Thai Airways named Pravich Rattanapira chairman of the executive board, succeeding Wallop Bhukkanasut. Air Berlin announced the departure of Chief Maintenance Officer Wolfgang Kurth, citing "differences of opinion concerning the future strategic positioning of the technical support companies and their integration in the Air Berlin Group." AB CEO Joachim Hunold will handle Kurth's responsibilities in the interim.
Southwest Airlines reportedly is under investigation by FAA for another possible safety violation related to aircraft maintenance. Multiple media reports cited sources with knowledge of the probe and The Dallas Morning News stated that FAA's Fort Worth office confirmed it but declined to provide details. According to reports, FAA is investigating whether a Seattle-based repair station contracted by the LCC used unapproved procedures to repair as many as 44 737s that then operated more than 100,000 flights.
AirTran Airways announced that flight dispatchers at its Orlando control center represented by the Transport Workers Union ratified a new 48-month collective bargaining agreement.
Australian government announced a A$200 million ($174.1 million) commitment to boost airport security across the country by 2011. All international airports are to be equipped with full-body scanners and machines that can detect liquid explosives, with A$28.5 million to be spent on a variety of screening technologies. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said full-body scanners will be introduced by early next year, the Australian Associated Press reported. Australia will spend A$32 million to increase security at regional airports.
American Airlines will begin charging economy passengers $8 for a blanket and inflatable pillow on North and Central American flights lasting more than 2 hr. on May 1.
Hainan Airlines parent HNA Group is expected to launch a new Beijing-based carrier called Capital Air in partnership with the city government. The airline will be based on the assets of HNA's Deer Air subsidiary, which operates 18 A319s primarily on charter services. It transported 2.6 million passengers last year and has registered capital of CNY776.5 million. Beijing Capital Tourism Co. will represent the city government, although the amount of its investment remains under discussion. HNA will be the controlling stakeholder.
United Airlines promoted VP-Financial Planning and Analysis Rohit Philip to the new position of senior VP-corporate strategy and business development. MD-Investor Relations John Gebo was named to succeed Philip and Tyler Reddien will succeed Gebo.
Kenya Airways flew 2.14 billion RPKs in the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, up 1% year-over-year. Capacity rose 5% to 3.18 billion ASKs and load factor slipped 2.2 points to 67.4%. Passenger numbers rose 4.2% to 773,079.
Sabre Airline Solutions reached an agreement with Air Malta to provide its AirCentre Flight Plan Manager solution. Sabre Travel Network signed a multiyear, full-content distribution agreement with LAN Airlines and a deal to provide its SabreSonic Customer Sales and Service reservations system and Sabre AirCentre Enterprise Operations solution.
FAA yesterday published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking public comment on proposals to adjust certification regulations for FAR Part 61 and 121 pilots and "to gather information on whether current eligibility, training, and qualification requirements for commercial pilot certification are adequate."
IATA said executives from airlines around the world reported "a sharp improvement in the business environment" for the air transport industry in the final months of 2009 and are optimistic that conditions will continue to improve throughout the current year.
Panasonic Avionics Corp., in conjunction with AeroMobile, will provide its eX2 inflight entertainment system and Global Communications Suite to Turkish Airlines for installation on 12 777-300ERs and 10 A330-300s. First aircraft is scheduled to enter service in the fourth quarter. Package includes eXConnect broadband connectivity, eXPhone and the Panasonic Airborne Television Network. Panasonic said it also completed eX2 installation on the first of three leased A330-200s delivered to Sichuan Airlines.
UPS Airlines said it will begin furloughing "at least" 300 pilots in phases beginning in May unless it can "find a solution with the pilots' union that would avert or mitigate the layoffs before they take effect." UPS's 2,800 pilots, represented by the Independent Pilots Assn., agreed with the company last June to take "a variety of voluntary steps" to cut $90 million in costs in exchange for a promise from management that there would be no furloughs through April 1, 2010 ( ATWOnline, June 10, 2009).
