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, which CEO James Hogan said "signals Etihad's growing ambitions in the travel industry."
Japan Airlines said yesterday that it will operate a 747-300 test flight from Tokyo Haneda on Jan. 30 in conjunction with Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and Honeywell. It will use biofuel primarily derived from camelina plants. A blend of 50% biofuel and 50% traditional jet fuel will be tested in one of the aircraft's four JT9D engines. The biofuel will be a mixture of three second-generation feedstocks: Camelina (84%), jatropha (under 16%) and algae (under 1%). The flight will be the first using fuel derived from camelina and the first to use a combination of three feedstocks.
Swedish regional Golden Air took delivery of its first new ATR 72-500 yesterday. It currently operates one used 72-500, five Saab 340Bs and five Saab 2000s.
Delta Air Lines and the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which manages Minneapolis-St. Paul International, reached a tentative agreement that will allow the airline to largely retain financial benefits that subsidiary Northwest Airlines received for maintaining its headquarters and primary hub there. In exchange, the combined carrier will base its "Delta North" headquarters in Minneapolis, keep 10,000 NWA/DL employees based there--1,500 fewer than were based at NWA HQ prior to the merger--and operate at least 400 daily flights at MSP.
Qantas took delivery of its second A380 Monday in Toulouse. The aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Sydney today and will enter service on flights to Los Angeles from Melbourne and Sydney on Dec. 22. "This second aircraft will allow us to increase frequency to Los Angeles to as many as six return services each week," QF Executive GM John Borghetti said, adding that the first A380 ( ATWOnline, Sept.
British Airways CEO Willie Walsh told reporters yesterday that his airline remains interested in Alitalia and that "What we are offering, under current conditions, is a credible collaboration that will leave the Italian company the possibility of deciding its own future in a flexible manner," according to Reuters. However, the offer "isn't complementary to others taking stakes," he said, according to Il Sole 24 Ore. The Compagnia Aerea Italia investor group took control of AZ on Dec. 12 ( ATWOnline, Dec.
Vietnamese LCC Jetstar Pacific parent State Capital Investment Corp., which holds 75.8%, was granted permission by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to raise money by issuing additional shares to existing holders and to reduce its holding to 51% by selling its right to buy additional shares to other domestic stakeholders, the state Vietnam News Agency reported. Qantas holds 18% of the carrier and is allowed to take up to 30% ( ATWOnline, May 26).
American Airlines will launch daily Boston-San Diego on April 7 aboard a 757 as part of a service at BOS that will include additional daily frequencies to Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, St. Louis and London Heathrow. Seasonal BOS-Paris Charles de Gaulle flights begin May 1 aboard a 767-300. Separately, AA announced the reopening of its 3,600-sq.-ft. Miami Flagship Lounge. It has similar facilities at Chicago O'Hare, LHR, New York JFK and LAX.
Airbus has no plans to provide loans to customers, contrary to published reports, a spokesperson told Dow Jones. "Backstop financing is standard industry practice and is agreed at the time of contract. This happens years in advance of aircraft deliveries and is not the same thing as providing customers with billions in loans, which Airbus does not go into," the spokesperson said.
Six major US network carriers (American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways) reported an aggregate third-quarter operating margin of -5.8%, the fourth consecutive quarterly loss and a reversal from the 8.8% achieved in the year-ago period, the US Dept. of Transportation said. Delta reported a positive operating margin of 2.2% while the rest were in the red.
LAM Mozambique Airlines acquired a Q400 from an unidentified third party and will take delivery of a second "in the near future," Bombardier announced. LAM currently operates four 737-200s and two Jetstream 41s. CIT Aerospace announced the delivery of a second A320-200 to Etihad Airways. Aircraft is powered by IAE V2527-A5s. CIT will deliver two A330s to EY next year.
Southwest Airlines yesterday added a link to WestJet's booking portal to southwest.com, which SWA called "an important first step forward in the relationship" between the LCCs that will include the announcement of codeshare flight schedules by late next year ( ATWOnline, July 9).
Russia's Ministry of Transport is working out a mechanism for distributing over the next two years RUB7.5 billion ($270.1 million) in subsidies to airlines serving the country's far east. "Our goal is to introduce a uniform system of subsidizing economy-class fares on long-haul routes to and from these regions," Transport Minister Igor Levitin explained. At present, the state provides subsidies only to particular categories of passengers, such as those in the military, pensioners or students.
Boeing garnered orders for 15 787s and two 777s during the week ended Dec. 9, according to its Orders and Deliveries website. The customer(s) were not identified. The commitments lifted the manufacturer's 2008 gross order total to 663, including 94 787s and 54 777s. Net orders of 657 aircraft include 93 787s.
Malaysia Airlines is in talks with Qantas regarding some kind of partnership and intends to "pursue strategic partnerships to create additional value," CEO Idris Jala confirmed in a statement cited by widespread press reports. "We are in talks with a number of airlines, including Qantas. This ranges from joint ventures and codeshares to interlining partnerships. More details will be announced as and when we have finalized the terms of any of these partnerships," Jala said.
Delta Air Lines said it will offer in January a voluntary severance program in line with its recent decision to cut capacity 6%-8% next year ( ATWOnline, Dec. 3) "These capacity reductions will reduce the number of people needed to operate the airline," CEO Richard Anderson and President Ed Bastian told employees in a memo.
AeroTech Services said Brussels Airlines purchased its US FAA-verified modification aimed at reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions on 737s. Technology increases an aircraft's lift-to-drag ratio by expanding the wing area and camber and lengthening the chord.
CSA Czech Airlines said it has realized nearly CZK400 million ($20.5 million) in savings this year owing to nearly 700 new contracts with suppliers "primarily" related to navigation fees, aircraft handling and IT. It is seeking an additional CZK100 million in savings in 2009 related to MRO and has opened negotiations on new contracts with repair and maintenance parts and components suppliers.
Wataniya Airways, the all-premium Kuwaiti startup ( ATWOnline, Nov. 25), listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange under the symbol KNA, which stands for parent company Kuwait National Airways. It said KNA has authorized and fully paid capital of KWD50 million ($181.4 million) and distributed more than 500 million shares valued at KWD100 each. Its shareholders comprise 30% "strategic investors" and 70% "smaller investors."
Ryanair officially presented its €1.40 ($1.87) per share offer to Aer Lingus investors yesterday, giving them until Jan. 5 to decide whether to create "one leading, financially strong, Irish-run airline group."
Air New Zealand claimed yesterday that the New Zealand Commerce Commission is "grandstanding to justify its existence" after announcing plans to bring charges against ANZ and 12 other airlines relating to cargo price-fixing. ANZ General Counsel John Blair said the airline never has condoned anticompetitive conduct and has cooperated fully with NZCC's investigation, providing hundreds of thousands of documents and making many current and former employees available for interview.
SkyEurope Airlines was granted a €10 million ($13.4 million) bridge loan by Longstock SAPO, a joint venture between Athens-based luxury transport services provider and Longstock Financial of Lisbon. The LCC said the loan was "in light of a possible future equity injection" ( ATWOnline, Dec. 15). It also said that loans of €15 million and €10 million granted by York Global Finance and due for repayment yesterday have been extended to Jan. 15.
Aircell said Delta Air Lines today will launch its Gogo inflight Internet service onboard six aircraft, the first in a series of more than 300 DL domestic aircraft to feature the offering. Technology initially will be available on five MD-88s flying between New York LaGuardia, Boston Logan and Washington National as well as one 757 flying throughout its domestic network. During Dec. 16-31, passengers traveling on Gogo-equipped MD-88 Shuttle aircraft will have complimentary inflight Internet access.
