Virgin Atlantic (VS) has won its bid to take all 12 pairs of London Heathrow (LHR) remedy slots demanded by the European Commission following the takeover by International Airlines Group (IAG) of British Midland (BMI). The giving up of slots was a condition of the takeover deal; IAG also owns British Airways (BA) ( ATW Daily News, April 2).
California-based Virgin America (VX) and Air China (CA) have signed an interline agreement offering seamless travel on the networks of both carriers across their respective routes in North America and Asia.
Interjet has added 10 options to its firm order for 20 Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft, and Superjet International increasingly believes the Mexican carrier holds the key to the future success of the regional aircraft.
Air France Industries (AFI) has invested €43 million ($54.7 million) in a new 5,000 sq. m. engine test cell based at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
Air Berlin (AB) reported a third-quarter net income of €66.6 million ($84.8 million), more than doubled from a €30.2 million profit in the year-ago period.
Brazil’s GOL has reported a third-quarter net loss of R$309.4 million ($149.6 million), improved from an R$516.5 million net loss in the year-ago period.
Airbus has become the first commercial aircraft manufacturer to deploy Radio-Frequency-Identification (RFID) part-marking to aircraft components on all its aircraft families. This innovation, which will bring value-chain visibility, error-proof identification and efficiency savings in component lifecycle management, will be progressively rolled out in 2013 to all seats and life vests for the A320, A330 and A380 aircraft families.
Latin American airlines continue to enjoy strong growth, but the region’s aviation infrastructure—both airports and ATC—cannot adequately handle the rapid expansion in passengers and cargo, potentially suppressing demand, a number of officials have warned.
Jazz Air parent Chorus Aviation reported third-quarter net income of C$37.2 million ($37.8 million), more than doubled from C$13.9 million year-over-year.
ACE Aviation Holdings has sold its 31 million shares of Air Canada (AC) to Cormark Securities, four years after its initial attempt to dissolve the company.
Lufthansa Group (LH) has raised €307 million ($389.7 million) from the sale of a 3.61% stake in IT firm Amadeus, reducing its total shareholding from 7.61% to 4%.
LATAM Airlines Group—the merger created between Santiago de Chile-based LAN Airlines and Brazil’s TAM Airlines—reported a third-quarter net income of $21.3 million, representing the first three months of integrated business between the two carriers.
Azerbaijan Airlines (J2) has placed a firm order for four Embraer E-190s, valued at $181 million, and has purchased two used Embraer E-170s from ECC Leasing.
Tianjin-based Okay Airways (BK) has inked an agreement with the Aviation Corp. of China’s (AVIC) subsidiary Xi’an Aircraft International Corp. for three MA60s.
Loyalty management company Aimia has reached an agreement with Grupo Aeromexico to acquire an additional 20% in Premier Loyalty & Marketing (PLM) for $88 million.
