sell 18 An-148s to "three India-based nonscheduled air operators" in a deal valued at $400 million. Eight of the aircraft are passenger versions of the regional jet while 10 are freighters. UAC official Yuri Grudinin told reporters in Hyderabad that deliveries will start in 2011, according to Bloomberg News. Embraer delivered two E-170s to Gulf Air last week. Aircraft are on lease and will seat seven in business class and 60 in economy.
Air Berlin will increase its Tel Aviv presence with new twice-weekly flights from Cologne and Munich starting later this month, a third weekly frequency from Berlin Tegel starting in May and twice-weekly service from Dusseldorf beginning in June. Business class seats will be available on the TXL, DUS and MUC services, which the airline said will mark the first time it offers the premium product on medium-haul flights. Transaero Airlines will launch twice-weekly Moscow Domodedovo-Beijing flights on June 4 aboard a 747-400.
Alaska Airlines flew 1.35 billion RPMs in February, a 5.9% increase from the year-ago month. Capacity was cut 2.4% to 1.69 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 6.3 points to 79.8%. AirTran Airways flew 1.29 billion RPMs in February, up 5.4% year-over-year, against a 4.2% lift in capacity to 1.72 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 0.9 point to 75.1%. Allegiant Air flew 414.2 million system RPMs in February, an 18% increase year-over-year. Capacity was up 17% to 469.8 million ASMs and load factor rose 0.8 point to 88.2%.
Babcock & Brown Air reported an $89.1 million profit in 2009, up 85.1% from earnings of $48.1 million the prior year, on a 30.2% lift in revenue to $307.5 million. The lessor said its aircraft portfolio "performed strongly with an annual lease utilization factor of 98%" last year. As of Dec. 31 it owned 62 Airbus and Boeing aircraft (10 A319s, 17 A320s, one A330, 19 737s, one 747, 12 757s, one 767 and one 777). It said it "expect[s] airline and financial market conditions to improve in 2010 and we will continue to evaluate aircraft acquisition opportunities."
CFM International said the new CFM56-7BE now is undergoing a 150-hr. block test and is on schedule to begin a 50-hr. flight test program in the second quarter in California. Engine certification is planned for mid-year, with flights on 737NGs set for early 2011 and entry into service by mid-2011. CFM said 737NGs equipped with the new engine will realize a 2% improvement in fuel consumption and up to a 4% reduction in maintenance costs.
Amadeus signed an MOU with Asiana Airlines to commence an evaluation of its Altea Customer Management System. Asiana "will set the timelines for their assessment and planning for the future implementation of Altea," Amadeus said. Thirteen Star Alliance members currently use the full system. Datalex reached agreement with Copa Airlines to provide its Travel Distribution Platform supporting the carrier's website.
DAL Global Services of Atlanta, a Delta Air Lines subsidiary, will lay off 385 employees at Philadelphia International by March 15 because it lost cleaning contracts with US Airways and United Airlines, according to a letter to Pennsylvania state authorities cited by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Indra Sistemas of Spain was awarded an €85 million ($115.8 million) contract to supply and install a new air traffic control system in Oman. Equipment will be installed in Muscat, Salalah, Sohar, Ras Al Hadd, Duqum and Adam. Project includes an automated ATM system, upgraded ground-air voice communications, weather forecasting, surface guidance and control systems and a retooled aeronautical message system.
Aer Lingus received mixed news from the Impact trade union Friday as pilot members agreed to accept the carrier's cost savings package but cabin crew defeated a series of "extremely unpalatable" proposals from the airline.
ATR 42-600 flew for the first time last Thursday on a 2-hr. flight over Toulouse. Aircraft was powered by PW127Ms and underwent tests of its engines, avionics, flight data recording, automatic pilot system, hydraulic and electrical systems, among others. EADS said the flight test campaign will last just 75 hr. in part because of the "high degree of commonality" with the ATR 72-600, which began flying last July ( ATWOnline, Oct. 2, 2009).
Lufthansa pilots represented by Vereinigung Cockpit will not strike after the March 8 deadline to reach a settlement with the airline providing discussions continue, a union spokesperson told Bloomberg News. "As long as negotiations remain constructive, there is no reason to strike," the spokesperson said ( ATWOnline, Feb. 24).
Southwest Airlines said the February snowstorms cost it an estimated $15 million in lost revenue but boosted passenger RASM by 16%-17% year-over-year as a result of the reduced capacity. SWA flew 4.99 billion RPMs in February, down 2.3% year-over-year, and capacity was down 8.7% to 6.75 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 4.8 points to 73.9%.
Turkish Airlines was asked by the Polish government to make a major investment in LOT Polish Airlines, a source close to the THY board told ATWOnline, but the carrier rejected the offer because it is focused on its own expansion plans. Last week, THY responded to press speculation that it was pursuing the Polish airline, saying, "There is no board of directors' decision taken regarding the acquisition. . .However, our [company] is open to consider any possible opportunities as part of our growth strategy and [we have] no specific motivation for this matter."
