Tag Archives: 737700

Alaska Airlines starts San Diego-Boston service

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) yesterday (March 29) launched nonstop flights between San Diego and Boston—the sixth new city the carrier has begun serving from San Diego in the past year.

During the past year alone, Alaska Airlines has launched service from San Diego to Orlando, as well as to Fresno, Monterey and Santa Rosa, California, in addition to Boston and Kauai.

Summary of new service
Start date	City pair	Departs	Arrives	Frequency
March 29	San Diego-Boston	9:30 a.m.	5:55 p.m.	Daily
March 29	Boston-San Diego	6:55 p.m.	10:13 p.m.	Daily
All times based on local time zones

The flights will be operated using Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Boeing 737-790 WL N612AS (msn 30162) completes its final approach into Los Angeles International Airport.

Alaska Airlines:

Sun Country is coming to Chicago Midway

Sun Country Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul) has announced that they will be flying nonstop into Chicago-Midway from Minneapolis/St. Paul- Terminal 2. Flights will be operating twice daily. The new year-round service will begin on July 1, 2013.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Boeing 737-7Q8 N712SY (msn 28219) taxies to the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Sun Country Airlines:

Route Map:

TAROM to restore Bucharest-Dublin service on May 1 after 12 years

TAROM (Romanian Air Transport) (Bucharest) is set to restore service (three roundtrips per week) on the Bucharest-Dublin route on May 1 after 12 years according to Airline Route. The restored route will be operated with Boeing 737-700s.

TAROM:

SAS to start Stockholm-Madrid flights on July 1

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) on July 1 will launch a new route from Stockholm (Arlanda) to Madrid on a twice-weekly basis. This new route will complement the current service that SAS already offers from Copenhagen to Madrid. SAS will now provide up to ten departures a week between Scandinavia and Madrid.

Flights will leave from Arlanda on Mondays at 9.15 a.m. (0915) returning from Madrid at 2.05 p.m. (1405). Flights on Fridays will leave at 07.10 a.m. (0710) in the morning from Arlanda, returning from Madrid at 3.50 p.m. (1550). SAS is planning to use a Boeing 737 on this route, with a flight time of approximately 3 hours and 50 minutes.

SAS has so far launched 47 new routes in 2013. The new routes from Stockholm Arlanda fly to Vilnius, Innsbruck, Pula, Palermo, Cagliari, Thessaloniki, Tel Aviv, Pristina and Alanya. The new routes from Gothenburg are to Nice and Pristina.

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

Royal Air Maroc to restart Casablanca-Zurich on April 19

Royal Air Maroc (Casablanca) is expected to restore the Casablanca-Zurich route (three times a week) with Boeing 737-700 aircraft on April 19 per Airline Route.

Royal Air Maroc:

WestJet and Air France expand their relationship

WestJet Airlines (Calgary) and Air France (Paris) today announced they have entered into a code-share agreement enabling Air France to offer its customers 10 new Canadian destinations operated by WestJet.

The “AF” code is now on select WestJet flights connecting from Toronto to Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Thunder Bay, Ottawa, Quebec City, Saint-John’s, Moncton and Halifax. Winnipeg and Calgary flights also bear the French carrier’s code for both Toronto and Montreal connections to Air France’s direct flights to Paris.

This is the ninth code-share agreement for WestJet which, additionally, has twenty-one interline relationships.

Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Boeing 737-76N WL C-GWSH (msn 29886) climbs away from runway 27R at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

WestJet:

Air France:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. Airbus A320-211 F-GHQK (msn 236) taxies to the runway at Geneva.

WestJet reduces its carry-on policy to 1 carry-on and 1 personal item

WestJet Airlines (Calgary) has updated its carry-on policy, now reflecting the industry standard. The airline issued this statement

WestJet today announced it is updating the number of carry-on pieces guests are permitted to bring on board to one from two, plus one personal item, effective April 4, 2013.

The carry-on item (eg. a suitcase, backpack or bag) must be no larger than 21 inches by 9 inches by 15 inches and it must fit in the WestJet sizing devices located in airports across our network. If it does not fit, it must be checked at the boarding gate and picked up upon arrival at the baggage carousel.

Personal items include small purses, laptop bags or mobility or child restraint devices. For parents travelling with infants, a diaper bag is permitted over and above the carry-on allowance.

“Updating our baggage allowance has many benefits,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing and Guest Experience. “Fewer carry-on items will mean more room for everyone’s baggage, and faster and more efficient boarding. This, in turn, helps us stay on time. It will also create a more consistent experience for guests travelling between WestJet and WestJet Encore beginning later this spring, as well as for guests connecting to and from flights offered by our codeshare and interline partners, most of whom have already adopted this standard.”

