European Commission launched an investigation into a CZK2.5 billion ($131.7 million) loan to CSA Czech Airlines from state-owned firm Osinek in April 2009. Last October, the Czech government decided to free up the assets that secured the loan in order to allow CSA to use it as collateral to secure additional commercial loans "and continue in business," according to the EC
AerCap Holdings reported net income of $165.2 million for 2009, up 8.8% from $151.8 million in 2008. "We're delighted to report that 2009 is truly behind us," Klaus Heinemann, CEO of the Amsterdam-based operating lessor, told analysts during a conference call. He described it as "an extremely challenging year for the aviation and financial services industry," but noted that AerCap did not need to repossess any aircraft, "which came as a surprise to us." Total revenues declined 21% to $1.0 billion on a 47% drop in sales revenue to $324.8 million.
Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo parent Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings reported 2009 net income of $77.8 million, up 22.1% from a $63.7 million profit in 2008, as the company reaped the benefits from turning Polar into a DHL Express carrier in October 2008 and its decision to retire 14 less efficient 747-200 freighters in 2007 and 2008.
Benefitting from its merger with Clickair, Vueling Airlines reported a 2009 net profit of €27.7 million ($37.6 million), a more-than-threefold increase from the €8.5 million it earned as a standalone company in 2008. Turnover rose 36.3% to €601.6 million, including a 42.9% jump in passenger ticket revenue to €456.8 million. Expenses increased 12.4% to €530.2 million. Vueling's €71.4 million operating profit (excluding restructuring costs) compared to negative EBIT of €30.5 million in 2008.
Virgin Blue Airlines Group, which comprises Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and V Australia, signed an in-principle agreement to buy 50 737s after recording a net profit of A$62.5 million ($56.1 million) in the fiscal first half ended Dec. 31, 2009, reversed from a A$101.4 million loss in the year-ago period. CEO Brett Godfrey told ATWOnline yesterday that the company also will upgrade its premium economy product and introduce a new "economy Lite" class on its 737s with less legroom in an effort to compete with Jetstar Airways and Tiger Airways.
SITA announced a partnership with South Africa-based LoyaltyPlus to integrate the company's customer loyalty solutions into SITA's Horizon portfolio of passenger services used by more than 130 airlines.
ACSS said that on Feb. 3 it "became the first avionics supplier to certify Change 7.1 software," a functional enhancement for TCAS systems. According to ACSS, Change 7.1 offers two enhancements: "Reversal logic and new aural alerting for Adjust Vertical Speed."
SR Technics signed a two-year extension of its contract with Air India parent National Aviation Co. of India for maintenance services on CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines powering 61 A320 family and 737-800 aircraft. Contract is valued at CHF60 million ($55.7 million). Services will be performed at SRT's Zurich Engine Maintenance Center.
Delta Air Lines flew 13.81 billion system RPMs in January, a 5% decline from the year-ago month. Capacity was cut 5.6% to 18.01 billion ASMs and load factor rose 0.5 point to 76.6%. Alaska Airlines flew 1.47 billion RPMs in January, up 9.5% year-over-year, against a 1% lift in capacity to 1.9 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 6 points to 77.7%. Hawaiian Airlines flew 661.6 million RPMs in January, up 2.2% year-over-year, while capacity was cut 2.7% to 804.9 million ASMs. Load factor rose 3.9 points to 82.2%.
Lufthansa Technik extended Total Component Support coverage to Lufthansa Regional's complete fleet of E-Jets under a long-term agreement signed with CityLine that added 20 E-190/195s to contracts already running with Augsburg Airways and Air Dolomiti.
Tiger Airways yesterday took delivery of its 19th aircraft, an A320 that is the second of two purchased directly from Airbus. It leases its remaining fleet and currently serves 33 airports. It said yesterday it is "exploring the feasibility" of expanding its Indian service and mentioned Trivandrum, Kochi and Trichy as potential destinations. It currently flies from Singapore to Chennai and Bangalore.
