Cameroon Transport Minister Gounoukou Haounaye told the National Assembly that the government plans to spend CFA100 billion ($210.5 million) for the "purchase of three planes from Boeing," Reuters reported. Aircraft were not identified and will be placed with the new Cameroon Airlines Corp., established to replace defunct Cameroon Airlines. "I cannot give you a precise date when the company will begin flights, but I can assure you that it will be very soon," Haounaye said, adding that a strategic partner will own 51% of the new carrier.
Air India announced formation of a "turnaround committee" comprising management and union representatives who will "make presentations identifying areas where savings can be effected." The Indian government told the airline this week that aid will be tied to performance improvements ( ATWOnline, June 25).
IATA said yesterday that May passenger and cargo traffic figures revealed a stabilization in demand declines but warned that airline revenue is still falling sharply. "We may have hit bottom, but we are a long way from recovery," DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said. "Capacity is not aligned with demand." He said that following a 20% fall in international passenger revenue in the first quarter, "we estimate that the drop accelerated to as much as negative 30% in May. This crisis is the worst we have ever seen."
Lufthansa said its Passenger Airlines segment will present details of "a new profit saving program" on July 30, when the company releases its first-half results. "The financial crisis and its repercussions pose major challenges for airlines worldwide. Lufthansa is also impacted by the persistently weak demand development in both the passenger and freight businesses, structural changes in passengers' travel behavior and rising fuel prices," it said. At an investors day yesterday, LH said it has cut capacity by 2.6% this year and removed 23 aircraft from its fleet.
Ambassador John Bruton, head of the European Commission Delegation to the US, is raising concerns about a proposal in Congress to charge foreign visitors at least $10 each to fund a new quasi-governmental corporation that will help promote travel to the US. Congress currently is considering the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (S 1023), "which would establish a nonprofit corporation to better communicate US entry policies to international travelers and promote leisure, business and scholarly travel," according to a statement from Bruton.
Iberia and ST Aerospace officially commemorated the opening of Madrid Aerospace Services, their joint venture company created to carry out landing gear MRO on A320, A330 and A340 aircraft ( ATWOnline, June 2). The 50/50 JV has completed and delivered 10 landing gears since early April and received the first shipset from its inaugural third-party customer, SriLankan Airlines, with a target completion date of July. MAeS expects to employ about 100 technicians at full capacity.
US FAA announced this week that its New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Metropolitan Area Airspace Redesign "cleared a key legal barrier" after a three judge panel from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia struck down a series of legal challenges. Decision means the agency can move ahead with the delay reduction plan, which had been opposed by the State of Connecticut as well as towns and counties in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut and a citizens group.
US FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said yesterday that the agency is initiating "an expedited review of flight and rest rules" and "will work rapidly to develop and implement a new flight time and rest rule." Babbitt said that "pilot fatigue [is now] a high priority" for FAA and called for US airlines and pilot unions "to respond [to FAA] by July 31 with specific commitments to strengthen safety at regional and major airlines." He said carriers must "obtain all available FAA pilot records, among other actions."
ATWOnline is pleased to announce that a carbon emissions calculator is now available on our Eco-Aviation channel. Calculator is powered by RDC Aviation and enables users to calculate their CO2 by route and by airline for either direct or one-stop flights.
RwandAir is the new name of the former Rwandair Express. CEO Gerald Zirimwabagabo said the initial phase of a five-year plan recommended the name change because Express "gives the impression of a 'small' point-to-point airline." The carrier plans to implement an online reservation and payment system in August and establish a loyalty program "a few months from now."
Lufthansa Systems completed implementation of its GroundSolutions/Mobile check-in solution at Austrian Airlines, enabling passengers to check in via mobile phone.
Air India "will have to do a lot of restructuring. . . organizationally, financially and manpowerwise," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told reporters following the airline's formal presentation requesting government aid. "There is a lot of excess flab on the entire body of Air India and it does not only mean manpower but also it means various cost-cutting measures that have to be looked at comprehensively," he said, according to Agence France Presse.
