Reading Time: 3 minutes The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced full-year global passenger traffic results for 2016 showing demand (revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 6.3% compared to 2015 (or 6.0% if adjusted for the leap year). This strong performance was well ahead of the ten-year average annual growth rate of 5.5%. Capacity rose 6.2% (unadjusted) compared to […]

Reading Time: < 1 minute European manufacturer Airbus had a quiet start to 2017, with just four aircraft—one A320ceo for Mexico’s VivaAerobus and three A350-900s for Air France—sold. That figure was effectively halved as two previous sales, the last pair of A380s for the French flag carrier, were converted to A350-900s, giving a net tally of two. The continuing move […]

Reading Time: < 1 minute Qatar Airways has launched a record-breaking service to Auckland, New Zealand, making it the operator of the world’s longest commercial flight. The flight, which takes 17 hours and 30 minutes to cover a distance of 14,535 kilometres nonstop from Doha, touched down in Auckland. “Arriving in Auckland on Waitangi Day, and achieving the title of […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes The UK government has told London Heathrow Airport to improve domestic connectivity and offset the social impact of its planned third runway as part of a bid to secure planning permission. The measures were outlined in a draft airports national policy statement (NPS), published Feb. 2, and opened to a 16-week UK-wide public consultation. The […]

Reading Time: < 1 minute Tigerair Australia has communicated that it will permanently discontinue its Australia to Denpasar Bali flights. Virgin Australia’s wholly owned subsidiary was forced to suspend flights earlier in January at the request of the Indonesian authorities due to licencing issues. Tigerair used Virgin Australia 737 aircraft for the services from Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to Australia. […]

Reading Time: < 1 minute Online retail giant Amazon has announced plans to build an air cargo hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport in Hebron, U.S. The move is intended to support its growing fleet of aircraft and should create in excess of 2,000 jobs. It is anticipated the costs will be in the region of US$1.5 billion. Having agreed to […]

Reading Time: < 1 minute The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced full-year global passenger traffic results for 2016 showing demand (revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 6.3% compared to 2015 (or 6.0% if adjusted for the leap year). This strong performance was well ahead of the ten-year average annual growth rate of 5.5%. Capacity rose 6.2% (unadjusted) compared to […]

Reading Time: < 1 minute After several months of rumors and speculations, Avianca announced that it is working with United Airlines to enhance and deepen the companies’ commercial and strategic relationships. In a statement, the Colombian carrier said that after considering the different offers and plans submitted, the airline has decided to establish a long-term strategic-commercial alliance with United Airlines. […]

Reading Time: < 1 minute Lufthansa believes the rapid growth phase of Gulf airlines is coming to end, which could help to ease some of the pressure in a highly competitive industry, its chief executive said on Wednesday. Speaking after signing catering and maintenance deals with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said there were signs Gulf rivals were […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes United Parcel Service (UPS) reported a 2016 net profit of $3.4 billion, down 29.2% from net income of $4.8 billion in 2015, on a 4.4% year-over-year rise in revenue to $60.9 billion. UPS noted that it recorded a non-cash after-tax mark-to-market pension charge of $1.7 billion in the 2016 fourth quarter, which significantly affected its […]