Bombardier Aerospace reported 329 total deliveries for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, a 1.5% increase over deliveries of 324 aircraft in the prior financial year. Deliveries in the regional aircraft segment totaled 200, comprising 178 CRJs and 22 Q Series aircraft. Last year, the company delivered 232 regional aircraft.
Gol signed a contract with Boeing to exercise five more purchase options for 737-800s that were included in its original order for 43 737-800s ( ATWOnline, May 18). The original order consisted of 15 firm orders and 28 options, but with this new agreement the airline is increasing the number of firm orders to 26, which will be delivered between 2006 and 2010.
Air France operations at Paris Orly began to return to normal Monday after a four-day walkout by its runway crews ended. The strike, which began Friday, was launched to protest the suspension of a colleague on duty when a flight attendant fell to her death Feb. 1 while trying to exit an aircraft, the Associated Press reported. According to the report, about 83% of AF flights from Paris left as scheduled Monday.
Singapore Airlines Cargo is adding two destinations to its global network. Freighter services to the newly opened Central Japan International Airport near Nagoya will commence March 2 and to Istanbul on March 29. The new freighter service to Centrair will operate twice-weekly, making it the third SIA Cargo freighter destination in Japan after Tokyo and Osaka. Istanbul will be introduced as an additional stop on the existing twice-weekly Singapore-Kuwait-Amsterdam route. SIA Cargo operates a fleet of 14 747-400Fs on a network that extends to 68 cities in 35 countries.
Northwest Airlines filed a request with the US Dept. of Transportation for "broad" authority to serve India. The carrier said its first priority is to begin service from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Bangalore via Amsterdam in Oct. Separately, Northwest announced that it is now operating its Nagoya flights from the new Central Japan International Airport, known as Centrair. The airline currently operates daily service between Nagoya and Detroit, Tokyo, Manila and Saipan.
Indian Airlines appears certain to order 12 A330s to handle its expanding international routes. The airline's board approved the purchase of 12 widebody aircraft, which expands a decision last Sept. to lease six widebodies to replace existing A300B4s. Indian Airlines is drafting an RFP to Airbus and Boeing and also may look at used options. Insiders suggest the A330 or A340 is favored.-- GT
US Dept. of Transportation proposed to select Continental Airlines and American Airlines as new entrants in the US-China market and to award new weekly cargo flights to four carriers already serving the market. DOT proposed to award Continental seven weekly passenger flights for rights that become available March 25. Continental plans to serve the Beijing-Newark route. The department also proposed to award seven weekly passenger flights to American for services in the Chicago-Shanghai market effective March 25.
Former Boeing CFO Mike Sears was sentenced to four months in prison and fined $250,000 for his role in Boeing's controversial $21 billion proposal to lease 767 tanker aircraft to the US military. Sears was fired in Nov. 2003 for violating company policies by communicating about future employment for Darleen Druyun at Boeing while she was involved in the tanker deal at the US Air Force and subsequently trying to conceal their misconduct. Druyun, who also was fired after the scandal, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy in April 2004 ( ATWOnline, April 21).
ATA Holdings Corp. yesterday promoted Co-Chief Restructuring Officer John Denison to CEO of ATA Airlines. Denison, who joined the bankrupt company in Jan., will report directly to ATA Holdings Corp. Chairman and CEO George Mikelsons. He previously served in several senior management positions with Southwest Airlines, including executive VP-corporate services and CFO. Southwest and ATA recently began codesharing on a number of flights. "John has proven himself to be a valuable member of our senior management team in the short time he has been with ATA," Mikelsons said.
Pinnacle Airlines Corp. reported net income of $10.3 million for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, up 5.3% over net income of $9.8 million in the prior-year period. The company said fourth-quarter results were impacted negatively by severe weather, particularly in the final week of Dec. Total operating revenues for the period rose 42.7% to $181.3 million while operating expenses climbed 49.5% to $163.8 million, producing an operating income of $17.5 million, down 0.2% from operating income of $17.6 million in the year-ago period.
Iberia and Mexicana have broadened their codeshare agreement. As of Feb. 26, Iberia will place its code on Mexicana's flights from Mexico City to Oaxaca and Merida while Mexicana will begin codesharing on Iberia's flights between Madrid and both Malaga and Santiago de Compostela.
