Alitalia shareholders yesterday approved the group's accounts for 2004; net loss for the year was revised slightly, falling to €810.4 million ($980.6 million) from €812 million, and shareholders approved using €235.3 million from reserves to partly cover the loss.
ATA will expand its codeshare agreement with Southwest Airlines to include its Las Vegas-Honolulu flights from Aug. 4. Previously, the codeshare agreement covered ATA flights from Honolulu to Phoenix.
Virgin Atlantic said it plans to recruit 1,500 staff over the next 18 months to support its expansion plans. About 1,000 are new positions and the remainder are a result of the natural turnover of staff, the airline said in a statement. Virgin Atlantic currently employs approximately 8,500 staff worldwide. Separately, the carrier launched services to Cuba and the Bahamas yesterday and intends to increase frequencies on its flights to Shanghai, Las Vegas, Orlando and Port Harcourt this summer. New routes to Dubai and Jamaica are expected to launch in 2006.
American Eagle will add a second daily nonstop flight between Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, Ill., and Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport in August. The carrier began daily service between the cities earlier this month.
Allegiant Air took delivery of an MD-83 on operating lease from SAS in a transaction arranged by Sigma Aircraft Management. It is the last of five MD-82s/83s contracted for by Allegiant in September. The aircraft was operated by SAS as an MD-82 and was upgraded to MD-83 status as part of the transactions with Allegiant. Separately, Aerovias de Mexico agreed to extend the lease on an MD-87 from International Aircraft Holdings Corp. The lease extension was arranged by Sigma Aircraft Management.
MicroStrategy announced that the US Transportation Security Administration's Office of Strategic Management and Analysis, part of the US Dept. of Homeland Security, implemented the MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Platform to analyze transportation security operations at commercial airports nationwide. The solution was implemented by BearingPoint Inc.
Cargolux is raising its fuel surcharge on all cargo shipments to €0.45 ($0.55) per kilo or the equivalent in local currency from July 8. Last week, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic also announced fuel surcharge increases. Separately, Cargolux said it will launch a new weekly service to Doha on July 4 offering main deck capacity primarily to the oil and gas industry. From Doha the flight will continue to Hong Kong before returning via Baku to Luxembourg.
Outtask established a direct connection to JetBlue Airways inventory through its Cliqbook corporate booking tool. By delivering JetBlue inventory through a direct connect, the company said Cliqbook customers are given added services at a reduced cost.
EADS shareholders ended months of public infighting and announced the appointment of EADS Defense and Security Systems Division head Thomas Enders and Airbus CEO Noel Forgeard as its new co-CEOs with immediate effect for a five-year term. The EADS board of directors, in agreement with 20% shareholder BAE Systems, also appointed Gustav Humbert as the new president and CEO of Airbus.
News from Travel Technology Update:
The mini-explosion of new travel meta search players has occurred largely in the leisure market. But a young company called Enable Solutions is setting its sights on the business traveler. Its product, dubbed mySmartTrip, is designed to accommodate business travelers' needs as no other travel meta search engine does, according to Stephen Joseph, chief executive officer. But it has another salient feature that might make suppliers sit up and take notice: It costs them absolutely nothing.
China Eastern Airlines took delivery of its first two 737-700s that have been modified for operations at high-altitude remote airports such as Lhasa and Bangda. The modifications include 1 hr. of additional emergency oxygen supply and enhancements to the cabin pressure control system that allow operations at airports located at up to 14,500 ft. CEA's Yunnan subsidiary operates 737-300s, 737-700s and 767-300s in domestic and international services. It has ordered four 737-700s with the modifications, all of which are leased from ILFC.
Air Bosnia, which went bankrupt nearly two years ago, resumed services last week. The airline, which is majority controlled by the government, is expected to be renamed BH Airlines and plans to operate to Turkey, Switzerland and Germany. It operates two 66-seat ATR 72s. It agreed last month with Hypo Alpe Adria bank on a settlement for most of its 20 million marka ($12.4 million) debt.
Malev launched an online booking service for its business customers that will offer discounts on published fares, specified routes and booking dates as a percentage or fixed amount, benefiting small to medium-sized businesses. Separately, Amadeus announced the successful implementation of Amadeus Electronic Ticket Server at Malev.
Air Mauritius placed an order for three CFM56-5C4/P-powered A340-300Es, with deliveries to begin in the last quarter of 2006. The airline also took two options. The aircraft will be configured with 36 premium-class seats and 264 seats in economy. At present, the carrier's fleet includes five A340-300s and two A319s for its long- and medium-haul routes respectively.
Continental Airlines will begin new weekly nonstop service between Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles Dec. 16 using a 737 in a two-class configuration.
Singapore Airlines will launch a six-times-weekly service between Bangkok and Tokyo in September, giving travelers the option of stopping off in the Thai city en route to Japan or Singapore.
Rush by Indian Airlines to buy aircraft is continuing with Air Sahara announcing that it intends to order 40 airplanes for delivery over the next five years to bring its fleet to 65. They likely will be 777s and 737s. Last week, Air Sahara announced plans to begin daily services between Delhi and London from September/October with two 777-200ERs leased from ILFC for five years.
