Southwest expected to report 1Q earnings profit Southwest Airlines, which has seen its traffic surge along with fuel prices, is scheduled to report quarterly results Thursday morning. Southwest has been growing more quickly than other major airlines in the U.S. However, soaring fuel prices are expected to weigh on the airline's results. Link
Analysts expect JetBlue to post a 2 cent per share profit JetBlue has rapidly expanded service in Boston and the Caribbean, while keeping a lid on expansion plans elsewhere. JetBlue's expenses rose, primarily due to the increase in fuel prices, but analysts predict the airline will post a 2 cent per share profit for the first quarter. JetBlue has also enabled travelers to use its website to book certain flights on the carrier's partner airlines, including Aer Lingus and American. Link
Expedia sites to continue to list AirTran tickets Expedia and its affiliated websites will continue to list AirTran Airway's fares following a distribution agreement struck by the companies. AirTran, based in Orlando, Fla., and Expedia, based in Bellevue, Wash., have had a distribution deal since 2006 Link
Air Lease shares up 5.5% following $802.5 million IPO Air Lease raised $802.5 million in an initial public offering this week and then rose 5.5% on the first day of trading. The Los Angeles-based company, which is led by Steven Udvar-Hazy, originally planned to sell 25 million shares, but boosted that figure and ultimately sold 30.3 million shares. "We're very happy and think it's a good outcome for the whole airline industry and the aircraft lessors," said Udvar-Hazy, chairman and CEO at Air Lease. "It establishes again the credibility of the leasing model as an important facet of airlines' fleet financing." Link
Boeing says it won't launch new program at Paris show Boeing is refuting reports that it is planning to announce at the Paris Air Show in June that it is replacing the engine in its twinjet best seller or launching a new model to replace its 737. However, the company said it will offer "more clarity on which direction we are leaning," at the show. Mike Bair, an executive at Boeing, said the company's highest priority remains the "continued development and improvement of" the 737NG. Link
DOT approves final passenger protection rule The U.S. Transportation Department approved a rule that will require airlines to refund baggage fees if bags are lost and increase compensation to U.S. airline passengers who are bumped off a flight. The regulation will also impose fines on international flights with delays of more than four hours. Link
Demand for premium seats remained strong in February Despite increasing airfares, demand for business- and first-class seats on international flights continued to be solid in February, according a global industry group. Demand for premium seats was up 7.7% in February, while demand for economy seats rose 3.3% for the month. Link
U.S. might acquire COIN aircraft to train, equip other nations A couple of years ago, it appeared that demand for counterinsurgency, or COIN, aircraft was about to surge. The Air Force and the Navy both were looking into light-attack aircraft. However, it appears now that U.S. forces might acquire COIN aircraft not for combat but for training and equipping other countries. Link
Budget debate starts to raise concerns for contractors Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., chairman of the House Budget Committee, recently issued a plan for reducing the deficit that did not cut any Pentagon funding. President Barack Obama responded with his own plan that included a $400 billion cut to defense spending. Defense contractors should be able to manage if the debate remains somewhere between Ryan's proposal and Obama's plan. However, if lawmakers decide to get serious about reducing the deficit, contractors could take a hit. Link
Lockheed Martin cuts Orion program to meet deadlines Lockheed Martin has reined in its Orion crew exploration vehicle program in an effort to stick with tight deadlines set by Congress. Cleon Lacefield, program manager at Lockheed Martin, said the plan is to send an Orion capsule into orbit two years from now. "With the funding changes, the program realignments, all of those kinds of things, we've been able to preserve the core of this test program and kind of make it more than it would have been by combining a bunch of tests into single articles," said Jim Kemp, director of assembly, test and launch operations for the vehicle. Link
American's fiscal woes continue with $436 million first-quarter loss American Airlines parent AMR Corp. on Wednesday reported a first-quarter net loss of $436 million, narrowed from a $505 million net deficit in the year-ago period, and announced a further capacity reduction in the 2011 fourth quarter. Link
Chinese airlines report $879 million first-quarter net profit Chinese carriers posted collective first-quarter net income of CNY5.73 billion ($879 million), up 31.8% over the year-ago period, according to CAAC, which credited the continuing growth of domestic market demand. Total operating revenue climbed 21% to CNY76.97 billion, outpacing a 17.6% rise in expenses to CNY70.7 billion. Link
Etihad boosts first-quarter revenue 21%, aims for profitability in 2012 Etihad Airways reported a 21.2% year-over-year rise in first-quarter revenue to $770 million. It said the year's first three months represented its "most successful first-quarter to date." Though the Abu Dhabi-based and owned carrier did not disclose EBITDAR figures for the period, it said EBITDAR was positive and put it on course to reach its goal of breaking even this year and achieving profitability in 2012. Link
Boeing to expand 787 modification operations Boeing is set to significantly expand its 787 modification operation as the airframer seeks to incorporate the deliverable final configuration ahead of formal certification, reports FlightBlogger. Link
Other News
oneWorld Unions. A number of unions representing workers for oneworld airlines on Wednesday announced the establishment of the "oneworld labor council," described by labor leaders at a Washington press conference as a loose confederation of work groups focused on combating threats to job security they say are posed by cross-border airline cooperation.
