Airlines & Lessors

Herbert D. “Herb” Kelleher, who founded Southwest Airlines and began a global low-cost airline revolution, died Jan. 3 at age 87.

Irish LCC Ryanair has been granted a UK air operator’s certificate (AOC) and has registered its first aircraft in the country as European carriers move to shore up their post-Brexit operations ahead of the UK’s planned departure from the European Union (EU) in March.

Vietnam Airlines Group kept profits stable in 2018 despite higher fuel costs, and the carrier plans to take delivery of more new-generation widebody and narrowbody aircraft in 2019.

AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes has confirmed the carrier is not looking to launch any more overseas joint ventures (JVs) in the immediate future, aside from its planned affiliate in Vietnam.

Russian airlines carried 107.7 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2018, up 10.6% year-over-year (YOY).

Russian regional Severstal Aircompany received its first Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) on Dec. 26, 2018.

Qatar Airways has bought a 5% stake in China Southern Airlines in a move that further broadens the portfolio of minority investments in airlines abroad.

Anthony Broderick, former top safety official at FAA and aviation safety consultant, died Dec. 30 in Bealeton, Virginia, following a long illness. He was 75.

From shifting global airline alliances to a still-evolving LCC sector and the impact of Brexit, here are nine things to keep an eye on in the airline world through 2019.

The world’s airlines are expected to post a collective net profit of $32.3 billion in 2018 and to follow that with a $35.5 billion net profit in 2019, which will be the industry’s 10th consecutive year of profitability. But maintaining that positive trend will be no breeze.

Icelandic ultra-LCC WOW Air is to sell some of its aircraft to Air Canada.

Long-haul LCC Norwegian has rebutted suggestions from a Scandinavian bank analyst that the carrier faces financial problems at the turn of the year because of the size of its debts.

Airbus and Boeing commercial aircraft gross orders for 2018 year-to-date, sorted by most-recent date of order placement with manufacturer.

Weakness in FedEx Corp.’s airline segment in the last quarter caused management to reduce its long-term target for the unit and lower the company’s earnings guidance for FY2019, despite strong growth in the FedEx Ground and Freight businesses.

Airbus and Boeing commercial aircraft deliveries for 2018 year-to-date, sorted by most-recent delivery date.

Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Hainan Airlines all reported steady traffic growth year-over-year (YOY) for November.

Senator Ed Markey answers ATW's questions about his attempts to re-regulate the industry, including setting seat-pitch standards.

Amazon Air, forging tighter ties with Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), will lease 10 more Boeing 767-300 freighters from the company.

EasyJet has converted 580 of 1,400 UK pilot licenses to Austrian ones as the UK-based LCC continues to prepare for a no-deal Brexit when the UK leaves the European Union on March 29, 2019.

Romanian flag carrier Tarom has reported third-quarter traffic and revenue growth as the airline continues a strategy of fleet and route expansion in pursuit of profitability.

Airlines have reason to be positive despite some worrisome trends.

From big takeovers to a shake-up of airline alliances, ASM SVP-consulting and product management Nigel Mayes casts his eye on what might shake the aviation world in 2019.

Airline fortunes are increasingly divided by region, with the consolidated US carriers further growing their profitability lead.

Freight revenue has returned as an important revenue sector.

Europe’s LCCs see their markets growing.