Several European airlines are raising their surcharges in light of still climbing fuel prices. Virgin Express will increase its fuel surcharge by €2 ($2.24) per passenger from July 15, bringing it to a total of €10, while SN Brussels Airlines will adjust its surcharge from €10 to €12 for European flights and from €23 to €30 on flights to Africa and the Middle East as of Sept. 1.
Lufthansa flew 9.79 billion RPKs in June, up 5.2% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 2.9% to 12.68 billion ASKs and load factor climbed 1.7 points to 77.2%. For the six months ended June 30, RPKs rose 4% to 52.14 billion, ASKs grew 2.9% to 70.17 billion and load factor was up 0.8 point to 74.3%.
Alteon Training signed a long-term agreement to provide Aerosim Technologies' PC-based training tools in conjunction with its own training services. The trainers will be used with existing training solutions. Aerosim products covered under the agreement include the Flight Management Systems Trainer, Virtual Flight Deck, Virtual Procedure Trainer and Flight Training Device.
United Airlines is bringing back more than 1,400 flight attendants from voluntary furlough in two phases this year owing to higher-than-expected attrition in the group. The carrier informed the Assn. of Flight Attendants that it intends to recall a further 600 flight attendants from Aug. 9 and will recall the remaining 851 on voluntary furlough by Nov. 30. Earlier this year, the carrier brought back 650 flight attendants.
News from Travel Technology Update: JetBlue Airways is planning a soft launch of its cruise-flight dynamic packaging engine "in the next month or so," according to Tim Claydon, senior vice president of sales and business development. The move is a natural progression for JetBlue, which serves 11 U.S. cruise ports. The carrier is working with EzRez, the Honolulu-based software company that specializes in dynamic packaging. The booking engine will have a "completely new interface" and will use XML connections to pull in pertinent cruise data.
Northwest Airlines flew 7.11 billion RPMs in June, up 5.6% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 3.9% to 8.11 billion ASMs and load factor rose 1.3 points to 87.7%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs jumped 7.6% to 38.19 billion, ASMs increased 4.4% to 46.54 billion and load factor was up 2.5 points to 82.1%. ATA Airlines flew 622.6 million RPMs in June, down 48.8% compared to the year-ago period. Capacity dropped 45.7% to 810.5 million ASMs and load factor declined 4.1 points to 76.8%.
Gol flew 770.6 million RPKs in June, up 77.4% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 61.1% to 1.08 billion ASKs and load factor was up 6.5 points to 71.1%.
South African Airways reported a net profit of 966 million rand ($140.6 million) for the fiscal year ended March 31, reversing a massive 8.6 billion rand loss in the prior financial year that largely was owing to currency hedges that went badly wrong. Revenue increased 6.8% while costs rose just 1.9% (below inflation) during the 12-month period. CEO Khaya Ngqula said the financial turnaround was led by the carrier's aggressive and strict operating cost control as well as the first impact of the materialization of operating efficiencies.
Bmibaby appointed Steve Burns as commercial director. The post previously was held by David Bryon, now the airline's MD. Burns earlier held various commercial roles with easyJet.
European Regions Airline Assn. member carriers flew 11.1% more RPKs in the first quarter on an ASK increase of 8.5% as compared to the prior-year period. Load factor was 56.9%. ERA also said average trip distance flown by members rose to 555 km. from 521 km. in the 2004 quarter. The association said new routes spanning Eastern, Central and Western Europe and the presence of more turbofan aircraft in members' fleets contributed to the increase.
Cerberus Capital Management completed its purchase of debis AirFinance from DaimlerChrysler, Bayern LB, Dresdner Bank, DZ Bank and NypoVereinsbank. Price was not disclosed.
Independence Air flew 332.2 million RPMs in June on capacity of 436.1 million ASMs. Load factor was 76.2%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs totaled 1.48 billion and ASMs were 2.2 billion. Load factor averaged 67.1%.
Emirates SkyCargo took delivery of the first of three converted A310-300Fs last week. The other two are scheduled to enter the airline's fleet by year end. The carrier also has two A380Fs on order, and when all deliveries are complete by 2008 its fleet will total 11 aircraft.
Lufthansa Systems enhanced its ELWIS cargo handling system with RFID technology. The free trade zone at the new Bangkok International Airport plans to launch the new ELWIS in its warehouse.
Alaska Air Group flew 1.54 billion RPMs in June, up 1.4% over the year-ago period. Capacity dropped 2.9% to 1.93 billion ASMs and load factor rose 3.4 points to 80.1%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs climbed 6.9% to 8.21 billion, ASMs increased 0.9% to 10.91 billion and load factor gained 4.2 points to 75.3%.
US Airways Group flew 3.73 billion RPMs in June, up 0.1% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 0.4% to 4.59 billion ASMs and load factor fell 0.4 point to 81.2%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs rose 3% to 20.37 billion, ASMs increased 1.9% to 27 billion and load factor was up 0.8 point to 75.4%.
SAS Group flew 3.31 billion RPKs in June, up 4% over the year-ago period. Capacity rose 1.4% to 4.62 billion ASKs and load factor gained 1.8 points to 71.6%. For the six months ended June 30, RPKs increased 3.7% to 16.63 billion, ASKs grew 3.8% to 26.28 billion and load factor was flat year-over-year at 63.3%.
Iberia firmed the commitment it signed with Airbus in January for the purchase of 30 A320 family aircraft ( ATWOnline, Feb. 28). The deal also includes 49 options. The contract covers the acquisition of 10 A318s, 10 A320s, seven A319s and three A321s, with deliveries starting from the second quarter of 2006. The aircraft will be powered by CFM56-5B engines. Iberia currently operates a fleet of 107 Airbus aircraft comprising seven A319s, 60 A320s, 13 A321s, 18 A340-300s and nine A340-600s.
Ryanair said the number of earned seats flown in June amounted to 3 million, up 31% from a year earlier. Load factor stayed stable at 87%. For the rolling 12 months ended June 30, earned seats flown totaled 29.6 million and load factor averaged 84%.
JetBlue Airways flew 1.79 billion RPMs in June, up 31.1% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 25.9% to 2.01 billion ASMs and load factor rose 3.5 points to 89%. For the six months ended June 30, RPMs increased 30.8% to 9.56 billion, ASMs jumped 24.1% to 11.01 billion and load factor was up 4.5 points to 86.8%.
US Airways Group received a boost yesterday when Tudor Investment Corp. committed to provide $65 million of equity funding for the company's plan of reorganization in exchange for roughly 3.9 million shares of common stock in the successor company following the merger with America West Airlines. US Airways filed its plan of reorganization with the US Bankruptcy Court earlier this month ( ATWOnline, July 4).
Air Jamaica canceled all of its scheduled flights to and from Jamaica yesterday owing to Hurricane Dennis, which is slowly working its way through the Caribbean. The airline said it will resume all Jamaica flights as soon as authorities at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston give clearance. Service to Eastern Caribbean destinations Grenada and Barbados will operate as scheduled.
