American Airlines flew 10.58 billion system RPMs in March, a 2.5% rise from the year-ago month, while capacity dipped 0.7% to 12.95 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 2.6 points to 81.7%. American Eagle Airlines flew 664.4 million RPMs, up 3.3%, against a 3.4% rise in capacity to 924.4 million ASMs. Load factor matched the year-ago month at 71.9%.
Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines last week began a reciprocal codeshare agreement under which ANZ will place its code on more than 540 weekly flights to and from CO's Houston, Newark and Cleveland hubs. Passengers will be able to connect to the codeshare flights from ANZ services from Auckland to Los Angeles and San Francisco. CO in turn will place its code on ANZ's LAX-AKL and SFO-AKL flights and onward flights from AKL to Rarotonga, Apia and Tonga as well as all transtasman services, ANZ domestic services and AKL-Hong Kong flights.
China Southern Airlines CEO Si Xianmin said his carrier is seeking to cooperate with other Chinese airlines as well as carriers from abroad to enhance its position in the domestic air cargo market. Si noted the cooperation could include launching a joint venture cargo airline. The Guangzhou-based company had planned to launch a cargo JV with Air France KLM but the plan has been postponed owing to the sharp drop in international cargo demand that started in late 2008. "Air France KLM is not our only choice," he revealed. "We are also negotiating with other carriers as well."
AirBaltic announced an insurance agreement with ERGO/ERV to offer passengers traveling on the airline "improved travel insurance," including coverage for sports injuries and sports equipment. ERGO Baltic States Management Board Chairman Kestutis Bagdonavicius said the "main advantage" of the "completely new travel insurance product" is that "winter sport and snorkeling [are] included into insurance coverage without any extra insurance payment."
Air Astana temporarily suspended four-times-weekly service between Almaty and Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek "due to the political unrest in Kyrgyzstan," where President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted last week following violent protests that led to his political opponents attempting to form a new government. Air Astana said it hoped to resume the flights on April 19 "subject to security improvements." It said it would offer passengers with tickets on the route full refunds.
Qantas wrote to its frequent flyers to both defend its reputation and express its regret over disrupted travel plans owing to recent failures in its fleet, including a dual tire blowout on an A380 landing at Sydney ( ATWOnline, April 5). The letter also was prompted by increasing speculation in the Australian media about the airline's safety standards, fueled in part by claims from elements of QF's unions that safety is being compromised.
GECAS and Celestial Aviation Trading last week rejected Paramount Airways' offer in a Delhi court to pay $1 million daily over 10 days to clear a reported $10 million in overdue fees, casting doubt on the airline's immediate future.
Hainan Airlines subsidiary Deer Jet Co. said it plans to grow its business aircraft fleet from 23 to 35 by year end to take advantage of China's fast-growing commercial business aviation market.
Air Berlin said it transported 2.4 million passengers in March, up 4.8%, and load factor fell 1.7 points to 72.3%. Air France KLM flew 16.78 billion RPKs in March, a 4.7% increase from the year-ago month. Capacity was down 1.9% to 20.83 billion ASKs and load factor lifted 5 points to 80.5%. Aer Lingus flew 1.09 billion RPKs in March, down 11.1% year-over-year, against an 11.3% cut in capacity to 1.44 billion ASKs. Load factor dipped 0.3 point to 75.9%
Lufthansa pilots represented by the Vereinigung Cockpit union agreed to drop their call for a four-day strike starting April 13 and enter mediated talks with LH management instead. An LH spokesperson told this website in Frankfurt that the two parties had agreed on key points for mediated discussons. A date for the talks was not set.
United Airlines passenger who caused a panic that sent two USAF F-16s scrambling to intercept UA Flight 663 and escort it to Denver International was a Qatari diplomat traveling to Denver on "official embassy business. . .and was certainly not engaged in any threatening activity," according to a statement from Qatar Ambassador to the US Ali Bin Fahad Al-Hajri posted on the embassy's website.
ARC reported that the recovery in US air travel sales that began last November accelerated in March as ticket sales through participating travel agencies surged 29.2% compared to March 2009 to $7.60 billion while credit card sales soared 30.5% to $6.83 billion, the highest figure for March since 2001.
