Germany's air navigation services provider DFS plans to lower its charges to airlines in 2006 by up 10% after reducing them 20%-30% in 2005. The German government plans to sell 74.9% of DFS to private investors in 2006. DFS also may eliminate up to 600 of its 5,400 staff by 2010 to lower costs as it prepares for competition. According to Reuters, DFS plans to establish a separate company for regional airport traffic control that will enable it to bid for control tower contracts outside Germany when the market opens at the end of next year.
South African Airways reported a net profit of 966 million rand ($140.6 million) for the fiscal year ended March 31, reversing a massive 8.6 billion rand loss in the prior financial year that largely was owing to currency hedges that went badly wrong. Revenue increased 6.8% while costs rose just 1.9% (below inflation) during the 12-month period. CEO Khaya Ngqula said the financial turnaround was led by the carrier's aggressive and strict operating cost control as well as the first impact of the materialization of operating efficiencies.
Bmibaby appointed Steve Burns as commercial director. The post previously was held by David Bryon, now the airline's MD. Burns earlier held various commercial roles with easyJet.
European Regions Airline Assn. member carriers flew 11.1% more RPKs in the first quarter on an ASK increase of 8.5% as compared to the prior-year period. Load factor was 56.9%. ERA also said average trip distance flown by members rose to 555 km. from 521 km. in the 2004 quarter. The association said new routes spanning Eastern, Central and Western Europe and the presence of more turbofan aircraft in members' fleets contributed to the increase.
Cerberus Capital Management completed its purchase of debis AirFinance from DaimlerChrysler, Bayern LB, Dresdner Bank, DZ Bank and NypoVereinsbank. Price was not disclosed.
TAT Technologies acquired Piedmont Aviation Component Services through its fully owned subsidiary Limco Repair. Under terms of the agreement, TAT paid $5.3 million for the company and repaid $11 million of outstanding indebtedness. Piedmont, based in Kernersville, N.C., is a provider of overhaul, repair, maintenance, service and supply of propellers, landing gear and APU/LRU units in the Regional airline market.
Carmen Systems AB signed a long-term agreement with Northwest Airlines to provide its preferential bidding system for the carrier's 5,300 pilots. The deal also includes an option to add Northwest's 10,000 flight attendants.
Independence Air flew 332.2 million RPMs in June on capacity of 436.1 million ASMs. Load factor was 76.2%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs totaled 1.48 billion and ASMs were 2.2 billion. Load factor averaged 67.1%.
Emirates SkyCargo took delivery of the first of three converted A310-300Fs last week. The other two are scheduled to enter the airline's fleet by year end. The carrier also has two A380Fs on order, and when all deliveries are complete by 2008 its fleet will total 11 aircraft.
Lufthansa Systems enhanced its ELWIS cargo handling system with RFID technology. The free trade zone at the new Bangkok International Airport plans to launch the new ELWIS in its warehouse.
Alaska Air Group flew 1.54 billion RPMs in June, up 1.4% over the year-ago period. Capacity dropped 2.9% to 1.93 billion ASMs and load factor rose 3.4 points to 80.1%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs climbed 6.9% to 8.21 billion, ASMs increased 0.9% to 10.91 billion and load factor gained 4.2 points to 75.3%.
US Airways Group flew 3.73 billion RPMs in June, up 0.1% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 0.4% to 4.59 billion ASMs and load factor fell 0.4 point to 81.2%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs rose 3% to 20.37 billion, ASMs increased 1.9% to 27 billion and load factor was up 0.8 point to 75.4%.
SAS Group flew 3.31 billion RPKs in June, up 4% over the year-ago period. Capacity rose 1.4% to 4.62 billion ASKs and load factor gained 1.8 points to 71.6%. For the six months ended June 30, RPKs increased 3.7% to 16.63 billion, ASKs grew 3.8% to 26.28 billion and load factor was flat year-over-year at 63.3%.
Iberia firmed the commitment it signed with Airbus in January for the purchase of 30 A320 family aircraft ( ATWOnline, Feb. 28). The deal also includes 49 options. The contract covers the acquisition of 10 A318s, 10 A320s, seven A319s and three A321s, with deliveries starting from the second quarter of 2006. The aircraft will be powered by CFM56-5B engines. Iberia currently operates a fleet of 107 Airbus aircraft comprising seven A319s, 60 A320s, 13 A321s, 18 A340-300s and nine A340-600s.
American Airlines will begin selling its $3 Food on Board snack boxes to passengers in the main cabin on select flights departing from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time each day from Aug. 1. Currently, the program is available from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. According to the carrier, the time extension gives customers on 38 additional flights the option to purchase snack boxes and expands the service to more than 650 domestic flights.
Narita International Airport Corp. announced that it reached agreement with IATA on a reduction in fuel supply facility charges that it expects will save airlines around ¥1 billion ($9 million) per year. The new charge rate, which takes effect Oct. 1, will be ¥3,490 per thousand liters, down 4.6% compared to the current level. When the fuel supply facilities first became operational, the charge was ¥6,500 per thousand liters.
Honeywell announced that Malaysia Airlines will be the first carrier to equip its fleet with the Runway Awareness and Advisory System. MAS plans to install RAAS on its fleet of 92 aircraft and its three flight simulators.
JAT intends to spin off its technical operation into a separate company called Jat Tehnika, which would employ 950. The company plans to obtain the necessary licenses and authorities to perform third-party maintenance.
Ryanair said the number of earned seats flown in June amounted to 3 million, up 31% from a year earlier. Load factor stayed stable at 87%. For the rolling 12 months ended June 30, earned seats flown totaled 29.6 million and load factor averaged 84%.
The European Parliament rejected an agreement reached between the European Union and Canada that would permit the transfer of passenger data from EU airlines to the border authorities of Canada.
JetBlue Airways flew 1.79 billion RPMs in June, up 31.1% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 25.9% to 2.01 billion ASMs and load factor rose 3.5 points to 89%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs increased 30.8% to 9.56 billion, ASMs jumped 24.1% to 11.01 billion and load factor was up 4.5 points to 86.8%.
