Airlines & Lessors

In a show of rare bipartisan solidarity, the US House of Representatives’ transport committee has unanimously passed a bill that would make it illegal for passengers to use their phones for voice calls during US airline flights.

From the March 2014 issue of ATW

Source: Airports Council International

Aer Lingus has defined what now looks like the final version of its long-haul fleet strategy.

GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) could be in the market for around 40 Airbus A320neos, along with up to 10 of each of the Boeing 777X and re-engined A330, should the latter program go ahead with GE engines.

Qingdao Airlines has completed preparation work and has applied to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for an operator’s license.

Italy-based Air Dolomiti, a Lufthansa subsidiary, has reported 1.7 million passengers carried in 2013, up 8.7% year-over-year.

Frantz Yvelin, founder of all-business carrier L’Avion, and former Jet Airways COO Peter Luethi have created a French company called Dreamjet as the basis for a new startup airline slated for launch this year.

The much-delayed Berlin Brandenburg Airport, which announced in August 2013 that Germania would be the first airline to operate from the airport, has postponed its plan to start a test run for operating up to six daily flights this summer.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) low-cost carrier (LCC) Air Arabia reported a 2013 net profit of AED435 million ($118.4 million), up 2% compared to 2012.

Airbus has completed the structural assembly the first A380 for Japan’s Skymark Airlines.

Airline News

Data includes firm aircraft orders and commitments placed at the Singapore Airshow, February 11-16, 2014. Source: SpeedNews, ATW Research.

Virgin America confirmed it has gained four new slot pairs at Washington National Airport (DCA) as part of the American Airlines/US Airways divestiture required by the carriers’ settlement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

UK regional carrier Flybe is planning to phase out its entire fleet of 14 Embraer E-195s from its UK scheduled operations and is seeking 16 additional aircraft, as it shifts to a turboprop-focused fleet after a £150 million ($250 million) capital increase.

Turkish Airlines, which has ongoing capacity needs, is considering leasing Airbus A380 aircraft, CEO Temel Kotil told ATW in Istanbul.

United Airlines plans to launch 6X-weekly Los Angeles (LAX)-Melbourne (MEL) flights from Oct. 26, 2014, using a Boeing 787-9.

Gulf Air has canceled orders for two Airbus A319ceo aircraft.

India’s airline regulator has said it has no reason to deny AirAsia India an air operator’s permit.

Jazz Air parent Chorus Aviation reported a net income of C$61.9 million ($57.8 million) for 2013, down 38.3% over C$100.2 million in 2012.

Chinese carriers reported a collective net income of CNY1 billion ($163 million), tripled from a net profit of CNY323 million in year-ago month.

Premium air travel in international markets grew 4.2% in 2013, a 0.6 point slide from 2012’s 4.8% growth, “[but] while this is a slowdown … growth has picked up over recent months, reflecting improvements in the business environment,” according to IATA’s December Premium Traffic Monitor.

Air France-KLM will take a $100 million stake in Brazilian low-cost carrier (LCC) GOL as the Franco-Dutch group seeks to increase its interests in South America.

Air France-KLM remains heavily in the red despite halving its net losses in 2013, but forecasts a “return to the path of profitable growth in 2014.”

Malaysia Airlines has posted a 2013 net loss of MRY1.17 billion ($356 million), nearly tripling the airline’s 2012’s net loss of MRY432.6 million.