Air Berlin, Qantas, CIT Aerospace and Kuwaiti lessor Alafco helped Boeing celebrate yesterday's 787 unveiling in Seattle while the manufacturer promised further improvements to the record-setting aircraft. Qantas ordered an additional 20 787s Friday and on Saturday the German LCC committed to 25 and Alafco ordered 10. In addition, CIT Aerospace doubled its order to 10 last week. In addition, ATWOnline learned that Qatar Airways is the customer for 30 previously unidentified aircraft.
The so-called High Level Group for the future European aviation regulatory framework formed by European Commission VP-Transport Jacques Barrot last week delivered its long-awaited report containing 10 recommendations and a roadmap with concrete measures boosting performance of Europe's air traffic management system.
China Southern Airlines will launch A319 service from Guangzhou to Yangon (thrice-weekly from July 2), Phuket (four-times-weekly from July 10), Siem Reap (thrice-weekly from July 11) and Vientiane (thrice-weekly from July 12). Austrian Airlines will resume service to Kazakhstan with a Vienna-Astana service scheduled to launch before year end. Separately, OS reached agreement with future Star Alliance partner Air China to place its code on daily CA flights from Beijing to Shanghai, Wuhan and Guangzhou. OS operates a daily VIE-PEK service.
Boeing delivered 114 aircraft in the second quarter, up from 97 in the year-ago period. Deliveries comprised 86 737NGs (compared to 70 in the second quarter of 2006), four 747s (none), three 767s (none) and 21 777s (17). It delivered 220 aircraft in the first six months of 2007 compared to 195 in the year-ago period. First-half 2007 deliveries comprised 169 737NGs, seven 747s, six 767s and 38 777s.
Italian government again pushed back the deadline for submitting binding bids for its stake in Alitalia, this time to July 23, Reuters reported. Deadline had been set for July 12 ( ATWOnline, June 22).
AirTran Airways issued revised second-quarter guidance last week forecasting a 5%-5.5% decline in unit revenue, steeper than the 3%-5% fall predicted last month ( ATWOnline, June 18). It reported RASM of 10.75 cents in the second quarter of 2006. Nonfuel CASM is expected to fall 5.25%-5.75%, similar to last month's projection of a 5%-6% slide.
Air France KLM flew 17.75 billion RPKs in June, up 4.9% from the year-ago month, against a 4.5% lift in ASKs to 21.45 billion. Load factor was up 0.3 point to 82.7%. Delta Air Lines flew 11.67 billion system RPMs in June, up 5% from the year-ago month, on a 1.5% lift in domestic traffic and a 12.7% surge internationally. Capacity rose 3.3% to 13.59 billion ASMs as domestic fell 2.2% and international climbed 15%. System load factor gained 1.4 points to 85.9%--domestic rose 3.2 points to 87.3% and international fell 1.7 points to 83.4%.
Qantas yesterday said the level of foreign shareholding in the company has fallen to 44.5% from "just below" 50% ( ATWOnline, May 31). "Foreign shareholding is trending down and we are confident that our share register is in compliance with the Qantas Sale Act," CEO Geoff Dixon said.
CIT Aerospace yesterday announced an order for five additional 787s worth approximately $810 million at list prices. The lessor already had five 787s on order. Delivery schedule was not announced.
Okay Airways of Tianjin, as part of its accelerated preparation to launch a regional carrier, is nearing an order for 30 Xian MA60 turboprops. Negotiations with AVIC I are expected to conclude soon, Okay President Liu Jieyin announced yesterday. The airline signed an LOI at last year's Zhuhai Air Show for the aircraft, which are worth approximately CNY1.8 billion ($236.7 million).
The European Commission on Wednesday published the fourth update of its "blacklist" of airlines banned from operating in the EU. The list, which takes effect today, now includes all 51 carriers certified in Indonesia, Angolan flag carrier TAAG Angola Airlines and Ukrainian cargo operator Volare Aviation Enterprise.
