Spanish government will comply with demands from the European Commission and give up its "golden share" in Iberia, Expansion reported. The government retained the right to veto strategic decisions and attempts by third parties to buy into the carrier despite no longer holding a controlling stake.
Japan Airlines chose the GEnx to power up to 50 787-3s and dash 8s, comprising 30 firm and 20 option aircraft. JAL receives its first Dreamliner in 2008. GE valued the firm engine order at more than $700 million. Separately, JAL said it will "temporarily resume" normal flight operations between Japan and Indonesia over the Christmas and New Year holiday period. It reduced flight frequency and changed routings on its Japan-Indonesia flights at the end of October owing to a significant decrease in passenger demand following the Oct. 1 Bali terrorist attack.
SAS and Star Alliance signed a two-year global travel agreement with Volvo AB, "which means that Volvo has selected SAS and the Star Alliance as its main supplier of air travel," according to SAS. It is the largest such agreement that the automaker has signed with an airline alliance, according to SAS, and was completed after a year of tough competition with SkyTeam. It covers 12 of Star's 16 alliance members.
TRAX USA was selected by Air Plus Comet to implement the TRAX maintenance software, becoming the 48th operator to choose TRAX. Air Plus Comet operates a fleet of 747-200s, 737-300s and A310-300s.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines' Swedish operations could see a 5%-6% drop in revenues if a proposed environmental tax on airline travel is enacted, the company warned ( ATWOnline, Sept. 21). For flights within Sweden, the revenue decrease could reach 15%, CEO Jorgen Lindegaard told Reuters.
Aircraft Leasing & Management has been mandated by FlyBE to remarket seven BAe 146s for sale/leaseback or outright sale. Eventual disposal of the aircraft is part of the LCC's effort to replace its entire BAe 146 fleet with Embraer 195s. ALM will advise the airline on its 195 acquisitions.
Copa Airlines parent Copa Holdings SA filed a registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission covering a proposed offering of 14 million Class A nonvoting shares by two of its shareholders, Continental Airlines and Compania de Inversiones Aereas S.A. The international offering will be led jointly by Morgan Stanley and Goldman, Sachs & Co. Copa estimated the offering will be priced in the range of $15-$17 per share, raising up to $238 million in gross proceeds for the sellers.
Czech Airlines said that an overhaul of its purchasing processes has saved more than CZK140 million ($5.64 million) and should result in further savings of up to CZK300 million next year. Central to the improved performance has been creation of a Central Procurement Dept. and adoption of new purchasing rules, the "unambiguous definition of tender subjects, aggressive price negotiations, and the application of modern purchasing methods, for example electronic auctions." Additionally, the number of CSA suppliers is being cut from 6,500 to some 2,000.
News from Travel Technology Update: Sabre lost a bid to end the U.S. Transportation Department's authority to regulate independent GDS companies. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that in a 1952 law that gave the department the authority to regulate ticket agents, Congress' definition of "ticket agent" was "sufficiently broad" to include GDSs.
Finnair Cargo signed a five-year contract with CHAMP Cargosystems for a suite of Web-based applications designed to cover the carrier's operations, revenue accounting processes and warehouse management system.
President Jacques Chirac's proposal to attach a levy of up to €40 ($47.24) on passenger tickets for flights leaving France passed yesterday ( ATWOnline, Nov. 23). The tax will go into effect July 1, assuming it is approved by parliament. The government hopes to raise approximately €210 million per year to put toward global poverty and healthcare issues, according to Reuters. Taxes for economy classes will range from €1 to €4 depending on distance, while taxes on premium cabin tickets will be 10 times as much.
US National Transportation Safety Board added a new page to its website providing the public with information on foreign aviation accident investigations in which NTSB has participated. The page may be accessed at www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/foreign.asp
Czech Airlines and Czech Railways signed a contract for joint marketing of SC Pendolino express trains on the Ostrava-Prague route. The trains will be operated as codeshare connections.
US Airways Group said in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission that it raised $189 million from a public stock offering in September. It said at the conclusion of the filing that "America West Holdings and US Airways Group anticipate the combination of America West Holdings and US Airways Group will result in significant annual revenue, operating and cost synergies that would be unachievable without completing the merger.
Ryanair is making good on its warning and reducing capacity at Newquay Airport following the decision by the Cornwall County Council to introduce a £5 ($8.61) surcharge on passengers and visitors to the region. As of today, the LCC will withdraw 12 flights per week. "It is regrettable that by taxing tourists Cornwall will lose 100,000 Ryanair passengers annually," Deputy CEO Michael Cawley commented.
SAS Group in keeping with its "ongoing program of capital release" agreed yesterday to sell European Aeronautical Group, its wholly owned navigation and flight planning subsidiary, to Canada's Navtech for SEK162 million ($20 million). The sale "fits with our strategy to focus mainly on our core business," SAS President and CEO Joergen Lindegaard said. "Today's acquisition is a significant step toward Navtech's strategic goal of becoming the premier supplier of integrated flight operations solutions to airlines around the world," Navtech President and CEO David Strucke said.
B/E Aerospace announced that President and CEO Robert Khoury will retire at year end. Senior VP and GM-Commercial Aircraft Segment Michael Baughan will be promoted to president and COO. Founder and executive chairman Amin Khoury will assume the role of CEO.
European Court of Justice Advocate-General Philippe Leger said yesterday that the EU should not have the authority to share passenger lists and data with US counterterrorism authorities, as it has done under a 3.5-year agreement between the US and EU signed in May 2004. Leger reportedly said sharing the data is a national issue and not within the EU's powers. Others have raised a privacy issue. The court will make a ruling next year but follows the advice of the advocate general about 80% of the time, according to the Associated Press.
