Air Transport World articles from February 2009

Air Transport World archives from February 2009

Trends.(airline traffic )(Statistical table)
February 1, 2009... WORLD AIRLINE TRAFFIC JANUARY-OCTOBER 2008 US 2008 2007 % chg RPKs (mil.) 1,111,980 1,121,956 -0.9 ASKs (mil.) 1,390,015 1,394,038 -0.3 Pass. (000) 630,100 646,900 -2.6...

When better is best.(Editorial)(Editorial)
February 1, 2009... Air France KLM's pending acquisition of a major stake in Alitalia means that the consolidation of Europe's airline sector is entering its endgame (with the caveat that one must be careful about making assumptions concerning anything involving...

Third Heathrow runway approved with 'green' conditions.(NewsBriefs)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Ending six years of public debate, the UK government approved construction of a third runway and sixth terminal at London Heathrow but simultaneously imposed stricter environmental targets and rejected the introduction of mixed mode operations...

Air France KLM to hold 25% of 'new' Alitalia.(NewsBriefs)(Air France KLM S.A.)(Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... As was widely expected, Air France KLM will become the relaunched Alitalia's international partner and will take a 25% stake in the carrier through a capital increase of approximately [euro]323 million ($435.1 million). The decision was...

Airbus leads Boeing but orders drop for both.(NewsBriefs)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Airbus booked 777 net aircraft orders in 2008, topping Boeing's 662 net orders, but like its rival representing a significant drop-off from 2007, when it recorded 1,341 net orders while Boeing booked a record 1,413. Airbus's 2008 orders,...

Airlines test jatropha- and algae-based biofuels.(NewsBriefs)(Houston Intercontinental)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines separately carried out successful biofuel test flights within a week of each other. ANZ operated a 2-hr. 747-400 biofuel test flight from Auckland on Dec. 29 using a 50/50 blend of jatropha-based fuel...

ICAO reports traffic grew 1.8% in 2008.(NewsBriefs)(International Civil Aviation Organization )(Brief article)(Statistical data)
February 1, 2009... Preliminary traffic figures show that scheduled airline RPKs for carriers of the ICAO member states rose 1.8% in 2008 compared to 2007, a significant slowdown following the 7.1% annual rise in 2007. Passenger enplanements climbed approximately...

BAA ordered to sell Gatwick, Stansted.(NewsBriefs)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The UK Competition Commission in December "confirmed" that it will require BAA to sell both London Gatwick and Stansted, setting the stage for a breakup of its control of London's airports for which airlines long have pushed. The ruling,...

US Airways A320.(WHAT A LANDING!)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... US Airways A320 flown by Capt. Chesley Sullenberger III and F.O. Jeff Skiles successfully ditched in the Hudson River off Manhattan after a double engine failure owing to bird ingestion. All 150 passengers and five crewmembers were successfully...

US majors traffic December 2008.(FACT FILE)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... US Majors Traffic December 2008 * RPMs % chg ASMs % chg. LF chg. Airline (bil.) 2007 (bil.) 2007 (%) 2007 AirTran 1.46 2.3 1.83 -6.9 79.8 7.1 Alaska 1.48 -5.2 ...

Airlines operating at New York LaGuardia.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Airlines operating at New York LaGuardia have until Feb. 2 to identify which flights they will give up voluntarily in order to reduce total scheduled operations from an average of 75 per hr. to 71 from May 31 to Oct. 24 under an order issued by...

Seven US airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Seven US airlines filed suit in the US Court of Appeals seeking to reverse a new FAA rule requiring pilots to take additional rest following nonstop flights longer than 16 hr. The carriers--American Airlines, Continental Airlines, United...

Southwest Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Southwest Airlines said it reduced its fuel hedge contracts to cover just around 10% of its estimated consumption each year through 2013. This year it expects to save approximately $1.4 billion compared to the guidance provided last summer as...

