Monthly Archives: January 2012

United Continental Holdings, Inc. announces a 2011 and 4Q 2011 profit

United Airlines Boeing 777-222 ER N219UA (msn 30551) LAX (Michael B. Ing), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

United Continental Holdings, Inc. (Chicago) today reported full-year 2011 net income of $1.3 billion or $3.49 per diluted share, excluding $483 million of special items consisting primarily of integration-related costs. Including special items, UAL reported full-year 2011 net income of $840 million or $2.26 per diluted share. UAL reported fourth-quarter net income of $109 million or $0.30 per diluted share, excluding $247 million of special items. Including special items, UAL reported a fourth-quarter 2011 net loss of $138 million or $0.42 loss per share.

UAL 2011 consolidated passenger revenue increased 9.0 percent compared to the pro forma results for 2010. Consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) increased 9.2 percent in 2011 compared to the pro forma results for 2010.

UAL consolidated passenger revenue increased 5.6 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the same period in 2010. Fourth-quarter 2011 consolidated PRASM increased 8.2 percent year-over-year.

Consolidated fuel expense for 2011, excluding the impact of hedges, increased 36.5 percent, or $3.4 billion, year-over-year on a pro forma basis.

UAL ended 2011 with $8.3 billion in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short term investments and undrawn lines of credit.
Co-workers earned $265 million in profit sharing for full-year 2011, which will be distributed on Feb. 14, 2012.

The consolidated network operated more than two million flights and had 142 million passengers in 2011, carrying the most traffic of any airline in the world.

United Slide Show: CLICK HERE

JetBlue Airways has a profitable 4Q and 2011

JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 N568JB (msn 2063) (Blueberries) LGB (Michael B. Ing), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

JetBlue Airways Corporation (New York) today reported its results for the fourth quarter and full year 2011:

Pre-tax income of $40 million in the fourth quarter. This compares to pre-tax income of $13 million in the year-ago period.

For the full year 2011, JetBlue reported pre-tax income of $145 million. This compares to a pre-tax income of $161 million for the full year 2010.

Net income for the fourth quarter was $23 million, or $0.08 per diluted share. This compares to JetBlue’s fourth quarter 2010 net income of $8 million, or $0.03 per diluted share.

For the full year 2011, JetBlue reported net income of $86 million, or $0.28 per diluted share. This compares to net income of $97 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, for the full year 2010.

JetBlue ended the year with $1.2 billion in cash and short term investments.

JetBlue Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Air Canada Express to begin Toronto-New York JFK service, LaGuardia to go hourly

Air Canada Express-Jazz Aviation Bombardier CRJ705 (CL-600-2D15) C-GOJZ (msn 15053) YYZ (TMK Photography), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Air Canada Express (Jazz Aviation) (Halifax) will launch triple-daily, nonstop flights between Toronto Pearson and New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport for Air Canada beginning on May 3, 2012. AC will also increase to hourly its flights to LaGuardia Airport. AC serves all three major New York City area airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. Air Canada, which began flying to New York 71 years ago, will operate up to 38 nonstop return flights a day between Canada and New York City this summer.

Beginning May 1, 2012, Air Canada will add an additional daily return flight between Toronto and LaGuardia, providing customers convenient hourly service each business day. The new Toronto-JFK service will be operated by Air Canada Express using 50-seat CRJ200 regional jets. The JFK flights will have early morning, afternoon and evening arrivals and departures. With the new services, Air Canada will operate a total of up to 38 return flights a day to the New York metropolitan area from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography. One of the first Jazz aircraft to be rebranded to the new Air Canada Express brand is this CRJ705.

US Airways confirms it is considering a merger with American Airlines

US Airways Boeing 757-2B7 WL N200UU (msn 27809) CLT (Bruce Drum), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

US Airways (Phoenix) has confirmed it is considering a merger with defunct American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth).

Read the full full report from the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly.com: CLICK HERE

US Airways Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Lufthansa Cargo launches the Frankfurt-Detroit route

Lufthansa Cargo McDonnell Douglas MD-11F D-ALCC (msn 48783) (100 Years Air Cargo) FRA (Ton Jochems), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Lufthansa Cargo (Frankfurt) on January 23 launched a weekly cargo flight connecting the FRA hub with Detroit per Airline Route.

Lufthansa Cargo Slide Show: CLICK HERE

SBA to drop the Caracas-Madrid route

SBA (Santa Barbara Airlines) (sbairlines.com) Boeing 767-3Y0 ER YL-LCZ (msn 25000) MAD (Ariel Shocron), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

SBA Airlines (formerly Santa Barbara Airlines) (Caracas) is planning to drop the Caracas-Madrid route on February 13 per Airline Route. The route is currently operated four days a week with Boeing 767-300s.

SBA Slide Show: CLICK HERE

United Airlines to restore the Los Angeles-Philadelphia route

United Airlines Airbus A319-131 N802UA (msn 690) YYZ (TMK Photography), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

United Airlines (Chicago) is planning to restore the Los Angeles-Philadelphia route on April 1. The daily route will be operated with Airbus A319s per Airline Route.

United Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Hong Kong Airlines takes delivery of its first Airbus A320

Hong Kong Airlines (Hong Kong) has become a new operator of Airbus single aisle aircraft, following the delivery of its first A320. The aircraft is the first of 30 A320s ordered by the airline and is powered by CFM International’s CFM 56 engines. Seating 152 passengers in two classes, the A320s will be operated across the carrier’s regional network, linking Hong Kong with destinations in mainland China, and North and South East Asia.

Hong Kong Airlines has also taken delivery of its latest long range A330-200, featuring a new all-premium class layout. With luxurious accommodation for just 116 passengers, the aircraft will be used to launch new non-stop services to London. The delivery increases the carrier’s in-service widebody fleet to 10 aircraft, comprising seven A330-200 passenger aircraft and three A330-200F freighters.

Hong Kong Airlines Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Atlas Air receives approval to operates its new Boeing 767-300 ERs for the Department of Defense

Atlas Air Boeing 767-38E ER N641GT (msn 25132) FRA (Bernhard Ross) (new type), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Atlas Air (New York) announced today it has received approval from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Commercial Airlift Review Board (CARB) to provide Boeing 767-300 ER passenger airlift service for the DoD.

The twin-jet 767 becomes the second aircraft type in the company’s history, joining a fleet of Boeing 747 freighters and passenger aircraft.

To operate the new aircraft family, Atlas Air has also achieved 180-minute Extended Twin-Engine Operations (ETOPS) certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, allowing for the aircraft’s optimal routing on trans-Atlantic flights. ETOPS approval requires a rigorous review of the company’s operations and successful implementation of additional operational and flight-crew procedures. Flight crews and maintenance teams operating Atlas Air’s 767s are qualified and trained for ETOPS.

The company’s 767-300ER (for Extended Range) aircraft, configured for 255 Economy Class seats, will primarily transport U.S. military personnel domestically and internationally. The aircraft, along with two company-owned passenger 747-400s, are also available for commercial charters, providing customers with flexible seating-capacity alternatives.

Atlas Air expects to place a third 767 into service during the first half of 2012.

Atlas Air initiated B747-400 passenger service for the DoD in May 2011.

With the 767, Atlas Air is the only outsource provider of aircraft and aviation operating services offering the new Boeing 747-8 freighter, 747-400 freighter and passenger versions, and the 767-300ER to its global customers.

Atlas Air Slide Show: CLICK HERE

SkyWest expects a loss for 2011

SkyWest Airlines (USA) Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) N953SW (msn 7813) SAN (James Helbock), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

SkyWest, Inc. (St. George) announced today that it expects its financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, to be lower than previously anticipated. Due primarily to the reasons outlined below, SkyWest currently estimates that its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2011 will reflect a net loss between $(17.0) million and $(18.5) million, resulting in a basic and fully-diluted loss per share between $(0.34) and $(0.37) per share. SkyWest cautioned, however, that these estimates are preliminary and are subject to modification or revision in the course of completing SkyWest’s year-end review procedures.

According to the group, there were three primary factors that contributed to SkyWest’s determination of the estimated net loss for the fourth quarter of 2011. First, SkyWest’s operating airlines have incurred additional maintenance charges due to aging aircraft issues, timing and cost of heavy airframe checks, and the timing of certain engine overhauls. These additional costs are estimated to be approximately $12.0 million (pre-tax) for the quarter ended December 31, 2011. Second, SkyWest’s operating airlines continued to experience additional crew costs estimated to be approximately $5.0 million (pre-tax) for the quarter ended December 31, 2011. SkyWest’s operating airlines have continued to incur additional pilot training costs as a result of the need for additional pilots to fly increased block hours as scheduled by our major partners and from incurring a higher level of training in off-peak times. Third, SkyWest maintains an ownership position in two international regional airlines, TRIP and Air Mekong. SkyWest management currently estimates that SkyWest will recognize losses attributable to these entities that are approximately $5.5 million (pre-tax) more than our previous estimates for the quarter ended December 31, 2011.
A more detailed explanation of the items that affected SkyWest’s financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 will be provided when SkyWest announces its financial results for the quarter, which is currently estimated to occur in mid February 2012.

SkyWest is the holding company for two scheduled passenger airline operations, namely SkyWest Airlines (St. George, Utah) and ExpressJet Airlines (Atlanta, Georgia).

SkyWest Airlines operates as United Express and Delta Connection carriers under contractual agreements with United Airlines, Inc. (Chicago) and Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Atlanta). SkyWest Airlines also operates as US Airways Express under a contractual agreement with US Airways, Inc., and operates flights for Alaska Airlines under a contractual agreement. ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express and Delta Connection carriers under contractual agreements with United and Delta. System-wide, SkyWest serves markets in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean with approximately 3,700 daily departures and a fleet of approximately 730 regional aircraft.

Atlantic Southeast Airlines has now been merged into ExpressJet Airlines.