Southwest Airlines flew 6.83 billion RPMs in June, up 11% on the year-ago month. Capacity rose 8.7% to 8.32 billion ASMs and load factor was up 1.7 points to 82.1%. Gol flew 1.61 billion RPKs in June, up 30.6% from the year-ago month. Capacity climbed 47.3% to 2.35 billion ASKs, dropping load factor 8.7 points to 68.6%.
Spring Airlines plans a stock listing to finance the acquisition of six A320s in 2009 ( ATWOnline, June 29), President Wang Zenghua announced. The LCC also plans to reach a deal with an international investment bank as a strategic investor next year, preferring an institution over another airline as it holds fast to its "go it alone" strategy. Wang said Citibank is Spring's first choice and the parties already are in discussions. He said the carrier's biggest headache at present is a shortage of pilots.
S7 Airlines said it recorded net profit of RUB61 million ($2.4 million) for 2006, down 44.5% from a net profit of RUB1.1 billion in the prior year, on a 27% increase in revenue to RUB24.97 billion. Passengers carried rose 16.4% to 4.9 million.
Boeing delivered a second 737-800 to Babcock & Brown for lease to transavia.com's new Paris Orly-based sister carrier, bringing the number of -800s in its fleet to four. The French low-fare carrier ( ATWOnline, June 1), owned jointly by Transavia (40%) and Air France (60%), launched operations in May and plans to add three more -800s next year and two in 2009. The aircraft are configured in a 186-seat all-economy layout.
Skyways Aviation announced the arrangement of an ATR 72 lease to Jat Airways. Aircraft will be leased for four years from ATR Leasing. It is Jat's fifth ATR 72.
Finnair announced that it has entered into a "final and binding sale and purchase agreement" covering the sale of FlyNordic to Norwegian Air Shuttle. The parties announced an MOU in April ( ATWOnline, April 25). The Norwegian Competition Authority still must approve the transaction, Finnair said.
Lufthansa said it will shift its daily 44-seat all-business-class flights to Frankfurt-Newark from the current Munich-EWR route beginning Oct. 28. It will operate a three-class A330-300 on MUC-EWR "to accommodate increased demand in all categories on the route." The FRA-EWR flights will be aboard a wet-leased PrivatAir BBJ. The 44 lie-flat seats "provide a near-horizontal sleeping surface measuring 6-ft. 6-in. long," LH said.
GE Aviation last week signed a 10-year OnPoint Solutions services agreement with easyJet covering the CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines powering its fleet of 192 A319s and 32 737-700s respectively. The accord, which could cover as many as 340 shop visits, potentially is valued at $1 billion.
Air Deccan took delivery of its 20th new A320 last week, bringing its total fleet to 44 aircraft. The A320 will seat 180 in a single class and be the eighth based in Kolkata. Deccan will introduce a new flight to Vishakapatnam starting July 10.
Gulf Air, which is in the midst of an extensive restructuring ( ATWOnline, April 18), revealed a "new network" based on a "wave model" designed to schedule flights to maximize connection possibilities for Middle East business travelers. "Our restructuring plan seeks to put in place an efficient network that improves punctuality, reduces the transit time between connecting flights and provides a range of travel options," President and CEO Andre Dose said. The Bahrain-based carrier will operate 588 weekly flights.
Hawaiian Airlines promoted VP-E-commerce Rick Peterson to VP-marketing and sales. Rolls-Royce Canada named Michel Toutant president and COO, replacing retired Pierre Racine. Toutant has served as VP-strategic operations for R-R Energy Solutions since 2006 and previously held a number of positions with R-R Canada, including VP and GM-gas turbines.
CAAC officially approved the launch of the Tianjin-based joint venture cargo airline to be owned and operated by Chinese logistics firm Sinotrans and Korean Air. The new entity has a registered capital of $65 million, in which Sinotrans Air Transportation Development Co. holds a 51% stake with an investment of $33.15 million. KE invested $16.25 million for a 25% stake. Minority shareholders are Hana Capital Co. (13%) and Shinhan Capital (11%).
