Lufthansa passengers now can use "mobile boarding passes" sent to Internet-enabled cell phones via e-mail or SMS on all flights from Germany to any destination in Europe, the carrier announced. LH said more than 7,000 weekly domestic passengers are using the electronic boarding passes, which contain a 2D barcode that permits them to pass through security checkpoints and proceed straight to their departure gates.
Ryanair is sticking with its August forecast of a breakeven result for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009, ( ATWOnline, Aug. 14) despite rapidly falling fuel prices, in part because the company is upside down with its fuel hedges, CEO Michael O'Leary acknowledged at Ryanair's AGM in Dublin yesterday.
United Airlines said yesterday that it had raised $1 billion by amending its credit card marketing services agreement with Chase Bank but also warned that it likely will take a $225 million fuel-hedging loss in the third quarter.
Flight Safety Foundation said yesterday that Executive VP Robert Vandel announced his intention to retire on Dec. 31. "Bob has had a tremendously distinguished career of public service and has made huge contributions to global aviation safety," said FSF Chairman Edward Stimpson.
Austrian Airlines said it completed its previously announced rights offering of up to 57.1 million shares ( ATWOnline, Aug. 25). As expected, Mohamed bin Iassa Al-Jaber did not participate in the offering. As a result, 2.45 million new shares with a value of €7.35 million ($10.5 million) were issued, boosting the number of shares outstanding to 88.1 million and increasing share capital from €257 million to €264.4 million.
Spirit Airlines reported a second-quarter profit of $17.6 million, a more-than-fivefold increase over the $3.1 million earned in the same period a year ago, according to the Miami Herald. Revenue was up 4.6% to $206 million.
Air Caraibes signed an MOU with Airbus for three A350-1000s, becoming the European launch customer for the largest version of the A350 XWB. The French carrier said it would configure the aircraft to seat 440 passengers in three classes and operate them on flights from Paris to Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guyana.
CAI, the Italian investment consortium offering to invest €1 billion ($1.4 billion) in an Alitalia restart, yesterday gave the airline's nine labor unions until 3:50 p.m. today in Rome to accept concessions. It claimed it would withdraw its offer if the unions don't meet the deadline. Italian media have reported that at least five of the nine unions have not agreed to the concessions, without which CAI says it won't be possible to turn around the troubled carrier.
Jat Airways is nearing bankruptcy, President Sasa Vlaisavljevic told Serbia's Press newspaper. The Serbian government has been attempting to sell a 51% stake in the troubled carrier since late June ( ATWOnline, June 30) to raise money to revitalize it. But no buyers have come forward and Vlaisavljevic said Jat can afford to operate only nine if its 15 aircraft. It already has reduced onboard food service to lower costs and has laid off employees based outside Serbia.
Qantas will take delivery of its first A380 Friday in Toulouse. QF's configuration will have the lowest passenger count of any A380 operator with just 450 seats including 332 economy seats.
Enigma announced that FedEx selected the Enigma 3C Platform "to streamline maintenance and service operations for its entire fleet of aircraft." In a phased rollout, FedEx already is using the solution for custom job card generation and distribution for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. In the second phase, Enigma "will help manage OEM maintenance revisions and publish service information for the entire FedEx fleet" of more than 800 aircraft.
Air China and China Southern Airlines both endured double-digit year-over-year traffic declines in August, and while some of the drop can be attributed to heightened security related to the Beijing Olympics, slowing domestic economic growth likely portends a poor full-year 2008 traffic and financial performance for Chinese carriers, industry players and analysts told ATWOnline.
Emirates and Sabre Holdings reached a 10-year distribution agreement to grant Sabre-connected travel agencies and corporations access to Emirates' full content fares through Sabre's GDS.
Air France and Aeroports de Paris last week inaugurated Terminal 2G at Paris Charles de Gaulle, the carrier's first dedicated terminal at its main hub. T2G is CDG's first "regional" terminal and is the result of "an exemplary cooperation between Aeroports de Paris and Air France," ADP Chairman and CEO Pierre Graff said, admitting that the relationship between the two parties has not always been amicable in the past.
Cathay Pacific Airways is moving toward a more comprehensive revamp of its network and fleet than previously disclosed, according to a memo sent to employees last week by CEO Tony Tyler, who warned that the airline likely won't "emerge unscathed" from the industry downturn.
Lufthansa will take over Brussels Airlines, the carriers announced yesterday, in a deal that potentially values the Belgian carrier at €250 million ($355.6 million) and could pave the way for its entry into Star Alliance.
United Airlines doubled its fee to check a second bag on North American flights to $50, blaming the increase on "volatile" fuel prices. The new charge applies to customers who purchase tickets beginning today for travel from Nov. 10. It does not apply to passengers who fly first or business class or to "premier status" frequent-flier members. Active duty military personnel traveling on orders also are exempt. UA charges a $15 fee for the first checked bag. It said the new fee schedule will generate an estimated $700 million in revenue in 2009.
American International Group, hit hard by the US credit crisis, is developing a major restructuring plan that will include selling off several of its assets, possibly including ILFC, according to the Wall Street Journal. AIG is under pressure to raise significant amounts of money quickly and ILFC, which owns more than 900 aircraft, is valued at more than $50 billion, the paper reported. While AIG and the US financial sector are struggling, ILFC posted second-quarter operating income of $352 million.
Aeroflot cut ties to Aeroflot Nord yesterday following Sunday's fatal crash of a 737-500 operated by the regional affiliate, saying that Nord no longer will operate flights under its code nor be allowed to use its name.
News from Travel Technology Update: Frustrated by its inability to process travel agency sales through IATA's billing and settlement plans, V Australia launched its own travel agent payment and settlement system. IATA barred the carrier from using the BSPs until it acquires its own operating certificate. V Australia had sought to gain access to the system under parent carrier Virgin Blue's certificate. V Australia is slated to launch Sydney-Los Angeles service on Dec. 15. It has been selling tickets via direct channels since March.
In July, Menzies Aviation signed agreements with Air France, Virgin America and six Star Alliance member carriers. MA won a four-year extension on its contract with Air France to provide ramp handling and cabin grooming services at George Bush Intercontinental. AF operates two flights daily between Paris and Houston using 777s and A330s. MA also provides passenger services and aircraft maintenance support to AF at IAH.
STS Holdings recently acquired the assets and business of Tradewinds Aircraft Services, a component supply and OEM distributor based in Pompano Beach, Fla. STS Holdings, based in Jensen Beach, Fla., owns various aviation companies and over the last decade has expanded its offerings to include engineering services and staffing, line maintenance services and, as a result of this acquisition, inventory management and component services.
Heroux-Devtek won a $27-million repayable contribution from Industry Canada for research and development of its landing gear technologies. Funds are part of a $77 million project to improve performance and reliability and reduce environmental impact. Investment will span six years with repayments taking effect one year after project completion.
Mark Logic, an XML content platform provider, said JetBlue Airways selected its information and delivery solution to power the carrier's corporate publications application, which houses a variety of cross-departmental intellectual property including regulatory compliance procedures, policies and educational materials. "The technology is very straightforward and the training burden is low," JetBlue Learning Technologies Director Murry Christensen pointed out to Airline Procurement. "We don't have to invest in fancy workflow engines or build special content repositories."
