European Commission launched a public consultation on RFID "as their power to report their location, identity and history raises serious concerns about personal privacy and security, as well as technical interoperability and international compatibility." It added that addressing some of the concerns "may well require legislative responses." The Commission said it also is stepping up exchanges with the US and Asia on RFID technologies in order to define globally accepted interoperability standards and practices with regard to data privacy and ethical principles when applying the technolo
TAM raised nearly BRL1.5 billion ($689.8 million) Friday through stock issues on both the Bovespa exchange in Brazil and the New York Stock Exchange, according to press reports.
A380 program reached the 1,000-flight-hr. milestone last week. Four A380s have been tested with Trent 900s. A fifth will join the program this year with Engine Alliance GP7200s.
Air Berlin announced last week that it is "ready for the stock market" and intends to go public. The timing of the flotation on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange was not announced, and the airline said it was "impossible" to forecast the proceeds from the move. German media reported earlier this year that the IPO is designed to raise €700 million ($834.8 million) ( ATWOnline, Jan. 13). Commerzbank and Morgan Stanley were appointed as joint global coordinator and joint bookrunner.
Gol's year of explosive expansion ended with record annual and quarterly profits as the Brazilian LCC posted net earnings of BRL513.2 million ($236 million) for 2005, an increase of 33.4% over the previous year's BRL384.7 million.
JetBlue Airways announced a new leadership structure in its human resources department, naming Vinny Stabile senior VP-people, Santo Barravecchio VP-people services and compliance and Dean Melonas VP-recruitment.
Tarom Romanian Airlines selected Rockwell Collins to provide a comprehensive avionics package, inflight entertainment and moving map systems for four new A318s scheduled for delivery beginning in November.
AirTran Holdings said last week that it was forced to adjust its fourth-quarter loss to approximately $1.4 million from the $0.4 million it announced in January ( ATWOnline, Jan. 25) "due to changes in estimates as a result of information which became available to management subsequent to the date of the press release." Its 2005 profit falls from $2.7 million to approximately $1.7 million due to the change.
Malaysian government ended the wrangling over domestic routes between Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia last week, announcing that MAS will operate flights to more popular destinations like Penang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and others tied to its international network while AirAsia will fly the remaining routes, according to local press reports. Further details will be announced in the future. MAS has been losing money on its domestic operations on behalf of parent company PMB.
Emirates President Tim Clark said the carrier is considering delaying next year's scheduled delivery of a dozen A340-600s and is close to choosing between the 787 and A350-900 for a 50-aircraft order.
Cargolux emerged as the unidentified customer that placed an order for two new 747-400Fs this month. The Luxembourg-based all-cargo airline simultaneously confirmed it canceled the introduction of a used dash 400F scheduled to join its fleet this year, as that aircraft has been sold in the meantime. The new aircraft, valued at $450 million at list prices, will be delivered in summer 2007 and summer 2008 and will fill the gap until delivery of the carrier's 747-8F fleet starting in September 2009.
Sterling launched a new website March 2 allowing passengers to reserve flights, hotels, rental cars and concert tickets as part of the same transaction.
Pegasus Airlines was identified by Boeing yesterday as the carrier that placed an order for six 737NGs earlier this year. The order is valued at $406.5 million at list prices and includes six options. Deliveries begin in 2008. Pegasus operates a fleet of 14 737s.
EasyJet opened its 16th base at Milan Malpensa yesterday and said it expects to handle more than 1.2 million passengers there in the next 12 months flying three domestic and nine international routes. Three A319s will be based permanently at the airport, creating 100 pilot and cabin crew jobs and an additional 1,200 jobs in the Milan area, the carrier said. It already flies to Berlin, London Gatwick and Dortmund from Malpensa and also operates from Milan Linate serving Gatwick and Paris Orly. Italy is one of its fastest-growing markets and now accounts for 5% of its total network.
Frontier Airlines named Roger Morenc senior director-revenue and market management. He comes from ATA Airlines. Star Alliance appointed Philip Saunders VP-sales, marketing and loyalty effective March 20. He joins Star from SN Brussels Airlines, where he was executive VP-commercial. He also held senior positions at British Airways and DBA.
Qantas confirmed yesterday the closure of its 747 heavy MRO operations in Sydney after 55 years in service, resulting in the loss of approximately 480 jobs although up to 140 employees may be transferred elsewhere in the company, CEO Geoff Dixon said. The airline, which has been considering the move since October as part of the restructuring of its maintenance and engineering operations, said it would make an effort to keep the work in Australia but is looking at securing a cost base that will ensure profitability with oil costing more than $60 per barrel.
Barco in cooperation with NCS Group was selected by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to "optimize the arrival management at Changi Airport." According to the companies, the contract encompasses integration of Barco's Osyris arrival manager solution with the Singapore ATC system.
European Commission authorized a €25 million ($29.9 million) six-month guarantee from the Italian government to ailing Volare Airlines. "This short-term aid is intended to rescue the firm from bankruptcy and allow it to take steps to continue operating," the EC said, noting that Volare will be able to use the guarantee to obtain credit for that amount from banks. The airline, part of Volare Group, went into extraordinary administration on Nov. 30, 2004, and recommenced flights June 2005 from Milan Linate to Naples, Brindisi, Bari, Catania and Palermo.
WestJet Executive VP-Finance and CFO Alexander Campbell will be leaving the company June 15. In a statement, he said that "now is the best time to make a change." He will assist during the transition period. He becomes the second senior executive to depart in recent months. Last fall, Executive VP-Operations Tim Morgan, a WestJet co-founder, announced his departure for personal reasons ( ATWOnline, Oct. 24, 2005).
American Airlines yesterday said it believes that a content-sharing agreement between Sabre and Amadeus may violate its contracts with the global distribution systems. On Tuesday, the GDSs said they entered into an agreement that enables "Amadeus customers to complete bookings on an airline [through Sabre] in the unlikely event of that airline withdrawing from participation in Amadeus," and vice versa ( ATWOnline, March 8).
Gol's February traffic increased 58.2% over the year-ago month to 940.5 million RPKs. Capacity rose 60.4% to 1.34 billion ASKs, dropping load factor 1 point to 70.1%. Domestic traffic climbed 55.6% to 860.8 million RPKs against a 56.1% lift in capacity to 1.22 billion ASKs. Load factor dipped 0.3 point to 70.5%. International traffic increased 93.9% to 79.7 million RPKs, ASKs rose 122.9% to 120.8 million and load factor fell 9.8 points to 66%.
UPS announced yesterday that it will retrofit much of its fleet with Boeing's Class 3 Electronic Flight Bag. The program will begin with 107 757s and 767s operated by the express package and expedited freight provider. UPS said the effort is believed to be the first of its type attempted by any airline, cargo or passenger, "and basically reflects our belief that this technology is ready and should be applied to jets now in service," according to VP-UPS Airline and International Operations Bob Lekites.
Cathay Pacific Airways, ATW's 2006 Airline of the Year, emphatically stamped itself as one the world's strongest performers with a profit of HK$3.47 billion ($446.9 million) in 2005 despite a 38% rise in fuel prices.
ATW Media Group Editorial Director J. A. Donoghue announced he will leave at the end of March to become director of publications at the Alexandria, Va.-based Flight Safety Foundation.
