One Egyptian company that truly represents the private sector is reinventing itself as it moves from freight handling through to business aviation. Alan Peaford reports.
Air France announced that Bruno Delile was promoted group VP new aircraft and fleet planning,. Delile has spent most his career with AF, primarily at Air France Industries, the company's MRO arm, including serving as AFI KLM E&M VP Operations for the Americas. He also worked for Safran Group's Hispano-Suiza subsidiary. He succeeds Pierre Vellay.
Iridium Communications announced that it received "in excess of $1.8 billion of commitments from a syndicate of preeminent international banks" in connection with the credit facility that will be used to finance the construction of the company’s next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium Next. Thales Alenia Space is the prime contractor for the project, which consists of 81 low-earth orbiting communications satellites with first launch in early 2015. Iridium expects to sign the credit facility in September and close shortly thereafter.
ST Aerospace said it acquired the remaining 30% equity in ST Aerospace Training Academy it did not own, through its ST Aerospace Engineering subsidiary. The stake was acquired for S$4 million ($3 million) in cash from Aviation Training Academy (Singapore).
Malev Hungarian Airlines CCO and Deputy CEO Karim Makhlouf resigned from the carrier last week. Makhlouf, who joined Hungary's state-owned national carrier in January 2009, said it had been a “great experience to restructure this airline until this stage.”Before joining Malev, he was CCO of SkyEurope and director of Network Management at Hapag-Lloyd Express. He also was member of the founding
European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom on Friday criticized the decision by the US Dept. of Homeland Security to move forward with an interim rule that will assess a $14 biennial fee on travelers visiting the US from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program beginning Sept 8.
Lufthansa Techniksaid it will build a new three-bay aircraft maintenance hangar at the future Berlin Brandenburg International airport for maintaining short- and medium- range Lufthansa aircraft from 2012. Monarch Aircraft Engineeringsigned a line maintenance technical handling agreement with Air Finland covering support services at London Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham and Manchester.
Philippines Airlines is facing the prospect of major flight disruptions owing to pilots resigning for better paid positions with other airlines and flight attendants threatening strike action over an age 40 retirement requirement.
Travelport said that United Airlines signed a two-year extension of their current full content agreement. "Through the extension of the agreement, all United published fares and seat inventory, including Web fares available on its own site, reservation offices and through third parties, will be available to subscribers of Travelport's Apollo, Galileo and Worldspan GDS systems….well into 2013," Travelport said.
British Airways and the cabin crew union Unite did not come to an agreement Monday during brief talks under the auspices of the UK's Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service ( ATW Daily News, Aug. 2), but both parties committed to meet again.“There was a short meeting at ACAS ... and there are plans to meet again next week,” BA said in a statement.
News from Travel Technology Update: Airlines' ancillary revenues grew 43% in 2009 over the previous year, to $13.5 billion worldwide, according to a study by IdeaWorks, a consultancy focused on airline ancillary revenues, that was underwritten by Amadeus. Overall, airlines worldwide lost somewhere in the neighborhood of $16 billion in 2008 and nearly $10 billion in 2009. The study noted that some of the additional revenue last year came from new ancillary revenue initiatives introduced by various airlines last year.
MakeMyTrip plans IPO Movitas raises $3 million in new funding Southwest’s maverick approach to fees fattens its bottom line Vayant emerges as new competitor to ITA Software OpenTravel introduces new board Airlines, OTAs can integrate ITA mobile app on websites World news briefing
Airlines' ancillary revenues grew 43% in 2009 over the previous year, to $13.5 billion worldwide, according to a study by IdeaWorks, a consultancy focused on airline ancillary revenues, that was underwritten by Amadeus. Overall, airlines worldwide lost somewhere in the neighborhood of $16 billion in 2008 and nearly $10 billion in 2009. The study noted that some of the additional revenue last year came from new ancillary revenue initiatives introduced by various airlines last year.
7 Singapore Airlines intends to progressively introduce electronic versions of magazines on its KrisWorld inflight entertainment system, beginning with its three in-flight magazines, SilverKris, KrisShop and KrisWorld. The airline said the ultimate aim is a paperless cabin. Navitaire announced that Wizz Air renewed its agreement for distribution, reservation, and departure control services over the next 10 years. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Airline share prices rose 10% between January and July, outperforming the overall stock market, IATA said yesterday in its latest "Airlines Financial Monitor." Last week, IATA reported that June international passenger traffic rose by 11.9% and freight traffic by 26.5% ( ATW Daily News, July 29).
Taiwan's aviation authority suspended 31 weekly cross-strait flights on Monday, claiming a different understanding of thelatest agreement that was signed with Beijing in May ( ATW Daily News, May 25). The remaining 19 weekly cross-strait flights—14 from Taipei (Songshan airport) to Shanghai (Hongqiao airport ) and five to middle and southern Taiwan—can be operated normally, Taiwan said.
Continental Airlines said it plans to offer $750 million of senior secured notes due in 2015. The notes will be guaranteed by its Air Micronesia and Continental Micronesia subsidiaries and secured by certain routes, airport slots and gate leaseholds utilized in connection with the routes. Approximately $350 million of the proposed offering will be used to retire an existing secured loan facility that is due in June 2011 with the remainder dedicated to general corporate purposes.
Aer Linguscabin crew, represented by the Impact union, last week announced it would ballot for strike action as part of an ongoing dispute over proposed cost-cutting measures. This would be the third ballot, following an initial 64% vote against the changes that encompass pay cuts, redundancies and productivity increases, and a subsequent 93% vote supporting the restructuring measures ( ATW Daily News, March 29).
Northwest Airlines has agreed to plead guilty to fixing prices on air cargo shipments and pay a $38 million criminal fine, the US Dept. of Justice announced.
American Airlines and Delta Air Lines said they will remove their codes from AeroMexico and Mexicana flights respectively following the US FAA's downgrading late Friday of Mexico's safety rating from a Category 1 to Category 2.
The European Commission said it has "opened an in-depth investigation under the EU Merger Regulation" into the planned Olympic Air/Aegean Airlines combination, stating that its initial inquiry into the deal found that "serious competition concerns" could arise.
The US Congress attached sweeping aviation safety reform legislation, including a requirement that all Part 121 pilots accumulate at least 1,500 hr. of flight time before operating a commercial flight, to its latest short-term FAA funding extension passed on Friday.
As part of its largest order to date, OnAir will equip 90 Emirates A380s with connectivity that will enable passengers to make voice calls, send SMS text messages or use wireless data services ( ATW Daily News,July 21). "Major airlines now are starting to recognize the connectivity that had been a 'nice-to-have' historically has moved [beyond] that," OnAir CEO Ian Dawkins told ATW. "If you want to be a five-star airline, it's something you have to offer."
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation ruled that all safety-sensitive aviation personnel must eat while on duty during Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting that begins Aug. 11. The ruling affects air traffic controllers, flight attendants, pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, airport maintenance personnel, airport ramp personnel, baggage and freight load dispatch controllers and security personnel.