AirAsia and VietJet Aviation yesterday signed an agreement that they said reinforces their "strategic partnership" and builds on their commitment to launch a Vietnam-based LCC tentatively named VietJet AirAsia. The accord includes an engineering support services pact. The signing took place during the 16th ASEAN Conference in Nha Trang. "The governments of Vietnam and Malaysia have been fully supportive of the launch of VietJet AirAsia, which will be offering low fares to grow travel and tourism in Vietnam and in the rest of the ASEAN region," AirAsia said in a statement.
British Airways and Iberia formally signed a definitive merger agreement yesterday, creating a third mega-airline grouping in Europe if all the necessary approvals are granted.
Lufthansa Technik gave its A380 maintenance facility in Frankfurt a trial run Wednesday and Thursday with a test aircraft flown in from Toulouse. "After seven years of preparation to maintain the A380 in the future, this is a very important day for us," LHT Director-New Aircraft Readiness and Aircraft Maintenance Dean Raineri told ATWOnline at the FRA hangar. "Having the A380 here in Frankfurt is the last opportunity to re-check all our devices before scheduled operations start."
WestJet flew 1.37 billion RPMs in March, up 10% year-over-year, on a 7.4% lift in capacity to 1.63 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 1.9 points to 83.8% Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz flew a combined 4.23 billion RPMs in March, up 9.6% year-over-year, on a 7.7% lift in capacity to 5.16 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 1.4 points to 82.1%. Ryanair transported 5.3 million passengers in March, a 13% increase year-over-year. Load factor rose 2 points to 79%.
Aircell yesterday announced its Gogo Inflight Internet service will be available as a monthly subscription for $34.95, initially purchasable through inflight portals on AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Virgin America. The subscription, which automatically renews each month, will be redeemable on all equipped airlines. More than 800 aircraft currently are equipped with the Gogo service, Aircell said. It will continue to offer single-flight passes that start at $4.95.
China Eastern Airlines signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Taipei-based China Airlines to explore jointly the fast-growing cross-strait market. Under the accord, both carriers would deepen cooperation in ground handling, cabin service, MRO and cargo. "We expect to enhance our service level and boost our international competitiveness to better serve passengers across Taiwan Strait through cooperation with China Airlines," CEA Chairman Liu Shaoyong said.
American Airlines yesterday became the first US airline to "test next-generation technology and procedures" on a transatlantic flight aboard a 767-300 from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Miami using several fuel conservation measures including single-engine taxi on departure and arrival, continuous climb and descent, a tailored arrival and "several key elements" of its existing fuel conservation program Fuel Smart.
TAP Portugal recorded a 2009 net profit of €59 million ($79 million), a sweeping reversal from the €209 million deficit incurred in 2008, crediting its change in fortunes to declining fuel prices, cost-cutting measures, a "selective" capacity reduction and a commercial policy that allowed it to minimize the fall in revenue.
Regional Airline Assn. last week approved establishment of the RAA Safety Council, comprising safety representatives from RAA's 32 member airlines. Dave Faddis of SkyWest Airlines and Ric Wilson of American Eagle were elected chair and vice chair respectively. RAA said the council will meet quarterly to share industry best practices.
AirTran Airways yesterday opened pilot and flight attendant bases at Milwaukee for more than 100 737 crewmembers. "Opening these crew bases is the next natural step of our expansion in Milwaukee," Chairman, President and CEO Bob Fornaro said. AirTran began operations at MKE in 2002. Yesterday it launched twice-daily MKE-Dallas/Fort Worth service, saying it is "the only carrier to operate full-sized, Boeing jets on the route." A spokesperson told ATWOnline it is operating the service with 717s.
European Regions Airline Assn. said its members recorded a 4.2% decrease in passengers carried for 2009. ASKs remained stable compared to 2008 and RPKs rose a slight 0.5%, inching load factor up 0.3 point to 64.8%. "The economic recession has been worse than the combined effects of the Gulf War and 9/11, making 2009 the most challenging year on record," the organization stated. "Nevertheless, ERA has continued throughout to fulfill its role in providing essential air services for Europe's regions.
Lufthansa pilots renewed their threat to strike for four days starting April 13 unless they can agree with the German flag carrier on terms for arbitration. The Vereinigung Cockpit union denied several German media reports that it had dropped its strike call as demanded by the airline. A one-day pilots strike in February cost LH around €48 million ($64.7 million) as it was forced to cancel 2,000 flights.
