There is a paradox related to air passenger growth in Latin America that threatens the robust rate of airline traffic expansion predicted as a natural consequence of more people in the region ascending to the middle class.
Asia-Pacific airlines—global industry leaders in terms of profitability in recent years—are cautious about 2014 as yields and profits this year have failed to reach anticipated levels, the head of the region’s airline association says.
FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS) operated for many years under well-established business models predicated primarily on catering to businesses and consumers wanting to ship goods and packages as quickly as possible.
"Which market is the basket case? It’s Europe,” Chris Tarry, principal at UK-based consultancy firm CTAIRA, told ATW. “We have gone from Europe being top of the class in 2007 and 2008 to being bottom since 2009. I think we’re in for much more of the same. The economic outlook is still not great; we’re getting some mixed messages at the moment.”
It’s tough when you are a small carrier, fighting for survival in a constrained home market, looking on with envy as neighbors Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways place multi-billion dollar new aircraft orders. But Raja Azmi, the charismatic CEO at flynas, is hoping to position his airline in the big league using experience he gained with low-cost giant AirAsia. This was enough of a challenge to lure him back from early retirement.
Malaysia Airlines has signed a memorandum of understanding with French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR for 36 new ATR 72-600 aircraft worth MYR3 billion ($980 million).
Turkish low-cost carrier (LCC) Pegasus Airlines has ordered up to 100 Airbus A320neos and A321neos, comprising 58 A320neos and 17 A321neos, of which 75 are firm orders.
Swiss regional carrier Darwin Airline is using two aircraft from partner Belle Air Europe to launch services from Zurich and Geneva to Pristina, Kosovo.
LOT Polish Airlines is phasing out its Boeing 737 classic and 767 aircraft, LOT sales director Tomasz Dakowski told ATW on last week’s Boeing 787 Vienna-Warsaw flight.
