Air New Zealand upgraded its long-haul Pacific Premium Economy service to include several features available in business class, such as pre-flight drinks, printed menus and amenity kits. ANZ added eight seats to its 747 PPE class last October. The upgrade also is available on 777s.
Airline Partners Australia may be facing a conflict of interest as it works to convince the government to approve its A$11.1 billion ($8.75 billion) buyout of Qantas ( ATWOnline, Feb. 22). The Australian reported that Lynton Crosby and Mark Textor, founders of the consulting firm credited with masterminding the ruling Liberal party's past four election victories, have been retained for A$50,000 by APA to lobby government ministers and members.
Virgin Blue could be a target for an equity buyout by Singapore Airlines, according to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Speaking to ATWOnline, CAPA Executive Chairman Peter Harbison said, "Virgin Blue's 62% owner, Australia's transport giant Toll Holdings, has again refused to rule out the possibility of liquidating its interest in the airline beyond the end of the current financial year to June 2007." He added that "this is near to an effective signal to the equity markets that Virgin Blue is up for bids." Some analysts believe Toll indeed is ready to sell down.
SkyWest Airlines named Russell Childs president and COO replacing Ron Reber, effective April 2. Reber will remain at the airline and work on special projects. Childs came to SkyWest as senior director and controller in January 2001 and was named VP and controller later that year.
The complexity of airline operations coupled with increased customer expectations have made development and implementation of reliable IT, communication with customers and accurate databases even more critical, according to a panel of industry experts who spoke yesterday at ATW's Winning Airline Strategies conference in Washington.
American Airlines wishes to become "the clear-cut airline of choice for passengers in the New York market" and yesterday unveiled a series of service enhancements and promotions designed to achieve that end.
Alitalia shareholders officially removed Giancarlo Cimoli as chairman and CEO yesterday and installed Banca di Roma Chairman Berardino Libonati, the Associated Press reported from Rome ( ATWOnline, Feb. 13). A new board also was appointed. Meanwhile, Il Sole-24 Ore reported that the new board is considering writing down the value of AZ's fleet by €400 million ($525.5 million), which would increase the company's 2006 net loss to approximately €780 million.
Avitas Senior VP Adam Pilarski projected that the airline industry's return to profitability in 2006, excluding the results of bankrupt US carriers, will continue for two to three years barring unforeseen events. Speaking yesterday at ATW's Winning Airline Strategies conference in Washington, he rejected the notion that consolidation is necessary. "Did United go into Chapter 11 because it was too small?" he asked. "What we really need is restructuring instead of consolidation. .
Indian government ministers approved the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines ( ATWOnline, Jan. 18). The next stage is final approval at a cabinet meeting next month, and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told media he expects approvals to be completed by the end of March. According to sources, the name and head office of the new airline are yet to be decided but what has been approved is a structure around six business units.
CSA Czech Airlines terminated its Prague-Dubai service, calling it "unprofitable." It also announced that it will save CZK100 million ($4.7 million) annually on insurance premiums after selecting Renomia and JLT as its new insurance brokers.
Brussels Airlines, the new carrier resulting from the merger of SN Brussels Airlines and Virgin Express ( ATWOnline, Nov. 8, 2006), changed its logo, adding a dot to its stylized b mark after passengers complained the 13 dots that comprised the original symbol were unlucky. The new logo is up on the carrier's website. "We are never surprised by reactions, but that it was that bad? It really took us aback," a Brussels spokesperson told the BBC. The carrier will launch formally on March 25.
Indian Airlines reached a deal with KfW IPEX-Bank of Germany for $500 million in financing toward the carrier's purchase of 20 A321s, 19 A319s and four A320s ( ATWOnline, Feb. 22, 2006). The carrier expects to take delivery of 10 aircraft this year and has 12 years to repay the loan. HSH Nordbank is joint underwriter. Separately, Indian launched thrice-weekly nonstop Delhi-Kochi service Feb. 18 aboard an A319. It will continue to connect the cities daily via Mumbai.
Ethiopian Airlines said it moved to the Sabre Passenger Services Management IT system. It also launched a thrice-weekly Addis Ababa-Juba service aboard 737-200s.
Indian government is getting tough on English standards following a series of recent near mishaps, sending home at least 20 foreign pilots (mainly from Asia and central Europe) because of their poor command of the language. Indian Director General of Civil Aviation Kanu Gohain told reporters that "the pilots posed a safety risk."
Continental Airlines yesterday became the eighth carrier to have its cargo booking system go live on the Unisys-operated Cargo Portal Services, a Web-based booking tool used by more than 2,500 freight forwarders. "Our customers want choice and convenience. CPS fills this need because of its rapid adoption by forwarders, its multicarrier model and its capability to handle virtually all types of cargo products," CO VP-Cargo Jack Boisen said. CO joins American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, Austrian Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and United Airlines on CPS.
Jettainer signed a five-year deal with XL Airways of the UK to provide outsourced ULD management services. As part of the agreement, Jettainer purchased XL's fleet of ULDs, which previously was owned and managed by Air Atlanta Icelandic.
ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection last week released proposed guidance to the organization's 189 member states for incorporating aviation emissions into national emission trading schemes. The ICAO Council will review the proposal "in the coming weeks," but IATA was quick to voice its approval, saying the "outcome clearly demonstrates that global solutions are possible" and that "the only way forward is with a harmonized approach."
Cockpit voice recorder transcript from the ExcelAire Legacy 600 that collided with a Gol 737-800 in midair and resulted in the deaths of all 154 aboard the airliner ( ATWOnline, Jan. 23), was published yesterday by Folha de S. Paulo, Brazil's largest newspaper. It indicated that the Legacy pilots had difficulty communicating with ATC throughout the flight. "I've got a problem with the radio here," one said, according to the Associated Press.
Eurocontrol registered a 5.6% year-over-year growth in flights last month to 741,432, eclipsing its forecast of 4% annual growth over the next 15 years. Air traffic flow management delay soared 49.9% to 1.7 min. per flight, which Eurocontrol attributed to "adverse weather." Airport delay time rose 74.9% to 1.2 min. Alaska Airlines flew 1.28 billion RPMs in January, a 0.8% fall from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 2.8% to 1.93 billion ASMs and load factor was down 2.5 points to 66.5%.
EADS postponed yesterday's planned disclosure to Airbus employees of details of the Power8 restructuring program as French and German officials argued over the distribution of job cuts and facility closures, but EADS co-CEO and Airbus CEO Louis Gallois warned that the manufacturer "cannot delay any longer" implementing reforms.
