Airlines & Lessors

Worldwide air passenger traffic grew 5.9% year-over-year in 2014, exceeding the 10-year average growth rate (5.6%) and besting 2013’s YOY growth performance (5.2%), according to IATA,

Antwerp International Airport will see its renovation begin this year. Operator French engineering group Egis plans to build a new departure hall instead of the one existing in the airport building.

Boeing delivered 49 commercial aircraft in January, leading rival Airbus’ 36 deliveries for the month.

According to the government statement, preparations for publishing public tenders for Montenegro Airlines privatization are under way.

Despite being sanctioned by the authorities for flight delays over the Christmas period, Filipino LCC Cebu Pacific Airways (Cebu) is planning to extend its flight schedules, primarily on international routes.

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

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

Air Canada has reached a tentative collective agreement with UNITE Union for the airline’s UK-based workforce.

Cumulatively, global air freight volumes grew 4.5% in 2014, a strong improvement over 2013’s year-end figures—when the market exhibited just 1.4% growth over the previous year—according to IATA’s December 2014 Air Freight Market Analysis.

Thai Airways will cease Bangkok-Moscow flights from March 29 and will close several loss-making routes as a part of its restructuring.

Avianca Holdings, the Latin American airline power that has been studying the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX in advance of a much-anticipated large narrowbody order, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Airbus to order 100 A320neo family aircraft.

Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) has ordered Taiwanese airlines TransAsia Airways and Uni Air to ground their ATR 72s and conduct engine inspections on the turboprops following the Feb. 4 crash of a TransAsia ATR 72-600 in Taipei.

Okay Airways has established Xi’an as its overnight base and has opened two new routes to Krabi and Bangkok as it accelerates its expansion pace.

Etihad Airways has acquired 75% of Alitalia’s MilleMiglia frequent flyer program (FFP), valued at €112.5 million ($129. Million), marking its third loyalty scheme stake.

Finland has given the green light for StaffPoint Holding and G.W. Sohlberg (GWS) to acquire Flybe’s 60% stake in Flybe Nordic.

[UPDATED] A TransAsia Airways ATR 72-600 has crashed into a river in Taipei, with at least 30 people reported dead. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Taipei’s Songshan Airport just before 11am local time Feb. 4.

Phoenix-based regional Mesa Airlines—which operates as American Eagle and US Airways Express—has reached an agreement in principle with Montreal-based Bombardier to buy seven new CRJ900 NextGen aircraft to operate under a long-term capacity purchase agreement with a major US airline.

Emirates Airline president Tim Clark has given a strong endorsement for continuing US Open Skies policy and said his airline has never received financial subsidies or bailouts.

Irish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair expects its expansion over the next few years to come equally from major and secondary airports.

The founder and CEO of all-business-class airline La Compagnie said he would like to double the company’s fleet to four aircraft by 2016.

Wizz Air is hoping to raise €150 million ($170.7 million) from a fresh initial public offering (IPO) attempt after aborting plans to float on the London Stock Exchange last June.

WestJet earned net income of C$284 million ($224 million) in 2014, up 5.7% over a net profit of C$268.7 million in 2013, and was in the black for the 39th quarter in a row in the fourth quarter.

Toulouse-based Airbus and French-Italian turboprop manufacturer ATR have announced a series of senior appointments.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has sold one of its 21 London Heathrow Airport slot pairs to an unnamed “major international carrier” for $60 million.

Allegiant Travel Co. has agreed to purchase four Airbus A320s, to be added to the Allegiant Air fleet in the second half of 2017.