Naverus announced that China Eastern Airlines completed a performance based navigation 737 flight at Lhasa last week, marking the first RNP implementation of the aircraft at an airport located higher than 10,000 ft. It also announced the granting of an Instrument Flight Procedure Service Certificate by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand authorizing it to design, certify and maintain RNP procedures.
Belgium initiated proceedings against Switzerland before the UN International Court of Justice regarding its longstanding dispute over the 2001 bankruptcy of Sabena, in which SAirGroup (formerly Swissair) and its SAirLines subsidiary held a 49.5% stake. Belgium claimed that Switzerland violated the Lugano Convention, "in particular in the judicial domain, [and relating to] the decision by Swiss courts not to recognize a decision by Belgian courts and not to stay proceedings later initiated in Switzerland on the subject of the same dispute," according to the filing.
IATA unveiled several new safety initiatives, including a program called Fatigue Risk Management Systems designed to monitor flight crew fatigue and a Web-based Global Safety Information Center granting IATA members access to its internal safety databases. "The GSIG will enable airlines to benchmark their safety performance with other operators," Senior VP-Safety, Operations and Infrastructure Gunther Matschnigg noted at last week's press day in Geneva.
SR Technics named Titan Aviation President and CEO Raymond Sisson as chief commercial officer. Nexcelle, the GE Middle River Aircraft Systems and Aircelle joint venture, named Michel Abella director-programs. Abella was Aircelle's program manager for its A380 nacelles.
Welcome Air, an Innsbruck-based regional, acquired a 76% stake in financially troubled Air Alps, which also is based in Innsbruck but operates mainly out of Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino in partnership with Alitalia. The new group will operate eight Do-328s and four business jets and focus on niche markets in Central Europe. Financial details of the transaction were not announced. The combined company will produce some €40 million ($57.1 million) in annual revenue and carry around 120,000 passengers.
Navtech said that Delta Air Lines completed its transition to its Preferential Bidding System rostering software. Pilots will use the tool beginning next month. PROS Revenue Management won a contract from Royal Jordanian Airlines to deploy its new suite of network revenue management systems, with implementation scheduled for the 2010 fourth quarter.
Iberia flew 3.72 billion RPKs in November, a 5.9% decline from the year-ago month. Capacity was cut 6.8% to 4.79 billion ASKs and load factor rose 0.7 point to 77.8%. Norwegian's November yield fell 20% year-over-year to NOK0.55, while unit revenue dropped 21% to NOK0.41. The LCC flew 872 million RPMs last month, up 27%, against a 29% increase in ASKs to 1.18 billion. Load factor dropped 1 point to 74%. Germanwings transported 501,687 passengers in November, down 1.3% year-over-year. Load factor fell 5.8 points to 70.5%.
ST Aerospace renewed a three-year deal with US Airways covering heavy maintenance on US's 737, 757 and 767 aircraft. It also announced a three-year, $90 million deal with a "major US airline" covering C checks and heavy MRO on A320 family and 767 aircraft. Contract includes a two-year option. International Communications Group received EASA Part 145 approval for its Newport News, Va., repair station.
Estonian government is discussing reacquiring a majority share in Estonian Air by purchasing part of SAS Group's stake, officials told The Baltic Times. OV currently is held by SAS (49%), Estonia (34%) and Cresco investment bank (17%). Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said it will partner with another airline investor on the acquisition. "SAS plans to sell its holding in Estonian Air and has made a corresponding offer to the Estonian state.
US Dept. of Justice, whose objection to the antitrust immunity application from several Star Alliance members was dismissed by the Dept. of Transportation over the summer ( ATW, August 2009), has expressed similar concerns over the transatlantic ATI application from oneworld partners American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, Finnair and Royal Jordanian.
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.
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
