JetBlue Airways founder and former Chairman and CEO David Neeleman, in conjunction with New York investment group Acadia Woods Partners, purchased Los Angeles-based JetSuite, a private jet operator. Price was not disclosed. Neeleman and JetSuite CEO Alex Wilcox worked together at JetBlue for several years, and Wilcox subsequently was closely involved in the launch of India's Kingfisher Airlines.
Turkish Airlines, which has plans to become one of the 10 biggest carriers worldwide by 2016, is now ready to invest in other carriers, CEO Temel Kotil told ATW in Istanbul.
Kris Urs will succeed John Byerly as the US's top international aviation negotiator. Byerly has announced his intention to retire from government service on Oct. 31. Urs will assume Byerly's position as Assistant Secretary of State for Transportation Affairs on Nov. 1. For the past year Urs has served as Director of Aviation Negotiations for the State Dept. LOT Polish Airlines named Zbigniew Mazur as its temporary CEO, the Polish Press Agency reported.
Cargolux told ATW it "will not suffer any capacity shortages," as the result of the latest delay to the 747-8F program ( ATW Daily News, Oct. 1). The carrier said that Boeing's previous announcement of a possible delay to the program enabled it to make preparations to cope.
Air Mauritius last week appointed Soobhiraj Bungsraz CEO, replacing Manoj R K Ujoodha, who resigned. According to Mauritius's Independent Daily newspaper, Ujoodha was employed on a month-to-month basis as his contract had expired earlier this year. The carrier reported a net loss of €6 million ($7.4 million) for its fiscal year ended March 31, narrowed from an €85.3 million deficit in the prior year ( ATW Daily News,June 18).
Vietnam Airlines confirmed to ATW it has converted its 16 787-8 orders to the 787-9 "due to unexpected performance limitations on the original model," it said, though on its Orders and Deliveries website Boeing still lists the carrier's order as eight 787-8s.
Luxair Luxembourg Airlines ordered a 737-800 for delivery in January 2015 to support the growth of LuxairGroup's tour operator LuxairTours. It previously ordered a 737-800 in June for delivery in December 2012. Both aircraft will be equipped with Blended Winglets.
American Airlines on Friday filed an application with the US Dept. of Transportation for authority to launch Los Angeles-Shanghai Pudong service from April 5, 2011. "These new flights would be the only nonstops between Los Angeles and Shanghai operated by a US airline," AA Senior VP-Government Affairs Will Ris said. "Los Angeles-Shanghai is the largest US-China market for air travel and we believe it is in the public's interest to offer more air service between the two cities."
Turkish Airlines, which last week took delivery of its first A330-300 and A330-200F, expects to be operating 10,000 weekly flights by 2015, nearly double the 5,500 currently being flown, CEO Temel Kotil told ATW in Istanbul.
Kenya Airways, facing a new strike threat by its employees represented by the Aviation & Allied Workers Union, appealed to the country's Central Organization of Trade Unions to "intervene and ensure AAWU does not deviate" from the terms of an agreement reached following a two-day strike in August 2009.
Includes: Top 20 Airlines World Airline Traffic Jet Fuel Prices World Airport Traffic IATA Fuel Prices Exchange Rates Aircraft Data Aircraft Values Aircraft Deliveries US Major and National Airline Traffic US Ontime Performance U.S. Fuel Cost and Consumption US Mishandled Baggage US Consumer Complaints
United Airlines and Continental Airlines on Friday announced the closing of the legal merger of the two carriers, which for the time being will operate separately under a single holding company, United Continental Holdings.
LOT Polish Airlines CEO Sebastion Mikosz resigned from his position Wednesday, the Polish News Agency reported. Mikosz, who has held this position since May 15, 2009, told ATW recently he has worked toward making the carrier attractive for privatization. The Polish government plans to privatize the carrier next year. New Lufthansa CEO Christoph Franz was quoted by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung on Thursday saying, “This [LOT ownership] is a change which we cannot ignore.” LH has been named as a possible investor for LOT.
Continental Airlines announced Thursday it reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with its 9,300 CO flight attendants represented by the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. In a statement, CO said the IAM is expected to hold a ratification vote in the coming weeks. “We appreciate the IAM’s leadership in reaching this important agreement that recognizes the interests of our flight attendants and the company,” said CO Senior VP-Human Resources and Labor Relations Mike Bonds.
China Southern Airlines announced Thursday that its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines agreed to buy 10 Boeing aircraft valued at $699 million. The information was contained in a statement by CZ to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The aircraft are believed to be 737NGs.
Spring Airlines reported net income of nearly CNY400 million ($59.7 million) for the first eight months of 2010 owing to the “incredible Shanghai market” stimulated by Shanghai World Expo, according to Chairman Wang Zhenghua.
Kingfisher Airlines Chairman and MD Vijay Mallya announced Thursday that former SpiceJet CEO Sanjay Aggarwal would take over as CEO "with immediate effect."
FedEx said Wednesday it will raise US domestic and US export shipping rates on its air-reliant Express services by a net average 3.9% from Jan. 3, 2011. It said the "full average rate increase" actually will be 5.9%, but that figure is "partially offset by adjusting the fuel price threshold at which the fuel surcharge begins," the company explained, noting that its fuel surcharge will be lowered by 2 percentage points. FedEx said in a statement that the "pricing adjustment will allow for key investments."
China Eastern Airlines said its new subsidiary cargo carrier, comprised of the assets of China Cargo Airlines, Great Wall Airlines and Shanghai Airlines Cargo, will commence operations Jan. 1, 2011 from its base in Shanghai.
Turkish Airlines took delivery Wednesday of its first A330-300 and first A330-200F, both of which are part of an order signed in 2009 with Airbus for 10 A330-300s, two A330-200Fs and 24 A320 family aircraft.
