Airlines & Lessors

AirBaltic aims to become the reference carrier for the Baltic region, strengthening its operations from the neighboring countries of Estonia and Lithuania.

2016 year-end deliveries for Airbus and Boeing; airline traffic by region, traffic at key worldwide airports; airline financials; aircraft value projections.

Tianjin-based regional carrier Joy Air will be hard pressed to earn a profit in the next two years because of consolidation challenges with Okay Airways and expansion restrictions imposed following accidents, including a May 2015 incident in which a MA60 skidded off the runway while landing at Fuzhou Changle International Airport, Okay Airways founder Liu Jieyin said.

Ireland’s ASL Aviation Group has named Ulf Weber as the new CEO of ASL Airlines Belgium, formerly known as TNT Airways.

Hawaiian Airlines reported a full-year 2016 net profit of $244.1 million, up 33.7% from net income of $182.6 million in 2015.

Russia’s Aeroflot Group carried 43.4 million passengers in 2016, up 10.3% compared to 39.4 million passengers in 2015.

People-Jan. 24, 2017

UK low-cost carrier (LCC) easyJet returned what it described as “a solid first quarter” in its financial year, but warned the trading outlook would remain difficult.

Irish lessor Avolon expanded its owned and managed fleet by 72% to 262 aircraft in 2016.

Chinese carrier Loong Air has agreed to acquire 20 aircraft from Irish lessor AerCap.

Irish regional airline CityJet is to acquire Scandinavian Airlines’ (SAS) Danish regional subsidiary Cimber and has signed a conditional purchase agreement for six Bombardier CRJ900s, plus four options.

James Hogan is stepping down as president and CEO of the Etihad Aviation Group and the Abu Dhabi-based company has begun the search for his successor, it was announced Jan. 24.

Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico have announced leadership changes as the two carriers move to establish a transborder joint venture (JV) between Mexico and the US.

Moves are underway to revive Belgian regional and charter operator VLM Airlines, which declared bankruptcy in June 2016.

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair is in no rush to set up a UK air operator’s certificate (AOC) following the UK’s decision to exit the European Union (EU), or Brexit.

FedEx Corp. has named longtime company executive David Cunningham president and CEO of FedEx Express, the cargo delivery company’s airline arm and largest operating unit.

Shareholders in African low-cost carrier (LCC) fastjet have approved the sale of a 28% stake to Johannesburg-based Solenta Aviation Holdings.

European charter airlines have begun an emergency evacuation of their nationals from The Gambia, following rising fears of an armed conflict about to break out in West African country.

The aviation consultancy and advisory units of Seabury Group are being acquired by Accenture.

Julia Haywood is leaving United Airlines to return to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), less than six months after she took the chief commercial officer job at the Chicago-based airline.

Hong Kong-based China Aircraft Leasing Group (CALC) delivered 18 aircraft in 2016.

Aeroflot low-cost subsidiary (LCC) Pobeda Airlines carried 4.3 million passengers in 2016, up 38.7% year-over-year (YOY).

Russia’s UTair Aviation forecasts it will carry 7 million passengers in 2017, up 6.7% year-over-year (YOY), with a 3.9% increase in cargo volume to 20,146 tonnes.

China Southern subsidiary XiamenAir carried 23.7 million passengers in 2016, up 4.2% over 22.8 million in 2015 as market demand—especially on international routes—experienced rapid growth.

Etihad Aviation Group president and CEO James Hogan has acknowledged the scale of problems facing airberlin and Alitalia.