Airbus will defend its presence in the under-150-seat market targeted by Bombardier with its CSeries, Head of Marketing Communications Alan Pardoe said yesterday. Speaking at the 24th Annual SpeedNews Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., Pardoe noted that an aircraft seating 138 passengers, the configuration chosen by Republic Airways in its recent order for up to 80 CSeries 300s, directly impinges on the A319 market ( ATWOnline, Feb. 26).
In a clear sign that it is moving its product offering up-market, Virgin Blue yesterday confirmed widespread speculation and appointed former Qantas Executive GM John Borghetti, 54, to take the reins from retiring founder and CEO Brett Godfrey.
Shanghai Hongqiao-based Juneyao Airlines reported net income of CNY108 million ($15.8 million) in 2009, a more-than-ninefold improvement from the CNY11.5 million profit posted in 2008.
News from Travel Technology Update: Orbitz Worldwide launched Orbitz for Agents, a program that provides access to Orbitz' global hotel inventory and discounted rates and pays commissions to travel agents for hotel and customized travel package bookings. The program signals a shift in the company's focus to "the distribution portion of our business," a spokesman said. "Orbitz.com is not the only place in town where you'll see our inventory." Essentially, Orbitz would become what its original opponents claimed it was: not just a distributor, but a distribution system.
Lufthansa yesterday said it ended a "difficult" 2009 with a net loss of €112 million ($151.9 million), reversed from a restated 2008 profit of €542 million and the company's first full-year deficit since 2003. Revenue fell approximately 10% to €22.3 billion, while operating profit plunged 90% to €130 million from €1.3 billion in 2008.
Orbitz Worldwide launched Orbitz for Agents, a program that provides access to Orbitz' global hotel inventory and discounted rates and pays commissions to travel agents for hotel and customized travel package bookings. The program signals a shift in the company's focus to "the distribution portion of our business," a spokesman said. "Orbitz.com is not the only place in town where you'll see our inventory." Essentially, Orbitz would become what its original opponents claimed it was: not just a distributor, but a distribution system.
Carlson Wagonlit to explore outsourcing of IT to Amadeus Tripology CEO says he has found a buyer Lufthansa Systems unveils Integrated Commercial Platform Omega is first TMC to adopt Sabre’s TripCase mobile app Moneydirect to automate commission payments for Gogo In Focus: How a TMC uses technology to tame a snowstorm World news briefing
Singapore Airlines will replace its 777s with A330-300s on flights to Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Kuwait City, Male (all from March 28), Fukuoka, Taipei (each April 28) and Colombo (May 1) as part the carrier's "product enhancement efforts." SIA currently flies the A330 to Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Nagoya Chubu and Osaka Kansai. It has nine of the type, seating 30 in business class and 255 in economy, and will take an additional 10 by year end.
Turkish Airlines launched daily Istanbul Ataturk-Bologna service. AirBaltic will launch service from Riga to Rovaniemi (four-times-weekly on May 3) and Kuusamo (thrice-weekly on March 31), thrice-weekly flights from Talinn to Tampere (March 31) and Oulu (May 11), four-times-weekly Tampere-Rovaniemi on May 3, thrice-weekly Lappeenranta-Kuusamo on March 31 and four-times-weekly Lappeenranta-Kuopio on March 31. Flydubai will launch twice-daily service from Dubai to Kuwait City (March 28) and Muscat (March 30) on 737-800s.
American Airlines yesterday officially opened its relocated cargo terminal at New York JFK. Facility includes 135,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, 24 dock doors and two 20-ft. elevated transfer vehicle handling systems that can accommodate "any type of aircraft unit currently in use," AA said.
ACT Airlines A300F operated on behalf of DHL "suffered a landing mishap" yesterday at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, leading to "a collapse of. . .[its] left hand main undercarriage," according to Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network. The Turkish airline operates a fleet of seven A300Fs, according to its website. ASN said the CF6-powered aircraft involved in the accident first flew in November 1980.
Gol expects domestic demand to increase 12.5%-18% in 2010, more than double the rate of Brazil's expected 5%-6% growth in GDP. The LCC said it anticipates yield this year in the BRL0.195-BRL0.21 (10.79-11.62 cent) range and an operating margin of 10%-13%. It plans to operate 111 aircraft by year end compared to 108 on Dec. 31, 2009, and to transport 31.5-36.5 million passengers. Gol was BRL493 million in the black through the first nine months of 2009. It is scheduled to release its full-year results on March 11.
