Eurofly has decided not to convert its original order for three A350s into the redesigned XWB, preferring not to wait the extra two years for delivery, it said in a stock exchange filing cited by Bloomberg News. It originally had expected delivery in 2013 ( ATWOnline, Oct. 14, 2005). It currently operates eight A320s and four A330s and said the contract cancellation will not impact its bottom line negatively.
Continental Airlines will join the roster of carriers offering live television and wireless connectivity inflight, announcing yesterday an agreement with JetBlue Airways subsidiary LiveTV to provide 36 channels of DirecTV at "every seat" of CO's 737NGs and 757-300s and inflight Wi-Fi services beginning in January 2009. First class customers will receive the television service free while economy passengers will be charged $6. Wi-Fi service featuring e-mail and instant messaging will be free and is similar to the BetaBlue product debuted by JetBlue last month.
Delta Air Lines flew 9.72 billion system RPMs in December, up 3% over the year-ago month. Capacity rose 3.1% to 12.5 billion ASMs and load factor dipped 0.1 point to 77.7%. Alaska Airlines flew 1.56 billion RPMs in December, up 6.3% from the year-ago month, against a 5.2% increase in capacity to 2.06 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 0.7 point to 75.8%. Spanair flew 587 million RPKs in December, a 1.4% increase from the year-ago month. Capacity was level at 979 million ASKs and load factor rose 0.8 point to 60%.
AirTran Airways reported net income of $52.7 million for 2007, more than triple a $14.7 million profit earned in the prior year, on a 22.1% boost in revenue to $2.31 billion. "We finished the year with a very strong revenue performance reflecting the high quality of our service and diversified network, which was especially important given the challenging operating environment and record high fuel costs in 2007," President and CEO Bob Fornaro said.
Air France unveiled the new cabin on its narrobody fleet featuring "a host of aesthetic and practical new features." It will take delivery of seven A320 family aircraft featuring the new cabin through April. The first, an A321, went into service last Friday. The revamp includes larger overhead baggage bins, new ceilings/lighting, trim that appears to widen the windows and renovated passenger controls. New decor rounds out the changes.
Delta Air Lines will launch twice-daily Atlanta-Lawton/Fort Sill service on March 3 aboard an Atlantic Southeast Airlines CRJ200. On June 5 it will start daily flights from Los Angeles to Lihue and Kona and operate the routes with a mix of 757-200s, 767-300s and 767-400s. Seasonal ATL-Edinburgh service will operate thrice-weekly June 2-30 and daily July 1-Sept. 30 on a 757-200. Twice-weekly New York JFK-Antigua and Barbuda begins June 12.
Hahn Air signed interline e-ticketing agreements with Georgian Airways, Carpatair, Meridiana, Vladivostok Air, KrasAir, Domodedovo Airlines and Samara Airlines, bringing to 73 the number of carriers with which it interlines.
STG Aerospace said Boeing will extend its SafTGlo deal for five more years. Valued at $1.5 million, the contract will increase production for 737NGs to more than 30 aircraft per month during 2008.
Emirates SkyCargo and Dubai Customs signed an MOU to explore greater use of electronic correspondence in transactions between the airline and the agency and also in dealings with other supply chain partners. In addition, the initiative will allow importers and exporters to perform 51 customs transactions electronically without having to visit customs centers physically.
Japan Airlines said 320 flight attendants applied for its early retirement plan out of 900 who were eligible. Early retirement also has been offered to certain senior management and ground staff. JAL said 1,200 have taken advantage of the offers across the company in the past year. It intends to reduce personnel costs by ¥50 billion ($468.3 million) each fiscal year through FY2009-10 with a variety of initiatives ( ATWOnline, Oct. 15, 2007).
China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council has emerged as the controlling shareholder of the country's new large commercial aircraft manufacturing concern, according to Shanghai Securities News. Other stakeholders include AVIC I and AVIC II--which will hold the second-largest stake jointly--local government, Baosteel Group and Aluminum Corp. of China.
Heroux-Devtek's Aerostructure Division reached a five-year, C$110 million ($109.1 million) deal with Bombardier Aerospace to fabricate, assemble and deliver more than 200 structural detail components including spars, ribs, frame and engine mounts spanning the manufacturer's regional and business aircraft. Work will begin immediately and continue through December 2012.
Lufthansa flew 8.73 billion RPKs in December, up 5.5% from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 4.3% to 11.9 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 0.8 point to 73.4%.
EgyptAir will undertake an enormous effort in an attempt to join Star Alliance this year, giving the grouping a boost as it attempts to counter the influence of Emirates in that part of the world. "We are trying very hard to be a member by the fourth quarter of 2008," Chairman and CEO Sherif Saad Eldin Galal told ATWOnline in Cairo.
Jet Airways, India's sole profitable major carrier, yesterday reported a INR911 million ($23.1 million) loss for the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, reversed from a profit of INR400 million in the year-ago period, ending a streak of four consecutive positive quarters.
Singapore Airlines yesterday was named Air Transport World's Airline of the Year for 2008, recognized for its superb safety record, exemplary commitment to operational excellence and customer service, and strong financial performance.
El Al will receive a significant financial boost from the Israeli government to cover rising security expenses in exchange for allowing smaller rivals Arkia Israel Airlines and Israir Airlines access to previously monopolized long-haul routes, according to widespread press reports. The move was in response to increasing pressure from foreign carriers, which have increased the number of seats offered to/from the country by 45% since April 2006, according to Reuters.
Lufthansa and DHL Express yesterday announced that their 50/50 joint venture cargo airline AeroLogic will be based at Leipzig/Halle Airport and have a fleet comprising 11 leased 777Fs by 2012.
Estonian Air said it reached a labor agreement with the Estonian Transport and Road Workers Union that will include a 12.1% salary increase this year. ETTA called off a "warning strike" scheduled for today.
Astraeus wet-leased a 757 to British Airways for operation on European routes to and from London Gatwick through March. Astraeus said it is entering negotiations "with a number of airlines and operators" to provide similar services.
India and Saudi Arabia signed an air services agreement that will more than double the number of available seats per week between the countries to 20,000 from 8,500. Saudi carriers now can fly to Bangalore, Lucknow and Calicut in addition to the five Indian cities already permitted. Indian airlines will have access to Madina, their fourth destination in Saudi Arabia. Cargo flights will have no restrictions.
Air India, Jupiter Aviation and Airbus signed an MOU last week to establish a three-way JV MRO facility in India to perform work on all types of Airbus aircraft operated by AI and other Indian airlines. Air India told The Economic Times that it will develop a business plan for the MRO over the next two months to be submitted to its board for approval. The deal was reached during French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to India last week.
Japan Airlines will link its loyalty program to those of China Eastern Airlines and Mexicana from Feb. 1. JAL has similar agreements with Air France, Emirates and its oneworld partners.
Aviation Capital Group said it concluded 48 aircraft lease and acquisition transactions in 2007. It also placed orders for 45 A320 family aircraft, 30 737s and five 787s worth more than $5 billion at list prices and arranged 19 aircraft sale/placement transactions.
Continental Airlines pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn. took a harder stance against consolidation than some of their US counterparts Friday, issuing a statement saying, "We agree with management that we are content as a profitable, standalone entity." The union launched a response team center in reaction to recent speculation and said, "the pilots of Continental must be key in the decision to welcome or reject any merger candidate."
