Swiss International Air Lines will add six RJ100s to its fleet during the summer schedule to replace its last ERJ-145s. Separately, Swiss will change terminals at Stockholm Arlanda and Tokyo Narita. In Stockholm it will move into Terminal 5, where most of its future Star Alliance partners are housed. From June 1 it will join its Star partners in the upgraded Terminal 1 at Narita.
Korean Air is boosting summer services and upgrading aircraft used on the Seoul-New York JFK route. Weekly flights to Seattle will increase from three to four and weekly frequencies to Toronto will rise from two to three. Other increases are Paris CDG from five weekly flights to daily, Amsterdam and Zurich to thrice-weekly and Moscow to four-times-weekly. From Aug. 1 Korean will introduce 777-200ERs with cocoon-styled sleeper seats on the JFK route. The aircraft also feature AVOD in all three classes, inflight Internet and revamped interiors.
IBS Software Services announced that CargoJet of Canada and Northern Air Cargo of Alaska will be the launch customers for its SmartCargo inventory management software.
SR Technics will assume full component management and maintenance responsibility for the 32 737-700s SkyEurope Airlines will be introducing from this month onward. The 11-year agreement is expected to generate business worth approximately €45 million ($54.2 million) and "marks a major step for SR Technics into the Central and Eastern European market," the MRO company said. Services will be performed as part of its Integrated Component Solutions offering and include a consignment stock located at Bratislava Airport, 24-hr.
Venezuela late last week apparently agreed to rescind a proposed ban on most US airline operations into the country that was set to take effect March 30 ( ATWOnline, March 20), although it was unclear at press time whether the decision was in fact final. Currently, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and FedEx operate services between the countries.
Assn. of Asia Pacific Airlines' preliminary traffic results for February showed a 4.1% growth in international passenger boardings. Passenger traffic (RPKs) rose at the same rate and that, combined with slower expansion of capacity--up 2.5%--pushed load factor up 1.1 points to 73.8%. International freight traffic was more robust, lifting 5.3% in FTKs. Again capacity growth was modest at 2.6%, resulting in a 1.7-point increase in load factor to 66.9%.
Unisys Corp. said Air China chose the Unisys Logistics Management System to manage its air cargo operations. Under a five-year agreement, Unisys also will be providing hosting and integration services and working closely with Air China on customization of services for the Chinese domestic marketplace as well as the implementation and cutover expected in March 2007.
Avexus announced that Kitty Hawk Aircargo selected Avexus software solutions--hosted centrally through the Internet-based Avexus Hosted Solution Environment--to manage the end-to-end maintenance operations of its fleet. Included are Avexus Asset Management & Operations as well as its Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul software solutions. Additionally, the solutions will provide performance reporting and analytics.
SITA said a new Web-based check-in application it developed for Swissport went live with launch customer Swiss International Air Lines Friday. Under a year-old alliance between Swissport and SITA, the ground handling company is introducing Swissport branded self-service check-in kiosks on both sides of the Atlantic that are programmed to serve up to 60 airlines.
CAE was awarded a five-year contract by JetBlue to maintain four A320 simulators, two Embraer 190 simulators and six flight training devices that CAE already has sold to the airline. In addition, CAE will provide maintenance services for two evacuation trainers also located at JetBlue's Orlando training center. CAE valued the contract at approximately C$17 million.
CIT Group placed a $165 million order for CFM56-5B installed and spare engines to power 12 firm A320 family aircraft scheduled to begin delivery in 2007.
BWIA West Indies Airways appointed Peter Davies CEO effective March 17, replacing interim CEO Nelson Tom Yew. Davies most recently was CEO of SN Brussels Airlines. Prior to joining SN Brussels, he spent 14 years at DHL.
IATA halved its loss forecast for 2006 to $2.2 billion from a previous forecast of $4.3 billion and now expects the world's airlines to earn $7.2 billion in 2007, increased from earlier estimates of a $6 billion profit next year. The improvement is being driven by events in North America and particularly the US, where a 3% reduction in domestic capacity coupled with strong traffic is producing double-digit unit revenue growth. IATA now expects US carriers to lose $5.4 billion this year, down from $10.4 billion in 2005.
World Airways pilots, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, ratified a three-year contract by a vote of 242 to 132. Pilots and company officials reached a tentative agreement Feb. 5.
KLM uk Engineering, a subsidiary of KLM Engineering & Maintenance, signed an exclusive five-year, €15 million contract with TNT Airways for heavy maintenance of TNT's BAe 146 fleet. The agreement is a renewal of a current contract and extends the number of aircraft covered to 21.
Prospect of a merger between state-run Indian Airlines and Air India gained momentum with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signing off on development of a strategy for the combination, according to Indian Express. The newspaper reported that Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel briefed Singh yesterday and outlined scenarios including merger.
Industrial action is brewing at Malaysia Airlines over the government's recent decision to allow AirAsia to take over most of the national carrier's loss-making domestic routes. MAS unions are threatening picket-line action, which may escalate. The unions fear that up to 7,000 staff may lose their jobs. The move to allow AirAsia access to all MAS routes has been on the table for more than 18 months as the LCC posts solid profits while MAS struggles to find blue skies.
Swiss International Air Lines' fourth-quarter loss narrowed to CHF97 million ($74 million) compared with CHF123 million a year earlier, Bloomberg reported.
British Airways yesterday said it wants to raise the retirement age for staff as one of a series of measures aimed at easing its pension obligations. The airline currently has a pension deficit liability of £1 billion ($1.75 billion) in its New Airways Pension Scheme. It said it will make a payment of £500 million into the plan once the changes are accepted by unions.
Lufthansa beginning April 3 will expand its betterFly €99 return fares being offered from Hamburg to the rest of Germany for travel within Europe. The offer applies to all LH nonstop flights from any German airport to any destination in the EU, Switzerland, Norway and Turkey, a total of 181 routes to 76 points in 25 countries.
