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).
Tarom expects to join SkyTeam this year, an airline source told ATWOnline, echoing comments from alliance officials in November ( ATWOnline, Nov. 6, 2009). RO also plans to launch new service in March from Bucharest Otopeni to Riga, Bari and Nice. The carrier currently operates four 737-300s, four 737-700s, three 737-800s, four A318s, two A310-300s, seven ATR 42s and two ATR 72s.
The US National Transportation Safety Board identified pilot error as the cause of the February 2009 Colgan Air Q400 crash that killed 50, stating in its report released late Tuesday, "When the stick-shaker activated to warn the flight crew of an impending aerodynamic stall, the captain should have responded correctly to the situation by pushing forward on the control column. However, the captain inappropriately pulled aft on the control column and placed the airplane into an accelerated aerodynamic stall."
British Airways' decision to impose staffing cuts and introduce changes to cabin crew working conditions, which has prompted two strike votes by the Unite union ( ATWOnline, Jan. 21), now is being challenged in court. "It's about whether an employer can, without due notice or negotiation, systematically change the longstanding contracts of employment of its workforce," Unite National Officer for Civil Aviation Steve Turner said.
EasyJet signed a multiyear contract with the UK's Met Office, the country's national weather service, to use its new online ClearFlight solution, designed to help the carrier "anticipate weather-related delays at departure and destination airports around Europe." ClearFlight forms part of the Met Office's new Aviation Briefing Service.
Russian government yesterday announced plans to merge a series of smaller airlines, including St. Petersburg-based Rossiya, into Aeroflot. Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin said the consolidation would lift SU's domestic market share to 30%-35% from 15%-20%, according to RIA Novosti. Other carriers involved are Kavminvodyavia, Orenburg Airlines, Vladivostokavia, Saratov Airlines and Sakhalin Airlines, according to ITAR TASS.
SITA deployed the world's first Common Use Self-Service kiosks with an Arabic interface at Sharjah International, the parties announced yesterday. Passengers flying Air Arabia, Nas Air, Sama, Air India and Jet Airways are using the kiosks. SITA also is providing Web check-in for Air Arabia under a five-year deal.
News from Travel Technology Update: Amadeus is rolling out Master Pricer Agent Fare Families, an application that will enable travel agencies to set their own criteria for sorting air fares on their Web sites. Search results can be grouped in up to six fare families, each with similar characteristcs. Criteria can include the publishing carrier, booking class, cabin, refundability, penalties, public/private/corporate fare, etc.
Grupo TACA and Avianca yesterday announced the finalization of their merger agreement and the forming of their joint holding company, to be called Avianca-TACA Ltd. It will be domiciled in the Bahamas and held 67% by Avianca parent Synergy Aerospace Corp. and 33% by TACA parent Kingsland Holding.
Advanced Electronics Company (AEC)of Saudi Arabia and US firm Rockwell Collins today agreed to co-develop and market products and solutions to customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and throughout the Middle East.
