United Airlines promoted VP-Financial Planning and Analysis Rohit Philip to the new position of senior VP-corporate strategy and business development. MD-Investor Relations John Gebo was named to succeed Philip and Tyler Reddien will succeed Gebo.
Kenya Airways flew 2.14 billion RPKs in the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, up 1% year-over-year. Capacity rose 5% to 3.18 billion ASKs and load factor slipped 2.2 points to 67.4%. Passenger numbers rose 4.2% to 773,079.
Sabre Airline Solutions reached an agreement with Air Malta to provide its AirCentre Flight Plan Manager solution. Sabre Travel Network signed a multiyear, full-content distribution agreement with LAN Airlines and a deal to provide its SabreSonic Customer Sales and Service reservations system and Sabre AirCentre Enterprise Operations solution.
FAA yesterday published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking public comment on proposals to adjust certification regulations for FAR Part 61 and 121 pilots and "to gather information on whether current eligibility, training, and qualification requirements for commercial pilot certification are adequate."
IATA said executives from airlines around the world reported "a sharp improvement in the business environment" for the air transport industry in the final months of 2009 and are optimistic that conditions will continue to improve throughout the current year.
Panasonic Avionics Corp., in conjunction with AeroMobile, will provide its eX2 inflight entertainment system and Global Communications Suite to Turkish Airlines for installation on 12 777-300ERs and 10 A330-300s. First aircraft is scheduled to enter service in the fourth quarter. Package includes eXConnect broadband connectivity, eXPhone and the Panasonic Airborne Television Network. Panasonic said it also completed eX2 installation on the first of three leased A330-200s delivered to Sichuan Airlines.
Airports in the US Mid-Atlantic region, including Washington Dulles and National, Baltimore and Philadelphia, were open yesterday following the weekend's heavy snowfall but continued to suffer cancellations and were bracing for another storm scheduled to begin later Tuesday. United Airlines canceled 628 flights on Saturday and 270 on Sunday, according to The Wall Street Journal, while AirTran Airways canceled 374 flights at eight airports over the weekend, according to The Baltimore Sun.
UPS Airlines said it will begin furloughing "at least" 300 pilots in phases beginning in May unless it can "find a solution with the pilots' union that would avert or mitigate the layoffs before they take effect." UPS's 2,800 pilots, represented by the Independent Pilots Assn., agreed with the company last June to take "a variety of voluntary steps" to cut $90 million in costs in exchange for a promise from management that there would be no furloughs through April 1, 2010 ( ATWOnline, June 10, 2009).
BAE Systems said it placed 44 aircraft and won 41 remarketing mandates from third parties in 2009. Of the 44 placed aircraft, 30 were BAe 146/Avro RJs (23 of which were placed for passenger service, three as business jets, three as freighters and one for military use). It said it manages 40% of the market but was a party in 60% of the recorded transactions. It has 24 idle 146/RJ aircraft in its portfolio, which it admitted presents a "significant challenge." The 14 other placed aircraft comprised 11 ATP turboprops (eight freighters, three for passenger use) and three Jetstream 32s.
UK airports handled 206.6 million passengers in the January-November 2009 period, down 7.6% from the year-ago period, according to RDC Aviation's UK Passenger and Cargo Monitor. Scheduled passengers decreased 6.2% to 183.2 million while charter traffic fell 17.2% to 23.4 million, RDC reported based on CAA data. London Heathrow maintained its leadership, handling 60.7 million, down just 1.7%, while Stansted saw passenger numbers slip 11.3% to 21 million. Gatwick boardings declined 5.7% to 32.1 million.
Ethiopian Airlines 737-800's flight data recorders were recovered from the Mediterranean Sea over the weekend and sent to France for study, the carrier said. The Jan. 25 crash killed all 90 people onboard ( ATWOnline, Jan. 27).
Pratt & Whitney announced that Hong Kong Airlines selected the PW4170 Advantage 70 to power the six A330-200s it ordered last week at the Singapore Airshow ( ATWOnline, Feb. 5).
