Lufthansa Group is reportedly planning to cut costs by renegotiating its pension payment contracts for around 60,000 employees, who will be informed this week.
United Airlines has applied to the US Department of Transportation for authority to operate flights between San Francisco and Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province, starting next year.
Chapman Freeborn and Air Libya have formed a partnership to fly cargo in Libya using an Antonov An-26 freighter, which will be based at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport on a long-term lease agreement.
International passenger traffic on Asia-Pacific carriers rose 6.6% in July to 19.6 million year-over-year; in June, international passenger traffic grew 7.1% to 18.4 million compared to June 2012.
The US Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported that US scheduled passenger airlines collectively employed 381, 441 full-time workers in June, dropping 2.4% from June 2012.
On Feb. 14, US Airways and American Airlines announced their Valentine’s pact to merge. On Aug. 13, the US Dept. of Justice made its move with all the drama of a preacher asking, “anyone here know of any legal impediment to this marriage?”
On the Cover 26 Annual ATW/Arthur D. Little World airport report Asia-Pacific overtakes North America to become top dog in airport passenger traffic. By Anne Paylor Features 47 China’s Field of Dreams Beijing is committed to rapidly expanding its domestic airports despite most of them struggling financially. By Katie Cantle
Next year, central and eastern European low-cost carrier Wizz Air will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Since its creation, Wizz has gone from a fledgling start-up to a major low-cost player with 44 Airbus A320s serving over 300 routes from 16 bases. ATW caught up with József Váradi in Budapest to hear about the carrier’s future plans.
" "A city should be built around its airport because the airport is the spearhead of city development. These days, the two or three kilometer-long runway can connect the world with the city, which is especially important to underdeveloped regions,” Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) minister Li Jiaxiang said, summarizing Beijing’s enthusiasm for China’s rapid airport expansion programs in recent years.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and lawyers for American Airlines and US Airways are starting preparations for a November trial to determine whether the carriers’ planned merger should be rejected on antitrust grounds, a much earlier court date than DOJ wanted.
Air New Zealand has posted a net profit of NZ$182 million ($140.8 million) for its 2013 financial year, an increase of NZ$111 million over the previous year.
Hainan Airlines has reported a first-half net profit of CNY645.16 million ($104.6 million), up 29% over a net income of CNY499 million in the year-ago period.
Dutch low-cost carrier Transavia has appointed Mattijs ten Brink as its new managing director and chairman, replacing Bram Graber who is returning to parent company Air France-KLM.
African low-cost carrier Fastjet will add services between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya in Tanzania from Nov. 1, just as it prepares to launch international flights.
A Nov. 25 trial date has been set for the lawsuit filed by the US Department of Justice against the proposed merger of American Airlines and US Airways.
Australia’s Qantas has reported a return to profit for the financial year ended June 30, reversing a loss of A$244 million ($218 million) for the year-ago period into an A$6 million profit after tax.
Gazpromavia has taken delivery of its first Sukhoi Superjet 100LR (SSJ100LR) aircraft at MAKS Airshow in Moscow, making it the first airline to receive the type.
