Air Transport World articles from April 2008

Air Transport World archives from April 2008

Trends.(Statistical table)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JET FUEL PRICES * February 22, 2008 New York 288.06 US Gulf Coast 284.33 Los Angeles 289.96 Rotterdam 291.05 Singapore 271.72 * Spot cash markets...

Moving the nets.(EDITORIAL)
April 1, 2008... Ever since the words "scientific" and "consensus" became conjoined at the hip, a cadre of Western thought leaders and policy-makers has been looking forward to the day when they can tell the rest of us how we are going to live our lives. That...

New round of EC collusion raids target carriers serving Japan.(FINANCIAL RESULTS, NEW DEALS, AND REPORTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE GLOBE)(European Commission )(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The European Commission last month raided the premises of a number of international passenger airlines operating long-haul flights to Japan, suspecting them of price-fixing. "The Commission has reason to believe that the companies concerned may...

BAA to hike LHR, LGW charges more than 20%.(FINANCIAL RESULTS, NEW DEALS, AND REPORTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE GLOBE)(London Heathrow Airport)(London Gatwick Airport )(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... UK CAA is permitting BAA to raise charges at London Heathrow and Gatwick by more than 20% for the coming year. In its final decision on price controls at LHR and LGW for the five years through March 31, 2013, CAA is boosting the price cap at...

Virgin Atlantic tests biofuel.(FINANCIAL RESULTS, NEW DEALS, AND REPORTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE GLOBE)(Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Virgin Atlantic Airways on Feb. 24 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...

Emirates will fly first A380 to JFK.(FINANCIAL RESULTS, NEW DEALS, AND REPORTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE GLOBE)(Emirates Airline)(John F. Kennedy)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Emirates will place its first A380 into service between Dubai and New York JFK Oct. 1. Flights to London Heathrow follow on Dec. 1 and service to Sydney begins Feb. 1, 2009. Aircraft on these routes will seat 14 in first class, 76 in business...

Nutty idea.(FINANCIAL RESULTS, NEW DEALS, AND REPORTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE GLOBE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Caption: Virgin Atlantic Airways February biofuel flight used a mix of coconut oil and babassu nut oil. Virgin Atlantic Chairman Richard Branson and a coconut. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Air France KLM Group.(EUROPE Report)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Air France KLM Group reported net earnings of [euro]139 million ($202.6 million) in the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, down 39.3% from [euro]229 million in the year-ago quarter as higher fuel costs, strikes, steeper taxes and revaluation...

Lufthansa.(EUROPE Report)(Deutsche Lufthansa AG revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Lufthansa reported a net profit of [euro]1.66 billion ($2.56 billion) for 2007, more than double the [euro]803 million earned in the prior year, on a 13% rise in revenue to [euro]22.4 billion, both records for the group as results were boosted...

OpenSkies.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... OpenSkies, British Airways' new transatlantic subsidiary, will operate its first flight between either Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly and New York JFK in June, BA said in a filing and application for traffic rights with the US Dept. of...

Iberia.(EUROPE Report)(Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana S.A. revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Iberia tallied its 12th consecutive profitable year in 2007 with consolidated net earnings of [euro]327.6 million ($486.5 million), a better-than-fivefold increase over the [euro]56.9 million it earned in 2006. Last year's results were boosted...

Alitalia.(EUROPE Report)(Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Alitalia narrowed its 2007 pre-tax loss to [euro]363.9 million ($560.8 million) from a [euro]605.2 million pre-tax deficit in 2006, but stressed that its survival continues to be "increasingly linked" to its ability to raise approximately...

Grupo Marsans.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Grupo Marsans withdrew its interest in bidding for Spanair, the SAS Group subsidiary that was put on the block last year by the parent of Scandinavian Airlines (see article, p. 26). Meanwhile, Iberia released a statement saying it would launch...

Air Berlin's.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Air Berlin's acquisition of LTU has proven to be costly, as the German LCC reported a steep drop in full-year profit to [euro]11 million ($16.9 million) from the [euro]50.1 million earned in 2006 based on preliminary results. Full-year revenue...

Austrian Airlines group.(EUROPE Report)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Austrian Airlines Group finished its "successful transitional year" [euro]11.5 million ($17.7 million) in the black, reversed from a [euro]51.6 million loss in 2006, as "redimensioning of the long-haul segment produced a significant...

Aer Lingus.(EUROPE Report)(Aer Lingus Group PLC revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Aer Lingus did well in its first full year as a privatized company, with a net profit of [euro]105.3 million ($161.8 million) compared to a net loss of [euro]69.9 million in 2006. Revenue rose 15.2% to [euro]1.28 billion. Operating costs...

CSA Czech Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(Ceskoslovenske Aerolinie revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... CSA Czech Airlines posted a CZK111 million ($6.7 million) pre-tax profit in 2007, an impressive reversal from a CZK396 million loss the previous year. The result was boosted by CZK50 million netted from the sale of its Air Cargo Terminal...

