Air Transport World

By Linda Blachly
International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) and Emirates Airline have signed a sale and leaseback agreement for four new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Michael Mackey
AerCap Holdings and AerDragon have agreed to acquire five new Airbus A330-300s for lease to Singapore Airlines (SQ).
Aircraft & Propulsion

Kurt Hofmann
Swiss International Air Lines (LX) must improve its cost structure to overcome high fuel prices, decreasing yield and foreign exchange losses between the strong Swiss franc and the euro, CEO Harry Hohmeister told ATW.

Michael Mackey
Qantas (QF) has denied rumors of a possible takeover bid after media reports that a group of wealthy individuals, including venture capitalist Mark Carnegie, was putting together a syndicate to make a bid for the Australian carrier.

Michael Mackey
Singapore-based Tiger Airways (TR) has appointed Koay Peng Yen as Group CEO, effective Aug. 10.

The International Air Carrier Assn. (IACA) has added Swiss carrier Hello AG as a full member. The charter airline has a fleet of four 174-seat Airbus A320s. Austrian Airlines Group (OS) is set to eliminate the brand Lauda Air by 2013 as part of its restructuring process. Currently only one Boeing 737-800 is outfitted in Lauda livery. The carrier was founded 1979 by former Formula-1 Champion Niki Lauda and was integrated into OS in 2002.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Katie Cantle
China Eastern Airlines (MU) expects to post improved results in the second half, due to the recovering market demand and falling fuel prices, according to MU CEO Ma Xulun.

Michael Mackey
Bangkok Airways (PG) is planning to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in early 2013, to enable it to acquire aircraft and build a new hangar at Suvarnabhumi, president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth told ATW.

By Victoria Moores
Danish lessor Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) has closed a sale-and-leaseback agreement with Olympic Air’s (OA) parent company, covering 10 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400’s and four Dash 8-100 aircraft.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Anne Paylor
[CORRECTED] Etihad Airways (EY) reported second-quarter revenue of $1.25 billion, up 31% from $957 million year-over-year, contributing to a 30% increase in first-half revenues to $2.24 billion, compared to $1.73 billion in the year-ago period.

Aaron Karp
The final French BEA report issued Thursday on the 2009 Air France (AF) Flight 447 crash is unlikely to quell the controversies that surround one of aviation’s worst-ever disasters; in particular, AF and Airbus must confront potential legal jeopardy.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Aaron Karp
The French BEA's final report on the 2009 crash of Air France (AF) Flight 447, released Thursday, reiterated the two main themes of its investigation over the past three years: the Airbus A330-200’s malfunctioning pitot probes provided inconsistent speed measurements and the pilots did not understand the rapidly deteriorating situation, failing to properly identify a stall situation or react promptly to it.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Aaron Karp
FedEx has completed the purchase of Brazilian logistics company Rapidão Cometa (RC), another in a string of buys the Memphis-based express operator has made in recent months to buttress its global network.

By Victoria Moores
FastJet, the new African low-cost carrier backed by easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou, has selected Airbus A319s and is aiming for an October launch.

Michael Mackey
Virgin Australia (DJ) has ordered 23 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, the first in Australia, plus four options.
Aircraft & Propulsion

BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaulhas named Lisa Cooper as regional sales manager-UK, Spain, Ireland and Portugal. Cooper joins BBA from H+S Aviation. Pattonair appointed Richard Hawkins as group quality director. Hawkins joins the global aerospace supply chain service provider from Rolls-Royce. IFP has hired Jackie Frimer as VP-worldwide business development. Frimer has more than a decade of experience in the inflight entertainment industry.

Kurt Hofmann
Ethiopian Airlines (ET) signed a seven-year contract with Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) earlier this month, to provide Integrated Component Solutions (ICS) to its Boeing 737NG fleet.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
Irish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair (FR) will reduce flights to Morocco following disagreements with the Moroccan governmental airport authority ONDA over handling charges.
Airports & Networks

Michael Mackey
Airbus is aiming for a bigger market share in Japan.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

Michael Mackey
Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) will issue 914 million new shares of stock to raise money for new aircraft.

Christine Boynton
Airbus confirmed to ATW it has been granted a US patent for a high-capacity, dual-fuselage turboprop-powered aircraft design, featuring two sets of wings.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Victoria Moores
Air France (AF) is not commenting on a French newspaper report claiming it is exploring a joint venture (JV) with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways (EY).

Kurt Hofmann
The Austrian Airlines Group (OS) on July 1 transferred all flight operations—which includes a fleet of some 80 aircraft and 2,100 employees—to subsidiary Tyrolean Airways (VO).

By Karen Walker
Virgin America (VX) has reported a first-quarter operating loss of $49 million, a 65% worsening compared to the $29.5 million operating loss for the same period last year.

Cuckoo Paul
Kingfisher Airlines (IT) is facing more trouble this week as management failed to convince pilots they will be paid.