Indonesia to produce N219 aircraft in 2014

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesia would produce N219 aircraft in 2014, Minister of Research and Technology, Gusti Muhammad Hatta, said. The aircraft can hold up to 19 passengers.
"At this moment we are still at designing it. We will make the prototype in 2013. Then, in 2014, we will make the type," Minister Hatta said on Thursday.
It will serve people to reach remote location and mountains. Having two propellers, the aircraft only needs 500-meter airstrip.
"We need air transportation because it can transport effectively, ad unite the nation by reaching remote area and supporting other sectors," he said.
The Ministry prepares 310 billion IDR to make the prototype. Several organizations including National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN), PT Dirgantara Indonesia, and Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) are involved in this project.
Chairman of LAPAN, Bambang S Tejasukamana, said about four prototypes, used for flight and structure test, would be produced in 2013. He said that almost 70 percent of airports in Indonesia had airstrip less than 800 meters.
Several airlines have ordered 50 units of N219 aircraft. Tejasukamana claimed the aircraft would be cheaper than similar aircraft produced in other countries. LAPAN also plans to produce N245 in 2016 and N270 in 2017.

Ambassador: Sukhoi crash investigation report prepared objectively

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The investigative report on the Sukhoi Superjet 100 crash in Mount Salak, Bogor, West Java, in May this year was objectively prepared and is balanced, according to Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Mikhail Galuzin Yurievich.
"Based on expert reports, the investigation was done in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards," he said on Tuesday.
According to Yurievich, the report is the result of effective and constructive cooperation between Russian and Indonesian experts from the Interstate Aviation Committee, the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, and the National Transportation Safety Committee.
"The report's contents and conclusion have been already delivered to all related parties, namely Russia, Indonesia, the US and France," he stated. "The report will be used to improve international aviation safety."
"Besides, it will also help strengthen cooperation between Russian and Indonesia aviation authorities and other related agencies," he added.
Russia and Indonesia have also decided to increase cooperation in disaster management and transportation. "The bilateral cooperation covers civil aviation, such as the procurement of Russian civilian aircraft for national transport," Yurievich noted.
He also expressed his condolences over the victims of the ill-fated Sukhoi aircraft that crashed on May 9 this year. The crash claimed 45 lives, comprising two pilots, a navigator, a flight test engineer, and 41 passengers.
Among the passengers were four personnel from Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC), one from an aircraft engine factory (Snecma), and 36 invited guests (34 Indonesians, a US itizen, and a Frenchman).

Jakarta airport operator blames 15-year-old UPS unit for power cut

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Following the blackout in Jakarta International Airport Soekarno-Hatta on Sunday, December 16, the airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II blamed the 15-year-old Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) unit that is to be replaced in 2013. "The fire in the UPS unit was quite surprising news for us too, because the maintenance effort is done regularly," Angkasa Pura II President Director Tri Sunoko said.
The Uninterruptible Power Supply unit that was burnt on Sunday was 15 years old, and will be replaced with a new unit in January 2013. Sunoko also said that the existing power-supply unit should have been replaced with a new UPS in March 2012, but the acquisition of the new unit had taken some time, and it would now be installed in January 2013.
The Director General of the Civil Aviation Ministry is currently auditing the acquisition. However, the burnt UPS unit has been backed up by a UPS from another airport, because the backup UPS at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport also does not work. It was previously reported that the airport`s Uninterruptible Power Supply unit that powered computers controlling scout planes at Soekarno-Hatta Airport had caught fire on Sunday at 16:55 hrs.
The fire caused interference with the automatic guiding system at JAATS (Jakarta Automated Air Traffic System) for 15 minutes. Therefore, the number of landings and takeoffs at Soekarno-Hatta was restricted to prevent any unwanted developments. At 17:10 hrs, the power supply to the scouting system at the Jakarta Automated Air Traffic System was finally restored. However, due to the long start-up period, it took several attempts for the radar to return to its normal operation at 18.05 hrs Indonesian time.

Three factors cause Sukhoi tragedy in Mount Salak

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - JAKARTA - The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has concluded that  failure of the Jakarta Radar was among three causes that lead to Sukhoi Super Jet 100 to crash into Mount Salak, Bogor, West Java on May 9, 2012.
The Chairman of KNKT, Tatang Kurniadi, said at a press meeting at the KNKT Building in Jakarta on Tuesday that three factors had contributed to the crash of the Sukhoi Super Jet 100. He said the first factor was that the flight crew was not aware of the mountain flight line, causing them to disobey the (TAWS).
"At 2.26 pm local time, the pilot asked for a permit to descend to the 6000 feet level and make a right circle orbit, in order to reduce the flight's altitude before the landing process at anvil 06 in Halim Perdanakusuma Airport. The permit was issued by the Jakarta Approach officer," he said.
Kurniadi explained that 38 seconds before the crash, a Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS) audio warning was issued, stating, "Terrain ahead, pull up," followed by six "Avoid terrain" warnings. But the Pilot in Command (PIC) turned off the TAWS alarm, assuming that the warning was caused by an error in the database.
The second factor contributing to the crash was a failure of the Jakarta Radar, which could not provide the air-plane minimum height level vector (the command for flight direction given by the air-traffic regulator to the pilot via radar service) in an area such as Mount Salak.
"The service of the Jakarta Radar is also not yet equipped with a Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) that is needed in the Mount Salak areas," said Kurniadi. "Until the Sukhoi bumped the edge of Mount Salak, the MSAW warning was not given to the Jakarta Approach officer."
The last factor is the long conversation that distracted the pilot's alertness during the flight. "The pilot made a long discussion with potential buyer. He had no time to change the direction when warning system was heard," he said. "This caused the pilot in charge to not change flight direction when the air plane unexpectedly flew out of the orbit."
On the fateful day (May, 9), the Jakarta Approach officer suddenly realized that the Sukhoi Super Jet 100 had disappeared from the radar at 2.50 pm, local time, without any warning on the radar screen. One day after the plane was officially declared lost, Indonesian National Search and Rescue (Basarnas) successfully found the crash location. All of the crew and passengers were found dead in the wrecked airplane.

SBY: Investigate the airport blackout

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) takes the blackout incident in Jakarta International Airport Soekarno-Hatta on Sunday seriously. He ordered the case to be fully investigated.
 
"I want a full investigation. Anybody who responsible for this case must get sanction," SBY said on Friday. He also expects the instrument and system in the airport to be improved without any delay.

On Sunday, the airport`s Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) unit that powered computers controlling scout planes at Soekarno-Hatta Airport had caught fire at 16:55 hrs.

