Aeroports de Paris reported net profits rose 12.9% to EUR239 million (US$374.1 million) for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007, driven by strong passenger growth, robust retail and real estate revenues and expansion of its subsidiary businesses.
Qantas announced its former regular Sydney-Buenos Aires service would be re-established by yearend with three weekly nonstops operated with double-aisle aircraft yet to be determined. A major link between South America and Australasia from 1998 to 2002, the service was suspended after Sept. 11, 2001, and replaced with a code-sharing agreement with LAN.
Colombia’s Avianca is slated to take over management of Brazilian carrier Ocean Air, which may eventually operate under the Avianca brand, one of several changes on tap for the Synergy Aerospace carrier.
The prospects for any Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations bills being passed in calendar year 2008 are not good, according to panelists at the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)-Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) spring legislative conference.
U.S. airlines recorded an overall on-time rate of 72.4% in January 2008, down from 73.1% in January 2007 but up from the 64.3% rate reported in December 2007. The on-time arrival performance was the fifth-worst showing by U.S. airlines in 14 years, the U.S. Transportation Dept. noted.
Brazil’s federal government and the state of Sao Paulo are working together to upgrade Viracopos International, one of three major airports now serving Sao Paulo.
Mexican low-cost carrier VivaAerobus, which will begin serving Austin, Texas, from Monterrey and Cancun on May 1, is eyeing two more U.S. destinations — Las Vegas and Gary, Ind. The airline is proposing daily service between Monterrey and Gary, as well as Monterrey and Las Vegas. Also on the table are three weekly Veracruz-Austin services and four weekly Puerto Vallarta-Austin flights. All would be operated nonstop with VivaAerobus’ Boeing 737-800s [DOT-OST-2008-0095].
Shareholders in New Zealand’s Auckland Airport have given the green light to a partial takeover bid by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). When the CPPIB offer deadline expired Thursday, shareholders representing 62.5% of airport shares had accepted the offer. CPPIB is seeking 39.2% of shares. In a separate ballot, 57.7% of shareholders who voted approved the acceptance of the partial takeover.
China Southern is pushing Beijing to bring the country’s big-three airlines, including itself, under a single state holding company. The proposal is sure to attract opposition from some elements of the government. Chairman Liu Shaoyong also says the government should get moving with a plan to recapitalize the airlines, and he adds that China Southern itself is hoping for 30 billion to 40 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion to $5.6 billion) in new capital.
China, reacting to a foiled terrorist attempt to destroy an aircraft in flight with a gasoline fire, will ban domestic passengers from carrying liquids. The civil aviation administration will also step up security checks at airports, opening more bags for inspection, and it will forbid airlines from operating express security lanes. There will also be tight checks on vehicles entering the secure zones of airports.
BAA has submitted a GBP2.5 billion (US$5 billion) plan to the U.K.’s Dept. for Transport to add a second runway and new terminal at London Stansted Airport by 2015. The Stansted announcement came on the same day that the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) allowed a hike in price caps at London Heathrow and Stansted airports (DAILY, March 12). The two-runway, two-terminal airport is expected to open in 2015, serving 68 million passengers a year by 2030.
The senior Republican on the House Transportation Committee says there’s no chance for FAA reauthorization legislation to make it into law this year. “Why? Because it’s bad, bad, bad,” says Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), He told a legislative conference of the Aiports Council International-North America and the American Association of Airport Executives that the gap between a bill passed last year by the house and a still pending bill in the Senate is too great.
Airports operator BAA managed to earn a net profit of GBP495 million (US$1 billion) in the year ended Dec. 31, 2007, despite a terrorist threat at Glasgow Airport, investigations by several U.K. government agencies and snafus with security lines and baggage systems at London Heathrow. The financial report is the first full one since Ferrovial bought BAA in June 2006. During the year, the company sold its stakes in Budapest and Sydney airports.
A man was arrested by U.K. police yesterday after he illegally entered a runway area at London Heathrow Airport, causing a security scare a day before the Queen was scheduled to open the new Terminal 5. Airport operator BAA said some flights were delayed since the northern runway had to be closed while the police apprehended the man and reportedly blew up a bag he was carrying. “Clearly this is a matter of some concern,” BAA said.
Lufthansa will operate Cessna Citations in its Private Jet premium service after NetJets Europe withdrew from acting as a service provider for the airline. Lufthansa is already a Citation customer, using four CJ1+ aircraft for pilot training. The latest order is for two CJ3s and two XLS+ airplanes, with a book value of about US$40 million. Cessna is to commence deliveries this month, and will continue to hand over aircraft through mid-2009.
The budget terminal at Singapore Changi Airport is getting a US$7.2 million upgrade that will increase capacity from 2.7 million passengers to 7 million a year. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) created the budget terminal to offer airlines a low-cost operation option. The expansion, scheduled from July 2008 to early 2009, will boost the floor area of the terminal from 25,000 square meters to 28,700 square meters.
With competitive pressures in the Spanish market growing, Spanair is tweaking its cabin offering to try to set itself apart from rivals and generate incrementally more revenue. Under the Spaniarx4 name, the airline has as launched a four-class domestic service offering ranging from regular economy to business class. Wedged between the low-end and high-end price points are the Avant and Economy Plus service.
US Airways Express operator Air Wisconsin’s revenue passenger miles increased 8.7% in February, furthering growth the carrier registered in January. Air Wisconsin generated some 159.4 million revenue passenger miles on 6.5% more capacity, or 235.67 million available passenger seat miles. The result was a 1.4-percentage-point improvement from February 2007 load factor to 67.6%.
The chairmen of the two House panels that oversee the Dept. of Homeland Security’s funding say the Bush Administration’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget request isn’t big enough and they intend to increase it. Rep. David Price (D-N.C.), who chairs the Appropriations homeland security subcommittee, and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) agree that the White House did not ask for enough money to fund the Transportation Security Administration and other DHS agencies.
www.cargofacts.com The 6th Annual Air Cargo, Express, & Freighter Aircraft Workshop April 22-24, 2008 Grand Hyatt – Seattle, Washington A focused 1½ day interactive seminar for industry suppliers, financial analysts and airline innovators. For more information contact: Marquita Fortner: 206-587-6537 or [email protected]
Aeroflot is leasing 10 Airbus A330-200s from AerCap, with deliveries to take place between November of this year and April 2010. The deal builds on a lease agreement the two parties entered in October covering six A320s. AerCap ordered 20 A330s from Airbus in December 2006 and then added to the commitment in March with a further 10 aircraft owing to strong demand. Aeroflot says it plans to use the aircraft on flights to Asia and the Far East. Rolls-Royce Trent 700s will be used to power the Aeroflot widebodies.
