United Airlines announces its first quarter results

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United Airlines has announced its first quarter 2018 financial results.

UAL reported first quarter net income of $147 million, diluted earnings per share of $0.52, pre-tax earnings of $184 million and pre-tax margin of 2.0 percent.
Excluding special charges and mark-to-market adjustments, UAL reported first-quarter net income of $143 million, diluted earnings per share of $0.50, pre-tax earnings of $179 million and pre-tax margin of 2.0 percent.
UAL has repurchased $747 million of its common shares year-to-date through April 16, 2018, representing approximately 4 percent of its shares outstanding as of year-end 2017.
Consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) increased 2.7 percent year-over-year.
Consolidated total revenue per available seat mile (TRASM) increased 3.4 percent year-over-year.
Consolidated unit cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 4.3 percent year-over-year.
First quarter consolidated CASM, excluding special charges, third-party business expenses, fuel and profit sharing, increased 0.6 percent year-over-year.
UAL now expects full-year 2018 diluted earnings per share, excluding special charges and mark-to-market adjustments, to be $7.00 to $8.50¹.

“The exceptional operational performance United’s employees delivered over the past quarter is impressive. Even more so when we consider United achieved the best departure performance among our largest competitors despite four nor’easters and other weather disruptions.” said Oscar Munoz, chief executive officer of United Airlines. “With our first-quarter financial results and our increased confidence in the outlook for the remainder of the year, we are tightening our adjusted EPS guidance range for the full year to $7.00 to $8.50. We continue to execute our strategy to strengthen and grow our domestic network, drive asset efficiency and productivity, while also continuing our focus on our customers.”

First-Quarter Highlights

Operations and Employees

Ranked first among our largest competitors in on-time departures and second among the same group in fewest cancelled flights.
Introduced and began training our team on United’s new customer service decision framework, the core4, which focuses on the principles of being safe, caring, dependable and efficient.
Ranked number one among global carriers in Newsweek’s 2017 Global 500 Green Rankings, one of the most recognized environmental performance assessments of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.
Announced new global partnership with the Special Olympics.
Flew hundreds of Team USA Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2018 athletes – along with coaches and family members – to PyeongChang, South Korea, continuing the 38-year relationship between United and the United States Olympic Committee.

Customer Experience

Announced United Premium Plus that will provide more space, comfort and amenities on select international flights starting later this year.
Expanded menu selections for our Snack Shop and Bistro on Board and launched a new menu for customers flying from Canada to the U.S.
Announced that consumers can now earn and use United MileagePlus award miles at participating BP retail stations.
Eliminated charges for customers’ second checked bag on all routes from North America to China and Hong Kong.

Network and Fleet

Launched two new international routes from Houston to Sydney and Denver to London.
Announced new service between six domestic hubs and eight destinations in California, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia and Wisconsin.
As part of our joint venture relationship, Air New Zealand announced new nonstop service between Aucklandand Chicago beginning this fall.
Announced year-round service between San Francisco and Auckland beginning April 2019.
Awarded tentative authority by the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin offering daily nonstop service between Houston and Havana, Cuba.
Took delivery of six new aircraft: four Boeing 787-9s and two Boeing 777-300ERs.
Announced newest aircraft type, the Boeing 737 MAX 9, to be introduced in domestic flight schedules starting in June.
Entered into an agreement to purchase 20 used Airbus A319 aircraft with expected delivery dates scheduled in 2020 and 2021.

Copyright Photo: The first Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 is being prepared for the handover. United Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 N60659 (N67501) (msn 43430) BFI (Joe G. Walker). Image: 941611.

United Airlines aircraft slide show (Boeing):

Southwest flight WN 1380 makes an emergency landing at Philadelphia, one passenger is killed

Southwest Airlines flight WN 1380 flight from New York (LGA) to Dallas (DAL) made a safe emergency landing at Philadelphia after an apparent uncontained engine failure in the number one engine. One injured passenger has been transported to a hospital.

The aircraft involved is the pictured Boeing 737-700 N772SW.

Report by JACDEC on Twitter:

Initial Statement by Southwest Airlines:

We are aware that Southwest flight #1380 from New York La Guardia (LGA) to Dallas Love Field (DAL) has diverted to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). We are in the process of transporting Customers and Crew into the terminal. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-700, has 143 Customers and five Crewmembers onboard. We are in the process of gathering more information. Safety is always our top priority at Southwest Airlines, and we are working diligently to support our Customers and Crews at this time.

Southwest Airlines later confirmed the one fatality:

Southwest Airlines confirms an accident involving Southwest Airlines Flight 1380. The flight made an emergency diversion to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) earlier today after the Crew reported issues with the number one engine which resulted in damage to the fuselage.

