Air Transport World

While Virgin Australia remains a popular investment option for overseas airlines, the carrier is set to report a significant net loss due to restructuring costs.

US-based United Parcel Service (UPS) posted a $1.27 billion net profit for the second quarter of 2016, up 3.2% from net income of $1.23 billion in the same quarter in 2015.

Air Canada reported C$186 million ($143 million) in net profit for the second quarter of 2016, down 37.2% from the airline’s C$296 million net result in 2Q 2015.

Gulf carrier Qatar Airways has increased its stake in International Airlines Group (IAG) from 15.67% to 20.01%, in what it called an attractive buying opportunity, the company announced Aug. 1.

People-July 29, 2016

JetBlue Airways has announced three Cuba services from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) signed a wet-lease agreement with SriLankan Airlines for three A330s, PIA CEO Bernd Hildenbrand confirmed to ATW.

Air France anticipates a worsening of its ongoing cabin crew strike on July 30, as more staff joins the dispute.

Embraer recorded a net income of $4.5 million for the half year ended June 30, compared to $72.5 million for the year-ago period.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co., parent of Allegiant Air, reported second-quarter net income of $60.8 million, up 12% from $54.3 million in the year-ago period.

US-based FedEx earned net income of $1.82 billion for its 2016 fiscal year ended May 31, up 73.3% over a net profit of $1.05 billion for the previous fiscal year, on a 6.1% year-over-year (YOY) rise in revenue to $50.37 billion.

Florida-based ultra low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines reported 2016 second-quarter net income of $73.1 million, down 4.7% from a $76.7 million profit in the year-ago period.

Japan Airlines (JAL) saw its net profit decline 55% to ¥14.7 billion yen ($143.6 million) in the three months through June 30, partly because of earthquakes in Kyushu and weakness in many global markets.

International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) reported a substantially improved half-year performance July 29.

Utah-based SkyWest, parent of regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines, reported $40.2 million in 2016 second-quarter net income, up 27.8% from the company’s $31.5 million net income in 2Q 2015.

The Singapore Airlines Group has reported a 2016-17 first-quarter net profit of S$256.6 million ($190 million), nearly tripled from a S$91.2 million net profit in the year-ago period ended June 2015.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air has agreed to purchase 12 new Airbus A320ceo aircraft.

Philippines-based low-cost carrier (LCC) Cebu Pacific has placed a firm order for two Airbus A330-300s, the manufacturer said July 29.

Passenger Experience-July 28, 2016

Singapore Airlines will replace its fifth freedom Singapore-Moscow DME-Houston service with Singapore-Manchester-Houston.

Etihad’s group chief does not expect the Airbus A380neo to be built and says the 10 A380s the Abu Dhabi airline ordered are sufficient—the future lies with new-technology aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X.

Singapore’s Changi Airport has earmarked S$35 million ($25.8 million) over the next six years to upgrade the facility’s customer interaction, ground services and data handling capabilities.

Las Vegas-based low-cost carrier Allegiant Air pilots, represented by International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), have ratified the airline’s first union contract.

China Eastern and China Southern Airlines, along with other SkyTeam member carriers, plan to move to Beijing New Airport when it opens in 2019, according to the CAAC.

Etihad Airways has opened a dedicated premium passenger lounge in the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), its third lounge in the US and first on the West Coast.