Airlines & Lessors

US airlines—minus Delta Air Lines—quickly lined up behind a proposal to separate US air traffic control (ATC) from FAA, but others, including the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), expressed misgivings.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary expects to overtake Wizz Air in Central Europe to become the largest carrier in these markets by 2018.

Korean Air reported a 4Q 2015 net profit of 92 billion won ($76 million), reversed from a net loss of 272 billion won in the year-ago period, although the improved result was heavily skewed by gains related to exchange rate movements.

Ethiopian Airlines plans to launch 3X-weekly Addis Ababa-Lomé (Togo)-New York JFK services by the end of June.

For 115 commercial airlines and airline groups worldwide, 2015 year-to-date passenger traffic, RPKs, load factors, and FTKs, as of Feb. 3, 2016.

UK low-cost carrier (LCC) easyJet has unveiled plans for a hydrogen fuel cell system that would remove the need for aircraft to use their engines for taxiing.

A Djibouti-based Daallo Airlines Airbus A321-100, en route from Mogadishu to Djibouti, experienced an onboard explosion 15 minutes after takeoff and returned to Mogadishu airport.

Despite strong competition from Ryanair, Aer Lingus has hardly been a failing airline. It has registered decent profits using a niche strategy.

Singapore Airline’s (SIA) first Airbus A350-900 has completed its maiden flight and will now enter the final production phase as it prepares for delivery in the coming weeks, Airbus said.

Worldwide airlines and airline groups ranked by available reported 2015 Passenger Load Factor, high-to-low, as of Feb. 2, 2016.

People-Feb. 2, 2016

Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is set to take delivery of four new Airbus A330-300 aircraft in 2016, all fitted with an enhanced business class.

Lufthansa chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr told ATW he expects to further develop biofuel projects despite low fuel prices.

United Parcel Service (UPS) posted $4.84 billion net profit for 2015, up 59.8% from the company’s $3.03 billion net profit in 2014.

London Stansted-based all-cargo startup CargoLogicAir (CLA) has secured an air operator’s certificate (AOC) from the UK CAA and is planning to operate a fleet of five Boeing 747 freighters by April 2018.

SAS Scandinavian Airline’s Danish subsidiary Cimber will cancel 760 services through mid-May as it fights to overcome a shortage of pilots.

Brazilian competition watchdog Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica has unconditionally approved FedEx’s plans to acquire TNT Express.

EASA has launched an online survey to assess the effectiveness of maintaining two people in the cockpit during flight, as recommended in the wake of the Germanwings tragedy.

Calgary-based low-cost carrier (LCC) WestJet earned a net profit of C$367.5 million ($265.1 million) for the full-year 2015, up 29.4% over net income of C$284 million in 2014.

The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) has outlined a set of new safety guidelines requiring all low-cost carriers (LCCs) to employ six sets of pilots, and 12 type-certified mechanics for each of the aircraft in its fleet.

The Taiwanese Aviation Safety Council (TASC) has concluded that the July 2014 TransAsia ATR 72-500 crash was caused by non-compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS), poor flight crew coordination, lack of communication, and ineffective threat and error management.

Airport freight traffic, year-to-date, organized by world regions. Year-over-year percentage changes provided by Airports Council International.

Airport passenger traffic, year-to-date, organized by world region. Year-over-year percentage changes provided by Airports Council International.

Aeroflot subsidiary Aurora Airline—which serves Russia’s Far East—carried 1.125 million passengers in 2015, up 7.1% year-over-year (YOY).

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) expects to operate between six and nine Bombardier CS100 jets by the end of 2016, outgoing CEO Harry Hohmeister told ATW.