Air Transport World articles from May 2005

Air Transport World archives from May 2005

Top 20 airlines: March 2005.(TRENDS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... TOP 20 AIRLINES MARCH 2005 RANK AIRLINE (RPKs (000) 1 American 51,882,295 2 Delta 43,801,995 3 United 42,686,443 4 Air France/KLM 42,161,000...

Exchange rate currency units per US dollar.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... EXCHANGE RATE CURRENCY UNITS PER US DOLLAR COUNTRY/CURRENCY 3/31/05 1/31/05 Brazil/Real 2.6755 2.6475 Canada/$ 1.2173 1.2394 China/Yuan ...

Under attack.(International Civil Aviation Organization`s environmental policy)
May 1, 2005... Decades into its largely successful fight to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft smoke and noise, the airline industry is bracing for a new attack that is not entirely warranted. Emissions standards have been discussed and imposed...

EC expected to okay LH-Swiss merger.(European Union. European Commission)(Swiss International Air Lines AG)(Deutsche Lufthansa AG)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The takeover of Swiss international Air Lines by Lufthansa is expected to pass muster with the European Commission, although regulators in Brussels may require slot set-asides and other concessions on routes between Germany and Switzerland to...

US, EU fail to agree on ending launch aid.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The US and EU failed to settle their dispute over civil aircraft launch aid by April 11, the mutually agreed-upon deadline, leaving both parties free to make their case at the World Trade Organization. However, it appears that neither is ready...

Swire denies it will sell Cathay.(Swire Pacific)(Cathay Pacific)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Swire Pacific, parent of Cathay Pacific, in March denied reports that it will sell its 46% stake in Cathay in return for a stake in Air China, stating that it "remains committed to being the principal shareholder in Cathay Pacific for the long...

US, EU tiptoe toward new open skies talks.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... US and EU negotiators in late March took the first step toward resuming talks on creating a transatlantic open aviation area when EC VP for Transport Jacques Barrot traveled to Washington to meet with Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta....

FAA tells airlines to replace or modify insulation blankets.(Federal Aviation Administration)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... US FAA last month proposed a new rule that will require airlines to replace or modify certain insulation blankets on more than 800 US-registered Boeing aircraft over the next six years after the agency determined that some of the blankets are...

Dreamliners for Korean Air.
May 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Korean Air became the latest airline to sign up for the 787, ordering 10 firm plus 10 options worth $2.6 billion.

United Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... United Airlines will close its Seattle call center on June 4 in a move that will eliminate 400 jobs. According to the carrier, the Seattle facility is one of its most costly. Employees will have the opportunity to transfer to one of United's...

Delta Air Lines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Delta Air Lines will eliminate 1,600-2,000 jobs in its TechOps division owing to a decision to outsource maintenance on its MD-88s and MD-90s to Avborne and its 757s and 767s to Air Canada Technical Services. The layoffs are part of the...

Northwest Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Northwest Airlines at the end of March raised its labor cost savings target from $950 million to $1.1 billion annually, citing record high fuel costs, Delta's "revenue negative" fare restructuring and labor cost reductions at competitor...

Continental Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(labor contract)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Continental Airlines missed a self-imposed March 31 deadline to achieve cost-cutting agreements with all of its employees after its flight attendant union voted down a concessionary deal. Its other work groups approved their revised contracts,...

ATA Holdings Corp.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... ATA Holdings Corp., parent of ATA Airlines, reported a massive $816.9 million net loss for 2004. The company, which filed for Chapter 11 protection last October, said revenues rose 0.9% to $1.53 billion but expenses jumped 13.3% $1.63 billion,...

Hawaiian Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Hawaiian Airlines' plan to emerge from Chapter 11 in April was set back when its pilots rejected a tentative agreement. The carrier must have new labor contracts in place with each of its six unions before it can exit bankruptcy and its pilots...

Aloha Airgroup.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Aloha Airgroup and subsidiary Aloha Airlines received US Bankruptcy Court approval for $65 million in debtor-in-possession financing it will use to pay off outstanding loans. President and CEO David Banmiller said the funds will permit Aloha to...

FAA.(United States. Federal Aviation Administration)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... FAA in late March finalized its previously announced proposal to extend the voluntary schedule caps at Chicago O'Hare through Oct. 29 and also proposed to extend the rule, which limits arrivals at ORD to 88 per hour between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.,...

Boeing.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Boeing delivered 70 commercial aircraft in the first quarter ended March 31, consisting of three 717s, 54 737NGs, three 747s, one 757, one 767 and eight 777s. In the year-ago period it delivered 76 commercial aircraft comprising three 717s, 55...

General Electric.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... General Electric has frozen the design for the GEnx engine that will power both the 787 and A350. Called Tollgate 6 in GE nomenclature, completing this stage in the development process launches the detailed design phase. The first GEnx goes to...

