A nearly new A330-200 operated by Afriqiyah Airways crashed on final approach to Tripoli early Wednesday, killing 103 of the 104 people aboard, including 11 crewmembers. The accident was the deadliest so far in 2010. A boy from the Netherlands reportedly was the lone survivor. The crash occurred as Flight 8U771, en route from Johannesburg, was attempting to land at Tripoli International at about 6 a.m. local time. All but 11 of the passengers were continuing onward to European destinations, according to a statement from the airline.
China Eastern Airlines signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the Henan provincial government under which it agreed to launch more international routes from Henan's capital Zhengzhou, boost flight frequencies of domestic routes to/from Zhengzhou and start air shuttle service between Zhengzhou and Shanghai. It earlier launched a daily Zhengzhou-Shanghai-Kuala Lumpur routing aboard an A320 and plans to start Zhengzhou-Shanghai-Nagoya service later this year. Henan lies in the middle part of China.
Embraer announced that LOT Polish Airlines converted orders for four E-175s into the larger E-195 with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2011. Aircraft are part of a follow-on order for a dozen E-175s placed in late 2007 at a time when the carrier already operated six E-170s and four E-175s. Four E-170s from the 2007 order were delivered in 2009 and four more will be delivered this year. LOT holds two options and 10 purchase rights for the E-175 as well. It took its first E-170 in March 2004, becoming the first European airline to operate a member of the E-Jet family.
EasyJet narrowed its net loss for its fiscal year first half ended March 31 to £58.9 million ($87.9 million), a 31.4% improvement over an £85.9 million deficit in the year-ago period, but lowered its profit expectations for the full year ending Sept. 30 owing to volcanic ash-related airspace closures.
As 2010 opened, airlines in the Philippines had reason to look to the future with some measure of optimism amid the first signs of recovery appearing on the radar. This is a country where the geography and demographics are ideal for the growth of air transportation. In fact, it consists of 7,107 islands that are home to the world’s 12th largest population, 90 million, with a growth rate of 2%.
US Export-Import Bank and Turkish airline SunExpress reached a $220 million financing deal to support the carrier's purchase of "several" CFM56-powered 737-800s. It will be the airline's first collaboration with Ex-Im.
AerCap Holdings reported net income of $34.4 million for the first quarter ended March 31, up 14.8% compared to income of $30 million in the year-ago period. Excluding the impact of mark-to-market interest rate caps, net income jumped 48.2% to $46.7 million from $31.5 million last year. During the quarter, the Amsterdam-based operating lessor completed its acquisition of Genesis Lease in an all-stock transaction.
China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines are seeking to launch a JV cargo carrier with Air France KLM, according to KLM Senior VP-Route Network Pieter Elbers.
Gol reported first-quarter net income of BRL23.9 million ($13.2 million), down 61.1% from a BRL61.4 million profit in the year-ago period, and noted that the result was affected negatively by "exchange variation expenses" totaling BRL59 million related to an average 3.5% appreciation of the dollar versus the real, as well as tax and interest charges.
American Airlines flew 10.15 billion RPMs in April, a 1.3% year-over-year decrease, while capacity fell 2.1% to 12.38 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 0.7 point to 82%. American Eagle Airlines operated 700.32 million RPMs, up 8.7%, against an 8.8% lift in capacity to 966.13 million ASMs. Load factor dipped 0.1 point to 72.5%.
Copa Holdings, parent of Copa Airlines and Aero Republica, reported first-quarter net income of $36.7 million, down 48.7% from a $71.6 million profit in the year-ago period, on an 8.6% lift in revenue to $335.2 million. It said its net income was affected negatively by a $19.8 million charge related to the devaluation of the Venezuelan currency and a $400,000 noncash charge associated with mark-to-market fuel-hedge contracts. Operating income was $70.8 million, up 2.8% from $68.9 million last year.
RwandAir placed an order for two 737-800s, the airline and Boeing announced yesterday. The Kigali-based carrier said it is "renewing and expanding its fleet to broaden its network." It currently operates only regional jets. The 737-800s "will enable us to eventually expand to regional hubs across Africa and the Middle East," Chairman John Mirenge said. "They will become the mainstay of our fleet."
Spirit Airlines President and CEO Ben Baldanza came to Washington yesterday and defended his airline's controversial plan to impose a $45 fee for carryon luggage that goes into overhead bins, telling the International Aviation Club that passenger response to the fee has been positive.
Air Canada reported a first-quarter net loss of C$85 million ($82.7 million), narrowed from a C$400 million deficit in the year-ago period, and said the improvement was helped by foreign exchange gains and rebounding passenger and cargo traffic.