The New Zealand Commerce Commission has withdrawn its claim against Air New Zealand cargo employees five years after it launched its investigation into cargo practices at the airline.
Virgin Blue is set to announce another significant partnership, this time with Hawaiian Airlines. Addressing the Australian-British Chamber of Commerce in Sydney on Wednesday, Virgin Blue CEO John Borghetti said the airline was in the "process of having advanced discussions with Hawaiian Airlines" on codeshare flights to Hawaii.
Lufthansa will integrate subsidiaries Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines and British Midland into the antitrust immunized Atlantic Plus-Plus joint venture by July 1, an LH spokesperson confirmed.
Belavia will launch twice-weekly Brest-Kaliningrad service using a Bombardier CRJ100/200 June 10.
Flydubai will launch service from Doha to Riyadh (daily) and Jeddah (four-times-weekly) May 1.
JetBlue Airways will launch daily San Juan-St. Maarten service using an Embraer E-190 Nov. 17.
TAP Portugal will launch thrice-weekly Lisbon-Bamako A320 service June 5.
AVIATION QUOTE
Any sort of ship you have to learn to pilot; it takes a long time, a new set of reflexes, a different and artificial way of thinking. Even riding a bicycle demands an acquired skill, very different from walking, whereas a spaceship—oh, brother! I won't live that long. Spaceships are for acrobats who are also mathematicians.
— Juan Rico, in Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers, 1960.
ON THIS DATE
April 21st
• In 1914... The first news movie shot from the air is filmed by cameraman B.C. Hucks, Warwick Bioscope Chronicle Film, England. He flies down to within 400 ft. of the royal yacht with King George aboard, crossing the English Channel from Dover, England to Calais, France.
• In 1928... Australian explorer Hubert Wilkins and his American pilot Carl Ben Eielson arrive in Spitzbergen, Norway after making the first ever crossing of the Arctic by airplane. They left Point Barrow, Alaska, on April 15th in their Lockheed Vega.
• In 1961... USAF Major Robert White pilots the X-15A research airplane from Edwards Air Force Base in California on its first flight at full throttle, reaching a speed of 3,074 mph at an altitude of 79,000 feet, before climbing to 105,100 feet.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
Tired Soldier On A Train
A battle weary American soldier boarded a crowded train in in London during the early days of post-WWII, only to discover he was unable to find a place to sit. As he walked the length of the train, he noticed a small white dog curled up on one of the seats. A large, well dressed woman sat in the seat next to the dog. The man hovered near the seat, hoping the woman would take the hint, but she pointedly ignored him.
"Excuse me, Ma'am," the soldier finally spoke, "Is this your dog? Would you mind holding it on your lap so that I may sit down?"
The woman raised her icy gaze to the young man and said in a haughty British accent, "oh! You Americans. You are so rude. Fluffy is in that seat, and I see no reason why she should give up her comfort for you."
The exhausted soldier nodded, picked up the small dog ... leaned over ... opened the window of the moving train and tossed the dog out. The woman gaped and spluttered in horrified indignation, and the man sitting across from her lowered his newspaper.
"You Americans", he said, "You drive on the wrong side of the road ... you eat with the wrong fork ... and you just threw the wrong bitch out the window."
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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
