Air China and Air Macau parent Air China Ltd. earned net income of CNY1.57 billion ($207.4 million) in the first half under international accounting standards, up 242.6% from the year-ago semester profit on a 17.2% lift in operating revenue to CNY23.35 billion. CA explained that its earlier projected year-over-year increase of 2000% was calculated based on the old domestic accounting standard ( ATWOnline, Aug. 3).
Airbus has filed for 380 patents for design features on the A380. The manufacturer said that since the program was launched in December 2000, new technologies have been tested rigorously and "significant breakthrough innovations have been achieved in aerodynamics, cabin design, engine integration, flight controls, aircraft systems, manufacturing techniques and the extensive use of advanced lightweight composite materials." Among innovations for which Airbus has filed applications is the Zero Splice Inlet integrated into the engine nacelles. The ZSI consists of a single 360-deg.
TAM placed an order for four additional 777-300ERs, taking its commitment to the type to eight. Its first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in June 2008. Boeing said the order pushed all-time sales of the 777 past 1,000.
TUIfly will close its Bremen base in April. The decision affects 100 employees, who may be transferred to other departments inside the company, it said. The airline operates nine routes from Bremen.
Allegiant Airlines announced the following new routes: Twice-weekly Peoria-Mesa, Ariz., from Oct. 17; twice-weekly Peoria-Fort Lauderdale from Dec. 13; twice-weekly Mesa-Santa Maria from Oct. 26; twice-weekly Mesa-Sioux Falls from Oct. 25; twice-weekly Mesa-Stockton from Oct. 26, and twice-weekly Mesa-Cedar Rapids from Oct. 25. FedEx Express launched four-times-weekly Memphis-Manchester MD-11 freighter service that will increase daily US-UK capacity by up to 50%.
Skyservice Airlines, a Canadian charter carrier that also offers MRO and other support services, announced it will sell a "majority" of its charter business to private equity firm Gibralt Capital Corp. of Vancouver. No financial details were disclosed. "Our plan is to leverage our profitable base of operations, not only in the charter business but also in aviation services and maintenance," Skyservice Chairman and CEO Russ Payson said. The airline said senior management will continue in their roles and "no changes to. .
Sensis announced that Continental Airlines will subscribe to the Sensis Aerobahn Service for Newark "to enable more efficient management of air traffic flows, particularly during periods of abnormal delay." CO already uses Aerobahn at Houston Intercontinental. At EWR it will use Aerobahn TaxiView, OpsView and QuickView.
American Airlines Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey yesterday suggested that voluntary schedule reductions by airlines could be a way to reduce delays and congestion at New York JFK, one of the US's most delay-prone airports this year.
Citing "the sluggishness experienced by the aviation industry in the 2nd quarter" and a "downturn in demand due to the weather and particularly noticeable in April," Air Berlin yesterday reported a €12.1 million ($16.5 million) profit that fell 59.9% from net earnings of €30.1 million in the 2006 June quarter.
US FAA ordered Bombardier to correct potential flap failures on some 684 CRJ100s/200s operated in the US by Air Wisconsin, Atlantic Southeast Airlines and SkyWest Airlines. "The Bombardier CL-600-2B19 airplanes have had a history of flap failures at various positions for several years," the agency said. "Flap failure may result in a significant increase in required landing distances and higher fuel consumption than planned during a diversion." Thus far, no fatal accidents have been attributed to flap failures.
Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg International Airlines signed Total Component Support and Total Engine Support contracts covering the carrier's soon-to-be-delivered 10 A319s. Deals are 10 years and worth approximately €50 million ($68.2 million). HIA will take delivery of its first new A319 in January.
Australia's Regional Express Holdings, which flies as Rex, announced a net profit of A$23.6m ($19.4 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, an increase of 50.4% from the previous year's A$15.7 million. Revenue was up 29% to A$225 million and passenger numbers rose 18% to 1.4 million. Expenditures grew 21% to A$177.7 million with the major cost increase in fuel, which jumped 18.6% to A$32.5 million.
