Lufthansa to add the Munich – Bangkok route

Lufthansa will add the Munich – Bangkok route on March 27, 2022.

The route will be operated daily with Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Ukraine International to fly to Oslo, Norway

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) intends to launch new scheduled flights to the capital and largest city in Norway – Oslo. Thus, UIA will be the first and currently the only airline in Ukraine to start flights on this route. Flights between Kyiv and Oslo will be operated on a medium-haul Embraer 190 aircraft in a three-classes of service: business, economy premium-economy.

Air services on this northern route are scheduled for June 1, 2022. Flights will be operated three times a week โ€“ on Wednesdays, on Fridays and on Sundays. Departure from Boryspil Airport (KBP) is scheduled for 08:25 with arrival in Oslo (OSL) at 10:15. Return flight at 16:00, arrival in Boryspil at 17:50.

Thanks to the convenient schedule, passengers from Norway will be able to use the docking at Boryspil International Airport, and then continue their journey on international flights to Istanbul (IST), Tel Aviv (TLV), Tbilisi (TBS), Cairo (CAI), Chisinau (KIV) ), Baku (GYD), Yerevan (EVN), Tenerife (TFS), Rome (FCO), Athens (ATH), Larnaca (LCA), Split (SPU), and Budapest (BUD).

Flyr adds service to Geneva

Fly (Oslo) is adding the Oslo – Geneva route today with Boeing 737-800 LN-DYS.

The airline announced on social media:

We enjoy the beautiful view of the Alps on our first trip to Geneva today.

In other news, the new airline issued this traffic report for January:

In January, Flyr had a total of 30,042 travelers in 13 destinations. Flyr’s production in January was adapted to the reduced demand in the market, which has led to increased omicron infection and stricter infection control measures. Flyr’s total capacity in January, with three operational aircraft, amounted to 53.5 million seat kilometers (ASK), with a filling rate of 53.7 per cent. The average filling level since start-up is 47.6 percent. – The recommendation for a home office and the new measures that were introduced in December immediately affected aviation and led to a sharp reduction in bookings also for travel in January, says Tonje Wikstrรธm Frislid, CEO of Flyr.

Considering the situation, we are satisfied with the degree of filling we achieved during the month, says Wikstrรธm Frislid. The unit income (PASK) for January was NOK 0.24, corresponding to the average PASK since start-up. The traffic figures for the month show that Flyr achieved a regularity of 97.6 percent and an arrival punctuality of 72 percent. The development in punctuality is affected by the winter storms we experienced in January.

Flyr had its first flight on June 30, 2021 and has since then had a total of 305,924 passengers on board. The airline was established during the Covid-19 pandemic with the goal of building a sustainable and profitable business model, adapted to market demand. Expansion plans and the grid will be adjusted continuously depending on the pandemic situation.

Flyr currently operates five aircraft on domestic routes in Norway and to European destinations. The ambition is to increase the production capacity of 12-18 aircraft by the end of 2022.

Route Map:

ATR successfully performs test flights with 100% SAF in one engine

Regional aircraft manufacturer ATR has announced that it has successfully performed a series of ground and flight tests on its ATR 72-600 prototype aircraft, cumulating seven flight hours with 100 % Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in one engine. The aircraft was powered by Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuelโ„ข produced from 100% renewable waste and residues raw materials, such as used cooking oil.

These tests are part of the 100% SAF certification process of ATR aircraft. In September 2021, ATR announced a collaboration with Braathens Regional Airlines and Neste to accelerate this certification. The three companies are working closely together, targeting a demonstration flight in 2022 on a Braathens Regional Airlinesโ€™ ATR aircraft. The aim is to complete the certification process of ATR aircraft for 100% SAF by 2025.

Sustainable Aviation Fuels are a key pillar of the aviation industryโ€™s decarbonization strategy, with an immediate impact in reducing CO2 emissions. It is expected that an ATR flying on a typical regional route with 100% SAF in both engines would reduce CO2 emissions by 82%.

American to acquire 23 additional Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 aircraft, defers 787-9 deliveries

American Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 N310RF (msn 44451) JFK (Fred Freketic). Image: 956674.

American Airlines is adjusting its fleet plans as markets recover from COVID-19.

The airline has agreed to to convert 23 Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 purchase options into firm options.

AA is also deferring Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner deliveries due to the slower recovery of foreign travel according to the filing below.

Deliveries of the 787s will now begin in the fourth quarter of 2023 and will continue into 2027, with four 787-9 aircraft now scheduled for delivery in 2023.

