Assn. of Asia Pacific Airlines' 17 member carriers transported 14.2 million international passengers in February, a 16.9% increase year-over-year. Traffic measured in RPKs rose 14% to 46.8 billion against a 2.4% increase in capacity to 65.87 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 8.1 points to 79.2%. Cargo demand in FTKs grew 29.8% to 4.35 billion while capacity was up 10.2% to 6.35 billion, resulting in a 10.3-point jump in load factor to 68.5%.
ANA blasted Japan Air Lines over plans to use public funds to update its fleet and raised concerns over unfair competition. ANA President Shinichiro Ito told
Shandong Airlines reported net income of CNY302.3 million ($44.2 million) in 2009, nearly quadrupling its prior-year earnings of CNY81 million. Operating revenue rose 6.3% to CNY5.37 billion and expenses were up just 2.6% to CNY5.1 billion. The carrier said "cost savings" and "improvement of efficiency" were key to the improved result.
Aer Lingus cabin crew represented by Impact week voted 92% in favor of the airline's cost-savings proposal following discussions at Ireland's Labor Relations Commissions. Impact said it received "deeper clarification into a number of areas," adding that "cabin crew branch committee has said that they are very pleased with the outcome of the ballot." Aer Lingus three weeks ago said its €97 million ($129.2 million) cost-cutting initiative was being held up by its flight attendants, prompting it to announce 230 redundancies
Austrian Airlines received word from the Russian Ministry of Transport Friday that its traffic rights will be extended until July 1. "We are confident that we can finish negotiations with Russian authorities in a positive way and that the summer schedule will be confirmed to its complete period through Oct. 30," an OS spokesperson told
Noting that 2009 was marked by the "extraordinary circumstances" surrounding its re-launch as a private carrier, the integration with Air One and a "thorough reorganization of company procedures, commercial policies, industrial organization and network layout," Alitalia Group closed the year with a net loss of €326 million ($434.3 million) on revenue of €2.92 billion.
Copa Airlines parent Copa Holdings said the secondary offering of 1.8 million Class A nonvoting shares held by Corporacion de Inversiones Aereas resulted in $99.9 million in proceeds, net of underwriting discounts and commissions. Copa did not receive the proceeds.
Highland Airways, based at Inverness, entered administration Wednesday owing to "ongoing liquidity issues." All flights have been suspended ( ATWOnline, Jan. 26).
Chile President Sebastian Pinera completed offloading his ownership stake in LAN Airlines by selling an 8% share to Chile's Solari and putting the remaining 3.3% up for sale on the Bolsa de Comercio de Santiago, the country's main stock exchange
Japan Airlines announced yesterday that it will ground its freighter fleet after more than half a century of operations and continue its cargo business "solely" through utilizing belly space on its passenger flights.
Air Berlin yesterday said it is expecting a "noticeable increase" in 2010 profit compared to the €9.5 million loss suffered last year, while it simultaneously announced the sale of 11 aircraft to two separate parties.
China Southern Airlines plans to introduce 35 new aircraft this year, increasing its total fleet to 400 by 2011, according to GM Tan Wangeng. He noted that the Guangzhou-based carrier will phase out older MD-90s and 757s. It is scheduled to take delivery of its first A380 and 787 in 2011. It has firm orders for five A380s and 10 787s.
Air Canada now plans to cut its annual cost base by more than the C$500 million ($489 million) it targeted earlier this year, CFO Michael Rousseau told reporters in Toronto yesterday. "We are not going to be satisfied hitting C$500 million. We know of some things within our control and there is an incredible effort within the entire company to drive out costs," he said, according to Reuters. AC intended to find the C$500 million in savings by the end of 2011
The public sniping between British Airways and the Unite union continued yesterday, while TAP Portugal and its pilots struck a more conciliatory tone and reached a deal that cancelled a potentially devastating six-day strike. TAP pilots represented by the SPAC union called off the March 26-31 work stoppage after agreeing to a new contract. "The agreement includes a pay rise of 1.8%, the same as for the other TAP unions, and equal sharing of productivity gains by pilots and the airline," TAP said.
EasyJet tapped media executive Carolyn McCall, who ran the UK's Guardian Media Group, as its new CEO, succeeding the departing Andy Harrison. The LCC said McCall "has a proven track record of successful operational delivery in a fast-changing online consumer facing business combined with extensive plc board and government and lobbying experience."
US Air Transport Assn. said February passenger revenue rose 4.5% year-over-year based on data provided by a sample of its member carriers. Passenger numbers fell 2.9%, largely owing to the February snowstorms, and the average price to fly 1 mi. climbed 5%. International passenger revenue rose 7.9%. January cargo revenue ton-miles were up 14% (2% domestically and 27% internationally). February data was not available.
AirTran Airways said it expects first-quarter unit revenue to rise 4.8%-5.3% year-over-year on a 6% lift in capacity. Nonfuel unit cost is expected to increase 4.5%-5%.
Ukraine International Airlines said it resold a 6% stake that it acquired from AerCap in December 2008 to an unnamed Ukrainian investment company. Other shareholders are the State Property Fund of Ukraine (61.6%), Austrian investor UIAB (22.5%) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (9.9%).
South Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs reported that February passenger numbers and cargo volume recovered to pre-crisis levels, according to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. International passenger numbers rose 12.6% year-over-year to 3.1 million while domestic numbers were up 26% (and by 14% compared to February 2008) to 1.5 million. Cargo gained 21.8% to 215,000 tonnes, with a 1.4% increase from February 2008.
Air France said it expects "normal" operations this weekend after the majority of the six unions representing cabin crew called off a proposed strike scheduled for March 28-31
FAA yesterday announced a proposed $1.5 million penalty against the former Northwest Airlines for operating 32 757s without required windshield wiring inspections. NWA was acquired by Delta Air Lines in late 2008 and the carriers began flying on a single AOC in December, but the flights in question took place between Dec. 1, 2005, and May 27, 2008.
British Airways yesterday said that more than 3,000 flight attendants crossed the picket line and worked during the March 20-22 strike, equivalent to 97% of the rostered crew at London Gatwick and 53% at Heathrow
SAS Scandinavian Airlines last week took delivery of its 69th and final 737NG, a -700, and now is "very attractive" to aircraft manufacturers "because we have an empty order book," CCO Robin Kamark told ATWOnline. Speaking onboard the 9 hr. 33 min. delivery flight from Seattle to Stockholm Arlanda, Kamark said the troubled airline still intends to make a decision regarding the composition of its future fleet, both short- and long-haul, by the end of next year.
Aegean Airlines remained well in the black last year, although net profit fell 22% to €23 million ($31.1 million) from the €29.5 million earned in 2008 as a result of the recession and the decline of the Greek economy during the final four months of the year. Revenue increased 2% to €622.7 million mainly due to what Aegean called a "significant" international network expansion, which included new routes from Athens to Brussels, Berlin Tegel, Barcelona, Venice, Istanbul Ataturk, Vienna and Madrid.
British Airways said the three-day flight attendants' strike, which ended last night, cost the carrier an estimated £21 million ($31.5 million) and that its contingency plans proved "very successful."
