AirlinesAirberlin to cease flights to RussiaAirberlin will stop flights into Russia and close all routes through Jan 18, 2016 as international traffic continues a downward trend in Russia. The carrier operates Berlin-Moscow Domodedovo, Berlin-Kaliningrad and Dusseldorf-Moscow Domodedovo services. The possible network cuts and staff reductions were discussed at airberlin’s board of directors’ executive committee and senior management team meeting on Sept. 29.
LinkAir Malta reduces losses, approaches breakevenAir Malta expects to reduce its loss to around €4 million ($4.5 million) for the financial year ending March 2016, but more work is required to improve productivity, chairperson Maria Micallef said at the annual general meeting Oct. 16. Micallef said the €4 million figure would be a further improvement in the carrier’s financial position. Its loss for the year ended March 2015 was, as previously predicted, €16.4 million, while just three years ago, when it began a major turnaround project, losses were €78 million.
LinkHas American-US Airways lived up to its promises?American Airlines and US Airways announced their merger with much fanfare at Dallas/Fort Worth International airport on Valentine's Day in 2013. The chief executives of both carriers promised significant revenue benefits that would improve shareholder value and create long-term job security for employees while creating the world’s largest airline, all in one fell swoop in the announcement made in American’s Admirals Club in terminal D.
LinkDelta’s oil refinery earns record quarterly profitDelta Air Lines’ oil refinery earned a $106 million profit in the third quarter, a more than fivefold improvement over a $19 million profit in the 2014 September quarter. The third-quarter profit was a record for the Trainer, Pennsylvania facility, according to Delta CFO Paul Jacobson. “Lower crude [oil] cost, a favorable crack spread environment and increased throughput drove the refinery’s profit,” Jacobson said during Delta’s third-quarter earnings conference call.
LinkEasyJet recruits more crew, opens training academyEasyJet will recruit 1,140 more crew over the coming year as the UK low-cost carrier expands. The London Luton-based airline will recruit around 830 cabin crew and 310 pilots, with job opportunities for pilots and cabin crew at all easyJet’s 11 UK bases. CEO Carolyn McCall made the announcements as she opened the airline’s new EasyJet Gatwick Academy at the London airport Oct. 14. The £2.7 million ($4.2 million) investment includes classrooms, a cabin simulator, evacuation slide and fire training rig. It will train easyJet pilots and crew from bases across Europe.
LinkSky A319 becomes latest to suffer cowl lossChilean investigators are looking into an incident involving a Sky Airline Airbus A319 which returned to Santiago after losing an engine cowl. The airline says the aircraft – which was operating flight H2112 to Copiapo – suffered the “partial detachment” of a section of the engine cover.
LinkSpiceJet looking to buy up to 200 aircraft India-based low-cost carrier (LCC) SpiceJet is reportedly looking to buy some 200 new aircraft worth over $10 billion at current prices to expand its fleet and network. The company said the fleet expansion is to be made up of single-aisle jets as well as regional turboprops. SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh has been quoted in multiple media outlets as saying the LCC intends to place “substantial orders” for aircraft, both large [jet] aircraft and small regional aircraft, and hopes both can be done “in this financial year.”
LinkUnited Silent On CEO's Medical ConditionUnited Airlines declined to provide details about the medical condition of its new chief executive on Sunday, days after the airline said Oscar Munoz was admitted to hospital. The 56-year-old's health problems come barely a month after Munoz took on the job of improving the profitability and reputation of United, the No. 2 US carrier by capacity.
LinkUnited Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz hospitalizedUnited Airlines president and CEO Oscar Munoz has been hospitalized, the airline confirmed. The Wall Street Journal reported that Munoz suffered a heart attack Oct. 15. United did not disclose the reason for the hospitalization, saying in a statement that it “will provide further details as appropriate.”
LinkVolga-Dnepr leases two Antonov aircraftRussia’s cargo Volga-Dnepr Group has leased two Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan freighters from Sberbank Leasing Co. The deal is a part of the group’s development strategy through 2020, which includes a fleet increase with Western and Russian-built aircraft, Volga-Dnepr SVP-Sergey Shklyanik said.
LinkRussian civil servants must fly local carriers Russian civil servants must choose Russian carriers when traveling on business, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 30. The mandate is one of several recent moves by the government to support the Russian airline industry as passenger numbers stagnate.
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