American Airlines issued this filing:

On January 31, 2022, American Airlines, Inc. (American), a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group Inc. (the Company), entered into an amendment to that certain Purchase Agreement No. 03735, dated as of February 1, 2013, with The Boeing Company (Boeing), pursuant to which American has agreed to purchase a total of 23 additional 737 MAX 8 aircraft through the conversion of existing purchase options. In addition, American intends to convert a further seven of its purchase options in 2022, bringing its firm order of additional 737 MAX 8 aircraft to 30, with 15 of such aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2023 and 15 scheduled for delivery in 2024.
Additionally, on January 31, 2022, American entered into an amendment to that certain Purchase Agreement No. 3219, dated as of October 15, 2008, with Boeing, pursuant to which American and Boeing agreed to defer the delivery of certain 787-9 aircraft previously scheduled for delivery beginning in January 2023. Pursuant to this amendment, deliveries of these 787-9 aircraft will commence in the fourth quarter of 2023 and will continue into 2027, with four 787-9 aircraft now scheduled for delivery in 2023.
The delivery schedules presented herein represent our best estimates as of the date of this report. Actual delivery dates are subject to change based on various potential factors including production delays by the manufacturer.
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 N310RF (msn 44451) JFK (Fred Freketic). Image: 956674.
American Airlines aircraft slide show:
American Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

CAE and Canada Jetlines, Ltd. sign exclusive 5-year pilot training agreement

CAE has announced that it has signed an exclusive 5-year training agreement with Canada Jetlines, Ltd. Under the agreement, CAE will train Jetlines pilots on the CAE 7000 XR Airbus A320 full-flight simulator (FFS) at the CAE Montreal Training Centre.

Jetlines anticipates its inaugural flight in the spring of 2022, offering Canadians more selection and more economical options to fly to sun destinations in the southern United States, Caribbean, and Mexico.

Canada Jetlines, Ltd. selected the Airbus A320 as its fleet standard due to the aircraftโ€™s best-in-class operating economics, customer comfort and fly-by-wire technology. The company will begin servicing the flying public in 2022.

Allegiant turns to the black, produces a profit in the fourth quarter and 2021

Allegiant Travel Company (Allegiant Air) today reported the following financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2021, as well as comparisons to prior years:

 

Consolidated Three Months Endedย December 31, Percent Change
(unaudited) (in millions, except per share amounts) 2021 2020 2019 YoY Yo2Y
Total operating revenue $ 496.9 $ 246.6 $ 461.1 101.5 % 7.8 %
Total operating expense 463.6 270.2 368.4 71.6 25.8
Operating income (loss) 33.3 (23.6) 92.7 241.0 (64.0)
Income (loss) before income taxes 15.1 (39.2) 78.6 138.6 (80.7)
Net income (loss) 10.7 (28.8) 60.5 137.1 (82.3)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 0.59 $ (1.79) $ 3.72 133.0 (84.1)

 

Twelve Months Endedย December 31, Percent Change
(unaudited) (in millions, except per share amounts) 2021 2020 2019 YoY Yo2Y
Total operating revenue $ 1,707.9 $ 990.1 $ 1,841.0 72.5 % (7.2) %
Total operating expense 1,444.8 1,271.1 1,477.0 13.7 (2.2)
Operating income (loss) 263.1 (281.0) 364.0 193.6 (27.7)
Income (loss) before income taxes 196.6 (361.1) 301.2 154.5 (34.7)
Net income (loss) 151.9 (184.1) 232.1 182.5 (34.6)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 8.68 $ (11.53) $ 14.26 175.3 (39.1)

 

Consolidated – adjusted Three Months Endedย December 31, Percent Change
(unaudited) (in millions, except per share amounts) 2021 2020 2019 YoY Yo2Y
Adjusted operating expenseย (1) (2) $ 451.2 $ 254.4 $ 368.4 77.4 % 22.5 %
Adjusted operating income (loss)ย (1) (2) 45.7 (7.8) 92.7 685.9 (50.7)
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxesย (1) (2) 27.5 (23.4) 78.6 217.5 (65.0)
Adjusted net income (loss)ย (1) (2) 21.3 (18.0) 60.5 218.3 (64.8)
Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per shareย (1) (2) $ 1.18 $ (1.12) $ 3.72 205.4 (68.3)

 

