Air Berlin will launch weekly Munich-Erbil service Saturday aboard a 737-800. Flight initially will alternate between Erbil International and Sulaimaniyah International, AB said, adding that it plans to increase frequency beginning this summer. RwandAir launched service from Kigali to Johannesburg (four-times-weekly) and Dar Es Salaam via Bujumbura (thrice-weekly). The airline said it expects to acquire one 767 and one 737-800 next month. Iberia increased its twice-daily Madrid-Buenos Aires A340 service to 17-times-weekly.
Sukhoi said the fourth Sukhoi Superjet 100 joined the flight test program yesterday, operating a 2 hr. 45 min. flight. The aircraft will " undergo a complex evaluation of onboard equipment and avionics as well as failure safety tests" and be subject to fire protection and inert gas system testing. It also will host flight crew training for initial customers. Sukhoi is aiming for type certification in mid-year.
American Airlines flew 9.68 billion system RPMs in January, up 0.4% year-over-year. Capacity fell 2.7% to 12.71 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 2.4 points to 76.2%. American Eagle flew 569.7 million RPMs, up 9.1%, while capacity rose 5.1% to 895.8 million ASMs and load factor climbed 2.4 points to 63.6%. US Airways Group consolidated January passenger RASM rose approximately 2% year-over-year while total RASM was up some 3%, the company said. It flew 4.44 billion consolidated RPMs during the month, down 1.3%, against a 0.6% cut in capacity to 5.96 billion ASMs.
Thales said it installed its Eurocat air traffic management system, Aermac messaging system and a voice communication system at the recently inaugurated air traffic control center in Santiago, Chile.
ANA said the launch of its "Inspiration of Japan" long-haul product will be delayed until April because of a delay in the development of its new premium economy seats by Koito Industries of Yokohama. The first service, scheduled to commence on Feb. 20 aboard a 777-300ER operating between Tokyo Narita and New York JFK, will be pushed back to April 19. ANA said it plans to roll out additional aircraft with the new product and premium economy seating beginning in August ( ATWOnline, Nov. 11, 2009).
Hong Kong Airlines signed an MOU yesterday to purchase six A330-200s, increasing its commitment for the type to 23, Airbus announced. HKA will use the aircraft "to develop new services to destinations across the Asia/Pacific region, as well as to the Middle East and Europe," the manufacturer said. President Yang Jian Hong said the carrier intends to "establish our company as a premium brand in new international markets." Delivery dates and engine choice were not announced.
Singapore Airlines A380s stealing market share, Airbus claims Pratt confident GTF can be installed on 737NG 747-8 first flight very near India's Air Works looks to enlarge footprint in commercial MRO Additional stories
Durham Tees Valley released plans to divide its terminal building into a "premium" area for scheduled service and business travelers and a second area for leisure, charter and low-cost passengers. It said the move will help "deliver a significant increase in passenger numbers in the coming year." MME handled 654,192 passengers in 2008, down 12% from 2007. Statistics were not available for 2009. Airport Director Kerry Quinn said the premium area will include dedicated lounge facilities, faster security lanes and wireless Internet.
Sichuan Airlines yesterday took delivery of the first of three new A330-200s on lease from AerCap. It already operates 13 A319s, 21 A320s and 10 A321s. The A330 will seat 36 in first class and 209 in economy.
Turkish Airlines yesterday continued its ambitious fleet renewal and announced a commitment for 10 737-800s and 10 737-900ERs (plus 15 options) that will join the A320 family aircraft ordered last month.
Hawaiian Airlines concluded what President and CEO Mark Dunkerley called a "remarkable" 2009 with a $116.7 million profit, a more-than-fourfold improvement from the $28.6 million surplus posted in 2008. "With lower prices and the hard work of everyone. . .we overcame the effects of an economic recession and the attentions of a new entrant on our inter-island routes to post our company's best-ever results," Dunkerley said. "Much work needs to be done to ensure that our 2009 results become the norm throughout the business cycle. This will remain management's focus."
Republic Airways Holdings will dissolve its Lynx Aviation subsidiary by September, removing the former Frontier Airlines subsidiary's Q400s from operation and eliminating approximately 175 jobs. "After extensive analysis and months of efforts to grow the business, we concluded we could not efficiently operate a fleet of 11 Q400 aircraft," Republic Executive VP and COO Wayne Heller said. "Converting. . .to jet service allows us to better utilize our existing aircraft resources and lower our cost of operating and maintaining multiple fleet types."
Lufthansa said that all remaining shares in Austrian Airlines Group held by minority shareholders have been transferred to LH subsidiary Osterreichische Luftverkehrs Holding by order of the Vienna Commercial Court. Share certificates are redeemable for cash compensation, LH said. In December it said it would pay €0.50 ($0.70) for each outstanding share ( ATWOnline, Dec. 18, 2009). AAG is expected to be delisted from the Vienna Stock Exchange soon.
Delta Air Lines plans to transfer 225 Cincinnati-based pilots to other airports as it continues to downsize its operation there, according to company and Air Line Pilots Assn. memos obtained by The Cincinnati Enquirer. The pilots slated to move fly DL's 767s. "Unfortunately we have simply run out of time," VP-Flight Operations Jim Graham wrote to pilots. "Barring a change in network strategy. .
Biman Bangladesh Airlines took delivery of one 777-200ER and one 737-800 this week and introduced a new logo and livery. MD and CEO Muhammad Zakiul Islam told reporters that Biman intends to resume suspended service to Delhi, Bangkok, Mumbai and New York JFK by March and to launch new flights to Tripoli, Colombo and Guangzhou. A second -200ER, one A310-300 and one 737-800 are expected to arrive next month. All aircraft are on lease; the two newest from EuroAtlantic Airways and GECAS, according to Reuters.
Airbus: A320 re-engine decision 'ideally' by Farnborough Airshow Garuda confirms swapping 10 787 orders for 10 777-300ERs Airbus forecasts demand for 8,000 new aircraft in Asia/Pacific over 20 years Lufthansa Technik inks A330/A340 MRO deal with AirAsia X, deepens Asia commitment SIA Engineering Co. opens S$50 million A380 hangar at Changi 777-300ER performance improvement package could deliver 4% fuel burn gain Additional stories
Air India plans to spin off Air India Cargo into a separate entity under the National Aviation Co. of India umbrella on April 1, Director-Cargo Anita Khurana said this week. Air India Cargo accounts for some 8% of AI's total revenue and operates six 737Fs and two A310Fs, according to the Press Trust of India. Khurana said AI will resume cargo flights to Europe and Japan at some point in the first half of 2010.
IATA said fourth-quarter financial data released so far "is quite consistently indicating a further improvement in performance during the second half of 2009." According to the organization's Airlines Financial Monitor released yesterday, the 19 carriers reporting 2009 fourth-quarter data so far have posted a combined $254.2 million loss, narrowed from a $4.62 billion deficit in the final three months of 2008. Operating result swung to a $625.7 million profit from a $648.2 million loss last year.
Ryanair announced the following new routes: London Stansted to Fuerteventura, Fez and Figari beginning May 3; Nottingham East Midlands to Fuerteventura and Treviso from May 3; Bristol to Bydgoszcz and Kaunas from May 3; Cork to Alicante, Reus, Bordeaux, Faro, La Rochelle, Lanzarote and Malaga starting in June; Reus to Knock, Krakow, Bergamo and Treviso launching in May and June; Bratislava to London Luton (April 1), Bari and Palma (each May 4); Bergamo-Tenerife, Alicante-Poznan and Girona-Gdansk each on May 3; Pescara-Oslo Torp on May 1. Aer Lingus's summer schedule at Cork wi
E-190 has been certified by EASA to operate at London City, Embraer announced. The E-170 received steep-approach approval in 2007 and is operated by BA CityFlyer at the airport. The 190's range from LCY is more than 800 nm., Embraer said. CityFlyer, Baboo and Lufthansa CityLine plan to fly the 190 at LCY initially. The manufacturer said 15 of the type are expected to be operating out of the airport by year end.
Shannon Aerospace announced the completion of six-year checks on three Aeroflot A320 family aircraft. TES Aviation Group signed a five-year fleet management program deal with Sriwijaya Air of Jakarta covering engine technical services and material support for its CFM56-3-powered 737-300s.
Rossiya, Kavminvodyavia and Orenburg Airlines, three of the six airlines scheduled to be combined with Aeroflot under a Russian government plan announced this week ( ATWOnline, Feb. 3), will be transitioned from state-owned enterprises into joint stock companies prior to the merger, The Moscow Times reported. The other three, Vladivostokavia, Saratov Airlines and Sakhalin Airlines, already are joint stock companies. Transport Minister Igor Levitin said the stake sales will occur this year.
Garuda Indonesia is on course for a $300 million initial public offering around the middle of this year, CEO Emirsyah Satar told reporters in Singapore. "We have yet to determine the underwriters. The IPO will either be in late second quarter or early third quarter of this year," he said, adding that the carrier plans to increase its fleet from the current 67 aircraft to 116 over the next five years. It will take delivery of 24 in 2010 and has converted its order for 10 787s into 777-300s that will begin delivery next year.
South African regional Airlink responded to the South Africa Competition Commission's announcement regarding an investigation into possible collusion on airfares for flights during this summer's World Cup ( ATWOnline, Jan. 8).
