Natixis Transport Finance will provide pre-delivery payment loan financing to Norwegian for 10 737-800HGW aircraft scheduled for delivery between summer 2009 and spring 2011, the carrier announced. Norwegian placed an order for 42, plus 42 options, last year ( ATWOnline, Aug. 31, 2007).
US FAA Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell and European Commission VP-Transport Antonio Tajani yesterday signed a safety agreement that "broadens and deepens the regulatory collaboration between the FAA and its European counterparts in EASA and national authorities," FAA said in a statement.
China Eastern Airlines announced a CNY1.3 billion lease deal for three A340s with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Financial Leasing Co. CEA plans to add 20-30 aircraft each year through 2013, increasing capacity by 12% annually. It currently operates 220 aircraft. CEA MD Cao Jianxiong said the leases will help with the carrier's cash flow problem.
Sterling Airlines no longer will staff bases permanently at Aalborg, Billund, Malmo and Gothenburg Landvetter from Jan. 1 and will focus on its operations at Copenhagen, Stockholm Arlanda and Oslo Gardermoen, the LCC announced yesterday.
Singapore Technologies Aerospace completed the purchase of SAS Group's remaining 28.7% shareholding in ST Aerospace Solutions (Europe) for €28.3 million ($44.4 million) following the exercise of a put option by SAS under a 2006 agreement between SAS and ST Aerospace ( ATWOnline, March 16, 2006). STA Solutions now becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of ST Aerospace. SAS sold an initial 67% shareholding in the unit, formerly known as SAS Component, in 2005.
Delta Air Lines will add fuel surcharges to SkyMiles award tickets effective Aug. 15 amounting to $25 on flights within the US and between the US and Canada and $50 on flights from the US and Canada to all international destinations. DL called it a "difficult but essential decision in the face of record-high fuel costs" and said it "hope[d] this is temporary."
Air France KLM flew 17.83 billion RPKs in May, up 6% from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 5.8% to 22.48 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 0.2 point to 79.3%. Iberia flew 4.52 billion RPKs in May, up 6% year-over-year, against a 3.2% increase in ASKs to 5.68 billion. Load factor rose 2.1 points to 79.5%. Air Canada and Jazz flew 4.31 billion combined RPMs in May, up 4.5% year-over-year. Capacity rose 4% to 5.17 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 0.3 point to 83.2%.
The European Parliament announced Friday that its members reached a compromise agreement with the Council Presidency on the inclusion of aviation, including airlines from outside the EU, in the body's emissions trading system beginning in 2012.
Continental Airlines pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn. announced an agreement with CO management that will reduce the number of layoffs due to recently announced capacity cuts ( ATWOnline, June 13). The union said the parties "resolv[ed] the need for staffing reductions by using a combination of voluntary programs" comprising an enhanced retirement window, company-offered leaves of absence and voluntary reduced flying. In addition, a systemwide change in schedule rules will reduce flight time and save 100-150 jobs.
Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines pilots, whose leaders reached a tentative agreement on a joint contract last week with DL management ( ATWOnline, June 25), will enter into a period of "good faith" negotiations over details of seniority list integration and agreed to enter into binding arbitration by year end if differences still remain.
ITA Software reached agreement with TAP Portugal for provision of its QPX airfare pricing and shopping system. Technology is expected to enhance the online experience and increase revenue.
Survey of International Air Travelers, which has been conducted on international flights and at airport gates by the US Dept. of Commerce on a monthly basis for 25 years, is taking steps toward automating the process, and airlines can benefit from the move by placing a link on their websites that will appear when a passenger completes an international booking to or from the US. The link will take the passenger to a web portal set up by DOC's Office of Travel & Tourism Industries to conduct the surveys and collect the data.
US FAA Assistant Administrator-Aviation Policy, Planning and Environment Dan Elwell will leave the agency to become US Aerospace Industries Assn. VP-civil aviation effective July. 7. Aer Lingus named Ryanair Director-Scheduled Revenue Sean Coyle as its new CFO. He will join EI on Aug. 11.
Lufthansa Group airlines flew 13.61 billion RPKs in May, up 27.1% year-over-over. Capacity increased at the same rate to 17.33 billion ASKs, leaving load factor level at 78.6%.
US Dept. of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics Office of Airline Information yesterday rejected a request by Virgin America for confidential treatment of financial, traffic and O&D survey data filed with BTS. The airline, which commenced service last August, had withheld filing financial and traffic information for the fourth quarter of 2007 and first quarter of 2008 pending the decision. It has 10 days to appeal.
Boeing reached agreement with Caribbean Airlines to manage spare parts and components inventory under its Component Services Program. Contract guarantees replacements for failed parts within 24 hr. and is expected to reduce inventory, repair and administrative costs.
Flow International signed a multimillion-dollar contract with Airbus to manufacture and install multiple Composite Machining Center abrasive waterjet and routing machine tool systems for A350s. CMC systems will be used to cut wings, fuselage, wing spars, keel beam and other parts.
Qantas said it is experiencing strong forward bookings from the US for its Melbourne-Los Angeles A380 service set to launch on Oct. 20. It has configured its A380 for just 450 passengers with 14 seats in first class, 72 in business, 32 in premium economy and 332 in economy. A Qantas spokesperson told the Australian Associated Press that US sales, which began June 16, are progressing. "Our forward bookings are positive for the US market on both our 747s and the A380," the spokesperson said.
Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes received permission to complete its acquisition of VRG (formerly Varig) "with no restrictions" from the Brazilian Administrative Board for Economic Defense, the final agency from which it needed to gain approval for the transaction. It appears that the two carriers will continue to operate separately, but Gol President and CEO Constantino de Oliveira Jr. said the ruling "will allow us to consolidate our investments and improve synergies between the airlines' operations. . .
The US and Brazil yesterday announced an enhanced air services agreement that will provide for a nearly 50% increase in passenger flights between the countries while eliminating restrictions on the number of airlines that can fly the routes. "This agreement will help air carriers meet the growing demand for passenger and cargo services between the US and Brazil," US Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters said. "Now more than ever, it is crucial that we give US carriers every possible opportunity to compete and succeed wherever passengers want to fly."
Air France KLM, Cathay Pacific Airways, Martinair and SAS Group all reached agreement with the US Dept. of Justice to plead guilty in US court and pay criminal fines "for participating in a multiyear conspiracy to fix prices for air cargo rates," DOJ said yesterday.
AerCap Holdings said it closed a $1 billion aircraft securitization through Aircraft Lease Securitisation II Ltd. The deal will provide "long-term nonrecourse funding" for 30 new A320 family aircraft, according to the company. The jets are part of a 70-aircraft order placed by AerVenture Ltd., AerCap's joint venture with two Kuwait-based partners, LoadAir and Al Fawares.
Embraer launched a new Internet portal, www.flyembraer.com, where customers will be able to access technical and engineering documents, retrieve information on parts and track orders.
