Delta posts $257 million loss, promises 'top-to-bottom' review Delta Air Lines posted a second-quarter net loss of $257 million, narrowed from a $1.04 billion deficit in the year-ago period, with results for both quarters heavily affected by special charges. Link
Boeing remains profitable, closes in on 787 fix Boeing reported a $998 million profit in the second quarter, up 17% from the $852 million earned in the year-ago period, and said it has identified a fix to the defect in the 787's upper wing join area that led to last month's first flight postponement and will release a new schedule for the flight test program before the end of September. Link
AirTran posts $78.4 million profit, confident of full year in black AirTran Airways parent AirTran Holdings reported a second-quarter net profit of $78.4 million, reversed from a net loss of $14.8 million in the year-ago period, and projected it will maintain profitability in the second half of 2009 despite the poor economic environment. Link
Allegiant's second-quarter profit soars more than ninefold Allegiant Air parent Allegiant Travel Co. continued to defy the shrinking economy during the second quarter, launching 20 new routes and posting a net profit of $23.9 million that compared to earnings of just $2.6 million in the corresponding 2008 period. Link
Colombia loses newly upgraded Kfir fighter in runway overshoot Two Israeli test pilots escaped injury when the upgraded Colombian air force Kfir fighter they were flying ran off the runway in Cartagena on 20 July. Link
Pakistan's Shaheen Air adds 737s and expands services Pakistan's Shaheen Air International has added three Boeing 737-200 aircraft to its fleet, bringing its fleet to ten privately-owned 737 aircraft. Link
Cathay to launch HK-Jeddah service Cathay Pacific Airways plans to launch flights on the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Hong Kong route. Link
Other News
ExpressJet Holdings reported a $13.1 million second-quarter loss, an improvement from the $34.3 million deficit during the same period a year ago. Revenue plunged 61.9% to $170.6 million, a decline attributed to a drop in passengers and the suspension of its ExpressJet branded and Delta Air Lines operations. Operating loss narrowed to $10.8 million from $43.7 million as expenses sank 29.8% to $20.3 million. "These results are reflective of the worldwide drop in passenger revenues, which are forecast to continue through 2009," President and CEO Jim Ream said. Six-month net loss of $24.5 million compared to a $67.5 million deficit in the year-ago semester. ExpressJet operates 214 aircraft under a capacity purchase agreement with Continental Airlines. Its corporate aviation division comprises 30 aircraft. One year ago it operated 274.
Niki wants 50% of the traffic rights between Vienna and Eastern Europe if Lufthansa's acquisition of Austrian Airlines Group is confirmed, President Niki Lauda said. "So far AAG has all the traffic rights to Eastern Europe, except our daily Vienna-Moscow DME service," Lauda said. "We have no idea how and if the merger will be completed. My company has to answer an additional 40 question from the European Commission regarding the process" by July 27. While investigating the potential LH/AAG tie-up, Brussels is looking to assure "that passengers can also choose to travel cheaply" on affected routes, he said. If Niki does secure additional rights, it will add A320 family aircraft. "At the moment we can't go forward with our fleet upgrade if there is no clear message from Brussels. But it is easy to get airplanes these days," he said.
Ryanair said it "will continue to explore the concept of 'fare-free standing' flights with Boeing and the relevant aviation authorities in the US and EU" after 66% of 120,000 passengers participating in an online poll said they would be willing to stand in the cabin on flights 1 hr. or shorter if the fare was free. The LCC said 42% would stand for half price and 60% felt standing should be an option.
British Airways and unions are set to resume discussions today on 3,700 job cuts and working conditions, a GMB union spokesperson told Sky News. "Following three days of talks at [the UK Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service] last week, talks are due to resume. . .and some progress has been made. We do not expect the talks to conclude until later in August," the spokesperson said. BA had sought agreements by June 30 but has reached one only with its pilots.
