The Asia Pacific region is powering ahead as the world’s largest market for widebody aircraft, with some 82 widebodies scheduled for delivery to the region’s airlines in 2010, jumping to 141 in 2011 and peaking at 148 in 2012, according to the Ascend fleet database. Asia Pacific airlines will take...
Shares in Vueling gained 2.5% yesterday, on reports in El Economista that Vueling’s majority shareholder, Iberia, will put on hold plans for an LCC for domestic and medium-haul sectors.
The Thai Finance Ministry is considering reducing its majority 51.03% stake in Thai Airways, according to reports in the Bangkok Post. Thai Finance Minister, Korn Chatikavanij, subsequently clarified the speculation, denying the Thai Government plans to reduce its stake in the carrier in the short term...
The majority of North and South American carriers’ shares gained on Tuesday (16-Feb-2010), despite a 3.9% rise in oil prices, to USD77.01.
Comair (-0.3%) shares slipped after warning that it does not see any signs of a recovery in the South Africa airline industry.
Seventeen years after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) granted antitrust immunity (ATI) to an innovative KLM-Northwest joint venture, ATI has become one of the most controversial issues in current aviation law and policy. This article, courtesy of Warren L. Dean, Jr., partner at Thompson...
A slight majority of European carriers’ shares were down on Tuesday (16-Feb-2010), as oil prices surged 3.9% to USD77.01. Wider markets meanwhile surged higher due to rises in the banking sector, after Barclays posted a better than expected FY2009 results. Shares then continued to gain as US markets...
Leasing companies continue to enjoy strong share price gains, with Aercap (+4.7%), Aircastle (+4.8%), Genesis Lease (+5.3%) and Air Partner (+5.4%) all reporting significant gains yesterday. Also trading well as Babcock & Brown Air, which gained 2.4%.
Haneda Airport with its close proximity to Tokyo's central business district, is expected to be opened to US and other foreign airlines later this year, for the first time in over 30 years, under the Dec-2009 Japan-US open skies agreement.
LCC ownership continues garner headlines around the world, with Germany and Thailand in focus today with moves by Air Berlin to increase its stake in NIKI and Thai Airways to do likewise at Nok Air.
SpiceJet, which currently has a 12% Indian domestic market share, stated it is considering expanding domestic capacity as it takes delivery of four new aircraft in 2010 (followed by a further three aircraft in 2011) reflecting a recovery in air travel demand. The carrier is also awaiting approval to...
The international airline industry lost six years of premium travel growth in the global financial crisis, according to new research from IATA. The lifeblood of the network airline industry, the extent to which this growth can be recovered is a very hot topic. “The question”, stated IATA, “is...
Airlines are falling all over themselves to develop new merchandising options to increase ancillary revenue. After all, this high-yield revenue offers a life savings mechanism to keep airlines afloat in tough economic periods. While the trend is still unbundling, airlines are taking different views...
Citing the reaction to the successful Northwest/Delta merger, United Chair & CEO Glenn Tilton said he’s interested in renewing merger talks with Continental. Sending what can only be described as a Valentine’s signal to the Houston-based carrier, the suitor noted its wish to remain independent,...
Announcing British Airways’ response to moribund business travel within Europe, Mr Walsh in mid Feb-2010 outlined a plan which reflects the dilemma that now confronts all major European carriers – BA, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa in particular. The issues are basic, but apparently near-insoluble...
The Federal Aviation Administration hit American Eagle with a USD2.9 million fine for safety violations related to maintenance yesterday. It is the agency’s latest muscle flexing after the withering criticism heaped on it by Congress, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Department of...
As a measure of its successful diversification beyond Continental Express, ExpressJet Holdings is increasing its operations for United Express in a deal announced this week with United Airlines. The new agreement covers 22 Embraer ERJ 145s previously announced, as well as a further ten. As part of the...
North and South American carriers’ stocks were mixed on Wednesday (17-Feb-2010), with only a slight majority moving higher with the market, as oil prices (+0.4%) edged higher to USD77.33. The Dow (+0.4%) meanwhile rose following the release of stronger than expected financial results by farm equipment...
Saying it was pleased with its performance, given the challenges of the past year and claiming to be the second most profitable North American carrier, WestJet reported fourth quarter net earnings of CAD20.2 million or 14 cents per diluted share and full-year net earnings of CAD98.2 million or 74 cents...
Comair (-1.7%) shares were down yesterday, while Kenya Airways and 1time Holdings were flat. Also in Africa, Lonrho (+8.5%) shares climbed after the company increased its stake in building solutions company, Kwikbuild, to 70%.
Announcing British Airways’ response to moribund business travel within Europe, Mr Walsh in mid Feb-2010 outlined a plan which reflects the dilemma that now confronts all major European carriers – BA, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa in particular. The issues are basic, but apparently near-insoluble...
European airline shares continued to rise on Wednesday (17-Feb-2010), moving with the wider market, which rose for a third consecutive day on the back of strong US economic data and another day of gains in the banking sector, after the announcement of improved financial results from BNP Paribas and...
Shares in Japan Airport Terminal Co, operator of terminal facilities at Tokyo Haneda Airport have remained relatively flat since the announcements regarding potential slot allocation to US airlines later this year. Shares in the company slipped 0.6% yesterday, adding to a loss of just 0.2% on Tuesday...
Airbus may have raised aircraft prices at the beginning of the year, but aircraft residual values are sliding, putting multi-million dollar holes in airline balance sheets. This is due to a reduction in secondary market demand, reflecting weaker traffic and yields, as well as the large amount of new...
WestJet (shares up 1.2%) reported its 19th consecutive quarter of profitability in the three months ended Dec-2009, but unveiled a 52% slump in net profit (to USD19.3 million) and a 7.4% reduction in revenues (to USD545 million).
Qantas’ shares were down over 7% in early morning trading, upon the release of the carrier’s financial results for the six months ended Dec-2009, containing a cautious assessment of the full-year outlook.
Qantas has controlled costs and benefited from a surge in profits at its Jetstar and Frequent Flyer businesses to report a profit before tax (PBT) of AUD90 million for the six months ended 31-Dec-2009 and an underlying PBT of AUD267 million, but warned of difficult times ahead and decided against a...
Blowing all other airlines out of the water, Pinnacle Airlines reported its 4Q2009 net income – USD5.6 million – was a massive 153% more than its 4Q2008 results. Its earnings per share, at USD0.31, rose 158%. Net income for the year, reached USD41.9 million including special items that increased...
Middle East and Africa shares were mainly down on Thursday (18-Feb-2010), with only Air Arabia (+4.3%) and Jazeera Airways (+1.0%) shares ending trading up.
The majority of North and South American carriers’ stocks were down on Thursday (18-Feb-2010), as oil prices (+1.1%) continued to move upwards, ending the day at USD78.19. The AMEX Airline Index (-0.5%) was down as a result.
