Tag Archives: Norbert G. Raith

Delta Air Lines to fly to Iceland

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) announced new nonstop service between New York (JFK) and Reykjavik (Keflavik), Iceland, beginning on June 1, 2011. When service begins, Delta will be the only U.S. carrier to serve Iceland nonstop from the United States.

The flight, between John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Keflavik International Airport in Reykjavik, will be operated with a 170-seat Boeing 757-200 aircraft with 15 seats in BusinessElite and 155 seats in Economy.

The flight will also operate direct from Delta’s hub in Minneapolis-St. Paul under the same flight number, with a stop at New York-JFK.

Copyright Photo: Norbert G. Raith. Boeing 757-232 N6715C (msn 30486) with the special Grammy Awards logo arrives at the ATL hub.

Delta Air Lines requests to expand service to Brazil

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) yesterday (July 23) submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to expand its service between the United States and Brazil, which would allow increased flights between its Detroit hub and Sao Paulo.

Delta has received approval to begin twice-weekly service between Detroit and Sao Paulo on October 21. If approved, the new flights will allow that service to be operated five days per week.

The flights will be operated with 216-seat Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft, with 35 BusinessElite seats and 181 seats in Economy Class.

Copyright Photo: Norbert G. Raith. Boeing 767-332 ER N171DZ (msn 29690) dressed in the special Habitat for Humanity livery arrives at the ATL hub.

AirTran Airways Holdings reports a 2Q net profit of $12.4 million

AirTran Holdings, Inc. (Orlando) the parent company of AirTran Airways, Inc., reported a net profit of $12.4 million or $0.09 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2010. Excluding $26.4 million in unrealized losses, net of taxes, related to the reduction in value of future fuel hedges, the Company’s net income for the quarter would have been $38.8 million dollars or $0.23 per diluted share. This result is particularly noteworthy given the 37.2 percent increase in the per-gallon cost of jet fuel, the airline’s single largest expense, year-over-year.

AirTran set quarterly records for revenue passenger miles flown, load factor and enplaned passengers. For the first time in AirTran Airways’ history, load factor topped 83 percent in the second quarter.

Copyright Photo: Norbert G. Raith. Boeing 717-2BD N949AT (msn 55003) painted in the Orlando Magic scheme, arrives at the ATL hub.

Jazz Air’s pilots vote to go on strike if necessary

Jazz Air (Air Canada Jazz) (Halifax) is facing a possible strike by its pilots. The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) released the results of the strike ballot conducted by the pilots of Jazz Air LP. An overwhelming 99 percent of pilots voted in favor of a strike should it become necessary to conclude a fair collective agreement with Jazz Air.

The Jazz pilots have been operating under the same contract since 2004.

According to ALPA, “Over the same time period, Jazz has distributed more than $475 million in profits directly to the Jazz Air Income Fund unit holders. The Jazz pilots work under a contract that has seen no adjustments to allowances, pension or benefits, and further pay adjustments to concessionary pay scales that fall well below the rate of inflation. Their collective agreement had an expiry date of June 30, 2009.”

Under the Canada Labour Code, both the strike authorization vote and written notification to the Company are required steps before any withdrawal of services can begin. Of the pilots eligible to vote, more than 90 percent participated in the balloting. At the end of the mandatory cooling-off period, Jazz pilots will legally be allowed to go on strike if there is not a new agreement.

Copyright Photo: Norbert G. Raith. Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) C-FZSI (msn 7160) is pictured on final approach at Atlanta while operating for Air Canada Jazz.

Republic Airways Holdings loses $36.5 million in the first quarter

Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (Indianapolis) reported operating revenues of $608.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, an 87.1% increase, compared to $325.3 million for the same period last year. The increase in revenues is due to the acquisition of our branded carriers during 2009. The Company also reported a net loss of $36.5 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, compared to $2.2 million of net income, or $0.06 per diluted share, for the same period last year.

During the first quarter of 2010, the Company’s pre-tax loss of $58.5 million was negatively impacted by an $11.5 million, non-cash impairment to write off the Midwest Airlines trademark and reduce the carrying value of other assets. The Company also recorded a total of $13.1 million of expenses related to the integration of the branded business and the return of Bombardier Q400 and CRJ aircraft. Also, the severe winter storms in the first quarter of 2010 had an estimated $7.5 million negative impact on pre-tax results.

Excluding all non-recurring items and the impact of the storms, the Company’s pre-tax loss was $26.4 million.

Copyright Photo: Norbert G. Raith. A superb view of subsidiary Frontier Airlines’ Airbus A318-111 N809FR (msn 3092) arriving at Atlanta.

AirTran Airways to make Milwaukee a hub

AirTran Airways (Orlando and Atlanta) sensing a weakness with the Midwest Airlines brand will make Milwaukee a hub next year, basing aircraft and crews at MKE. The company will add additional routes according to this news item.

News link:

www.jsonline.com/business/80242707.html