NewsDubai International posts slower full-year traffic growthDubai International Airport handled 89.1 million passengers in 2018, retaining its position as the world’s top-ranking airport in terms of international passenger numbers, but marking a growth slowdown on previous years. Announcing its year-end figures on Jan. 28, the airport said it had retained its title as the world’s busiest airport for international customer numbers for the fifth consecutive year.
LinkNew Istanbul Airport to be fully operational in MarchIstanbul New Airport (INA), which will replace Turkey’s Istanbul Atatürk Airport, is set to begin full operations in March. The airport, which began partial operations Oct. 29, 2018, will be completely open March 3, operator Istanbul Grand Airport (IGA) said Jan. 29. Atatürk is the main hub for Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines. The carrier, which originally planned to move its hub to INA by the end 2018, postponed the shift until March.
LinkEthiopian Airlines to restructure US network this summerEthiopian Airlines has announced a major restructuring of its US network, adding frequencies as well as shifting gateways starting this summer. The Star Alliance member will launch a 3X-weekly Addis Ababa Bole International Airport-Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Texas) Boeing 787 service, which will replace its current Los Angeles route. Houston flights will be routed via West Africa.
LinkRyanair acquires 100% ownership of LaudaMotionIrish LCC Ryanair has gained complete ownership of LaudaMotion with the acquisition of the 25% stake in the Austrian LCC held by its founder, former Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda. The transaction was completed Dec. 31, 2018; Ryanair had previously acquired a 75% stake in LaudaMotion. Lauda will remain as chairman of the subsidiary’s shareholders committee, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary told ATW in Vienna.
LinkChina Eastern rolls out China’s first RFID bag tracking serviceAfter nearly three years of studies and tests, China Eastern Airlines has introduced the country’s first radio-frequency identification (RFID) bag tracking service for its customers. With the technology, China Eastern customers will be able to track their checked-in baggage real time, using the China’s multi-function messaging app WeChat. The introduction is in time for the Lunar New Year festival, which will see massive surge in the number of domestic and international passengers in and out of China.
LinkNorwegian to raise $353 million on rights issue, cut more routesScandinavian LCC Norwegian has announced plans to raise NOK3 billion ($353 million) through a rights issue in an attempt to increase liquidity in the absence of a strategic investor. The airline will cut more routes from its network and divest additional aircraft as it shifts from growth to survival mode.
LinkANA’s 9-month profit drops 30% despite revenue gainsJapan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) reported a profit decline for the nine months through Dec. 31, 2018, although it cited an improvement in the December quarter as a positive sign. ANA Holdings posted a net profit of ¥106.8 billion ($97 million) for the nine-month period, which represents the first three quarters of its fiscal year. This was down 30% from a ¥152.9 billion profit in the same period a year earlier.
LinkANA takes 9.5% stake in PAL; places A320 & MAX ordersAll Nippon Airways (ANA) Holdings has revealed some major investment moves, as it confirmed the purchase of a 9.5% strategic stake in Philippine Airlines (PAL) and placed an order for 38 narrowbody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. ANA’s 9.5% stake in PAL Holdings is valued at $95 million. The shares will be acquired from Trustmark Holdings Corp., which is PAL’s largest shareholder and is owned by the Lucio Tan family. The deal is “subject to certain closing conditions,” the carriers said. A PAL spokesman told ATW the carriers aim to close the deal in the first quarter of 2019.
LinkGaruda considers majority stake in Sriwijaya AirGaruda Indonesia is studying its options about a 51% stake in Sriwijaya Air through low-cost unit Citilink. In response to a stock exchange query, Garuda says options under consideration include a debt-to-equity swap, which would see Sriwijaya Air's debts owed to the Garuda Indonesia Group converted into shares.
LinkSIA expands JetBlue codeshare; deploys regional A350 to BrisbaneSingapore Airlines (SIA) recently expanded its codeshare with JetBlue on flights out of New York John F. Kennedy International airport, while also deploying the regionally configured Airbus A350-900s on flights to Brisbane. The Star Alliance carrier tells FlightGlobal that its expanded codeshares with JetBlue started on 15 January.
LinkAir NZ lowers FY2019 earnings guidance Air New Zealand (Air NZ) has lowered its earnings guidance for the 2019 financial year, as markets show signs of slower growth. The carrier is expecting earnings before tax of of between NZ$340 million and NZ$400 million ($232 million to $274 million), down from its previously announced guidance of NZ$425 million to NZ$525 million. Its financial year ends on 30 June.
LinkKorean Air estimates 28% drop in 2018 profit Korean Air estimates that its 2018 full year operating profit will slide 28% to W692 billion ($620 million), primarily due to impact from higher fuel costs. In an investor presentation, the airline said that revenue is estimated to grow 7.2% to W12.7 trillion, this involves a 9.8% jump in passenger revenue to W7.7 trillion and a 7.2% climb in cargo revenue to W3.01 trillion. Income from other segment declined 2.5% to W1.9 trillion.
LinkSamco services first Swiss A220Dutch maintenance provider Samco has completed a C-Check on a Swiss Airbus A220. The Maastricht-based MRO provider noted on Twitter that the aircraft visit was the “first ever C-check in the world” on the Pratt & Whitney PW1500G-powered twinjet, previously known as the Bombardier CSeries.
LinkPentagon will not cut F-35 orders for Boeing F-15: LockheedLockheed Martin chief executive Marillyn Hewson said she was assured by Department of Defense officials that any order of Boeing F-15 aircraft will not come at the expense of future Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II purchases. Hewson was responding on a 29 January earnings call to rumors that the US Air Force might buy F-15 fighters to fill a hole in its future inventory caused by delayed F-35 deliveries.
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