Norwegian Air Shuttle and the U.K.’s Thomson Airways have adapted their fleet plans to accommodate capacity shortages caused by the grounding of Boeing’s 787s in January. Thomson was expected to receive its first 787 at the end of February and four by May, while deliveries of Norwegian’s first two 787-8s were scheduled for April and June.
The Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (Canso) has begun marketing its first product to the air traffic management industry, which the trade group says will help boost its revenue for new initiatives. Canso will offer a billing and yield-management system called Flightyield, originally developed by Airways New Zealand. Jeff Poole, Canso’s director general, says the group “rigorously assessed” Flightyield before signing an agreement with Airways. The same process will be used to evaluate future revenue opportunities for Canso.
Lion Air, Indonesia’s largest low-cost carrier, is developing a commercial and residential area west of Jakarta’s main international airport to accommodate its burgeoning workforce. The development, named Lion City, is located on a 70-acre site in the Balaraja district. Several 18-bed dormitories for female cabin crew, as well as a cabin crew training center, already are open.
Allegiant Air is concerned about the impact of the sequester, which mandates federal budget cuts that could eliminate air traffic control tower operations at nearly 20% of the airports it serves, but it has delayed making contingency plans pending a final word on actual closures. “We’re worried, of course, but within reason,” says Andrew Levy, president of Allegiant Travel, the parent company of the Las Vegas-based low-cost carrier. “Life goes on. We will keep flying; we may have some complications here and along the way, but we’ll be there.”
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has further strengthened its relationship with Virgin America by linking its frequent flyer program to the San Francisco carrier’s. The airlines announced last December that SIA would code-share on several Virgin America domestic services from San Francisco and Los Angeles, but now they disclosed that “the tie-up will enable members of both airlines’ programs to earn and redeem miles for travel on both airlines.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers - Atlanta, Feb. 15-21, 2013, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Top Carriers - Atlanta, Feb. 15-21, 2013, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Departures Airport Share ASMs (mil) Airport Share Seats /Dept.
The Brazilian government is requesting changes to an open-skies agreement with the European Union (EU) negotiated two years ago, Aviation Week has learned. Negotiations on a comprehensive air services agreement were finalized in 2011, but due to the change of the Brazilian presidency the agreement has not been ratified. Now the Brazilians are seeking modifications, according to a senior European Commission source.
Conservative groups are rallying behind an airline industry effort to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a challenge to new U.S. Transportation Department fare advertising rules, with several arguing that the case gives the justices a chance to eliminate any distinction between protected rights for commercial and non-commercial speech.
Istanbul-based Pegasus Airlines will be the European launch customer for a Honeywell weather radar upgrade that provides predictive hail and lightning detection as well as 8-10 min. advance notice of convective turbulence. The software update, recently approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency, advances the capabilities of the Honeywell IntuVue 3-D weather radar that Pegasus has installed on its fleet of 42 Boeing 737-800s.
Tiger Airways’ minority shareholders could see their stakes further diluted as the Singapore-based, low-cost carrier group launches its second rights issue in two years. The unprofitable airline group plans to raise S$297 million ($239 million) by selling 164.3 million new shares at 47 Singapore cents each, a 34% discount on the March 4 price of 72 Singapore cents.
Thai domestic low-cost carrier Nok Air plans to launch an initial public offering (IPO) in August and expand international flights at about the same time. The IPO is expected to raise 2-3 billion baht ($67-100 million), which will fund the airline’s international expansion and future fleet, CEO Patee Sarasin tells Aviation Week.
Korean Air has placed a bid to acquire a minority stake in Czech Airlines as part of the privatization of the troubled Eastern European carrier. Korean’s bid is for a 44% share of Czech, according to a spokeswoman for the Seoul-based carrier. She declined to give more details, although Korean Air President Chi Chang-hoon told local reporters that the airline does not intend to have a management role in Czech. Korean has been considering the move for some time.
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) is hopeful that grounded Kartika Airlines can be revived and take delivery of the Sukhoi Superjets it has on order. SCAC in a statement says it is negotiating with Kartika about leasing and financial support for the order. SCAC announced at the 2010 Farnborough air show that the Jakarta-based carrier had ordered 30 Superjets and that deliveries would begin in 2012.
Delta Air Lines is expecting its oil refinery operation in Trainer, Pa., to break even in the first quarter and produce a profit as high as $100 million in the following three months, says President Ed Bastian.
The U.S. Department of Justice has requested more information on the proposed merger of US Airways and American Airlines, although the move is being seen as nothing more than procedural. This request for additional information was made March 4, 30 days after the two airlines formally submitted their merger plan to the Justice Department. The carriers publicly unveiled the merger Feb. 14.
Delta Air Lines expects to receive antitrust immunity for its partnership with Virgin Atlantic by September, says President Ed Bastian, even though neither airline has filed a formal application for immunization with the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT). Approval by September would allow the airlines to implement their proposed transatlantic joint venture before the end of this year, as envisioned when the two carriers unveiled their proposal at the end of 2012.
Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific Air has turned to Cathay Pacific Airways’ Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering (Haeco), rather than Singapore Airlines’ SIA Engineering (SIAEC), to support its new fleet of Airbus A330s, the first unit of which is expected in June. SIAEC supports Cebu Pacific’s fleet of Airbus A320s.
Click here to view the pdf Aircraft Operating Statistics, 12 Months Ended September 2012, Widebody Aircraft (Sorted By Seats Per Departure) Aircraft Operational Statistics
