Airlines & Lessors

After 26 years of waiting for liberalization, 2015 could be a positive year for African aviation.

On the Cover 18 2015 Airline Industry Forecast Maintain the course. Airlines focus on sustaining and growing profitability. By Karen Walker 21 Forecast - North America By Aaron Karp 23 Forecast - Latin America By Aaron Karp 26 Forecast - Asia By Karen Walker

Data trends for the world airline industry

The Aircraft Tracking Task Force (ATTF) set up in the wake of the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 in March has issued its report with recommendations to improve continuous tracking of airliners.

Middle East carriers continue rapid expansion, but their success is creating its own problems.

Latin American governments’ support for airline growth is uncertain at best.

European carriers prepare for a bruising in 2015.

Lessor GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) has signed a firm purchase agreement for five Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft plus option on 10 more of the regional turboprops, the Canadian manufacturer announced Dec. 31.

Most Asian airlines struggled to break even in 2014, with excess capacity being one of the major culprits.

AirAsia Group CEO and other management visited the military base in Pangkalan Bun, Indonesia, Dec. 31 to meet with those involved in the search and rescue operations for the victims of AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 that crashed into the sea.

North America’s airlines have a changed mindset that is driving unprecedented profitability.

Airlines focus on sustaining and growing profitability.

Air Malta, the island nation’s government-owned flag carrier, was facing serious liquidity issues in 2010 that threatened its very future. Its importance to the island’s economy meant the airline could not be allowed to fail.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) must become more “flexible, efficient and competitive,” CEO Harry Hohmeister told ATW on the sidelines of the Association of European Airlines (AEA) summit in Istanbul.

Turkish Minister of Transportation, Maritime and Communication Lütfi Elvan is a strong advocate for commercial air transportation, which generates more than 180,000 jobs and $23.8 billion revenue in Turkey annually.

Work has begun to track down fellow passengers of a Scottish health care worker, who was diagnosed with Ebola after returning from Sierra Leone with Royal Air Maroc and British Airways (BA).

Banjul-based Gambia Bird Airlines, which launched in Oct. 2012 in partnership with German carrier Germania, has suspended its operations until further notice.

Etihad Airways has signed a codeshare agreement with Aerolíneas Argentinas that will help fill out the Abu Dhabi-based carrier’s network in one of the few areas of the world where it is still poorly represented.

North African startup Libyan Wings said it is close to beginning operations, but questions remain as to when it will be able to get off the ground.

Bodies of passengers and debris have been located in the Java Sea, close to the last reported position of AirAsia Indonesia Flight QZ8501 that disappeared Sunday, southwest of Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

A second day of searching for the AirAsia Indonesia Airbus A320-200 that went missing over the Java Sea early Sunday has turned up no sign of the aircraft, authorities said Monday.

As efforts continue to find the missing AirAsia Indonesia Airbus A320 operating as QZ8501, the general media is already drawing supposed similarities with two previous airliner tragedies of 2014 – Malaysia Airlines MH370 and MH17.

The final AirTran Airways-branded flight operated from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Tampa Bay International Airport Sunday, formally completing the 2011 Southwest Airlines-AirTran merger integration process.

Following a plea for help from Russia’s second largest carrier, the Russian government has pledged to support the struggling Transaero Airlines.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) is reviewing its fleet plans as Tokyo Haneda Airport gets additional slots, president and CEO Osamu Shinobe told ATW on the sidelines of the Star Alliance chief executive board meeting in New Delhi.