Aeroflot announced yesterday that it intends to split its order for 44 250/300-seat aircraft between the 787 and A350 XWB. The number of aircraft is double the original stated requirement. The split order follows what is perceived to be a new balanced approach to Russia's relationship with Boeing and Airbus. Aeroflot had indicated a preference for the 787 prior to the re-launch of the A350 in June and Vneshtorgbank's purchase of 5% of EADS last week (see above item).
Jordanian government is pushing ahead with the privatization of Royal Jordanian but said this week that it will retain a 26% stake in the flag carrier in order to "guarantee its right for veto," according to the Arab Air Carriers Organization. The remainder of the airline will be sold, with no more than 49% available to foreign investors. The rest will be sold in a public offering to Jordanian citizens.
Cathay Pacific Airways flew 6.26 billion RPKs in August, up 5.6% from the year-ago month. Capacity increased 3.9% to 7.53 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 1.3 points to 83.1%.
CommutAir signed a lease agreement with Horizon Air for 16 Q200s, with deliveries beginning in January. CommutAir will operate the 37-seat turboprops on behalf of Continental Connection at CO's Cleveland hub.
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, parent of Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo, placed a firm order with Boeing yesterday for 12 GEnx-powered 747-8 freighters valued at $3.4 billion, with deliveries slated for 2010-11. Atlas operates the world's largest fleet of 747Fs with 20 dash 400Fs and 15 dash 200Fs and had been considering replacements for four dash 200Fs, a dash 100F and a dash 300F retired from Polar's fleet earlier this year ( ATWOnline, Aug. 15).
Kenya Airways will launch thrice-weekly Nairobi-Paris Charles de Gaulle service from Oct. 26 aboard either 767-300ERs or 777-200s. It is KQ's fourth European destination after Amsterdam, London Heathrow and Istanbul.
Aer Lingus will list on the Dublin and London stock markets on Oct. 2 and will announce its final share price on Sept. 27, it said yesterday, according to press reports. The Irish government unveiled plans for the IPO late last month ( ATWOnline, Aug. 29). Aer Lingus set an indicative price range of €2.1-€2.7 per share, valuing the airline at €601-€773 million prior to the issuance of 208.4 million new shares.
EADS confirmed Sunday that Vneshtorgbank, a state-owned Russian bank, acquired a 5.02% stake in the aerospace giant. The holding in the Airbus parent company is valued at more than $1.1 billion. The bank acknowledged yesterday that it purchased the EADS stake, first reported late last month ( ATWOnline, Aug. 30), but declined to say why.
BWIA West Indies Airways, the money-losing Trinidad and Tobago carrier that unsuccessfully attempted multiple recoveries over the past decade, will shut down Dec. 31 and be replaced by a new carrier, Caribbean Airlines. CEO Peter Davies, who will continue to serve as the top executive at the new airline, decided that a shutdown and clean start were necessary when BWIA's four labor unions balked at concessions proposed in the carrier's latest restructuring plan.
Boeing's 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter, the specially modified 747-400 that will transport major assemblies for the 787, took to the air for the first time Saturday. The aircraft left from Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport for a 2-hr. flight, initiating a test program targeting FAA certification. It is designed to accommodate three times the cargo volume of a standard dash 400 freighter.
US Airways Executive VP and CAO Jeffrey McClelland, 47, died Sunday, the airline announced. He had cancer. The carrier will rename its flight center building in Phoenix after McClelland, who was responsible for finance, legal affairs, human resources, labor relations, properties and facilities and subsidiary operations.
Delta Air Lines last week announced the recall of up to 65 pilots and around 200 flight attendants "to support changes the company is making to build a profitable network." The airline has added more than 50 international routes in the past year alone. Recalled pilots will begin training next month and return to flying "shortly thereafter." DL recalled 64 pilots in June ( ATWOnline, June 12) and said it is in the process of bringing back 100 maintenance personnel.