Norwegian.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Norwegian is taking its lowcost model long-haul and will launch twice-weekly flights from Oslo Gardermoen and thrice-weekly flights from Stockholm Arlanda to Dubai on Oct. 26 aboard new 737-800s. Norwegian earned NOK84.6 million ($15.4...

Vueling Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Vueling Airlines reported a sharp widening in full-year net loss to [euro]63.2 million ($93.7 million), nearly six times worse than the [euro]10.8 million loss posted in 2006, citing falling fares and record fuel costs as causes. Revenue rose...

Aegean Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Aegean Airlines posted a profit of [euro]35.8 million ($52.6 million) in 2007, up 39% from the [euro]25.7 million earned in 2006, as rising load factors and "distribution efficiencies" resulting from higher Internet bookings boosted its bottom...

Cyprus Airways.(EUROPE Report)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Cyprus Airways reversed four consecutive loss years with a [euro]1.2 million ($1.8 million) profit for 2007, improved from a net loss of [euro]7.4 million the previous year. Revenue increased 7.6% to [euro]288.7 million.

SkyEurope.(EUROPE Report)(revenue report)(SkyEurope Airlines A.S.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... SkyEurope lost [euro]11.3 million ($17.2 million) in its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 31, an improvement on the [euro]13.8 million deficit the LCC experienced in the year-ago period. Operating loss, however, widened 21.8% to [euro]14.8...

S7 Airlines.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... S7 Airlines said it increased full-year turnover 24% in 2007 to more than RUB30 billion ($1.2 billion) as passenger numbers climbed 16% to 5.7 million. It did not divulge its net result. It reported a net profit of RUB61 million in 2006.

UTair.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... UTair reported a RUB270 million ($11 million) profit in 2007, up 2.3% from the year-ago figure, according to press reports from Russia.

Jat Airways.(EUROPE Report)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Jat Airways reported a RSD300 million ($5.2 million) profit in 2007, which it said was its best result in 17 years. It did not provide a 2006 result.

Adria Airways.(EUROPE Report)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Adria Airways earned a [euro]420,000 ($617,400) profit in 2007 on revenue of nearly [euro]182 million; it reported a [euro]70,102 profit in 2006 and a loss in 2005.

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.(EUROPE Report)(Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... British Airways and Virgin Atlantic reached an approximately $200 million settlement on a class action suit filed on behalf of some 8 million US and UK passengers who purchased longhaul tickets from Aug. 11, 2004, through March 23, 2006, when...

SAS.(EUROPE Report)(Scandinavian Airlines System)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... SAS announced the launch of an aggressive environmental strategy aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20% from 2007 levels by 2020 despite assumed passenger growth of 4% annually.

Ryanair.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Ryanair will establish its 26th European and fifth Spanish base at Reus some 90 km. southwest of Barcelona from October. It also has a base in Girona, approximately 100 km. northeast of Barcelona. It will set up its 27th European and second...

LTU German Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(Lufttransport-Unternehmen Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung und Company KG)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... LTU German Airlines MD Jurgen Marbach resigned on Feb. 29 and will be replaced by former dba MD Helmut Weixler. Marbach sold his 45% stake in LTU to airberlin in August.

Sterling Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(appointments)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Sterling Airlines named JPMorgan executive Reza Taleghani as president and CEO succeeding Almar Orn Hilmarsson. Sterling also named Christian Gormsen as its new COO, replacing John Robertson.

Iberia.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Iberia reached a two-year extension on its handling contract with Iberworld covering services at 41 Spanish airports.

Air Malta.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Air Malta signed a three-year labor agreement with Air Line Pilots Assn.-Malta retroactive to Aug. 1, 2007.

Airbus parent EADS.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Airbus parent EADS reported a net loss of [euro]446 million ($685.3 million) for 2007, reversed from a net profit of [euro]99 million the previous year, as the company was hurt by Power8 restructuring costs, A350 XWB program startup charges,...

Airbus.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Airbus "successfully" conducted the first series of flight tests with an A320 powered by the SelectOne build standard of the V2500.

Thales.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Thales will provide US Airways and Swiss International Air Lines with its Topflight FMS for Airbus aircraft.

CMC Electronics.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... CMC Electronics said Airbus Transport International selected its CMA-9000 FMS for the retrofit of five A300-600ST Beluga aircraft.

NavAero.(EUROPE Report)(Freebird Airlines )(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... NavAero said Freebird Airlines of Turkey selected its tBag C22 computer and display technology as the EFB flight deck hardware for the carrier's A320s and A321s.

Iberia maintenance.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Iberia Maintenance won three contracts with Iberworld for aircraft maintenance and logistical support services.