The fire caused interference with the automatic guiding system at JAATS (Jakarta Automated Air Traffic System) for 15 minutes. Therefore, a number of landings and takeoffs at Soekarno-Hatta was restricted to prevent any unwanted developments.

At 17:10 hrs, the power supply to the scouting system at the Jakarta Automated Air Traffic System was finally restored. However, due to the long start-up period, it took several attempts for the radar to return to its normal operation at 18.05 hrs Indonesian western time.

Kuala Namu airport in N. Sumatra nearly finished

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DELI SERDANG - The building of Kuala Namu International Airport in Deli Serdang, North Sumatera, has reached 90 percent. It is scheduled to be inaugurated in March 2013.
"This big and lofty airport is expected to be operated in time," the Chairman of Kuala Namu Airport Project, Joko Waskito, said on Friday.

He explained that the 1,365 hectare airport had 118,930 meter square of terminal area, 50,820 meter square of parking lot, and 13,000 meter square of cargo garage. The terminal can hold up to 8,1 million pax per year.

"The airport is also equipped with sophisticated equipment," he said.

Technical Coordinator of Angkasa Pura II, Bambang Hermanto, explained that the interior of the airport adopted the culture and natural resources of Sumatera. The pattern of the floor is similar to ulos, the traditional cloth.

"The airport is also using the concept of energy savings. It does not need lamps during the day," Hermanto said.

Bandara internasional Kuala Namu hampir selesai

Deli Serdang, Sumut (ANTARA News) - Pembangunan bandara internasional Kuala Namu di Kabupaten Deli Serdang, Sumatera Utara telah mencapai sekitar 90 persen dan rencananya akan diresmikan Maret 2013.

"Bandara internasional yang cukup besar dan megah itu, diharapkan dapat beroperasi tepat waktu, sesuai dengan jadwal yang ditentukan," kata Pimpinan Proyek Bandara Kuala Namu, Joko Waskito, di Deli Serdang Jumat.

Joko mengatakan, peresmian bandara internasional tersebut rencananya akan dilakukan oleh Presiden RI Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu itu, sudah 91 persen selesai pengerjaan fisiknya dan hanya tinggal sedikit lagi, yakni 300 meter lagi pembuatan run way dan lainnya," ucap dia.

Joko menambahkan, luas area Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu mencapai 1.365 hektare, area terminal 118.930 meter persegi (M2), kapasitas terminal 8.1 juta pax per tahun, luas area parkir 50.820 meter persegi (M2), gudang kargo seluas 13.000 meter persegi (M2) dan kapasitas parkir, 407 taksi, 55 bus dan 908 mobil.

"Pengerjaan proyek bandara internasional tersebut seluruhnya dilaksanakan putra-putra terbaik bangsa.Fasilitas di bandara itu menggunakan peralatan canggih," kata Joko.

Ditinjau Hatta

Sementara itu, Menteri Koordinator Bidang Perekonomian Hatta Rajasa didamping Pelaksana Tugas Gubernur Sumatera Utara Gatot Pujo Nugroho meninjau Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu di Kabupaten Deli Serdang Rabu (19/12).

Hatta Rajasa beserta rombongan dari Jakarta meninjau Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu dengan menggunakan gerbong kereta api baru dan berangkat dari Stasiun Besar Kereta Api Medan sekitar pukul 11.40 WIB.

Setelah menempuh perjalanan melewati beberapa stasiun yaitu, Bandhar Khalifah, Batang Kuis dan Aras Kabu, rombongan tiba di bandara sekitar pukul 12.20 WIB. Lama perjalanan dengan jalur kereta api ini sekitar 40 menit.

Koordinator Teknik PT Angkasa Pura II, Bambang Hermanto menjelaskan area check in dan penggunaan sistem otomatis dalam penanganan bagasi (automatic bagage handling system) dengan menggunakan barcode scan.

Bambang menjelaskan, interior bandara banyak mengadopsi khasanah budaya dan sumber daya alam lokal di antaranya motif ulos pada bagian lantai dan desain kubah yang meniru pohon kelapa sawit.

"Bandara ini juga menerapkan konsep hemat energi dengan tata pencahayaan yang terang benderang pada siang hari, sehingga tidak membutuhkan penerangan di dalam ruangan.Demikian juga dengan sistem pendingin ruangan yang didesain lebih hemat listrik," kata Bambang.

Kuala Namu optimis diresmikan Maret 2013

DELI SERDANG - Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu berlokasi di Desa Beringin, Kecamatan Beringin, Kabupaten Deli Serdang, Sumatera Utara sudah 91 persen rampung pengerjaannya dan direncanakan akan diresmikan pada Maret 2013.

"Bandara Internasional  yang cukup besar dan megah itu, diharapkan dapat beroperasi tepat waktu, sesuai dengan jadwal yang ditentukan," kata Pimpinan Proyek Bandara Kuala Namu, Joko Waskito di Deli Serdang hari ini.

Joko mengatakan, peresmian bandara internasional tersebut rencananya akan dilakukan oleh Presiden RI Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu itu, sudah 91 persen selesai pengerjaan fisiknya dan hanya tinggal sedikit lagi, yakni 300 meter lagi pembuatan run way dan lainnya," ucap dia.

Joko menambahkan, luas area Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu mencapai 1.365 hektare, area terminal 118.930 meter persegi (M2), kapasitas terminal 8.1 juta pax per tahun, luas area parkir 50.820 meter persegi (M2), gudang kargo seluas 13.000 meter persegi (M2) dan kapasitas parkir, 407 taksi, 55 bus dan 908 mobil.

"Pengerjaan proyek bandara internasional tersebut seluruhnya dilaksanakan putra-putra terbaik bangsa.Fasilitas di bandara itu menggunakan peralatan canggih," kata Joko.

Tinjau Bandara
Sementara itu, Menteri Koordinator Bidang Perekonomian Hatta Rajasa didamping Pelaksana Tugas Gubernur Sumatera Utara Gatot Pujo Nugroho meninjau Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu di Kabupaten Deli Serdang Rabu (19/12) lalu.

Hatta Rajasa beserta rombongan dari Jakarta meninjau Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu dengan menggunakan gerbong kereta api baru dan berangkat dari Stasiun Besar Kereta Api Medan, sekitar pukul 11.40 WIB siang.

Setelah menempuh perjalanan melewati beberapa stasiun yaitu, Bandhar Khalifah, Batang Kuis dan Aras Kabu, rombongan tiba di bandara sekitar pukul 12.20 WIB.Lama perjalanan dengan jalur kereta api ini sekitar 40 menit.

