Airlines & Lessors

Cathy Buyck
Alitalia reported a first-quarter net loss of €89 million ($127.7 million), a 32.6% improvement over the €132 million deficit it incurred in the year-ago period.

Aaron Karp
GOL reported a first-quarter net profit of BRL31.9 million ($19.8 million), up 33.5% over net income of BRL23.9 million in the year-ago period, saying it continues to tap into a growing market of "emerging middle class" air travelers in Brazil.

Christine Boynton
AviancaTaca, the parent of Avianca and TACA, announced it raised $279 million from its IPO and noted it became the first airline to allocate 100% of its IPO among frequent flyers and company employees. The new shares will begin trading on Wednesday on the Colombian Stock Exchange.

Katie Cantle
China Southern Airlines said in a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange that subsidiary Xiamen Airlines will order six Boeing 787s to facilitate its international expansion. The order, which is not yet final, is valued at $1.1 billion at list prices, but the carrier will pay "significantly" below list prices, the filing said. Deliveries are slated for 2014-15. Xiamen GM Che Shanglun said the carrier plans to use the Dreamliners to launch routes to Europe and the US from its Xiamen base and Fuzhou.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Cathy Buyck
EasyJet nearly doubled its net loss for the six months ended March 31 to £114 million ($186.6 million) from a £59 million deficit in the year-ago period, owing to sharply rising fuel costs, cautious consumers and passenger taxes.

Geoffrey Thomas
Despite challenging conditions and rising fuel prices, the Emirates Group posted a record net profit of AED5.9 billion ($1.6 billion) for its fiscal year ended March 31, up 42.9% over net income of AED4.15 billion in its prior fiscal year, on a 26.4% rise in revenue to AED57.38 billion.

Aaron Karp
SAS Group reported a first-quarter net loss of SEK373 million ($59.6 million), narrowed from a SEK712 million net deficit in the year-ago period.

Geoffrey Thomas
Despite challenging conditions and rising fuel prices, the Emirates Group posted a record net profit of AED5.9 billion ($1.6 billion) for its fiscal year ended March 31, up 42.9% over net income of AED4.15 billion in its prior fiscal year, on a 26.4% rise in revenue to AED57.38 billion.

Cathy Buyck
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Kurt Hofmann
Flydubai has inked an eight-year sale/leaseback agreement with MC Aviation Partners, securing $80 million in financing for the remaining Boeing 737-800NG the airline is due to receive this year. FZ will soon issue an RFP for the airline’s 2012 financing requirements. This will be the carrier’s 10th new 737-800NG aircraft, its final one to be delivered this year.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Geoffrey Thomas
Qantas aircraft engineers are planning work stoppages starting on Friday after walking out of negotiations over their list of 28 demands, which include job security.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Perry Flint
Amadeus and United Airlines, a unit of United Continental Holdings, said they reached an agreement to cancel United's planned move to Amadeus's Altea Suite of customer management solutions in two years.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Geoffrey Thomas
The AirAsia Group reported a 19% year-over-year increase in first-quarter passengers carried to 7.2 million. Load factor jumped 6 points to 81%. ASKs increased 12.5% to 10.58 billion while RPKs leapt 25.9% to 8.52 billion. The core Malaysian operation experienced a 17.2% increase in passenger boardings to 4.3 million, while Thai AirAsia enjoyed a 22.7% hike to 1.81 million. Indonesia AirAsia posted a 22.4% increase in passenger boardings to 1.09 million.

Aaron Karp
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings,parent of ACMI cargo carriers Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo, last week posted first-quarter net income of $10.5 million, down 68.9% from a $33.8 million profit in the year-ago quarter.

Aaron Karp
Southwest Airlines on Thursday further outlined its management structure following the May 2 closing of its acquisition of AirTran Airways.

Aaron Karp
Air Canada reported a first-quarter net loss of C$19 million ($19.7 million), narrowed from a C$112 million net deficit in the year-ago period, and cut domestic capacity in the face of escalating energy expenses.

Kurt Hofmann
Austrian Airlines Executive Board Member and CCO Andreas Bierwirth told ATW that OS plans to reduce capacity 40% to destinations in Northern Africa/Middle East on its summer schedule.

Cathy Buyck
International Airlines Group, formed by the merger of British Airways and Iberia in January, reported a first-quarter net profit of €33 million ($48.7 million), turned around from a pro forma net deficit of €243 million in the year-ago period.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Aaron Karp
Air Canada reported a first-quarter net loss of C$19 million ($19.7 million), narrowed from a C$112 million net deficit in the year-ago period, and cut domestic capacity in the face of escalating energy expenses.

Alaska Airlines and the Transport Workers Union jointly announced the carrier's 36 dispatchers have ratified a new four-year contract by a ratio of nearly 86%. The contract includes wage increases and provisions that improve quality of life issues, among other changes. A tentative agreement was reached in March ( ATW Daily News, April 5) and becomes amendable March 24, 2015.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Linda Blachly

Cathy Buyck
Vueling Airlines reported a first-quarter net loss of €23.6 million ($35 million), widened from a €6.3 million deficit in the year-ago period, citing sharp increases in fuel costs and a “significant” 15% fare reduction owing to the weak domestic Spanish market and increased competition.

Perry Flint
Copa Holdings, parent of Panama's Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia (formerly Aero Republica), reported first-quarter net income of $94.5 million, more than double the $42.6 million earned in the year-ago period, as strong sales growth more than offset a near 50% rise in fuel expense.

Aaron Karp
Lufthansa Group incurred a first-quarter net loss of €507 million ($752.6 million), widened 70.1% from a €298 million net deficit in the year-ago quarter.

Perry Flint
Copa Holdings, parent of Panama's Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia (formerly Aero Republica), reported first-quarter net income of $94.5 million, more than double the $42.6 million earned in the year-ago period, as strong sales growth more than offset a near 50% rise in fuel expense.