Assn. of European Airlines expressed concern over "the continuing trend on the part of airports across Europe to increase the fees they charge to their airline customers in order to compensate themselves for lower traffic levels during the current recession." It said the practice particularly is evident in Germany, where Frankfurt Airport is proposing an 8.4% boost next January to fund future expansion on top of a 4.6% hike for "central infrastructure." Munich announced a 4% increase in charges. AEA said it saw "similar stories of restraint in airport charges being short-lived" elsewhere in Europe. "In better times, such behavior was unreasonable. During the worst crisis the industry has known, it is completely unacceptable," Secretary General Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus said. "This current downturn affects all of us, but airlines much harder than the infrastructure providers because we not only have fewer passengers, but they are travelling on lower fares."
US scheduled passenger airlines employed 6.8% fewer fulltime-equivalent workers in May than in the year-ago month, according to the Dept. of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. It marked the 11th consecutive month of decline. The seven network airlines reduced their May employee rolls by 8.2% year-over-year, LCCs' rose 1.2% and regionals' fell 7.7%.
Assn. of Flight Attendants United Airlines chapter, in a communication to members, said 1,926 flight attendants had been accepted for voluntary furloughs.
US District Court reversed a bankruptcy court ruling that voided Frontier Airlines' collective bargaining agreement with some 325 mechanics represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Skyways Aviation arranged the purchase of one MD-83 from AerCap on behalf of AP Finance. Aircraft will be leased to SkyWings Airlines of Greece.
Air Berlin will begin serving Pristina from Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hanover and Munich up to twice-weekly, daily from Zurich and weekly from Geneva on Nov. 4.
Aeroflot carried 758,100 passengers in June, an 11.1% decline year-over-year. Load factor fell 3.8 points to 70.7%. Through the half-year, SU's passenger numbers fell 12.1% to 3.9 million, with load factor at 63.5%.
Oxford Aviation Academy signed a five-year agreement with British Airways covering provision of pilot training and simulator time for BA CityFlyer's incoming E-170s and E-190SRs.
Travelport signed a new multiyear global full-content agreement with Iberia.
AVIATION QUOTE
"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet" - Cecil Day Lewis
AEROSPACE TERM
Geology
The study of the planet Earth--the materials of which it is made, the processes that act on these materials, the products formed, and the history of the planet and its life forms since its origin. Geology considers the physical forces that act on the Earth, the chemistry of its constituent materials, and the biology of its past inhabitants as revealed by fossils. Clues on the origin of the planet are sought in a study of the Moon and other extraterrestrial bodies. The knowledge thus obtained is placed in the service of man--to aid in the discovery of minerals and fuels of value in the Earth's crust, to identify geologically stable sites for major structures, and to provide foreknowledge of some of the dangers associated with the mobile forces in a dynamic Earth.
DAILY VIDEO
HUMOR
Pilots…
TRIVIA
Thanks toPlymSpotter for today’s trivia.
Tail ID
Hint: They aren’t around anymore.
Bonus: Answer when they stopped operating
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
1. Lithuanian Airlines, changed to FlyLAL in 2005, grounded early this year by Lithuanian authorities 2. TV Virgin Express, merged with SN Brussels Airlines in 2006 3. FH Futura International Air, went belly-up last summer 4. EuroManx, died early last year 5. AeBal, renamed as Quantum Air around the same time Futura died 6. SN Brussels Airlines, formed after Sabena's death in early 2002, merged with TV and dropped the SN from their name in 2006 7. BU Braathens (S.A.F.E.), taken over by SAS in 2004 8. BWIA, died in late 2006, reborn as Caribbean Airlines in 2007
"I mean, we're in a galaxy far, far away, and we still have to change in Atlanta" (Stewie Griffin as Darth Vader)
1. FlyLAL Lithuanian Airlines (Ceased operations January 2009) 2. Virgin Express (Merged during 2006 into Brussels Airlines along with SN Brussels Airlines) 3. Futura International Airlines (Ceased operations September 2008) 4. Euromanx (Ceased operations May 2008) 5. AeBal (Renamed Quantum Air in March 2009 after SAS sold their 49% stake) 6. SN Brussels Airlines (Merged during 2006 into Brussels Airlines along with Virgin Express) 7. Braathens (Merged into SAS Norway April 2004) 8. BWIA West Indies Airways (Shut down 31st December 2006, Caribbean Airways taking over the next day) 9. DAS Air Cargo (Ceased operations September 2007) 10. Air Wales (Ceased operations April 2006)
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
