Alaska Air Group—parent of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air—plans to grow capacity 2% next year and accelerate its expansion rate soon after, but will carefully monitor the competitive environment before making firm commitments, the company’s top executive said.
Icelandair Group has announced its interim president and CEO, Bogi Nils Bogason, will assume the role permanently, days after the airline pulled out of a transaction to acquire LCC rival WOW Air.
Latin American carriers Avianca Holdings and Copa Airlines have reached an agreement with Chicago-based United Airlines on a proposed joint business agreement (JBA) plan.
Air New Zealand is undertaking significant cost-cutting efforts in response to higher fuel prices. The carrier has identified about NZ$30 million ($20.6 million) in costs that can be removed before July 1, CEO Christopher Luxon told employees in a memo the week of Nov. 26.
Air France-KLM’s new CEO Ben Smith is said to be contemplating the future of Joon—the LCC hybrid sister airline to Air France launched by Smith’s predecessor—while considering plans to boost the airline group’s profitability.
Aeroflot Group’s net profit for the third quarter (3Q) reached RUB27.7 billion ($422.4 million), up 14.2% as the airline group implemented cost controls in the wake of high fuel costs and currency pressure seen through the year.
Falling fuel prices could trigger a small increase in near-term capacity but not major network additions at United Airlines, in part because of the airline’s success in passing through costs during fuel’s price rise, a top executive said.
Indigo Partners, a US private equity firm that specializes in ultra-LCCs, has emerged as a potential new investor in WOW Air, dramatically changing the fortunes of the Icelandic LCC in the same week that an acquisition attempt by Icelandair collapsed.
The AirAsia Group saw its net profit nearly double in the third quarter thanks to one-off items, but operating profit dropped significantly mainly because of rising fuel costs.
Icelandair Group has abandoned plans to take over fellow Icelandic carrier WOW Air. The decision to scrap the deal was made after it became clear that Icelandair could not fulfill the necessary conditions of the share purchase agreement for WOW before a Nov. 30 group shareholders’ meeting.
JetBlue Airways is opposing a request by Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and Air France-KLM seeking antitrust immunity (ATI) from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for a new transatlantic joint venture (JV).
Greek carrier Aegean Airlines reported a net profit of €80.9 million ($94 million) for the first nine months of 2018, up 13% from a €71.7 million net profit in the year-ago period.
LATAM Airlines Group, buffeted by rising fuel costs and weak currencies, saw its net income decline by 67% to $52.9 million for the third quarter (3Q), compared with the same period last year.
Infrastructure improvements, tax and fee cuts, and regulation reform in Colombia would increase the airline industry’s economic benefits to the country, IATA officials said at the Aviation Day conference in Bogota.
TAP Air Portugal CEO Antonoaldo Neves still sees strong benefits from an alliance membership even though many airlines are choosing to establish joint ventures (JVs).
Slovenia’s Adria Airways signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire 15 Sukhoi Superjet 100s (SSJ100s) via a long-term lease arrangement and signed an MOU with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC) to establish a joint MRO operation at Ljubljana Airport.
UK long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic has confirmed it is “reviewing its options” over a possible bid for Exeter-based UK regional airline Flybe, which has also confirmed that discussions are underway.
Singapore Airlines Group is performing a network reshuffle among its subsidiary airlines, which will see LCC Scoot take over 17 routes from SilkAir, which is in turn being merged into Singapore Airlines (SIA).
Ireland-based lessor SMBC Aviation Capital has posted a $168 million first-half pre-tax profit, up 7.5% on the prior year, and is preparing for a $1 billion capital boost over the coming weeks.
Russia’s State Transport Leasing Co. (STLC) has signed letters of intent (LOI) with Mirny-based Alrosa Airline and RusLine regional airline to lease two Sukhoi Superjet 100s (SSJ100s) to each carrier for 12-years.