Air New Zealand said May yield rose 7.1% year-over-year, due largely to foreign exchange gains. Excluding those, yield climbed 1.7%. It flew 1.72 billion RPKs during the month, down 11.4%, against a 13.9% decline in capacity to 2.28 billion ASKs. Load factor rose 2.2 points to 75.7%. Allegiant Air flew 381.1 million RPMs in May, up 23.9% from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 22.9% to 420.5 million ASMs and load factor increased 0.7 point to 90.6%.
United Airlines said it will cut an additional 600 flight attendant positions this year, bringing the total number of flight attendant job reductions planned in 2009 to more than 2,000. The cuts reportedly will begin Aug. 31. "We will offer our flight attendants a voluntary package and hope to receive enough responses to prevent any involuntary furloughs," the airline said. UA and cabin staff represented by the Assn. of Flight Attendants-CWA in April launched negotiations on their labor contract that is amenable Jan.
Clear program, which offered passengers the opportunity to speed through designated security lanes at 18 US airports for a $200 annual fee, abruptly ceased operations Monday night. Parent Verified Identity Pass said on its website that it "has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continue operations" and that it "will continue to secure [customer data] and will take appropriate steps to delete the information." However, it said it could not issue refunds "because of its financial condition."
US Air Transport Assn. said yesterday that US airline passenger revenue dropped 26% year-over-year in May, the seventh straight month of decline. The number of passengers traveling on US airlines fell 9.5% year-over-year while the average price to fly 1 mi. decreased 17.6%. "Revenue declines extended beyond the mainland United States to the transatlantic, transpacific and Latin markets," ATA said.
Singapore Airlines and Air Line Pilots Assn.-Singapore reached an agreement under which pilots will take one day of leave without pay each month and a cut of 65% from an additional day's pay effective July 1. The groups reached a similar deal in May that now is superseded ( ATWOnline, May 5). SIA plans to decommission 16 aircraft and cut capacity by 11% during the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2010.
BAE Systems Asset Management announced the sale of one BAe 146-100 and three ATPs to Miami-based lessor Regional One. The three ATPs are on operating lease with SATA Air Acores.
Austrian Airlines Group flew 1.38 billion RPKs in May, down 18.8% year-over-year, against a 13.9% fall in capacity to 1.95 billion ASKs. Load factor slipped 4.2 points to 70.8%. Norwegian said May unit revenue fell 2% year-over-year to NOK0.46 (7.17 cents) while yield was steady at NOK0.59. It flew 909 million RPKs during the month, up 19%, against a 21% increase in ASKs to 1.18 billion. Load factor fell 2 points to 77%.
European Cockpit Assn. and US Air Line Pilots Assn. warned they will "not be in a position to support" any further negotiations on a second-stage open skies agreement between the EU and US if their bargaining rights are not "rebalanced." The statement coincides with a new round of negotiations starting this week.
Air India announced the formation of a four-member committee that will examine its labor agreements and identify INR5 billion ($102 million) in annual savings. AI said employee costs currently exceed INR30 billion per year. "Besides reduction in wage cost[s], Air India is also looking at improving productivity of employees, elimination of restrictive work practices and reducing wasteful expenditure," it said. The committee will issue its report by July 15.
Airbus CEO Tom Enders and Airbus China President Laurence Barron told ATWOnline yesterday in Tianjin that the financial commitment involved in establishing the manufacturer's new final assembly line is taking a back seat to its effort "to build a Chinese identity for Airbus."
Iberia Maintenance signed a three-year engine MRO agreement with Russia's Yakutia Airlines covering two Rolls-Royce RB211-535-E4s and a contract with India's Blue Dart Aviation for MRO on three RB211-535-C37s powering its 757-200 freighters.
The Argentine government outlined its plans to "modernize" newly nationalized Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral Lineas Aereas in a statement released Friday and indicated its commitment to a long-haul Airbus order. The airlines were brought under state control six months ago ( ATWOnline, Dec. 22, 2008). AR recently took delivery of a new 737-700, the first new aircraft purchased for the carrier in 16 years. A second will arrive before July and nine "similar aircraft" will be added on lease this year.
