Swiss International Air Lines' large shareholders sold almost 84% of the carrier's capital to AirTrust, the holding company through which Lufthansa is taking over Swiss. According to the carrier, the newly formed company now holds 83.96% of Swiss share capital, almost all of the 86.13% previously held by majority shareholders. As part of the deal, AirTrust is offering major shareholders $342.3 million. It is offering another $58.1 million to individual investors whose shares are in free float.
At US Airways, the problems largely were manmade, as is clear in the detailed report commissioned by US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta following both events. Keenly aware of personnel shortages among the flight attendant and ramp agent work groups, US Airways officials knew they were rolling the dice well before piles of unchecked luggage started reaching the ceiling in Philadelphia.
Pacific Blue , the international arm of Virgin Blue, will begin to offer passengers APS digEplayers on flights between Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The carrier said it will begin phasing in the portable on-demand entertainment players from late May and they will be available on all flights by June 13. Each aircraft will be equipped with 60 players and the airline will charge A$12 ($9) to rent one.
US Dept. of Homeland Security this week initiated the US-VISIT Biometric Exit Pilot Program at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Under the program, foreign visitors departing from the airport will be asked to provide their two finger scans and stop for a photo as part of the project to test and evaluate an automated biometric exit process. The program has been operating for a number of months at Baltimore/Washington International, Chicago O'Hare, Denver International, Dallas/Ft. Worth International and Miami International airports.
Lithuanian Airlines will launch two weekly flights to Barcelona April 24, increasing to thrice-weekly May 22. The carrier also will begin three weekly flights to Pulkovo Airport. In addition, Lithuanian will boost its flights to Dublin, Paris and Kiev from three to five weekly and to Brussels from five to six per week. It will increase capacity on its flights to Brussels, Milan and Moscow by using 737s on the routes.
ASiQ Pty. Ltd. , a wholly owned subsidiary of ASI Entertainment, signed a contract with Saudi Arabian Airlines for the AsiQnet inflight e-mail, Internet and SMS system. The company said further details of the deal will be released shortly.
Navtech signed a long-term contract with Delta Air Lines to provide crew management solutions. The agreement includes the use of Navtech's preferential bidding system, Class, by Delta's pilots.
AWAS delivered a CF-6-powered 767-300 to PB Air. The aircraft will operate nonstop service to Shanghai and Beijing from the carrier's Bangkok base. AWAS delivered an RB211-535E4-powered 757-200 to UK charter carrier Astraeus.
Lufthansa Systems announced that Etihad Airways opted to implement its NetLine/Plan and NetLine/Sched, allowing for an "integrated approach to optimizing the elements of resource planning and control."
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings named Michael Barna senior VP and CFO effective April 11. Barna also will serve as senior VP and CFO of AAWW subsidiaries Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo.
Basel-based Crossair Europe , a subsidiary of Swiss International Air Lines, will cease operations as expected. Swiss will take over one of the two Saab 2000s the carrier operates.
Latin American Airline Assn. member carriers flew 10.9 billion RPKs in January, up 17.7% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 12% to 15 billion ASKs and load factor gained 3.5 points to 72.2%.
Air Nelson signed an agreement with FlightSafety International to purchase a flight simulator to provide the pilot training required for its new Q300. The simulator will be based within Air New Zealand's new simulator facility in Auckland and will be fully operational by October.
TAP Portugal posted a consolidated net profit of €8.6 million ($11.1 million) in 2004, down 56% from a net profit of €19.7 million in 2003, when the company was able to find the black after years of losses owing to a restructuring program that included stringent cost-cutting as well as significant increases in productivity over the last four years.
Alsalam Aircraft Co. won a contract from Saudi Arabian Airlines to perform D checks on two 747-100s and one 747-300, including interior refurbishments. The first 747-100 has been delivered to Alsalam's facility in Riyadh and is scheduled for completion in April.
Hungary apparently will not be able to sell national airline Malev because the three parties that submitted bids all offered too little for the carrier, according to Reuters, which quoted a story in business daily Napi Gazdasag . It was the government's second attempt in less than six months to sell the airline. All three bids offered between 150 million forints ($780,200) and 200 million forints and the parties also agreed to assume some of Malev's 35 billion forint debt, the report said.
Honeywell named Peg Billson VP and GM of its Airframe Systems business and Greg Albert VP and GM of its Aircraft Landing Systems business, effective April 1.
Telair International received a firm order from Shandong Airlines for four Sliding Carpet Loading Systems for installation in the aft cargo compartments of the carrier's 737-800s, with an option for four additional systems. Delivery and installation are scheduled for mid-2005.
AMR Corp., parent of American Airlines, yesterday said AA's mainline and consolidated unit revenue both are expected to increase in the first quarter, while unit costs for the period are projected to be on a par with prior forecasts.
