US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported that US airlines employed 389,361 workers in November, up 2.6% from November 2010. BTS said this is the 12 th consecutive increase in full-time equivalent employee levels for the scheduled passenger carriers from the same month of the previous year.
Aeroflot (SU) reported 14.2 million passengers carried, up 25.6% in 2011 over the year-ago period. International traffic increased 21.9% to 8.7 million passengers and domestic traffic rose 32% to 5.5 million. RPKs increased 20.8% to 42 billion, producing a load factor of 77.5 %, up 0.3 percentage point. SU operates a fleet of more than 100 aircraft, including 10 Boeing 767s, 14 Airbus A330s, 18 A321s, 43 A320s, 15 A319s, six Il-96-300s, five Sukhoi Superjet 100s and three MD-11Fs.
News from Travel Technology Update: The debate over the US Transportation Department’s new raft of regulations governing how airlines sell their tickets took a turn for the zany when Spirit Airlines imposed an “unintended consequences” fee of $2 per one-way trip per passenger.
The debate over the U.S. Transportation Department’s new raft of regulations governing how airlines sell their tickets took a turn for the zany when Spirit Airlines imposed an “unintended consequences” fee of $2 per one-way trip per passenger. Spirit said the fee was necessary to cover the costs that airlines will incur by adhering to a new rule requiring airlines to hold fares for 24 hours after booking without penalty.
Windhoek-based Air Namibia (SW) has ordered two Airbus A319 aircraft. The aircraft, which will seat 112 passengers in a two-class layout and replace two Boeing 737-500s, will operate on the airline’s regional routes from Windhoek to other major African cities, according to Airbus.
Kazakhstan-based Air Astana (KC) is purchasing four Boeing 767-300ERs and three 787-8s in an order worth $1.3 billion at list prices. It is the largest ever in Kazakhstan’s civil aviation history.
China has prohibited its airlines from participating in the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS), escalating the row over the new and controversial carbon emissions tax.
Hungarian-based Wizz Air (W6) announced it will invest HUF25 billion ($100 million) into expanding its Budapest operations after state-owned Malev Hungarian Airlines ceased operations Friday.
Cargolux has named Richard Forson as CFO, effective Feb. 1. Forson joins Cargolux from Wamar International where he served as SVP and COO. Damco has named Henriette Hallberg Thygesen as CEO-North Asia Region, replacing Steffen Schiottz-Christensen who will remain in the North Asia region as VP and head of airfreight for recently acquired New Times International Transport Service. It also appointed Richard Morgan as CCO-North Asia Region.
S7 Group, which includes Sibir (S7) and Globus (GH), carried 6.6 million passengers in 2011, up 11.4% on the year-ago period. The number of flights increased 11.5% to 61,464. The group did not disclose the exact numbers for each carrier but the Russian Ministry of Transport stated on its website that S7 in 2011 carried 5.13 million passengers, up 6.1% year-over-year. GH carried 1.47 million passengers, up 34.7% from 2010.
Makhachkala-based Dagestan Airlines (N2) is disputing the decision by Rosaviatsia—Russia’s Dept. of Aviation/Ministry of Transport—to withdraw the carrier’s air operators certificate (AOC) at the end of 2011, Russian RIA Novosti agency reported ( ATW Daily News, Dec. 21).
Japan Airlines’ JAL Group reported consolidated net income of ¥146 billion ($1.92 billion) for the period April 1-Dec. 31, 2011, the first three quarters of the fiscal year ending March 31.
The fate of Jade Cargo International, a Lufthansa Cargo (LHC)/Shenzhen Airlines (ZH) joint venture that temporarily suspended operations Dec. 31, will be decided by the end of the first quarter.
Troubled Kingfisher Airlines (IT) received more bad news Friday when oneworld put the Indian carrier's entrance into the alliance, which had been planned for Feb. 10, "on hold."
Hungarian state-owned Malev Hungarian Airlines (MA) ceased all operations early on Feb. 3 at saying its cash flow situation had become “untenable” after its partners lost trust in the carrier and began demanding advance payments for their services.
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (AAWH) announced its Atlas Air unit has entered into an $865 million term-loan facility with Apple Bank for Savings, guaranteed by the Export-Import Bank of the United States, to finance the company’s six remaining Boeing 747-8F aircraft deliveries ( ATW Daily News, Sept. 23, 2011). The aircraft are expected to be placed in Atlas Air’s international ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) service.
Iberia (IB) is facing a further five days of industrial action this month by ground staff, cabin crew and pilots to protest the possible impact on their jobs from plans to create low-cost carrier Iberia Express ( ATW Daily News, Jan. 25).
AirAsia Japan, the joint venture between AirAsia and All Nippon Airways (ANA) has received its Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Allegiant Travel Co., parent of the airline, reported a fourth-quarter 2011 net profit of $10.8 million, down 12.7% over $12.4 million earned in the year-ago period.
Singapore Airlines parent SIA Group reported a net profit of S$374 million ($298.2 million) for the first nine months of its April 1-March 31 fiscal year, down 59% from S$921 million in net income in the year-ago period.
Air Berlin (AB) has received the green light to join the oneworld alliance March 20 after completing a review by British Airways (BA), which is sponsoring its entry.
Includes: Top 20 World Airports Top 20 Reporting Airlines World Airline Traffic Jet Fuel Price Monitor U.S. Fuel Cost and Consumption US Ontime Performance US Consumer Complaints US Mishandled Baggage Transport Aircraft Deliveries Aircraft Values Airline Traffic by Region
