Hong Kong Express took delivery of an Embraer 170, making it the first operator in Asia of the 170/190 series. It will take delivery of three by year end and one in early 2006. All will be leased from GE Commercial Aviation Services and will be configured for 76 seats in a single-class layout.
Ryanair joined easyJet in calling on the British government to reject CAA's proposal to increase the tax on tickets for all UK passengers ( ATWOnline, Sept. 26). Last week, CAA published an assessment supporting its case for what it calls "modernizing the financial protection of air travelers and holidaymakers." It recommends that the scope of the current protection system be extended to protect all air travelers flying from the UK on international flights, with tour operator and airline passengers being covered by a single scheme funded by a short-term £1 levy on tickets.
Lufthansa Systems said its Electronic Logistics & Warehouse Information System freight handling system was selected by Aircargo Operations ACO, a new cargo handling operator at Bratislava Airport.
Emirates signed a leasing agreement with two UAE banks, National Bank of Dubai and Emirates Bank Group, for a new A340-500. The $119.5 million financing is for the last of the 10 A340-500s Emirates has on firm order. It is structured as an operating lease over a 12-year term and carries a weighted average cost of funds 0.9% over six-month Libor.
Etihad Crystal Cargo extended its ULD control and pooling contract with Unitpool, a load device pooling company, with the signing of a new long-term contract.
Boeing now sees a possible go-ahead decision on the 747ADV program in early December. In the meantime, the manufacturer continues to make refinements to the design. It re-lofted the outboard section of the wing and opted for single-slotted outboard flaps. Inboard, double-slotted flaps replace the current triple-slotted devices. Boeing also has decided to use the slightly larger 777 windows.
AirAsia will launch service from its base at Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai and Phnom Penh on Oct. 20 and Nov. 1 respectively with a single daily roundtrip to each destination. To kick off the routes, it is offering 10,000 seats to each city at an introductory fare of MYR49.99 ($15) each way excluding airport fees and taxes.
General Electric named Bradley Mottier president and CEO of GE Engine Services within GE Transportation, Aircraft Engines. He replaces Dan Heintzelman, who assumes the role of VP-energy services for GE Energy. Mottier has served as president and CEO of Unison Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aircraft Engines' Engine Services operation, since GE acquired Unison in 2002. Prior to the acquisition he worked for more than 20 years at Unison.
North American Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of World Airways, renewed its contract to provide service to GWV Vacations flying from Providence and Hartford to Caribbean and Mexico vacation destinations.
Taca took delivery of the first of five A321s Sept. 23, becoming the first operator of the type in Latin America. It also was the region's first operator of the A319 and A320.
SkyEurope shares began trading on the Vienna and Warsaw stock exchanges yesterday at an initial price of €6 ($7.25) per share and climbed to €6.60 on the Vienna exchange before closing at €6.30 ( ATWOnline, Sept. 23).
Swiss International Air Lines reportedly plans to supply up to 60 pilots to China Airlines for the carrier's 747, A330 and A340 fleets. Pilots have been made surplus to Swiss needs owing to its decision to phase out its Embraer 145s and Saab 2000s. Another 15 pilots may find some work with Etihad Airways. Also, Jet Airways of India is looking for some A340 pilots from Swiss.
Lufthansa and Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport signed a deal Tuesday lowering the cost of ground handling for the carrier at the airport for the next five years. Savings amount to more than €10 million per year, according to Reuters, which cited Lufthansa Passenger Airline management board member Carsten Spohr. Savings will come from a combination of lower prices and greater efficiencies, Spohr said. Fraport Chief Executive Wilhelm Bender said the airport operator will offset the reduction in ground handling fees from Lufthansa through its own cost savings.
European Commission proposed to negotiate an Open Aviation Area agreement with Ukraine. In 2004, 1.5 million passengers traveled between the EU and Ukraine by air, up 25% over 2003. The EC said authority to negotiate with Ukraine is in line with the conclusions of the June 27 Transport Council "in which EU Transport Ministers welcomed a wider European Common Aviation Area with our neighbors."
In the largest US airline merger since American Airlines acquired TWA in 2000, US Airways emerged from Chapter 11 and completed its merger with America West Airlines, with the US Airways brand surviving.
Singapore Airlines and Asiana, both members of the Star Alliance, have begun codesharing between Singapore and Seoul. SIA is putting the SQ code on 10 weekly A330 services operated by Asiana, while the latter is putting the OZ code on 44 weekly 747 and 777 services operated by SIA. Subject to regulatory approval, the carriers expect to extend their cooperation to include transpacific flights beyond Seoul, domestic destinations in South Korea, intra-travel in north Asia and flights beyond Singapore.
CSA Czech Airlines intends to move forward on an ambitious cost-cutting plan in response to continuing high oil prices that have caused its fuel bill to rise by more than CZK1 billion ($41 million) in 2005. "The only way to successfully face the increasing pressures of rising fuel costs and competition is to aggressively cut the airline's own costs and to introduce effective, modern technological tools at the same time," said Eduard Janota, chairman of the CSA board of trustees.
The European Commission, in a landmark decision, came down in favor of including European airlines in the EU's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme rather than imposing separate emissions charges and/or other taxes and fees on the industry to offset damage to the environment from carbon dioxide emissions by aircraft.
TAM will launch nonstop service from Sao Paulo to New York JFK four times per week from Nov. 11 using an A330-200. It will operate from Terminal 4 at JFK. JetBlue filed an application with the US Dept. of Transportation to offer daily nonstop service between New York and Cancun with A320s beginning Dec. 17, or within 90 days of authority being received.
Continental Airlines operated a limited schedule of departures at its Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport hub Sunday and full service was expected to resume yesterday. Continental Express and Continental Connection did not operate Sunday but were to begin flying Monday. Other airlines also returned to Houston Monday.
Thales said Royal Jordanian chose its TopSeries digital IFE for its A320s and A321s. The carrier's first revenue flights with the new system are scheduled for November.
Sterling owner Fons Eignarhalsfelag and Icelandair owner FL Group could announce a merger as early as this week. Reportedly, FL Group, which also has a 13.8% stake in easyJet, is interested in acquiring Sterling, the Denmark-based low-fare airline that is itself is in the process of absorbing Maersk Air, which recently was acquired by Fons.
