Gol filed a registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed global offering of preferred shares expected to gross BRL550-BRL650 million ($299.7-$354.1 million) "depending on market conditions." Gol said it intends to use the proceeds "for general corporate purposes and to strengthen its balance sheet, particularly its cash and cash equivalents position."
EasyJet transported 4.7 million passengers in July, up 4.3% year-over-year. Load factor rose 1 point to 90.3%. SkyWest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines flew 1.75 billion RPMs in July, up 8.9% year-over-year, against a 4.5% lift in capacity to 2.09 billion ASMs. Load factor climbed 3.4 points to 83.5%. Frontier Airlines said July mainline yield fell 15% year-over-year to 10.27 cents while RASM dropped 11% to 9.44 cents. It flew 862.3 million RPMs, down 12%, against a 16% cut in capacity to 937.4 million ASMs. Load factor rose 4.2 points to 92%.
TAM and Amadeus announced yesterday in Sao Paulo a 10-year technology partnership to replace multiple legacy applications currently in use by the airline with a single integrated platform based on Amadeus's Altea Customer Management Solution. The carrier will implement the full package including reservations, inventory and departure control, with the first phase expected to be complete by year end and total implementation within three years.
Korean Air said the number of reserved seats on international routes for September is up 21% year-over-year on a 9% increase in supply. Largest gain is to Japan at 59%, followed by the Americas at 12% and Europe at 10%. Chinese demand is level. KE's international passenger numbers are up 9% this month and rose 5% in July.
Virgin Nigeria signed an agreement with Ethiopian Airlines to cooperate on MRO for VK's seven aircraft, pool technical resources and conduct joint training, according to a statement cited by widespread press reports. Contract ends a four-year technical partnership between VK and Virgin Atlantic, which is looking to sell its 49% stake in the Nigerian carrier ( ATWOnline, Aug. 20, 2008).
Austrian Airlines Group's acquisition by Lufthansa could be completed as early as Sept. 3, a source close to the transaction in Brussels told ATWOnline. "We expect news from the EU very soon, and this date could be possible," the source said. Media in Germany and Austria were reporting yesterday that an official confirmation of the takeover from EU authorities should come by the end of this month. An AAG spokesperson declined to comment on the possible schedule.
Boosted by a domestic market that "did better than expected," Air China reported a CNY2.82 billion ($411.8 million) profit in the first six months of 2009 under IFRS, more than double the restated CNY1.05 billion earned in the year-ago semester.
China Equity Group yesterday revealed additional details of its plan to re-launch East Star Airlines, including its intention for it and its partners to hold 70%-80% of the reorganized carrier with debtors holding the remainder ( ATWOnline, Aug. 24). East Star Group currently owns the largest share (40%) while GECAS, China National Aviation Fuel Co. and several airports are the debtors.
Air Berlin CEO Joachim Hunold yesterday expressed satisfaction that the carrier returned to profitability in the second quarter with net income of €7.1 million ($10.2 million) despite the fact that the "sector continued to struggle." He cited "rigorously enhancing performance" as a primary reason AB had a relatively positive quarter during which expenses lowered 4.3% year-over-year to €825.5 million ( ATWOnline, Aug. 25).
Garuda Indonesia CEO Emirsyah Satar told reporters yesterday that the carrier intends to raise $300-$400 million through an IPO in the first half of next year, Dow Jones reported. He said earlier that the offering would comprise 15%-20% of the company.
Bombardier took delivery of the first fuselage test barrel for the CSeries at its Saint-Laurent facility. The 7-m.-long, 3.7-m.-wide barrel was built by Shenyang Aircraft Corp. The new aircraft's final design phase is scheduled to begin next year. Shenyang is set to manufacture "just over 10%" of the CSeries, Bombardier said.
Turkish Airlines reported a net profit of €48 million ($68.7 million) through the first six months of 2009, down 64% year-over-year, implying a second-quarter loss of approximately €25.6 million. THY earned TRY155 million ($105.4 million/€73.6 million) in the first quarter ( ATWOnline, May 18) and said the sinking bottom line was the result of "the fall on tangible assets caused by the global recession and its effects on the global aviation sector."