Setelah kereta api berhenti beberapa puluh meter dari pintu bandara, dan rombongan dijemput dengan bus. Perjalanan kemudian dilanjutkan dengan  menggunakan bus tersebut.Tampak di lokasi pekerja masih melaksanakan perampungan pengerjaan jalur kereta api.

Saat peninjauan kondisi Bandara Internasional Kuala Namu sudah 91 persen mendekati rampung, sehingga diperkirakan dapat beroperasi tepat waktu. Rombongan kemudian masuk ke area bandara, yaitu terminal keberangkatan yang berada di lantai 2.

Koordinator Teknik PT Angkasa Pura II, Bambang Hermanto menjelaskan area check in dan  penggunaan sistem otomatis dalam penanganan bagasi (bagage handling system otomatic) dengan menggunakan scan barcode.

Bambang menjelaskan, interior bandara banyak mengadopsi khasanah budaya dan sumber daya alam lokal diantaranya motif ulos pada bagian lantai dan desain kubah yang meniru pohon kelapa sawit.

"Bandara ini juga menerapkan konsep hemat energi dengan tata pencahayaan yang terang benderang pada siang hari, sehingga tidak membutuhkan penerangan di dalam ruangan.Demikian juga dengan sistem pendingin ruangan yang didesain lebih hemat listrik," kata Bambang.

Airbus 320 Sharklet EASA certification paves the way for airlines to benefit from significant fuel savings potential

Airbus has achieved on schedule certification for its new fuel-saving Sharklets for the A320 with CFM engines. This certification received from the European airworthiness authorities (EASA) will be followed very soon by the US FAA.
Tom Williams, Executive Vice President of Programmes at Airbus says: “The certification of Airbus’ Sharklets is a milestone which paves the way for airlines to benefit from savings in fuel of around four percent. That’s better than we’d anticipated.” He adds: “The annual greenhouse gas emission reduction per aircraft equipped with Sharklets will be approximately 1,000 tonnes of CO2 – that’s equivalent to taking 200 cars off the roads.”
For the flight test campaign, A320 Family aircraft with both CFM56 and V2500 engines have recently taken to the skies with Sharklets. When complete, this flight testing will represent approximately 600 flight-hours spread over 9-10 months. Certification of the remaining aircraft/engine variants with Sharklets will therefore follow in the coming months. By the end of 2012, Air Asia will become the first airline to take delivery of Sharklet-equipped A320s.
Due to the very strong customer demand for Sharklets, all Airbus’ single-aisle final assembly lines (FALs) will be engaged in building A320 Family aircraft with Sharklets. These FALs are located in Toulouse, Hamburg and Tianjin and will soon be followed by an additional A320 FAL in Alabama USA.
Sharklets are large devices made from composites and are 2.4 metres tall. Attached to the A320’s wing-tip during the assembly process, they reduce fuel burn and emissions by improving the aerodynamics of the aircraft. As well as cutting airlines fuel bills, Sharklets will add around 100nm range and also allow increased payload capability of up to 450kgs. Sharklets are an option on new-build aircraft, and are standard on the A320neo Family.
To date, more than 8,600 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and more than 5,300 delivered to more than 350 customers and operators worldwide, making it the world’s best selling commercial jetliner ever. The A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single-aisle aircraft. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS company.

Iberia Maintenance to service Garuda Indonesia aircraft components in deal signed with GMF AeroAsia

Richard Budihadianto, chairman and CEO of GMF AeroAsia, Garuda Indonesia’s maintenance unit, and José Luis Ruiz de Castañeda, who heads Iberia’s maintenance and engineering division, have signed a contract whereby Iberia will exclusively maintain components of the fleet of Bombardier regional CRJ1000s operated by Indonesia’s flag-carrier airline. The fleet will number 18 such aircraft in 2015.
The five-year contract covers the inspection, repair, testing and certification of repaired and replaced components, along with access to Iberia’s pool of spares and the sending of a Main Base Kit of CRJ1000 components to GMF, which is located at the Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta. The components include generators, flight recorders, ovens, fuel pumps, temperature and braking sensors, interphone control panels, emergency lights, battery chargers, digital clocks, windscreen wipers, etc.
Maintenance tasks will be carried out at Iberia Maintenance installations at Madrid-Barajas airport, which boast 18 production lines specialising in accessories, instruments, and components of A320, A330, A340, CRJ, B747, and B757 aircraft. The Iberia unit also maintains components for Iberia Express, Vueling, Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, Onur Air, Meridiana, Atlas Jet, Swiftair, and Orbest Orizonia.
GMF AeroAsia is a subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia. As the biggest MRO company in Indonesia and one of the dominant MRO players in the region, GMF AeroAsia is a strategic partner of Iberia to serve Asia. Garuda Indonesia is Indonesia’s largest airline with a fleet of 14 A330s, 10 B737s, 55 B737 NGs, two B747-400s and the first of the 18 CRJ1000s it has ordered. It flies to 33 domestic and 18 foreign destinations. It was recently voted “World’s best regional airline” and “Asia’s best regional airline”.
Iberia Maintenance inspects, maintains and repairs airframes, engines, and components for the Iberia group’s fleet and those of about 100 outside clients around the world. It is the world’s ninth largest aircraft maintenance and Spain’s largest in terms of income and staff size, while also a leader in repair, high technology, and aircraft modification. In 2011 it serviced 200 aircraft engines and more than 66,000 components, while also carrying out 1,161 A checks of aircraft.