Austrian Airlines is moving forward with the delayed restructuring of its maintenance operation and plans to cut 210 positions--a quarter of its Vienna MRO workforce--a spokesperson told the Austrian Press Agency. OS no longer will serve third-party customers, with that work being transferred to Lufthansa Technik or other affiliated providers. The layoffs are part of Austrian's effort to reduce the number of employees to 6,000 by year end
Southwest Airlines stock clerks represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters rejected a tentative five-year labor agreement reached by the parties. The deal would have covered some 170 employees. The current contract became amendable in August 2008.
First flight test 787, ZA001, suffered an "uncommanded loss of thrust in one of the [Trent 1000] engines" last Friday during flutter testing and executed an unplanned landing at Grant County International in central Washington State, VP-Marketing Randy Tinseth said on his blog. "Teaming with Rolls-Royce, we determined that the issue had to do with a pressure-sensing component within the engine," he wrote. Parts were sent out and the aircraft returned to Everett Sunday morning. Tinseth said ZA001 "will soon return to flutter testing. .
Chile President-elect Sebastian Pinera yesterday agreed to sell an 8.6% stake in LAN Airlines to the Cueto family for around $500 million, according to multiple news reports. The purchase brings the Cuetos' holding in the airline to 31.75%, eclipsing Pinera as the largest single shareholder, according to a release issued by the family cited by Reuters. Pinera, who at one point owned a 26% stake in LAN but is attempting to offload his entire holding before taking office next month to avoid a conflict of interest
ANA will make one lavatory on international widebody flights available to women only beginning March 1 under a plan announced yesterday. The airline said it received "numerous requests" for the service. Lavatories will be located in the rear of the aircraft and will be available to passengers in all service classes. It said men will have access to the facilities in certain circumstances, such as illness, "personal emergency" or if the crew lifts the restriction because there are "very few female passengers" onboard.
US Air Transport Assn. reported yesterday that US airlines' passenger revenue rose 1.4% year-over-year in January, marking the first time since October 2008 that monthly revenue did not fall, while full-year 2009 cargo numbers revealed the largest one-year decline in history at 11%. The organization said that 0.4% fewer passengers traveled on US airlines for the month but the average price to fly 1 mi. rose 0.6%, the first such increase since November 2008. "Growth was strongest on transatlantic routes, where passenger revenue rose 3.4%," ATA said.
French air traffic controllers yesterday launched four days of industrial action, reportedly in protest of the European Commission's Single European Sky initiative that they claim could result in staffing cutbacks. The French DGAC released a statement ordering airlines to cancel 25% of their flights at Paris Charles de Gaulle and half at Orly from today through Saturday.
ExpressJet Airlines parent ExpressJet Holdings reported a 2009 net loss of $3.31 million, narrowed 96.5% from a $95.1 million loss in 2008, with the 2009 result helped considerably by a one-time income tax benefit of $47.6 million recorded in the fourth quarter.
Lufthansa yesterday confirmed that the pilots strike launched Monday has ended and that it expects to resume normal operations on Friday "at the latest," with 400 additional flights added to today's reduced schedule.
Buoyed by Japan Airlines' decision to maintain its membership in the alliance and the US Dept. of Transportation's tentative approval of transatlantic antitrust immunity, oneworld yesterday announced that its Asian presence will be expanded further with the 2011 addition of India's Kingfisher Airlines.
GKN Aerospace said it was selected by Bombardier Aerospace to design and manufacture the winglet for the CSeries, with first delivery scheduled for next year and entry into service expected in 2013. GKN said the contract "could be worth" more than $100 million and covers the period to 2025.
PACE announced that Air Transat purchased Pacelab Cabin to support cabin upgrade studies for the Canadian leisure airline's A310 and A330 fleets and analyze future seating scenarios "in the context" of aircraft purchasing decisions.
Singapore Airlines flew 7.29 billion RPKs in January, a 1.6% fall from the year-ago month. Capacity was cut 7.8% to 9.21 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 5 points to 79.1%. China Southern Airlines flew 8.34 billion RPKs in January, up 10.6% year-over-year, against an 8.6% increase in capacity to 10.99 billion ASKs. Load factor rose 1.4 points to 75.9%. Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair flew 8.01 billion RPKs in January, a 1.6% rise year-over-year. Capacity was cut 3.6% to 2.14 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 4.3 points to 83.8%.