Air India last week launched its first freighter dedicated to European service. The converted A310 will be one of two operating four-times-weekly flights from Mumbai to Frankfurt and Paris Charles de Gaulle via Bangalore and Chennai. The A310s were converted by EADS at a cost of $7.95 million each, AI said. Chairman and MD V. Thulasidas said, "Post the merger, cargo is going to be one of the most important strategic business units for Air India.
A little more than one week after doubling its firm 777 order to eight aircraft, TAM announced the signing of an MOU to acquire 22 A350-800/-900 XWBs plus 10 options for delivery in the 2013-18 timeframe. The Brazilian carrier also will exercise four A330 options for delivery in 2010 and 2011. Total catalog value of the 22 A350s and four A330s is approximately $5.4 billion.
Northwest Airlines is taking further steps to reduce its ongoing spate of cancellations, including dropping its second Detroit-Frankfurt 757 frequency to free up pilots, retraining furloughed pilots to return them to active duty and planning a 3% domestic mainline capacity reduction beginning next month.
United Airlines announced last week that it refinanced approximately $1 billion in existing leases and mortgages through the issuance of $694 million in Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates and $270 million in Special Facility Revenue Refunding Bonds at Denver International Airport. It said the proceeds from the debt offerings will refinance existing aircraft lease and mortgage debt associated with 13 widebody aircraft and the existing SFRBs at DEN.
Former Alaska Airlines Chairman and CEO Bruce Kennedy, 68, was killed last Thursday in the crash of a Cessna 182 he was piloting in central Washington State. His death was confirmed Friday by Quest Aircraft Co., where he served as chairman until the accident. He became a director at Alaska in 1972 and served as chairman, CEO and/or president from 1978 to 1991. He oversaw the acquisition of Horizon Air and Jet America and remained chairman emeritus. "Bruce's legacy extends far beyond his storied leadership of this airline," Alaska Air Group Chairman and CEO Bill Ayer said.
Astar Air Cargo last week made an unsolicited "indication of interest" to acquire ABX Air for more than $450 million in cash, calling the potential deal that would combine express delivery giant DHL's two largest US subservice airlines "an opportunity to realize extraordinary value."
Air Canada named Sean Menke executive VP-commercial strategy and Benjamin Smith executive VP-commercial. Air Deccan appointed Anand Ramachandran VP-finance. Air Greenland selected Michael Binzer as MD. Airline Capital Associates welcomed George W. Hamlin as MD. Air Transport Assn. introduced Laura A. McKee as MD-airport affairs. AJ Walter tapped Pierre Bonnichon as dir.-European sales. ATR named Stephane Mayer CEO. Aviapartner chose Andy Cruise as group commercial dir.-business line ground handling.
American Airlines yesterday announced it will accelerate deliveries of six 737-800s into the first half of 2009 in order to speed up replacement of its MD-80s. Three months ago it said it would bring forward the delivery of 47 -800s including three scheduled for 2016 delivery to 2009 ( ATWOnline, March 29). It now plans to take nine aircraft in 2009 under its existing purchase agreement with Boeing. Separately, parent AMR Corp.
RAK Airways, based at Ras Al Khaimah, operated its first flight on June 23, becoming the United Arab Emirates' fourth commercial airline. It currently has one 757 and is in the process of acquiring two or three 737-800s, according to the Arab Air Carriers Organization. First flight was to Turkey, with services to India, Pakistan, Egypt and Lebanon planned from Oct. 1.
Tiger Airways fired the first shots in what is expected to be one of the toughest domestic fare wars yet seen in Australia ( ATWOnline, May 4). Its opening fare of A$80 ($67.29) between Darwin, one of its two current entry points, and its domestic base of Melbourne is one-third the typical fare. The cities are 3,151 km. apart. Jetstar Airways responded immediately with a A$79 offering.