We are deeply saddened to confirm that there is one fatality resulting from this accident. The entire Southwest Airlines Family is devastated and extends its deepest, heartfelt sympathy to the Customers, employees, family members and loved ones affected by this tragic event. We have activated our emergency response team and are deploying every resource to support those affected by this tragedy. For a message from Gary Kelly, Southwest Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, please click here.

The aircraft involved today was a Boeing 737-700 (N772SW) and was enroute from New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Dallas Love Field (DAL). In total, the flight had 144 Customers and five Southwest Crewmembers onboard. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Southwest Pilots and Flight Attendants who acted professionally and swiftly to take care of our Customers during the emergency diversion and landing.

Finally, Southwest Airlines officials are in direct contact with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support an immediate, coordinated response to this accident. Southwest is in the process of gathering additional information regarding flight 1380 and will fully cooperate in an investigative process.

Please join the Southwest Family in keeping all of those affected by today’s tragedy in your thoughts.

Finally Southwest Airlines announced it will inspect all CFM56 engines in the next 30 days:

Southwest Airlines has announced that it is accelerating its existing engine inspection program relating to the CFM56 engine family. The accelerated inspections are being performed out of an abundance of caution and are expected to be completed over the next 30 days. The accelerated checks are ultrasonic inspections of fan blades of the CFM56 engines.

The airline expects minimal disruption to the operation during the course of the inspections.

Video:

QANTAS to extend the service contract for its 20 Boeing 717-200 aircraft

UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., today announced an 8-year contract extension with QANTAS Airways to provide BR715 engine nacelle asset support and repair services for the airline’s fleet of 20 Boeing 717-200 aircraft. The long-term agreement is through Prime Solutions®, which is customized to the airline’s specific support requirements.

The 20 aircraft are operated by Cobham Aviation under the QANTAS Link banner.

QANTAS Airways has been a Prime Solutions customer since 2000, and this new agreement represents an expansion of the existing support program as the airline has nearly doubled its fleet of Boeing 717-200 aircraft to meet increasing passenger demand. With easy access to spares and rotables, and fully customized support, the airline has been able to extend the operational life of its Boeing 717-200 fleet. Support will be provided on-site at the customer’s locations in Perth and Canberra, Australia, and the UTC Aerospace Systems Aerostructures Service Center in Singapore.

Copyright Photo: QANTAS Link-Cobham Aviation Services Australia Boeing 717-231 VH-NXN (msn 55095) (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 922314.

Cobham aircraft slide show:

Swoop announces a new Winnipeg – Abbotsford route

Swoop announced a new domestic regional route, providing daily, direct service between Winnipeg and Abbotsford beginning August 16, 2018.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of Swoop’s recent announcement of a fourth aircraft being added for the peak summer travel season. This new route will double the weekly frequency schedule in Winnipeg, and add 7 flights to the Abbotsford weekly frequency schedule.

Swoop service officially begins on June 20, 2018, with an initial network that includes Abbotsford, Hamilton, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Halifax.

With the addition of the new Winnipeg–Abbotsford route, Swoop will be operating 66 weekly flights as of August 16, 2018.

Starting today, Swoop is celebrating the latest route announcement and increased weekly frequency schedule with a system-wide seat sale detailed in the table below†:

Departing	Arriving	Air transportation charges Base fare from	Taxes, fees and charges	Total one-way price from
Abbotsford	Winnipeg	$87.17	$11.83	*$99.00CAD**
Winnipeg	Abbotsford	$62.17	$36.83	*$99.00CAD**
Abbotsford	Edmonton	$29.07	$8.93	*$38.00CAD**
Edmonton	Abbotsford	$9.55	$39.45	*$49.00CAD**
Hamilton	Winnipeg	$28.94	$40.06	*$69.00CAD**
Winnipeg	Hamilton	$33.59	$35.41	*$69.00CAD**
Hamilton	Halifax	$55.49	$43.51	*$99.00CAD**
Halifax	Hamilton	$50.97	$48.03	*$99.00CAD**
Hamilton	Abbotsford	$55.49	$43.51	*$99.00CAD**
Abbotsford	Hamilton	$87.17	$11.83	*$99.00CAD**
Edmonton	Hamilton	$57.17	$41.83	*$99.00CAD**
Hamilton	Edmonton	$55.49	$43.51	*$99.00CAD**

†Book by April 24, 2018 (11:59 p.m. MT) for travel between June 20-June 27 and/or August 16-December 13, 2018. 4800 seats available. Some blackout dates and restrictions apply.

Image: Swoop.

Route Map:

JetBlue grows again in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood with start date set for new Grand Cayman service

JetBlue Airways today announced it is again growing in South Florida and in the Caribbean with the start of nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) and Grand Cayman (GCM).

