AirlinesAirAsia India Announces New CEOAirAsia India has appointed a new chief executive as part of a management shake-up, as the carrier seeks to boost its market share and turn a profit in a fiercely competitive market. The airline, part-owned by Malaysian carrier AirAsia and India's Tata Sons conglomerate, said in a statement that former American Express executive Amar Abrol will take over as chief executive.
LinkAlaska Airlines expands service from Calif. airportAlaska Airlines plans to offer daily flights from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif., to Santa Rosa and Reno, Nev.
LinkDelta takes delivery of first A321Delta Air Lines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321, with entry-into-service scheduled for May. The carrier took delivery of the aircraft, registered N301DN and MSN 6923, in Hamburg on 16 March, it says. It will ferry the aircraft to its Atlanta base on 17 March.
LinkEurowings unit costs 30% lower than hub airlinesLufthansa Group low-cost subsidiary Eurowings is delivering unit costs of up to 30% lower than its hub airlines, Lufthansa chairman and CEO Carsten Spohr told reporters and analysts during the group’s financial results conference. Lufthansa established Eurowings in 2015 as a pan-European LCC platform, which it expects to grow quickly to become its second strong brand, especially for point-to-point traffic.
LinkFrontier Airlines promotes Biffle to CEOFrontier Airlines, the Denver-based ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC), has promoted president Barry Biffle to CEO and appointed him to the airline’s board of directors. Biffle will also retain the title of president, which he has held since July 2014. Biffle and Frontier chairman Bill Franke had been splitting the CEO’s responsibilities since David Siegel resigned as CEO in May 2015.
LinkHawaiian Airlines caters to leisure travelers in PacificHawaiian Airlines offers flights to the Pacific region, but the majority of its customers are leisure travelers instead of business travelers. "The allure of Hawaii is really pretty universal," said Peter Ingram, chief commercial officer for Hawaiian. The carrier will begin flying to Narita airport in Tokyo later this year.
LinkIberia turnaround unrelated to fuel impactIberia chief executive Luis Gallego points to the Spanish carrier's financial turnaround having been achieved without the benefits of the tumbling fuel price, which will only start to be reaped this year. The IAG-owned airline's eye-catching turnaround was underlined last month when it disclosed a €247 million ($273 million) operating profit for the full year – its best financial performance for almost a decade.
LinkLufthansa Reins In Profit ExpectationsLufthansa has forecast only slightly higher profits in 2016, despite lower fuel prices, warning of cut-price competition and falling average fares as it ramps up its Eurowings budget business. Like rivals Air France-KLM and IAG, Lufthansa benefitted from low oil prices and strong travel demand in 2015, enabling it to restore dividend payments to shareholders.
LinkNok Air widens net losses in FY 2015Thai-based low-cost carrier (LCC) Nok Air reported a net loss of THB723.9 million baht ($20.08 million) for FY 2015, deepened from a THB472 million net loss in 2014. Nok chairman Somchainuk Engtrakul said the results came as competition in the Thai aviation industry, especially in the LCC sector, has seen rapid expansion. “This resulted in higher supply than demand, which lowered the company’s market share [and brought] a significant impact on consolidated figures [resulting in] a comprehensive loss,” he said.
LinkTAM operates first A350 international flight
Brazil’s TAM has operated its first Airbus A350 international flight, with service to Miami that landed this morning. The aircraft arrived to a water cannon salute after a flight from Sao Paulo Guarulhos. It will return to Sao Paulo later this evening.
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