November 2009 Archives

The International Air Transport Association said Monday that passenger traffic increased 0.5 percent globally in October, the second month of year-over-year increases in a row after 12 months of declines.

While the aviation industry predicts significant declines in air travel this Thanksgiving holiday travel week, AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc., today predicted an uptick in the number of customers it will serve from Monday, November 23rd through Monday, November 30th, 2009.

United Airlines is close to placing its first aircraft order in more than a decade and has narrowed its search to two groundbreaking airplanes: Boeing's 787 Dreamliner or Airbus' counterpart, the A350-XWB, sources told the Chicago Tribune.

CitationShares, formerly the fractional arm of Cessna Aircraft, has rebranded itself as Citationair by Cessna, retooling the company says will reinvigorate a fractional, jet management and jet card industry besieged by economic hardship.

Think of Allegiant Air as the little airline that could.  They went from a bankrupt company with a single airplane in 2001 to the most profitable carrier in America today.

AirTran Holdings, the parent company of AirTran Airways, Inc., today reported net income of $10.4 million. These results represent a $105.0 million improvement over the third quarter of 2008. Airtran also reported a record Year-to-Date Net Income of $117.6 Million.

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. forecast a profit at its NetJets Inc. unit, which may get a boost as corporations spend more on transportation and business travelers shun company-owned aircraft.

Southwest Airlines announced today that the Company flew 6.3 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in October 2009, a 1.9 percent increase from the 6.2 billion RPMs flown in October 2008.

UAL Corporation, the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, today announced that ExpressJet Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. will operate 22 ERJ-145 aircraft under the United Express brand.

American Airlines filled 83 percent of its seats in October, a strong four-point jump from October 2008.

When AirTran Airways launches service on SkyWest Airlines jets between Akron and Milwaukee, it will be challenging the business practices that have governed the regional-airline industry for years.

ExpressJet Holdings Inc. said traffic on its airlines rose 8 percent and that their aircraft were more full in October than they were a year ago according to the Associated Press. This marks the second consecutive month that ExpressJet has announced increases in passenger traffic.

SkyWest Inc., parent of SkyWest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines, reported third-quarter net income of $28.6 million, a 9.2% increase from $26.2 million earned in the year-ago period.

US Airways Group, Inc. today announced October and year-to-date 2009 traffic results. Passenger load factor for the month of October was a record 82.6 percent, up 0.7 points versus October 2008.

While the recession has affected the balance sheets of most big network airlines, smaller regional airlines everywhere are often finding new opportunities as their airplanes are pressed into service on routes formerly flown by the big guys with the big jets according to USA Today.

SkyWest Airlines, Inc., and AirTran Airways announced today that the airlines have secured a new marketing partnership to operate five 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft between Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport and six destinations.

Pinnacle Airlines Corp. saw a surge in earnings for the third quarter. The company reported consolidated operating income of $23.8 million in the third quarter, up 12.8% compared to $21.1 million in third quarter of 2008.

Continental Airlines Inc. said on Monday that its traffic rose 1.7 percent in October, even as it reduced flying.