In addition, V Australia, Virgin Blue's new long-haul airline, will adopt the Amadeus Altea Customer Management System. The standalone solutions for the company's short-haul operations will manage connectivity on behalf of Virgin Blue's interline and GDS partners. They also will process incoming e-ticket coupons from interline partners, enabling Virgin Blue to receive passengers from full-service carriers such as Etihad and Virgin Atlantic.
Alaska long has been called America's last frontierthe final refuge for the restless, the risk-takers and the adventurers. But it also has been an entrepreneurial frontier, providing a chance to build business success from its vast expanses of undeveloped wilderness. The founding fathers of Alaska Airlines, marking its 75th birthday this year, were both adventurers and entrepreneurs. And certainly they were risk-takers, bush pilots par excellence who often literally flew on a wing and a prayer.
AeroTurbine promoted Michael King to president. Air Canada named Michael Rousseau CFO. Airports Council International elected Aeroports de Montreal President & CEO James Cherry chairman for a two-year term. AirTran Holdings elevated Robert L. Fornaro to CEO & president. Allegiant Air named Andrew Levy CFO and Scott Sheldon principal accounting officer. AWAS appointed John Nozell chief investment officer. BAE Systems tapped Paul Tattersall as VP-trading & services-Asset Management business.
Qantas is facing a bumpy ride, with industrial upheaval looming over Christmas and a potential class action suit related to the airline's cargo price-fixing plea ( ATWOnline, Nov. 28).
Grand China Air, created by HNA Group to be the country's fourth-largest commercial carrier, today will operate its first flight from Beijing to Dalian, although it postponed the ceremony to mark its launch to next month.
Alitalia revised the deadline for nonbinding offers to Dec. 6 after receiving an update from its adviser, Citigroup, on potential industrial and financial investors who may bid for a majority shareholding. Air One/Intesa Sanpaolo, Lufthansa and Air France KLM reportedly remain interested ( ATWOnline, Nov. 21).
TAM CEO Marco Antonio Bologna resigned Wednesday to join TAM Empreendimentos e Participacoes, which the airline described as "a company pertaining to the Company's controlling block." He will be succeeded by VP-Operations David Barioni Neto, who in turn will be succeeded by Fernando Sporleder Jr.
Russian court ruled yesterday that Boris Berezovsky, a longtime political enemy of Russian President Vladimir Putin who has been living in exile in the UK since 2000, fraudulently embezzled RUB214 million ($8.78 million) from Aeroflot when he maintained financial control over the carrier in the 1990s. He rejected the verdict as a "farce" and the UK government said it would not extradite Berezovsky to Russia.
American Airlines parent AMR Corp. may have decided to sell off its regional subsidiary American Eagle but there may not be a frantic rush by other regional airlines or investors to acquire it.
Malev Hungarian Airlines announced that it will cut staffing levels by 9%, resulting in annual savings of HUF1.2 billion ($6.9 million). It did not say when the layoffs will take place. The carrier employs 3,508 and said it will cut a "maximum" of 250 workers even though 9% would equal 315. CEO Peter Leonov confirmed the 9% figure, saying that "besides reducing expenditures, optimization of the staff level is necessary primarily to ensure that 91% of the employees. .
Airbus's hopes to make some quick sales of the A380 to ANA and Cathay Pacific Airways appear to have faded, with the former playing down speculation that it is on the verge of ordering the aircraft. A spokesperson told ATWOnline yesterday that ANA is "continuously in talks with the manufacturers and will watch the introduction of the A380 with interest and examine it and the 747-8I when the time is right." At last month's handover of the first A380 to Singapore Airlines ( ATWOnline, Oct.
Air China plans to order 40 Airbus aircraft in the next five years to support its European expansion, President Li Jiaxiang revealed yesterday at the EU-China Business Summit in Beijing.
Ryanair lodged yet another case in the European Court of First Instance against the European Commission for failing to act on the LCC's complaint about illegal state aid to Volare, a subsidiary of Alitalia. Ryanair claims the aid consisted of the writeoff of around €20 million in debts owed by Volare to Italian airports and reductions in airport charges and fuel costs in favor of the airline. Ryanair said it initially called on the EC to investigate the allegations two years ago.
Goodrich signed a 12-year agreement with LAN Airlines to provide MRO and asset management solutions for its fleet of V2500-A5-powered A319s and A320s. Goodrich's Alabama Service Center will refurbish thrust reversers and provide as-needed services for inlets and fan cowls. Goodrich also will supply on-site spares.
Etihad Airways will launch four-times-weekly Abu Dhabi-Beijing flights on March 30 aboard a two-class, 262-seat A330-200. It is EY's first Chinese service and its eighth to the Asia/Pacific, where it already serves Brisbane, Sydney, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok. Flights to Beijing will depart Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Aircraft also will have 11 tonnes of cargo capacity.
SITA Passenger and Travel Solutions and S7 Airlines launched online calendar booking this week via SITA Airfare Shop. S7 said it is the first Russian carrier to display all fares across multiple days and offer calendar-based booking for all domestic and international flights. It currently sells 6.3% of its tickets on its website and expects "further significant growth in 2008."
Rolls-Royce Trent 700s will power six A330 freighters owned by Aircastle. Deliveries are scheduled for 2010-11. Separately, Rolls signed a TotalCare services agreement with Singapore Airlines covering the Trent 900s on SIA's A380s. SIA selected the engine for its initial 10 aircraft. Deal runs to 2021 and work will be conducted at Singapore Aero Engine Services.
ANA will pay cash for at least 20% of its order for 50 787s, or at least ¥140 billion ($1.3 billion), from the proceeds realized from its hotel sales ( ATWOnline, April 16), Senior VP-Finance and Accounting Eiji Kanazawa told Bloomberg News. It also will sell bonds and use loans backed by Japan Bank for International Cooperation. "We're not going back to the days of more than ¥1 trillion in debt," Kanazawa told Bloomberg.
Flybe released select financial data for the fiscal year ended March 31, including a pre-tax profit figure of £4.7 million ($9.7 million) that represents a reversal from the £12.2 million loss suffered in the previous year.
AmSafe said FedEx Express now is using the AcuTemp RKN container, which employs compressor technology rather than dry ice to maintain temperature, for appropriate shipping services.
Hawaiian Airlines yesterday announced the choice of Airbus aircraft for its widebody fleet renewal, saying it will replace its 18 767-300s and -300ERs with up to 24 new planes comprising six firm A330-200s and six firm A350 XWB-800s plus six purchase rights for each type.
American Airlines parent AMR Corp. said yesterday it plans to divest regional subsidiary American Eagle next year, a move that comes after prominent shareholders urged the company to consider selling off noncore units to stem the slide of its stock price. Eagle is one of the industry's largest regionals with 2006 revenues of $1.91 billion and an operating profit of $185.9 million, according to data filed with the US Dept. of Transportation. AMR projects 2007 revenues for the unit of around $2.3 billion.
El Al yesterday released details of its third-quarter financial performance, confirming that net profit soared to $41.2 million from the $1.4 million earned in a year-ago period marked by conflict in Israel and Lebanon ( ATWOnline, Nov. 22). Revenue climbed 27% to $567 million and operating profit surged to $63.8 million from $8.5 million in the third quarter of 2006. Fuel costs were up $6 million, but the carrier said it saved $5.1 million through its hedging program.