Unable to arrange a purchase of the aircraft leasing giant he founded from parent American International Group, ILFC CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy retired from the company Friday.
Lufthansa's first A380 completed painting Friday and is on schedule for May 10 delivery ( ATWOnline, Feb. 2). Aircraft is named Frankfurt am Main. LH's second A380, dubbed Munchen, arrived at Airbus's Hamburg Finkenwerder facility last week ahead of cabin interior and painting work. Iberia Friday took delivery of a new A319, the first aircraft to join its fleet since deliveries were suspended more than a year ago as the company reduced capacity.
Bombardier Aerospace received net orders for 88 commercial aircraft in its fiscal year ended Jan. 31, down from 114 the prior year. Orders for 2009-10 comprised 22 CRJs, 16 Q400s and 50 CSeries aircraft. However, the company's net total was 11 owing largely to -85 net orders for business aircraft. Its 2008-09 net was 367. Full-year commercial deliveries rose to 121 from 110 in 2008-09, comprising 60 CRJs and 61 Q-Series aircraft. Total deliveries dropped to 302 from the 349 posted in the year ended Jan. 31, 2009.
SpiceJet reported a company record INR1.09 billion ($23.5 million) profit in its fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, reversed from a INR179.6 million deficit in the year-ago period that resulted largely from a INR187.8 million charge related to a dispute with an investor.
Finnair reported a 2009 net loss of €102 million ($142.2 million), more than double the €46.3 million loss it suffered in 2008, citing a "historically difficult year" in which demand and yield plunged.
Chile President-elect Sebastian Pinera on Friday approved the sale of his 26% stake in LAN Airlines, the largest single shareholding in the carrier, clearing the way for the Cueto family, which owns the second-largest share at between 20% and 25%, to buy some or all of the wealthy politician's holding. Pinera takes office next month and has promised to sell his holdings in LAN and other Chilean companies to avoid conflicts of interest. His LAN stake is worth $1.5 billion, according to Reuters.
Gulf Air was transferred from government investment vehicle Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding to the government, which will own it directly, according to a Mumtalakat statement cited by Reuters. The airline expects to post a 2009 operating loss of $510 million.
Virgin Blue estimated that its profit before tax and exceptional items for the fiscal year ending June 30 will be A$80-A$110 million ($69.2-$95.2 million), compared to a loss of A$93 million in the prior year. CEO Brett Godfrey told shareholders in November that Blue expected to return to the black this year ( ATWOnline, Dec. 1, 2009).
Russian Ministry of Transport extended traffic rights for Austrian Airlines until March 31, after which it may banish OS from its airspace owing to a dispute over the carrier's nationality. Russian authorities argue that based on current bilateral agreements with Austria, OS no longer is considered a domestic airline following its acquisition by Lufthansa. OS operates 48 weekly flights to/from six Russian destinations as well as flights through Russian airspace to Beijing and Tokyo Narita ( ATWOnline, Dec.
Airbus announced A350 supplier contracts with Panasonic Avionics Corp. on OnAir, its joint venture with SITA. Panasonic will provide on-demand audio and video, eXPhone inflight mobile phone service, eXConnect broadband Internet and its Panasonic Airborne Television Network. OnAir's connectivity technology will be linefit offerable on the A350, the company said, adding that more than 40% of A350 customers have ordered the product.
Wizz Air will launch service to Belgrade with thrice-weekly flights from Dortmund (June 12) and London Luton (July 24). It also will base a fourth A320 at Bucharest Baneasa from June 26 and launch new twice-weekly service to Turin, Dusseldorf Weeze and Zaragoza while increasing frequencies to Barcelona, London Luton, Rome Ciampino and Treviso.
British Airways maintained its stark outlook and warned of "record losses" in its fiscal year ending March 31 despite sharp cost cuts and a better-than-expected third-quarter loss of £37.5 million ($58.9 million), narrowed 52% from the £78 million deficit suffered in the year-ago period.