Metropolitan Airports Commission.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Metropolitan Airports Commission, which manages Minneapolis-St. Paul International, declined to approve a tentative agreement with Delta Air Lines that would have allowed DL to retain many of the financial benefits subsidiary Northwest Airlines...

United Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(United Air Lines Inc.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... United Airlines dropped plans to furlough an additional 250 flight attendants because it needs more cabin staff for its international network, according to a memo from Senior VP-Onboard Service Alex Marren cited by the Associated Press. UA also...

Lynne Osmus.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(appointment of Lynne Osmus at Federal Aviation Administration)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Lynne Osmus was appointed by President George Bush as FAA acting administrator effective Jan. 16, to succeed Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell, who had said he would resign. She is expected to serve in the post until President Barack Obama's...

US National Transportation Safety Board.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating why a Continental Airlines 737-500 swerved off the runway while attempting to take off on Dec. 20. The aircraft was destroyed when it crashed into a ravine and caught fire, injuring 38 of...

American Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... American Airlines and the Transport Workers Union, representing the carrier's baggage handlers and simulator technicians and instructors, jointly filed a request with the US National Mediation Board to help negotiate a new labor contract. The...

Air Canada.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Air Canada's 650 US-based customer service employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters voted to ratify a three-year labor agreement that will take effect July 1.

Frontier Airlines pilots.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Frontier Airlines pilots represented by the Frontier Airline Pilots Assn. ratified a labor agreement that will extend wage and benefit concessions through Dec. 11, 2011. Frontier's 123 aircraft and maintenance cleaners represented by IBT...

Boeing Commercial Airplanes.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Boeing Commercial Airplanes will cut some 4,500 positions or around 6.7% of its workforce this year in "an effort to ensure competitiveness and control costs in the face of a weakening global economy." The cuts will come through layoffs,...

Boeing.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Boeing will serve as lead integrator for Southwest Airlines' 737-300/-700 flight deck upgrade to incorporate performance-based navigation capabilities that will enable it to operate RNP arrivals/departures being developed for it by Naverus. GE...

Pratt & Whitney.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Pratt & Whitney said FAA certified its PW4000 Advantage70 engine upgrade, projected to deliver a 2% thrust increase while decreasing fuel consumption by 1%. The upgrade is slated to enter service on PW4000-100s in mid-2009.

Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines & Global Services.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines & Global Services will provide Delta Air Lines and Delta TechOps with maintenance, material and aftermarket support under two 10-year aircraft engine service agreements valued at more than $1 billion. ...

Sabre Holdings.(NORTH AMERICA Report)
February 1, 2009... Sabre Holdings acquired EB2 International, a London-based supplier of "e-commerce enabling software products, solutions, infrastructure and services to global airlines."

Uzbekistan Airways.(UZBEKISTAN UPPING ORDERS)
February 1, 2009... Uzbekistan airways ordered four A320s as part of its fleet modernization program, bringing to 10 the number of A320s it has ordered. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ANA.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... ANA confirmed the postponement of selection of its future large aircraft type, citing "unforeseen changes to its operating environment since the financial crisis of September." It was considering the A380, 747-8 and 777-300ER as its future...

Chinese government.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(China Eastern Airlines Corporation Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Chinese government granted domestic airlines a three-year tax break on fuel surcharges retroactive to Jan. 1, 2008, as part of its effort to mitigate the impact of the global economic downturn on the country's struggling airline industry as...

China Eastern.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(China Eastern Airlines Corporation Ltd.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... China Eastern said in a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange that it suffered a CNY6.2 billion ($909.4 million) loss resulting from a write-down in the value of its fuel hedges on Dec. 31. It reported cash losses of $420,000 and $14.2...

China Southern.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(China Southern Airlines Company Ltd.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... China Southern expects to report a loss for 2008 despite the fact that it was able to maintain profitability on its fuel hedges, posting a $6.3 million gain in 2008. The Guangdong-based airline suspended its hedging contract in September, which...

