Lufthansa Systems reached three-year deals with Bulgaria Air and Hemus Air to provide its Lido Airport/Obstacle data. It also renewed its contract with Avianca for the use of its ProfitLine/Price pricing solution for another two years.
Boeing joined the forward and aft fuselage sections of the first 747-8 freighter with the wing and center section in Everett. The horizontal stabilizer also was installed, with the tail cone and vertical fin expected to be added today. Nine customers have placed orders for 78 aircraft.
Lufthansa is considering cutting one flight attendant from each long-haul flight, according to an internal document cited by Neue Rhein Zeitung. The move, if enacted, would save the airline approximately €42 million ($59.6 million) and affect 750 fulltime jobs. It also is looking at ways to increase its ability to reduce its cabin staff on flights with lower load factors. A spokesperson would not confirm or deny the report but told ATWOnline that LH is "calculating everything" in terms of cutting costs but that "nothing is decided now. Everything is in flux."
TAM said it will issue 600 nonconvertible bonds worth a combined BRL600 million ($313 million) on July 24, scheduled to expire on July 24, 2013. It said the proceeds will be used to "reinforce" its working capital.
US National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark Rosenker announced his resignation yesterday, effective when a new chairman/member is appointed. He is the second member of the five-member board to announce their departures this week ( ATWOnline, July 21) and the third this year ( ATWOnline, Feb. 23).
Air France KLM Group rebuffed French media reports claiming the company will report a higher operating loss in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, than the €129 million ($1.15 billion) deficit suffered in 2008-09 ( ATWOnline, May 20) and that it will run low on cash in 2010 amid declining demand and higher fuel prices.
Rex Regional Express sold its 1.8% stake in Brisbane-based Virgin Blue. The regional confirmed yesterday to The Australian that its Singaporean investors have "completely exited" from their investment in Blue. The move comes amid continuing speculation that Virgin is courting a strategic investor, and the airline declined to comment on fresh claims that it is pursuing a Middle Eastern carrier. Rumors have surrounded Blue for the past three months, with various analysts and investment houses linking it to a variety of Middle East airlines and Air New Zealand.
Cargoitalia received its AOC from Italian civil aviation authority ENAC allowing for the start of operations with its recently delivered MD-11F. The carrier, which relaunched under the new ownership of ALIS (66.7%) and Intesa SanPaolo (33.3%), will take delivery of a second MD-11F in the coming weeks and a third before year end. It has orders for eight A330-200Fs that will enter service beginning in 2012.
US National Transportation Safety Board Member Kathryn O'Leary Higgins has resigned effective Aug. 3. She joined the five-member board in January 2006.
Air Canada said it received approval from retirees, managers and administrative, technical and support employees for a 21-month moratorium on pension fund contributions and fixed payments for the 2011-13 period similar to the deals ratified last week by its five Canadian unions ( ATWOnline, July 17).
Gol flew 2.07 billion RPKs in June, a 7.1% decline year-over-year. Capacity fell 4.9% to 3.25 billion ASKs and load factor dropped 1.6 points to 63.8%. Austrian Airlines flew 1.44 billion RPKs in June, down 17.9% year-over-year. Capacity dropped 15.9% to 1.97 billion ASKs and load factor slipped 1.8 points to 73%. Hawaiian Airlines flew 701.6 million RPMs in June, up 7.4% year-over-year, against a 3% rise in capacity to 825.3 million ASMs. Load factor rose 3.5 points to 85%.
Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines is targeting CNY50 million ($7.3 million) in net earnings this year, a result that would dwarf the CNY11.5 million profit reported in 2008, according to Chairman Wang Junjin.
British Airways said Friday that it plans to raise £600 million ($985 million) in cash "to ensure it has strong liquidity" to enable it to manage through "the current difficult trading conditions." CEO Willie Walsh, who has said several times recently that the airline is in a "fight for survival" ( ATWOnline, July 15), told reporters that the increased liquidity "puts to bed any suggestion that BA is in any sort of risk short term."
Emirates will operate one of its two daily Dubai-Birmingham flights with an A380 on Sept. 9 to celebrate Birmingham International's 70th anniversary. "We hope that many travelers from around the region will take advantage of this opportunity to fly on the superjumbo for the first time," President Tim Clark said.
Aer Lingus on Friday named Christoph Mueller CEO, replacing Dermot Mannion, who stepped down in April. Mueller, 47, most recently served as TUI Travel's aviation director, a position that gave him responsibility for the company's seven airlines. He joined TUI in early 2006 ( ATWOnline, Oct. 1, 2008). Prior to that, he was DHL Worldwide's CFO and a member of Duetsche Post's executive committee. EI said he also has held senior positions with Daimler Benz Aerospace, Lufthansa and Sabena.
Indian Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the government is strongly considering providing a INR25 billion ($512 million) capital injection to Air India.
WestJet and Air France KLM launched their interline partnership, allowing AF KLM passengers to connect to Calgary-Vancouver WS flights as well as flights from both cities to Edmonton. In February the airlines said they had signed an MOU signaling their intention to codeshare by late 2009 or early 2010 ( ATWOnline, Feb. 5).
Acculynk announced that AirTran Airways has started offering customers the option to pay for online purchases with its PaySecure software, which offers users a PIN debit system that does not require enrollment or a password.
American Airlines is reevaluating the future of 757-200s in its fleet, Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey revealed this week. Speaking to reporters and analysts following the release of second-quarter results highlighted by a steep revenue drop ( ATWOnline, July 16), he said the carrier is continuing to look for ways to operate more cost efficiently. While emphasizing that no decisions have been made, AA is trying to determine whether it wants its more than 120 757s to play a prominent role in its long-term future.
TAM flew 1.97 billion domestic RPKs in June, up 0.8% year-over-year. Capacity rose 4.7% to 3.05 billion ASKs and load factor fell 2.5 points to 64.7%. International traffic was up 18.1% to 1.42 billion RPKs, capacity rose 25.5% to 2.08 billion ASKs and load factor slipped 4.3 points to 68.3%. SkyWest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines flew a combined 1.63 billion RPMs in June, up 4.9% year-over-year, against a 1.9% rise in capacity to 1.98 billion ASMs. Load factor climbed 2.3 points to 82.3%.
Copa Airlines signed up for 13 additional 737-800s yesterday, an order worth approximately $1 billion at list prices, while Boeing said it has inked orders for eight more 737s from unidentified customer(s). The Copa commitment also includes eight options and brings to 27 the number of 737NGs the Panamanian carrier has on firm order. Delivery of the 13 new aircraft is scheduled to run from 2012 into 2015, with the eight options available between 2015 and 2017. Aircraft will be outfitted with Boeing's Sky Interior, designed to mimic the more modern cabin of the 787.