WestJet:

Southwest Airlines to fly to San Juan, Puerto Rico (replacing AirTran)

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and its wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways announced an extension of flight schedules for travel through November 1, 2013. In extending both carriers’ bookable inventory, Southwest introduces four new nonstop routes, including the first Southwest service from Des Moines to the West through Las Vegas, and the return of seasonal service in three markets. The carrier also announced new Southwest Airlines service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and San Juan, a conversion from AirTran service in the market, beginning on September 29, 2013. Southwest Airlines begins its initial service in San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 14 with nonstop service between both Tampa Bay and Orlando. AirTran introduces additional seasonal flying to and from Florida.

Southwest’s new markets:

Two daily nonstop flights between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and San Juan
One daily nonstop flight between Nashville and Pittsburgh
One daily nonstop flight between Atlanta and San Diego
One daily nonstop flight between Des Moines and Las Vegas
One daily nonstop flight between Jacksonville and Chicago

Southwest’s returning seasonal markets:

One daily nonstop flight between Indianapolis and Orlando
One daily nonstop flight between Jacksonville and Las Vegas
One daily nonstop flight between Orlando and Minneapolis-Saint Paul

AirTran’s new markets:

Seasonal service between Orlando and Houston (Hobby)
Seasonal service between Orlando and New Orleans
Seasonal service between Fort Myers and Columbus
Seasonal service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and Pittsburgh

Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 WL N944WN (msn 36659) with extra “Free Bags Fly Free” markings arrives on runway 9L at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Southwest Airlines:

AirTran Airways:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. The special AirTran schemes are not expected to survive the integration into Southwest. The pictured Boeing 737-7BD WL N354AT (msn 36725) in the special Georgia Aquarium “Dolphin 1” scheme is due to become N7724A with Southwest.

Copa Holdings reports 4Q net income of $86.6 million, $326.5 million for 2012

Copa Holdings, S.A. (Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia) (Panama City) has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2012 and the full year of 2012.

Copa Holdings reported net income of US$86.6 million for 4Q12 or earnings per share (EPS) of US$1.95, as compared to net income of US$104.4 million or EPS of US$2.36 in 4Q11. Excluding special items, Copa Holdings reported an adjusted net income of US$89.3 million or adjusted EPS of $2.01, compared to adjusted net income of US$85.3 million or adjusted EPS of $1.93 in 4Q11.
Net income for full year 2012 reached US$326.5 million or EPS of US$7.35, compared to US$310.4 million or EPS of US$6.98 for full year 2011. Excluding special items, however, Copa Holdings would have reported an adjusted net income of US$336.1 million or EPS of US$7.57, compared to adjusted net income of US$314.1 or adjusted EPS of $7.06 for full year 2011.
Operating income for 4Q12 came in at US$104.3 million, representing a 6.5% decline from operating income of US$111.5 million in 4Q11, mainly as a result of a 3.7% drop in unit operating revenue per available seat mile (RASM) and a 6.3% increase in the all-in price of jet fuel. As a result, operating margin for 4Q12 came in at 17.4%, or 4.5 percentage points below 4Q11.
The Company reported operating income of US$402.5 million for full year 2012, representing an increase of 4.6% over operating income of US$385.0 million in 2011. Operating margin for full year 2012 came in at 17.9%, as compared to an operating margin of 21.0% in 2011.
Total revenues for 4Q12 increased 17.7% to US$599.8 million. Yield per passenger mile decreased 4.1% to 17.1 cents and RASM came in at 13.5 cents, or 3.7% below 4Q11. However, on a quarter over quarter basis, both yields and RASM remained relatively flat over our third quarter high season, declining only 0.9% and 0.2%, respectively.
For 4Q12 consolidated passenger traffic grew 23.7%, led by international traffic growth which expanded a robust 26.0%. At the same time, consolidated capacity grew 22.3%, led by a 24.4% increase in international capacity. As a result, consolidated load factor for the quarter increased 0.8 percentage points to 75.7%. For full year 2012, consolidated load factor came in at 75.4%, down 0.9 percentage points from 2011, on 24.1% capacity growth.
Operating cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 1.8%, from 11.0 cents in 4Q11 to 11.1 cents in 4Q12 as a result of an increase in the all-in price of jet fuel. However, CASM excluding fuel cost decreased 1.3% from 6.9 cents in 4Q11 to 6.8 cents in 4Q12, as a result of lower labor, maintenance and distribution unit costs, which were partly offset mainly by higher passenger servicing costs and other administrative expenses.
Cash, short term and long term investments ended 2012 at US$720.5 million, representing 32% of the last twelve months’ revenues.
During the fourth quarter, Copa Airlines took delivery of two Boeing 737-800s and returned one leased Boeing 737-800 aircraft. As a result, Copa Holdings ended the year with a consolidated fleet of 83 aircraft, composed of 18 Boeing 737-700s, 39 Boeing 737-800s and 26 Embraer-190s.
During the fourth quarter, Copa Holdings and Boeing agreed to reschedule four future B737-800 aircraft deliveries (2 firm and 2 options). As a result, the company now has eight firm deliveries of Boeing 737-800 aircraft and four lease expirations of B737-700 aircraft for 2014.
For 2012, Copa Holdings reported on-time performance of 85.5% and a flight-completion factor of 99.6%, maintaining its position among the best in the industry.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Boeing 737-7V3 HP-1524CMP (msn 33705) arrives at Miami International Airport, its original destination in North America.