South African Airways sold its 49% share in Air Tanzania back to the Tanzanian government for $1, according to press reports. The government sold the stake to SAA in December 2002 for $20 million. "I think South African Airways, when they made the decision to buy into Air Tanzania, they thought it would suit their strategic objectives. It become apparent it was no longer in support of their strategic objectives," TC MD John Coleman told the Associated Press, adding that it will take 3-6 months for the companies to split software, communications equipment and other joint operations.
Lufthansa yesterday said it agreed to pay $85 million to settle a string of class-action lawsuits filed in the US following the February launch of a multinational probe into alleged price-fixing by airlines carrying cargo ( ATWOnline, Feb. 15).
FedEx pilots union leadership approved the four-year tentative contract reached with management two weeks ago ( ATWOnline, Aug. 29) and unanimously recommended ratification when more than 4,000 eligible pilots cast ballots in voting scheduled for Sept. 18-Oct. 17. FedEx and its pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn. reached the deal after more than two years of often-contentious negotiations.
American Eagle Airlines launched ERJ-145 service from Chicago O'Hare to Greensboro (twice-daily), Columbia (daily) and Jackson (daily). It also started daily Dallas/Fort Worth-Harrisburg flights aboard a CRJ700, daily New York LaGuardia-Jacksonville service and twice-daily flights from Raleigh/Durham to Columbus aboard ERJ-135s. It plans to increase its ATR 72 service from San Juan beginning Dec. 14, adding flights to St. Croix (one additional daily), Antigua (one additional daily), St.
RegionsAir reached agreement to purchase 12 J32s that had been on lease from BAE Systems. Formerly known as Corporate Airlines, the Tennessee-based Regional operates 10 J32s as American Connection and four Saab 340s for Continental Connection.
US Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) officially introduced the Air Travel Delay Awareness Act of 2006 last week ( ATW, September 2006). The bill, an amendment to existing code, says the Secretary of Transportation shall require all airlines, foreign and domestic, "to make available to the public information regarding the delay of a scheduled passenger flight not later than 10 minutes after such information is available." It allows carriers to transmit that information on the Web, through automated recordings, airport announcements or information screens.
Mexicana de Aviacion struck a deal with ground workers to cut labor costs by 26%, according to a release cited by Dow Jones. The carrier is attempting to cut its overall expenses by 25% and also is negotiating with its pilots and flight attendants. The union representing the latter reportedly threatened to strike if there is no agreement by Sept. 15.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport began reconstruction of Runway 8R-26L, the north departure runway, on Friday. Work on the 10,000-ft. runway will continue for 60 days during which time departure capacity will drop. Flight delays are "possible," the airport said. The project will cost around $90 million and is being funded by passenger facility charges.
Alitalia initiated an appeal with a regional administrative court against the conditions imposed by the Italian competition regulator on its acquisition of Volare, La Stampa reported. In July, AZ received conditional approval for its €38 million ($48.1 million) bid to acquire Volare. The conditions included the surrender of four slots at Milan Linate--two of Volare's domestic slots to Bari and Lamezia Terme and two pairs of slots for flights to Paris Orly.
Lufthansa flew 10.08 billion RPKs in August, down 0.9% from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 0.5% to 13.18 billion ASKs, dropping load factor 1.1 points to 76.5%.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is investigating whether ground noise can be reduced through treatment of the soil. The test, the first of its kind in the world, is being conducted on two plots of land between Runway 18R-36L and Hoofddorp-Noord and will last approximately four weeks. The plots will be plowed and measurements taken to see if the treated soil absorbs noise more effectively. Loud noises will be generated with loudspeakers and alarm pistols. Prior research has demonstrated that the condition of the soil may muffle noise, Schiphol said.
SunExpress, the joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Condor Airlines, said turnover through the first seven months of 2006 increased 26% to €128 million ($163.6 million). Passenger numbers were up 33% to 1.2 million. Separately, SunExpress announced the launch of an Izmir-Gaziantep service and said that InterCockpit, a subsidiary of Lufthansa Flight Training, will handle student pilot training.
Pemco Aviation Group signed an agreement yesterday with ILFC for one passenger-to-freighter 737-300 conversion for delivery later this year, with options for three more conversions in 2007.