Garuda Indonesia posts earnings of USD 2.39 billion in third quarter of 2012

Indonesia’s national airline, Garuda Indonesia today announced its third quarter consolidated operating revenue of USD 2.39 billion, an increase of 14.4 per cent, compared to the USD 2.08 billion earned in the same period last year. In addition, the airline booked an income from operations of USD 92.75 million, which is a significant 140.4 percent rise compared to USD 38.60 million last year. Comprehensive income also increased by 108.2 per cent, from USD 29.2 million in the same period in 2011 to USD 60.8 million in the third quarter of 2012.
Improved performance in various areas of operations, such as increased passenger and cargo volumes contributed positively to the increase in revenue and income. Up till the third quarter of 2012, Garuda Indonesia transported as many as 14.892.743 passengers, or an increase of 20.2 per cent compared to the 12.385.025 passengers carried in the same period last year. Meanwhile, throughout the third quarter of 2012, cargo volume also experienced an increase of 18.7 per cent, making the amount of cargo transported 201.070 tons, compared to the amount of 169.334 tons carried in the same period in the previous year.
Availability seat kilometre/ASK also rose in tandem with the increase in flight frequency as a result of the arrival of new aircraft in Garuda Indonesia’s fleet. ASK increased by 11.7 per cent, from the 24.05 billion to 26.87 billion. Flight frequency also increased by 17.2 per cent, from 94.899 flights in the same period in 2011, to 111.251 flights.
Seat Load Factor/SLF rose 75.86 per cent compared to the 75.16 per cent in the same period last year, followed by improved passenger yield of USC 9,55 against last year’s USC 9,49. Aircraft utilisation increased to 10:47 hours from the 10:42 hours clocked in the same period last year. In the third quarter of this year, the airline reached an OTP of 84.46 per cent.
These improvements in the airline’s financial and operational performances are the result of the company’s transformation programmes, such as operational expansion, improvement in service quality and reducing ineffective measures that are consistently carried out by the company in tune with its “Quantum Leap 2011 – 2015” strategy. “Quantum Leap 2011 – 2015” programme is a strategy which aims to transform Garuda Indonesia into a highly competitive airline of the future.
In line with the airline’s ongoing fleet modernisation and company’s expansion, in 2012 Garuda Indonesia will welcome 20 new aircraft, comprising four Boeing 737-800NGs, two Airbus A330-200s, nine Airbus A320 dedicated to Citilink, and five Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft.
To date, Garuda Indonesia has received one Airbus A330-200, four Boeing B-737-800NGs, six Airbus A320s, and one Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen. Garuda Indonesia currently operates 95 aircraft, and by the end of 2012, the total number of aircraft in the airline’s fleet will be 105 aircraft aged an average of 5.8 years.

AirAsia X Records 40.7% Passenger Growth in the Third Quarter of 2012

SEPANG, 27 November 2012 –AirAsia X, the long-haul, low fare airline, has recorded strong growth again in the third quarter of 2012, carrying 0.64 million passengers, representing growth of 40.7% over the same quarter in 2011 for continuing routes*. AirAsia X added services to Kathmandu in July 2012, bringing its route network to 12 destinations globally.
In terms of passenger traffic, AirAsia X achieved 3.9 billion Available-Seat-Kms (ASKs) and 3.2 billion Revenue-Passenger-Kms (RPKs) for Q3 2012, resulting in a load factor of 83%, an increase of 3.3 percentage points over the same quarter in 2011, in which it registered a passenger load factor of 80%. All routes that AirAsia X has operated for over a year have yielded a positive increase in load factor over this time period.
For the first nine months of 2012, AirAsia X has carried a total of 1.91 million passengers, reflecting an increase of 1.7% from the same period in 2011. Although RPKs and ASKs have contracted by 2.8% and 5.3%, respectively, in comparison with 2011, the company has recorded a higher load factor of 84%, an increase of 4.5 ppt over the same period in 2011.
Cargo operations also continue to be strong, with AirAsia X carrying 7,251 tonnes of freight in the third quarter and 19,714 tonnes for the first nine months of 2012, registering growth of 13% growth over the first nine months of 2011 for its continuing routes*.
Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X said, “AirAsia X will continue to focus on increasing capacity in our identified core markets including Australia, China, Taiwan Korea, and Japan. Moving forward, we are set to grow our fleet with an additional 24 A330-300 aircraft between 2013 and 2017 which will see AirAsia X expand further in the long-haul segment across Asia Pacific. Our move to KLIA 2 next year will also provide us the right infrastructure and enhanced ground facilities needed to support our growing network and feeder traffic for better connectivity within the AirAsia Group.”
AirAsia was named World’s Best Low Cost Airline in the annual World Airline Survey by Skytrax for four consecutive years in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

AirAsia X Increases Flight Frequency to Long-haul Destinations in 2013

SEPANG, 13 DECEMBER 2012 – AirAsia X, the long-haul, low fare affiliate of AirAsia today announced that the airline is increasing its flight frequency from Kuala Lumpur to Australia (Melbourne), Taiwan (Taipei), and China (Chengdu) effective 1 May, 2013 onwards.
The additional frequencies will see the current daily flights to Melbourne increase to nine flights weekly by 1 May 2013 and subsequently to twelve flights weekly by 1 July, 2013.
AirAsia X have also added additional flights to its current daily flights to Taipei which will see the airline service ten weekly flights effective 1 May 2013 and with double daily flights commencing 1 July, 2013 onwards.
Flights to Chengdu, China will increase from its current five flights weekly to six flights weekly by 1 May, 2013. AirAsia X will subsequently service daily flights to the land of the panda’s by 1 July, 2013.
Guests may log on to www.airasia.com for bookings and flight schedules for the increase in flight frequencies to the respective markets.
AirAsia X’s CEO, Azran Osman-Rani said, “Our increase in flight frequency is testament to our commitment in offering guests a more flexible flight schedule to suit our guests travel needs and preferences. AirAsia X is responding to the strong encouraging demand for Melbourne, Chengdu and Taipei which has recorded a strong average passenger loads in excess of 80% in 2012.”
“AirAsia X remains focused in strengthening its network of its core markets in Australia, Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan and the increase in flight frequencies would further solidify our position in our key markets. The additional flights will open up new prospects for commercial activities and boost tourism in the ASEAN region, Taiwan and Australia.”
AirAsia X was the first long-haul, low fare carrier to introduce Flatbed seats, which have standard business class specifications of 20” width, 60” pitch and stretch out to 77” in full recline position. The Premium flatbeds feature universal power sockets, adjustable headrests and built-in personal utilities such as tray table, drink holder, reading light and privacy screen. Premium seat guests also enjoy premium complimentary products and services including Pick A Seat, Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding, Priority Baggage, 25kg Baggage Allowance, Complimentary Meal and Pillow & Blanket.