Chile President-elect Sebastian Pinera on Friday approved the sale of his 26% stake in LAN Airlines, the largest single shareholding in the carrier, clearing the way for the Cueto family, which owns the second-largest share at between 20% and 25%, to buy some or all of the wealthy politician's holding. Pinera takes office next month and has promised to sell his holdings in LAN and other Chilean companies to avoid conflicts of interest. His LAN stake is worth $1.5 billion, according to Reuters.
Gulf Air was transferred from government investment vehicle Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding to the government, which will own it directly, according to a Mumtalakat statement cited by Reuters. The airline expects to post a 2009 operating loss of $510 million.
American Airlines flew 9.68 billion system RPMs in January, up 0.4% year-over-year. Capacity fell 2.7% to 12.71 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 2.4 points to 76.2%. American Eagle flew 569.7 million RPMs, up 9.1%, while capacity rose 5.1% to 895.8 million ASMs and load factor climbed 2.4 points to 63.6%. US Airways Group consolidated January passenger RASM rose approximately 2% year-over-year while total RASM was up some 3%, the company said. It flew 4.44 billion consolidated RPMs during the month, down 1.3%, against a 0.6% cut in capacity to 5.96 billion ASMs.
Thales said it installed its Eurocat air traffic management system, Aermac messaging system and a voice communication system at the recently inaugurated air traffic control center in Santiago, Chile.
ANA said the launch of its "Inspiration of Japan" long-haul product will be delayed until April because of a delay in the development of its new premium economy seats by Koito Industries of Yokohama. The first service, scheduled to commence on Feb. 20 aboard a 777-300ER operating between Tokyo Narita and New York JFK, will be pushed back to April 19. ANA said it plans to roll out additional aircraft with the new product and premium economy seating beginning in August ( ATWOnline, Nov. 11, 2009).
Air India plans to spin off Air India Cargo into a separate entity under the National Aviation Co. of India umbrella on April 1, Director-Cargo Anita Khurana said this week. Air India Cargo accounts for some 8% of AI's total revenue and operates six 737Fs and two A310Fs, according to the Press Trust of India. Khurana said AI will resume cargo flights to Europe and Japan at some point in the first half of 2010.
IATA said fourth-quarter financial data released so far "is quite consistently indicating a further improvement in performance during the second half of 2009." According to the organization's Airlines Financial Monitor released yesterday, the 19 carriers reporting 2009 fourth-quarter data so far have posted a combined $254.2 million loss, narrowed from a $4.62 billion deficit in the final three months of 2008. Operating result swung to a $625.7 million profit from a $648.2 million loss last year.
Shannon Aerospace announced the completion of six-year checks on three Aeroflot A320 family aircraft. TES Aviation Group signed a five-year fleet management program deal with Sriwijaya Air of Jakarta covering engine technical services and material support for its CFM56-3-powered 737-300s.
Rossiya, Kavminvodyavia and Orenburg Airlines, three of the six airlines scheduled to be combined with Aeroflot under a Russian government plan announced this week ( ATWOnline, Feb. 3), will be transitioned from state-owned enterprises into joint stock companies prior to the merger, The Moscow Times reported. The other three, Vladivostokavia, Saratov Airlines and Sakhalin Airlines, already are joint stock companies. Transport Minister Igor Levitin said the stake sales will occur this year.
Garuda Indonesia is on course for a $300 million initial public offering around the middle of this year, CEO Emirsyah Satar told reporters in Singapore. "We have yet to determine the underwriters. The IPO will either be in late second quarter or early third quarter of this year," he said, adding that the carrier plans to increase its fleet from the current 67 aircraft to 116 over the next five years. It will take delivery of 24 in 2010 and has converted its order for 10 787s into 777-300s that will begin delivery next year.
South African regional Airlink responded to the South Africa Competition Commission's announcement regarding an investigation into possible collusion on airfares for flights during this summer's World Cup ( ATWOnline, Jan. 8).
