Continental Airlines announced that Senior VP-Flight Operations Debbie McCoy will retire. The company said her position will not be filled and her team will now report to Executive VP Operations Mark Moran.
China Eastern Airlines reported a net profit of 514.1 million yuan ($62.1 million) in 2004, a complete reversal from a net loss of 949.8 million yuan in 2003. According to the Associated Press, revenue during the year rose 47.3% to 21.04 billion yuan.
Cathay Pacific flew 5.33 billion RPKs in March, up 22.1% over the year-ago period. Capacity rose 14.4% to 6.78 billion ASKs and load factor gained 4.9 points to 78.5%. For the three months ended March 31, RPKs increased 17.7% to 15.51 billion, ASKs jumped 12.8% to 19.75 billion and load factor rose 3.3 points to 78.5%.
Finnair will retire its 10 MD-80s "at an accelerated rate" by fall 2006. As a result of the premature retirement, the European and domestic fleet of Finnair Group will consist of 29 A320 family aircraft and 12 Embraer 170s that will be acquired over the next two years, with the first being delivered this autumn. The airline has options for a further eight aircraft. Finnair also said lease agreements for four 757s used for leisure flights have been renewed, replacing accords that were signed before aircraft values plunged following 9/11.
LAN Airlines flew 1.51 billion RPKs in March, up 23% over the year-ago period. Capacity grew 17.2% to 1.98 billion ASKs and load factor improved 3.6 points to 76.3%. For the three months ended March 31, RPKs increased 19.2% to 4.56 billion, ASKs rose 15.5% to 5.98 billion and load factor was ahead 2.4 points to 76.3%.
Gol filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission an amendment to its registration statement revising the size of its proposed offering to 14.7 million of its preferred shares, consisting of roughly 5.5 million shares offered by Gol and approximately 9.2 million by a selling shareholder, BSSF Air Holdings.
US Customs and Border Protection made final a rule requiring airlines to submit advance information on all passengers and crewmembers prior to entry into or departure from the US. The rule requires that passenger manifest information be transmitted electronically.
The US and EU failed to settle their dispute over civil aircraft launch aid by yesterday's mutually agreed-upon deadline, leaving both parties free to make their case at the World Trade Organization.
Market share of low-cost carriers worldwide has doubled since April 2001 and LCCs now account for 12% of all scheduled flight operations and 15% of all available seats, according to OAG data. In its latest Quarterly Airline Traffic Statistics, OAG noted that in North America the low-cost sector now holds 17% of the total market, up 5 points since April 2001 and representing 147,000 of 838,000 total flights. In Europe LCCs represent 14% of the market. OAG also said the number of flights on offer worldwide this month is 5% higher than in April 2004.
Iberia will hold up to 11.7% of Amadeus after the €7.35 ($9.53) per share bid by Cinven Ltd. and BC Partners Ltd. is completed, the carrier said in a statement. The stake could be reduced to 11.4% if 100 directors of the travel distribution group take up their option to acquire a stake in the new company.
Korean Air placed an order with Boeing for up to 20 787s as part of what it says is "a strategic plan to meet future demand for point-to-point travel on mid/long-range destinations to the US and Europe." The deal includes 10 firm 787-8 s and 10 options and is valued at $2.6 billion at list prices. Deliveries are scheduled from 2009 through 2011. Engine selection was not announced.
Swiss International Air Lines pilots are threatening to strike over plans to cut jobs in the carrier's regional business. The union is demanding a guarantee that more pilots will remain than Swiss planned under a cost reduction program and that those made redundant will receive better financial packages. "The pilots union now has a mandate for strike action, because 93% of the pilots voted in favor for that.
The European Commission today is expected to propose targeting aviation as a revenue source to finance development aid even though it believes such measures will have a negative impact on demand.
EADS is looking for external candidates to replace Noel Forgeard as Airbus president and CEO when he moves up to EADS this summer, according to La Tribune . The French newspaper said the search began after EADS' German shareholders refused to promote Gerard Blanc, currently executive VP-operations at Airbus, to CEO. Forgeard supported Blanc as his successor. Reportedly, Forgeard offered the job to Air France COO Pierre Henri Gourgeon, but he refused it. Forgeard is expected to present his successor at the group's annual general meeting on May 11.
Alitalia is facing more social unrest as the Sult flight attendant union called for a 24-hr. strike on April 19. The union made the move after failing to make any progress in talks with management following several previous strikes earlier this year, the latest on March 16. Sult is the only Alitalia union that has not endorsed the carrier's restructuring plan, which includes the spinning off of ground activities from the airline operation and a €1.2 billion ($1.56 billion) recapitalization of the airline division.
Lufthansa flew 8.64 billion RPKs in March, up 3.1% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 4.4% to 11.62 billion ASKs and load factor fell 0.9 point to 74.4%. For the three months ended March 31, RPKs increased 2.9% to 23.77 billion, ASKs rose 2.2% to 32.47 billion and load factor gained 0.5 point to 73.2%.
Cathay Pacific Airways may be further away from a new long-haul aircraft order than has been speculated previously. COO Tony Tyler told ATWOnline that the airline is evaluating both the 747ADV and A380 and the 777-300ER/A340-600, plus "other possible available options for long-haul aircraft," but that it "will not approach the market until we are ready. . .Our needs until the end of 2007 are already provided for, so we are not in a rush to make any decisions on future acquisitions."
Airbus Spares Support and Services and Mexmil signed an MOU that provides the basis for a future agreement under which Mexmil will manufacture, market and distribute specific Airbus proprietary spare parts for the thermoacoustic insulation blanket market.
Astro-Med said Airbus placed an order for the development of a special airborne digital data recorder for "final pre-delivery testing" of the A380, A400M and other aircraft. The order is a follow-on to a contract awarded to Astro-Med in 2003 for a special airborne version of the Everest Telemetry Recorder-Workstation for use in the development and flight testing of the A380.
Singapore Technologies Aerospace subsidiary ST Aerospace Supplies will provide maintenance-by-the-hour component support to Chinese new entrant Okay Airways. The five-year agreement covers a complete range of components on Okay's fleet of six 737s and is worth approximately $12 million, according to STA.
JAT Airways continues to operate a much-reduced schedule as its mechanics' strike is in its fourth week. JAT has wet-leased a 737-300 from Islandsflug and an A320 from Jetclub. Its mechanics went on strike on March 17. The Serbian flag carrier operates on a day-to-day basis and said flight schedules can be checked on its website.
AirTran Airways will introduce service to Richmond, Va., from Atlanta and Philadelphia beginning June 23 with continuing service to Boson. It will operate four daily Richmond-Atlanta nonstops and two daily Philadelphia services. Beginning Nov. 8, Richmond will receive one daily roundtrip to Orlando as well. All service will be flown with 717s configured for 12 business class and 105 coach seats.
Iberia will implement four components from Sabre Airline Solutions' integrated planning and scheduling suite AirFlite beginning later this month. As part of the arrangement, the airline will utilize Sabre's consulting services to help improve its hub structure and transform its business to exploit the new technology solutions.