Twelve Months Endedย December 31, Percent Change
(unaudited) (in millions, except per share amounts) 2021 2020 2019 YoY Yo2Y
Adjusted operating expenseย (1) (2) $ 1,595.7 $ 1,130.2 $ 1,477.0 41.2 % 8.0 %
Adjusted operating income (loss)ย (1) (2) 112.2 (140.1) 364.0 180.1 (69.2)
Adjusted income (loss) before income taxesย (1) (2) 45.7 (193.6) 301.2 123.6 (84.8)
Adjusted net income (loss)ย (1) (2) 35.1 (149.1) 232.1 123.5 (84.9)
Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per shareย (1) (2) $ 2.04 $ (9.33) $ 14.26 121.9 (85.7)
(1) Adjusted numbers exclude COVID related special charges, the net benefit from the payroll support programs, when applicable, and profit sharing bonus accruals
(2) Denotes a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the Non-GAAP Presentation section within this document for further information

We finished the year with adjusted earnings per share(1)ย ofย $2.04, one of the only domestic carriers to record a full-year adjusted profit,” statedย Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr., chairman and CEO ofย Allegiant Travel Company. “This is a remarkable feat and could not have been accomplished without the support of our team members. 2021 was a challenging year, yet we remained nimble and continued to learn and adapt. Despite impacts from multiple variants throughout the year, we grew scheduled capacity more than eight percent when compared to 2019. Load factors sequentially improved throughout the year with fourth quarter loads of 77.1 percent, a more than twenty-point increase from the first quarter. We grew fourth quarter revenue by 7.8 percent when compared with 2019, finishing the year with total operating revenue ofย $1.7 billion, just seven percent below 2019.

“As we exited 2021, the operation was challenged by impacts from the Omicron variant. We saw unprecedented crew shortages due to COVID, resulting in cancelled flights during the peak holiday travel season and persisting throughout January. Case counts have started to recede, thus the worst should be behind us. I expect the operation to return to a more normalized state in time for peak March travel. Given the cancellations from Covid, irregular operations expenses wereย $23 millionย during the fourth quarter. As noted last quarter, it is imperative and good business practice to reimburse our customers for the inconvenience we have caused, in addition to refunding the ticket price.

“Despite the Omicron variant, forward bookings are strong for upcoming peak leisure travel periods. Spring break bookings have been particularly strong. Over the past several months, the booking curve has normalized to its pre-COVID state, and although early, we are beginning to see positive demand trends into early summer. In addition, third-party revenues have outperformed 2019 due primarily to strength with our cobrand credit card program. We acquired more than 100 thousand new cardholders in 2021, a program record. This trend continues in 2022, with January now the program’s best month for new cardholder acquisitions.

“The future of Allegiant is bright. We expect to end 2022 with 127 aircraft. All incoming aircraft will have 186 seats, increasing our seats per departure. The recently announced Boeing transaction will increase incremental route opportunities to 1,400, which represents more than ten years of growth. Additionally, progress on Sunseeker is on track to open in early 2023. This project will diversify our ecosystem of travel offerings available to our customers.

“Once again our team members have shown their mettle in the past 90 days.ย  They have been on the front lines in one of the worst periods I have seen with regard to the uncertainty and fear we are all experiencing from Covid.ย  I want to personally thank each and every one of them.”

Fourth Quarter 2021 Results

  • GAAPย income before income taxesย ofย $15.1 million
    • Adjusted income before income taxes(1) (2) (3)ofย $27.5 million, yielding a pre-tax margin of 5.5 percent
  • Consolidated EBITDA(2) (3)ย ofย $80.0 million, yielding an EBITDA margin of 16.1 percent
    • Adjusted EBITDA(1) (2) (3)ย ofย $92.4 million, yielding an adjusted EBITDA margin of 18.6 percent
  • Total operating revenueย wasย $496.9 million, up 7.8 percent when compared with the fourth quarter of 2019
    • Scheduled capacity up 14.5 percent year over two-year
    • Continued sequential improvement inย load factor,ย which came in at 77.1 percent
    • Peak holiday travel load factor mirrored levels observed in 2019 for the same time period
  • Total average fare – third party productsย ofย $6.90, up 47.4 percent year over two-year driven primarily by cobrand strength
  • Adjusted operating CASM, excluding fuelย (1)ย ofย 7.24 cents, up 7.4 percent when compared with the fourth quarter of 2019, driven primarily by costs related to increased irregular operations
  • Expanded the networkย by adding 13 new routes with one new city,ย Canton, Ohio, bringing total routes served to 608 and 133 cities
    • List of incremental, domestic-route opportunities in excess of 1,400
      • Route profile similar to current network structure – roughly 80 percent of opportunities currently have no direct, non-stop competition
  • Announced plans for aย fully-integrated Commercial Alliance Agreement with Viva Aerobusย to expand options for nonstop leisure air travel betweenย the United Statesย andย Mexico
    • First-of-its-kind alliance between two ultra low-cost carriers
  • Partneredย with Boeingย to purchase 50 737 MAX aircraft, powered by CFM LEAP 1-B engines, with deliveries beginning mid-2023

