Virgin Blue reported an 8.8% decline in profit for the fiscal semester ended Dec. 31 to A$113.3 million fuel ($104.1 million) from A$124.3 million in the year-ago period as competition and heavy investment in future expansion took their toll.
Adria Airways earned a €420,000 ($617,400) profit in 2007 on revenue of nearly €182 million, a result that CEO Tadej Tufek said "has overtaken that of 2006 and is an improvement on what we projected and very much in line with the company's long-term plans and strategy." It reported a €70,102 profit in 2006 and a loss in 2005. Adria carried 1.1 million passengers last year, up 12% from the prior year and 8% higher than forecast. It said load factor "improved" to 67.1%. December passengers rose 25% year-over-year to 72,551.
EasyJet transported 2.8 million passengers in January, up 7.3% from the year-ago month. Load factor slipped 2.9 points to 72%. Allegiant Air flew 304.3 million RPMs in January, a 47.1% increase over the year-ago month. Capacity rose 40.3% to 383.7 million ASMs and load factor was up 3.6 points to 79.3%.
United Airlines promoted United Express and Ted VP-Operational Services Alexandria Marren to VP-onboard service. She will be succeeded by VP-Airport Operations-O'Hare Cynthia Szadokierski. AirTran Airways Senior VP and CFO Stan Gadek will leave the airline on April 30, the carrier announced. A search for his successor is underway.
Aeroflot Cargo, which recently announced the resignation of DG Andrey Goryashko, said it transported 121,879 tons in 2007, with 44,971 tons onboard freighters and the remainder as belly cargo on SU passenger flights. It also said it posted a RUB6.8 million ($277,000) net profit in October and a RUB12.8 million net profit in November. It operated six MD-11 freighters and two 737Fs in 2007 and plans to take delivery of six leased Il-96-400Ts beginning this year.
Emirates said it raised $253 million for the financing of a 777-200LR and a 777-300ER delivered in January. Twelve-year finance leases were underwritten by HSH Nordbank, Mashreqbank.psc and Mizuho Corporate Bank. EK has 53 more 777s on order comprising six -200LRs, eight -200LR freighters and 39 -300ERs.
Airbus said US FAA and EASA have approved reduced training for pilots transitioning from the A320 family, A330 or A340 to the A380. The manufacturer said an A320 family pilot now can be qualified to fly the A380 in 13 working days and an A330/A340 pilot in 12 working days. A pilot with no Airbus fly-by-wire experience requires 24 working days to complete the A380 standard type rating course.
Taipei-based Far Eastern Air Transport is considering introduction of a strategic investor in order to alleviate its debt burden, according to the carrier's Chinese mainland chief, Shi Jianhua. "We are trying to raise money in order to pay off our debt," Shi said. He added that FEAT is negotiating with a variety of unnamed companies, including airlines, regarding an investment. It has debt of $10.7 million and a bank loan of $160 million.
Korean Air placed a firm order for three additional A380s, bringing its commitment to the jumbo jet to eight, Airbus announced yesterday. The newly ordered aircraft are scheduled to arrive in 2012-13. KE expects its first A380 in 2010, when it will introduce the plane on routes to the western US. The A380 program now boasts 192 firm orders from 16 customers.
Hamilton Sundstrand will provide the electric power generation system for the forthcoming A350 XWB under a deal with Airbus announced Monday. EPGS includes four 100 kVA, 230-volt variable frequency generators and four generator control units. Estimated program revenue is $1 billion.
El Al said yesterday that it has signed a letter of intent to buy three new 737-800s from an unidentified Spanish airline for $145 million, Reuters reported. It will take delivery in 2009.
China Eastern Airlines will be the first of the country's big three carriers to expand into the niche regional market following CAAC's approval of its joint venture with AVIC I, Happy Air ( ATWOnline, Feb. 5). AVIC I will be Happy's controlling shareholder with a 60% stake, while CEA will put in CNY400 million ($55.7 million) for the remaining 40%. The new venture will be based in Xi'an and use Chinese-built aircraft for its fleet, specifically the MA60 and ARJ21.
Iraqi government said yesterday that it has agreed to purchase 40 new and four used aircraft from Boeing and an additional six units from Bombardier for Iraqi Airways, according to widespread press reports from Baghdad citing statements from Deputy Transport Minister Bangeen Rikani and a government spokesperson. Neither manufacturer confirmed the deal.
Garuda Indonesia orders 35 Boeing aircraft valued at $4.76 billion Lion Air orders 56 more 737-900ERs valued at $4.4 billion Goodrich to unveil maintenance and repair site next to Changi today IATA backs solar-powered flight prototype ATR: Earlier turboprop demand forecast was too low Additional stories Singapore News from February 19.
North American Airlines will discontinue scheduled service to Lagos, Accra and Georgetown on May 20. Chief Commercial and Planning Officer Rob Binns said the markets were performing as expected on a revenue basis but that rising fuel prices rendered them "untenable." NAA will redeploy the aircraft on charter services. Lufthansa will launch thrice-weekly Munich-Mumbai passenger service on May 3 with an A340-300 and increase thrice-weekly Frankfurt-Kolkata to five-times-weekly on June 3, when it will operate 50 weekly flights to six Indian destinations.
Singapore Airlines canceled an A380 flight to Sydney Monday night owing to a fuel pump defect, according to a statement provided to the Associated Press. A replacement pump did not solve the problem and a 747-400 was used on the flight as SIA's other A380 was undergoing maintenance. "Airbus and our own engineers have dedicated teams to try to address these issues quickly, but last night's fuel pump defect took much longer to fix," SIA told AP.
UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch released a Special Bulletin indicating that its investigation into last month's accident involving a British Airways 777-200 at London Heathrow is centered on the fuel pumps and not the engines ( ATWOnline, Jan. 25).
EgyptAir converted six Embraer 170 options into firm orders, the manufacturer announced. Aircraft are worth $189 million at list prices and will begin delivery in 2009. They will be configured with 76 seats and fly for EgyptAir Express. The carrier ordered six E-170s plus the six options in September 2006. Meanwhile, Air France subsidiary Regional converted options for one E-170 and one E-190. Aircraft are worth $69 million at list prices and will be delivered in 2009, Embraer said.
JetBlue Airways took delivery of its first A320 featuring a redesigned cabin that will be available on each of its 88 future deliveries. New interior is 1,050 lb. lighter than its predecessor and results in annual fuel savings of $52,000 per aircraft, JetBlue said. The cabin includes lighter Recaro seats that offer increased personal space created by thinner seat profiles, new sidewall paneling that adds width and shoulder room, 10% more overhead bin space and new LED lighting.
Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson told US Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) that DL and Northwest Airlines have not yet reached a merger agreement but that negotiations continue, Reuters reported. Widespread press reports yesterday said various sources close to the talks revealed that the respective carriers' boards would meet today to review progress on negotiations with the pilots and, if an agreement had been reached with the unions, vote on a merger.
Jat Airways reported a RSD300 million ($5.2 million) profit in 2007, which it said was 50% higher than forecast and its best result in 17 years. It credited its "stable, market-oriented business policy that generated earnings on its own merit without any government assistance." It did not provide a year-ago result. The Serbian flag carrier transported 1.3 million passengers last year, up 8.3% from 2006, and load factor climbed 4 points to 62%.
Frontier Airlines Holdings announced that Executive VP and CFO Paul Tate will resign effective March 21. Frontier said a search for Tate's successor is underway.
