Frontier Airlines reported a 0.3% year-over-year increase in January yield to 10.28 cents while RASM climbed 11.7% to 7.46 cents. It flew 753.7 million RPMs last month, up 18.3% over the year-ago month. Capacity rose 6.4% to 1.04 billion ASMs, boosting load factor 7.3 points to 72.5%. Copa Airlines flew 484.7 million RPMs last month, up 16.4% over the year-ago month. Capacity climbed 17.4% to 592.1 million ASMs and load factor slipped 0.7 point to 81.9%.
IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani yesterday cautioned Asian aviation officials not to repeat the "mistakes" made in Europe regarding environmental politics and pushed the region to take a regulatory stance on aircraft emissions more sensible than the EU's "single-minded" agenda.
Virgin Atlantic Airways on Sunday operated a 747 demonstration flight from London Heathrow to Amsterdam partially powered by biofuel. Boeing, GE Aviation and Imperium Renewables partnered on the test, which came three weeks after Airbus conducted an A380 flight test using a liquid fuel processed from gas ( ATWOnline, Feb. 4). The Virgin test used biofuel composed of babassu oil and coconut oil. "These oils are environmentally and socially sustainable," the airline said.
Allied Pilots Assn., which represents American Airlines pilots, said it met with airline CEO Gerard Arpey and CFO Tom Horton along with the Assn. of Professional Flight Attendants and the Transport Workers Union "to discuss the airline industry's current drive toward consolidation." APA said management "spoke in general terms" about consolidation and the union "clearly communicated our concern about the effect that mergers have on employees."
GE Aviation announced a $30 million project to expand GEASO, its engine repair facility in Singapore, to 76,200 sq. m. The expansion is projected to more than double last year's $250 million revenue by 2013. Construction will begin in April and is slated for completion next year.
Singapore Aero Engine Services signed a $20 million deal with Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies covering MRO module services on four Trent 700s from a Middle East operator's fleet. SAESL also will handle engine MRO on 12 aircraft covered by a Rolls-Royce TotalCare agreement.
British Air Line Pilots Assn. will take its dispute with British Airways over the new OpenSkies subsidiary to mediation, scheduled to begin this week. The union last week voted 86% in support of a work stoppage ( ATWOnline, Feb. 22). "BALPA will not squander the resolve of its BA pilot membership but wants to make every effort to find a negotiated settlement," it said. "Should conciliation not progress in a timely and positive fashion, BALPA will be able to serve notice of action."
Search teams on Friday discovered the wreckage of a Santa Barbara Airlines ATR 42-300 that had lost contact with air traffic control following takeoff from Merida the day before.
Airways New Zealand, Airservices Australia and US FAA signed a trilateral agreement to accelerate development of air traffic control procedures among the three countries that will reduce aviation's environmental footprint. Dubbed ASPIRE--Asia and South Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions--the accord aims to provide a regional platform for a host of technologies pioneered by the trio.
Qantas will hire 900 new long-haul flight attendants by year end in the first phase of what it calls "its largest ever cabin crew recruitment drive." CEO Geoff Dixon said QF will continue to build its full-time cabin staff numbers through 2010, at which point it expects to have approximately 2,000 new flight attendants working on its A380s, 747s and A330s.
Singapore Technologies Engineering said Flybe awarded ST Aerospace Solutions a $160 million component maintenance support and management deal for Dash 8 aircraft. Agreement includes additional aircraft and a contract extension until 2016.
KVH Industries said it reached a $20.1 million multiyear deal with an inflight entertainment supplier to design and manufacture DirecTV-compatible satellite TV antennas for narrowbody US commercial aircraft.
China Southern Airlines flew 6.78 billion RPKs in January, up 22.1% over the year-ago month. Capacity rose 11.6% to 9.2 billion ASKs and load factor lifted 6.3 points to 73.7%.
Air One's appeal to have the negotiations between Air France KLM and Alitalia suspended was denied by the Lazio administrative court yesterday ( ATWOnline, Feb. 12). The court now will consider whether Air One can enter its own bid or if the merger talks will stay exclusive, according to press reports. Air One said it will appeal the decision.
Austrian Airlines Group's negotiations with Saudi investor Mohamed bin Iassa Al-Jaber regarding his interest in investing €150 million ($220.5 million) in the flag carrier continue ( ATWOnline, Feb. 1), with several press reports out of Austria indicating that his investment could rise to €200 million and his stake in AAG to 30% from 20%. Many AAG shareholders and Austrian politicians (state holding group OIAG remains a 42.75% owner of AAG) have been positive about the potential investment.
IBS Software reached agreement with Jet Airways to implement its crew management system AvientCrew. IBS also launched a development center at Bengaluru.
OpenSkies, British Airways' new transatlantic subsidiary, will operate its first flight between either Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly and New York JFK, BA said in a filing and application for traffic rights with the US Dept. of Transportation. It also had considered Brussels as an initial European gateway ( ATWOnline, Feb. 7). OpenSkies will fly with both the BA and its own EC code and plans to launch service in June.
Messier Services Asia reached a deal with China Eastern Airlines to provide landing gear MRO services for 24 A320s. Work will continue through 2009. MSA also has begun MRO work on 737NGs.
EasyJet transported 2.8 million passengers in January, up 7.3% from the year-ago month. Load factor slipped 2.9 points to 72%. Allegiant Air flew 304.3 million RPMs in January, a 47.1% increase over the year-ago month. Capacity rose 40.3% to 383.7 million ASMs and load factor was up 3.6 points to 79.3%.
United Airlines promoted United Express and Ted VP-Operational Services Alexandria Marren to VP-onboard service. She will be succeeded by VP-Airport Operations-O'Hare Cynthia Szadokierski. AirTran Airways Senior VP and CFO Stan Gadek will leave the airline on April 30, the carrier announced. A search for his successor is underway.
Aeroflot Cargo, which recently announced the resignation of DG Andrey Goryashko, said it transported 121,879 tons in 2007, with 44,971 tons onboard freighters and the remainder as belly cargo on SU passenger flights. It also said it posted a RUB6.8 million ($277,000) net profit in October and a RUB12.8 million net profit in November. It operated six MD-11 freighters and two 737Fs in 2007 and plans to take delivery of six leased Il-96-400Ts beginning this year.
Emirates said it raised $253 million for the financing of a 777-200LR and a 777-300ER delivered in January. Twelve-year finance leases were underwritten by HSH Nordbank, Mashreqbank.psc and Mizuho Corporate Bank. EK has 53 more 777s on order comprising six -200LRs, eight -200LR freighters and 39 -300ERs.