AirAsia – Asia’s most profitable low-cost carrier secures another 100 Airbus A320 orders in London

BROUGHTON, 13 DEC 2012 – Asia’s largest low-cost carrier confirmed another 100 Airbus A320 which further acknowledges its dominance in Asia to have a record 475 narrow bodies on order with Airbus. This such order is part of the AirAsia Group’s regional strategy to continue placing the airline ahead of competition regionally with its extensive growth through new routes, added frequencies and remain the most profitable low cost carrier in Asia.
The 100 Airbus A320s ordered consist of 36 A320s with the Current Engine Option (CEO) and 64 A320s with the New Engine Option (NEO) to accelerate its growth in its core markets Malaysia, Thailand & Indonesia followed by its new markets Japan and the Philippines.
The order was announced during a visit by British Prime Minister David Cameron to the Airbus wing manufacturing facility at Broughton in the UK, where Mr Cameron witnessed the signing of documents by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia and Fabrice Brégier, President & CEO, Airbus.
The contract reaffirms AirAsia’s position as the largest A320 Family customer in the world. Altogether, the carrier has now ordered 475 single aisle aircraft from Airbus, comprising 264 A320neo and 211 A320ceo. Over 100 aircraft have already been delivered to the airline and this additional purchase will see AirAsia’s aircraft deliveries continue until year 2021.
Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia said during the signing, “We have three gold mines in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. On the other hand, Philippines and Japan have enormous potential growth. With these added aircraft, it goes in-line with our strategy to further build our already extensive network through new routes and added frequencies and allow AirAsia to maintain its market leadership and dominance especially in Malaysia and Thailand.
In Malaysia, we have overcome many challenges in the past 10 years and saw competitors come and go while AirAsia continued on its growth trajectory together with increased margins, load factor and revenue per available seat kilometer. The key success is due to our focus and discipline in terms of cost and our business model. This allows the operations in Malaysia to remain the lowest in terms of cost against other airlines in the world and this enables the company to maximize revenues through increased load factors, ancillary income and a stronger balance sheet. With this key ingredient, AirAsia remains in position to defend its margins which remains the highest in the industry.
Thailand has seen the fastest growth in terms of passengers and they are on course to be as profitable as the Malaysian operations. The added aircraft will for sure catapult them to grow its dominance domestically and internationally into new big markets such as China and India. With the recent move to dedicated low cost carrier terminal in Don Mueang and AirAsia being the anchor airline in operation there, we see our growth to catapult many folds in the short term. This ties-in with our vision to secure more secondary airports in the region in order to support our rapid growth and not be hampered by overcapacity in any main airports.
We are already best in class internationally in Indonesia and with this aircraft addition, it will be an added thrust to penetrate the vast domestic market that remains underserved. Being a successful regional airline throughout Asean, it allowed us build the brand successfully internationally in Indonesia and we are confident we can replicate the same domestically. We foresee the best way to grow optimally is via organic growth especially with a market with a population of over 230 million people which is a key catalyst for boosting revenue.
As Japan and Philippines are new in the AirAsia family, our focus is to grow profitably, maintain lower cost and ensure we position ourselves as the no.1 brand in these markets.
“AirAsia is one of the great success stories of recent years in the airline business,” said Fabrice Brégier, President & CEO, Airbus. “The repeated confidence the airline places in the A320 is a clear endorsement of the reliability, efficiency and unbeatable operating economics offered by the world’s most modern single aisle product line.”
The additional number of delivery slots for the 36 newly purchased Airbus A320 CEOs will be up to year 2016, with two to be delivered in 2013; four in 2014; 22 in year 2015 and eight more in year 2016. The remaining 64 Airbus A320 NEOs will be delivered beginning year 2017 with eight deliveries; 14 in year 2018, 15 in year 2019; 14 in year 2020 and 13 more in year 2021.
The deliveries for the existing 200 Airbus A320neos purchased last year will still be from year 2016 up to year 2026. As part of the purchase agreement, AirAsia will also have the option for another 100 aircraft consisting of 50 Airbus A320 NEO and 50 A321 NEO.
Tan Sri Tony Fernandes commented further, “We have seen the likes of low-cost carrier giants such Ryanair and EasyJet dominating the European Skies and Southwest in the United States. Their first mover advantage, low cost mantra and discipline business model has allowed them to be a market leader in their own respective markets. For AirAsia, we are the only airline that possess those three attributes and we are excited to be in a market of over 3.2 billion people, hence are we confident all this added capacity will allow us to continue to dominate Asean and springboard our expansion into North Asia, China and India in short to medium term.
In line with our growth plans, in 2013 through combination of firm Airbus deliveries and leases – Malaysia will take delivery of 10 aircraft, Thailand – 8 , Indonesia – 9 aircraft, Philippines – 3 aircraft and Japan – 4 aircraft.
Aireen Omar, Chief Executive Officer For Malaysia AirAsia said, “The demand has been on a continuous upward trend, from 200,000 guests when first launched in 2001 to an estimated 32 million this year. This order solidifies our position as the world’s best low-cost airline and will expedite our growth requirements as we see demand will continue to rise across our network. The new order will facilitate our expansion plans in which Malaysia AirAsia will add connectivity to other parts of Asia as well as increase frequency to existing routes. AirAsia guests can look forward to more exciting routes from AirAsia.”
“As part of our continuous cost initiatives, the addition of the Airbus A320neos sharklet wingtips, the aircraft type offers approximately 15% reduction in fuel consumption per aircraft per annum which help drives down our cost further enabling the company to optimize revenues,” added Aireen.

AirAsia to take delivery of new fuel saving single aisle aircraft - Airbus A320 with ‘Sharklets’

TOULOUSE, 21 DEC 2012 – It is another world’s first for Asia’s most profitable low-cost carrier AirAsia, as it takes delivery of the very first Airbus A320 aircraft installed with the sharklet wing tips and becomes the first operator of the new fuel-saving large wing tip devices. The delivery took place at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse, France today.
The sharklet wing tips will be fitted on previously ordered, newly-built Airbus A320’s for AirAsia. These newly designed wing-tip devices reduce fuel burn and emissions by improving the aerodynamics of the aircraft significantly. Cutting fuel bills by around four percent, Sharklets will offer the flexibility of either adding around 100 nautical miles more range or allowing increased payload capability of up to 450 kilogrammes.
This brand new Airbus A320 is AirAsia Group’s 115th aircraft and will be used to serve the routes plied by Malaysia AirAsia.
“AirAsia’s success is due to our disciplined cost structure and our continuous cost initiatives. Being the first airline in the world to operate the Airbus A320 with sharklet wing tips will help AirAsia further in driving our costs further down and enabling us to optimize revenues and maintain our low cost leadership. Cost is always a key focus for AirASia Group which has seen other key initiatives throughout the year such our recent relocation of operations in Thailand to a dedicated low cost terminal” said Aireen Omar, Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia Berhad after the aircraft delivery ceremony.
The AirAsia Group across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Japan utilises a 100 percent Airbus A320 fleet and there are 33 more aircraft in total which are expected to be delivered to the various countries of the AirAsia Group next year.
“As our biggest A320 Family airline customer, it’s very fitting that AirAsia is the first carrier to benefit from the four percent fuel saving our new Sharklets deliver,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “AirAsia’s vision is to make is possible for everyone to fly and now with their Sharklet-equipped A320s they can assure their passengers that they are also travelling on board the world’s most environmentally friendly single-aisle aircraft.”
AirAsia has also recently announced a firm order of an additional 100 Airbus A320 aircraft including 36 A320ceo aircraft with Sharklets. Altogether, AirAsia has ordered 475 single aisle aircraft from Airbus, comprising 264 A320neo and 211 A320ceo. Additional delivery slots for these aircraft are scheduled up to 2021.
The airline also became the world’s first operator outside of China of a fully-assembled Airbus A320 aircraft from Tianjin, leased from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). The aircraft was received on 8th December and will be utilised by Indonesia AirAsia.