Full-Year 2021 Results

  • GAAPย income before income taxesย ofย $196.6 million
    • Adjusted income before income taxes(1) (2) (3)ofย $45.7 million, yielding a pre-tax margin of 2.7 percent
    • One of the only domestic carriers to achieve full-year profitability on an adjusted basis
  • Consolidated EBITDAย ofย $444.1 million, yielding an EBITDA margin of 26.0 percent
    • Adjusted EBITDAย ofย $293.2 million, yielding an adjusted EBITDA margin of 17.2 percent
  • Total system capacity increased 8.1 percent when compared with 2019
  • Total operating revenue wasย $1.7 billion, 7.2 percent below 2019
    • Total average fareย ofย $123.24, up 4.2 percent from 2019
    • Total ancillary average fareย ofย $64.73, up 14.2 percent from 2019 driven by air ancillary bundles, website redesign, and increased cobrand activity
  • Available seat miles per fuel gallon of 85.4, a 3.7 percent improvement from 2019
  • Record-setting year for theย cobrand programย with more than 100 thousand new cardholders acquired
  • Ended 2021 with nearly 800 thousand activeย Allways Rewardsย members

(1) Adjusted numbers exclude COVID related special charges, the net benefit from the payroll support programs, when applicable, and profit sharing bonus accruals

(2) Denotes a non-GAAP financial measure

(3) Refer to the Non-GAAP Presentation section within this document for further information

 

Balance Sheet, Cash and Liquidity

  • Totalย cash and investmentsย atย December 31, 2021ย wereย $1.2 billion
    • Receivedย $116 millionย in federal tax refundsย in October related to 2020 net operating losses
    • Receivedย $204 millionย in payroll support program fundsย during 2021
  • $488.2 millionย inย total operating cash inflowย for 2021, including payroll support program funds received as well as federal tax refunds related to net operating losses
  • Total debt atย December 31, 2021ย wasย $1.7 billion
    • Net debt atย December 31, 2021ย wasย $559.8 million, a 42.5 percent decrease from year-end 2020
  • Debtย principal paymentsย ofย $62 millionย during the quarter
  • Full yearย Interest expenseย ofย $68 million, down 10.9 percent year over two-year
  • Air traffic liabilityย atย December 31, 2021ย wasย $307 million
    • Balance related to future scheduled flights isย $240 million
    • Balance related to travel vouchers issued for future use isย $67 million

Airline Capital Expenditures

  • Fourth quarter spend wasย $56 million,ย which includedย $29 millionย for the acquisition of two aircraft as well as induction costs andย $27 millionย in other airline capital expenditures
    • Fourth quarter deferred heavy maintenanceย spend wasย $12 million
  • Full year 2021 capital expenditures wereย $205 million, which includedย $136 millionย for the acquisition of seven aircraft and one engine as well as induction costs andย $69 millionย in other airline capital expenditures
    • Full year deferred heavy maintenanceย spend wasย $61 million

Sunseeker Resort

  • Anticipated opening remains unchanged at first quarter 2023
  • Total project spendย as ofย December 31, 2021ย wasย $211 millionย withย $23 millionย funded by debt and the remainingย $188 millionย funded by Allegiant
    • Fourth quarterย capital expendituresย related to the project wereย $38 million
    • 2021 capital expendituresย wereย $51 million

 

 