Alitalia was forced to cancel 176 flights Monday after its flight attendants staged a one-day strike, according to media reports. The strike was organized by Sult, one of the unions currently in negotiations with the airline.
AirAsia said it will buy an additional 20 A320s, raising its previously announced commitment to 100. The latest aircraft are earmarked to handle expansion of Thai AirAsia to China. According to AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, the airline has secured regulatory approval from China's regulatory authorities to serve five destinations, including Chengdu, Kunming and Xiamen from Bangkok from May. Fernandes told media in Kuala Lumpor that AirAsia also is looking at flying from Kota Kinabalu to southern China.-- Geoffrey Thomas
Most of the discussions regarding new GDS alternatives have centered on the suppliers' point of view. The debate has almost always focused on whether the segment fees that airlines pay the GDSs are too high. But G2 SwitchWorks is working the other side of the street: It is banking on the notion that after 30 years of working with traditional GDSs, travel agents are ready for some new technology.
Hawaiian Airlines' 376 mechanics and related workers, represented by the International Assn. of Machinists, ratified a new three-year contract. Four of the carrier's six unions now have ratified agreements. Last week, members of the Assn. of Flight Attendants rejected a tentative agreement with the bankrupt carrier. In addition, Hawaiian continues to negotiate with the Air Line Pilots Assn.
Air Dolomiti, 100% owned by Lufthansa, will add four former Aer Lingus BAe 146-300s to its fleet by May and phase out its five CRJs. It will introduce the higher capacity on routes from northern Italy to Munich.
Skyways Aviation arranged the sale of three F50s by Luxair to Largus Aviation of Sweden. The aircraft will be placed with Amapola, an F50 freight carrier operating for the Swedish post office, but will be leased by Skyways until they are required.
Finnair named Antero Lahtinen MD-Finnair Cargo Oy, responsible for Finnair Cargo. He takes up his new post on May 1 and also will become a senior VP on the Finnair Group Board of Management.
Boeing believes the composite structure and electric systems on its new 787 will lead to significantly lower maintenance costs versus comparable aircraft in use today. In fact, according to 787 Deputy Chief Mechanic Justin Hale, the company is guaranteeing mature maintenance cost savings of 32% against the A330 at year 12 of operation.
Qatar Airways is increasing the number of daily flights between Bahrain and Doha to five starting Feb. 22. The fifth flight was needed to accommodate the increased traffic generated by Qatar's recent launch of service to London Gatwick, Seychelles, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Yangoon.
Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp., a Taiwan-based joint venture between EVA Airways and GE, will carry out the conversion of three 747-400 passenger jets into 747 Large Cargo Freighters that will be used to transport major assemblies for the 787, Boeing said. Modification of the first will begin about mid-year with certification expected during 2006. Separately, Boeing said it selected Gamesa Aeronautica of Vitoria, Spain, as a partner in designing the structure of the 747LCF.
Aloha Airlines said its 30 dispatchers and schedulers, represented by the Transport Workers Union, ratified a new 52-month contract through April 30, 2009. However, the 250 mechanics and inspectors represented by IAM voted down a tentative agreement.
American Airlines will add a second nonstop flight between Dallas/Ft. Worth and Sao Paulo June 9. The new flight will be operated five days a week during peak season and thrice-weekly between Sept. 7 and Nov. 22. The route will be served with a 767-300.
ITA Software will charge airlines 40 cents per segment booked through its new "alternative" GDS, chief executive officer Jeremy Wertheimer said. That's about 10% of what the traditional GDSs charge. And unlike other alternative booking methods, some of which involve direct connections between airlines and major travel agencies, ITA plans to develop a full-service GDS, with hotel, cruise and car rental participation.
Last year, ATW introduced a new award to recognize airlines achieving a commercial rebirth through a life-changing transformation. The first recipient, Aer Lingus, successfully implemented a low-cost business model, demonstrating that a traditional flag carrier can "change its spots." This year's winner, Air New Zealand, likewise survived a near-death experience in 2001 to remake itself into a profitable and innovative competitor across different markets.
