Alitalia board is scheduled to meet today to review offers for the 49.9% stake that the government wants to sell. The embattled carrier last week delayed the deadline for nonbinding offers by one week to today and committed to "immediately" announcing the number of proposals received and the identities of the bidders ( ATWOnline, Nov. 3). Air One, Air France KLM and Lufthansa often are named as candidates, though the latter two had not confirmed publicly their intent to submit an offer as of yesterday.
Thales will provide avionics and IFE systems for AirAsia X's forthcoming fleet of 15 new A330-300s. Systems include the FMS, T2CAS Terrain and Traffic Collision Avoidance System and Mode S. Contract covers 15 years of after-sales repair and maintenance support through Thales Repair by-the-hour and Turn Key Maintenance packages.
Indian government will sell off up to 15% of Air India in the second half of next year, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said this week, according to widespread press reports from New Delhi. Patel said the merged AI "certainly needs an infusion of equity to fund current acquisition needs and future growth. . .Its equity structure is very, very small." The company currently has an equity base of INR1.45 billion ($36.8 million), according to reports.
US National Transportation Safety Board recommended that FAA require installation of fire suppression systems in all cargo aircraft operating under Part 121 following its investigation into a fire that destroyed a UPS DC-8 in February 2006 in Philadelphia. Fire started "from an unknown source within one of the containers in the main cargo compartment," NTSB said, concluding "that the threat from cargo fires could be mitigated by the installation of fire suppression systems."
US Government Accountability Office issued a report on runway safety that cast doubt on FAA's recent claims of progress in reducing incursions, concluding that "the rate of runway incursions has not decreased over the last five years" and citing lapses by the agency in implementing runway safety initiatives. FAA recently touted "significant short-term actions" taken to improve runway safety ( ATWOnline, Oct.
Delta Air Lines flew 9.36 billion system RPMs in November, up 5% from the year-ago month, against a 5.6% increase in capacity to 12.15 billion ASMs. Load factor fell 0.4 point to 77.1%. DL said unit revenue "increased modestly" year-over-year, with "strong improvements" in international operations. Northwest Airlines flew 6.13 billion consolidated RPMs in November, down 0.1% from the year-ago month. Capacity fell 1.1% to 7.43 billion ASMs and load factor rose 0.7 point to 82.4%.
Pinnacle Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn., voted to authorize a strike if negotiations with management do not result in an agreement and the US National Mediation Board releases the parties to economic self-help. More than 99% of the 1,200-plus pilots supported the strike, ALPA said. Negotiations began in February 2005 and the sides entered mediation in September 2006.
Jordanian government launched an IPO of 71% of Royal Jordanian's issued share capital, the Arab Air Carriers Organization said. In October, RJ President and CEO Samer Majali confirmed to this website that privatization of the carrier would proceed as scheduled this month ( ATWOnline, Oct. 25). Offer price is set at JOD2.75-JOD3.40 ($3.86-$4.77) per share.
Delta Air Lines launched daily Atlanta-Lagos service Monday aboard a 214-seat 767-300ER. It plans to start New York JFK-Lagos flights on June 9, part of an African expansion planned for next year that eventually will lead to its serving seven destinations in six countries. Bmi regional will launch six-times-weekly Nottingham East Midlands-Cologne/Bonn flights on Feb. 11. Wizz Air will start thrice-weekly Warsaw-Doncaster Sheffield service on April 1.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters petitioned the US National Mediation Board seeking a vote to represent mechanics at United Airlines, who currently are represented by the American Mechanics Fraternal Assn. IBT said it expected a vote in six weeks.
American Airlines flew 11.15 billion system RPMs in November, a 4.1% increase from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 2.2% to 13.72 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 1.5 points to 81.2%. American Eagle flew 723.6 million RPMs, down 0.9%, against a 1% increase in ASMs to 1 billion. Load factor fell 1.4 points to 72.1%. United Airlines flew 9.01 billion system RPMs in November, down 1.4% from the year-ago month. Capacity fell 1.3% to 11.31 billion ASMs and load factor dipped 0.1 point to 79.6%.
Pratt & Whitney said its Geared Turbofan demonstrator engine "successfully completed its first series of engine runs, reaching full power [of] 30,000 lb. thrust" at the company's test facility in West Palm Beach. The GTF has been selected as the exclusive engine for the proposed Mitsubishi Regional Jet and has been chosen by Bombardier for its planned CSeries 110/130-seat jet family ( ATWOnline, Nov. 14). Both aircraft are scheduled to enter service in 2013.
US airlines yesterday warned of rising fuel costs and a slowing US economy, with Continental Airlines and Southwest Airlines reducing planned 2008 capacity growth and Delta Air Lines projecting that it could post an operating loss in the fourth quarter.
Turkish Ministry of Transport will impose stricter controls on civil aviation in response to the Atlasjet MD-83 crash that killed all 57 onboard last Friday ( ATWOnline, Dec. 4). The ministry will perform checks of all aircraft operated by private airlines in the country, as well as checks of training standards, Turkish media reported. In addition, authorities intend to reduce flights to destinations on which carriers suffer from low load factors, especially on routes to smaller cities in the provinces.
China Eastern Airlines shareholders conference that will decide the fate of the Singapore Airlines stake purchase is drawing near ( ATWOnline, Nov. 28), and Air China parent China National Aviation Corp. again has raised its stake in CEA. CNAC upped its share to 12.07% from 11.02% by purchasing its 4.278 million H shares, according to data released yesterday by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Lufthansa Technik Shenzhen reached a 10-year Total Component Support agreement with Shenzhen Airlines covering the carrier's growing A320 fleet with a projected 500 line replaceable units provided locally. Contract eventually will cover up to 70 A320s.
Malaysia Airlines ordered 20 ATR 72-500s for its wholly owned subsidiaries Firefly and MASwings. Each carrier will receive 10 aircraft, with 10 options earmarked for Firefly and five for MASwings. The deal excluding options is valued at $650 million. Firefly will take delivery of its first aircraft next year, while the first for MASwings will arrive in 2009.
Lufthansa Systems said it successfully migrated BMED to its Passenger Management System following the carrier's acquisition by bmi, which also uses the system that handles processes such as reservations, ticketing and inventory.
The Ministers of Transport of the EU's 27 member states reached agreement Friday on the content and text of the revision of the so-called "third aviation package." The European Commission published a proposal in July 2006 for the reform of the third package, aimed at consolidating and updating the three existing regulations (dating from 1992) that are the foundation of the liberalization of air services in the EU.
South African Civil Aviation Authority announced the resignation of CEO Zakes Myeza. It said he resigned following a ruling by Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe that the CEO and Commissioner for Civil Aviation positions be merged. SACAA board "reluctantly accepted" the resignation, it said, adding that the move was unrelated to the current crisis involving Nationwide Airlines ( ATWOnline, Dec.
Southwest Airlines yesterday officially opened an 80,000-sq.-ft. maintenance hangar at Dallas Love Field. Construction on the $18.5 million facility, which can accommodate three winglet-equipped 737-700s, began in November 2006. SWA's Dallas maintenance base now comprises five hangars.
Boeing announced yesterday that Indonesia's Lion Air is the customer for 22 previously unidentified 737-900ERs. An order was placed on May 25 for 62 737-900ERs, with 40 confirmed at the Paris Air Show ( ATWOnline, June 19) and the balance confirmed yesterday.
Air Vanuatu placed an order for one ATR 72-500 with delivery scheduled for 2009. The 70-seat aircraft will be equipped with 120-min. ETOPS capability, enabling the carrier to develop its international network with flights to surrounding islands such as Fiji and the Solomons.
