Private Jets Charter News

Commentary: Air Transport Association calls for US national airline policy

In calling for the industry, the Department of Transportation and Congress to develop a national airline policy, the Air Transport Association is promoting something that is long overdue, and, according to ATA, comes after more than 20 years of discussion.

Damn tornadoes

But the damage brings out the best in people Tornadoes take on many forms, and are different beasts to different people. At the recent Sun ’n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., the tornado was called an EF1. If you are John Burton, president of Sun ’n Fun, the tornado that… Read More

Expedia net profit down 12%

Expedia has reported a 15% increase in revenue for the three months to 31-Mar-2011 to USD822.2 million, but operating income and net income decreased due to increased expenses related to investments in technology and international expansion. Expedia shares traded 1.4% higher on Friday.

Allegiant profits drop despite rising revenue

Allegiant – still posting the best margins in the US industry at 14.4%, down seven points from 1Q-2010 – reported declining profits on rising revenue which seemed to be the story for the first quarter earnings season. Profits dropped 24.1% to USD17.2 in its 33rd consecutive profitable quarter as...

Competition will force aircraft manufacturers into alliances: EADS

EADS CEO Louis Gallois has forecast that manufacturers from China, Russia, Canada and Brazil will eventually break the existing large commercial aircraft manufacturing duopoly between Airbus and Boeing and will force alliances between manufacturers. With six major players in the market, there will be...

Allegiant first quarter profit down by a quarter

Allegiant Travel Company has reported a net profit of USD17.2 million in 1Q2011, its 33rd consecutive quarterly profit. The result was down 24.1% year-on-year, mostly due to a 38% increase in fuel costs. Revenue rose 13.9% year-on-year, despite particularly slow capacity expansion.

Wizz Air and Ryanair intensify competition in Lithuanian market

Wizz Air opened its 14th base in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 16-Apr-2011. Wizz Air’s expansion comes as Ryanair also expands in the Lithuanian market, with six new routes to be launched to/from Vilnius in May-2011. The entry of two of Europe’s largest LCCs has resulted in airBaltic downsizing its presence...

Alpha Flight Group and Sky Chefs to form JV

Dnata’s Alpha Flight Group and Lufthansa Sky Chefs unit are reportedly likely to form a joint airline catering venture, with a deal to be signed by Sep-2011. The deal is still dependent on regulatory approval from the European Commission and authorisation from the boards of both companies.

Germany’s Hochtief reports March passenger traffic down 0.8%

Germany’s Hochtief has reported a mixed performance at its investment airports in Mar-2011. Passenger traffic plummeted 16% at Athens and eased 0.4% at Hamburg and 0.1% at Sydney, but improved at Dusseldorf, Budapest and Tirana. Hochtief shares were 0.8% higher on Friday.

LSA companies expanding in two directions

New models range from single seaters to four-place planes Dan Johnson, president of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, is an expert on Light Sport Aircraft. An amazing thing happened on the way to AERO 2011, Europe’s very popular show in the south of Germany. Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA...

Virgin Blue traffic falls 5% in March

Virgin Blue's passenger numbers fell 5.2% in in Mar-2011, principally as a result of the withdrawal of Pacific Blue from the domestic NZ market, as well as the late Easter and softness in Australian domestic demand. Load factors in the month eased 2.2 percentage points. Shares in the carrier fell 3....

Filming wraps up on ‘Outback Pilot…Australia’

The Real Deal Productions of Soldotna, Alaska, led by General Aviation News contributor Jim Oltersdorf, has completed filming of “Outback Pilot…Australia.” Read more... ===> Posted on May 1, 2011 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2011

FAA institutes more changes to ATC

WASHINGTON, D.C. – FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt announced additional management changes and other actions Friday as part of the FAA’s comprehensive review of the air traffic control system. Read more... ===> Posted on May 1, 2011 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2011

Key lessors cast an eye over aviation trends so far in 2011

CAPA wraps up the past two months in the leasing industry by looking at the trends and influences through the eyes of the industry's top executives.

India’s domestic market continues to show phenomenal growth

India’s domestic air travel market continued to show impressive growth in 1Q2011, with passenger numbers increasing 20.9% to 14.33 million. Mar-2011 passenger numbers increased 23.5% year-on-year to 4.82 million passengers, based on Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation data.