Gulf Air yesterday launched a combined premium product called Falcon Gold, "offering the very best elements of Gulf Air's first class for the price of a traditional business class fare." Cabin will feature former first class catering, new bedding and overnight amenity kits and beginning at the end of 2011 a new lie-flat seat on flights longer than 4.5 hr. In the interim, passengers traveling on a more expensive, fully flexible FG ticket will have priority access to Gulf's lie-flat first class sleeper seats. Interior refurbishment in the combined cabin will be finished by April.
China Eastern Airlines subsidiary China Cargo Airlines took delivery of its first 777 freighter Sunday as it begins to upgrade its MD11 fleet in order to compete more effectively with Western carriers. The aircraft is scheduled to operate between Shanghai and Luxembourg beginning today. CCA noted that the new 777 will be used mainly on its European network as the city prepares for Expo 2010, which will take place in Shanghai from May to October. CCA plans to introduce three more 777s before August. It currently operates six MD11s, two 747s and three A300 freighters.
SunExpress posted a 4.8% increase in 2009 revenue to €429.6 million ($585.4 million) on a 32.2% surge in passenger numbers to 5.6 million. The Turkish Airlines/Lufthansa joint venture is targeting €500 million in revenue and 7 million passengers this year as it increases its 737-800 fleet from 20 to 25.
Cimber Sterling cut its forecast for its fiscal year ending April 30 owing to "increased competition with severely squeezed fares, lower demand and extra costs related to the severe winter weather" and now expects an operating loss of DKK200-DKK220 million ($36.6-$40.2 million). That result excludes DKK10 million in costs related to its initial public offering and compares to the Danish airline's earlier forecast of a DKK60 million operating loss. It lowered its 2009-10 revenue guidance to DKK1.55-DKK1.61 billion from DKK1.68-DKK1.73 billion.
New York JFK's longest commercial runway was closed yesterday for four months of construction and repair work that will force a reduction in overall arrivals and departures by nearly 20% and resulted in delays averaging 100 min. on the first day, according to FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center.
Turkish Airlines is considering both the 787 and A350, CEO Temel Kotil confirmed to ATWOnline, while declining to say whether the growing carrier will place an order. "We certainly want new-generation aircraft, but I'm not commenting further," he said, noting that promising to commit to either could be "taken to mean we might not order additional 777s." THY has orders for 12 777-300ERs on the books with delivery starting in September, one month earlier than initially planned.
The Hungarian government reacquired control of its flag carrier, Malev Hungarian Airlines, spending HUF25.2 billion ($126.7 million) on a 95% stake that will see the airline return to state control after three years as a privately held company.
TSA Branch Chief-Certified Cargo Screening Program Marc Rossi, speaking at the recent FAA Aviation Forecast Conference in Washington, emphasized that there will be zero tolerance for unscreened domestic and outbound cargo when the deadline arrives. "This is a firm, fixed date," he explained. "Come August 1, that which is screened will be uplifted, that which is not won't be."
Munich Airport operator Flughafen Munchen posted a net profit of €105 million ($142.3 million) in 2009, up 34.6% from the €78 million earned in 2008, excluding nonrecurrent effects through provisions for ground handling that have not been determined and interest on shareholder loans. Revenue fell 3% to €844 million and operating profit rose 27.6% to €97 million excluding the aforementioned items. Passenger volume dipped 5.4% to 32.7 million on an 8.2% decline in aircraft movements to 396,805. Freight and mail dropped 11.8% to 229,095 tons.
MAp, the Australian holding company formerly known as Macquarie Airports, lost A$589.3 million ($529.2 million) in 2009, reversed from a A$2.44 billion profit in 2008. The company holds 74% of Sydney Airport, 36% of Brussels Airport, 30.8% of Copenhagen Airport, 16% of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste and 1% of Bristol Airport. It sold its 14.9% share in Japan Airport Terminal last year with resulting proceeds of A$260 million and reached a deal in September to offload a 34.5% stake in Bristol to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan for £128 million ($192.2 million).
Schiphol Group, which operates airports in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Eindhoven, suffered a 29% fall in profit last year to €132.7 million, which compared to the €186.9 million surplus reported in 2008. Revenue was flat at €1.15 billion as increased charges were offset by a drop in traffic, while expenses climbed 5.2% to €927 million. Operating profit slipped 36.4% to €187.1 million. Passenger numbers across the three main Dutch airports slid 7.7% to 46.2 million on an 8.4% decline in aircraft movements to 418,672. Freight fell 17.9% to 1.3 million tonnes.
UK airports operator BAA reported a 2009 loss of £684 million ($1.04 billion), widened from a £201.1 million deficit in 2008, as heavy noncash charges including a £277.3 million loss related to its sale of London Gatwick and £217.8 million related to increased pension deficits offset a slight rise in revenue.
