Ethiopian Airlines and the US Export-Import Bank signed an agreement worth over $1.6 billion to support the financing of five 777-200LRs, 10 787-8s and GE spare engines. Jazz Air Income Fund said that its August cash distribution of C$0.05 per unit covering the period from Aug. 1-Aug. 31 will be paid on September 15 to unit holders of record at the close of business on Aug. 31.
Southwest Airlines announced "a shuffling of frequencies" for its January/February 2011 flight schedule, including the elimination of Kansas City-Seattle flights from Jan. 9. Writing on SWA's blog, available on its website, Schedule Planning Department Lead Planner Bill Owen said Long Island Islip-Ft. Myers service will be resumed from Feb. 13 while Nashville-Ft. Myers flights will also be launched that day. He said the MCI-SEA service "in all likelihood...will return" by the 2011 summer. No new cities were announced.
Aegean Airlines reported a net loss of €32.6 million ($42 million) for the 2010 first half, citing the deteriorating Greek economy, a €6.6 million extraordinary social contribution charge and “overcapacity prevailing in certain markets.”
AirAsia reported second quarter net income of MYR199 million ($63 million), up 43% over a MYR139.2 million profit in the year-ago period, and announced that it will defer delivery of seven A320s from 2011 to 2015.
SAS Group's SEK502 million ($68.6 million) second quarter net loss, more than halving its SEK1.05 billion loss in the year-ago period, was attributable to the volcanic-ash-related airspace closures in April that cost it SEK790 million in lost revenue, the airline company said yesterday.
Evergreen International Airlines, the Oregon-based 747 freighter operator, faces a challenge on the labor front following its pilots' rejection of a tentative collective bargaining agreement. The Air Line Pilots Assn., which represents EIA's 217 flight crew, said in a statement that 92% of cockpit crew voted against accepting the agreement. "The crewmembers could not get past the fact that they are working under 1999 wages and work rules and would have continued to do so for another two years under the rejected tentative agreement," the union said.
With Delta Air Lines leading the way with a $467 million second quarter profit, the nine largest US passenger airlines posted cumulative net income of $1.45 billion for the three months ended June 30, turned around from a net loss of $556 million in the year-ago period, ATW calculated.
China Southern Airlines reported net income of CNY207.6 million ($30.5 million) for the 2010 first half, a considerable expansion over a CNY38 million profit in the year-ago period and said the increase is owing to robust domestic market growth and the sale of its 50% stake in MTU Maintenance Zhuhai to parent company China Southern Group for CNY1.1 billion.
Air Berlin transported 3.7 million passengers in July, up 6.4% from the year-ago month. Load factor fell 2.1 points to 81.2%. Air France KLM flew 19.7 billion RPKs in July, up 1.2% from the year-ago month. Capacity stayed flat at 22.86 billion ASKs while load factor climbed 1.1 points to 86.2%.
The Vereinigung Cockpit union announced Monday that 99% of Air Berlin pilots voted to strike during the high-traffic holiday month of August if the airline does not meet their demands in an ongoing dispute over wages and benefits. Pilot complaints include daily changes to schedules and failing to provide a third pilot on long-haul flights, a standard practice for other airlines, according to Cockpit.Further negotiations between the two parties are planned for Tuesday and Wednesday this week and in the second week of September.
The Virgin Blue Group has announced a major revamp of its network including withdrawing from New Zealand domestic flying to cut losses. It will increase services to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands using 737s and its long-haul focus will be on the US and South Africa, which it plans to serve with 777-300ERs. It will additionally increase Australian domestic capacity by 490,000 seats.
AirBaltic is confident it will post a net profit this year despite the volcanic ash-related airspace closures in April and an uncertain economic climate, President and CEO Bertolt Flick told ATW.
The prospective LAN Airlines/TAM merger, if it is cleared by both companys' shareholders and relevant regulators, will create a new airline company that aims to be the dominant operator in Latin America and a formidable presence on the world stage, with a major battle over alliance membership likely on tap.
TAM and LAN Airlines entered into a nonbinding memorandum of understanding to merge under a single parent company called LATAM Airlines Group that the carriers said would be "the clear number one player in South America."
Lufthansa's second A380 underwent an inflight engine shutdown Aug. 6, 1 hr. before landing in Frankfurt en route from Tokyo Narita, it was learned last week. The Rolls-Royce Trent 900-powered aircraft was delivered on July 19. LH said the engine shutdown decision was made after "confusing numbers" related to oil pressure appeared on a cockpit indicator. LH replaced the engine with a new one and the aircraft returned to service the next day.
Defunct Lithuanian scheduled services airline flyLAL's assets continue to be operated by flyLAL Charters, but the company has decided to rebrand as Small Planet Airlines. It said in conjunction with the new name, it is embarking on a product upgrade to enable it to add more services. It plans to install ergonomic seats from Acro Aircraft Seating on new 737NGs arriving that are replacing its 737 Classics.
Delta Air Lines last week launched the industry's first Facebook-integrated "Ticket Window" to allow bookings directly from its Facebook page. DL has over 35,000 followers on its company Facebook page. "Our customers are spending more time online and are looking for new ways to connect with us," said VP-eCommerce Bob Kupbens. "We're now delivering technology where our customers are—from our own website to our Facebook page to Internet news sites and beyond. We already know Facebook is the most used website by inflight WiFi users on more than 2,000 Delta flights every day."
Emirates announced it is doubling services to Los Angeles and Houston Intercontinental from Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 respectively to twice daily aboard a 777.
