Air Canada Technical Services reached a 10-year OnPoint Solutions agreement with GE for material to repair CF34 engines and a 10-year materials deal with CFM for the repair and overhaul of CFM56 engines, specifically the -2, -3, -5A, -5B and -5C. Contracts total an estimated $2.5 billion covering life-limited and nonlife-limited parts plus component repair and used materials for work on GE and CFM engines.
KLM Cityhopper will transfer the maintenance of its F70 fleet to Nayak Aircraft Services from Martinair Maintenance & Engineering following the latter's decision to "focus more on improving its own operations and making preparations for Martinair's possible fleet renewal," KLM said. Cityhopper operates 21 F70s. Nayak already works on Cityhopper's 14 F50s. Martinair will continue MRO on Cityhopper's 20 F100s until they are phased out in 2010. Between late 2008 and early 2010 it will replace its 15 oldest F100s with 10 E-190s and five F70s.
SAS Group airlines flew 2.71 billion RPKs in December, up 2.9% from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 3.3% to 4.11 billion ASKs and load factor dropped 0.3 point to 65.8%. SAS Scandinavian Airlines enjoyed a 1.1% increase in yield as traffic climbed 2.2% to 1.81 billion RPKs. Capacity was up 3.6% to 2.61 billion ASKs, lowering load factor 1 point to 69.3%.
Kuwaiti government yesterday approved the sale of 40% of Kuwait Airways in a domestic public placement and another 35% to a long-term investor within two years, according to press reports. The government will hold 20% with workers taking the remaining 5%. The head of the parliament's financial committee told reporters that KU will place an aircraft order following the privatization, according to Reuters
SriLankan Airlines Chairman Harry Jayawardena issued a statement confirming that the government of Sri Lanka will take "total control" of the airline following Emirates' decision to opt out of its management contract from April 1 ( ATWOnline, Jan. 8). He said the government "will continue to manage the national carrier for the best interest of the public and the country at large" and will continue to be SriLankan's majority owner with no plans to divest.
Commport Aerospace Services launched its fuel administration software, realTimeFuel, at IATA's fuel forum in Istanbul. Compatible with most hardware and management systems, the technology could save airlines "at least $300 per flight, while airport authorities and into-plane agents will be able to reduce labor costs and manage the fueling process much more efficiently and effectively," CEO David Ralph said.
Etihad Airways is targeting 6 million passengers in 2008 compared to the 5 million it served last year. The Arab Air Carriers Organization reported that the airline will relocate to the new passenger terminal at Abu Dhabi, where 10 aircraft parking stands will be available and a dedicated runway for Etihad will be ready in April. The carrier is preparing to launch flights to Beijing and Moscow in March.
JetBlue Airways will increase 2008 capacity 6%-9% year-over-year, CEO Dave Barger said. "Given an uncertain economic environment and record high fuel prices, we plan to grow more conservatively in 2008," he said. "Assuming market conditions remain favorable, we expect to take advantage of continued strength in the worldwide aircraft market to manage our fleet growth." JetBlue's December passenger RASM rose 5% from the year-ago month while traffic increased 6.4% to 2.16 billion RPMs. Capacity climbed 10% to 2.81 billion ASMs, dropping load factor 2.6 points to 76.8%.
US FAA yesterday proposed extending the requirement that the US's 75 largest airports make enhancements to taxiway centerline markings to all 567 certificated airports as part of its ongoing effort to mitigate the risk of runway incursions.
IATA blasted the Brazilian government's proposal to raise per-hr. aircraft parking fees at Sao Paulo Guarulhos significantly, asserting that the hike could cost international airlines operating there as much as $90 million per year and likely violates bilateral aviation accords. It is not uncommon for aircraft operated by international carriers to land at GRU early in the day and remain parked before departing again that night.
GA Telesis finalized its acquisition of AMT and its 19,812-sq.-m. MRO facility at Tucson International. Maintaining its AS9100 accreditation, AMT will be re-branded as GA Telesis Component Repair Group Southwest in the coming months.
Air India will launch daily Delhi-New York JFK service Feb. 8 aboard a 777-200LR. It took delivery of its fourth aircraft of the type on Jan. 2. It is equipped with eight seats in first class, 35 in business and 195 in economy. AI already serves JFK from Mumbai. It will take a sixth -200LR next month and the remaining three it has on order in mid-2009.
Austrian Airlines Group appointed Walter Reimann to the position of VP-international and aeropolitical affairs and alliances. He succeeds new COO Peter Malanik.
Pinnacle Airlines filed suit in US District Court against the Air Line Pilots Assn. charging the union that represents the carrier's pilots with "bad faith bargaining" in contract talks that date back to 2005. Pinnacle operates as a Northwest Airlink and Delta Connection carrier. An ALPA spokesperson told ATWOnline that the suit was "unprecedented," adding, "The lawyer who will handle the case can't remember when we were sued for failing to bargain in good faith."
Lufthansa Systems reached agreement with Turkish Airlines to implement its codeshare management solution SchedConnect featuring agreements in real time, flight synchronization technology and network expansion. Product launch is expected this quarter.
Encomium Media, founded recently by former OAG VP Duncan Alexander, launched services for Athens International. Company offers consulting, public relations, marketing and research expertise.
EasyJet yesterday launched thrice-weekly Liverpool-Innsbruck service. The LCC transported 2.9 million passengers last month, up 9.9% from December 2006. Load factor fell 2.2 points to 78.9%.
John Keells Computer Services unveiled its eCheck-in Suite technology aimed at streamlining the passenger check-in and boarding pass process. Features include BCBP capabilities and check-in via mobile phones, PDAs and other Web-based tools.
Standard Aero announced completion of a $1.6 million transformation project at its PT6A MRO facility in Winnipeg. Enhancements are expected to boost overhaul capacity and accelerate turn times.
British Airways flew 9.08 billion RPKs in December, up 1% from the year-ago month, against a 2% rise in ASKs to 12.35 billion. Load factor slipped 0.7 point to 73.5%. Northwest Airlines flew 6.27 billion consolidated RPMs in December, a 1.7% drop from the year-ago month. Capacity declined 2.2% to 7.72 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 0.5 point to 81.2%.
Finnair shut down Estonian subsidiary Aero Airlines Sunday as part of its strategy to concentrate on its mainline business and development of its Asian route network. The closure also ends its propeller aircraft era, as the ATR 72s owned by Finnair Aircraft Finance and operated by Aero have been sold ( ATWOnline, Jan. 7). Finnair took control of Aero in 2001, hoping to develop a cost-effective model for a regional operator while increasing its market share in the Baltic.
News from Travel Technology Update: Social networking was undoubtedly the hot trend of the year, at least according to the people who plan travel industry conference agendas. The travel industry is still grappling with how to monetize the huge and amorphous phenomenon. "Two-thirds of online customers use social media," Cindy Estis Green, managing partner of the Estis Group, said.
