Airlines & Lessors

Ethiopian Airlines, which is now operating four Boeing 787s, remains on track for aggressive growth over the next several years.

[CORRECTED] A United Airlines Boeing 787 flight from Houston to Newark diverted to New Orleans Tuesday morning when one of its six electric generators failed.

Airbus parent EADS unveiled an agreement to make “a far-reaching change” in the way the company’s shareholding is structured.

The Maldives government has terminated a $511 million contract awarded to Bangalore-based GMR Group in 2010 for the upgrade, expansion and operation of Male International Airport. The government said the agreement was “legally invalid,” a decision GMR is disputing.

Virgin Atlantic Airways won its bid to take all 12 pairs of London Heathrow remedy slots demanded by the European Commission following the takeover by International Airlines Group of British Midland. The giving up of slots was a condition of the takeover deal; IAG also owns British Airways.

New African low-cost start-up Fastjet confirmed it is in negotiations to buy 1time Airline, the South African LCC that went into liquidation last month.

Bahrain-based Gulf Air will use network services from SITA to optimize its operations across its 48 destinations.

Defunct UK low-cost carrier bmibaby, which ceased operations in September, decided to shut down instead of accepting takeover bids from financially insecure purchasers.

China’s couriers are looking to launch their own cargo airlines in the fast-growing domestic express delivery market.

Star Alliance member AviancaTaca Airlines is ready to fill the gap in Brazil if TAM Airlines leaves the alliance, as expected.

British Airways has committed to buying the jet fuel produced by a planned new UK biofuel plant that is part of the GreenSky London initiative.

Southwest Airlines will consolidate three AirTran reservations call centers and combine the jobs into a single Atlanta, Ga.-based center.

EasyJet has begun allocating seat assignments on all its flights, a departure from its open seating strategy, following a trial in April.

All Nippon Airways (ANA), which operates 16 Boeing 787s, fears the Airbus A380s scheduled to fly into Tokyo Narita Airport may result in lower yields.

Airbus parent EADS confirmed Monday that “key shareholders are discussing potential changes in the company shareholding structure.”

Singapore Airlines has confirmed media reports that it is in talks over the possible sale of its 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines are in talks about a stronger partnership, the two CEOs confirmed to ATW.

Freight giants TNT and United Parcel Service (UPS) have submitted a series of remedies to the European Commission (EC) in a bid to secure regulatory approval for their merger.

American Airlines has asked a US bankruptcy court to extend the period during which it has the exclusive right to file a plan for emerging from Chapter 11 reorganization.

Star Alliance has elected Air Canada president and CEO Calin Rovinescu as the new chairman of the Star Alliance chief executive board.

Malaysia Airlines has reported a third-quarter net income after tax of MYR37 million ($12.1 million), resulting in a small operating profit of MYR4 million for the period. This reverses an operating loss of MYR192 million for the year-ago period.

FastJet, the African budget airline backed by EasyJet (U2) founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou, has flown its first flight from its Tanzania base.

Samer Majali is to step down as CEO of Gulf Air at the end of 2012 after three years with the airline.

BOC Aviation, a Bank of China subsidiary, has signed an agreement with Brazil’s GOL to purchase and leaseback eight new Boeing 737-800s.

Air China subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines joined Star Alliance Thursday, becoming Star’s 27th member. Shenzhen Airlines is China’s fifth largest carrier.