JetBlue first announced its intent to fly this route in January. Service will operate once daily beginning October 25, 2018.

New Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood service will complement JetBlue’s existing service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and seasonal service from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).

Schedule between Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Grand Cayman (GCM)
Beginning October 25, 2018

FLL-GCM Flight #1397					GCM-FLL Flight #1398
10:26 a.m. – 10:53 a.m.					11:53 a.m. – 2:29 p.m.

The new service also advances JetBlue’s position as the top airline at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, where the airline plans to operate 140 daily flights in the coming years.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood is one of JetBlue’s fast-growing focus cities, serving customers throughout South Floridaand offering a fast and convenient alternative for Miami-Dade travelers. The airline also recently expanded its operation to two new gates in Terminal 3 and began utilizing Terminal 1 for additional international arrivals to help support future growth.

JetBlue intends to serve the route with its 100-seat Embraer 190 aircraft offering the airline’s award-winning service and the most legroom in coach (b), as well as complimentary and unlimited name-brand snacks and soft drinks and free first-run Hollywood movies.

Copyright Photo: JetBlue Airways Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N187JB (msn 19000009) (Blueberries) FLL (Bruce Drum). Image: 104650.

JetBlue aircraft slide show:

More Delta nonstop flights on the way this winter between the U.S. and Europe

Delta Air Lines customers will continue to have year-round nonstop access to Europe from several U.S. gateways this winter as the airline will run several key routes through the upcoming winter season:

New York-JFK to Lisbon
Los Angeles to Paris and Amsterdam
Indianapolis to Paris
Orlando to Amsterdam

Lisbon via New York-JFK

Effective October 27, nonstop service from Delta’s hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport will operate on the following schedule to Lisbon on Boeing 757 aircraft:

New York-JFK – Lisbon, Portugal (LIS)
Flight Number	Departs	Arrives	Frequency
DL473	JFK at 10:20 p.m.	LIS at 10:15 a.m.	Up to five times weekly (four times weekly Jan. through early March)
DL273	LIS at 11:45 a.m.	JFK at 3:03 p.m.	Up to five times weekly (four times weekly Jan. through early March)

“After a tremendously successful first summer of operating JFK-Lisbon in 2017, we saw great potential for additional Delta service in Portugal and consequently are adding both Atlanta-Lisbon and JFK-Ponta Delgada (Azores) summer service in 2018,” James added. “In winter 2018, we are further demonstrating our commitment to the market by extending our JFK-Lisbon service, allowing our customers to travel nonstop from New York to this exciting, dynamic destination on a year-round basis.”

Paris and Amsterdam nonstop from Los Angeles

Beginning October 27, Los Angeles service to Paris and Amsterdam will fly on the following schedule with Airbus A330 aircraft:

Los Angeles – Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Amsterdam (AMS)
Flight Number	Departs	Arrives	Frequency
DL156	LAX at 11:42 a.m.	CDG at 8:15 a.m. (next day)	Three times weekly
DL157	CDG at 3:15 p.m.	LAX at 6:48 p.m.	Three times weekly
DL78	LAX at 12:12 p.m.	AMS at 8:30 a.m.(next day)	Four times weekly
DL79	AMS at 3:30 p.m.	LAX at 6:39 p.m.	Four times weekly

“Delta is excited to be adding service from its fast-growing hub at Los Angeles International Airport to its two principal hubs in Paris and Amsterdam,” said Ranjan Goswami, Delta’s Vice President – Sales, West. “These services, which are being launched in June and will now be extended to year-round operations, provide key links between business, entertainment and cultural capitals on both sides of the Atlantic. They offer Delta’s Los Angeles customer base unparalleled access to the rest of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and India on joint venture partners Air France and KLM.”

Indianapolis to Paris nonstop

Delta’s new Indianapolis-Paris flight launches on May 24 and will now be extended into the winter. As Indianapolis’s only nonstop service to Europe, it will now provide Indianapolis travelers year-round nonstop access to the City of Light on 767-300ER aircraft, as well as dozens of easy, one-stop connections to points beyond in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India on joint venture partner Air France.

Indianapolis (IND) – Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
Flight Number	Departs	Arrives	Frequency
DL500	IND at 6:29 p.m.	CDG at 8:40 a.m. (next day)	Four times weekly (three times weekly Jan. through early March)
DL501	CDG at 1:10 p.m.	IND at 4:54 p.m.	Four times weekly (three times weekly Jan. through early March)

Orlando to Amsterdam nonstop

Delta’s new Orlando-Amsterdam service began on March 30, and will now run through the winter, providing a vital year-round, nonstop link between Florida’s entertainment capital and one of Europe’s most charming and authentic cities, with convenient, one-stop connections to points beyond in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India offered by joint venture partner KLM.

