AirlinesAmerican considers sharing benefits with Qantas loyalty programAmerican Airlines is looking into extending its partnership with Qantas Airways. American could allow its AAdvantage loyalty program and the Qantas frequent flier program to share benefits. "We have a very active and engaged customer base in Australia," said Suzanne Rubin, president of AAdvantage. "We are looking at re-energizing that. But when you enter a market with a partner you are also looking at how do we best work together."
LinkAmerican passengers can sleep tight with pajamas, slippersAmerican Airlines will offer passengers complimentary pajamas and slippers in business class on flights between LAX and Sydney. American said it could eventually offer the amenity on "other longer-haul flights."
LinkEmirates Urges Caution On EU-Gulf Aviation AgreementEmirates has written to several European governments expressing concern that its flying rights could be frozen if the European Commission is allowed to use aviation negotiations with Gulf countries as a way to challenge alleged illegal state subsidies to Gulf carriers. The Commission, the European Union's executive, is expected to ask member states for a mandate to start talks on flying agreements with the Gulf countries and others such as China and Turkey when it presents an aviation package in December.
LinkFinnair studies future narrowbody fleetFinnair is planning to increase traffic on its European feeder network with an eye on growing long-haul capacity. As a first step, Finnair will temporarily lease two Airbus A321 narrowbody aircraft, including part of the flight crew for one year from May 2016 onward, it said in a statement. A source close to the deal said that both A321s could be wet leased from Austria-based airberlin subsidiary FlyNiki.
LinkHawaiian Airlines to boost hiring in New ZealandHawaiian Airlines is hiring six new employees in Auckland, New Zealand, after introducing service to the country in 2013. "Our business has now evolved in both New Zealand and Australia and it is appropriate to scale up our commercial resources in line with our operating presence and future plans," said Gai Tyrrell, regional director for Australia and New Zealand.
LinkIberia to restart Madrid-Puerto Rico flights in 2016 Iberia will resume flights between Madrid and San Juan, Puerto Rico on May 15, 2016, after a three-year absence on the route. The announcement was made during the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) Airline Leaders Forum in San Juan. “This is a very satisfying day for us,” Iberia chairman and CEO Luis Gallego said in a statement. “When we suspended flights to Puerto Rico nearly three years ago, we promised to resume them as soon as we were able to make the route economically sustainable, and that moment has now arrived.”
LinkKLM receives its first Boeing 787KLM took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 on Nov. 14, an aircraft leased from Aercap which will initially be operated on its Amsterdam-Abu Dhabi-Bahrain service. “This aircraft symbolizes a new phase in the future of KLM. Investment in our customers is one of our priorities. This efficient aircraft is part of that investment,” KLM president and CEO Pieter Elbers said.
LinkLATAM posts $113 million 3Q net lossLATAM Airlines Group, parent of Brazil’s TAM and Chile’s LAN Airlines, reported a 2015 third-quarter net loss of $113.3 million. The net deficit, deeper than the year-ago quarter’s $107.8 million net loss, is attributed by LATAM management to a weakening macroeconomic environment in Latin America embellished by the ongoing devaluation of Latin American currencies—especially the “challenging economic scenario” of the Brazilian real’s 55.5% depreciation.
LinkLufthansa sells 13% stake in Luxair to Luxembourg governmentThe Luxembourg government has acquired Lufthansa’s 13% stake in national carrier Luxair, a Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed to ATW in Frankfurt. “The deal was completed Nov. 6,” the spokesperson said without giving financial details. “To our understanding, the government will take these shares temporarily.”
LinkOman Air invests in crew, cabinsOman Air will start construction Nov. 18 of a state-of-art crew training center adjacent to its Muscat headquarters. The national carrier will invest RO3 million ($7.8 million) in developing what will be known as the Oman Air Flight Training Center (OAFTC). Completion of the facility is planned to take less than a year.
LinkQantas debuts ‘Retro Roo II’ liveryQantas has revived the livery that adorned its Boeing 707s between 1959 and 1961 on a 737-800 named 'Retro Roo II'. Registered as VH-VXQ, the new-old livery was revealed at an event at in Sydney as part of the airline's 95th anniversary celebrations.
LinkRoyal Jordanian moves into profit for first nine monthsRoyal Jordanian has turned in considerably improved figures for the first nine months of its financial year, moving into profit despite the proximity of major conflicts. The national carried recorded a net profit of JD21.4 million ($30.2 million) for the year-to-date, reversing a loss for the same period last year.
LinkVivaColombia eyes international growthVivaColombia plans to announce up to three new international destinations in 2016, as it prepares to launch its first service to the USA. The Medellin-based carrier's chief executive Juan Emilio Posada declines to elaborate on where the airline plans to fly to, but notes that it would "love" to offer service to Caracas.
LinkVolga-Dnepr Il-76 makes first landing on ice airfield Russia’s Volga-Dnepr Airlines Ilyushin Il-76ТD-90VD aircraft has landed for the first time on an ice airfield in Antarctica. The aircraft completed a series of runs at the Novolazarevskaya Antarctic Research Station airfield runway to check performance capability and define the engine reverse thrust application range. Flight checks were performed to incorporate amendments to the Il-76ТD-90VD’s Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) for ice airfield operations. After AFM amendments are complete, Il-76ТD-90VD aircraft will be approved to operate to Antarctica airfields.
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