Ailing German regional carrier Augsburg Airways has reached an agreement in principle with Lufthansa on close cooperation that is scheduled to start May 1. Details of the deal still are being negotiated, the airline stated. Augsburg is expected to continue flying in Team Lufthansa branding but will do so on a wet-lease basis. The carrier previously operated its own network from Augsburg, 40 miles from Munich, as well as flights on behalf of Lufthansa, but maintained greater commercial independence.
Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) expects EasyJet's full-year revenues to be up GBP8.8 million. Analysts believe passenger volume will rise 36%, but yields will decline 3.7%. CSFB's 12-month price target for EasyJet is GBP5.5; EasyJet's shares closed at GBP5.07 last week.
Lufthansa said it would offer a roundtrip between Frankfurt and Berlin for EUR210 following a recent court decision that it can no longer offer one-way tickets for EUR105. Unlike the one-way fares, the return tickets have to be booked one day in advance but have no minimum-stay clause. A regional court had ruled that Lufthansa should be at least EUR30.5 more expensive per one-way trip than no-frills rival Germania. Frankfurt-Berlin, one of Germany's busiest routes, is Germania's first scheduled service, and the airline plans to increase its network next year.
FAA needs to monitor closely its Advanced Technologies and Oceanic Procedures (ATOP) to ensure timeliness and contract compliance, DOT Inspector General Kenneth Mead said, stating that Lockheed Martin "must complete the software development effort on time to meet the ATOP delivery schedule." The $233 million fixed-price procurement is to deliver a new oceanic system at Anchorage, New York and Oakland, starting in April 2003.
Midwest Express is adding service from its Milwaukee hub, increasing to five its weekday nonstops to Atlanta, starting June 19 and expanding to three nonstops to Orlando Nov. 1.
New York jet fuel spot prices ended last week at $0.70 per gallon, down 1.4% from the beginning of the week and down 10.4% from a year ago, according to Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown. Crude oil prices fell below $25 per barrel.
Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) expects EasyJet's full-year revenues to be up GBP8.8 million. Analysts believe passenger volume will rise 36%, but yields will decline 3.7%. CSFB's 12-month price target for EasyJet is GBP5.5; EasyJet's shares closed at GBP5.07 last week.
FAA needs to monitor closely its Advanced Technologies and Oceanic Procedures (ATOP) to ensure timeliness and contract compliance, DOT Inspector General Kenneth Mead said, stating that Lockheed Martin "must complete the software development effort on time to meet the ATOP delivery schedule." The $233 million fixed-price procurement is to deliver a new oceanic system at Anchorage, New York and Oakland, starting in April 2003.
Alaska Air has no plans implement innovative airport security technology ahead of its peers. While the carrier is proud of its proactive use of high-tech tools throughout the customer experience, Treasurer Amber Post said in New York that individual carriers can't solve the security challenges by themselves. "We don't expect to be a leader this time."
FAA must hire "at least" 500 inspectors and 100 safety support staffers to make the Air Transportation Oversight System (ATOS) "successful," Professional Airways Systems Specialists President Michael Fanfalone said. Adding to the challenge: It takes "no less than three years" of training to go from new hire to ATOS team member, he said.
30 years ago April 18, 1972 -- FAA confirmed Lockheed's claims by certifying that the L-1011 TriStar, which began deliveries April 5, is the quietest of the widebody jets. 10 years ago April 20, 1992 -- Creating a single U.S.-U.K. market is too little, too late, British Airways Deputy Chairman Colin Marshall said, advocating negotiating on a "much broader European basis...by this I mean there would be an end to individual bilateral agreements" involving European Community nations. Five years ago
NTSB, seeking to gather as much data as possible that might explain what happened to American Flight 587, is carefully probing a number of Airbus aircraft incidents involving high lateral loads. The latest incident to catch the board's eye: uncommanded rudder movements and other problems with a Singapore Airlines A340-300 just two weeks after Flight 587, an Airbus A300-600, was involved in a scenario that ripped off its tail.
JetBlue on Friday recorded one of the most successful airline initial public stock offerings in history, as the carrier's shares soared 67% above its asking price. JetBlue's stock closed at $45.00 per share on the Nasdaq market, after listing at $27 per share and recording an opening trade of just over $37 per share. More than 14 million shares of JetBlue stock traded hands on Friday, more than all other U.S. major airlines combined.