Guidance, subject to revision Previous Current
First Quarter 2022 guidance
System ASMs – year over three-year change(1) 19.0 to 23.0%
Scheduled Serviceย  ASMs – year over three-year change(1) 19.0 to 23.0%
Total operating revenue – year over three-year change(1) 5.0 to 9.5%
Operating CASM, excluding fuel – year over three-year change(1) 1.0 to 5.0%
Fuel cost per gallon $2.67
Full year 2022 guidance
Airline CAPEX
Aircraft, engines, induction costs, and pre-delivery deposits (millions) $255ย toย $265
Capitalized deferred heavy maintenance (millions) $85ย toย $95
Other airline capital expenditures (millions) $95ย toย $105
Interest expenseย (2) $85ย toย $95
Recurring principal payments $185ย toย $195
Sunseeker Resortsย –ย Charlotte Harbor Projectย 
Total projected project spend (millions) $560ย toย $585
Percent of projectย to be financed 60ย to 63%
Percent of total project spend already funded by Allegiant contributions 32 to 34%
Percent of project spend remaining โ€“ to be funded by Allegiant contributions 4 to 8%

 

(1) Year over three-year percentage changes compare 2022 to 2019
(2) Includes capitalized interest related to pre-delivery deposits on new aircraft as well as the construction ofย Sunseeker Resortsย – Charlotte Harbor

Aircraft Fleet Plan by End of Period

Aircraft – (seats per AC) 1Q22 2Q22 3Q22 YE22
A319 (156 seats) 35 35 35 35
A320 (177 seats) 22 22 22 22
A320 (186 seats) 56 58 65 70
Total 113 115 122 127
The table above is provided based on the company’s current plans and is subject to change

UPS releases its 4Q and 2021 earnings

UPS Airlines (UPS-Worldwide Services) Boeing 747-8F N625UP (msn 65782) ANC (Michael B. Ing). Image: 956657.

UPS released its financial results:

  • Consolidated Revenues of $27.8B, Up 11.5% from Last Year
  • Consolidated Operating Profit of $3.9B, Up 91.0% from Last Year; Up 37.7% on an Adjusted* Basis
  • Diluted EPS of $3.52; Adjusted Diluted EPS Up 35.0% Over Last Year to $3.59
  • UPS Board of Directors Declares Quarterly Dividend of $1.52, a Per-Share Increaseย of 49% Over the Prior Year

UPS announced fourth-quarter 2021 consolidated revenue of $27.8 billion, an 11.5% increase over the fourth quarter of 2020. Consolidated operating profit was $3.9 billion, up 91.0% compared to the fourth quarter of 2020, and up 37.7% on an adjusted basis. Diluted earnings per share were $3.52 for the quarter; adjusted diluted earnings per share were 35.0% above the same period in 2020.

For the fourth quarter of 2021, GAAP results include a total charge of $59 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, comprised of a non-cash, after-tax mark-to-market (MTM) pension charge of $14 million and after-tax transformation and other charges of $45 million.

โ€œI want to thank all UPSers for their outstanding efforts throughout the holiday season and for once again delivering industry-leading service to our customers.โ€ said Carol Tomรฉ, UPS chief executive officer. โ€œThe execution of our strategy is delivering positive financial results and driving strong momentum as we move into 2022.โ€

2022 Outlook

The company provides guidance on an adjusted (non-GAAP) basis because it is not possible to predict or provide a reconciliation reflecting the impact of future pension mark-to-market adjustments or other unanticipated events, which would be included in reported (GAAP) results and could be material.

UPS expects to deliver its 2023 consolidated revenue and operating margin targets one year early. For the full year 2022, the company expects consolidated revenue of about $102 billion, an adjusted operating margin of approximately 13.7% and adjusted return on invested capital to be above 30%.

The company is planning capital expenditures to be 5.4% of revenue or approximately $5.5 billion, dividend payments to be around $5.2 billion, subject to Board approval, and share repurchases to be at least $1.0 billion. The effective tax rate is expected to be around 23.0%.

Video:

Top Copyright Photo: UPS Airlines (UPS-Worldwide Services) Boeing 747-8F N625UP (msn 65782) ANC (Michael B. Ing). Image: 956657.

UPS Airlines aircraft slide show:

UPS Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Lufthansa Cargo takes delivery of first Airbus A321P2F

Lufthansa Cargo takes delivery of its first Airbus A321P2F (D-AEUC). The aircraft arrived at Munich on January 30 and will be operated by Lufthansa CityLine.

A second is due later this year.

BBAM Limited Partnership (BBAM) and Lufthansa Cargo previously announced an agreement for the lease of two Airbus A321 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) aircraft on long-term leases. The Airbus A321P2F aircraft will be leased to Lufthansa Cargo on long-term leases from BBAM.

Blue Air to add the Bucharest – Funchal, Madeira route on April 9

Blue Air has announced it will add a new route linking Bucharest with Funchal in Madeira.

The new route will be operated with Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 aircraft starting on April 9, 2022.