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.
Virgin Blue further rationalized the nonperforming routes in its domestic network as it continues its drive to recover earnings growth and improve yields under new owner Patrick Corp. Citing unsatisfactory demand, CCO Stefan Pichler said the carrier will withdraw from the Adelaide-Alice Springs and Sydney-Darwin routes from Sept. 4. This will mean it no longer services the "Red Center" of Alice Springs.
Air France-KLM Group flew 15.8 billion RPKs in June, up 7.8% on the year-ago period. Capacity grew 4.6% to 19.39 billion ASKs and load factor gained 2.4 points to 81.5%. The group carried 6.2 million passengers, a 6.1% increase, of which 4.5 million were on the European network. Cargo activity continued to suffer from the weakness of European exports and posted a 1.1% decrease while capacity rose 4.3%, sending load factor down 3.5 points to 64.7%.
SAS Braathens is guilty of predatory pricing in an attempt to drive low-fare rival Norwegian off the Oslo-Aalesund route, according to Norway's competition authority, which proposed fining the carrier NOK30 million ($4.5 million). According to Reuters, the authority found that SAS Braathens set fares at levels too low to recover costs. The airline already is challenging an NOK20 million fine for abuse of market position on the Oslo-Haugesund route.
Yesterday's terrorist attacks in London are unlikely to have a serious or lasting impact on transatlantic travel to the UK and Europe, according to JP Morgan's Jamie Baker, who said in a report released Thursday that he expects "a temporary slight decline in UK demand, [with] little to no decline for broader Europe." Baker noted that following the terrorist attack in Madrid in March 2004, "US and European carriers serving Spain experienced little to no lasting demand degradation."
North Asia region will attract a significant number of new low-cost carriers, according to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. "We are at the point of what should be a major increase in low-cost air travel across the north of the region," said CAPA MD Peter Harbison. At least 12 new airlines are expected to begin operations over the next 12 months in Macau, China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. Harbison said the big issue is how fast governments are prepared to liberalize. "We think conditions are ripe for [LCC] development in North Asia.
