JetBlue Airways will launch daily Orlando International-San Jose, Costa Rica, service on March 26 aboard an E-190. It is JetBlue's first Central American destination. KLM will launch five-times-weekly Amsterdam-Calgary service on May 3 aboard an A330-200.
Eurocontrol said the number of flights in Europe in November fell 7% from the year-ago month and noted that "a decline of this magnitude has not been seen since the months immediately following 9/11." Even low-cost carriers, which for years have been the biggest driver of European growth, operated fewer flights--the first decrease for the segment in 15 years. Conversely, Eastern Europe, particularly Turkey, continued to see growth. Boosted by high oil prices, Russia also has been a significant contributor of new flights on the European network.
US FAA broke ground on a new air traffic control system command center in Warrenton, Va., that will replace the current facility at nearby Washington Dulles in 2011. Equipping the 63,000-sq.-ft. facility will cost around $46 million, the agency said.
Goodrich reached agreement with Airbus to supply wheels and carbon brakes for A350 XWBs. Contract is expected to generate $3 billion over the program life. The company's Aircraft Wheels and Brakes unit in Troy, Ohio, will provide the equipment.
Southwest Airlines announced elimination of 32 existing roundtrip flights and addition of 19 new flights on its summer schedule beginning May 9, which will include changes in the number of flights offered in 102 markets. New services will comprise daily Denver-Tucson, daily Nashville-Oakland and daily Nashville-Seattle flights. SWA will cancel its daily Austin-Midland/Odessa, daily Detroit-Orlando International, daily Fort Lauderdale-Manchester, N.H., and daily Fort Myers-Long Island Islip flights. Kingfisher Airlines will launch daily Mumbai-London Heathrow service on Jan.
Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn. received the arbitration decision outlining the integration of their pre-merger seniority lists. Both pilot groups agreed earlier this year to abide by an arbitrator's decision ( ATWOnline, Aug. 12). ALPA explained that the arbitrated list was devised via a "ratioed status and category methodology," meaning it is based on a formula taking into account each pilot's length of service and type of aircraft they fly.
Greek air traffic controllers are expected to stage a one-day strike today, forcing the cancellation of all commercial flights, according to press reports. Aegean Airlines confirmed the cancellation of its program on its website.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey yesterday said it "applauds" the US Court of Appeals decision to stay FAA's slot auctions at New York JFK, LaGuardia and Newark ( ATWOnline, Dec.
Airbus booked 84 firm orders in November, including 51 from Etihad Airways, helping it pull away from Boeing in the 2008 orders race. It also delivered 46 aircraft.
UK CAA yesterday issued its proposals for charges at London Stansted during the five years from April 1 and recommended caps lower than the ones proposed by the Competition Commission last month ( ATWOnline, Nov. 5) "to take account of airport charge revenues from cargo and other non-passenger flights." CAA said caps should be set at £6.34 ($9.39) per passenger for the first two years and then rise to £6.65 for the final three.
Virgin Atlantic Airways President Richard Branson yesterday said that "talks will take place with Lufthansa, maybe are taking place, to see whether it makes sense for the two companies to work together," the Associated Press reported. "There is some logic in the two companies getting together," Branson said. Virgin has maintained interest in either a stake or cooperation with UK rival bmi ( ATWOnline, Nov.
United Airlines parent UAL Corp. announced a sale and leaseback transaction with Wayzata Opportunities Fund II subsidiary East Shore Aircraft covering 15 757s. UAL said the deal will boost liquidity by $150 million.
UPS yesterday launched service at its new international air hub at Shanghai Pudong, a major component of its ongoing Asian expansion. The delivery giant plans to operate flights from Shanghai both to the US and Europe. "The facility is strategically located. . .right in the heart of the Yangtze River Delta area and now becomes the key gateway linking China to UPS's global network," the company said. The 1 million-sq.-ft. facility features 117 conveyor belts and 47 docking bays and boasts package sorting capacity of 17,000 pieces per hr.
IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani yesterday reiterated his call on governments to stop "crazy" taxation, to fix infrastructure, effectively regulate monopoly suppliers and offer airlines normal commercial freedoms as necessary steps to return the industry to the black. "Industry losses clearly show that airlines feel the recession like any other business. But we don't have the commercial tools that other industries take for granted to manage through it," he said, adding he would like to put the "the 60-year-old bilateral system [the Chicago Convention] in a museum."
Delta Air Lines announced a multiyear extension of its branded credit card partnership with American Express that will provide it with more than $2 billion in combined incremental liquidity and contract enhancements. DL said it will receive "an immediate $1 billion boost to its liquidity" from an American Express purchase of SkyMiles, in addition to $1 billion in contract improvements through 2010.
European Commission yesterday announced the signing of the SESAR Joint Undertaking by 15 companies pledged to contribute to development of Europe's next-generation satellite-based ATC system. "This is one of the most complex research and development programs ever launched by the European Community," VP and Commissioner for Transport Antonio Tajani said. The signatories agreed to work with the EC to coordinate "all relevant research and development efforts" pertaining to SESAR, according to an EC statement.
IATA yesterday offered a slight boost in its 2008 outlook but restated its dismal forecast for the industry as a whole, predicting declines in traffic, yield and revenue and a $2.5 billion loss in 2009.
The EU yesterday announced a far-reaching air services agreement with Canada that includes reciprocal investment and signed new air services accords with Armenia and Israel.
Ukraine International Airlines said yesterday that it plans to buy back the 6% stake held by AerCap for approximately $3.3 million, or $100 per share, Reuters reported. State Property Fund of Ukraine is the controlling shareholder at 61.6% while Austrian Airlines holds 22.5% and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has 9.9%.
Lufthansa Group airlines flew 11.83 billion RPKs in November, up 0.7% from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 3.6% to 15.56 billion ASKs, dropping load factor 2.2 points to 76%. Air Canada and Jazz flew a combined 3.22 billion RPMs in November, down 5.2% year-over-year. Capacity fell 7.5% to 4.15 billion ASMs and load factor rose 1.9 points to 77.6%. JetBlue Airways flew 1.9 billion RPMs in November, a 7.8% year-over-year decrease. Capacity dropped 6.3% to 2.51 billion ASMs and load factor fell 1.3 points to 75.7%.
Skymark Airlines of Japan expects to post a ¥2.1 billion ($22.6 million) loss in the fiscal year ending March 31 but should return to profit the following year, President Shinichi Nishikubo told Bloomberg News. Skymark expects to return two leased 767s, helping it cut costs and boost net earnings to approximately ¥2.6 billion in the 2009-10 fiscal year. It is reconfiguring its fleet around the 737 and plans to operate 11 by the end of the current FY.
American Airlines suspended its Aviation Safety Action Program, which allowed pilots to report safety issues confidentially without fear of punishment from the carrier or US FAA. AA said its pilots union, the Allied Pilots Assn., declined to extend the program. According to the Associated Press, APA believed AA was using the program to discipline pilots.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit yesterday granted the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's motion requesting a stay of the slot auctions at New York JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports that FAA scheduled to start next month. "Petitioners have satisfied the stringent standards required for a stay pending court review," said the order issued by Judges Karen Henderson, Janice Rogers Brown and Brett Kavanaugh. "The FAA's planned slot auctions. . .are hereby stayed pending further order of the court".
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air parent Alaska Air Group promoted Executive VP-Finance and Planning and CFO Brad Tilden to president. Executive VP-Customer Service Glenn Johnson will succeed Tilden in his current position. Also, VP-Seattle Operations Ben Minicucci was named executive VP-operations and COO, MD-Planning Andrew Harrison was named VP-planning and revenue management and Executive VP-Flight and Marketing Gregg Saretsky will leave the company.