Sukhoi Superjet 100 Flies to Yakutia

On December 18 2012 the first Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft for “Aircompany Yakutia” was delivered to the customer.
Sukhoi Superjet 100 (MSN 95019) arrived to the airline base airport in Yakutsk (Russia) from Ulianovsk where its interior had been installed and the airplane painted to “Yakutia” livery.
“Yakutia” has become the second Russian airline to which we delivered Sukhoi Superjet 100 however at the same time the first customer in the Russian Far East. It is a pleasure for us to see an increasing number of Russian air carriers which air fleet featuring the state-of-the-art Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft”, said the President of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company Mr Vladimir Prisyazhnyuk.
“The aircraft will be put into operation in the near future. The airline passengers will be able to evaluate advantages of the new airliner during the flights from Yakutsk to Khabarovsk, Blagoveshchensk, Vladivostok and other cities of the Far East and Siberia”, said the Director General of “Aircompany Yakutia” Mr Ivan Prostit.
“Yakutia” is also planning to operate international destinations by Sukhoi Superjet 100 from Yakutsk to Harbin (China), Niahata (Japan) and Seoul (South Korea).
Sukhoi Superjet 100 can be operated in severe climatic conditions of the North of Russia as well as to airports in arctic region – where the airline is planning to operate flights to.
Early November 2012 Sukhoi Superjet 100 obtained the Supplement to the Type Certificate expanding operational conditions in the high north latitude area. The flight tests proved the proper functioning of the aircraft avionics, most notably the inertial reference system and the satellite navigation systems GPS and GLONNAS in flights in high north latitude area of up to 78 degrees.
In October 2012 SuperJet International, the company in charge of Customer Services and Training, completed training of the first four “Yakutia” flight crews in Zhukovsky Training Center. The next group of pilots and technical staff is planned for training in early 2013.
JSC “Aircompany Yakutia” and JCS “Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company” signed a contract for delivery of two Sukhoi Superjet 100 for 93 passenger seats each with configuration: 8 seats – business-class, 85 seats – economy class.
The second delivery of the aircraft is expected in the first quarter of the next year.
“Yakutia” is a leading airline in the market of air transportation in Yakutia (Russia) and demonstrates a steady growth of its key performance indicators. In 2011 the airline carried more than 1 million passengers.
The geography of flights includes destinations inside the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia and international flights as well. In the Far East Federal District of Russia “Yakutia” operates flights to 8 from 9 existing sub-federal units allowing passengers to enjoy direct flights inside the region.

Jazeera Airways reports November 2012 Operational Performance report

Freedom Town, Kuwait, December 19, 2012: Award-winning Jazeera Airways today issued its November 2012 Operational Performance Report which showed that the airline has grabbed increasing market shares to popular destinations of Amman, Cairo, Beirut and Jeddah.
The report, which presents market share figures based on official statistics from Kuwait’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA), also showed that the airline continued to have market share lead on key routes, and a continued lead in on-time performance (OTP) against all other airlines in the Middle East as ranked by the independent US-based OTP tracker FlightStats.
The airline’s OTP for the month was 97.6%, making Jazeera Airways the most punctual airline in the Middle East for the 23rd month in-a-row according to FlightStats.
The report also showed that Jazeera Airways became the leading airline serving the Kuwait-Amman route, grabbing a 39% market share during the month, and a 2% increase from November 2011.
Jazeera Airways also grabbed a 30% market share on the Kuwait-Cairo route, up 6% from November 2011, and up 3% from October 2012. The airline also saw a 28% increase in number of passengers on the route, compared to November 2011.
On the Kuwait-Dubai route, Jazeera Airways was the leading Kuwaiti airline by a significant lead, with a 16% market share, accompanied by a 9% increase in number of passengers on the route, compared to November 2011.
Jazeera Airways also saw a 22% increase in number of passengers on the Kuwait-Jeddah route, that led to a 13% market share on the route, up 9% from November 2011, and 6% from October 2012.
Between the popular expats destination of Sohag and Kuwait, Jazeera Airways continued to grow and lead on the route since its launch two years ago, with a 51% market share, up 16% from November 2011 and 8% from October 2012. Number of passengers also increased by 24% on the Kuwait-Sohag route.
Other report highlights include that the airline was the leading Kuwaiti airline to the high-demand destinations of Beirut and Bahrain, with 40% and 9% market shares respectively.
Jazeera Airways also captured leading market share figures on another three of the five Egyptian destinations it served during November: the airline had a 27% market share on the Kuwait-Alexandria route, a 60% market share on the Kuwait-Assiut route, and a 74% market share on the Kuwait-Luxor route.

Transat A.T. Inc. - Results for fiscal 2012 - "Very good results on the transatlantic market this past summer"

