World airline passenger traffic (RPKs) grew about 7.5% in 2005 compared to 2004, with international RPKs up around 8.5%, ICAO said based on preliminary figures. Capacity, measured in ASKs, increased at a slightly slower pace, resulting in an average passenger load factor of almost 75%, up 2 points over last year. Load factor on international services also was 75% compared to 74% in 2004.
Aloha Airlines received permission last week to cancel its employee pension plans from a US District Court judge, who ruled against the US Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. in finding that the airline would be unable to survive its exit from bankruptcy or attract investors while still owing $155 million to its defined-benefit pension plans. Aloha's departure from Chapter 11 nearly was finalized when it reached a labor deal with its pilots earlier in the week ( ATWOnline, Dec.
Southwest Airlines will expand its codeshare agreement with ATA Airlines to include the latter's thrice-daily service between Dallas/Ft. Worth and Chicago Midway. The codeshare flights will begin Jan. 11. Southwest operates 196 flights per day from MDW, its second-busiest market. Although American Airlines said last week it will launch service to Kansas City and St. Louis from Dallas Love Field ( ATWOnline, Dec. 14), Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said his carrier has "no interest in splitting our operation between Dallas Love Field and DFW Airport. .
FlyBE Chairman Jim French said the group expects to post an operating profit of about £10 million ($17.7 million), its first in five years, for the year ended March 2005 compared to an operating loss of £9.8 million in the previous year. Pre-tax profit should come in at £8 million, up from £2.9 million. The airline appointed Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein as financial adviser to lead a possible IPO late next year or in 2007, the Financial Times reported.
Aviaimport of Cuba agreed to a 10-year, $94 million loan with a syndicate of Russian banks for the purchase of two Il 96-300s to be delivered Christmas Day and Jan. 20.
UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch sharply rebuked British Airways' maintenance operation over a September 2003 incident involving one of BA's 757s. During the first flight after the aircraft returned to service from a 26-day maintenance check, the crew noticed that a hot oil smell that had been present in the cockpit on startup had returned shortly after takeoff from London Heathrow. The cockpit crew donned oxygen masks and diverted the aircraft to Gatwick.
China Eastern Airlines and Pratt & Whitney signed an MOU Friday to create an MRO facility in Shanghai devoted to the CFM56. It is scheduled to open in 2007. Snecma Services Brussels signed a time and material engine MRO contract with SkyEurope Airlines covering exclusive MRO services through 2008 for the CFM56-3s powering its fleet of 12 737s.
KLM is in the process of launching its fully revamped website in 70 countries as part of a broader objective to achieve a global online booking score of 40% in FY07-08. Its current score is 12%.
Air Botswana leased a BAe 146-100 from BAE Systems Regional Aircraft and signed a JetSpares support agreement covering its two 146-100s. AerCap purchased two new A319s and leased them to Atlasjet International Airways of Turkey. The 144-seat, single-class aircraft will be powered by IAE V2500s and fly on domestic routes. The first was delivered Thursday, the second is scheduled for delivery early next year.
US Sen. Joseph Lieberman urged the Dept. of Homeland Security to review the Transportation Security Administration's decision to allow certain scissors and tools to be carried by passengers ( ATWOnline, Dec. 5).
DBA will start twice-daily Munich-Paris service from March 6. It will begin a five-times-weekly service from Munich to Athens and Saloniki on March 27. Rimini will become a twice-weekly service from March 28.
Singapore Changi Airport will open its dedicated low-cost carrier terminal on March 26, offering passenger charges that are nearly 40% below those at Terminals 1 and 2, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said. The total per-passenger charge will be S$13 ($7.77) versus $21 for the full-service terminals. The fee covers two components comprising a S$7 passenger service charge and a S$6 passenger security charge.
Alitalia secured an eight-year, $445 million loan from GE Corporate Banking last week, bringing the beleaguered carrier one step closer to stability following the €1 billion ($1.2 billion) rights issue that concluded earlier this month ( ATWOnline, Nov. 14). The deal with GECB will be guaranteed by mortgages on 28 Alitalia aircraft, according to media reports. Separately, Alitalia was fined €30,000 ($35,600) by Italy's antitrust agency for displaying "misleading" advertising on the carrier's website.
Juro International Systems announced that Midwest Airlines will use its JIS-MIT Revenue Analysis System to warehouse and study real-time revenue analysis information.
European Parliament announced regulations last week requiring EU airports to provide greater assistance to disabled travelers, including free wheelchairs at departure and arrival points and assistance with moving between parking lots and check-in facilities. An Airports Council International spokesperson told Reuters that airlines will have to cover much of the cost associated with the new directives and that fees will be in proportion to the amount of traffic an individual carrier contributes to a given airport. The new policy will be implemented over the next two years.
Boeing selected PPG Aerospace to provide electrochromic windows for the 787 passenger cabin. The windows can be tinted electronically, eliminating the need for shades. PPG said the 787 will be the first commercial aircraft to use the technology. The deal will be worth about $50 million to PPG over the first five years.
Austrian Airlines Group announced Friday that it is in close talks with Italian airport operator SAVE about selling its catering unit Airest. AAG put Airest up for sale earlier this year. Negotiations will run until Jan. 31.
Opposition to the US Dept. of Transportation's proposal to ease how it interprets foreign control of a US airline ( ATWOnline, Nov. 4) is rising in Congress. Last week, Reps. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) and Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) introduced legislation in the House of Representatives aimed at preventing or at least delaying DOT from finalizing its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Cathay Pacific signed a $2.85 billion purchase agreement for 12 777-300ERs plus 20 options yesterday, finalizing an order it placed earlier this month ( ATWOnline, Dec. 2). It will begin taking delivery of the GE90-115BL2-powered aircraft in September 2007. The deal also includes four leased 777-300ERs from ILFC.
EU and Morocco reached an open skies agreement Wednesday that will go into effect next year pending parliamentary ratification. The deal allows the Moroccan government to avoid spending approximately $3.29 billion to expand Royal Air Maroc's fleet by the 60 aircraft required to accommodate increasing tourism, Reuters reported. RAM chief Mohamed Berrada told state news agency MAP he did not fear impending competition. "The competition will not play out on Morocco only," he said. "That competition will play out in the EU as well. For us, competition is a factor of progress."
Aviareps was appointed by Ariana Afghan to provide representation as the carrier's GSA in eight markets: Austria, Benuelux, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Switzerland.
Metropolitan Airports Commission, which runs Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, voted unanimously Wednesday to raise user fees by $14.64 million--18%--per year, ignoring pleas from principal tenant Northwest Airlines.
Meridiana selected Messier Services as the landing gear MRO provider for its A319s. KLM Engineering & Maintenance extended its MRO contract with Focus Air, which wet-leases 747 freighters. KLM E&M will handle engine and component maintenance, A checks, engineering and line maintenance.