Vietnam Airlines.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)
February 1, 2009... Vietnam Airlines reported a $14 million pre-tax profit in 2008, down 39% from the $23 million earned in 2007, according to a statement cited by Agence France Presse. It transported 8.8 million passengers.

V Australia.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... V Australia, the international long-haul arm of Virgin Blue, confirmed a launch date of Feb. 27 for its first 777-300ER service, a thrice-weekly Sydney-Los Angeles flight that will go to daily on March 20. It postponed the launch from December...

Panasonic Avionics.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)
February 1, 2009... Panasonic Avionics reached a deal with SilkAir to install its Multiplexed Passenger Entertainment System on 12 A320s.

Swissport International.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Swissport International will end its ground handling operations in Singapore on March 31, citing economic reasons. It said it will seek "the best possible solutions" for its approximately 300 employees in Singapore.

European Court of First Instance.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... European Court of First Instance in December annulled the European Commission's ruling in the longstanding Ryanair/Charleroi state-aid case because it is "vitiated by an error in law," thus opening the door for other secondary airports to offer...

Ryanair.(EUROPE Report)(acquisation of Aer Lingus Group PLC)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Ryanair's second bid to take over Aer Lingus fell flat again, with no support among shareholders besides Ryanair. But the LCC did pressure Aer Lingus CEO Dermot Mannion and CFO Sean Coyle to waive a new clause in their contracts that provided...

British Airways.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... British Airways soon will announce restructuring measures designed to reduce costs and increase efficiency, it indicated in BA News, its in-house weekly newspaper. "Only through delivering fundamental change can we achieve the small profit we...

KLM.(EUROPE Report)(KLM Royal Dutch Airlines acquired Martinair Cargo)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... KLM became the sole owner of Martinair at the end of 2008 after the EC approved its proposal to acquire the 50% stake owned by A.P. Moller-Maersk Group. KLM took an initial stake in Amsterdam-based Martinair in 1968, but earlier attempts to...

SAS Group.(EUROPE Report)(Scandinavian Airlines System signed a deal with trade unions)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... SAS Group took a major step toward achieving its goal of SEK4 billion in cost reductions following the finalization of labor agreements with its trade unions that it said will save SEK1.5 billion ($182.4 million). The company believes the...

Finnair.(EUROPE Report)(appointment of Lasse Heinonen )(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Finnair said it will lay off 120 employees as part of an effort to save [euro]25 million ($33 million) in personnel expenses. It said it will achieve the remainder of the targeted savings through furloughs and the scheduled upcoming conclusion...

Aer Lingus.(EUROPE Report)(Aer Lingus Group PLC)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Aer Lingus will establish a base at London Gatwick, with four A320s operating to Dublin, Knock, Malaga, Munich, Zurich, Nice, Faro and Vienna. EI's only other base outside the Republic of Ireland is at Belfast International, which it opened in...

Air Berlin.(EUROPE Report)(AI Aviation Cooperatief)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Air Berlin's single largest shareholder, Dutch investment company AI Aviation Cooperatief, sold its 18.9% stake in the carrier, AB said on Jan. 8. AI is a subsidiary of Access Industries, which is controlled by Len Blavatnik, a Russian/American...

TUIfly.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... TUIfly MD Roland Keppler resigned effective Jan. 31. A replacement was not named. Keppler had held the position since 2005.

Turkish Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(acquisation of B&H Airlines)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Turkish Airlines said it signed an agreement Dec. 22 to purchase a 49% stake in Bosnian flag carrier B&H Airlines. The Bosnian government will continue to hold 51%.

SkyEurope Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(York Global Finance)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... SkyEurope Airlines received a one-month extension to Feb. 15 on a [euro]15 million ($19.8 million) loan granted in December 2007 and a [euro]10 million loan from last September from York Global Finance. GECAS terminated leases on six...

EC.(EUROPE Report)(European Union. European Commission approved the acquisation of Vueling Airlines by Clickair)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... EC, as expected, granted conditional approval for the merger of Clickair and Vueling Airlines. Clickair, Vueling and Iberia--which will hold 45% of the new airline--have offered to cede slots on "all routes where competition concerns were...