Fourth quarter
• Revenues of $763.4 million, compared with $805.9 million in 2011.
• Margin1 of $52.9 million, compared with $23.5 million before restructuring charge in 2011.
• Net income of $16.6 million, compared with a net loss of $7.3 million in 2011.
• Adjusted after-tax income3 of $28.7 million, compared with $7.3 million in 2011.
• Restatement of 2011 financial statements and those of prior years.
Fiscal year ended October 31, 2012
• Revenues of $3.7 billion, up 1.6% over 2011.
• Margin1 of $17.0 million, compared with $33.0 million before restructuring charge in 2011.
• Goodwill impairment of $15 million, attributable to France operations.
• Net loss of $16.7 million, compared with $14.7 million the previous year.
• Net adjusted after-tax loss3 of $15.3 million, compared with $9.7 million in 2011.
MONTREAL, Dec. 19, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ – Transat A.T. Inc., one of the world’s largest integrated tourism companies and Canada’s holiday travel leader, posted revenues of $763.4 million for the quarter ended October 31, 2012, compared with $805.9 million for the same period of 2011, a decrease of $42.5 million, or 5.3%. The Corporation recorded a margin1 of $52.9 million, compared with $23.5 million before restructuring charge in 2011, and net income after goodwill impairment of $16.6 million ($0.43 per share on a diluted basis), compared with a net loss of $7.3 million ($0.19 per share on a diluted basis) in 2011. Before non-operating items, Transat reported adjusted after-tax income3 of $28.7 million in 2012 ($0.75 per share on a diluted basis), compared with $7.3 million ($0.19 per share on a diluted basis) in 2011.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, Transat posted revenues of $3.7 billion, an increase of 1.6% versus 2011. The Corporation recorded a margin of$17.0 million, compared with $33.0 million before restructuring charge in 2011, and a net loss of $16.7 million ($0.44 per share on a diluted basis), compared with$14.7 million in 2011 ($0.39 per share on a diluted basis). The net loss posted in 2012 takes into account goodwill impairment of $15 million, attributable to theFrance operations. Before non-operating items, Transat reported an adjusted after-tax loss3 of $15.3 million in 2012 ($0.40 per share on a diluted basis), compared with $9.7 million ($0.26 per share on a diluted basis) in 2011.
“We achieved very good results on the transatlantic market last summer, and in fact it was one of our best-ever summers. Our product, frequencies, destinations and marketing efforts helped us deliver the expected results,” said Jean-Marc Eustache, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Fourth-quarter highlights
The Corporation’s fourth-quarter margin was $52.9 million, versus $23.5 million before restructuring charge in 2011, despite a decline in revenues, which stood at$763.4 million for the quarter, compared with $805.9 million in 2011. The drop in revenues was attributable mainly to the Corporation’s decision to reduce capacity on its transatlantic and Sun destinations markets outbound from Canada and the number of travellers declined by 6.3% as a result. On the transatlantic market, which accounts for a very sizable portion of Transat’s summer-season operations, prices and load factors were superior to those of 2011.
Revenues of North American business units, which are generated by sales inCanada and abroad, decreased by $39.6 million (7.2%) compared with the same period in 2011. The decrease stemmed from a decision made by senior management to reduce marketed capacity. The resulting decrease in traveller numbers allowed the Corporation to raise its average sale prices. North American operations delivered a margin of $55.9 million, versus $8.9 million before restructuring charge in 2011. The improved margin is due mainly to the higher sales prices as well as load factors superior to those recorded in the last quarter of 2011.
Revenues of European business units, which are generated by sales made in Europe and in Canada, decreased by $2.8 million (1.1%) from 2011. The decline is attributable to a weakening of the euro against the dollar, since revenues of the Europe-based units, when expressed in local currencies, actually posted gains compared with 2011. During the quarter, the number of travellers was up slightly. European activities resulted in an operating loss of $3.0 million for the quarter, compared with a margin of $14.6 million before restructuring charge in 2011. The change resulted, in part, from the expiry of the Corporation’s contract withThomas Cook Airways.
Fiscal year highlights
For the fiscal year, the Corporation’s revenues stood at $3.7 billion, an increase of $60.1 million over 2011. Transat recorded a margin of $17.0 million, compared with $33.0 million before restructuring charge in 2011.
Financial position
The Corporation’s free cash totalled $171.2 million as at October 31, 2012, compared with $181.6 million as at October 31, 2011. The working capital ratio was 1.0, versus 0.97 a year earlier, and deposits from customers for future travel amounted to $382.8 million, compared with $348.0 million on the same date the prior year. Off-balance-sheet agreements stood at $557.1 million as at October 31, 2012, compared with $653.7 million as of October 31, 2011; the decrease stems from payments made during the fiscal year.
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
The consolidated financial statements of the Corporation for the year ended October 31, 2012, were prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The 2011 comparative figures have been restated to reflect this change. In summary, the adoption of IFRS has had a minor impact on Transat. It decreased the total equity’s carrying value by $25.4 million as at October 31, 2011, compared with the previous Canadian GAAP’s carrying value as at the same date. For the three-month period ended October 31, 2011, the consolidated net loss attributable to shareholders has been reduced by $0.1 million compared to the figures disclosed last year under Canadian GAAP ($0.4 million for the 12-month period). Please see the Management’s Discussion & Analysis for more details.
Restatement of prior-years’ financial statements
The Corporation has restated its financial statements for fiscal 2011 following discovery of a recurring accounting error starting in 2006 within its U.K. subsidiary, which was acquired that year. Amounts received from customers for services not yet rendered were not properly recorded in conformity with the Corporation’s accounting policy in current liabilities under Customer deposits and deferred incomefor fiscal years 2006 to 2011. Accordingly, the Corporation has reduced its retained earnings as at November 1, 2010 by $11.7 million, which is the sum of the annual variance in earnings for the years 2006 to 2010 (the negative variance is$3.1 million in 2006, $3.8 million in 2007, $1.6 million in 2008, $2.1 million in 2009 and $1.1 million in 2010). For the year ended October 31, 2011, the Corporation increased its net loss by $2.9 million or $0.08 per share, from $11.8 million to $14.7 million. On the balance sheet, income taxes receivable as at October 31, 2011have increased by $2.3 million and customer deposits and deferred income has increased by $16.7 million.
Outlook for the first six months
The Canadian Sun destinations market accounts for a substantial portion of Transat’s business during the winter season. With regard to this market, we are early in the season and a significant number of seats remains to be sold, thus the trend toward last-minute bookings and margin volatility make forecasting difficult.
On this market, Transat’s capacity is approximately 10% lower than what was marketed last year. Load factors are similar to those recorded last year at the same date, while average selling prices are higher.
In France, where winter is low season, medium-haul bookings are 30% higher compared to last year at this time, long-haul bookings are down 8% (a reflection of the Corporation’s decision to reduce capacity), and prices are similar in both cases.
On the transatlantic market, Transat’s capacity is approximately 18% lower than that marketed last winter, load factors are similar, and selling prices are higher.