Copa Airlines:

WestJet reports 4Q net earnings of C$60.9 million and full year net earnings of C$242.4 million

WestJet Airlines (Calgary) has announced its fourth quarter and year-end results for 2012. The airline reported fourth quarter net earnings of $60.9 million, or $0.46 per share and full-year net earnings of $242.4 million, or $1.78 per share; up significantly from the net earnings of $148.7 million, or $1.06 per share, reported for 2011. These financial results mark WestJet’s 31^st consecutive quarter of profitability. Based on the trailing twelve months, the airline achieved a return on invested capital of 13.7 per cent, up from the 12.7 per cent reported last quarter.

“We are very pleased with the positive momentum generated in 2012 that culminated with us reporting record annual earnings, record high load factors and for the second consecutive quarter, we surpassed our return on invested capital target of 12 per cent by achieving 13.7 per cent for the year,” said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. “Fundamentally our momentum is traced to the commitment and dedication of our over 9,000 WestJetters, and I am very proud of the positive and caring attitude they exemplify each and every day.”

Operating highlights (stated in Canadian dollars)

	Q4 2012	Q4 2011	Change	Full-Year 2012	Full-Year 2011	Change
Net earnings (millions)	$60.9	$35.6	71.3%	$242.4	$148.7	63.0%
Diluted earnings per share	$0.46	$0.26	76.9%	$1.78	$1.06	67.9%
Total revenues (millions)	$860.6	$781.5	10.1%	$3,427.4	$3,071.5	11.6%
Operating margin	10.6%	7.6%	3.0 pts	11.0%	8.4%	2.6 pts
ASMs (available seat miles) (billions)	5.487	5.329	3.0%	22.064	21.186	4.1%
RPMs (revenue passenger miles) (billions)	4.493	4.194	7.1%	18.263	16.891	8.1%
Load factor	81.9%	78.7%	3.2 pts	82.8%	79.7%	3.1 pts
Segment Guests	4,314,024	3,996,593	7.9%	17,423,352	16,040,682	8.6%
Yield (revenue per revenue passenger mile) (cents)	19.16	18.64	2.8%	18.77	18.18	3.2%
RASM (revenue per available seat mile) (cents)	15.68	14.67	6.9%	15.53	14.50	7.1%
CASM (cost per available seat mile) (cents)	14.01	13.55	3.4%	13.83	13.29	4.1%
CASM, excluding fuel and employee profit share (cents)*	9.32	9.03	3.2%	9.12	8.85	3.1%

*Refer to reconciliations in the accompanying tables for further information regarding calculations.

WestJet also announced its intention, upon the expiry of the 12-month period of its 2012 normal course issuer bid, to make an application to the Toronto Stock Exchange to initiate a further normal course issuer bid for up to 5 per cent of the currently issued and outstanding shares. The airline also declared an increase to its quarterly dividend from $0.08 to $0.10. “Continuing the share buy-back program and increasing the dividend signals our confidence in the strength of the business and our commitment to return value to shareholders,” added Gregg Saretsky.

Throughout 2012, WestJet was able to expand its virtual network with the implementation of 13 new interline partnerships, and by evolving four existing interline partnerships (Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, China Eastern Airlines and British Airways) into code-share relationships, bringing the total number of airline partnerships to thirty worldwide.

WestJet expects moderate growth in RASM and margin expansion in the first quarter of 2013, notwithstanding the difficult prior year comparisons and increases in system wide capacity. For the full year 2013, the airline expects CASM, excluding fuel and employee profit share, to increase between two to three percent year-over-year. For the first quarter of 2013, WestJet expects fuel costs to range between $0.94 and $0.96 per litre.

Dividend declaration

On February 5, 2013 WestJet’s Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.10 per common voting share and variable voting share for the first quarter of 2013, to be paid on March 28, 2013, to shareholders of record on March 13, 2013. All dividends paid by WestJet are, pursuant to subsection 89(14) of the Income Tax Act, designated as eligible dividends, unless indicated otherwise. An eligible dividend paid to a Canadian resident is entitled to the enhanced dividend tax credit.

WestJet: