Singapore-based Tiger Airways announced it will launch service to Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory beginning Dec. 19, subject to government approval. The four-times-weekly service will be aboard a 180-seat A320 and will be the first low-fare service between Darwin and Asia. Fares will start at S$49.98 ($29.37) one way. "We are excited to launch new low-fare flights to yet another country in the Asia/Pacific region, making Tiger Airways the fastest growing low-fare airline in the region," CEO Tony Davis said in a statement.
Wright Amendment would be repealed under legislation introduced by Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) and co-sponsored by Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.). The American Right to Fly Act would overturn the federal law that restricts commercial flights from Dallas Love Field to destinations within Texas and seven nearby states. Southwest Airlines is campaigning to have the amendment overturned. It is opposed by Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport and its largest tenant, American Airlines. The Senate aviation subcommittee has scheduled a hearing on the issue for today.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG yesterday reported a nine-month net profit of €416 million ($490 million), nearly all of which was earned in the third quarter. The company will release complete results today, which should indicate quarterly net earnings of €415.8 million compared to a six-month profit of €200,000 and a €125 million profit in the year-ago quarter. Its nine-month profit in 2004 was €164 million. Third-quarter figures were calculated by subtracting half-year totals from the results released yesterday.
Royal Jordanian started twice-daily service between Aqaba and Amman. LTU German Airlines will operate daily Dusseldorf-New York service in summer 2006. The carrier will increase frequencies to Vancouver and Los Angeles to thrice-weekly. Wizz Air will launch five-times-weekly Wroclaw-Dortmund service March 1.
Delta Air Lines opened a sales office in Beijing yesterday, signaling its intent to offer service from Atlanta in time for the 2008 Summer Olympics, although it does not serve the country currently.
Estonian Air reported a nine-month net profit of EEK55.2 million ($4.15 million), up from EEK16.7 million in the 2004 period. Operating revenue rose 14.8% to EEK831.5 million and unit cost per ASK decreased 17%. Traffic climbed 35% to 485,400 passengers over the first nine months of 2005 and load factor rose 2 points to 61%. "Our market share in Estonia has been constantly over 45%, despite the increased competition, and we expect to keep our share of the market," President and CEO Borge Thornbech said.
Swissport Cargo Services and AirBridge Cargo will establish and develop a cargo hub in Krasnoyarsk in cooperation with KrasAir under a joint venture among the three companies. Swissport and AirBridge also signed a three-year global cooperation agreement. AirBridge is the scheduled airline subsidiary of the Volga-Dnepr Group and recently ordered two 747-400ERFs, which will operate from the new hub. According to the parties, the Siberian city "is ideally located for its proposed hub role, lying at the crossroads of numerous global air cargo routes."
US Airways Group, which merged with America West Holdings Corp., parent of America West Airlines, on Sept. 27, reported a net loss of $87 million for the third quarter, or $23 million if special items are not included.
European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. posted a 41% rise in operating profit to €2.09 billion ($2.46 billion) for the nine months ended Sept. 30 owing mainly to strong deliveries at Airbus and increased cost savings from the Route06 program.
United Master Executive Council of ALPA, which represents United Airlines' 6,400 active pilots, reelected Mark Bathurst as chairman. He will begin his second term Jan. 1. Wendy Morse (vice chairman) and Mike Hamilton (secretary-treasurer) also were reelected.
Jettainer GmbH said US Airways outsourced its ULD management in a sale/leaseback deal that gives ownership and administration of its air cargo and passenger flight containers and pallets to Jettainer, which said it expects to save the carrier nearly $2 million in ULD-related costs of ownership over the duration of the five-year contract "through focused management services and dedicated technologies."
JetBlue began its Embraer 190 service Tuesday with a flight from Boston Logan to New York JFK. It will accept 26 190s through 2006 and has a total of 101 on firm order, with options for 100 more through 2016 ( ATWOnline, Sept. 14-15).
Airbus and China Aviation Industry Corp. signed a protocol extending a $500 million contract to produce A320 family wing boxes in China. The agreement was signed in the presence of Chinese President Hu Jintao and British Prime Minister Tony Blair during the former's visit to London. The initial contract committed the parties to the third phase of the A320 Family Wing Cooperation Program, including wing box production and now the management of a second-tier supply chain.
Greek air traffic controllers were planning a 24-hr. strike today as part of a larger initiative by public sector unions demanding higher wages. Olympic Airlines will cancel 107 flights and Aegean Airlines planned to ground 120 flights.
ACE Aviation Holdings, parent of Air Canada, concluded its previously announced order with Boeing covering 18 777s, plus purchase rights for 18 more, in a yet-to-be-determined mix of 777-300ERs, 777-200LRs and 777Fs with deliveries beginning next March. The deal also includes firm orders for 14 787 Dreamliners plus options and purchase rights for an additional 46 with deliveries starting in 2010. The order originally was placed in April but was suspended after Air Canada was unable to reach a satisfactory agreement with its pilots union on pay rates and work rules for the new fleet.
Aloha Airlines reached concessionary agreements with the International Assn. of Machinists, which represents mechanics, baggage handlers and other ground personnel at the bankrupt carrier. The new contracts will run until April 2009 and must meet bankruptcy court approval, Reuters reported.
Denmark will abolish its €10 ($11.78) passenger tax. The cut will cost the country approximately €70 million annually, but the government hopes to recoup that loss with more capacity and tourism, Jyllands-Posten reported. "It will create jobs in the service sector and it is a good thing for the regional development," Liberal Party spokesperson Jens Rohde said. Ryanair and Sterling each have said recently that they were reluctant to add flights to Denmark because of the tax.
SunExpress, a Turkish-German charter airline, will add two 757-200s next year. The carrier already operates 10 737s and 757s. It transported 1.3 million passengers through the first nine months, an 18% rise over the year-ago period.
Lufthansa Technik signed a five-year contract with US startup MAXjet covering Total Component Support for the all-business-class carrier's 767-200ERs. Singapore Airlines signed an Integrated Material Management and Airplane Health Management contract with Boeing covering MRO on the carrier's 747-400s and 777s.
American Airlines and Air Sahara reached codeshare and fully reciprocal frequent-flier agreements. Subject to government approval, AA plans to put its code on Air Sahara flights to 26 destinations while the Indian carrier will place its code on American flights between Delhi and Chicago and destinations beyond O'Hare.
Philippine Airlines said Tuesday it will acquire nine new A320s through 2008. The money will be borrowed from export-import credit agencies, PAL President Jaime Bautista told reporters. "We will be flying newer airplanes, which will be acquired under an operating lease agreement," he said. The airline will have the right to purchase the planes during the lease. PAL reported that it has reduced its debt by half to $1 billion and will retire the remaining loans within nine years. It is looking to modernize its 31-plane fleet and will be replacing 707s starting next year.
European Union reached agreement with Morocco on its participation in the Galileo satellite navigation system, intended to provide a network of 30 satellites in medium earth orbit under civilian control. The deal covers industrial and scientific cooperation and development of specific Galileo applications for Morocco, the western Mediterranean and West Africa. It will be submitted at the December meeting of the EU Transport Council for formal approval. Morocco is the first African country to join the Galileo project.
