MAXjet Airways, the all-business-class carrier that shut down in December ( ATWOnline, Jan. 3), is operating as a "luxury" charter service and is in the process of being acquired by NCA Sports Group, it announced on its website. It will continue charter operations under the new ownership.
Hawaiian Airlines parent Hawaiian Holdings reported a $19.9 million loss in the first quarter, widened from an $11.9 million deficit in the year-ago period, but its prospects have brightened somewhat owing to events that have transpired since the quarter's conclusion.
AerCap Holdings subsidiary AeroTurbine will purchase British Airways' entire stock of wheels and brakes for 737, 757, 767, 777 and 747-400 aircraft under a 10-year component lease deal announced in April. Contract specifies that AeroTurbine lease back the stock to BA for a 6- to 10-year period in accordance with BA's fleet renewal plans.
MOST, IF NOT ALL, GLOBAL NETWORK AIRLINES' stated aim is to increase their share of premium traffic. Few have been as creative as has Lufthansa at developing an array of services aimed at achieving this goal. To do so it has looked beyond the conventional aircraft tube to the entire travel experience. Examples include its dedicated First Class Terminal at Frankfurt and the transatlantic all-business-class service from Frankfurt to Newark operated on its behalf by PrivatAir of Switzerland using ACJs and BBJs.
BARACK OBAMA AND HILLARY Clinton may be debating the merits of NAFTA, the continually controversial North American Free Trade Agreement, but such is not the case at Continental Airlines and American Airlines.
Iberia and Consorci Zona Franca of Barcelona last month launched construction of a 12,100-sq.-m. widebody hangar at El Prat. The €24 million ($38.2 million) facility will be designed to accommodate simultaneously two A340s or four A320s and is expected to increase airport capacity for dispatching and receiving long-haul flights.
Lufthansa Technik won a significant contract from Qantas for technical support of GE and CFM56-7 engines powering the carrier's 737, 767, 747 and A330 aircraft. The 10-year deal gives LHT a 50% stake in Qantas's engine overhaul business Jet Turbine Services, a Melbourne-based company with a current workforce of 140.
ARINC announced a partnership with Gate Gourmet to market onboard sales programs for airlines and passenger rail systems worldwide. Agreement calls for GG to include ARINC's SkyBuy sales technology in its buy-on-board programs while ARINC works with GG on outsourced catering and buy-on-board projects. The two will introduce the wireless point-of-sale system to ongoing retail programs at easyJet, Norwegian and Jetstar Airways. Technology uses ARINC's Mobile Communications Gateway to upload sales data automatically into back-office systems.
Of all the actions taken by the airlines to defend against high fuel costs, none has brought the gravity of the fuel crisis home to consumers quite like American Airlines' plan to charge most coach passengers $15 each way for the first checked bag.
Korean Air said yesterday that its first first-quarter operating income dropped 87.1% to KRW19.6 billion ($19.5 million) "owing to the huge pressure from surging fuel costs."
The sale of its hotel assets last June catapulted ANA Group to a record ¥64.1 billion ($616 million) net profit for the fiscal year ended March 31, a period in which most other indicators were approximately level and operating profit fell.
Qantas Freight Enterprises reached agreement to purchase Jets Transport Express, a trucking business that specializes in interstate airfreight support. "The acquisition of Jets will allow us for the first time to offer a truly seamless transfer between international and domestic operations," QFE Executive GM Grant Fenn said. Purchase price was not disclosed.
LAN Airlines reported $91.1 million in net earnings in the first quarter, up 5.8% from the $86.1 million posted in the year-ago period, as revenue soared and its fuel hedges contributed to a positive $6 million swing.
Silverjet announced the signing of an MOU with an unidentified party from the United Arab Emirates for a $25 million investment, including approximately $8 million in equity. The new ordinary shares issued to the investor will represent around 28% of the enlarged share capital, with a debt facility accounting for the remainder.
South Africa's Nationwide Airlines shut down operations Tuesday following a March and April during which fuel costs climbed 30% and load factors decreased. The carrier has faced difficulties since a November engine separation on a 737-200 led to grounding of its fleet by the South African Civil Aviation Authority ( ATWOnline, Dec. 10, 2007). It said it "attained a gradual recovery of the business" in December and January but was unable to secure investment from a consortium with which it was negotiating.
Hawaiian Airlines and Mesa Air Group reached a $52.5 million settlement in their case regarding Mesa's alleged misuse of confidential information in the establishment of its go! inter-island subsidiary. Mesa will make a cash payment to HA and agreed to withdraw its appeal of the $80 million judgment levied by the US Bankruptcy Court six months ago ( ATWOnline, Dec. 18, 2007). "This settlement is the last chapter in the legal dispute over Mesa's misuse of Hawaiian's confidential information.
British Airways issued a statement yesterday confirming that it is "exploring opportunities for cooperation with American Airlines and Continental Airlines" and that "further details will be announced when appropriate." CO said two weeks ago that it was reconsidering its membership in SkyTeam and would examine other potential alliances as well as a merger ( ATWOnline, April 18).
Emirates' net income for its full fiscal year ended March 31 totaled AED5 billion ($1.36 billion), up 62.1% over AED3.1 billion in the prior year, as the fast-expanding carrier marked its 20th straight year of profitability.
Royal Jordanian posted a JOD2.9 million ($4.1 million) loss in the first quarter, a 22% improvement on the loss incurred in the year-ago period. Operating revenue rose 31% year-over-year to JOD140 million, reflecting a 17% increase in passengers carried and a 2-point improvement in load factor to 68%. Separately, President and CEO Samer Majali conceded that RJ's long-haul fleet modernization will be affected by the 787 program delays.
Tunisair reached agreement with Airbus for the purchase of three A350 XWB-800s, three A330-200s and 10 A320s, the manufacturer said yesterday. No delivery dates were announced for the order. "This acquisition is part of a major fleet development that will allow Tunisair to prepare for the future and take up the market opportunities that exist for our airline," President and CEO Nabil Chettaoui said.
Allegiant Air parent Allegiant Travel Co. bucked the first-quarter trend with a performance that Chairman, President and CEO Maurice Gallagher Jr. called "exceptional," posting a $9.7 million profit that slipped just 0.8% from a nearly identical figure posted the prior year. He said Allegiant's focus on generating higher load factors, ancillary revenue and a more even spread of departures throughout its network were key drivers of the result.
Sterling Airlines appointed Fredrik Kinnunen as director-direct sales. SR Technics elevated Marco Imboden to senior VP- corporate & marketing. Lufthansa CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber told shareholders this week that he will not seek reappointment when his contract expires on Dec. 31, 2010. He joined LH in 1970 and has been CEO since 2003.
Brussels Airlines yesterday acknowledged that it is negotiating an alliance membership, although it declined to comment on rumors that it was discussing possible acquisition by Lufthansa.
Lufthansa Group airlines flew 12.37 billion RPKs in March, up 25.1% from the year-ago month, which did not include Swiss International Air Lines. Capacity rose 25.5% to 15.56 billion ASKs and load factor fell 0.2 point to 79.5%. Air Canada and Jazz flew a combined 4.46 billion RPMs in March, up 3.7% from the year-ago month, against a 3.9% increase in capacity to 5.38 billion ASMs. Load factor slipped 0.1 point to 82.9%. Vueling Airlines carried 539,042 passengers in March, up 33% from the year-ago month. Load factor rose 1.6 points to 72.4%.
