US Air Transport Assn. said American carriers will transport 9% fewer passengers during the Dec. 18-Jan. 7 holiday period than in the prior year, although a 9% year-over-year decline in seats will mean "full or near-full flights throughout the holiday." ATA is forecasting some 2 million passengers per day during the period and 90% loads on the busiest days (Dec. 19 and Dec. 27).
Aer Arann said that up to 30 positions, "primarily" flight and cabin crew, that were scheduled to be cut now will be retained with the creation of an Isle of Man base. RE will launch a twice-weekly London City-IOM service on Jan. 19. The carrier still plans to eliminate 70 jobs ( ATWOnline, Oct. 21). The IOM base, which will include one ATR 72-500, will focus on RE's contract lease business. It also announced the Jan.
Amadeus and Etihad Airways unveiled Amadeus Gulf, a joint venture designed to provide a GDS to travel companies and agents in UAE, Bahrain and Oman. Etihad will hold 51% of the company, which CEO James Hogan said "signals Etihad's growing ambitions in the travel industry."
Japan Airlines said yesterday that it will operate a 747-300 test flight from Tokyo Haneda on Jan. 30 in conjunction with Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and Honeywell. It will use biofuel primarily derived from camelina plants. A blend of 50% biofuel and 50% traditional jet fuel will be tested in one of the aircraft's four JT9D engines. The biofuel will be a mixture of three second-generation feedstocks: Camelina (84%), jatropha (under 16%) and algae (under 1%). The flight will be the first using fuel derived from camelina and the first to use a combination of three feedstocks.
Delta Air Lines said it will offer in January a voluntary severance program in line with its recent decision to cut capacity 6%-8% next year ( ATWOnline, Dec. 3) "These capacity reductions will reduce the number of people needed to operate the airline," CEO Richard Anderson and President Ed Bastian told employees in a memo.
AeroTech Services said Brussels Airlines purchased its US FAA-verified modification aimed at reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions on 737s. Technology increases an aircraft's lift-to-drag ratio by expanding the wing area and camber and lengthening the chord.
CSA Czech Airlines said it has realized nearly CZK400 million ($20.5 million) in savings this year owing to nearly 700 new contracts with suppliers "primarily" related to navigation fees, aircraft handling and IT. It is seeking an additional CZK100 million in savings in 2009 related to MRO and has opened negotiations on new contracts with repair and maintenance parts and components suppliers.
Aircell said Delta Air Lines today will launch its Gogo inflight Internet service onboard six aircraft, the first in a series of more than 300 DL domestic aircraft to feature the offering. Technology initially will be available on five MD-88s flying between New York LaGuardia, Boston Logan and Washington National as well as one 757 flying throughout its domestic network. During Dec. 16-31, passengers traveling on Gogo-equipped MD-88 Shuttle aircraft will have complimentary inflight Internet access.
CAE won orders for full-flight simulators and related CAE Simfinity training devices valued at C$40 million ($32.3 million) from Saudi Arabian Airlines and the Hua Ou Aviation Training Centre. SV ordered two CAE 7000 Series A320 FFSs, a CAE Simfinity A320 Level 5 FTD and suite of CAE Simfinity APT trainers and ACT classrooms for the A320, A330 and A340. Hua Ou purchased a CAE 7000 Series A330/340 convertible FFS for the A330-200 with three different engines, the A340-300 and the A340-600.
American Airlines and the Transport Workers Union, representing the carrier's baggage handlers and simulator technicians and instructors, yesterday jointly filed a request with the US National Mediation Board to help negotiate a new labor contract. The previous contract became amendable on May 1 but "no significant progress has been made," TWU stated, adding, "Our members are angry. They have taken deep cuts in pay and benefits, while significantly boosting productivity and new sources of revenue." NMB likely will appoint a federal mediator by the end of the month.
Lufthansa Technik yesterday opened a 15,000-sq.-m. MRO shop in Hamburg focused on CFM56 overhaul. LHT expects the facility to increase the region's annual engine overhaul capacity from 320 to more than 400 and generate some 2,000 maintenance contracts in the long term. Investment in the site since late last year is put at nearly €50 million ($68.3 million).
SAPO International, an Athens-based luxury transport services provider, and Lisbon-based Longstock Financial Group, announced formation of a holding company that "intends to acquire a controlling interest" in SkyEurope Airlines parent SkyEurope Holding. The Gibraltar-based JV, Longstock SAPO, said it does not intend to launch a mandatory takeover bid and plans to "apply for the restructuring privilege under the Austrian Takeover Act." SkyEurope is based in Vienna. The LCC lost €59.4 million ($78.1 million) in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30.