Messeier-Bugatti-Tracer.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(contract with CanJet Airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Messier-Bugatti-Tracer is extending its comprehensive wheel and brake repair and overhaul contract with CanJet Airlines to include the carrier's 737-500 fleet.

UK-based Ipeco Group.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(contract with Boeing Co)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... UK-based Ipeco Group was selected by Boeing to provide flightdeck seats for the 787. Ipeco has supplied flightdeck seats for all Boeing commercial aircraft since 1985.

737-800S for WestJet, eh?
May 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: WestJet took its first CFM56-powered 737-800 last month' It will take four more this year.

Lockheed Martin and Covenant Aviation Security.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(contracts)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Lockheed Martin and Covenant Aviation Security have teamed in hopes of winning contracts to provide private security screening services at US airports as part of the US Transportation Security Administration-developed Screening Partnership...

IAE and Spirit Airlines.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... IAE and Spirit Airlines signed a 15-year fleet hour agreement covering the V2500s powering the airline's A320s. The deal also covers the 15 aircraft Spirit will purchase and the 20 it will take on lease in the future.

Pan Am International Flight Academy.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Pan Am International Flight Academy will close its Career Pilot Development training campus in Ft. Pierce, Fla., and relocate to its facility in Phoenix by midsummer "owing to the devastation caused by last year's hurricane season and the...

Hamilton Aerospace Technologies.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(contract with Hamilton Aerospace Technologies )
May 1, 2005... Hamilton Aerospace Technologies will perform maintenance and modification on an MD-82 on behalf of debis AirFinance and maintenance and other services on a 737-500 that Air Malawi is adding to its fleet. The two contracts were valued at $1...

Crane Aerospace & Electronics.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(contract with Honeywell )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Crane Aerospace & Electronics was selected by Honeywell to supply power control modules and batteries for the 787 flight centre electronics Honeywell is developing for the new aircraft.

FKI Logsitex.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(contract of baggage screening system with American Airlines Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... FKI Logsitex won a $14.5 million contract from American Airlines to integrate an inline 100% hold baggage screening system at the carrier's hub at Chicago O'Hare including integrating EDS machines.

Global ePoint.(NORTH AMERICA Report)(contract with GECAS )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Global ePoint said GECAS ordered its Airworks Cockpit Door Surveillance System to be installed on eight A320s. It said Lufthansa ordered systems for installation on 13 aircraft, with two additional systems to be installed in flight simulators...

Air China.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Air China earned 2.39 billion yuan ($288.8 million) in 2004 up significantly over 160 million yuan earned in 2003 as operating income almost doubled from 2.28 billion yuan to 4.49 billion yuan Operating revenue increased 36% to 33.52 billion...

China Eastern Airlines.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... China Eastern Airlines reported a net profit of 514.1 million yuan ($62.1 million)in 2004, a complete reversal from a net loss of 949.8 million yuan in 2003, which largely was attributable to the impact of SARS.

JAL Group.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Isao Kaneko)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... JAL Group Chairman and CEO Isao Kaneko, taking responsibility for a series of operational incidents that drew reprimands from Japanese regulatory authorities, stepped down April 1. He had been scheduled to relinquish the CEO title at the...

Patrick Corp.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Patrick Corp. is expected to review Virgin Blue's growth strategy n an attempt to rebuild earnings after securing control of the airline in a hostile takeover. Patrick now holds 62% of the carrier although founder and Virgin Group Chairman...

Biggest rig for biggest jet.
May 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Goodrich Corp. last month unveiled the world's largest landing gear test facility, which was built to accommodate the A380 main gear. The facility at Goodrich's site in Oakville, Ontario, encompasses 2,100...

US Majors Traffic March 2005.(FACT FILE)(Illustration)
May 1, 2005... US Majors Traffic March 2005 RPMs % chg. ASMs % chg. Lf chg. Airline (bil.) 2004 (bil.) 2004 (%) 2004 AirTran 0.98 30.3 1.26 27.6 11.4 1.7 Alaska ...

Air New Zealand.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(agreement with Boeing )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Air New Zealand reached agreement with Boeing to install the Boeing Electronic Flight Bag on the eight 777-200ERs and two 787-8s it has ordered.

GE Engine Services.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * GE Engine Services will maintain Shenzhen Airlines' 24 CFM56-7Bs Bowering its 737-700s/-900s under a 10-year. $68 million maintenance cost per hour agreement.

Air New Zealand Engineering Services.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(engineering contracts)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Air New Zealand Engineering Services signed a three-year contract with Virgin Blue to furnish heavy maintenance support for the carrier's fleet of 48 737NGs.

IAE and SilkAir.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * IAE and SilkAir signed a 10-year fleet hour agreement covering maintenance and repairs on V2500 engines powering SilkAir's seven A320s and four A319s.

