Aloha Airlines named Jeffrey Kessler interim senior VP-finance, CFO and treasurer. Kessler, who is a partner in Tatum CFO Partners, will fill the position until the company names a permanent CFO.
Gol flew 715.9 million domestic RPKs in May, up 44.1% over the year-ago period. Domestic capacity climbed 38.5% to 984.6 million ASKs and load factor gained 2.8 points to 72.7%. Internationally, the carrier flew 35.2 million RPKs on capacity of 59 million ASKs for a load factor of 59.7%.
Alaska Airlines flew 1.39 billion RPMs in May, up 6% over the year-ago period. Capacity declined 3.3% to 1.81 billion ASMs and load factor gained 6.7 points to 76.8%. For the five months ended May 31, RPMs rose 8.2% to 6.67 billion, ASMs increased 1.8% to 8.99 billion and load factor jumped 4.4 points to 74.2%.
Lufthansa carried 2.8% more traffic in May compared to the same month a year earlier, driven by an increase in long-haul routes. But load factor dipped 0.3 point to 73.2% mostly owing to tough competition in Europe, where passenger numbers fell 0.9%.
Air Canada was expected to finalize its recent widebody fleet replacement order with Boeing after it reached a tentative agreement with its pilots yesterday covering operation of the aircraft. AC said the accord covers "costs and other related issues relating to the introduction of the new Boeing widebody aircraft" into its fleet, but it did not elaborate. The deal is now subject to ratification by union members.
GKN Aerospace said it received approval from Snecma Services covering restoration of the overall length and midspan shrouds on the fan blades of CFM56-5B engines. GKN noted that apart from Snecma Services it is the only approved repair source for this work.
Scandinavian Airlines appointed Hakan Ericson executive VP responsible for Airline Support and Airline Related Businesses. Ericson comes from DHL Freight Europe, where he was MD as well as head of European Networks, and assumes his position on Oct. 1. SAS said this appointment completes the group management team.
Finnair flew 1.24 billion RPKs in May, up 10.5% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 7.5% to 1.83 billion ASKs and load factor gained 1.8 points to 68.1%. For the five months ended May 31, ASKs increased 6.1% to 9.61 billion, RPKs rose 7.3% to 6.85 billion and load factor inched up 0.8 point to 71.2%.
Lufthansa Systems has inked deals with Fischer Air Polska, Pluna and TUI Airlines Belgium for its Flight Management System navigation database services.
AirTran Airways partnered with G2 SwitchWorks to distribute its ticket inventory to travel agencies and corporate clients. As part of the arrangement, AirTran agreed to pre-pay certain distribution fees in order to secure additional discounts on transaction costs and the opportunity to acquire a minority stake in G2. According to the airline, the deal offers more than 80% savings in distribution costs versus traditional GDS fees.
Officials of a startup airline that hopes to launch transatlantic service later this year yesterday said they had secured $185 million in financing to give lift to the project. The carrier, which will use the name Eos, will feature 757s with premium service for 48 business travelers. The New York-based startup has taken possession of its first three 757s and is proceeding with regulatory filings with FAA.
US Airways flew 3.53 billion RPMs in May, up 2% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 1.4% to 4.65 billion ASMs and load factor was up 0.4 points to 75.9%. For the five months ended May 31, RPMs increased 3.7% to 16.65 billion, ASMs rose 2.2% to 22.41 billion and load factor was up 1.1 points to 74.3%.
IATA yesterday expressed "extreme disappointment" that proposals that call for a tax on air transport to support third-world development were not abandoned at an ECOFIN meeting in Luxembourg this week. The proposals were developed in May after EU finance ministers reached an agreement in principle to impose a small levy on air travel to fund development aid that would be voluntary or obligatory depending on the country ( ATWOnline, May 17). DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said, "Development is a serious issue that needs a serious solution.
Air France-KLM Group said it recorded a strong level of activity in May driven by buoyant traffic on both long-haul and European routes. Overall, traffic grew 6.9% to 15.24 billion RPKs on increases of 6.7% and 7.5% respectively on long-haul and European routes. Capacity climbed 4.9% to 19.6 billion ASKs and load factor was up 1.4 points to 77.7%. In May, Air France-KLM carried more than 5.9 million passengers, up 6.7%. Cargo traffic posted a 1.3% decrease while capacity was up 6.6%. As a result, cargo load factor fell 5.1 points to 63.8%.
World Airways reached agreement on a multiyear ACMI contract with Air Canada to operate an additional MD-11F for international cargo service. Under the accord, World will operate two MD-11Fs for AC through August 2007 between Toronto, China and other points in North America. The amended contract has a value of $101 million.
Qantas fired a second baggage handler at Sydney Airport and announced a series of security enhancements as the furor escalated over alleged drug smuggling and crime links in the ranks of the airline's employees. CEO Geoff Dixon said the decision to sack the handler followed further investigation into claims that an international cocaine importing ring was operating at the airport. He said surveillance was maintained over a "small number" of handlers after the initial swoop by police that led to 14 arrests last month.
Southwest Airlines flew 5.24 billion RPMs in May, up 12% over the year-ago period. Capacity rose 14.3% to 7.24 billion ASMs and load factor declined 1.5 points to 72.4%. For the five months ended May 31, RPMs increased 10% to 23.29 billion, ASMs grew 11.6% to 34.44 billion and load factor dropped 1 point to 67.6%.
The European Commission yesterday gave its conditional approval to Alitalia's restructuring plan, which includes a €1.2 billion ($1.47 billion) recapitalization of new airline entity AZ Fly and the partial sale of services entity AZ Services to state holding company Fintecna, saying that it does not include any state aid. "On the basis of a thorough and detailed analysis, the Commission has concluded that these recapitalizations do not involve any state aid," VP with responsibility for transport Jacques Barrot said.
American Airlines flew 11.81 billion RPMs in May, up 10% over the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 3% to 15.11 billion ASMs and load factor increased 5 points to 78.1%. For the five months ended May 31, RPMs rose 6.9% to 55.36 billion, ASMs inched up 1.2% to 72.46 billion and load factor gained 4.1 points to 76.4%.
JetBlue Airways officially opened JetBlue University's new support campus at Orlando International Airport, which will offer recurrent training for its pilots, flight attendants, technical operations and customer service crewmembers. The facility covers some 107,000 sq. ft. and includes an auditorium, classrooms, briefing rooms, offices and an outdoor training pool. Additionally, it currently holds four A320 full flight simulators and one Embraer 190 simulator. A second 190 simulator will be installed in August and future growth could provide for up to 16 full flight simulators.
America West and US Airways pilot leaders met Monday to discuss "issues of mutual concern" relating to the proposed merger of the airlines ( ATWOnline, May 20). Pilots at both carriers are represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn. and at some point the two groups will be combined, traditionally among the most difficult challenges in any airline merger. "The importance of the discussion was to look at alternatives to secure our future," America West union chairman J.R. Baker said.
