May 2010 Archives

American Eagle Airlines next month will take delivery of the first two of 22 CRJ700s it has on order, the first new aircraft the regional will receive in five years. Speaking to reporters at the Regional Airlines Assn. Annual Convention in Milwaukee, President and CEO Peter Bowler said that "virtually all" of the new jets will be based at either New York JFK or La Guardia.

Comair plans on recalling at least 70 pilots and 40 flight attendants from furlough because the Erlanger-based regional carrier will be doing more flying.

Continental Airlines reported an April consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 82.9 percent, an improvement on the April 2009 consolidated load factor and a mainline load factor of 83.4 percent, 0.3 points above the April 2009 mainline load factor. Both April load factors were records for the month. The carrier reported an April domestic mainline load factor of 86.0 percent, 0.4 points below the April 2009 domestic mainline load factor, and a record international mainline load factor of 80.9 percent, 0.8 points above April 2009.

Atlantic Southeast Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc., today announced a new brand identity that reflects its strong, forward-moving direction within the regional airline industry.

Passenger revenue at U.S. airlines rose for the fourth straight month in April on higher prices, providing further evidence of recovery, the trade group for the U.S. industry said on Friday.

Continental Airlines is recalling pilots it furloughed several years ago, as the company ramps up international flights and replaces retiring older pilots.

While there are more pilots than there are airline jobs today, the reverse is likely to be true as airlines recover from the economic recession and begin hiring again, experts on pilot hiring and screening told the National Transportation Safety Board. The coming shortage may likely fall heaviest on regional airlines, which generally employ less-experienced pilots, they said.

Demand for business and first-class seats continued to rise strongly as economic recovery boosted air travel, the airline industry association IATA said on Monday.

New orders for Gulfstream jets ramped up considerably in the first quarter of 2010, offering hope a business aviation market ravaged by politics and the economic downturn of the past few years is beginning to thaw.

If it's possible, Berkshire Hathaway's NetJets unit seems to have troubles rivaling those of longtime pitchman Tiger Woods. But Berkshire chief Warren Buffett says the company's rehabilitation is well under way.

ExpressJet Holdings, the parent company of regional and charter airline operator, ExpressJet Airlines, Inc., today reported that its traffic in April rose 24 percent as it expanded its capacity and flew fuller planes.

United Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of UAL Corporation, announced on Monday a 0.6% year-over-year increase in its February traffic, measured by revenue passenger miles. Capacity, measured by available seat miles, declined 1.2% from the prior-year quarter, leading to a 150 basis point increase in load factor, or average occupancy, to 81.4% from 79.9% in the year-ago period.

Pinnacle Airlines Corp. on Monday announced traffic results for its Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. and Colgan Air, Inc. subsidiaries for April 2010.

SkyWest Inc., whose SkyWest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines units provide service for United Express and Delta Connection, reported a 60 percent increase in earnings during the first quarter of 2010.

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc., today reported traffic for the month of April, 2010. The airline's revenue passenger miles (RPMs), load factor and passengers enplaned represent new all-time company records for the month of April.

Republic Airways Holdings Inc. said Wednesday its traffic doubled last month, as it continued to be boosted by its acquisitions of Frontier and Midwest airlines last year.

American Eagle, a unit of AMR Corp., reported that its April traffic increased 8.7% year over year as capacity increased 8.8%.

Continental Airlines today reported an April consolidated load factor of 82.9 percent, 0.6 points above the April 2009 consolidated load factor and a mainline load factor of 83.4 percent, 0.3 points above the April 2009. Both April load factors were records for the month. The carrier reported an April domestic mainline load factor of 86.0 percent, 0.4 points below the April 2009 domestic mainline load factor, and a record international mainline load factor of 80.9 percent, 0.8 points above April 2009.

During April, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on-time arrival rate of 86.0 percent and a mainline segment completion factor of 98.5 percent.

Continental Airlines Inc. and United Airlines parent UAL Corp. said Monday they would merge their operations in a $3 billion-plus all-stock deal that would create the world's No. 1 global carrier, with combined annual revenue of $29 billion.