Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) announced (15-Oct-2024) the delivery of its first A330neo aircraft has been delayed from Sep-2024 to Nov-2024 due to findings identified by Airbus during the flight line stage. Malaysia Airlines planned inaugural A330neo service to Melbourne scheduled for 25-Nov-2024 and subsequent A330neo flights will revert to A330-300 equipment, with no changes to the flight schedule. MAG stated it is working closely with Airbus and lessor Avolon to secure a new delivery timeline and expedite the aircraft's entry into service. The carrier expects to receive five A330neo aircraft by 1Q2025. MAG MD Izham Ismail stated: "We are deeply disappointed by the aircraft delivery delays by Airbus, compounded by the ongoing setbacks of our Boeing 737 MAX 8 deliveries. These delays are significantly disrupting our fleet modernisation plans and growth requirements". [more - original PR]
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Turkish Airlines, via its official Twitter account, announced (14-Oct-2024) plans to launch four times weekly Istanbul-Kuala Lumpur-Sydney service from 28-Nov-2024. As previously reported by CAPA, the service was scheduled to launch on 05-Dec-2024. The route will initially involve a refuelling stop in Kuala Lumpur, but is planned to eventually be operated as a nonstop service from Istanbul.
Condor Flugdienst announced (14-Oct-2024) it is reducing its flight programme from Hamburg Airport Helmut Schmidt by 13% in summer 2025, due to significantly increased costs at the airport. The carrier is also cancelling planned growth at the location with additional frequencies and completely new destinations. Connections to Samos and Malaga will be completely removed from the flight schedule, while frequencies to Kos will be significantly reduced. Condor had also planned to add four new destinations from Hamburg with several weekly frequencies. CEO Peter Gerber labelled the decisions "a logical consequence of the threat of a completely disproportionate increase in charges in Hamburg". Mr Gerber continued: "With these significantly increased costs, we are not only forced to relocate flights from Hamburg to other locations, but also to increase prices" adding "this is particularly regrettable for our customers there, especially as Hamburg had reliable solutions that would have prevented such a development". Condor is the third largest airline at the location, with its schedule from Hamburg including vacation destinations in Greece, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and the Spanish mainland, Madeira, Egypt, Italy, the Algarve and Türkiye. [more - original PR - German]
Sierra Leone's Ministry of Transport and Aviation, via its official Facebook account, announced (13-Oct-2024) Air Sierra Leone will commence operations on 02-Dec-2024. The carrier will operate services from Freetown to Abidjan, Accra, Monrovia, Banjul, Dakar, Conakry and London Gatwick Airport. Freetown-London service will be operated three times weekly with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Emmanuel Iza has been appointed as CEO, with technical assistance to be provided by Xejet.
Airbus reported (09-Oct-2024) the following commercial aircraft orders and deliveries for Sep-2024:
- 50 deliveries to 29 customers;
- AerCap: One A320neo (Sichuan Airlines) and one A321neo (Spirit Airlines);
- Air Lease Corporation: One A220-100 (Bulgaria Air), one A220-300 (TAAG), one A321neo (ITA Airways) and three A321neos (Spirit Airlines);
- Aviation Capital Group: One A321neo (Condor);
- Avolon: One A320neo (Transavia France);
- BOC Aviation: One A320neo (Nouvelair Tunisie);
- Breeze Airways: One A220-300;
- Cathay Pacific Aircraft Services: One A321neo (Cathay Pacific) and one A321neo (HK Express);
- Cebu Pacific: One A321neo;
- CDB Leasing: One A321neo (KLM Royal Dutch Airlines);
- Chengdu Airlines: One A320neo;
- China Eastern Airlines: One A320neo;
- China Southern Airlines: One A320neo;
- Delta Air Lines: Two A321neos, one A330-900 and one A350-900;
- Frontier Airlines: One A321neo;
- Gulf Air: One A321neo;
- IndiGo: Three A320neos and six A321neos;
- Japan Airlines: One A350-1000;
- JetBlue Airways: One A220-300;
- Juneyao Air: One A321neo;
- Pegasus Airlines: Two A321neos;
- Qantas Airways: One A220-300 (National Jet Systems) and one A321neo (Jetstar Airways);
- Saudia: One A320neo (flyadeal);
- Spring Airlines: One A320neo;
- TAP Air Portugal: One A320neo;
- Tibet Airlines: One A319neo;
- Turkish Airlines: One A321neo, one A350-900;
- VietJet Air: One A321neo;
- Viva Aerobus: One A321neo;
- Wizz Air: One A321neo;
- Gross orders: 235;
- CDB Leasing: 15 A320neos and 65 A321neos;
- Cebu Pacific: 70 A321neos;
- Undisclosed: 20 A320neos, 55 A321neos, five A350-900s and five A350-1000s. [more - original PR]
Global Airlines confirms inspection, MRO works on first A380 under EFW partnership
Global Airlines, via its official LinkedIn account, announced (04-Oct-2024) its first A380 (9H-GLOBL, MSN 120) departed Glasgow to undergo MRO and inspection works in Dresden. The announcement follows a 23-Sep-2024 "multi-million euro" agreement with Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), with EFW to provide MRO services to facilitate the aircraft's entry into service.
