AirlinesAer Lingus Rejects Revised Offer From IAGAer Lingus has rejected a revised takeover approach from IAG that valued the Irish airline at EUR€2.40 per share. IAG, which also owns Iberia and Vueling, said it had lifted its cash offer from an earlier €2.30. "There can be no certainty that any further proposal or offer will be forthcoming," the IAG statement said. But investors seemed to expect IAG to go further, with the stock price ending up 10 percent at €2.50. A spokesman for Aer Lingus said it did not plan to comment on the IAG statement. Aer Lingus in December rejected a takeover approach from its larger rival, a competitor for flights between Dublin and London, one of the world's busiest international routes. It said the offer undervalued the business.
LinkAmerican to streamline operations at DFWAmerican Airlines announced plans to adjust flight schedules at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. "Our hubs are all about connecting people, and rebanking allows us to do that more effectively," said Marilyn DeVoe, vice president of American's Miami hub.
LinkCyprus Airways Shuts Down Over State AidAfter 68 years of operation, Cyprus Airways' board of directors today decided to cease operations immediately and file for voluntary liquidation. The step followed a decision from the European Commission for Competition to rule over 65 million Euro the airline had received in state aid to be illegal subsidies, forcing the cash-strapped airline to return the amount.
LinkDelta to continue flying out of Dallas Love Field for 6 months Delta Air Lines reaches a deal with United Airlines that lets it continue flying from Dallas Love Field for six months. Delta initially had a deal to stay at the city-owned airport until Jan. 6, but we’ve reported the carrier has kept flying beyond that deadline. The Dallas City Council and city attorneys yesterday met behind closed doors to discuss “legal issues related to gate accommodations” requested by Delta at Love Field, according to the council’s executive-session agenda.
LinkJetBlue boosts service from Ore. to AlaskaJetBlue will increase its presence in Portland, adding a fourth nonstop route from the Oregon airport. The route will be seasonal offering to Anchorage. JetBlue will begin offering daily nonstop service on the route on June 18. The 3-½ hour flights, to be operated on Airbus A320 jets, will run through Sept. 8. JetBlue will compete head-to-head on the route with Alaska Airlines, which already flies the route. Alaska Airlines operates its second-busiest base at Portland.
LinkBureaucracy Delaying Qatar Airways' Saudi LaunchComplicated bureaucracy is delaying the launch of Qatar Airways' domestic operations in Saudi Arabia, and they are now expected to start in six to 18 months, the airline's chief executive was quoted as saying. Saudi Arabia announced in 2012 that it would free up its domestic air travel market, where currently only national carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines and budget airline flynas serve a customer base of about 30 million people. Foreign carriers can only fly in and out of Saudi Arabia, not within the country. The reform was seen as a major step by Riyadh to introduce more market forces into the economy. Qatar Airways obtained permission to operate a Saudi domestic carrier, Al Maha Airways, and originally said it would start operating in early 2014.
LinkSouthwest delivers strong on-time performanceSouthwest Airlines, which changed its schedule this summer, is posting better on-time performance. "Since that time, we have posted significant on-time performance improvements, especially on a year-over-year basis," said Southwest spokesman Brian Parrish. In September and October, Southwest met its goal of 80% on-time flights.
LinkUnited adds in-flight amenities to enhance the travel experienceUnited Airlines recently confirmed that it will add tablet holders to some seats. The airline has not released details about its plans, but it has partnered with SmartTray, which offers a variety of tablet holders, for the project, according to a report. Meanwhile, United is also rolling out Wi-Fi connectivity and video streaming.
LinkUnited Dumps Losing Fuel HedgesUnited Airlines has paid a premium to dump old losing bets on higher oil prices, and is reviewing its strategy for insulating itself from oil market volatility, in a sign of how some airlines' efforts to hedge their fuel costs have backfired. United reported that it has shrunk its hedge position to cover 22 percent of the fuel it consumes in 2015, down from the 24 percent it had anticipated when oil prices were higher. The airline said it did so at a cost, raising its average fuel expenses last quarter to USD$2.83 per gallon from up to UD$2.76 per gallon, the price it had estimated on December 8. This move represents just one step of a broader effort parent company United Continental has taken to evaluate its fuel hedges, a United spokesman said.
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