Finnair Technical Services.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Finnair Technical Services will perform tube strip modifications on four Martinair MD-11s starting in April.

MNG technic.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... MNG Technic reached agreement with Estonian Air to provide line maintenance and technical support for four 737-500s and two 737-300s at Istanbul Ataturk and Antalya.

GE aviation.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... GE Aviation began a scrap reclamation program with Turkish Airlines as launch partner to recycle hardware containing rhenium.

STG Aerospace.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... STG Aerospace said it received EASA approval for its photoluminescent exit signage for MD-80 aircraft.

AD Aerospace.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... AD Aerospace said Austrian Airlines selected its CabinVu-123 Cockpit Door Monitoring System for six 767s.

Aviareps.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Aviareps will represent SAS Scandinavian Airlines in Ukraine under a GSA agreement.

Gate gourmet.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Gate Gourmet announced its rebranding to gategroup. It reported CHF2.5 billion ($2.27 billion) in revenue last year.

IER.(EUROPE Report)(common-use self-service kiosks)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... IER said Billund Airport contracted it to install 12 of its 918 common-use self-service kiosks, four of which will be equipped with an active eyecatcher to display airport information.

CTT Systems and Satair A/S.(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... CTT Systems and Satair A/S of Denmark signed a worldwide distributor agreement covering initial provisioning and after-market support of CTT Systems consumables for the 787. Satair also placed a large order covering initial provisioning of CTT...

BAA.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... BAA announced that CEO Stephen Nelson will be replaced on April 1 by former British Airways Director-Technical Operations Colin Matthews.

Dusseldorf international.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... Dusseldorf International will invest [euro]300 million in infrastructure upgrades in order to offer shorter connecting times and compete more effectively with other European hubs.

ASIG.(EUROPE Report)
April 1, 2008... ASIG was contracted by Jet Airways to provide cabin services for four daily international flights at London Heathrow.

Fact file.(EUROPE Report)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... European Airline Traffic February 2008 Airline RPKs % chg. ASKs % chg. Load (billions) 2007 (billions) 2007 factor 2007 (%) Aer...

Boeing.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Boeing has pulled back on its development of the 787-3 while trying to make up for lost time on the new aircraft's larger models, according to press reports. A Boeing spokesperson told Bloomberg News that resources "have been temporarily...

Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines merger talks stalled owing to a lack of progress in negotiations between the carriers' pilot groups on integration of the respective pilot seniority lists.

WestJet.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(WestJet Airlines Ltd. revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... WestJet posted a record 2007 net profit of C$192.8 million ($192.7 million), a 68.2% improvement over the C$114.7 million reported in 2006. Revenue rose 21.9% year-over-year to C$2.15 billion against an 18.2% increase in costs to C$1.85...

Hawaiian Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
April 1, 2008... Hawaiian Airlines parent Hawaiian Holdings reported net income of $7.1 million for 2007, reversed from a net loss of $40.5 million the previous year, on a 10.7% boost in revenue to $982.6 million. Operating income totaled $6.8 million,...

US FAA.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Federal Aviation Administration )(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... US FAA proposed a $10.2 million civil penalty against Southwest Airlines "for operating 46 airplanes without performing mandatory inspections for fuselage fatigue cracking," representing "deliberate violations" of an agency airworthiness...

US transportation secretary Mary Peters.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced that airlines serving Newark International agreed to cap flights temporarily at 83 per hr. beginning in early May. The cap will apply to both domestic and international flights. A similar cap...

US air transport Assn.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... US Air Transport Assn. came out against FAA's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to require aircraft to be equipped with ABS-B Out by 2020. Although ATA supported the proposal when it was announced last fall as "an important step on the path to...

US Airways.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... US Airways said it will charge economy passengers $25 for a second checked bag on all flights from May 5. The carrier follows United Airlines, though UA's policy is only for North America. As with UA, the fee will be waived for loyalty program...

Continental Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
April 1, 2008... Continental Airlines distributed $158 million in 2007 profit-sharing payments to employees. It paid an additional $33 million in ontime performance incentives.

United Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
April 1, 2008... United Airlines distributed $110 million in profit-sharing payments to US-based employees, bringing to $170 million the amount they earned in 2007 from performance incentives.

Sun Country Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(appointment of Stan Gadek )(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Sun Country Airlines named former AirTran CFO Stan Gadek as its new president and CEO effective March 10. Gadek had announced he would leave AirTran in February. He succeeds interim CEO Jay Salmen.

FAA.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Federal Aviation Administration)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... FAA and the City of Los Angeles are partnering to install a $6 million Runway Status Lights system at Los Angeles International funded by the airport. The system uses a series of red lights embedded in the pavement to warn pilots if it is...

Airbus.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders said "preparatory work is now underway" to establish an A330 freighter final assembly line in Mobile following last month's historic US Air Force decision to award EADS/Northrop Grumman an initial contract...

