Cargolux President and CEO Ulrich Ogiermann, current chairman of The International Air Cargo Assn., predicted that "volatility" in air cargo demand will continue in 2010 but that the airfreight industry will emerge from the economic downturn in a "stronger position."
US FAA's oversight of American Airlines' maintenance program "lacked the rigor needed" to uncover "weaknesses" that created safety concerns, the Dept. of Transportation's Inspector General said in a report issued last week that was highly critical of both FAA and AA.
British Airways flight attendants represented by Unite are expected today to announce their intention to strike in the wake of last week's UK High Court ruling permitting BA to enforce changes to their labor contract.
Swedish government intends to reduce its 21.4% stake in SAS Group. Deputy Prime Minister Maud Olofsson said, "We have previously said that we should reduce ownership in companies that operate in competitive markets and where there are no special reasons for continued ownership. SAS is one such company," the Associated Press reported from Stockholm. She said a divestiture would occur "at a suitable time" and that "in the long run, we don't see any intrinsic value in owning shares in an airline." The Danish and Norwegian governments each hold 14.3%.
ST Aerospace reported a S$194.6 million ($138.5 million) profit in 2009, down 17.1% from the S$234.7 million earned in 2008. Revenue declined 3% to S$1.88 billion.
ExpressJet Holdings and United Airlines signed an agreement under which the regional will operate 32 ERJ-145s for United Express. The original deal announced last fall was amended to include an additional 10 145s from ExpressJet's corporate aviation fleet ( ATWOnline, Nov. 17, 2009). It ended last month with 10 aircraft in operation for UA and will add six this month, six next month and 10 in May.
Lufthansa said the four-day pilots strike scheduled for next week will cost it approximately €100 million ($136.9 million) and that the company's attorneys are examining whether the Vereinigung Cockpit action is legal ( ATWOnline, Feb. 18). Its plan to weather the strike includes help from subsidiaries Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines. For example, OS will operate larger aircraft on flights from Vienna to Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich.
The Indian government yesterday announced final approval of an INR8 billion ($173.7 million) equity infusion into Air India parent National Aviation Co. of India, with the release of the funds "calibrated to the achievement of milestones laid down by the [cabinet]" including a 28% fleet reduction.
IATA reported that the accident rate in 2009 for Western-built jet aircraft was "the second-lowest in aviation history" at 0.71 hull losses per million flights, "equal to one accident for every 1.4 million flights."
Air France yesterday operated its first A380 flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Johannesburg, becoming the first airline to fly the aircraft to Africa. The 538-seat aircraft will operate three of AF's 10 weekly flights between the airports to March 28, at which point the route's overall frequency will fall to daily. When AF's third A380 enters service in April, CDG-JNB will be operated exclusively by the type.
Royal Air Maroc will launch twice-weekly Casablanca-Warsaw service on March 30 aboard a 737-800. El Al will launch thrice-daily Tel Aviv-Eilat service in the spring. Continental Airlines will launch ERJ service from Cleveland to Green Bay (11-times-weekly) and Norfolk (twice-daily) on May 2. AirTran Airways will launch service from Grand Rapids to Baltimore (twice-daily) and Orlando International (daily) on May 4.
Niki President Niki Lauda told ATWOnline in Vienna that he will remain in charge of the LCC following Air Berlin's move to increase its share to 49.9% and that the airlines will work together to create efficiencies that will allow them to compete with heavyweights Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines ( ATWOnline, Feb. 18).
Qantas yesterday reported a A$58 million ($52.2 million) profit for the half-year ended Dec. 31, down 72% from the A$210 million earned in the year-ago semester, and announced the elimination of first class service to all but two destinations in an effort to lift yield.
ILFC announced the following aircraft lease deals: Two new A320-200s to Air France for six years each (delivery in May and June); one 737-500 to Georgian Airways for three years (delivered in January); one used 767-300ER to GMG Airlines of Bangladesh for six years (delivery in March); two 737-400HGWs to Enter Air of Poland for three years each (delivery in March and April).
Airbus announced the appointment of Executive VP-Quality Didier Lux to executive VP-customer services effective April 1. He will succeed new Executive VP-Engineering Charles Champion and will in turn be followed by Pilar Albiac Murillo, who was named head of quality and lean improvement.
FAA yesterday proposed a $2.9 million civil penalty against American Eagle Airlines for operating more than 1,000 flights using four CRJ700s "on which improper repairs were performed on landing gear doors," the second significant fine for an alleged safety violation proposed against AMR Corp.'s regional subsidiary this month.
Bombardier Aerospace opened a commercial aircraft service center in Macon, Ga., and signed a 10-year agreement with Atlantic Southeast Airlines to be the exclusive heavy MRO provider for the regional's 108 CRJ200s, 38 CRJ700s and 10 CRJ900s. The 8,529-sq.-m. facility formerly was operated by ASA and has been under Bombardier management since Jan. 18. It offers heavy maintenance and C checks on the CRJ family and can accommodate up to six simultaneously. Bombardier also operates service centers in Bridgeport, W. Va., and Tucson.
First new production Twin Otter in more than two decades made its initial flight this week. The aircraft, MSN 845, is a DHC-6-400 manufactured by Viking, which announced the production re-launch of the 18/20-passenger regional airline and utility turboprop in 2007. Viking, a unit of Westerkirk Capital, provides OEM support for the worldwide fleet of de Havilland heritage aircraft (DHC-1 through DHC-7). The Series 400 is powered by twin PT6A-34s and fitted with a Honeywell Primus Apex avionics suite. Canadian certification is expected shortly.
Sri Lankan government is negotiating the purchase of Emirates' 43.6% stake in SriLankan Airlines, Chairman Nishanta Wickremasinghe told reporters yesterday. EK said it "can confirm that the Sri Lankan government has been investigating the possibility of increasing their share in SriLankan Airlines," in a statement cited by Bloomberg News. EK opted out of its management contract with UL two years ago and said it would look to sell its stake ( ATWOnline, Jan. 10, 2008).
WestJet reported 2009 net income of C$98.2 million ($94 million), down 45% from C$178.5 million in 2008, and said it plans to reaccelerate growth this year after slowing annual capacity expansion to just 2.6% in 2009. President and CEO Sean Durfy acknowledged that last year was "very challenging" owing to the recession, H1N1 and "enhanced airport security measures," but said he was "ecstatic" despite the profit decrease because the Calgary-based LCC achieved profitability in all four quarters to extend its streak of consecutive reporting periods in the black to 19.
CIT Aerospace announced the delivery of two V2500-powered A320-200s to Cyprus Airways. A third is scheduled for delivery in May. BAE Systems said it will offer 13 former Lufthansa Avro RJ85s that are scheduled to be returned from next March through year end to Russian carriers operating aging aircraft such as Tu-134s and Yak-42s.
Boeing placed its fourth and final "Dreamlifter" 747-400 freighter into service Tuesday. Modified aircraft flew from Everett to Wichita, returning equipment used to transport a forward fuselage section for the 787.
Lufthansa pilots represented by Vereinigung Cockpit voted overwhelmingly yesterday to strike at midnight next Monday through 11:59 p.m. Feb. 25, a four-day stoppage that the airline called "totally inappropriate."
