Tag Archives: Airbus A340-300

Airblue to drop Manchester tomorrow

Airblue (Islamabad) will drop all flights to Manchester starting tomorrow (January 22). The airline issued this short statement:

Due to route rationalization, Airblue will be suspending flights between Pakistan and the United Kingdom effective on January 22, 2014. This includes the Lahore-Manchester and the Islamablad-Manchester routes. Passengers holding tickets issued by a travel agent for flights on or after January 22, may contact their travel agent for full refund without cancellation fees. Passengers holding tickets issued directly by Airblue may contact Airblue directly for full refund without cancellation fees.

Airblue is now concentrating its fleet around the Airbus A320 after returning both A319s.

Copyright Photo: Nik French/AirlinersGallery.com. Airblue was leasing two Airbus A340-300s for the routes. Both are now being returned with the retirement of the two routes to Manchester. Airbus A340-313X AP-EDE (msn 216) lands at Manchester.

Airblue:

Norwegian wants Boeing to repair a defective 787

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) is demanding repairs from Boeing on a newly delivered Boeing 787-8 after the 787 suffered repeated maintenance breakdowns according to this report by Reuters.

Norwegian Long Haul will again lease an Airbus A340 from Hifly to maintain its schedules and will not take re-delivery of the 787 until it is more reliable according to the report.

Meanwhile Boeing is stationing a 787 repair crew in Stockholm, Sweden to handle any maintenance issues. The broken 787 is still located in Bangkok, Thailand.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

For the 787 to be a successful airliner, it must be reliable. Right now that is in question. For small, but fast-growing carriers like Norwegian, reliability is paramount as it does not have the luxury of a spare aircraft when one breaks, in this case often.

Read the analysis of the problem by Reuters: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Kok Chwee K.C. Sim/AirlinersGallery.com. Norwegian is again leasing an Airbus A340 from Hifly to fill the gap while the 787 is repaired. On the first round when the 787 delivery was delayed, the pictured Hifly A340-313X CS-TQY (msn 190) wore a red norwegian.com banner on the lower fuselage.

Norwegian:

Iran Aseman Airlines starts twice-weekly flights to Stockholm

Iran Aseman Airlines (Tehran) launched twice-weekly flights between Tehran and Stockholm (Arlanda) on September 1, delayed from the original planned date of May 2.

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-311 EP-APA (msn 002) touches down at Arlanda Airport today. The wide body airliner now wears “Sponsor of Iran National Football Team” sub-titles.

Iran Aseman Airlines:

SAS Group’s third quarter net profit rises to $128 million

SAS Group (Scandinavian Airlines-SAS) (Stockholm) reported its third quarter net profit rose to 844 million kroner ($128 million). Facing stiff competition from low-fare airlines, the SAS Group cut 800 jobs last year in order to reduce its costs. The SAS Group issued this financial statement for its third quarter:

SAS delivers positive result for the May-July 2013 quarter:

· Revenue: MSEK 11,593 (11,638)
· Traffic: up 5.6%
· Passenger revenue adjusted for currency: up 5.3%
· Income before tax and nonrecurring items: MSEK 973 (497)
· EBIT margin: 11.6% (9.0%)
· Income before tax: MSEK 1,120 (726)
· Net income for the period: MSEK 844 (534)
· Earnings per share: SEK 2.57 (1.62)
· Cash flow from operating activities: MSEK -276 (-187)

November 2012-July 2013

· Revenue: MSEK 31,123 (31,007)
· Traffic: up 3.8%
· Passenger revenue adjusted for currency: up 5.3%
· Income before tax and nonrecurring items: MSEK 229 (-788)
· EBIT margin: 2.2% (-1.3%)
· Income before tax: MSEK -9 (-2,694)
· Net income for the period: MSEK -174 (-2,436)
· Earnings per share: SEK -0.53 (-7.40)
· Cash flow from operating activities: MSEK 518 (299)

“It is gratifying that our robust and sweeping restructuring program is having the anticipated effect and SAS exits the third quarter strongly with a positive income before tax of MSEK 1,120.

We have made substantial progress in the implementation of our plan to improve our financial position. When the sale of Widerøe is concluded in September, we will have completed the sale of assets corresponding to about SEK 2.7 billion.

In parallel, during the quarter, we were able to increase traffic through a significant improvement in productivity. During the summer, 32 new routes were opened, which contributed to increased passenger revenue at the same time as operating expenses decreased. We have signed a letter of intent with Airbus regarding the renewal of the SAS Group’s long-haul fleet, which bolsters our long-term competitiveness.

