JetBlue Airways, which has signed its 20th code-share agreement, this time with Air China, reiterates that it prefers to expand its international partnerships instead of joining an alliance. “It is similar to our agreement with Emirates [Airline],” a spokesman for the New York-based carrier said. “This is our way of dating responsibly.”
The Uruguayan government and Canadian regional operator Chorus Aviation, which owns Jazz, will not increase their investments in Pluna Airlines, although the Uruguayan carrier is in talks with the government about its future. Last week, airline president Matias Campiani reassured employees that although the airline is facing “severe turbulence,” it will continue to operate. He blamed Argentine currency restrictions and what he saw as favorable treatment for that country’s flag carriers for Pluna’s woes (Aviation Daily, June 6).
China has secured a deal to sell three Xian Aircraft MA60 turboprops to an airline in the Ukraine, the home market of aircraft maker Antonov, which developed the An-26 from which the Chinese aircraft is derived. The agreement for three MA60s has been finalized with MARS RK, says Xian Aircraft in a statement. MARS RK is a relatively small Ukrainian carrier that operates two Saab 340 aircraft on behalf of other airlines. It also has a small number of helicopters and Diamond DA42 aircraft.
Lufthansa Technik wants to perform Airbus A380 wing repairs for other A380 operators. Lufthansa executive board member Carsten Spohr speaking at the International Air Transport Association’s annual general meeting in Beijing says that maintenance, repair and overhaul subsidiary Lufthansa Technik is making detailed plans for the repairs.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers - New York NewarkMay 15-21, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Top Carriers - New York NewarkMay 15-21, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Airport ASMs Airport Seats
With AviancaTaca and Copa Airlines scheduled to join Star Alliance next week, the group expects Grupo TAM, the alliance’s Brazilian member, to leave the group. “There have been clear signals that TAM will get out,” Lufthansa CEO Christoph Franz told Aviation Week on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association’s annual general meeting this week in Beijing. He notes, however, that TAM has so far not formally declared it will leave.
All Nippon Airways plans an aggressive international expansion to capture more traffic to emerging-market Asian countries. The airline is expected to announce a new route from Tokyo to Delhi, as well as to Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, a source within the airline tells Aviation Week.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is seeing “serious downside risks” that could jeopardize its projection of a $3 billion profit for its members this year. “The biggest and most immediate risk is the crisis in the eurozone,” IATA Secretary General Tony Tyler told delegates at the group’s annual general assembly yesterday in Beijing. “If it evolves into a banking crisis, we could face a continent-wide recession–dragging the rest of the world and our profits down.”
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is revising its corporate governance to reflect demands for greater transparency and a shift in membership representation requested last at the organization’s 2011 annual general meeting (AGM) in Singapore. In this year’s AGM, being held this week in Beijing, IATA reallocated the one seat on the board of governors from North America to a representative of the Asia-Pacific region, and added a new seat to represent Middle East and Africa. The new board now seats 10 members.
The merged stock of LAN Airlines and Grupo TAM today will begin trading on Brazil’s Bovespa stock market as LATAM 11, after shares of TAM are withdrawn to signal the financial merger of the two South American airlines. As part of a complex financial deal, TAM shares will cease trading on June 11 and will be swapped for those of a holding company, Holdco II. On June 12, the LAN shares will be combined with those of Holdco II and begin trading under the ticker symbol LATAM 11.
Vladislav Filev, CEO of Russian carrier S7 Airlines, is ready to increase his stake in the airline. Filev and his wife currently control more than 71% of the airline, but in recent weeks Russian media reported that they might sell off part or all of their shares, possibly to rival Aeroflot.
Airlines may have to ground their Airbus A380s for 60 days to repair their wings, two A380 operators tell Aviation Week on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association’s annual general meeting this week in Beijing. Emirates Airline President Tim Clark says that a total of about 30,000 man hours are required to make the fix developed by Airbus, and that the work will be performed by Airbus because Emirates does not have the manpower to handle the task. The repair is needed because of cracks found in wing rib feet.
The Oneworld Alliance is expected to strengthen its reach in the key India market as an important benefit of adding SriLankan Airlines as a member. Oneworld revealed SriLankan’s prospective membership on June 11 during the International Air Transport Association’s annual general meeting in Beijing. Alliance CEO Bruce Ashby estimates it will take 18-24 months for the membership process to be completed.
Garuda Indonesia’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) division, GMF AeroAsia, is set to become an authorized service center for Bombardier CRJ regional jets. The Indonesian state-owned carrier currently has no Bombardier aircraft in its fleet, but it recently ordered six CRJ1000s. Now GMF AeroAsia’s VP-sales and marketing, Jemsly Hutabarat, says the MRO provider and the airframer have signed a letter of intent that could result in GMF performing line and heavy maintenance on CRJ 200/700/900/1000 aircraft for Garuda and third-party customers.
Philippine carrier Zest Airways, fresh from a management reshuffle, soon will be in the market for additional leased Airbus A320s. The carrier’s newly appointed chief executive adviser, Brian Hogan, says the airline’s winter schedule—which starts in October—will be finalized in the coming days, and once it is completed, he will be ready to secure two to four A320s for delivery in the next six months.
Virgin America CEO David Cush says Newark Liberty International Airport is “No. 1 on our list” of new airports he wants added to the carrier’s route network, although he concedes that gaining entry to the slot-restricted facility will require government intervention.
European manufacturer Saab is strengthening its foothold in the air traffic management (ATM) sector with plans to acquire Netherlands-based company HITT. If successful, the HITT takeover would follow Saab’s acquisition of U.S. company Sensis Corp. last year. HITT is a prominent supplier of advanced surface movement guidance and control systems (A-SMGCS) to airports and ATM organizations, one of Saab Sensis’s core markets.
Click here to view the pdf Top Carriers - New York Newark - May 15-21, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs Top Carriers - New York Newark - May 15-21, 2012, Ranked By Scheduled Outbound ASMs
Air Canada has agreed to two deals that will keep some of the airline’s work at the engine and component business units that Aveos fleet performance is selling.
You can now register online for Aviation Week events. Go to www.aviationweek.com/conferences or contact: Lydia Janow, 212-904-3225 or 800-240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada only.) Sept. 19-21 — MRO IT Conference & Showcase, Hyatt Regency Miami, Miami, Fla. Oct. 9—Aircraft Composite Repair Management Forum, Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Oct. 9—MRO IT Europe, Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Oct. 9-11—MRO Europe, Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected] (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) June 11-13—National Air Transportation Association (NATA) Air Charter Summit, Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, Chantilly, Va., www.nata.aero/events June 11-14—Canadian Business Aviation Association 2012 Convention, Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel, Toronto, www.cbaa-acaa/en/convention