Japan Airlines (JAL) and Garuda Indonesia signed (03-Oct-2024) a joint business agreement, after Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLITT) approved JAL's antitrust immunity application. JAL president and group CEO Mitsuko Tottori stated: "We expect to launch this joint business relationship in the second quarter of 2025 to provide additional travel benefits for our mutual customers". As previously reported by CAPA, the two airlines commenced codeshare services in Oct-2018. [more - original PR]
IATA: Cargo sector achieves second consecutive month of record year to date demand in Aug-2024
IATA director general Willie Walsh reported (03-Oct-2024) "good news" in air cargo markets for Aug-2024, with the sector recording a second consecutive month of record high demand for the year to date. Mr Walsh noted yields are up 11.7% compared to 2023, 2% compared to Jul-2024 and 46% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Mr Walsh added: "This strong performance is underpinned by slow but steady growth in global trade, booming e-commerce, and continuing capacity constraints on maritime shipping". [more - original PR]
KLM outlines strategic measures to improve operational and financial performance
KLM announced (03-Oct-2024) a set of measures aimed at improving the company's operational and financial performance. These include increasing productivity, simplifying the organisation, cutting costs and deferring or postponing investments. KLM stated that despite revenue growth, these interventions are necessary due to the rising cost of equipment, staff and airport fees, as well as its ongoing fleet renewal. KLM aims to improve its operating result by EUR450 million in the short term, targeting structural profit margin above 8% by 2026 to 2028, in line with Air France-KLM's group ambition. Key actions include:
- Increase labour productivity by 5% by 2025, including through automation, mechanisation and reducing absenteeism;
- Address pilot shortages to ensure "we can operate all flights with our pilots", with a better balance between inter continental and European flights;
- Address technician shortages and supply issues to reduce cancellations, with possible partial outsourcing of maintenance if needed;
- Reconsider and defer non-essential investments, such as new headquarters and engineering and maintenance buildings, while aiming to maintain fleet investments;
- Enhance onboard services, trialling an expanded catering offer and optimised aircraft layouts to boost revenue by EUR100 million p/a;
- Simplify the organisation, increase synergy, eliminate overlap and overhead, including through the planned reorganisation of flight services and training organisations;
- Explore options for outsourcing, divesting or discontinuing activities that do not directly contribute to flight operations.
The Works Council and trade unions have been informed of the proposed measures and objectives and will be consulted through the standard consultation process. President and CEO Marjan Rintel stated: "KLM is suffering from high costs and shortages of staff and equipment", noting that "our aircraft are full, but our capacity is still not back to pre-corona levels". Mr Rintel added that in order to effectively "remain at the forefront of customer and employee satisfaction as well as sustainability", the carrier "must make clear and decisive choices now". [more - original PR]
Argentina's Government passed (02-Oct-2024) a decree officially declaring Aerolineas Argentinas as an organisation subject to privatisation. The decree states privatisation of the carrier is necessary to reduce Argentina's public spending, citing the airline's poor financial performance and "inefficient" cost structure. The privatisation process will encompass methods including the sale of assets and share placement. [more - original PR - Spanish]
Rossiya - Russian Airlines, via its official Telegram account, stated (01-Oct-2024) it rerouted Sochi-Dubai World Central service on 02-Oct-2024 to operate via the airspace of Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, with a technical stop in Hurghada. Saint Petersburg-Dubai World Central service was rerouted to operate via the airspace of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a technical stop in Samara. As previously reported by CAPA, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency advised carriers to avoid the airspace of Israel, Iran and Iran.