American Airlines enters into sale-leaseback arrangement with ILFC to finance 15 Boeing 737-800s

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) has announced it has entered into a sale-leaseback arrangement with International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a leading international leasing organization and wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, to finance 15 previously-ordered Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft, two of which have been delivered and the remainder of which are scheduled to be delivered to American in 2012. ILFC will purchase the aircraft from American and immediately lease the aircraft back to American under a sale-leaseback financing arrangement.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing.

American Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air operate their first biofuel flights

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) yesterday afternoon (November 9) inaugurated biofuel-powered passenger service with two flights fromย Seattle/Tacoma toย Washington (Reagan National) andย Portland, Oregon Alaskaย and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, are operating 75 select flights betweenย Seattle/Tacoma and the two cities over the next few weeks using a 20 percent blend of sustainable biofuel made from used cooking oil.

Alaska Air Group estimates the 20 percent certified biofuel blend it is using for the 75 flights will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 10 percentโ€”the equivalent of taking 26 cars off the road for a year. If the company powered all of its flights with a 20 percent biofuel blend for one year, the annual emissions savings would represent the equivalent of taking nearly 64,000 cars off the road or providing electricity to 28,000 homes.

There currently is no supply of aviation biofuels in the Pacific Northwest, although potential sources were identified during a regional assessment by the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest group earlier this year (www.safnw.com). Alaska Air Group purchased the fuel through SkyNRG, an aviation biofuels broker. The biofuel was made by Dynamic Fuels at its facility inย Geismar, Louisiana.

Photo: PR Newswire/Alaska Airlines. N531AS is displaying this special emblem on the engines.

Alaska Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Air Canada’s push for a new low-fare subsidiary is stalled by the unions

Air Canada’s (Montreal) move for a new low-fare subsidiary to compete in the leisure markets has apparently hit an impasse although the airline is not giving up. The unions are opposed to the concept according to this article by Reuters.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Air Canada Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography. Looking back. Please click on the photo for the full story of Zip Air.

Air Macau is restructured with a new investment by the Macau SAR government

Air Macau’s (Macau, China) shareholders on November 4, 2011 approved a new capital restructuring proposal, with a multi-million dollar injection from the Macau SAR government.

With the capital injection, the Macau SAR government becomes Air Macauโ€™s second major shareholder after Air China (80.86%). New shares are being issued.

Air Macau issued the following statement: CLICK HERE

Air Macau Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Please click on the photo for the full story of this airline.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing.

Niki Lauda sells his remaining shares to Airberlin, will join the Airberlin board

Niki’s (Vienna) founder and majority shareholder announced on November 8, 2011 he was selling all his remaining shares to Airberlin.

Lauda previously owned 50.1 percent of his second airline.

The Niki name will remain and Niki Lauda will join the Airberlin board of directors.

Airberlin issued the following statement:

“The founder of Austrian airline Niki Luftfahrt GmbH, Andreas Nikolaus (Niki) Lauda, has been appointed to the Board of Air Berlin PLC as Non-Executive Director.

Since July 2010 Air Berlin PLC has held a 49.9 stake in Niki Luftfahrt GmbH. Airberlin, the Lauda Private Trust and Niki Lauda have agreed that the Lauda Private Trust will be withdrawing from Niki Luftfahrt GmbH. The withdrawal of the Lauda Private Trust will be taking place shortly in the course of restructuring measures in accordance with company law. As a result the Lauda Private Trust will be repaying the loan it had received from Airberlin by transferring its 50.1 percent stake in Niki Luftfahrt GmbH. Austrian control and majority ownership of Niki Luftfahrt GmbH will in future be ensured by a new private trust that is exclusively Austrian and that will hold a majority stake in Niki Luftfahrt GmbH. The transfer of the 50.1 percent stake will not involve any cash payments.”

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Please click on the photo for the full story.

Niki Slide Show: CLICK HERE

EasyJet is coming to Iceland

EasyJet (UK) (London-Luton) will launch the London (Luton)-Keflavik (near Reykjavik) route on March 27, 2012. The new route to Iceland will be operated three times a week.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton.

EasyJet Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Copa Holdings reports net income of $70.3 million for the third quarter

Copa Holdings, S.A. (Panama City) announced its financial results for the third quarter.

Copa Holdings reported net income of $70.3 million for 3Q11, or diluted earnings per share (EPS) of US$1.59. Excluding special items, Copa Holdings would have reported an adjusted net income of $90.1 million, or $2.03 per share, a 44.3% increase over adjusted net income of $62.5 million and US$1.42 per share for 3Q10.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.

Copa Airlines Slide Show: CLICK HERE

European Air Transport Leipzig takes delivery of its first Airbus A300B4-622R freighter

European Air Transport Leipzig (Leipzig/Halle) has taken delivery of its first Airbus A300B4-622R freighter. The pictured D-AEAO (msn 711) was painted by Eirtech and was rolled out of the paint shop at Shannon on November 4, 2011. It previously served with JAL as JA8565. 12 additional copies will be coming.

European Air Transport Leipzig GmbH is a cargo airline based at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Schkeuditz, Germany. The airline is wholly owned by Deutsche Post and operates the DHL-branded parcel and express services in Europe.

Copyright Photo: Malcolm Nason.

Royal Brunei Airlines implements its restructuring program

Royal Brunei Airlines (Bandar Seri Begawan) announced on June 21, 2011 a “Stablization Plan” as the flag carrier concentrates on shorter routes in Asia in order to return to profitability. As part of the plan, service to Auckland, Brisbane, Perth and Ho Chi Minh City were suspended on October 31, 2011. Flights to Kuching were previously dropped in July 2011.

Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. Eventually the six leased Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-200 ERs will be replaced with newer Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The 777s recently replaced the Boeing 767-300 ERs. The growing regional routes will be served by Airbus A319s and A320s.

Royal Brunei Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Route Map:

Republic Airways confirms order for 80 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft

Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (Indianapolis), the parent of Frontier Airlines (2nd), today announced it has confirmed its order with Airbus to purchase 60 A320neo (New Engine Option) and 20 A319neo aircraft. Republic had previously signed a letter of intent (LOI) for the purchase in mid-June.

The aircraft, which will be powered by CFMโ€™s LEAP-X engines, will be flown by Republicโ€™s Frontier Airlines subsidiary. Frontier currently operates 59 Airbus A318, A319 and A320 aircraft.

Republic is making Frontier as attractive as it can to attract potential buyers as it seeks to separate the Frontier branded flying from its traditional contract flying for others.

Read the full story from Bloomberg Businessweek: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.

Frontier Slide Show: CLICK HERE