04 May, 2011
American Airlines flight makes emergency landing
Virgin Blue renamed Virgin Australia
Richard Branson (R) and Virgin Australia CEO, John Borghetti (L) arrive on the new airline's Airbus A330-200 at Sydney Airport. Photo: AFP
Richard Branson has finally unveiled one of the worst-kept secrets in Australian aviation.
The English entrepreneur and publicity seeker jetted into Sydney this morning aboard an aircraft emblazoned with the new name of Australia’s second-largest airline.
American Airlines criticised for 'Face of Your Base' beauty contest
American Airlines has been criticised for holding a 'ridiculous beauty contest' in its search for the best-looking flight attendants.
The airline launched a competition to find attractive male and female crew members to appear as models in a photo-shoot for the airline, reports the UK’s Daily Mail.
Second black box may finally unlock secrets of Air France crash
The cockpit voice recorder from an Air France airliner that crashed into the Atlantic two years ago was found yesterday. The jet's flight data recorder was recovered on Sunday.
A robot submarine, operating more than two miles below the surface, recovered the devices from flight AF447 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, which crashed on 1 June 2009 killing all 228 passengers and crew.
01 May, 2011
Oman Air Expands
Air France Flight Recorder Recovered
American Airlines Selected as Official Sponsor of 'Meet in Beijing'
American Airlines is proud to be one of only two corporate sponsors of the 2011 Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, an event that attracts world-class international performers and artists to Beijing. Held annually for the last 10 years, this year's festival runs from this week until the end of May, and spotlights how expressions of culture transcend beyond arts and entertainment, embracing friendship, education, and cultural diversity.
"Bringing the people and cultures of the world together is what air travel is all about," said Gerard Arpey, American's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Like air travel, the arts lift our spirits, broaden our horizon and give us a fresh perspective on the world around us.
"I would like to congratulate and thank the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China for making Meet in Beijing the biggest such festival in Asia," Arpey added. "We know this year's festival will be another great success."
"Dubai was Right" says flydubai CEO
Ghaith Al Ghaith hails the vision and courage of the Government of Dubai and developers who continued to invest during the economic crisis
Dubai, UAE, May 01, 2011 - On the eve of the region's biggest tourism industry event, Arabian Travel Market, Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of Dubai's first low cost airline, flydubaiflydubai, has paid tribute to those who continued to develop the tourism infrastructure in Dubai during the worst of the global economic crisis.
Air India cancels flights as pilots strike for pay | ajc.com
Air India pilots demanding more pay are on strike for a fifth day in defiance of a court order to return to work and spare the airline from further losses.
AirAsia to introduces fuel surcharges
AirAsia is to introduce fuel surcharges from May, it announced April 29, becoming one of the first major low-cost airlines to do so.
The Asian budget carrier, which operates a network across Asia and to long-haul destinations including Seoul, Delhi, Melbourne, London and Paris through its AirAsia X long-haul carrier said it would introduce the charges on May 3.
It will affect all domestic flights within Malaysia and all international routes, the airline said, although domestic flights within Thailand and Indonesia will not be affected.
Passengers flying to Paris, London and Christchurch in New Zealand will have to pay the most - an extra RM90 (€20) per flight.
The price of fuel has skyrocketed in recent months, with major airlines around the world imposing surcharges on passengers to offset the increased cost of flying their jets.
However, many low-cost airlines have resisted the move - Ryanair said last month that it guaranteed "no fuel surcharges ever" as European package holiday firms Thomas Cook and TUI raised theirs.
In the US, budget carrier Southwest said last month that it expected fuel prices to carry on rising, and although it does not currently impose a fuel surcharge, analysts expect ticket prices to rise to cover the cost.
Source - The Independent
Alaska Airlines aims to keep flying higher
When Alaska Airlines Group CEO William Ayer told an audience of Portland business leaders in February that he aims to establish a direct flight between Portland and Washington, D.C., he got an enthusiastic ovation.
Frontier Cuts Fares
The times are changing for travelers who have grown weary of airline fees adding to their travel costs. We usually see airlines raising fees right before the busy summer travel season, but this year, passengers are getting some good news instead.
AirTran & Southwest Airlines Merger
With AirTran merger, Southwest Airlines to gain toehold in Memphis
AirTran has been in Memphis International since 1993, when it began as ValuJet, and has helped hold down Memphis-Atlanta fares.
Southwest Airlines executives predicted in the 1980s that one day they'd be in Memphis. That day is Monday.
