Kazakhstan's Air Astana said it posted an unaudited, pre-tax profit of $96.4 million in 2010, more than double a $47 million profit in 2009 that had been a company record. Full-year revenue was $656 million, up 20.1%.Passengers carried lifted 13% to 2.57 million on an 8% increase in capacity.
Alitalia executives said the airline is putting its troubled past behind and is starting off 2011 by continuing to improve its customer service image and renewing its aging fleet.
Southwest Airlines posted net income of $459 million for 2010, more than quadrupling a $99 million profit in 2009, marking the LCC's 38th consecutive year in the black.
Lufthansa said Wednesday it has reached a mediated settlement with the UFO union representing 16,000 flight attendants, that includes a 22-month pay freeze retroactive to March 2010 and concluding in December 2011 and significant improvements in working conditions. According to an LH statement, the pay accord is to "be extended and the collective wage agreement redefined." LH said the new collective bargaining agreement is in effect until Feb. 28, 2014.
Air China projected it will earn a net profit of more than CNY10 billion ($1.51 billion) for 2010, doubling its net income of CNY5.03 billion in 2009, according to a filing released by the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
SkyTeam said Wednesday that Lebanon's Middle East Airlines will sign an agreement on Feb. 28 "to officially start the process" in 2012 to become a member of the alliance.
American Airlines parent AMR Corp. on Wednesday reported a 2010 net loss of $471 million, narrowed from a net deficit of $1.47 billion in 2009, and also announced an order for two Boeing 777-300ERs for delivery in late 2012.
SkyTeam said Wednesday that Lebanon's Middle East Airlines will sign an agreement on Feb. 28 "to officially start the process" in 2012 to become a member of the alliance.
Korean Air unveiled its initial Airbus A380 service schedule, saying it will launch daily short-haul flights from Seoul Incheon to Tokyo Narita and Hong Kong June 1. It will add Bangkok in July. Regarding long-haul routes, it will launch A380 flights from ICN to New York JFK from Aug. 2 and from ICN to Los Angles starting Oct. 1. The carrier is slated to take delivery of five A380s this year.
Virgin America placed a firm order for 60 Airbus A320s including 30 A320neos, marking the first firm order for the re-engined narrowbody offering. Indian LCC IndiGo last week signed an MOU with Airbus to place an order for 180 A320s including 150 A320neos ( ATW Daily News, Jan.12).
ATW named Emirates Airline as its Airline of the Year for 2011, citing its strong commitment to safety and operational excellence, its trendsetting customer service and its superb financial performance including a 22-year consecutive annual profit streak.
Delta Air Lines posted 2010 net income of $593 million, a major reversal from a $1.24 billion net loss in 2009, but warned that a "hyped" fuel cost environment in which per barrel crude oil prices continue to exceed $90 poses a challenge to profitability going forward.
Southwest Airlines this month commenced Required Navigation Performance procedures for approaches at 11 airports, asserting that "these new efficient flight procedures and enhanced avionics" will save the LCC $16 million annually. The airports at which SWA is inaugurating RNP are Amarillo, Birmingham, Boise, Corpus Christi, Los Angeles, Chicago Midway, Oakland, Oklahoma City, West Palm Beach, Raleigh-Durham and San Jose.
Qantas signed an LOI with Washington-based Solena Group to investigate the feasibility of a waste-based aviation biofuel production plant in Australia. A Qantas spokesperson told ATW’s Eco-Aviation Today that the aim is to get a business case for a plant within a year, although the airline is some way from establishing cost estimates and investment requirements.
ATW named Emirates Airline as its Airline of the Year for 2011, citing its strong commitment to safety and operational excellence, its trendsetting customer service and its superb financial performance including a 22-year consecutive annual profit streak.
Boeing on Jan. 10 accepted the resignation of board member William Daley, following his appointment as President Barack Obama's chief of staff. Daley joined the board in 2006 and previously serviced as former President Bill Clinton's commerce secretary from Jan. 1997 to July 2000. Separately, the company named former VP-Information Technology Infrastructure Kim Hammonds CIO and VP-IT.
Air Berlin announced it will increase the number of executive board members from three to four as it prepares to join oneworld at the start of 2012 ( ATW Daily News, July 28, 2010). AB’s future executive board will comprise CEO Joachim Hunold, CFO Ulf Huettmeyer and COO-Operations and Human Resources Christoph Debus as well as a yet-to-be appointed CCO. Until the new appointment is made, Hunold will serve as acting CCO-Network and Sales.
US Dept. of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that US airlines carried 62.1 million scheduled domestic and international passengers in October, up 5.6% from the year-ago month. Traffic rose 7.7% to 68.2 billion RPMs on a 6.5% rise in capacity to 82.1 billion ASMs, producing a load factor of 83.1%, up 1 point year-over-year. Load factors for domestic and international flights were 83.4% and 82.3%, respectively.
Despite the unprecedented events of 2010 that challenged the airline industry, Austrian LCC Fly Niki President Niki Lauda told ATW in Vienna that the Air Berlin partner will report “positive results" for the year. He noted that although the airline lost nearly €12 million ($15.8 million) owing to the Icelandic volcanic disruption, it will post “six years of profit in a row” when it announces its full-year results.
[Corrected version] Oneworld partners Qantas and American Airlines are to strengthen their longstanding relationship with the first step being the introduction by Qantas of four times weekly Boeing 747-400 service from Sydney to Dallas/Fort Worth International from May 16. At the same time the airline has decided to scrap its direct Sydney-San Francisco flights from May 14.