Airport security on a global scale will be the focus of four international meetings this year planned by the American Association of Airport Executives and affiliate International Association of Airport Executives. The meetings, to be held in Bangkok June 18-20, Milan July 21-24, Marrakech Oct. 6-9 and Istanbul Nov 10-13, will give U.S. airport managers and their counterparts in other parts of the world the opportunity to debate common security challenges following the Sept. 11 attacks, AAAE said. For more information, call 703-824-0500.
Analysts on Friday were keeping close tabs on a fare hike instituted by Continental in domestic markets and matched by American and Delta. Continental raised fares $10 one way and $20 roundtrip for both leisure and business travel, including markets it serves in competition with Southwest. Merrill Lynch analyst Michael Linenberg said it is an indication that the revenue environment is firming up.
FAA last week ordered 737-600 and -700 operators to change procedures so that speedbrake use is not allowed above 300 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). The emergency directive was triggered by an April 5 incident in which a 737-700 descending through 19,500 feet at 315 KIAS experienced heavy vibrations when the speedbrakes were deployed. The plane landed safely. FAA and Boeing concluded that the vibration was due to a "limit cycle oscillation" of the elevator and elevator tab assembly attached to the horizontal stabilizer.
The federal security director (FSD) for New York Kennedy Airport, named Friday by Transportation Security Administration head John Magaw, is William Hall, who comes to TSA from a 31-year career with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Hall was most recently the authority's chief of police and directed search and rescue operations following the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center. FSDs are the TSA's lead federal law enforcement officials, overseeing federal security operations at U.S. airports.
SAirGroup's administrator Karl Wuethrich said last week that the concern would no longer try to keep Swiss from using its new brand identity. A Swiss court had rejected a lawsuit filed by SAirGroup in March. The company wanted the court to block the new airline from using the "Swiss" title because it allegedly violated its rights. -JF
Traffic at the British Airport Authorities (BAA) seven UK airports has decreased by 2.2% in the financial year ended March 31. The airports handled 121.9 million passengers, but suffered from the effects of the foot and mouth disease, the economic downturn and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. With low-fare airlines continuing their growth, Stansted traffic for the year was up by 14.9% and totaled about 14 million passengers. Traffic at London Heathrow and Gatwick was down 6.1 and 5.1%, respectively. -JF
House Transportation aviation subcommittee on Thursday will begin mark-ups on three aviation-related bills -- NTSB reauthorization, ATC contract towers and streamlining the airport construction process. So far, only the ATC bill, H.R.1979, has been introduced. Bills on NTSB reauthorization and airport construction are expected just before or immediately after the mark-up session.
Analysts on Friday were keeping close tabs on a fare hike instituted by Continental in domestic markets and matched by American and Delta. Continental raised fares $10 one way and $20 roundtrip for both leisure and business travel, including markets it serves in competition with Southwest. Merrill Lynch analyst Michael Linenberg said it is an indication that the revenue environment is firming up.
US Airways and its Air Line Pilots Association unit achieved what the airline describes as "the basis of an agreement" on Friday that would allow it to add 70 more regional jets to its Express network. An ALPA spokesman stressed that it is only a proposal and the leadership will consider it today. The two parties have been discussing additional regional jet flying for many months, but the talks broke down last month. The company had been seeking more than 300 additional regional jets.
Lufthansa said it would offer a roundtrip between Frankfurt and Berlin for EUR210 following a recent court decision that it can no longer offer one-way tickets for EUR105. Unlike the one-way fares, the return tickets have to be booked one day in advance but have no minimum-stay clause. A regional court had ruled that Lufthansa should be at least EUR30.5 more expensive per one-way trip than no-frills rival Germania. Frankfurt-Berlin, one of Germany's busiest routes, is Germania's first scheduled service, and the airline plans to increase its network next year. -JF
Airport security on a global scale will be the focus of four international meetings this year planned by the American Association of Airport Executives and affiliate International Association of Airport Executives. The meetings, to be held in Bangkok June 18-20, Milan July 21-24, Marrakech Oct. 6-9 and Istanbul Nov 10-13, will give U.S. airport managers and their counterparts in other parts of the world the opportunity to debate common security challenges following the Sept. 11 attacks, AAAE said. For more information, call 703-824-0500.