FlyLAL Lithuanian Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(acquisation of SCH Swiss Capital Holdings )(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... FlyLAL Lithuanian Airlines was purchased by SCH Swiss Capital Holdings for $1 million plus an agreement to cover debt of some [euro]1 million ($1.4 million).

Bmi.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... Bmi launched a six-month trial of Mobile OnAir on a single A320 operating between London Heathrow and Moscow.

Goodrich and Rolls-Royce.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Goodrich and Rolls-Royce completed formation of their 50/50 engine controls joint venture, Aero Engine Controls, which will supply controls for Rolls engines. Goodrich said it will retain the aftermarket business associated with the venture and...

GKN Aerospace.(EUROPE Report)(acquisation of Airbus S.A.S.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... GKN Aerospace said it will assume ownership and operational control of Airbus's former UK-based wing component and assemblies manufacturing plant at Filton. In September, the aircraft maker agreed to sell the facility to GKN for [pounds...

Lufthansa Flight Training.(EUROPE Report)(Deutsche Lufthansa AG contract with Moscow Vnukovo )(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Lufthansa Flight Training and Moscow Vnukovo signed an MOU to form a joint venture for a simulator center for pilot training set to go into operation in early 2010.

Lufthansa Technik.(EUROPE Report)(Lufthansa Technik Maintenance International)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Lufthansa Technik announced establishment of Lufthansa Technik Maintenance International, a 100% subsidiary integrating the former Condor/Cargo Technik it previously acquired. LTMI will be based in Frankfurt and will assume responsibility for...

International Bureau of Aviation.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... International Bureau of Aviation and Lufthansa Technik extended an agreement under which IBA provides LHT with "aircraft transitioning support services" on an as-required basis.

A J Walter Aviation.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... A J Walter Aviation signed a three-year power-by-the-hour contract with Viking Airlines covering two 737-800s.

SR Technics.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... SR Technics reached a deal with easyJet to provide 157 intermediate layover checks on the carrier's A319 fleet between mid-March 2009 and summer 2015.

Snecma Services.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... Snecma Services won a seven-year Engine Services per Operation contract with CSA Czech Airlines to provide MRO support for CFM56-3s.

Turkish Technic.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... Turkish Technic signed a contract with Sky Airlines to provide maintenance services including C and D checks on 737-400s.

MNG Technic.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... MNG Technic reached a five-year MRO deal with air-Baltic to provide C checks on 737s plus technical training.

AeroTech Services.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... AeroTech Services said Brussels Airlines purchased its 737 wing modification aimed at increasing performance and cutting fuel burn.

Heroux-Devtek.(EUROPE Report)
February 1, 2009... Heroux-Devtek said Fokker Services awarded its Landing Gear Division a contract to manufacture replacement landing gear components for F100s valued at $15-$24 million.

Amadeus and Star Alliance.(EUROPE Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Amadeus and Star Alliance announced that Austrian Airlines, Adria Airways and Croatia Airlines switched over to the Star Alliance Common IT Platform based on the Amadeus Altea customer management system.

Datalex.(EUROPE Report)(Aer Lingus Group PLC contract with Datalex Inc. (Dublin, Ireland))(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Datalex reached agreement with Aer Lingus to provide its Travel Distribution Platform offering "flexi" fare customer pricing and service options expected to enhance ancillary and merchandising business.

Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders.(DISTINGUISHED SHOVEL BRIGADE)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders (left), COO Fabrice Bregier and Didier Evrard, head of the A350 Program, at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the A350 XWB final assembly line in Toulouse Jan. 14. It will cost [euro]140 million ($185.9...

European Airline Traffic December 2008.(FACT FILE)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... European Airline Traffic December 2008 Load RPKs % chg. ASKs % chg. factor Airline (billions) 2007 (billions) 2007 (%) 2007 ...

