American Airlines Cargo will increase its fuel surcharge from $0.40/kg. to $0.45/kg. for most US-origin international shipments and from $0.16/lb. to $0.18/lb. for US domestic shipments from July 12. The fuel surcharge also will be adjusted in local currency for most non-US-origin shipments unless the adjustment is not allowed for regulatory reasons.
Assn. of Asia Pacific Airlines May figures show a 7.3% hike in passengers to 10.1 million while RPKs rose 5.9% on a slightly higher capacity increase of 7.2%, resulting in a 0.8-point decline in passenger load factor to 67.6%. FTKs dipped 1.9% during the month on a capacity increase of 3.9%, producing a 3.8-point drop in freight load factor to 64.4%.
Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of its sixth 767-300ER last week. It currently operates an all-Boeing fleet that includes four 757s, three 737-700s and one 737-200.
Icelandair parent FL Group reported a first-quarter profit of 25 million kronur ($382,021), a significant improvement over the 855 million kronur net loss (as calculated by this website) in the prior-year period. The company said first-quarter results were characterized by "large profits from investment activities," which were the basis for its earnings improvement. Turnover rose 7.4% to 7.8 billion kronur while operating costs climbed 10.6% to 9.4 billion kronur primarily owing to increased wages and fuel costs, which were up 28% year-over-year.
Swiss International Air Lines will raise its fuel surcharge again on July 1. The surcharge will jump to CHF53 ($41.40) from CHF48 per leg on long-haul flights and to CHF20 from CHF18 for European flights.
Austrian Airlines Group extended its e-ticket system Etix to new Etix Interline partners United Airlines and bmi. AAG already has such arrangements in place with Lufthansa, Air Canada and LOT.
US Airways posted a $37.9 million net loss and an operating loss of $10.4 million in May, the carrier said in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Total operating revenue for the month was $625.3 million and total operating expenses came in at $635.7 million. According to the filing, the company actually spent more on fuel ($141.4 million) than on personnel costs ($140.1 million) during the month.
Qantas will begin three weekly flights between Sydney and Beijing on Jan. 9. The carrier said it intends to increase the service to daily within two years.
AeroMexico will launch seasonal nonstop service between Los Angeles and Culiacan. The carrier will operate two weekly flights on the route from July 9 to Aug. 20.
Continental Airlines today is launching daily nonstop flights from Newark to Berlin Tegel. The new route is part of the carrier's international expansion that began in May and will continue through November. Continental started service from Newark to Bristol on May 19, to Belfast on May 26, to Stockholm on June 2, to Hamburg on June 9 and to Beijing on June 15. It plans to begin service to Delhi on Nov. 1.
International airline traffic (RPKs) rose 8.8% in May compared to the same month last year, according to IATA. With capacity (ASKs) up 7.3%, passenger load factor improved to 71.9%. However, May freight traffic (FTKs) declined 1.6% year-on-year on a 6.9% increase in capacity. "As a leading economic indicator, the slowdown in cargo traffic demonstrates that the high price of oil is slowing the global economy faster than expected," said IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani.
El Al plans to equip seven 747-200s with Sky Connect Classic Iridium satellite phone systems supplied by GayaCom, Iridium's authorized service provider for Israel. The systems will provide global cockpit voice and data communications during long-haul flights.
Rockwell Collins issued a Service Information Letter certifying that Blue Sky Network's Iridium satellite phone system is a qualified data channel for its Airshow 4000 moving map and inflight information system. The Blue Sky Network system is also certified for the current fleets of Airshow Network (Genesys) customers.
L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems was awarded a contract to supply two Multi-View Tomography High-Resolution automated x-ray screening systems to Nadi International Airport in Fiji. The systems will enable Airports Fiji Ltd. to comply with ICAO security standards, which require that airports within its member countries perform 100% checked-baggage screening for explosives by Jan. 1, 2006. Nadi Airport's systems are expected to be operational by the deadline.
Although its previous attempts have failed, Northwest Airlines again is boosting fares to try to offset rising fuel prices. According to a recorded message to employees, effective Tuesday the carrier raised its fares that match low-cost competitors by $5 each way, raised business fares that have been capped at $499 by $50 each way and expanded the minimum stay for fares not specifically matching an LCC from one to two nights.
AirTran Airways received US Dept. of Transportation approval to begin flights to Cancun. The airline plans to launch service to Cancun from both Atlanta and Tampa on Dec. 15. It will announce schedules and fares next month. Separately, AirTran will launch new daily nonstop service from Indianapolis to Southwest Florida International Airport in Ft. Myers, Ft. Lauderdale International Airport and Sarasota International Airport on Nov. 8. In addition, it will begin additional daily nonstop flights between Indianapolis and Atlanta on Aug.
SAS Technical Services AB will cut about 120 jobs in its medium and heavy maintenance organizations in Norway and Sweden and 80 jobs in its line maintenance operation in Norway out of a total workforce of 3,700. The layoffs are part of SAS Group's Turnaround 2005 program.
American Airlines officially opened a new Admirals Club lounge at Honolulu Monday. The lounge is located airside in the Ewa Concourse on Level 3 above Gate 26 and features showers, workstations equipped with telephones and computers, complimentary high-speed Internet access, fax and PC data ports. American shares the lounge with oneworld partner Qantas.
Milan Linate and Malpensa operator SEA will not be the subject of an IPO, the City of Milan governing authority has decided. However, a plan to sell off a 34% stake in the company to financial and institutional investors in Italy and abroad was approved. The city holds 84% of SEA and had considered listing it this year. The full municipal authority is scheduled to clear the sale on July 10 with sale proceedings starting in September, AFX reported. "The operation will amount to €600 million ($725.9 million).
Adria Airways opened a new €2.5 million ($3 million) hangar at its base in Ljubljana yesterday. It has capacity for three CRJs or one A320. Bombardier authorized Adria in September 2002 as its only European heavy maintenance center for the CRJ and Adria has worked on more 200 aircraft for customers including Lufthansa, Brit Air and Austrian Airlines Group. It also signed a strategic partnership with Air France Industries/KLM Engineering & Maintenance recently. Adria expects to perform maintenance work on approximately 70 aircraft from foreign carriers this year.
Aviapartner began ground handling French scheduled carrier Aigle Azur in Marseille, Lyon, and Toulouse this month. Aviapartner already handled the airline in Lille and Mulhouse. The new deal also covers Aigle Azur's charter flights at Nantes, operated with A321s.
British Airways is stepping up competition with LCCs on its London-based short-haul network with the launch of a new winter service to Grenoble Dec. 10 with prices from £79 ($143.43) return. The fives-times-weekly flights will operate from Gatwick with a two-class 737-500.
In a big win for the company, MTU Maintenance Hannover was awarded a contract from JetBlue Airways to maintain the 360 IAE V2500 engines powering the carrier's current and future A320s. The contract runs for 10 years and is valued at roughly €750 million ($906.2 million). "This larger order adds substantially to the continued growth of our civil repair business," MTU Aero Engines Holding AG President and CEO Udo Stark said. "Having JetBlue as a partner consolidates our position as the world's largest independent provider of engine services measured by sales."
