Copenhagen Airports (CPH) held the topping-out ceremony for CPH Swift, the new low-cost pier, on 25-Mar-2010. Scheduled to commence operation in six months, the new low-cost concept will “help to attract more passengers to Copenhagen, for the benefit of tourism, business and employment in the city...
2010 has started with a bang for the Chinese aviation industry, with rapid traffic growth, aggressive capacity and fleet expansion, a recovery in earnings, alliances moves and a flurry of consolidation activity. But there are the ever-present growing pains accompanying China's rapid aviation development...
As China’s rapidly expanding commercial aviation industry reaches new levels, it is increasingly feeling the cost of airspace constraints. China Eastern Airlines Chairman, Liu Shaoyong, addressed the Chinese National People's Congress in early Mar-2010. Among buoyant traffic predictions, a positive...
China Airlines’ shares rose 2.7% yesterday as the carrier disclosed it earned TWD1.2 billion (USD65.9 million) in net income in the first two months of 2010 alone.
Air France-KLM shares gained 1.5% as it announced it would reduce capacity (ASKs) for the Summer Season 2010 by 0.9% year-on-year.
Boeing’s shares gained 2.1% yesterday as the company completed the ultimate-load wing up-bending test on the B787 static test aircraft.
Asia Pacific LCC shares were mostly higher to start the week, led by Japan’s Skymark Airlines, which surged 8.8%.
Fresh from the ground breaking of its new CSeries fuselage factory in Shenyang, Bombardier Aerospace announced an MoU with one of China’s top leasing companies, CDB Leasing Co (CLC) for up to USD3,850 million billion in capital, availability to support both domestic Chinese and international transactions...
Air Arabia was one of few carriers to witness a rise in shares on Tuesday (30-Mar-2010). During trading, the carrier's Moroccan unit launched three times weekly Casablanca-Montpellier service.
The majority of North and South American carriers’ shares fell on Tuesday (30-Mar-2010), as investors have become cautious ahead of the latest unemployment report, to be released this week. The AMEX Airline Index fell 0.9% as a result.
US airline stocks were generally weaker yesterday, with Allegiant Air the exception among the listed LCCs, gaining 0.6%. US airline shares have witnessed improved growth over the past few months, with valuations up from year-ago lows. However, the market remains cautious ahead of the release of the...
European carriers were mostly down with wider markets on Tuesday (30-Mar-2010), as investors became concerned that it will be difficult for European Union policymakers to bail out Greece from its sovereign debt issues, after the latest bond issue for EUR1 billion raised only EUR390 million.
Shares in China’s Xiamen International Airport dipped 1.2% yesterday, ahead of the release of the airport’s financial and traffic report for the 12 months ended 31-Dec-2010.
The newly emerging regional airline model is gaining more complexity as holding companies that try to build brands divisions start to compete with their regional capacity purchase partners.
Shares in Thai Airways gained 3.6% yesterday, reaching its highest level since 24-Mar-2010 during the day, as Thai Finance Minister, Korn Chatikavanij, stated the Thai Government would support a fund-raising plan by the airline, once requirements for stated guarantees on Thai’s loans are eliminated...
What a difference a year makes. In Feb-2009, the airline industry was reeling. International passenger and freight demand down by 10.1% and 22.1% on the same month in 2008, according to IATA. Feb-2009 marked the “bottom of the cycle” for passenger traffic during the global economic recession, according...
Delta CEO Richard Anderson confirmed rumours that Delta will move its hub operations from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tennessee stating that, “Atlanta has just become too big and too congested”. Company spokespersons noted that only with Delta’s departure could the airport “simplify its complex...
The ten leading Middle East hubs are investing some USD48 billion in new/expanded airport projects over the next 30 years, which will provide capacity for an additional 320 million passengers p/a. This will take the leading hubs' total capacity to just over 460 million passengers p/a. But will it be...
Partly thanks to profits on a convertible bond transaction, Air Berlin narrowed its net loss to EUR22 million in 2009, a considerable improvement from a EUR70 million net loss in 2008, as it reduced operating expenses by 5.0%, exceeding the 4.4% revenue reduction in the period (following growth of 33...
Etihad Airways confirmed this month that it is in negotiations with Airbus to delay its A380 deliveries, in favour of accelerating deliveries of smaller widebody aircraft as it continues its quest to report a maiden break-even result. The carrier now hopes to turn a profit by 2011, after the global...
A new Regional Airline Association Safety Council was approved by the association's board of directors yesterday, as part of its continuing reaction to the Colgan Flight 3407 which crashed on approach to Buffalo just over a year ago. The council is made up of safety representatives from the RAA's 32...
European carriers’ shares were mixed on Wednesday (31-Mar-2010), as oil prices (+1.9%) gained again, to USD83.76. Wider markets were mostly down as investors remained concerned over Greece’s debt issues, following a disappointing bond sale the day prior. Shares were also down on data showing a drop...
South Korea, like the rest of North Asia, has been slow to adopt the LCC model, especially when compared to its Southeast Asian neighbours, with the main impediment to expansion being conservative regulatory regimes, with protectionism still prevalent in the region. But several South Korean LCCs have...
For roughly the past month we have been looking at the US hub system, primarily at those cities that have loved and lost and how the airports and their communities have adjusted to their new reality. Some have done better than others and most, but not all, have ended up with facilities that are far...
In Southeast Asia yesterday, shares in Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) gained 0.4%, despite a possible delay on its proposed low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) at Kuala Lumpur. The terminal is expected to be completed by late 2011 or early 2012, instead of the previously scheduled Sep-2011.
Delta CEO Richard Anderson confirmed rumours that Delta will move its hub operations from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tennessee stating that, “Atlanta has just become too big and too congested”. Company spokespersons noted that only with Delta’s departure could the airport “simplify its complex...
Malaysia Airlines has ordered up to 25 A330-300 aircraft, with firm orders for 15 of the type and options for a further ten aircraft. The aircraft will be configured in a two class layout with 283 seats and will be deployed on services to Australia, China, South Asia, North Asia and the Middle East.
Virgin Blue Group has signed an agreement with Boeing, for up to 105 new B737 aircraft – by far the largest aircraft order in Virgin Blue’s ten year history and the Boeing’s largest order in the past 18 months. The agreement includes 50 firm B737-800 aircraft (with flexibility to convert to either...