Competition in European air traffic remains very intense. Consequently, our focus is on completing the entirely necessary transition to a lower and more flexible cost structure, in parallel with our continued aggressive investment in our customer offering. Our forecast of achieving positive earnings for the full-year remains firmly in place,”

Rickard Gustafson, SAS President and CEO.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. SAS has eight Airbus A350-900s on order with the first deliveries in 2018. The new type will replace the older Airbus A340-300s. A340-313X LN-RKG (msn 424) approaches the runway at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

Delta and Virgin Atlantic receive tentative DOT antitrust immunity for trans-Atlantic alliance

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) have received tentative U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) (Washington) antitrust immunity for its proposed trans-Atlantic alliance. As part of the deal, Delta is acquiring a 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic for $360 million from Singapore Airlines (Singapore).

All other parties will have 14 days to comment on the DOT decision, otherwise it will become final.

Read the full report from Reuters: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Delta’s Boeing 757-232 N650DL (msn 24390) banks on the final turn on the River Approach into Washington (Reagan National).

Delta Air Lines:

Have you seen the “new look” AirlinersGallery.com?

Virgin Atlantic Airways:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313 G-VAIR (msn 164) climbs away from Tokyo (Narita) painted in the updated 2010 livery which also includes airline titles on the fuselage underside.

Air Canada reports a first quarter net loss of approximately C$260 million

Air Canada (Montreal) today provided preliminary results for the first quarter of 2013:

Adjusted net loss of approximately $143 million versus an adjusted net loss of $162 million in the first quarter of 2012
Net loss of approximately $260 million versus a net loss of $274 million in the first quarter of 2012
Operating loss of approximately $106 million versus an operating loss of $91 million in the first quarter of 2012
EBITDAR (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and impairment, and aircraft rent) of approximately $145 million versus $174 million in the first quarter of 2012

In the first quarter of 2013, Air Canada’s financial results were negatively impacted by an estimated $10 million due to flight cancellations caused by severe weather conditions and operational challenges at the airline’s major Canadian airport hubs, as well as aircraft deicing service delays at Toronto Pearson International Airport. A higher proportion of leisure passengers versus business passengers, in part due to a shift of the Easter holiday, and an unfavourable foreign currency impact on passenger revenues also contributed to the lower operating results year-over-year. In addition, Air Canada expects to record an impairment charge of $24 million related to Airbus A340-300 aircraft (none of which are operated by Air Canada) which is reflected in Air Canada’s preliminary operating loss and net loss results.

Air Canada estimates that its passenger revenue per available seat mile (“RASM”) in the first quarter of 2013, on a system-wide basis, increased by approximately 1.1 per cent as compared to the first quarter of 2012, due to passenger load factor improvements partly offset by lower yields. Air Canada also estimates that, in the first quarter of 2013, its adjusted cost per available seat mile (“adjusted CASM”), which excludes fuel expense, the cost of ground packages at Air Canada Vacations and unusual items (such as impairment charges) increased approximately 1.4 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2012, a more favourable outcome than the range of the 3 to 4 per cent increase previously projected in its February 7, 2013 news release. The result was better than forecasted due largely to Air Canada having recorded favourable accrual adjustments of $15 million which had not been previously projected, and to timing of certain maintenance events.

Adjusted net debt is estimated to be $3,987 million at March 31, 2013, a decrease of $246 million from March 31, 2012, with cash and short-term investments estimated to represent 17 per cent of 12-month trailing operating revenues at the end of the first quarter of 2013.

Air Canada’s system capacity, as measured by available seat miles (“ASMs”), in the first quarter of 2013 was 1.1 per cent lower than the first quarter of 2012, within the range of the 0 to 1.5 per cent decrease previously projected in its February 7, 2013 news release.

All figures reported above with respect to the first quarter of 2013 are preliminary, have not been reviewed by Air Canada’s auditors and are subject to change as Air Canada’s first quarter 2013 financial results are finalized. The outlook and preliminary estimates provided in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.

Air Canada continues to expect full year 2013 system ASM capacity to increase in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 per cent when compared to the full year 2012. Air Canada also continues to expect its full year 2013 domestic capacity to increase in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 per cent from the full year 2012. Taking into account the better than expected adjusted CASM result in the first quarter of 2013, Air Canada now expects its full year 2013 adjusted CASM to decrease in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 per cent from the full year 2012 (as opposed to the 0 to 1.0 per cent decrease projected in Air Canada’s February 7, 2013 news release).