Alteon.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(airlines facility)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Alteon will open a new training facility near Singapore Changi in the first quarter of 2006. Initially planned are two full flight simulators--a 777-200/-300 and an A320--with other equipment to be identified within six months.

Navitaire.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Navitaire's Open Skies host reservation system and revenue management system were selected by Indian low-cost carrier Spice Jet.

Telair International.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Telair International will supply Sliding Carpet Loading Systems to Shandong Airlines under an order covering four firm buys and four options for the carrier's 737-800s. Delivery and installation are scheduled for mid-2005.

L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(airline security)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems will supply its eXaminer 3DX 6500 for baggage screening at Tokyo Narita.

Singapore Technologies Aerospace.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(airline contracts)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Singapore Technologies Aerospace subsidiary ST Aerospace Supplies will provide comprehensive maintenance-by-the-hour component support to Chinese new entrant Okay Airways under a $12 million. five-year agreement covering six 737s. ST Aero...

Ameco Beijing.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(airline investments)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Ameco Beijing is investing 10 million yuan ($1.2 million) to construct a four-bay hangar and new docking system at Beijing Airport and upgrade the existing docking system. Separately, Ameco said it added capability for PW4000 fan case...

Malaysia Airlines Engineering Division.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Malaysia Airlines Engineering Division was named as an authorized rood center for Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglet retrofits for 737NGs and Classics and 757-200s.

Lufthansa Technical Training.(ASIA/PACIFIC Report)(training centres)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Lufthansa Technical Training, a Lufthansa Technics subsidiary, opened a new EASA-approved training center in Manila.

Lufthansa.(EUROPE Report)(airline sales)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Lufthansa confirmed 2004 income of 404 million [euro] ($524.3 million), reversing a loss of 984 million [euro] in 2003. Operating result was 383 million [euro] compared to 36 million [euro] in the prior year. Group operating revenue rose 6.3%...

Air France and KLM.(EUROPE Report)(airline mergers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Air France and KLM next month will merge their respective frequent-flier programs into one new program, Flying Blue. Frequence Plus and Flying Dutchman cardholders automatically will become members of the new program and will retain all the...

Iberia.(EUROPE Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Iberia said it expects to book a pre-tax gain of 600 million [euro] ($775 million) through the sale of its Class A shares in Amadeus Global Travel Distribution. After the offer, Iberia will maintain an "indirect stake" in Amadeus representing...

SAS Group.(EUROPE Report)(hotel mergers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * SAS Group in March sold a 25% shareholding in its Rezidor SAS hotels company to Carlson Hotels Worldwide. According to SAS, the deal will have an annual pre-tax impact of 11 million [euro] ($14.7 million) on Rezidor SAS.

Aer Lingus.(EUROPE Report)(airline sales)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Aer Lingus posted a 29% increase in operating profit before employee profit-sharing to 107 million [euro] ($137.1 million) in 2004, up from 83 million [euro] in 2003. Net profit, however, tumbled 98% to 1.2 million [euro] from 69.2 million...

Finnair.(loses Keijo Suila )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Finnair President and CEO Keijo Suila announced his retirement effective at the end of 2005. He has been with the carrier since 1998. Separately, Finnair said it will retire its 10 MD-80s "at an accelerated rate" by fall 2006. As a...

New plane new colors.(air colors)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] First of four Rolls-Royce Trent 500-powered A340-500s for Thai Airways International arrived in the carrier's new livery.

Virgin Express and SN Brussels Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(airline mergers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Virgin Express and SN Brussels Airlines shareholders completed the merger that sees the two Brussels-based carriers come under common ownership while maintaining operational independence. Under terms of the agreement signed in October, Virgin...

EasyJet.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * EasyJet will boost its service at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg significantly this summer. It already operates to Berlin, Liverpool and Luton from the Swiss airport. As of June 15, it adds service to Alicante, Barcelona and Nice, with...

TUI.(EUROPE Report)(air travel)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * TUI plans to reduce its workforce in the UK from 13,500 to 11,500 within the next 18 months in response to inroads by Ryanair and easy Jet and an increase in online holiday bookings. Most of the cuts will occur at travel agency chain Lunn...

TAP Portugal.(EUROPE Report)(airlines sales)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * TAP Portugal posted a consolidated net profit of 8.6 million [euro] ($11.1 million) in 2004, down 56% from a net profit of 19.7 million [euro] in 2003. TAP noted that it spent 72 million [euro] more on fuel than it had budgeted, offset...

European Commission.(EUROPE Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * European Commission dropped an antitrust probe against Europe's leading providers of airline insurance after the firms agreed to reform their practices to ensure more competition and transparency. Additionally, the EC said that in the event...

AirBaltic.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * AirBaltic said its revenues rose 54% in 2004 to 74.4 million [euro] ($96.1 million) but extraordinary costs associated with the investment in its new hub in Vilnius, fleet restructuring and the significant increase in fuel prices caused it to...

Hapag-Lloyd Flug.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Hapag-Lloyd Flug changed its name to Hapag Fly effective April 28.

CSA Czech Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(labor relations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * CSA Czech Airlines and pilots union CZ ALPA reached agreement in March on a new three-year contract that among other things calls for wage increases of 12.5% in 2005 and 15.5% in both 2006 and 2007 in exchange for increased productivity. The...

Sterling European.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Sterling European was sold to Icelandic investment company Fons Eignarhaldsfelag for 400 million kroner ($71.5 million). Fons previously has been a large shareholder in Icelandair and is the current owner of low-cost carrier Iceland Express....

Airbus.(EUROPE Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Airbus in March unveiled a Maintenance Repair & Overhaul Network consisting of 11 service providers around the world. Participants are Air Canada Technical Services; Air New Zealand Engineering Services; EADS Sogerma Services; Iberia...

Quieter IL-76.
May 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: First new 11-76 freighter designed to meet ICAO noise and emissions standards will begin flight testing in June before entering service with Volga-Dnepr Group in September, the company announced. Designated...

European Airline Traffic March 2005.(FACT FILE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... European Airline Traffic March 2005 % % RPKs change ASKs change Airline (billions) 2004 (billions) 2004 AF-KLM (1) 15.00 ...

TAT Industries.(EUROPE Report)(mergers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * TAT Industries, the MRO arm of TAT Group, at press time was in negotiations to buy Sabena Technics.

OnAir.(EUROPE Report)(air certification)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * OnAir, the SITA/Airbus joint venture, said it selected the Airbus facility at Buxtehude near Hamburg to develop and seek certification for its airborne system for the use of mobile phones onboard aircraft.

Rockwell Collins.(EUROPE Report)(airparts)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Rockwell Collins was selected by Air Berlin to provide avionics for its fleet of 70 A320s. The agreement includes an option for an additional 40 aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin in September.

Sabre Airline Solutions.(EUROPE Report)(air tickets)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Sabre Airline Solutions said Aeroflot migrated to the SabreSonic reservations and passenger management solution along with a customized version of the Sabre distribution system for Aeroflot affiliated travel agents.

ACSS.(EUROPE Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * ACSS, an L-3 Communications and Thales company, earned type certification for T2CAS, its combined traffic and terrain collision avoidance system, on all Airbus civil aircraft.

Trax.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Trax announced that Air Nostrum selected its maintenance and engineering solution.

Teledyne Controls'.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Teledyne Controls' Flight Data Interface Management Unit was selected by Turkish Airlines for installation on its fleet of 36 A319s/A320s and A330s.

Navitaire's.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Navitaire's Open Skies host reservation service was selected by Thomas Cook UK to power its new online reservation system.

MissionMode Solutions.(EUROPE Report)(airline communications)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * MissionMode Solutions was selected by easy Jet for rapid communications and incident management.

Thales.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Thales announced that LFV Group has deployed its new air traffic management system, Eurocat, at the Stockholm and Malmo control centers and has connected 13 control towers to the centers.

B/E Aerospace.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * B/E Aerospace was selected by Air France to provide its MiniPod lie-flat business class seats for AF's A380s and part of its 777 fleet in programs valued at up to $40 million.

Lufthansa Technik.(EUROPE Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Lufthansa Technik said Austrian arrows became the first customer for the latest version of its Guideline photo-luminescent emergency floor-path marking system. It will be retrofitted on 15 F100s in the Austrian arrows fleet this year.

Lufthansa Flight Training and Austrian Airlines.(EUROPE Report)(air training)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Lufthansa Flight Training and Austrian Airlines will establish a simulator training center in Vienna.

SR Technics.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * SR Technics will provide component and line maintenance support to Swedish discount airline FlyMe under a five-year component management contract covering four 737-400s.

Aeroports de Paris.(EUROPE Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Aeroports de Paris will demolish and rebuild the entire roof of the departure area of Terminal 2E at Charles de Gaulle, which collapsed in May 2004.

Aerolineas Argentinas.(LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN Report)(airlines)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Aerolineas Argentinas intends to make a public offering of up to 30% of its capital on the Buenos Aires stock exchange during the fourth quarter. Prior to the IPO, the airline is aiming to sell around 15% to a stable nucleus of investors. It...

Varig.(LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN Report)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Varig at press time announced it is considering offers from seven different business groups to acquire a major and possibly controlling stake. Names of the proposed investors were not released but it has become known that Portuguese travel...

Avianca.(LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN Report)(Avianca Airlines sales)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Avianca earned $116 million for 2004, reversing a $108 million net loss in 2003. It attributed the improvement primarily to benefits generated by its Chapter 11 financial and operating restructuring and a $119 million equity enhancement....