Etihad first-half 2011 revenue up 28% Etihad Airways reported a 28% year-over-year rise in first-half revenue to $1.72 billion and reiterated it is on course to reach its goals of breaking even this year and achieving profitability in 2012. Link
Former CASA chairman warns Qantas' international operations in danger of bankruptcy Former Australia Civil Aviation Safety Authority chairman Dick Smith—also one of the country's most controversial and outspoken entrepreneurs—has infuriated airline unions by predicting that Qantas International will go bankrupt unless it moves its operating base to Asia. Link
FAA revokes operating certificate of Florida's Bimini Island Air Ft. Lauderdale-based Bimini Island Air overstepped its bounds as an on-demand charter operator by offering and flying scheduled flights using a 30-seat Saab 340, stated US FAA, which has revoked the carrier's operating certificate. Link
Boeing looks distantly at 60 737s per month Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh is asking his product development team to examine what it would take to ramp its 737 final assembly line to 60 aircraft per month as the venerable narrowbody is sold out through 2016. Link
Airlines' fuel costs per gallon soared 31% in May U.S. airlines' average fuel cost per gallon skyrocketed 31% in May on a year-over-year basis and also increased 1.3% from April, according to the Department of Transportation. Soaring fuel costs remain a key concern for airlines, and those costs have now climbed four straight months to reach levels that were last seen in 2008. The rise has prompted some airlines to scale back projected capacities. Link
ATA CEO: Airlines do not favor increasing security fee During a hearing before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security regarding TSA authorization for fiscal years 2012 and 2013, the idea of raising the amount of the $2.50-per-passenger aviation passenger security fee was discussed. "U.S. airlines and their passengers contributed $2 billion in taxes and fees to TSA in 2010, a 50% increase from the amount collected in 2002," said Air Transport Association President and CEO Nicholas Calio. "Aviation security taxes and fees now constitute almost 25 percent of the industry's federal tax burden." Calio also said the federal government should bear the costs of aviation security. Link
Other News
Air Lease Corp. announced that UK-based Thomas Cook Airlines signed long-term lease agreements for six new Airbus A321-200s powered by CFM56 engines. Two of the aircraft will be delivered in 2013 and four in spring 2014. The aircraft are part of ALC’s existing order book with Airbus, it said.
Hawaiian Airlines gave an indication that the Japanese market may be on the path to recovery following March's devastating earthquake and tsunami. The carrier raised capacity on its daily Honolulu-Tokyo Haneda service last week, switching from a 264-seat Boeing 767-300 to a newly delivered 294-seat Airbus A330-200.
Ukraine International Airlines and oneworld member S7 Airlines signed a partnership agreement under which UIA will launch thrice daily Kiev-Moscow Domodedovo service next week, giving its passengers access to S7's network via DME.
Jetstar announced new daily A330 Melbourne-Beijing service via its Singapore hub from Nov. 24; Beijing will be the airline’s ninth mainland China destination.
Finnair will launch four-times-weekly Helsinki-Chongqing A340 service in May 2012.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines will launch five-times-weekly London Heathrow-Copenhagen-Shanghai A340-300 service March 1, 2012.
Air Berlin will start weekly Dusseldorf-Curacao A330-200 service Jan. 15.
AVIATION QUOTE
It is a good thing to learn caution from the misfortunes of others.
— Publilius Syrus
ON THIS DATE
July 14th
---In 1914... Dr. Robert H. Goddard is granted a patent for his liquid fuel rocket engine.
---In 1922… Robin Olds is born in Honalulu, HI. He would rise to the rank of Brigardier General, a fighter pilot in three wars.
---In 1934... Flamboyant flying tycoon Howard Hughes lands in New York after a record-breaking flight around the Northern Hemisphere.
---In 1937... A Soviet crew breaks the world distance flying record by staying airborne for over two days while flying from Moscow over the North Pole.
---In 1948... Six Royal Air Force (RAF) Vampires land after completing the first transatlantic flight made by jet aircraft.
---In 1955…First flight of the Martin XP6M-1 Seamaster, BuNo 138821.
---In 1959…First flight of the Sukhoi T-431, prototype of the Sukhoi Su-9.
---In 1971…First flight of the VFW-614 D-BABA.
---In 1978…After receiving orders from United Airlines, Boeing begins full-scale development of the Boeing 767.
---In 2009…Air Cargo Germany receives its operating certificate.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
Smoking Rooms
They used to have a smoking section at most airports. No more. They now have these glass-encased rooms. You're not just a smoker, you're an example to other people. You're an exhibit at a futuristic zoo.
TRIVIA
3D ID
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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
Air Berlin will start weekly Dusseldorf-Curacao A330-200 service Jan. 15.
What a strange route. Wonder how much demand there will be on this one?
Not that strange. DUS is a strong airport for German holiday traffic, and the Caribbean is a popular destination for German tourists. This route will provide an alternative to KLM via AMS. And AB probably has signed a couple of deals with travel agencies and corporations, so I guess they will find enough pax for the route.
Edit: may also have something to do with Martinair giving up AMS-CUR by end of October. Apparently, AB initially wanted to start the service in November already - maybe they took over some of MP's old contracts.
Ideology: The mistaken belief that your beliefs are neither beliefs nor mistaken.