Russian investor Alexander Lebedev intends to sell half his 30% stake in Aeroflot through his National Reserve Corp. and go after the Russian government's 25% share of S7 Airlines, NRC Deputy GD Leonid Dushatin told Reuters.
South African Airways Technical said in was "given an unqualified stamp of approval" by US FAA following a re-audit of its maintenance operations. SAAT's FAA accreditation was renewed through July 31, 2009. Separately, SAA said its pilot workforce now stands at 775, including 128 hired this year and 54 currently in training.
SAS Group airlines flew 2.59 billion RPKs in November, a 12.9% decline from the year-ago month. Capacity dropped 11% to 4.02 billion ASKs and load factor slipped 1.4 points to 64.5%. SAS Scandinavian Airlines flew 1.95 billion RPKs, down 10%, against a 6.8% fall in capacity to 2.94 billion ASKs. Load factor was down 2.4 points to 66.4%. Finnair flew 1.8 billion RPKs in November, up 12.3% year-over-year, against an 8.2% rise in capacity to 2.42 billion ASKs. Load factor rose 2.8 points to 74.1%.
The Irish Takeover Panel said Friday that Ryanair broke stock exchange rules when it offered commitments and promises in an update of its hostile €1.40 ($1.84)-per-share bid for Aer Lingus. Ryanair said it would cede control of EI's London Heathrow slots back to the Irish government and offered two €100 million bank guarantees that it would cut short-haul fares by 5% and quickly eliminate EI's fuel surcharges ( ATWOnline, Dec. 5).
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore will extend its existing Air Hub Development Fund for an additional year to Dec. 31, 2009, with a 30% increase to S$130 million ($87.1 million) in order to "help airlines and airport partners affected by the global economic downturn." A 25% landing fee rebate will be offered to carriers operating at Singapore Changi and nearby Seletar, up from 15%, in addition to a 15% rebate on office, lounge and warehouse leases.
Russia's treasury is set to provide RUB30 billion ($1.08 billion) in soft loans to the air transport industry to help it through the current credit squeeze. Last month the government established a state-backed dedicated relief facility to finance the working capital needs of a few major airlines. According to sources, the five carriers that transport more than 1 million passengers per year, with at least half on scheduled flights, are eligible to receive funds.
Compagnia Aerea Italia investor group officially took control of Alitalia's flight assets Friday, hours after two flight attendant unions reportedly agreed to back the deal and one day after buying Air One. The deals are worth a combined €1.05 billion and the restructured airline is scheduled to relaunch Jan. 12 ( ATWOnline, Dec. 5). CAI reportedly still plans to choose a foreign partner ( ATWOnline, Dec.
Japan Airlines parent JAL Group said it will participate "on a voluntary basis" in trials of a Japan-only emissions trading scheme developed by the government and set to run through 2012. JAL is targeting a 16% cut in carbon dioxide emissions per ASK of its domestic fleet each year through 2012.
US National Transportation Safety Board, commenting on the Brazilian Air Force's final report issued last week on the Sept. 29, 2006, midair collision between a Gol 737-800 and an ExcelAire Legacy 600 that led to the deaths of all 154 aboard the 737, emphasized that ATC failures were the primary cause of the accident. While not rejecting the report's conclusion that the ExcelAire pilots inadvertently turned off the Legacy's transponder ( ATWOnline, Dec.
Air France KLM flew 15.96 billion RPKs in November, a 0.8% fall from the year-ago month. Capacity was down 0.7% to 20.39 billion ASKs and load factor slipped 0.1 point to 78.3%. Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair flew 7.13 billion RPKs in November, up 1% year-over-year. Capacity rose 7.4% to 9.43 billion ASKs, lowering load factor 4.7 points to 75.7%. WestJet flew 1.06 billion RPMs in November, up 14.4% year-over-year, against a 13.5% increase in capacity to 1.39 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 0.5 point to 76.1%.
Spanair said it received approval from national labor authorities to move ahead with a restructuring plan that includes the layoff of 517 permanent employees and conversion of an additional 185 fulltime jobs into part-time positions ( ATWOnline, Aug. 12). The "viability plan" is worth an estimated €90 million, the carrier said yesterday, adding that it "expects to break even or generate a small profit" by 2010.
