News
IAG to make €113m cash offer for Vueling in early 2013
International Airlines Group (IAG), the British Airways and Iberia parent, will make a cash tender offer for the outstanding share in low-cost carrier Vueling in the first quarter of next year. It values the Barcelona-based company at €7 ($9) a share or a total of €113.3 million. An application for authorisation of the offer, along with the prospectus and other legal documents, will be submitted within the next month to Spain's market regulator, the Comisión Nacional del Mercardo de Valores, and subject to its approval, the offer will be launched to Vueling's shareholders in the first quarter of 2013.
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IAG To Cut 4,500 Jobs At Iberia
International Airlines Group said on Friday it would dismiss 4,500 workers as part of its restructuring drive at Spain's flag carrier Iberia.
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Mallya Deal Could Provide Kingfisher Cash
Diageo was close to a deal for a stake in Indian drinks baron Vijay Mallya's United Spirits after months of talks, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, with a deal likely to be announced as soon as Friday.
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Air Canada Q3 Earnings Rise On Cost Cuts
Air Canada reported a bigger-than-expected rise in third-quarter earnings on Thursday as it kept tighter control of costs that it said would continue in the fourth quarter.
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United Says Sandy Hit October Revenue
United Continental said disruptions to operations including the cancellation of nearly 5,300 flights because of superstorm Sandy, reduced revenue and profit in October.
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Oil workers unconvinced by Eurocopter EC225's safety
Eurocopter faces an uphill struggle to convince oil industry workers that its EC225 is safe to fly, even if the UK Civil Aviation Authority revokes its ban on overwater use of the type. Jake Molloy, regional organiser for the Rail Maritime and Transport trade union, says offshore staff have been left angry and frustrated by the 22 October ditching of a CHC Scotia-operated EC225 (G-CHCN), which came barely five months after a similar incident.
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Hawker Beechcraft delivers 7,000th King Air
Hawker Beechcraft has delivered the 7,000th Beechcraft King Air since production began in 1964 and says the ubiquitous twin-engined turboprop "reigns as [the] all-time best-selling business aircraft family". The milestone aircraft - a 350i - was delivered late last month to Herman & Kittle Properties of Indianapolis.
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A400M delivery schedule holds firm, as reliability tests near resumption
Airbus Military remains on track to deliver the first production example of its A400M Atlas transport to the French air force during the second quarter of next year, according to a financial update released by parent company EADS on 7 November. "A400M initial operating capability is targeted in Q1 2013 on a configuration to be agreed with [European defence procurement agency] OCCAR, allowing the first delivery to France in Q2 2013," EADS says.
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TransAsia to take six more A321neos
Taiwanese airline TransAsia Airways (GE) has placed a follow-on order for six Airbus A321neos, which will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines. This latest purchase takes GE to a total of 12 of the type, building on an earlier order for six A321neo, which was announced at the Paris Air Show in June 2011.
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Russia, Cuba to establish joint airline
Russian and Cuban authorities are considering a new joint Cuba-based airline, according to the Russian government daily newspaper, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, which quoted deputy minister of transport Sergey Aristov. According to the report, the carrier will create additional connections between Russia and Cuba and link Russia with other countries in Latin America and Caribbean countries via a new established hub in Havana. The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, said the traffic from Russia to Cuba is growing every year. In 2011, 80,000 Russian citizens visited the island. Russia currently does not have direct connections with most Latin American countries and passengers need make two or three transfers to travel there.
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Other News
EADS reported third-quarter net income of €309 million ($395.7 million), down 1% from a €312 million net profit in the year-ago period, on a 15% rise in revenue to €12.32 billion. Airbus posted a third-quarter year-over-year revenue increase of 18% to €8.38 billion. EADS noted that nine-month net income more than doubled from €421 million in 2011’s first three quarters to €903 million this year. Nine-month revenue was up 14% to €37.26 billion.