Orlando (MCO) – Amsterdam (AMS)
Flight Number	Departs	Arrives	Frequency
DL126	MCO at 9:48 p.m.	AMS at 12:45 p.m. (next day)	Four times weekly
DL127	AMS at 2:40 p.m.	MCO at 7:49 p.m.	Four times weekly

Delta will discontinue service effective October 27 between Newark Liberty International Airport and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Customers in the New York City area will still have access to Paris via Delta and joint venture partner Air France flights from New York-JFK with up to a combined five daily roundtrips.

Delta Air Lines aircraft slide show (Boeing):

Icelandair celebrates the addition of its new Boeing 737 MAX and inspires passengers to capture stunning aerial shots

Icelandair has issued this statement:

Icelandair welcomes its first new Boeing 737 MAX 8 with a unique celebratory flight ‘Iceland By Air’ that took a special route over some of Iceland’s most stunning landscapes and sights.

All Icelandair planes are named after Icelandic volcanoes or areas of Iceland’s spectacular natural beauty. The new Boeing 737 MAX 8, named Jokulsarlon, took a special flight to Akureyri where Icelandair was founded in 1937, from the air, passengers were able to see Eyjafjordur, the mountains of the Trollaskagi peninsula and Hvalfjordur by Reykjavík

Hosted by top Icelandic landscape photographer, Páll Jokull, guests on board the celebratory flight were provided with an in-air tutorial to learn how to take the best aerial photographs from the newly designed windows for better viewing. Pall’s photography tips helped passengers to get the perfect shot: using the aircraft’s new LED lighting system to light the photo and the better-designed cabin windows to help frame it. ‘Capturing a good photo from the Boeing 737 MAX is a combination of the light available and the composition of what you see out there, landscape/sky, and will be made easier with the new redesigned windows,’ advises Jokull.

Passengers toasted the new plane with Icelandair’s special-edition 737 Transatlantic Icelandair Pale Ale, available on board and in the Icelandair Saga Lounge at Keflavik International airport for a limited time. The beer contains an ABV of 7.37% and is made with hops from the Pacific Northwest (where Boeing planes are made) and European malts as homage to the journey these planes will make.

Icelandair’s new Boeing 737 MAX 8 provides an improved customer flying experience with a redesigned cabin interior and customizable LED lighting. The enhanced cabin features a Boeing Sky Interior, fitted with modern-sculptured walls that cleverly lead your eye to the window. Additional thoughtful touches have been added, with larger overhead cabins to give passengers extra space to store their carry-on luggage more easily.

Icelandair’s newest plane also sets new standards in fuel-efficiency and performance with up to 20 percent more fuel-efficiency* and increasing its range by up to 3,515 nautical miles. The 737 MAX 8 incorporates the latest quiet engine technology to reduce the noise footprint of the airplane by up to 40 percent.

The carrier will add a total of 16 new Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft to its fleet over the next four years, enabling the airline to further bolster its growing network. The new plane will complement Icelandair’s existing fleet of 757 and 767, all perfectly suited for mid-range flights and the airline’s operation of transatlantic and European routes.

In early summer 2018 the airline will start five new North American routes in addition to commencing flights between Dublin and Reykjavík. Icelandair has also recently simplified its on board product to offer two travel classes: Saga Premium and Economy to best suit their customers’ travel needs. In addition to investing in its product in the air and strengthening its network, the customer online experience has been updated too with a newly launched website that’s available in 16 new languages and easier than ever to navigate.

All passengers on board the Boeing 737 MAX 8 over the next month can take part in capturing the perfect photo from the air using #IcelandByAir to enter with the winning photos to be featured in Icelandair’s in-flight magazine and showcased on Icelandair’s website. To check out photographer Pall’s tips to, to find out more about the competition or book with Icelandair please visit:www.icelandair.com.

In other news, Icelandair is introducing five new classes of service:

Top Copyright Photo (all other photos by Icelandair): Icelandair Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 TF-ICE (msn 44353) BFI (Joe G. Walker). Image: 941076.

Icelandair aircraft slide show:

Video:

United to end Cape Air ATR 42 United Express service, the last turboprop service

United Airlines has announced it will end the United Express ATR 42 service provided by Cape Air on May 31, 2018 from Guam. United will use mainline Boeing 737s to fly between Guam and Saipan starting on June 1, 2018.

Cape Air’s wings in Micronesia includes service to the islands of Guam, Rota and Saipan. The market is served by Cape Air’s ATR 42s, and are operated for United Express (formerly Continental Connection).

Cape Air operates three ATR 42s for United in Micronesia. This operation is the last turboprop United Express operation.

Route Map in Micronesia: