CAE signed a 10-year agreement with Virgin Atlantic Airways to provide training for pilots of the carrier's fleet of A340-600s and 747-400s. Initially valued at ¤28 million ($50 million), the contract includes an option for A380 training. If all options are exercised, the total contract value could amount to ¤43 million over 10 years. The training, which includes instructional delivery for ground school as well as simulator training, will take place at CAE's Burgess Hill center in the UK.
Lufthansa Systems' O&D-based ProfitLine/Yield revenue management system was chosen by AiRUnion, a new airline alliance in Russia comprising KrasAir, Omskavia, Sibaviatrans, Domodedovo Airlines, Samara Airlines and SAT Airlines. Together the carriers serve more than 5.5 million passengers annually. LHS said it will work closely with Moscow-based Transport Automation Information Systems to implement the solution.
Bucking the trend toward outsourcing maintenance, Qantas said it intends to establish a new consolidated "center of excellence" in Sydney for maintenance of Rolls-Royce RB211 engines. However, the airline also said it will eliminate 60 positions from its Sydney workforce as a result of consolidation and the establishment of Jet Turbine Services, a joint venture with Virgin Blue parent Patrick Corp. for maintenance of CF6 and CFM56 engines in Melbourne. The consolidated facility will employ around 300.
Republic Airways Holdings acquired three Embraer 170s previously ordered by US Airways. They will be leased from GE Commercial Aviation Services and placed into service on the Republic Airlines operating certificate for service in the US Airways Express network.
Air New Zealand, which announced an 8% improvement in net earnings to NZ$180 million ($125.6 million) for its June 30 fiscal year ( ATWOnline, Aug. 30), is reconstructing its service strategy for the Tasman in a bid to become more cost-competitive as a sharply rising fuel bill and falling yields threaten to reduce profit by 40% for 2005-06.
KLM will deploy its first A330-200 in daily service between Amsterdam and Washington beginning today. The airline has ordered six A330-200s and will be leasing two more from ILFC. They gradually will replace its 767-300ERs.
Northwest Airlines continues to operate its full early fall flight schedule despite a strike by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Assn. Ten days into the strike, which began at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 20, the carrier's operating metrics remained at or very close to the level of performance it expects to meet or exceed an average of 26 days per month.
A strategic plan outlining future cooperation between SN Brussels Airlines and Virgin Express is to be presented to the board of parent SN Airholding today, Virgin Express MD Neil Burrows confirmed to ATWOnline.
Stockholm-based European Aeronautical Group signed a five-year agreement to supply Air Berlin with its Route Manual, eRM electronic Route Manual, Navdata and Airport Obstacle Database applications.
Alitalia denied press speculation that it is increasing its planned workforce reduction to eliminate an additional 2,000 jobs as part of a revision to its business plan.
Spirit Airlines selected the IAE V2500 to power three A321s. The deal, including a long-term fleet hour agreement, was valued at more than $50 million by IAE. The A321s are in addition to 15 firm orders already placed by Spirit, according to IAE. The Florida-based LCC also has options on 47 aircraft and plans to lease an additional 20 A320 family aircraft.
Damage from Hurricane Katrina will affect airline operations in New Orleans and Gulfport-Biloxi at least through the end of this week. According to a statement on FAA's website, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is expected to resume commercial operations Friday. A reopening date for Gulfport-Biloxi Regional Airport has not been determined.
Ryanair is to withdraw up to 12 flights per week from Newquay following a decision by the Cornwall County Council to impose a £5 ($8.90) surcharge on passengers departing from the airport. "Ryanair has always made it very clear to Cornwall County Council that their airport and region is part of a competitive price-sensitive market that must compete with 84 other low-fare destinations from London Stansted," Deputy CEO Michael Cawley said.
China Southern Airlines said it finalized an earlier commitment for 10 787s, part of a commitment from six Chinese airlines for 60 Dreamliners announced in January. The first 787 will be delivered to China Southern in July 2008, one month prior to the start of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. The remaining aircraft will be delivered through 2010. Last month, China Eastern, Air China, Shanghai Airlines and Xiamen Airlines said they had signed up for 42 787s ( ATWOnline, Aug. 9), leaving only Hainan Airlines to consummate an order for six.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport remained closed yesterday owing to storm damage and flood waters from Hurricane Katrina as US airlines continued to cancel flights into the Gulf Coast region, with many not expecting to resume service before Friday. An even bigger challenge for the carriers is the price of oil, which surged to more than $70 per barrel as refineries in the region shut down in the face of the storm. In Washington, Air Transport Assn.
Etihad Airways will commence twice-weekly service to Johannesburg Dec. 3 using A340-300s configured for 265 passengers in three classes. Kenya Airways will operate a weekly service from London Heathrow Terminal 4 to Mombasa via Nairobi using a 777 beginning Dec. 9. Swiss International Air Lines will start a new cooperation with Darwin Airline from Lugano to Zurich with four daily flights from Oct. 30. Darwin plans to double its Saab 2000 fleet to four aircraft.
General Electric said Republic Airways signed a 10-year, $150 million OnPoint Solutions service agreement covering maintenance, overhaul and repair of 110 CF34-8E engines powering its Embraer 170s. OnPoint services include overhaul, on-wing support, new and used parts, component repair, technology upgrades, engine leasing and diagnostics.
United Airlines awarded a five-year contract covering all of its 777 heavy airframe maintenance to Ameco Beijing, the 60/40 joint venture between Air China and Lufthansa. Value of the deal was not supplied. More than 50 heavy maintenance visits are planned for the first three years, with as many as 80 over the contractual period. Work begins in October with five aircraft nose-to-tail, Ameco said. United's 777 fleet numbers 53 aircraft of which 52 are in service, according to Airclaims data.
ARINC was selected as data link service provider for AeroMexico. Under a contract just signed, ARINC will provide its GlobaLink VHF data link service to the carrier.
Arab Air Carrier Organization said its 23 member airlines transported 9.1 million passengers in the first quarter of 2005, up 6.7% compared to the year-ago period. Based on data from most of the carriers, RPKs for the group rose 8.7% to 1.9 billion while ASKs grew 7.1% to 2.78 billion. Load factor improved slightly to 68.6% from 68.4%.
The 100-seat Embraer 190 powered by GE CF34 engines received type certification from Brazilian certification authority CTA "on schedule," Embraer said yesterday, moving it one step closer to delivery to launch customer JetBlue. US FAA is expected to follow shortly with its own type certification. JetBlue has 100 firm orders for the aircraft with another 100 options.
American Airlines Cargo will raise its fuel surcharge from $0.45/kg. to $0.50/kg. for most US-origin international shipments and from $0.18/lb. to $0.20/lb. for domestic shipments, effective Sept. 5. It hiked the surcharge associated with its Priority Parcel Service product from $1 to $3 per shipment.
Iberia Cargo is using a new refrigeration chamber facility at Madrid Barajas to store flowers before their transshipment to other Spanish cities and Central European destinations. Iberia said it transports "about 13.5% of all the flowers carried between Latin America and Europe."
Switzerland-based elite travel specialist PrivatAir added another airline customer for its services tailored to long, thin business markets. Beginning Oct. 30, the company will operate a Boeing Business Jet on behalf of KLM between Amsterdam Schiphol and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport six times per week. The BBJ, which is based on the 737-700, will be equipped with 44 lie-flat business class seats in a 2-2 configuration.
