Geopolitical instability, the slow recovery of economies in Europe and continuous competition from Persian Gulf carriers have prompted Royal Jordanian (RJ) to kick off a comprehensive review of its strategy and sustainability, which management hopes to complete next month. "We're undertaking a 360-degree assessment of the airline. Everything, including our route network, revenue policy and capital needs is being analyzed with the assistance of U.S.
Despite a massive new competitive threat from Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines is confident it can remain the preferred airline in its Seattle home base, executives from the company said during Alaska's first-quarter earnings call. Delta will have added almost 40% more capacity out of Seattle by year-end, which Alaska thinks is too much for some of the markets being served, CEO Brad Tilden told analysts and reporters on April 25.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Southwest Airlines predicts a year-over-year increase in capacity in 2014, mainly resulting from the carrier changing its fleet mix as it wraps up the integration of AirTran Airways. The company's overall number of aircraft was down by five, to 676 by the end of the first quarter. During the quarter, Southwest took delivery of two Boeing 737-800s and six 737-700s, and divested 12 Boeing 717-200s from the AirTran fleet.
Dallas Love Field is now poised to become Virgin America's third-largest base with the Justice Dept.'s decision, made public Friday, to transfer two Love Field gates from American Airlines to the California-based low-cost carrier.
Buoyed by larger numbers of 737 and 787 deliveries, net orders for 235 commercial aircraft and key defense wins, Boeing posted higher-than-expected revenues of $20.5 billion, 8% up on the first-quarter results from last year. With the recent uncertainty over 777X production and union issues now behind it, Boeing Commercial Airplanes increased revenues to $12.7 billion, compared with $10.7 billion in the first quarter of 2013. Deliveries rose in the period to 161, 18 of which were 787-8s.
SINGAPORE -- Following the postponement earlier this year of the launch of its Thai subsidiary, AirAsia X (AAX) has restarted the machinery, and Thai AirAsiaX will begin flights from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport to South Korea's Incheon International Airport in June. "We're excited that Thai AirAsia X (TAAX) has finally launched, as it sets in motion the next phase of our long-haul network strategy of expansion via multiple hubs," AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman Rani tells A
Air India intends to acquire 14 Airbus A320s on lease for up to six years, to replace some of its aging aircraft and strengthen its domestic service. The airline wants to replace 14 older A320s and another 5 A319s. The aircraft, in an all-economy configuration with 188 seats, are being leased in a bid to meet heightened competition on domestic routes.
Top Nonstop Airport Pairs: Asia/Oceania - U.S. 12 Months Ending September 2013, Ranked By Onboard Passengers Onboard ASMs Market (Metro Area Airports) Passengers Departures (mil) 1 Honolulu - Tokyo Narita 1
While most of Asia’s new LCCs look to regional expansion to grow, at least one new LCC—Hong Kong Express—is instead looking inward and positioning itself as a local carrier. “Why? Because we are based in the middle of the Pearl River Delta, with 100 million people, all wanting to travel,” says the airline’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Cowen. That’s a big local market. “There are 17 or 18 LCCs serving Hong Kong today. Without a clear, homegrown identity we could not compete.”
The recently deepened relationship between Hawaiian Airlines and Delta Tech Ops could be a bellwether as the carrier eyes aftermarket options for its Airbus A330s and Boeing 717s amid a broader effort to streamline its vendor base. Hawaiian and Tech Ops earlier this month announced that the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider would add component repair to the 767 fleet support it already provides the Honolulu-based carrier.
American Airlines Group, in its first full quarter after the merger, reported record-setting first-quarter profits for both American Airlines and US Airways, but warned that the hard work lies ahead. CEO Doug Parker lauded the merged airline’s $484 million in profits and the $10.6 billion in free cash to end the quarter, but noted that the real benefits of the merger will become apparent only in the years to come.
Allegiant Travel Co. will take the first steps toward creating a loyalty program by introducing a new co-branded credit card in the second quarter, with a loyalty program to follow later this year.
Virgin Atlantic hopes to reach profitability this year after managing to cut losses in half in 2013. “We have implemented a program of measures which put in place firm foundations for future success and our results to this point show that we are delivering against our plan,” Chief Executive Craig Kreeger said.
While United Airlines sees no structural problems with its network and thinks boosting operating efficiencies is the key to improving on a relatively weak first quarter, the airline nonetheless is restructuring its Pacific operations.
United Airlines has begun installing new equipment into an Airbus A320 as a prototype for the next phase of the carrier’s iPad electronic flight bag (EFB) project, which will include leveraging connectivity to bring more functionality to the devices.