Estonian Air (OV) reported a nine-month loss of €20.2 million ($25.9 million), nearly doubled from €11.2 million in the year-ago period. OV’s supervisory council has fired CEO Tero Taskila, who took over the position more than a year ago. The airline announced former Cimber Sterling CEO Jan Palmer took over as of Nov. 1. The Danish carrier filed for bankruptcy in May.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines has deferred publication of its third-quarter results while it works to finalize credit lines and cement plans to sell-off of some of its assets. Recently, SAS was forced to suspend trading on the Stockholm Stock Exchange following speculation about its financial position. The carrier responded, reassuring investors it would publish a third-quarter EBT of SEK568 million ($85 million) Nov. 8
WestJet (WS) reported a third-quarter net income of C$70.6 million ($70.96 million), up 79.9% from a C$39.3 net profit in the year-ago quarter. It has also named Ferio Pugliese as president of its low-cost regional airline, WestJet Encore, which is on track to launch in the second half of 2013. Pugliese was also named EVP of WS, effective immediately. He joined WS in June 2007 and will continue to have responsibility for the WS people and culture teams until a successor can be found.
Aer Lingus (EI) reported a third-quarter operating profit of €90.9 million ($116.3 million), down 2.9%, compared to €93.6 million in the year-ago quarter. EI did not provide net profit figures. Turnover was up 5.7% at €460.8 million for the period. The Irish flag carrier said nine-month operating profit was €86.5 million, up 29.7% year-over-year. Consolidated passenger traffic increased 2%, while overall yield per passenger rose 7.2%. EI said long-haul yields were up 11.5% on the year-ago period.
SkyWest Inc., parent company of SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet, reported a third-quarter net income of $20.9 million, up significantly from a $116,000 profit in the year-ago period. President Bradford Rich said the financial improvements are due to the operational reliability of the entities. “We do remain very focused both on unit revenue improvements as well as cost reduction initiatives and overall profit improvement strategy,” he told reporters and analysts.
Jet Airways increased 14X-weekly Mumbai-Abu Dhabi service to 18X-weekly Oct. 18.
Air France will launch seasonal 5X-weekly Paris Charles de Gaulle-Minneapolis-St. Paul Airbus A340 service May 21, growing to daily June 17. It will also add 3X-weekly Paris Charles de Gaulle-Kuala Lumpur Boeing 777-200 service April 22.
Virgin Atlantic launched daily London Heathrow-Mumbai Airbus A330 service Oct. 29.
BA subsidiary OpenSkies will increase its Paris Orly-New York JFK service from 2X to 3X-daily March 31.
Aviation Quote
Beware the lessons of a fighter pilot who would rather fly a slide rule than kick your ass!
— Commander Ron 'Mugs' McKeown, USN, Commander of the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School.
On This Date
--- In 1904... Wilbur Wright flies for five minutes, four seconds over Huffman Prairie, Ohio, covering 2 ¾ miles.
---In 1932... Wolfgang von Gronau and crew in a Dornier Wal complete the 1st flight around the world by a seaplane. Their flight takes 111 days.
---In 1950…Flying an F9F Panther, United States Navy Lieutenant Commander William T. Armen shoots down a MiG-15. It is the first victory by a U.S. Navy jet over another jet.
---In 1978…First flight of the AV-8B Harrier II.
---In 1980… Dan-Air registers the last commercial flight by a de Havilland Comet. The plane flew enthusiasts on a round-trip flight from London.
---In 2007…An Iberia Airlines A340-600 (EC-JOH) was badly damaged after sliding off the runway at Ecuador’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport. The landing gear collapsed and two engines broke off. All 333 passengers and crew were evacuated via inflatable slides, and there were no serious injuries. The aircraft was scrapped.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
A Fellow Republican
A USMC sniper was real good at his job, and he had a method. He would yell out some insult at the enemy and when someone stood up to reply, BANG - one less insurgent!
After every mission the company commander would ask "How many insurgents have you shot today?"
However, on this particular day when asked about the number killed, he reported "Five killed and I let one go, sir."
"Let one go?" roared the company commander. "What do you mean, you let one go?"
"Well, sir, I yelled out 'Osama is a Homo!' Then this big insurgent stood up and yelled 'Hillary is a Bitch!' I just couldn't shoot a fellow Republican!"
Trivia
Google Airports
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GQfluffy wrote:The video and the picture are of the same aircraft, no?
HT-ETNW wrote:TRIVIA:
Still no clue for #2.
-HT
