Despite escalating fuel prices, Japan Airlines Corp. announced a return to profit for the fiscal year ended March 31 as it posted net income of ¥30 billion ($284.2 million), a dramatic reversal from last year's net loss of ¥88 billion.
Qantas has widened its fleet restructuring plans to include the 787 and A350. CFO Peter Gregg told ATWOnline that the airline is "evaluating 777-300/-200 and 787-3/-9 and A340-600/A350 combinations" to replace its 747-400s/-300s, 767s and A330s. Qantas is expected to place an order for 60 aircraft in the second half of 2005, but Gregg watered down speculation that an order may come out of a May board meeting. "We will only be updating the board," he told this website.
In a move that reflects the continuing restructuring occurring in the aviation MRO aftermarket, SAS Group yesterday announced that it is "in the process of evaluating the future structure and strategy of SAS Component," including "negotiations with an international consortium of a possible partnership or acquisition." Conclusions from the evaluation and talks are likely to be drawn before the end of June. A subsidiary of SAS Technical Services, SAS Component has teamed with EADS Sogerma in the Free 2Fly program offering airlines total component support.
Driven by strong performance across all of its divisions, Airbus parent EADS reported net income of €328 million ($420.7 million) for the first quarter ended March 31, up significantly over net income of €49 million in the prior-year period. Revenue climbed 16% to €7.01 billion and EBIT more than tripled to €657 million from €198 million in the 2004 quarter. "The first quarter result confirms our 2005 targets for EBIT and revenue growth with a solid cash position," CEOs Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich said in a statement.
Gol reported its traffic results for April. Domestically, the carrier flew 680.1 million RPKs during the month, up 56.5% over the year-ago period. Capacity increased 34.3% to 903.1 million ASKs and load factor gained 10.7 points to 75.3%. Internationally, Gol flew 37.4 million RPKs on capacity of 56 million ASKs, which produced a load factor of 66.8%.
Republic Airways Holdings wrapped up the purchase of Shuttle America for $1 million and the assumption of just under $1 million in debt ( ATWOnline, April 25). The carrier is an affiliate of Wexford Capital, the majority shareholder of Republic Holdings, parent company of Republic Airlines and Chautauqua Airlines. Shuttle America, which operates a fleet of 11 Saab 340s, will begin Embraer 170 operations in June for United Express and plans to end all turboprop flying by year end.
Northwest Airlines announced that Senior VP-Labor Relations Robert Brodin will retire at the end of the month. VP-Labor Relations Julie Hagen Showers will assume leadership for the group and will report to Mike Becker, who has been named senior VP-human resources and labor relations.
Accident investigators are hoping to gain an insight into the cause of Australia's worst air crash in 40 years after retrieving the black box recorders from the wreckage of a regional aircraft in far north Queensland. Fifteen passengers and crew were killed when the Metroliner operated by Transair on behalf of Aero-Tropics Air Services slammed into a cloud-covered mountain on a scheduled flight from Bamaga near Cape York to Cairns Saturday morning.
General Electric Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt yesterday said the company will double its investment in researching cleaner technologies--including aircraft engines--to $1.5 billion annually by 2010 from $700 million in 2004 under "ecomagination," which the company described as an initiative "to bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges." At a series of events in Washington announcing the program, Immelt said, "Ecomagination is about the future.
US Airways flew 3.47 billion RPMs in April, down 0.2% compared to the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 5% to 4.58 billion ASMs and load factor fell 3.9 points to 75.9%. For the four months ended April 30, RPMs jumped 4.1% to 13.12 billion, ASMs increased 2.4% to 17.76 billion and load factor gained 1.2 points to 73.9%.
ARINC was selected to provide advanced passenger check-in systems and related technologies for the $4 billion Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 project.
Servisair/GlobeGround began ground handling services at Miami International Airport and by the end of May will be handling flights there for seven major airlines: Aeromexico, Alitalia, Bahamasair, Copa, Varig, Taca and Martinair. The company already operates the largest into-aircraft fueling service at the airport and also provides cargo handling for Lufthansa there.
JetBlue Airways flew 1.63 billion RPMs in April, up 26.6% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 25.1% to 1.86 billion ASMs and load factor rose 1 point to 87.3%. For the four months ended April 30, RPMs increased 30.1% to 6.06 billion, ASMs jumped 23.2% to 7.03 billion and load factor gained 4.6 points to 86.2%.
Iberia and Avianca have broadened their codeshare agreement to cover additional destinations in both Spain and Colombia. Effective May 1, Iberia added its code to Avianca's flights between Bogota and Barranquilla, Bucaramanga and Armenia, while Avianca placed its code on Iberia flights between Madrid and La Coruna, Santiago, Vigo, Oviedo, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Majorca, Malaga and Seville, as well as Las Palmas and Tenerife.
Air Canada flew 3.38 billion RPMs in April, up 4.7% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 1.1% to 4.2 billion ASMs and load factor gained 2.8 points to 80.5%. For the four months ended April 30, RPMs rose 4.8% to 13.49 billion, ASMs decreased 1% to 17.08 billion and load factor jumped 4.3 points to 79%.
Emirates announced that Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defense Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has approved the carrier's plans to construct a new five-star, Dhs800 million ($218 million) luxury hotel in Dubai. Separately, Emirates launched Congress Solutions Dubai, a professional congress organizer that will provide "comprehensive management and consultancy services to a broad range of institutions and associations with a goal of organizing large-scale meetings in Dubai."
Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. was appointed by Shanghai Airlines to be its service provider for cargo terminal operations at Hong Kong International Airport. The carrier will launch freighter service between Shanghai and Hong Kong in June.
The GE90-110-powered 777-200LR set a world record for a twinjet last week when it took off from SeaTac for stall tests at 783,000 lb., eclipsing the record of 774,600 lb. (351,300 kg.) set by the 777-300ER as part of its certification program on May 28, 2003.
America West Airlines launched two daily nonstop flights from Oklahoma City to Phoenix and one daily nonstop flight from Oklahoma City to Las Vegas. America West Express, operated by Mesa Airlines, is providing the services using 86-seat CRJ900s and 50-seat CRJ200s.
Shepherd Systems announced that ANA, Virgin Atlantic and Qatar Airways have renewed contracts for its Market Intelligence online product suite and Galaxy processing services. Travel & Transport also renewed its agreement for Shepherd's AgentFlash service.
Ryanair said passenger numbers totaled 2.7 million in April, up 24% on the year-ago period. Load factor lost 1 point to 81%. For the rolling 12 months ended April 30, passenger numbers totaled 28.1 million and load factor averaged 84%.
Thomas Cook signed an agreement with Ringways Handling Services in partnership with SAS Ground Services UK Ltd. for ground handling at Manchester. The agreement went into effect April 1. Thomas Cook operates some 110 flights per week to various leisure destinations.
WestJet flew 585.7 million RPMs in April, up 35.1% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 28.5% to 850.8 million ASMs and load factor gained 3.3 points to 68.8%. For the four months ended April 30, RPMs increased 40.4% to 2.52 billion, ASMs rose 30.4% to 3.48 billion and load factor jumped 5.2 points to 72.4%.
SAS said Sveneric Persson, currently president and CEO of its Finnish subsidiary Blue1, will take over as VP-Americas based in New York on Sept. 1. He replaces Jorgen Hoe-Knudsen, senior SAS executive in the Americas since 1996, who is retiring. Persson joined the airline in 1970.