Bombardier Aerospace reported EBIT of $133 million for the second fiscal quarter ended July 31, double the $66 million earned in the year-ago period. Revenue was up 15.8% to $2.21 billion. Company officials attributed the increase to higher manufacturing revenues for business and regional aircraft and more deliveries of pre-owned regional aircraft. Net orders for the second quarter more than doubled to 187 from 77. Bombardier delivered 78 aircraft compared to 75 in the year-ago period.
Republic Airways will replace 16 70-seat E-170s operated on behalf of Delta Air Lines with 76-seat E-175s in the second half of 2008 and early 2009 under terms of a newly amended service agreement, the Associated Press reported yesterday. Also, Republic will add 10 70-seat 170s to its agreement with United Airlines. In addition to DL and UA, it operates under service agreements with American Airlines, Continental Airlines, US Airways and Frontier Airlines. Separately, parent Republic Airways Holdings announced a year-long stock buyback program worth up to $100 million.
Aeroflot, Snecma Services and Russian MRO provider BAP3-400 signed an MOU to look into creation of a joint venture for CFM56 MRO in Russia next year, SU announced. SU plans to be operating 56 A320 family aircraft by 2010 and said that "intensive growth" of CFM56 use in Russia "is happening not only in Aeroflot but also in other air companies." Separately, SU said it issued "more than" 100,000 e-tickets in the six months since it started transitioning to the platform ( ATWOnline, March 23).
Qantas announced it will move all transcontinental flights connecting Perth to Sydney and Melbourne to A330s and 767s within two years. Seat capacity will climb nearly 25% as a result, which Executive GM John Borghetti said "is a sign of our commitment to Western Australia, which is one of the biggest growth markets in Australia." QF will increase its regional services from Perth as well.
American Airlines will launch daily Miami-Phoenix service and flights from Dallas/Fort Worth to Panama City (four-times-weekly) and Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, (weekly) on Dec. 13 aboard 148-seat 737-800s. Hawaiian Airlines plans to launch Honolulu-Manila service in March pending government approval. Route initially will be served at least four-times-weekly aboard a 767-300ER, HA said
General Electric announced a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Czech Republic's Walter Engines, which it said "will broaden GE's capabilities in the small turboprop segment of aviation." Financial details were not disclosed.
Air New Zealand concluded a year full of highlights by reporting its best result in a decade, a NZ$214 million ($154.7 million) net profit in the fiscal year ended June 30 that represented a 123% increase over the prior year's NZ$96 million in earnings.
First two CRJ200s painted in the red, gold and white livery of Kunpeng Airlines are heading for China, Mesa Air Group CEO Jonathan Ornstein confirmed yesterday to ATWOnline. He said he expects the joint venture with Shenzhen Airlines to launch domestic service on Sept. 16. Kunpeng will be based in Xi'an ( ATWOnline, April 11). Under terms of an agreement that was announced in December, Shenzhen holds a 51% stake in Kunpeng with MAG holding the remainder.
Vietnam Airlines yesterday began operating its international flights from the new International Terminal at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.
Ryanair announced an agreement with Brussels South Charleroi Airport and said it will release seats for sale on flights from Nov. 12. The LCC suspended bookings at CRL last week, citing outstanding issues related to a June wildcat strike by security employees that forced a suspension in operations ( ATWOnline, Aug. 23). It said the deal "addressed all concerns" and cited an accord between the Belgian Ministry of Transport and public service unions that guarantees there will be 48-hr.
Cyprus Airways reported an €11.7 million ($16 million) loss in the first six months of 2007, narrowed from a deficit of €40 million in the year-ago period that included the results of charter subsidiary Eurocypria Airlines, which was sold to the Cypriot government last year ( ATWOnline, July 12, 2006). Revenue fell 15% year-over-year to €126.5 million but rose 12.3% if Eurocypria's contribution is excluded from the comparison figure. Expenses declined 21.6% to €135.9 million.
