Delta Air Lines flew 14.69 billion system RPMs in December, a 7.5% decrease from the year-ago month. Capacity dropped 8% to 18.08 billion ASMs, boosting load factor 0.4 point to 81.2%. Southwest Airlines said December passenger RASM rose an estimated 7% year-over-year. It flew 5.97 billion RPMs during the month, up 3%, against a 5.8% cut in capacity to 7.83 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 6.5 points to 76.2%.
Hahn Air announced an insurance agreement with Generali Versicherung under which passengers in possession of a Hahn e-ticket will get a full refund in the event of the operator's bankruptcy. The transaction will processed by the travel agency through which the passenger purchased the ticket.
EASA reported that 2009 had the fewest fatal aviation accidents on record for its 31 member states, comprising the 27 EU nations plus Iceland, Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The May loss of an Air France A330 in the South Atlantic was the only fatal accident involving a commercial aircraft.
Oman Air transported 2.3 million passengers in 2009, up 17% from the prior year, boosting revenue 67%. It increased its fleet by eight aircraft to 21 and its network by five destinations to 32. It plans to add two more A330s in 2010.
United Airlines will lay off 140 employees this month, including 50 at Chicago O'Hare, the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers told the Chicago Tribune. An additional 100 customer service and ramp workers will be demoted to part-time status. A UA spokesperson told the paper the moves are a "result of our overall reduction in capacity." Mainline ASMs fell 9.7% in 2009.
Last year was "the safest year ever" for airline operations in terms of the rate of fatal accidents, Ascend reported, though it noted that the severity of several accidents resulted in the number of passengers and crew killed increasing "significantly" from 2008.
AirBaltic yesterday said it expects to report a full-year pre-tax profit of LVL14 million ($28.3 million), making it "the only profitable airline in Europe that is majority-owned by the state." In 2008 the Latvian carrier posted a pre-tax loss of LVL30.4 million. "Due to the strong development of transfer traffic, it was possible to maintain the level of passenger revenue. The profit has been greatly enhanced by the sale of different services--hotels, insurance, car rentals, etc.," President and CEO Bertolt Flick said.
Wizz Air said it transported 7.8 million passengers in 2009, up 33% from 2008, as it opened its 11th base (Prague), increased its A320 fleet to 27 aircraft from 20 and launched 40 new routes. It said it will be "opening new operating bases, launching new routes, adding more capacity and carrying over 10 million passengers" in 2010.
Air France added the deputy CEO title to CFO Philippe Calavia, Chief Marketing Officer Bruno Matheu and COO Alain Bassil. Calavia will take over responsibility for all IT activity, Matheu will add the Commercial France and I&N Division to his department and Bassil will succeed Gilbert Rovetto as head of Air France. Rovetto is leaving the executive committee to serve as an adviser to CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon.
Blue Wings is facing financial difficulty again less than a year after having its operating license suspended by German authorities ( ATWOnline, May 6, 2009). A spokesperson for the Dusseldorf-based airline told n-tv that employees still have not received their December checks and that Russian investors have not followed through on certain commitments.
Aer Lingus and United Airlines said the first flight operated under the transatlantic marketing and codeshare arrangement announced one year ago will be an EI A330 service between Madrid and Washington Dulles on March 28. "It is anticipated that additional routes may be made available for sale during 2010 to commence operation in summer 2011," EI said yesterday ( ATWOnline, Jan. 23, 2009).
The White House yesterday released the review of US security and intelligence systems that President Barack Obama ordered after the failed terrorist attack onboard a transatlantic flight two weeks ago and conceded that the government possessed "sufficient information. . .to have potentially disrupted" the plot before it occurred.
Mesa Air Group, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday ( ATWOnline, Jan. 6), was informed by NASDAQ that the company will be delisted on Jan. 14. Mesa said it will not appeal the stock exchange's decision.
US Airways said December consolidated unit revenue fell approximately 2% year-over-year while total RASM was down 1%. President Scott Kirby said the airline was "pleased our revenue performance continued to show improvement with positive trends in both booked yields and corporate revenue." The company flew 4.65 billion consolidated RPMs in December, a 3.6% fall from the year-ago month, against a 2.5% cut in capacity to 5.9 billion ASMs. Load factor dropped 0.9 point to 78.7%.
BioJet Corp. and Great Plains Oil & Exploration yesterday announced an agreement to produce renewable jet fuel through joint development of integrated camelina cultivation and associated refinery projects in the US, Europe, South America and Asia. The companies said that within five years, camelina production from currently planned projects will yield some 200 million gal. per year of renewable jet fuel along with other products. Great Plains said it is the largest camelina producer in the world.
Thai Airways Executive Chairman Wallop Bhukkanasut resigned Tuesday after several weeks of accusations and negative coverage regarding his avoidance of some $5,600 in excess baggage charges on a November flight from Tokyo Narita to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi.
Aer Lingus and Aer Arann are negotiating franchise arrangements on routes between Ireland and the UK, EI confirmed yesterday. It said a "further announcement will be made as appropriate."
Slovak Border and Immigration Police confirmed that one of its officers "forgot about" 90 grams of research development explosive placed into the luggage of a passenger without his knowledge as part of a security exercise. The explosives were planted prior to Sunday's Danube Wings flight from Poprad-Tatry to Dublin. One sample reportedly was detected by sniffer dogs at TAT but the second was undiscovered. The police told Bloomberg News that the officer "forgot about the second sample" that eventually made its way into Ireland. The RDX was not a threat to detonate.
Unite union and British Airways agreed to restart negotiations regarding the dispute over the airline's imposed conditions on flight attendants that resulted in an invalid strike vote before Christmas ( ATWOnline, De. 18, 2009).
United Airlines flew 9.21 billion consolidated RPMs in December, flat compared to the year-ago month. Capacity fell 3.1% to 11.24 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 2.5 points to 81.9%. Allegiant Air flew 406.2 million RPMs in December, up 18.6% year-over-year. Capacity rose 16.1% to 448.4 million ASMs and load factor increased 1.9 points to 90.6%.
SR Technics signed a 10-year contract with Air Berlin covering comprehensive maintenance of its CF56-7B, CF56-5B and PW4168 engines. Work will be performed at SRT's Zurich engine maintenance center. Deal includes a financing agreement for up to 12 spare engines worth some $100 million between AB and SRT parent Mubadala Development Co.
Qantas decided not to renew its membership in the Assn. of Asia Pacific Airlines, a move that analysts predict may spell the end of an organization with a history spanning more than four decades. The carrier's decision is expected to be emulated by a number of other member airlines canvassed by ATWOnline, some of whom suggested that the industry is better off uniting behind one voice, IATA.
US President Barack Obama yesterday announced increased airline security measures following a meeting with top national security aides to discuss a response to the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253.
Etihad Airways took delivery of the first of five new A330-300s it plans to add over the next two years. Aircraft seats 12 passengers in a new first class cabin, 40 in business and 151 in economy and will operate between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow. EY said two A340-600s already have been configured with the new first class product, with nine more to be retrofitted by December.
GE Aviation completed the acquisition of BMB Fuel Consulting Services of Ottawa, which identifies and tracks operational improvements for airlines that will reduce fuel consumption, according to GE.
