Spirit AeroSystems, based in Wichita, announced the immediate commencement of direct international parts sales and distribution. It said it is "responding to [international] customers' expressed desire to deal directly with Spirit and not through an intermediary" and that it now is "fully capable of engaging directly with international customers." It said it plans to establish "regional centers around the world to be closer to [customer] markets" and that the transition from its current distributor will be complete by June 30.
LAN Airlines flew 2.62 billion RPKs in November, up 13.3% from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 8.8% to 3.3 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 3.2 points to 79.5%. Copa Airlines flew 552.9 million RPMs in November, up 14.2% year-over-year, against a 7.8% lift in ASMs to 675.8 million. Load factor rose 4.6 points to 81.8%. SkyWest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines flew a combined 1.37 billion RPMs in November a 9.4% increase year-over-year. Capacity was up 7.8% to 1.78 billion ASMs and load factor climbed 1.1 points to 77%.
While Turkish Airlines' network and bottom line continue to grow, CEO Temel Kotil admitted to ATWOnline that more is needed to fulfill his ambition to make the carrier a global player--"I'm not satisfied with our image," he said. Speaking to this website in Istanbul, Kotil said THY still has work to do in establishing and increasing the public's confidence in its brand. "We have to show the people that TK is already offering a top product. So far, the [lack of] awareness of our brand is a big problem." He said he is considering increasing the advertising budget.
SkyWorks Leasing announced a mandate to remarket three 757-200SFs for sale or lease. Two are currently on lease with Varig Logistica and will be available in January and May respectively. Aircraft were converted in 2006 at Flightstar Aircraft Services.
The 3.1% decline in 2009 passenger traffic (RPKs) is the industry's "largest on record," according to ICAO, which is predicting a "moderate" increase of 3.3% next year and "full recovery" of 5.5% in 2011.
UK Competition Appeal Tribunal released a ruling yesterday agreeing with BAA's claim regarding apparent bias in the Competition Commission ruling forcing it to sell London Gatwick and Stansted ( ATWOnline, May 19).
GECAS announced the sale of 15 aircraft valued at some $830 million and currently on lease with various airlines to China Development Bank subsidiary CDB Leasing. CDB President Wang Chong said the transaction "will greatly expand our international presence." It signed a financing deal with Embraer this month ( ATWOnline, Dec. 14).
TAM announced the acquisition of Pantanal Linhas Aereas, a small regional that operates ATR 42s out of Sao Paulo Congonhas. TAM said it paid BRL13 million ($7.3 million) for the shares.
The US Dept. of Transportation yesterday announced a final ruling forcing US airlines to deplane passengers after a 3-hr. delay under most circumstances, among other consumer-friendly provisions, which the Air Transport Assn. said would lead to unfavorable "unintended consequences."
IATA welcomed the Copenhagen Accord reached at the UN Climate Change Conference last week as "an important step in the right direction," and said the fact that aviation emissions were not addressed specifically was "a reflection of the proactive measures the industry has taken to set challenging targets for itself, together with an aggressive strategy to achieve them" ( ATWOnline, Dec. 16).
Jet Airways received approval to lease out three 777-300ERs to Royal Brunei Airlines. Jet also announced the launch of a daily Delhi-Doha flight on Jan. 21 aboard a 737-800.
US Air Transport Assn., American Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines last week initiated a legal challenge in the UK High Court of Justice against aviation's inclusion in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme, arguing that it violates the Chicago Convention (ratified in the UK in March 1947), the Kyoto Protocol, the US-EU open skies agreement and is "contrary to the customary international law principle that each state has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory." The lawsuit was filed against the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate C
UTair Aviation of Russia launched a Ukrainian subsidiary, UTair-Ukraine, which is operating from Moscow Vnukovo to Luhansk, Kharkov and Nikolaev with ATR 42s. UTair transported 3.2 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2009, up 6.1% year-over-year. Load factor was up 0.8 point to 71.3%.
Moscow Domodedovo announced that "in accordance to ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices" it now is capable of operating simultaneous departures from its parallel runways spaced 2 km. apart. The airport said this will "ensure future increased capacity" up to 90 movements per hr. DME is Russia's largest airport in terms of passenger traffic, with a 45% share of passenger volume. It is served by 80 airlines.
Alaska Airlines ramp service and stores agents represented by the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers ratified a two-year contract extension, while 2,800 clerical, office and passenger service employees represented by the same union rejected an identical two-year offer, the airline announced. It said it will reopen negotiations with the latter group in early 2010.
Turkish Airlines Chairman Candan Karlitekin submitted his resignation last week and will leave the company on Jan. 1. A source close to THY told ATWOnline that Karlitekin left of his own free will and offered no reason for the decision. He had held the post since 2002. Reuters reported that Deputy Chairman Hamdi Topcu will succeed Karlitekin next month.
Qantas subsidiary Jetstar Airways and AirAsia "have entered discussions regarding a potential cost-saving joint venture," QF said in a statement last week. A Jetstar spokesperson told Dow Jones that the companies are "looking at ways we can further cut costs through economies of scale" via cooperation on airport operations and procurement. "We both compete for passengers from a growing pool, and that clearly will remain." A source told Dow Jones that no cross-ownership is involved.
The US Air Transport Assn. reported that passenger revenue fell 7% in November versus the same month in 2008 based on a sample group of carriers that includes the major network airlines and their regional partners but excludes Southwest Airlines. November was the 13th consecutive month of annual revenue declines, which ATA said were fueled primarily by the 12th consecutive month of ticket price declines. Approximately 1% fewer passengers traveled on US airlines in November, while the average price to fly 1 mi. fell 6.4%.
AMF, the French stock market regulator, last week cleared 17 current and former EADS/Airbus executives of wrongdoing regarding alleged insider trading related to A380 program delays.
ATR opened a logistics support center at Kuala Lumpur International to be managed by DHL Supply Chain. It said there are nearly 90 ATR aircraft operating in Southeast Asia. ATR also has centers in Paris, Miami, Auckland and Singapore.
SAS Group airlines flew 1.86 billion RPKs in November, down 11.3% from the year-ago month. Capacity fell 13.5% to 2.77 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 1.7 points to 67.2%. SAS Scandinavian Airlines flew 1.72 billion RPKs, down 12%, against a 14% fall in ASKs to 2.53 billion. Load factor rose 1.5 points to 67.9%. Air Berlin said November unit revenue rose 1.7% year-over-year to €5.24 cents (7.55 cents). Passenger numbers fell 0.1% to 2.2 million and load factor was down 0.8 point to 71.9% on a 1.1% rise in capacity.
China's airlines earned a collective profit of CNY7.35 billion ($1.07 billion) through the first 11 months of 2009, almost triple the CNY2.53 billion reported in the year-ago period, according to CAAC.