AAR Corp.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(AAR Corp. mergers with Avborne Heavy Maintenance )(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... AAR Corp. completed the acquisition of Miami-based third-party MRO provider Avborne Heavy Maintenance and renamed it AAR Aircraft Services-Miami. Avborne operates a 226,000-sq.-ft. hangar at Miami International capable of simultaneously...

Boeing.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
April 1, 2008... Boeing said last month that it has completed 50% of the design releases for the 747-8 freighter.

Hamilton Sundstrand.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Hamilton Sundstrand will provide the electric power generation system for the A350 XWB. EPGS includes four 100-kVA, 230-volt variable frequency generators and four generator control units. Estimated program revenue is $1 billion.

NavAero.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Saab-Scania AB. Saab Aircraft Div.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... NavAero won an EASA 737 STC for its tBagC22 EFB for 737 Classic and NG models. Certification was executed by Saab Aerotech in cooperation with Scandinavian Airlines.

The Memphis group.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
April 1, 2008... The Memphis Group, an aviation parts distributor, has been renamed GECAS Asset Management Services. GE purchased the company in 2006.

Avionica.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
April 1, 2008... Avionica won 757 and 767 FAA STCs for its Iridium Satellite-based voice and data communications alternative satLINK.

Curtiss-Wright controls.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
April 1, 2008... Curtiss-Wright Controls reached a $16 million multiyear deal with Saab Aerostructures to provide the large cargo door mechanical system for the 787.

Tough hide.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Caption: Boeing said it successfully completed load tests on the 787's all-composite fuselage. The composite section was pushed "well beyond ultimate load [of 150% of limit load] to a destruct-condition maneuver beyond two-and-a-half-times the...

US majors traffic February 2008 *.(FACT FILE)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... FACT FILE US Majors Traffic February 2008 * RPMs % chg ASMs % chg. LF chg. Airline (bil.) 2007 (bil.) 2007 (%) 2007 Air Tran 1.42 28.2 1.82 14.0 78.1 8.6 Alaska ...

The Delta Spirit.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Delta Air Lines Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Caption: Delta Air Lines took delivery of its first 777-200LR and the first LR version ordered by any US airline. It was christened the "Delta Spirit" in memory of the original "Spirit of Delta," a 767 purchased by Delta's employees in 1982....

A nice round number.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
April 1, 2008... Caption: Boeing recently delivered its 700th 777, a -300ER for International Lease Finance Corp. that is being leased to Cathay Pacific. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Qantas.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)
April 1, 2008... Qantas reported a profit of A$618.1 million ($566.4 million) in the fiscal first half ended Dec. 31, more than double the A$307.3 million earned in the year-ago period. Jetstar had a A$113 million profit. Qantas said it sees "no significant...

Cathay Pacific Airways.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)
April 1, 2008... Cathay Pacific Airways reported a profit attributable to shareholders of HK$7.02 billion ($901.9 million) in 2007, up 71.8% from the HK$4.08 billion earned in 2006. The result featured a full-year contribution from Dragonair although individual...

Malaysia Airlines.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Malaysia Airline System Bhd. revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Malaysia Airlines achieved an MYR852.7 million ($260.7 million) profit in 2007, reversed from a MYR133.7 million loss in 2006 and the best result in its 60-year history. MD and CEO Idris Jala said MAS surpassed its original 2007 target by 184%....

Air New Zealand.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Air New Zealand, ATW's 2008 Passenger Service Award winner, posted a 58% increase in net profit to NZ$115 million ($93.7 million) for the six months ended Dec. 31 on a 9.6% rise in operating revenue to NZ$2.33 billion. Operating costs grew 5%...

Thai Airways.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)
April 1, 2008... Thai Airways earned a THB1.84 billion ($59 million) profit in the three-month period ended Dec. 31, a sharp decline from the THB4.03 billion earned in the year-ago quarter. Thai changed its fiscal year as of Jan. 1 to match the calendar, so...

Virgin Blue.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Virgin Blue Airlines Proprietary Ltd. revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Virgin Blue reported an 8.8% decline in profit for the half year ended Dec. 31 to A$113.3 million ($104.1 million) from A$124.3 million in the year-ago period as competition and heavy investment in future expansion took their toll. The LCC took...

AirAsia.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Manara Consortium)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... AirAsia posted a 73% leap in net profit to MYR245.7 million ($76.7 million) for its fiscal second quarter ended Dec. 31 from MYR142.1 million in the year-ago period on a 43% lift in revenue to MYR632.7 million. Operating profit jumped 77% to...

Philippine Airlines.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)
April 1, 2008... Philippine Airlines said an "absence of major one-time gains" was responsible for a swing in financial fortunes that resulted in an $11.3 million loss in the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, reversed from a $79.5 million profit in the...