Airlines & Lessors

Ireland-based lessor AerCap turned in a net profit of $1.04 billion on a reported basis for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, compared to $1.17 billion for the preceding year.

More competition for lucrative transatlantic first-class passengers is imminent with the appearance of a new operator—New York-based Bliss Jet—selling individual seats on high-end business jets.

The Kaliningrad region of Russia wants to establish a regional airline.

SunExpress, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, plans to increase capacity throughout its network, despite a difficult operating environment.

Chinese carriers transported 488 million passengers in 2016, up 12% from 432.4 million in 2015, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Europe’s regional airlines face a narrow—and shrinking—window of opportunity in which to make a profit, an industry consultant said in London Feb. 20.

Samara’s Kurumoch International Airport in the Russian Volga region reported handling 28,000 international passengers in January, up 70% year-over-year (YOY).

São Paulo-based low-cost carrier GOL reported a full-year 2016 net profit of BRL1.1 billion ($338.5 million), reversing the airline’s BRL4.3 billion net loss in 2015.

Low-cost carrier (LCC) Norwegian is planning to open up transatlantic services from several mid-sized US cities that do not have European flights, the airline’s CEO said Feb.20.

Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris posted a 2016 net profit of MXN3.5 billion ($170 million), up 42.8% over net income of MXN2.46 billion in 2015, on a 29.3% year-over-year rise in revenue to MXN20.8 billion.

Air Canada reported C$876 million ($650.3 million) net profit for 2016, nearly tripling the airline’s C$308 million net profit in 2015.

Alitalia says it finally expects to have agreed a new business plan by the end of February.

UK low-cost carrier (LCC) easyJet expects to finalize plans for a European air operator’s certificate (AOC) over the coming weeks and could place a new AOC in either Portugal or Austria.

Virgin Australia will defer its Boeing 737 MAX orders for one year as it confronts weaker demand in the Australian domestic market.

Low-cost carrier (LCC) Norwegian reported a 2016 net profit of NOK1.1 billion ($131.6 million), more than quadrupling its NOK246 million net result in 2015.

People-Feb. 16, 2017

Panama City-based Copa Holdings reported a net profit of $339.8 million for 2016, reversing the company’s $225 million net loss in 2015.

Air France-KLM Group reported a 2016 net profit of €792 million ($834.4 million), up substantially from 2015’s net profit of €118 million.

Japan’s All Nippon Airways ANA has appointed EVP and board member Yuji Hirako to succeed Osamu Shinobe as president and CEO from April 1.

Oneworld carrier airberlin is set to add three leased Airbus A330-200s, increasing seat capacity as Germany’s second-largest carrier eyes its biggest long-haul summer flight schedule to the US.

Argentine ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) startup Flybondi has been granted rights on 78 routes and has appointed former Wizz Air executive Mike Powell as interim CFO.

Delta Air Lines will begin including meals at no extra cost for all main cabin seats on 12 transcontinental domestic routes this spring, reversing a longstanding trend of US airlines not including meal service with economy-class tickets on domestic flights.

Chapter 2 of 4 of the Flight Operations and Optimizations eBook

Stamford, Connecticut-based commercial aircraft lessor Aircastle posted a 2016 net profit of $151.5 million, up 24.4% from net profit of $121.7 million in 2015.

Nigeria’s largest airline, Arik Air, has suspended its two long-haul international routes following a temporary takeover of the company by a state entity.