An uptick in international passenger traffic expansion in the 2014 third quarter (Q3) tailed off at year-end, as weakness in key growth markets suppressed demand, International Air Transport Association (IATA) figures show.
Qatar Airways still plans to begin scheduled services on the Frankfurt route on March 1, despite the aircraft only being delivered by Airbus this week.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has confirmed it is among the companies seeking to support Japan’s Skymark Airlines as it restructures under bankruptcy protection.
Despite AirAsia X’s intentions to slow its growth rate, AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes says there are still some long-haul markets that the carrier is either preparing to open or considering.
In spite of earlier calls to eliminate state financing, Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation will seek government funding for the development of the new widebody aircraft it plans to build in cooperation with Chinese civil aircraft manufacturer Comac.
Trans States Holdings, parent of U.S. regional carriers Trans States Airlines, Compass Airlines and GoJet Airlines, remains “comfortable” with its order for 50 Mitsubishi Regional Jets and expects to begin taking delivery of the aircraft in 2017.
/site-files/aviationweek.com/files/uploads/2015/02/avd_02_20_2015_fuelw.pdf Global Jet Fuel Prices (midpoint)* As of February 18, 2015, compared with previous week and previous year cts/gal prev. week prev. year NY Jet Barges 188.11 3.01 -127.55 Chicago Jet 187.86 10.51 -105.3 West Coast (LA) Jet 184.11 11.51 -110.55 Europe: Rotterdam Jet (Barges) 183.10 7.32 -113.54
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected] . (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) Feb. 24-Mar. 1 —Avalon 2015, Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defense Exposition, www.airshow.com.au/airshow2015/index.asp
For a complete list of Aviation Week’s upcoming events, and to register, visit www.aviationweek.com/events Mar. 5, 2015—Laureate Awards, Washington, D.C. Apr. 14-16, 2015—MRO Americas 2015, Conference and Exhibit Hall, Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida May 5-6, 2015—MRO BEER (Baltics, Eastern Europe, Russia), Budapest, Hungary
Several Japanese companies are applying to help fund Skymark Airlines’ restructuring under bankruptcy protection, although it is still unclear what role the major carriers will have in the turnaround effort.
Airlines operating at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) will benefit from a 7% decrease in charges from April, compared to a 0.7% increase in 2014, and operators will see an additional €35 million ($39.9 million) reduction of the airport charges next year, a Schiphol Group executive confirmed.
“In 2015, the growth of our series production business will be driven mainly by the GP7000 and the new geared-turbofan programs that will enter series production,” the company notes.
EasyJet continues to extend the geographic boundaries of its network and will launch its first route to Tunisia in June, while also introducing a more liberal policy for hand luggage.
“I am pleased with our strong financial and operational results,” Chorus president and CEO Joseph Randall said. “We have continued to build on our strengths and achieved an amended Capacity Purchase Agreement [CPA] with Air Canada that delivers a long-term and sustainable future for our company.”
Anderson—along with his counterparts at United Airlines and American Airlines—are asking for an immediate capacity freeze on carriers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar.
Air France-KLM is scaling back its investment plans by a further €600 million ($680 million) over the next two years and is accelerating cost-cutting measures.
As Virgin Australia has dragged its new acquisition Tigerair Australia to breakeven, the carrier is now looking for ways to address weakness in its international operation.
Most analysts expect WestJet Airlines will initially fly its four Boeing 767-300ERs to Europe, but CEO Gregg Saretsky told the Aviation Daily that executives have considered deploying them elsewhere, perhaps to Asia.
Alaska Airlines has purchased six Boeing 737-900ERs, valued at $594 million, for delivery between 2016 and 2017. “We’re delighted Boeing is able to expedite delivery of four of these new 737-900ERs, increasing the number of planes we’ll receive next year to 19,” said Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines executive vice president and chief revenue officer. The aircraft will replace 737-400s and carry 25% more passengers using the same amount of fuel, Boeing notes.
Interest in virtual control towers is shifting from curiosity to serious consideration as a growing number of air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and airports consider cost-benefit analyses for staffing air traffic control towers at low-volume airports, or when contemplating new tower construction at higher-activity airports. “What we’re seeing is fully formed requirements coming out of a number of different ANSPs,” says Alex Sauriol, executive vice president for airport and ATM solutions for Searidge Technolofies.