WestJet yesterday announced a revised fleet plan featuring deferred delivery of 16 aircraft and purchase of an additional 14 737-700s that will see the Canadian LCC operating between 112 and 135 planes at the end of 2016. The 14 new aircraft will be delivered in 2015-16. The airline, which currently flies 81 737s, also has 23 leases with Aviation Capital Group up for renewal between 2013 and 2016.
Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair flew a combined 7.72 billion RPKs in July, down 8.2% year-over-year. Capacity dropped 7.5% to 9.25 billion ASKs and load factor was down 0.6 point to 83.5%. Iberia flew 4.73 billion RPKs in July, a 3.7% fall from the year-ago month. Capacity was down 3.8% to 5.58 billion ASKs and load factor rose 0.2 point to 84.8%.
Air New Zealand strongly denied a report from Australia's Fairfax Media that ANZ staff, including Deputy CEO Norm Thompson, colluded with Emirates on fixing cargo rates between Australia and New Zealand. The Fairfax report, citing court documents presented by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in relation to its ongoing investigation of Emirates, alleged that Thompson and Emirates SkyCargo Senior VP Ram Menen discussed prices to be charged in October 2003.
Qantas yesterday took delivery of its fourth A380. It will use the aircraft to increase its thrice-weekly Sydney-Singapore-London Heathrow service to five-times-weekly and to operate a fourth weekly Sydney-Los Angeles flight from Sept. 7. QF's fifth and sixth A380s are due to arrive by year end, at which point flights to LHR and LAX will be daily and Melbourne-LAX will increase to thrice-weekly from twice.
Air Berlin announced a €7.1 million ($10.2 million) second-quarter profit, down 9% from the €7.8 million achieved in the year-ago period, in a preliminary earnings statement released yesterday. Second-quarter revenue fell 3.8% to €836.2 million as the airline reduced capacity and operating profit rose 33.3% to €17.6 million from €13.2 million. The company expects to announce detailed results today.
Allegiant Air yesterday said it expects third-quarter ASMs to increase approximately 40% year-over-year on a 35% lift in departures and fourth-quarter capacity to rise some 18% on a 12% increase in departures. Separately, it said it has given 120-day notice of its intention to cancel its Cuban charter service, which, although profitable, is "exposing the airline. . . to operational complexity inconsistent with our operating philosophy," according to CEO Maurice Gallagher Jr.
Sun Country Airlines will limit taxi time to 4 hr. on all flights following a 5 hr., 45 min. delay to a flight scheduled to depart New York JFK for Minneapolis-St. Paul on Aug. 21. Under the new policy, after 4 hr. Sun Country will return the aircraft to the gate area and disembark the passengers.
Aeroflot and Vnesheconombank subsidiary VEB-Leasing signed an agreement under which SU will have the option to return its first 10 Superjet 100s after 12 years, with delivery financing arranged through loans by the bank to VEB. SU has 30 SSJs on order.
Finnair Group subsidiary Finnair Facilities Management announced a deal with NV Property Fund covering the sale and leaseback of an aircraft hangar, the ground handling fleet center, the ground equipment maintenance unit and the training center at Helsinki Vantaa. Sale price was €77 million ($110.3 million)
Kenya Airways said a three-day strike last week by its employees cost it KES600 million ($7.6 million). Workers agreed to return to work after the carrier promised pay increases, reportedly 10% this year and 10% next year.
China Equity Group plans to re-launch Wuhan-based East Star Airlines, which is going through bankruptcy reorganization, with a CNY200 million ($29.2 million)-CNY300 million investment, according to CEG Chairman Wang Chaoyong. Wang revealed that the group plans to raise the money to restart the troubled carrier in conjunction with seven other companies, including Shanghai YuField. He said CEG has "submitted the reorganization application" to the appropriate court. "Hopefully we can get the result in the next two or three weeks," he commented.
SkyEurope Airlines is still banned from Vienna International, but the airport and the troubled carrier have started talks again. "No solution" has been found thus far, VIE CEO Herbert Kaufmann told Austrian media. SkyEurope was forced to suspend all operations from VIE after missing an Aug. 14 deadline to pay outstanding fees believed to total around €4 million ($5.7 million) ( ATWOnline, Aug. 17).
Alaska Airlines in a filing Friday with the US Dept. of Transportation renewed its request for the US government to review "Virgin America's current and prospective citizenship status." VX has insisted it is in compliance with US ownership and control laws, which require that US airlines be 75%-owned by US citizens.