Ad: Aircraft Spruce East Supersale Fly-In

===> Posted on May 1, 2011 by Ben Sclair. No comments. © GAN 2011

LoPresti acquires Tri-Nav Charts

LoPresti Aviation has acquired the rights to Howie Keefe’s Tri-Nav Chart print and digital products (the aviators’ guide for easily navigating the airspace system). Read more... ===> Posted on May 1, 2011 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2011

Latest issue of FAA Safety Briefing online

The new issue of FAA Safety Briefing explores how developments in the National Airspace System affect and benefit general aviation pilots. Articles highlight some of the changes and challenges of flying in today’s NAS, and provide tips pilots can use to meet those challenges safely and efficiently...

Duncan Aviation names scholarship winners

Duncan Aviation has released the names of 20 recipients of Duncan Aviation’s 2011 Karen K. Duncan Scholarship program. The recipients, who have at least one parent who is a full-time Duncan Aviation employee, will each receive up to $4,000 for two years of continuing education at an accredited two...

Cessna marks 20th anniversay of CitationJet’s first flight

Cessna Aircraft Co. observed the 20th anniversary of the maiden flight of the CitationJet prototype April 29. Read more... ===> Posted on May 1, 2011 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2011

Aspen Avionics wins technology award

John Uczekaj, Aspen Avionic’s president and CEO, and Peter Lyons, Aspen’s co-founder and vice president of product management, have been recognized by New Mexico Business Weekly’s annual Who’s Who in Technology award. Read more... ===> Posted on May 1, 2011 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN...

Great Plains Air Expo to feature Altaire mockup

Piper Aircraft’s single-engine Altaire jet mockup, along with a dozen other aircraft, will be on display at the Great Plains Air Expo May 11 at America Jet at Salina Airport (SLN) in Kansas. Read more... ===> Posted on May 1, 2011 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2011

Plane crashes into porta-potties

This May 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Puyallup, Wash. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly...

China’s major airlines report strong revenue gains in 1Q2011

China’s three major carriers reported strong revenue gains in 1Q2011, based on Chinese Accounting Standards, although only China Eastern Airlines reported net profit improvements. Air China and China Southern Airlines both reported declines in their net profit due to one-time exceptional gains during...

Turkish Airlines targets USD8bn revenue in 2011; seeks place in world top 10

Turkish Airlines Chairman Hamdi Topcu stated the carrier is targetting USD8 billion in revenue in FY2011, up from USD6.5 billion in 2010, a target originally set for 2015. The carrier plans to increase seat capacity by 16% in 2011 and increase its fleet to 177 aircraft.

European low-cost carrier growth moderates in Mar-2011

None of Europe’s largest LCCs reported passenger growth in excess of 15% in Mar-2011, marking a slowing in growth in 2011 among Europe’s largest LCCs. A key trend has been that while these European LCCs are adding new routes and establishing new bases, there have also been a number of route and...

Chinese cargo growth moderates in 2011 following post-recession recovery

The spectacular rebound in China’s airfreight demand of 2009 and 2010 has slowed in 1Q2011. Chinese air cargo volumes increased by 2.0% in Mar-2010 to 489,000 tonnes, according to CAAC. Domestic cargo, which accounted for 66% of the total, increased 2.7% to 321,500 tonnes. Regional (Hong Kong, Macau...

Qatar Airways looking to take a third of Cargolux

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker stated the carrier plans to acquire a 33% stake in Cargolux as a strategic investment, with an agreement expected within the next few weeks. Qatar Airways expects that the Cargolux agreement would strengthen the carrier's bottom line without drawing management resources...

Southwest Airlines closes purchase of AirTran

Southwest Airlines closed on its purchase of all of the outstanding common stock of AirTran Holdings, the former parent company of AirTran Airways. Each share of AirTran common stock will be exchanged for USD3.75 in cash and 0.321 shares of Southwest Airlines' common stock.

Air Lease Corp announces agreements with Asia Pacific airlines

Air Lease Corporation released a trading update, announcing it has signed lease agreements for 29 aircraft with Asia Pacific airlines. Lease agreements have been signed with customers including China Eastern, China Southern, Air China, Asiana, Garuda, MIAT Mongolian and Orient Thai Airlines.