Air Canada’s above-mentioned outlook assumes Canadian GDP growth of 1.25 to 1.75 per cent for 2013. In addition, Air Canada expects that the Canadian dollar will trade, on average, at C$1.02 per U.S. dollar for the full year 2013 and that the price of jet fuel will average 86 cents per litre for the full year 2013.

Air Canada:

Virgin Atlantic freezes wages as it prepares to report a record yearly loss

Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) has frozen all salaries according to this report by Bloomberg. The struggling carrier is expected to report a loss of $201 million for its fiscal year ending on February 28 according to the Sunday Times.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. Looking almost new in its updated 2010 livery, Airbus A340-313X G-VELD (msn 214) climbs away from the runway at the London (Heathrow) hub. Higher fuel costs are hurting the carrier especially with its older less fuel-efficient aircraft like the Airbus A340-300. The last of the four A340-300s is expected to depart from the fleet this year.

Virgin Atlantic:

Norwegian to wet lease two Airbus A340-300s from Hifly due to the 787 delays

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) has announced it will wet lease two Airbus A340-300s from Hifly (Lisbon) due to the delays in the delivery of its new Boeing 787-8s for the new New York and Bangkok routes.

The company issued the following statement (translated from Norwegian):

Norwegian has entered into an agreement to lease two long-range Airbus A340-300. The aircraft will be used on Norwegian routes to New York and Bangkok on the company’s Dreamliner aircraft will be delayed.

To ensure that Norwegian passengers can fly to and from New York and Bangkok on Dreamliner planes that are delayed, the Company has entered into an agreement to lease two Airbus A340-300 aircraft. The two aircraft Norwegian will use are the pending Dreamliner delivery. The agreement is called a MOU – Memorandum of Understanding – which is binding on both parties. Outsourcing is a so-called “wet lease” – leasing of aircraft and crew.

The two Airbus aircraft to Norwegian to lease owned by the Portuguese HiFly leasing company that took them over the winter 2012/2013. The aircraft were previously flown by Singapore Airlines and Emirates. Aircraft are subject to EU safety legislation and enforcement is carried out by European aviation authorities. HiFly is one of several European airlines which conduct leasing of aircraft to companies who need spare capacity. The company has had a number of major European airlines on its customer list.

Copyright Photo: Pedro Baptista/Flyingphotos. Hifly’s Airbus A340-313X OY-KBM (msn 450) taxies into position at the Lisbon base.

Hifly:

Norwegian:

Etihad Airways’ 2012 net profit increases to $42 million, will wet lease an Airbus A340-300 from Air France

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) reported a net profit of $42 million (USD) in 2012, up 200 percent from the $14 million net profit in 2011. The company saw strong improvements in revenues, passengers numbers and cost control.

Revenue increased 17 percent to $4.8 billion (from $4.1 billion), on passenger numbers that were up 23 percent to 10.3 million (from 8.4 million). These numbers were boosted significantly by Etihad Airways’ equity partnerships and codeshares, which delivered more than $600 million in total revenue.

In other news, Etihad Airways has strengthened its relationship with Air France-KLM, with the announcement that the UAE flag carrier will wet-lease an Air France Airbus A340-300 for use on the Paris-Abu Dhabi route from May 15 to November 30.

Air France will operate the 272 seat aircraft as one of Etihad Airways’ two daily Paris-Abu Dhabi return services – EY 37 and EY 38 respectively.

Last October, Etihad Airways and Air France-KLM forged a strategic partnership which saw the two airline groups work together to create value for each airline.

The agreement expanded the UAE flag carrier’s European network with codeshare services beyond Paris to Bordeaux, Copenhagen, Madrid, Nice and Toulouse, and saw Air France place its AF flight code on Etihad Airways operated flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Abu Dhabi, and to cities beyond.

In other news, the airline will introduce daily Abu Dhabi-Amsterdam service with Airbus A330-200s starting on May 15 per Airline Route.

Etihad Airways:

Emirates to add Phuket on December 10

Emirates Airline (Dubai) is adding new passenger and belly cargo service to Phuket, Thailand. Phuket will become the second Thai gateway that connects it to international trade opportunities across its network of 126 destinations.

The launch of a daily nonstop flight to Phuket on December 10, 2012, operated by an Airbus A340-300 with a belly hold capacity of 13 tons, will take the weekly cargo capacity into and out of the country to more than 640 tons. This capacity is spread across four flights to Bangkok and one to Phuket.

Phuket, the largest island in Thailand, located in the Andaman Sea, will become the 15th route launch for Emirates this year and the second in South East Asia following the launch of Ho Chi Minh City in June.

Emirates: