News from Travel Technology Update: AirTran Airways will end its participation in Worldspan effective Nov. 10. The carrier said it could not come to terms with Worldspan on the cost of participation. AirTran did, however, reach an agreement with Cendant Travel Distribution Services to distribute its fares, schedules and inventory through Cendant's Galileo/Apollo systems. It reached an agreement to distribute through Sabre and Travelocity last month.
Air New Zealand's first 777-200ER delivered on Oct. 28 ( ATWOnline, Oct. 31) marks the beginning of a significant ramp-up in capacity for the airline. ANZ's long-haul fleet currently consists of 5,251 available seats across 17 aircraft, but by early 2007 the fleet will consist of 6,826 available seats across 21 aircraft. "We have some catching up to do," said new CEO Rob Fyfe. "During the 1990s we only grew at 1% a year while the industry grew at 5% a year.
Rockwell Collins said that Indian low-cost startup IndiGo selected Collins avionics for its recently ordered fleet of A320s, deliveries of which begin in 2006. The avionics package includes the WXR-2100 MultiScan Weather Radar, ADF-900, DME-900, HFS 900 D HF system, CPL-920D HF communications, VHF-920 transceiver, VOR-900 and AOC-900 data link.
Let 410 cargo aircraft operated by Trade Air crashed Sunday night around 10:05 p.m. local time shortly after taking off from Bergamo-Orio Al Serio en route to Zagreb Pleso. Two crewmembers and one passenger onboard the turboprop were killed. Weather was described as poor with limited visibility of 200-300 m. owing to fog, according to the Aviation Safety Network.
Airbus North America named John O'Leary senior director and Bill James director of ANA Engineering Wichita and David Trent senior director of ANA Engineering Mobile.
News from Travel Technology Update: Worldspan told the Securities and Exchange Commission that Expedia has yet another deal with another GDS. "In October2005, Expedia notified us of its intention to move some portion but not all of its European transactions to another GDS provider in 2006," Worldspan said.
Boeing said ANA has launched the 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter program with a firm agreement for three passenger-to-freighter conversions and options for an additional four conversions. Value of the deal was not supplied. ANA is launch customer for the 787, which is expected to replace its 767 fleet. The three 767BCFs will be redelivered to the carrier between December 2007 and October 2008. Boeing will determine a modification site for the prototype aircraft at a later date.
Aeroflot Russian Airlines will add a total of 50 flights from Moscow to Novosibirsk, Samara, Ufa, Kemerovo, Paris, Rome, Milan, Venice, Bucharest, Sofia, Zagreb, Belgrade, Geneva, London, Nice, Vienna (10 new flights), Beijing, Baku and Tbilisi in its winter schedule Oct. 30-March 26. Qantas is expanding its QantasLink regional network into South Australia effective Dec. 18.
ANA Group's profit of ¥19.7 billion ($170.3 million) for the fiscal first half ended Sept. 30 was down 34% from ¥29.8 billion earned in the year-ago period owing to the adoption of asset impairment accounting methods. However, the company reported record revenue of ¥690.9 billion and a record operating profit of ¥69.5 billion for the first half of the fiscal year, up 16.4% from ¥59.7 billion in 2004.
Continental Airlines today will become the first carrier to inaugurate scheduled nonstop service between the US and India with the launch of daily flights between its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International. It will use a 283-seat 777-200ER.
Boeing will install Class 3 Electronic Flight Bags on two 777-200ERs and four 737-700s for TAAG Angola Airlines beginning in third-quarter 2006, making TAAG the first African carrier to fly the Class 3 EFB in commercial service, the first commercial operator to use the EFB on a 737NG platform and the first carrier to use it on multiple fleet types.
CIT Group selected IAE's V2500 to power up to 24 A320s, comprising 12 firm and 12 option aircraft. If fully realized, the contract will be worth more than $400 million to IAE. CIT already has 33 V2500-powered aircraft in service and another 10 on order.
United Airlines parent UAL Corp. posted a third-quarter net loss of $1.77 billion as $1.84 billion in bankruptcy-related noncash charges overwhelmed a strong performance at the operating level where the company reported a profit of $165 million, reflecting a 3.5% operating margin, compared with an operating loss of $80 million a year ago.
Emirates and Korean Air signed a codeshare agreement for service between Dubai and Seoul affecting 10 weekly flights between the cities. Emirates launched daily nonstop service to Seoul in May.
Aviation Partners Boeing said Virgin Express ordered four 737-300 Blended Winglet shipsets, the first of which will be installed by Sabena Technics in December. The carrier leases its 737s from GECAS but will purchase the winglets directly.
Expedia delivers another (potential) blow to Worldspan Expedia delivers another (potential) blow to Worldspan Worldspan told the Securities and Exchange Commission that Expedia has yet another deal with another GDS. "In October2005, Expedia notified us of its intention to move some portion but not all of its European transactions to another GDS provider in 2006," Worldspan said.
Pratt & Whitney will manage all parts inventory and logistics including new spare parts, used serviceable material and part repair under an exclusive contract with United Airlines covering 217 PW4000 engines powering United's 747s, 767s and 777s. The 10-year deal is the largest Materials Management Program agreement in Pratt history and includes a renewal option, the company said. Value was not disclosed. In support of the PMP, Pratt said it will establish a material and logistics hub at San Francisco International Airport that is expected to be fully functional by year end.
Delta Air Lines intends to fold its Song low-fare airline operation back into the mainline while introducing Song's customer-pleasing attributes, including live seatback television, MP3 music programming and leather seats, to at least 52 additional mainline aircraft. Delta also will add first-class sections to Song's current fleet of 48 757-200s, making the product more attractive to higher-yield business travelers who can use status and miles to upgrade to the front of the cabin, something they cannot do with Song's current one-class configuration.
Bombardier will interrupt production of its CRJ200 in mid-January, company officials announced Friday. The 50-seat RJ, introduced in 1992 to launch customer Lufthansa CityLine, was heralded as an aircraft that would revolutionize the Regional airline industry. More than 1,000 CRJ200s made it to market, but its popularity since has been overtaken by the new technology and better economics of larger next-generation RJs.
Qantas subsidiary Australian Airlines, continuing to suffer from depressed traffic in the wake of the latest Bali terrorist attack, will suspend twice-weekly flights from Perth and Melbourne to Bali Nov. 10-Jan. 29. Thrice-weekly service between Sydney and Bali will continue. Norwegian will start a four-times-weekly Oslo-Madrid service beginning March 29 aboard 737-300s.
Austrian Airlines Technical Center Bratislava, founded in September, will commence C checks on F70s/F100s and CRJs in the November-December timeframe. The facility employs 30 and eventually will perform MRO services for Austrian partner Slovak Air and third parties. "We believe that more carriers that operate Fokker jets will be looking for some maintenance alternatives," CFO Thomas Kleibl told ATWOnline. He added that AAG will support its partner Ukraine International Airlines in opening a Boeing maintenance center in Kiev ( ATWOnline Oct. 24).
Deutsche Lufthansa AG purchased a 4.95% stake worth €170 million ($206.3 million) in Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport AG on Friday, strengthening its partnership with Europe's largest passenger and freight hub. Lufthansa said it plans to increase its holding to 5% in the short term. "Our stake in the airport operator will intensify our partnership with Fraport and lastingly strengthen our airline's position at the major Frankfurt hub," LH Chief Executive Wolfgang Mayrhuber said in a statement. The carrier accounts for approximately 60% of Frankfurt's traffic.
AirTran Airways continued to restructure its ticket distribution Friday, signing a multiyear agreement with Cendant allowing the carrier's inventory, fares and schedules to be made available through the Galileo GDS. AirTran earlier had aligned with Sabre and Travelocity ( ATWOnline, Oct. 14). It also announced Friday that it no longer will make its inventory available to Expedia, effective immediately, as a result of the termination of its agreement with Worldspan.
Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport opened its fourth runway last week. The new 8,000-ft. Runway 17/35 increases airfield capacity by 25%, according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Approximately 37% of departing flights and 17% of arrivals will use the new runway.
Air New Zealand took delivery Friday of its first 777-200ER, on lease from ILFC and powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 800s. A second 777, to be owned outright, is expected to be delivered Nov. 8. In total, ANZ will purchase four 777s and lease an additional four. Separately, the airline issued a statement refuting claims by EPMU, which represents its engineering staff, that the 777's arrival would mean immediate MRO outsourcing. Engineers planned to protest Saturday's Auckland unveiling wearing black armbands.
