Safety, Ops & Regulation

Lufthansa Technik has announced plans to cut 650 jobs by 2015 as part of an extensive reorganization program.

Finnair CEO Mika Vehvilainen has resigned to take a new position as CEO of Finnish cargo and load handling specialist Cargotec.

EasyJet chairman Michael Rake has announced plans to step down as easyJet non-executive director and chairman this summer.

OLT Express Germany ceased operations Jan. 27 after owner Panta Holdings B.V would not agree to support a restructuring program.

African low-cost carrier Fastjet and grounded Kenyan airline Jetlink Express have signed an MOU, paving the way for a joint venture (JV).

Ryanair has posted a net profit of €18.1 million ($24.3 million) for its fiscal third quarter, up 21% from €14.9 million year-over-year.

AJW Group said it is “significantly increasing” the size of its engine lease portfolio, aiming to grow its lease pool to over 60 engines this year. A J Walter Leasing and A J Walter Aviation have recently added three GE Aviation CF6-80C2s, five CFM International CFM56-3C1s and one Pratt & Whitney PW4056-3 to the lease portfolio of PW2040 and CFM56 series engines.

Pinnacle Airlines Corp. is preparing to move its headquarters from Memphis, Tenn. to Minneapolis, Minn.

A US bankruptcy judge granted AMR Corp. permission to purchase new aircraft.

German airports are facing flight disruptions and cancellations for the second day as security staff continue a strike over pay.

From the February 2013 Issue of ATW

A United Airlines Boeing 777 arriving at a gate at Washington Dulles Airport from Brussels Thursday “made contact” with the wingtip of a second United 777 aircraft parked at an adjacent gate.

If American Airlines-US Airways merger occurs, the US major airline industry would be down to six carriers.

A group of 17 European aviation stakeholders have launched an action plan aimed at minimizing the risk of runway excursions.

US Airways and its flight attendants have reached a tentative agreement on a collective bargaining deal.

AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes has abandoned plans to set up a JV airline in Singapore and hinted at the flotation of AirAsia Indonesia.

BBA Aviation has appointed Peg Billson as president and CEO of the BBA Aviation Aftermarket Services division. In her new role, Billson assumes overall leadership responsibility for the division and will continue to serve on the BBA Aviation executive committee.

Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) has determined the cause of a Red Wings Airlines’ Tupolev Tu-204 crash last month.

EasyJet posted a first-quarter revenue of £833 million ($1.31 billion), up 9.2% year-over-year for the period ended Dec. 31, 2012.

Alaska Air Group reported a 2012 net income for 2012 of $316 million, up 29% from a $245 million net profit in the year-ago period.

United Airlines parent United Continental Holdings incurred a 2012 net loss of $763 million on heavy interest expenses and merger-related costs.

The Kuwaiti government has approved the privatization of Kuwait Airways Corp. (KAC).

Southwest Airlines posted 2012 net income of $421 million, marking its 40th consecutive year of profitability.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has weighed in on the debate concerning proposed changes to Flight Time Limitations (FTL).

Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet posted a third-quarter net profit of INR1.02 billion ($18.97 million) in the October-December 2012 period.