Lufthansa Technik started construction yesterday on a 27,000-sq.-m. maintenance hangar for A330s and A340 in Malta. LHT will invest €55 million ($74.9 million) and said the project will create about 540 jobs. The facility should be operational by the 2008 fourth quarter and will be leased to Lufthansa Technik Malta, in which Lufthansa will hold 92% and Air Malta the remainder. LH said the expansion is required to meet rising demand for MRO on the Airbus widebodies. LHT also operates an A330/A340 facility in Manila.
World Air Holdings, parent of World Airways and North American Airlines, reported a net loss of $2.3 million for 2006, down from net income of $31.6 million the prior year, on a 4.9% rise in revenue to $825.7 million.
American Airlines announced the following changes to its London service: One of its two daily Dallas/Fort Worth-Gatwick flights and its daily Raleigh/Durham-LGW service, both aboard 777s, will switch to Heathrow on March 29. A new daily New York JFK-Stansted flight begins Oct. 28 aboard a 221-seat 767-300, with a second daily frequency added next spring. Separately, AA flew 12.22 billion system RPMs in June, down 3.5% from the year-ago month, as domestic traffic declined 3% and international fell 4.3%.
American Eagle Airlines flew 806 million RPMs in June, down 2.4% from June 2006, against a 2.2% fall in ASMs to 1 billion. Load factor was off 0.2 point to 80.3%. Ryanair transported 4.3 million passengers in June, up 18% from the year-ago month. Load factor dropped 2 points to 85%. AirTran Airways flew 1.63 billion RPMs in June, up 26% from the year-ago month. Capacity climbed 21.3% to 1.97 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 3.1 points to 82.9%.
The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm, reached a definitive agreement to acquire ARINC from its current shareholders, which include more than a dozen major airlines and Boeing.
US House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last week cleared its version of FAA reauthorization legislation, which calls for more than $65 billion to fund aviation operations in the US in 2008-11. The bill provides $15.8 billion for the Airport Improvement Program and nearly $13 billion for FAA facilities and equipment, as well as $37.2 billion for FAA operations over the next four years.
Continental Airlines and Kingfisher Airlines announced a partnership under which they will offer loyalty program and lounge reciprocity effective Oct. 1. Codesharing is scheduled to begin by year end. CO operates a daily Newark-Delhi service and plans to launch daily EWR-Mumbai flights on Oct. 1.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines yesterday officially introduced its new flexible fare structure allowing business, Economy Extra and economy passengers to purchase Fully Flexible, Flexible and Fixed fares for any class on any segment. All fares are available to book immediately save Fixed Economy Extra, which will be ready by year end. "The new fixed fares allow customers to purchase business or Economy Extra class at a competitive price, if they book well in advance," SAS International CCO Lars Sandahl Sorensen said. "They can also mix classes to suit their budgets and schedules.
Rockwell Collins said Shandong Airlines selected a suite of avionics for 18 737-800s including the MultiScan Hazard Detection System, Model 4000 HGS and Programmable Audio Video Entertainment System. Deliveries are scheduled through 2009.
Virgin Blue exercised options on 10 737-800 purchase rights worth $678.5 million at list prices. New aircraft will replace existing leased aircraft and are scheduled for delivery in the December 2011-February 2013 period.
Etihad Crystal Cargo appointed Heavyweight Air Express as its general sales agent in Ireland to support belly cargo service on the four-times-weekly Abu Dhabi-Dublin service that Etihad Airways launched this week aboard an A330-200.
Continental Airlines and representatives of the Air Line Pilots Assn. this week signed a Protocol Agreement that "sets the stage for the parties to begin talks about changes to the pilots' contract," CO said. The current contract becomes amendable on Dec. 31, 2008, and ALPA requested that discussions begin earlier than the originally scheduled April 2008 date. Separately, CO estimated that June consolidated unit revenue climbed 1.5%-2.5% year-over-year and mainline RASM rose 3.5%-4.5%.