25 April, 2011
Swiss
Swiss +41 848 700 700
Book Here Now |
VISION
We want to be the best airline of Europe - also part of the Lufthansa Group. |
MISSION
We are the airline of Switzerland – connecting Switzerland and Europe with the world. Based on our strengths in personal care, SWISS hospitality and SWISS quality we make our guests feel as if they were at home. As a part of the Lufthansa group we develop SWISS in a self-governed manner. |
MANAGEMENT BOARD
Chairman of the Board | Bruno Gehrig |
Chief Executive Officer | Harry Hohmeister |
Chief Financial Officer | Marcel Klaus |
Chief Operating Officer | Rainer Hiltebrand |
Chief Commercial Officer | Holger Hätty |
EXTENDED MANAGEMENT
Chief Cargo Officer | Oliver Evans |
Chief Technical Officer | Peter Wojahn |
Basel, Switzerland
AIRCRAFT FLEET (SUMMER 2011)
Aircraft type | Number | Average age in years |
---|---|---|
Airbus A319 | 7 | 13.6 years |
Airbus A320 | 21 | 13.3 years |
Airbus A321 | 7 | 12.0 years |
Airbus A330-200 | 2 | 11.8 years |
Airbus A330-300 | 10 | 1.0 years |
Airbus A340-300 | 15 | 9.8 years |
Avro RJ100 | 20 | 12.9 years |
TOTAL | 82 | 11.6 years |
FURTHER AIRCRAFT ARE OPERATED FOR SWISS UNDER WET-LEASE ARRANGEMENTS:
Aircraft type | Number | Partner |
Saab 2000 | 1 | Darwin Airline |
BBJ2 (B737-800) | 1 | Privatair |
Fokker 100 | 2 | Contact Air |
Fokker 100 | 3 | Helvetic |
Total | 7 |
KEY TRAFFIC FIGURES FOR SCHEDULED SERVICES
(JANUARY - MARCH 2011)
Passengers carried | 3 432 658 |
Flights operated | 36 956 |
Available seat-kilometres (million) | 9 438 |
Revenue passenger-kilometres (million) | 7 206 |
Seat load factor systemwide | 76.4% |
23 April, 2011
Air Zimbabwe Flights Resume
Hong Kong Airlines Is Training Its Flight Attendants in Kung Fu
22 April, 2011
Cuts To Airline Capacity As Fuel Prices Rise
US carriers are continuing to cut capacity as they try to cope with the effects of higher fuel prices.
Both United Continental and American Airlines are trimming planned capacity over the next few months after being hit by rising oil costs.
United Continental said that fuel had cost an extra 34.5% or $725 million for the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same period last year.
While American saw a 24% rise in its fuel costs adding an extra $351 million to its quarterly bill compared to 2010.
Jeff Smisek, United Continental’s chief executive officer, said: “United and Continental are much better positioned to manage through the current high-cost fuel environment as a combined carrier than either would have been as stand-alone carriers.”
United and Continental officially merged in October 2010 and the combined company recorded a net loss of $213 million for the quarter including $77 million of costs from the integration of the two airlines.
The airline is cutting capacity by one percentage point from May with a further four point reduction from September. Despite the cuts, capacity will be roughly the same as last year.
American’s parent company AMR Corporation reduced its net loss for the first three months of 2011 to $436 million compared to a deficit of $505 million on the same period in 2010.
AMR chief executive Gerard Arpey said: “High fuel prices remain one of the biggest challenges to our industry and our company.
“We believe our steps to aggressively increase revenues, reduce capacity, control non-fuel operating costs, and bolster liquidity will help us to better manage the challenges we currently face.”
American is cutting capacity on its domestic routes although it will still increase seat numbers on international routes. It is now expecting an overall capacity rise of 2.8% compared to last year.
U.S. airlines results hit by soaring fuel costs
Skyrocketing fuel costs and disasters in Japan took a bite out of major U.S. airline earnings reported on Thursday, but higher fares helped the carriers, including United Continental Holdings, meet or beat Wall Street forecasts.
United Continental, parent of United Airlines, posted a quarterly loss and said the decline in demand for travel to Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami lowered its first-quarter passenger revenue by about $30 million.
JetBlue swings to profit despite high fuel costs
Net income for the first quarter was $3 million, or a penny per diluted share. This compares to a net loss of $1 million, or nil cents a share, a year ago.
Analysts expected a gain of a penny per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Operating revenue of $1 billion was also in line with Wall Street expectations.
JetBlue paid 34 per cent more for fuel over the year-ago period, but it recorded $2 million in hedging gains.
For the second quarter, unit costs, including fuel, are expected to increase between 18 and 20 per cent.
Air France A380 strikes Delta CRJ
11 April, 2011
FLIGHT 447 CRASH SITE FOUND
FLIGHT 447 CRASH SITE FOUND
The French Air Accident Investigations Bureau has stated that wreckage from the Air France A330, lost over the Atlantic in 2009 has been found.
Richard Benedikz - 4-Apr-2011
Investigators now hope that the flight data recorders can be retrieved, solving the mystery of what caused the Airbus A330-200 to crash on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris with the loss of all 228 people on board.
According to Airbus, the cause of the crash cannot be determined unless the flight recorders are found. So far the only information available is a malfunction of the aircraft’s airspeed sensors although it is believed other factors also played a part.
Search vessels, financed by Airbus and Air France located the wreckage of Flight 447 using equipment similar to that used to explore the remains of the Titanic in 1985. A salvage team is heading to the site to assist in lifting the aircraft from a depth of 4,000m.
Retrieving the flight data recorders has become more urgent following the decision last month by a French judge to place both Airbus and Air France under formal investigation for involuntary manslaughter