Rome, N.Y.-based MRO Empire Aero Center won follow-up business with Russian carrier Transaero through a one-year deal to complete integration and bridge checks -- ensuring the aircraft are in line with Transaero's operating specs -- for five Boeing 747-300s the carrier agreed to acquire from Japan Airlines last year. Empire won heavy maintenance business from Transaero last year covering the carrier's 747-200s.
Year-old Guyanese startup TravelspanGT is looking to expand its U.S. operations to Orlando Sanford International airport. The airline is eyeing a June 16 launch of service between Orlando and Georgetown that will stop over in Port-of-Spain,Trinidad. Though Travelspan plans to serve Sanford, it also wants the flexibility to serve Orlando International [OST-2007-27907].
Air Asia Long-Haul (AAL), Malaysia's new low-fare airline, has signed an order for 10 Airbus A330-300s with an option for another five. Delivery will start in September 2008 and run through to 2011. The aircraft will be configured for 389 passengers with two categories of seats. Owned by Fly Asian Xpress (FAX), AAL will start operations in September with two leased A330-300s initially flying to China. Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun and Raja Mohd Azmi Mohd Razali are the shareholders in FAX, a private limited company
Frederico Fleury Curado, new president of Embraer, told reporters last week that during his tenure at the company, he is betting on the conquest of the Latin American market, estimated at 6% of world sales. This segment is definitely growing, as shown by recent bulk sales to Panama's Copa and Colombia's AeroRepublica, Curado said. "We still have to determine which percentage of that 6% we will shoot for. Half would be interesting, but we still don't have a specific target."
Boeing's 787 suppliers in Japan are "basically" on track, the U.S. company says as the first parts for the first aircraft are due to arrive in Seattle. A media tour of Boeing's three big Japanese partners on Monday revealed no hint of a significant hold-up on the 787. Boeing executives have repeatedly assured airlines the 787 will meet its production timetable.
Delta hasn't begun a campaign to fill the gap between its 76-seat regional jets and 142-seat MD-80s, but its business plan calls for 25 small-gauge narrowbodies by 2010. The carrier is taking on 15 124-seat Boeing 737-700s, but Chief Operating Officer Jim Whitehurst recently said those aircraft are targeted for very specific performance-limited airports, citing Vail, Mexico City and some islands in the Caribbean, where the carrier currently has to fly 757s and would like to have fewer seats or operate additional frequencies.
Employment levels at the seven U.S. network airlines continue to fall. The seven carriers' full-time equivalent levels as of February 2007 are down 23.3% since February 2003, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics at the U.S. Transportation Dept. Those seven carriers employed 64.7% of the passenger airline total in February. Low-cost carriers employed 17.6% and regionals 14.8%. Since 2003, Northwest has lost the largest amount of FTEs - 31.3%.
Delta is close to announcing a Connection Carrier to fly the remaining 15 CRJ-900s of a 30 aircraft order placed this year. The airline recently awarded Mesa half the aircraft, which should start flights in September, most likely from Delta's Atlanta and Cincinnati hubs (DAILY, April 16).
Boeing has signed a contract with Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kan., to provide component repair and overhaul services on engine nacelles for 777 and Next-Generation 737 aircraft. Boeing said the Boeing Component Repair and Leasing Services Network Service Center program is "part of a continuing strategy to reduce maintenance costs and provide faster repair and overhaul solutions of key rotable components for Boeing customers around the world." For Spirit, it furthers its desire to gain more work and expand its MRO business (DAILY, April 19).
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA on April 19 submitted last-minute arguments against awarding Virgin America an operating certificate. "Nothing about how the Virgin Group structured Virgin America's affairs has changed so drastically to warrant this turnabout," AFA-CWA told the U.S. Transportation Dept. "There have been no 'sweeping changes' that go to the core of the requirement to demonstrate U.S. citizenship, just a little cosmetic surgery around the edges."
Argentina-based SOL Airlines will soon join Uruguay's Pluna and Aerolineas Argentinas on the profitable Montevideo-Buenos Aires shuttle. The carrier will operate two daily frequencies that were unused in the Uruguay-Argentina bilateral accord. SOL will use SAAB turboprops on the route.
Mexicana's new Torreon-Las Vegas service could launch soon, thanks to quick nods from the U.S. Transportation Dept. and the Mexican civil aviation authorities. Mexico designated the airline to operate the route earlier this month. The airline told DOT it would launch the service "immediately" after winning the necessary authority from the department, which awarded Mexican the exemption on April 17.
Bookings for Japan's "Golden Week" vacation period - from April 27-May 6 - are stronger than last year's, particularly for international Asian destinations, JAL says. Domestic bookings in this 10-day period are up 2.9%, and international bookings are 1.2% higher. Reservations are 11.9% higher for China, 13.6% for Guam, and 14% for South Korea. Load factor for the holiday period is running at just under 70%.
The Urumqi International Airport in the oil- and gas-rich Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China is being expanded at a cost of CNY2.8 billion (US$363 million). This is the first major upgrade of the facility, which was built in 1931. General Administration Civil Aviation of China, China Southern Airlines and the Xinjiang regional government are financing the project.
Malaysian Airlines budget subsidiary Firefly may soon take over Sarawak's rural air services operated by Air Asia-owned Fly Asian Xpress (FAX). This follows the inability of FAX to effectively serve the tourism industry through disrupted services, insufficient flights, delays and rescheduling. The rural service had been given to FAX by MAS under its national air route rationalization program last August.
Northwest has named a new 12-member board of directors, to become effective upon completion of its reorganization plan, expected to be in June. Gary Wilson, chairman of the board, will be succeeded by Roy Bostock, a board member since 2005. The rest of the board will comprise existing and new members. Wilson says, "I am leaving the board because I believe in term limits and because my other business interests do not allow me sufficient time to continue leading the board."
The European Commission will postpone the implementation of the European Union's maximum cabin baggage size restriction by 12 months - instead of six as suggested in March (DAILY, March 19). An October 2006 regulation stated cabin baggage larger than the IATA standard 56x45x24cm would be prohibited as of May 6 in the EU, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.
CheapAir.com, based in new York, has hired Werner Kunz as its new chief strategy officer not only to set the strategic direction of the company, but also to develop and launch new brands. Werner will be in charge of generating new revenue streams by negotiating new and existing supplier agreements, the company said. "He will develop strategic alliances with major online publications, media and news outlets, as well as securing new investor acquisitions."
Southwest's coffers are $20 million richer in the first quarter because of the lifting of the Wright Amendment, which allows the carrier to greatly increase one-stop flights from Love Field. It added about $11 million in the fourth quarter 2006. The airline boosted its Love Field flying on March 11. Southwest is also enjoying a successful code-sharing partnership with ATA, which added $8 million to revenues in the first quarter.
Boeing added seven new aircraft orders to its backlog in the past week -- including five from leasing company CIT - but it also reduced its 737 backlog by four aircraft. The CIT order is for 737-700s, and brings its 737 order total to 10. The company also has five 787 on order. CIT said the latest order helps meet the strong demand it is seeing from its clients for the 737. List price for the five aircraft is about $295 million.
Aeromexico may soon launch nonstop flights between Guadalajara and New York Kennedy Airport, a service that could best both its U.S. and Mexican rivals, which offer one-stop service between the cities. Using an exemption from the U.S. Transportation Dept., Aeromexico would fly Boeing 737-700s three times weekly on the route, with service beginning on May 7 [OST-2007-27999].