Aerolineas Argentinas.(LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN Report)(Aerolineas Argentinas S.A.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Aerolineas Argentinas was on the verge of being expropriated by the federal government of Argentina at press time as President Cristina Fernandez signed a decree instructing the Ministry of Planning to take measures to seize the airline, its...

Naverus.(LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN Report)
February 1, 2009... Naverus reached a deal with LAN Peru to provide its Performance Based Navigation technology following regulatory approval.

US FAA.(AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... US FAA downgraded Israel's aviation safety standard to Category 2 under the agency's International Aviation Safety Assessment program. The decision, which prevents El Al from adding new services to the US, follows up on a July assessment of...

Air Mauritius.(AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Air Mauritius said it suffered falling revenue and an "unprecedented deterioration of its financial performance" largely attributed to losses related to fuel hedges in its third fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, leading to a nine-month loss of...

Wataniya Airways.(AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Wataniya Airways, the all-premium Kuwaiti startup, listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange under the symbol KNA, which stands for parent company Kuwait National Airways. Its shareholders comprise 30% "strategic investors" and 70% "smaller...

Royal Jordanian.(AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Royal Jordanian and Airbus/SITA joint venture OnAir signed an agreement to provide inflight Internet and mobile phone services on two A319s that will be joining RJ's fleet in February and March.

Amadeus and Etihad Airways.(AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Amadeus and Etihad Airways unveiled Amadeus Gulf, a joint venture designed to provide a GDS to travel companies and agents in UAE, Bahrain and Oman. Etihad will hold 51% of the company.

Swissport.(AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Swissport said it concluded an agreement with South African Airways to provide ground handling for SAA at Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and George airports from 2009 to 2014.

Zambian Airways.(AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Report)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Zambian Airways suspended operations last month, citing an inability to handle rising costs. The carrier also reportedly owed National Airports Corp., which controls the nation's airports, more than $2 million.

SITA.(AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Report)
February 1, 2009... SITA signed a five-year, $76 million contract with Saudi Arabian Airlines to implement and maintain global communications and desktop infrastructure.

FedEx.(CARGO)
February 1, 2009... FedEx reported net income of $493 million for its fiscal second quarter ended Nov. 30, up 3% from $479 million in the year-ago period, and announced it is initiating "broad cost reduction actions" to contend with a "decline in shipping trends"...

Lufthansa Cargo.(CARGO)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Lufthansa Cargo announced a 10% capacity reduction from Jan. 1 in response to the decline in the global cargo business. It will suspend the wet-lease of two MD-11Fs and one 747-400F from World Airways and transfer those routes to 747-400ERFs...

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.(CARGO)(Singapore Airlines Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Australian Competition and Consumer Commission announced that it has "instituted proceedings" in Federal Court against Singapore Airlines Cargo, which it accused of colluding on fuel and security surcharges between 2001 and 2005 on flights to...

Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo.(CARGO)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo flight crew voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. They formerly were represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn.

Cathay Pacific Airways.(CARGO)(Airport Authority Hong Kong )(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Cathay Pacific Airways announced that it reached an agreement with Airport Authority Hong Kong to delay the completion of its new cargo terminal by up to two years to mid-2013.

Air Austral.(CROWDED HOUSE)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Air Austral became the first airline to choose the A380 high-density configuration seating around 840 passengers. Under an MOU signed last month, the La Reunion-based airline plans to order two for operation on its route to Paris. ...

FedEx.(EQUIPMENT)
February 1, 2009... FedEx exercised options on 15 777Fs valued at $3.75 billion.

Air Austral.(EQUIPMENT)
February 1, 2009... Air Austral signed an MOU with Airbus for two A380s in a single-class configuration for delivery in 2014. Engine choice was not announced.

Copa.(EQUIPMENT)
February 1, 2009... Copa ordered four 737-800s for delivery "within the next three years."

Uzbekistan Airways.(EQUIPMENT)
February 1, 2009... Uzbekistan Airways ordered four more A320s, bringing its total commitment to 10.