United Announces New International And Domestic Routes From Its Hub Cities

CHICAGO, Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines today announced plans to launch nonstop service on several new international and domestic routes beginning in the spring of 2013, including:
• New flights to Latin America from Chicago and Washington, D.C.
• New service to Canada from Denver, New York, and Washington, D.C.
• Additional domestic routes from Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
United and its regional partners will operate these new routes with a mix of mainline and regional aircraft.
“The addition of these new routes further improves United’s already industry-leading network,” said Grant Whitney,United’s managing director of scheduling. “By launching new destinations and additional flights to currently-served points, we provide more convenience and options for travelers.”
The new flights are consistent with United’s previously announced capacity guidance.
New Flights to Latin America
United will begin weekly year-round service between its hub at Washington-Dulles International Airport and bothGuatemala City, Guatemala, and San Jose, Costa Rica, subject to government approval. The airline will also begin weekly year-round service between its Chicago O’Hare hub and San Jose, subject to government approval. These flights, beginning April 13, 2013, will operate using Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 16 seats in United Business, 48 seats in Economy Plus and 90 seats in United Economy class.
These new flights will complement United’s existing service to Guatemala City and San Jose from the airline’s hubs inNew York and Houston.
New Service to Canada
United will launch new flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, beginning on May 1, 2013. The flights will operate six-times-weekly, using Airbus A319 aircraft, configured with eight seats in United First, 40 in Economy Plus, and 72 in United Economy.
The airline also serves Edmonton from its hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, and San Francisco.
New service between the Washington-Dulles hub and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, will begin on June 8, 2013, using Boeing 737-800 aircraft, operating on Saturdays and Sundays through August 25, 2013.
United serves Vancouver year-round from Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and seasonally from New York-Newark.
On June 6, 2013 United will start service between Denver and Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, the only nonstop service offered from Fort McMurray to the United States. SkyWest Airlines will operate the daily flights using 66-seat Canadair CRJ-700 regional jets, with six seats in United Business, 28 seats in Economy Plus, and 32 seats in United Economy.
Fort McMurray will be United’s 18th destination in Canada. United offers more flights to more destinations in Canadathan any other US airline.
New Domestic Markets
United will also add new domestic routes from four of its hubs:
• Chicago – Daily flights between Chicago and Fairbanks, Alaska, begin on June 6, 2013, using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Chicago is the second United hub with service to Fairbanks, following the addition of flights from Denverearlier this year.
• Denver – Twice-daily United Express service between Denver and Santa Fe, N.M., will begin on May 1, 2013. ExpressJet will operate the flights using 50-seat Embraer regional jet aircraft.
• Los Angeles – New United Express service between the Los Angeles hub and Wichita, Kan., will begin on May 1, 2013. SkyWest Airlines will operate the daily flights using 66-seat Canadair CRJ-700 regional jets. These flights are in addition to United’s existing service to Wichita from Chicago, Denver and Houston.
• Washington-Dulles – United will add daily United Express service between Washington-Dulles and Grand Rapids, Mich. Beginning May 1, 2013. ExpressJet will operate the flights with 50-seat Embraer regional jet aircraft.United currently serves Grand Rapids from hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Houston and New York.
These new flights will be available on United.com and through other distribution systems later today.

Changi Airport Group increases support for air cargo sector

SINGAPORE, 19 December 2012 – Changi Airport Group (CAG) announced today that it is increasing its support for the air cargo sector in the face of continuing headwinds for the airfreight business.
For the first six months of 2013, rebates for landing fees at Changi Airport will be raised to 50% for all scheduled freighter flights. This additional initiative, amounting to S$4.5 million, brings CAG’s total support for the air cargo sector to close to S$20 million since the start of FY2012/131.
In March 2012, CAG announced a S$15-million cargo support package for FY2012/13 consisting of a 20% landing fee rebate for freighter flights, partnership funding support for new cargo development initiatives, as well as up to 20% rental rebates for cargo tenants leasing CAG cargo facilities at the Changi Airfreight Centre2.
While passenger traffic at Changi has been growing steadily over the past year, the air cargo sector has been facing downward pressure due to falling yields of airfreight carriers, as well as persistently high jet fuel prices. The International Air Transport Association has reported that the global cargo tonnage is likely to contract 2.0% in 20123. In Singapore, the manufacturing sector has declined for four consecutive months, and the country’s growth forecast for 2012 has been cut to around 1.5% on the back of a sharp contraction in electronics manufacturing for Q3 20124.
Correspondingly, total cargo throughput at Changi Airport has declined 2.7% year- on-year to 1.65 million tonnes for the first 11 months of 2012. For the month of November 2012, Changi Airport handled 152,000 tonnes of cargo, a decrease of 5.1% compared to November 2011.
However, despite the overall decline in cargo volumes at Changi Airport, some segments such as pharmaceuticals, live animals and perishables have shown moderate improvements, registering increases of more than 5% year-to-date.
Said Mr Lee Seow Hiang, CAG’s Chief Executive Officer, “Our cargo industry partners have expressed continued concern about the outlook for the sector given the ongoing uncertainty about the health of the world’s major economies. Hence, CAG has decided to provide this additional support to moderate operating costs for cargo airlines at Changi Airport. This is our commitment to building strong partnerships, in good times as well as bad.”
Ms Noor Azizah Aziz, Cargolux Airlines International’s Country Manager, Singapore, said, “This additional rebate is definitely a welcomed move in these challenging times. It also shows that CAG is keeping in close touch with the realities of the industry.”

Boeing test breakthrough means more reliable connectivity on airplanes

SEATTLE, Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) has developed an advanced method to test wireless signals in airplane cabins, making it possible for passengers to enjoy more reliable connectivity when using networked personal electronic devices in the air.
Boeing engineers created a new process for measuring radio signal quality using proprietary measurement technology and analysis tools. This enables engineers to more efficiently measure how strong a signal is and how far it spreads, ensuring safe yet powerful signal penetration throughout an airplane cabin.
Once the new method was established, testing that previously took more than two weeks to conduct was reduced to 10 hours.
“Every day we work to ensure that Boeing passengers are travelling on the safest and most advanced airplanes in the world,” said Dennis O’Donoghue, vice president of Boeing Test & Evaluation. “This is a perfect example of how our innovations in safety can make the entire flying experience better.”
This technology was first developed to more thoroughly and efficiently ensure that signal propagation met the regulatory safety standards that protect against interference with an aircraft’s critical electrical systems.
Initially using a de-commissioned airplane, the team from Boeing Test & Evaluation laboratories conducted a series of such tests. The team determined that potatoes were ideal stand-ins for passengers, given their similar physical interactions with electronic signal properties. Much of the testing was conducted on the grounded airplane with the seats filled with 20,000 pounds of potato sacks. The test data was then validated on the ground with human stand-ins for passengers.
A wireless signal inside an airplane can deviate randomly when people move around. Boeing’s new test process takes advantage of state-of-the-art technology and ground-breaking statistical analysis to identify strong and weak signal areas and balance them by adjusting the connectivity system accordingly. The result is increased safety and reliability.

MHI Ships Composite-material Wing Box for 100th Boeing 787 -- Measures Being Taken to Increase In-house Production Rate --

Tokyo, December 19, 2012 – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) today shipped a composite-material wing box for the 100th Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the next-generation super-efficient mid-size airplane, from the Oye Plant of its Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. MHI has achieved this milestone in a span of five-and-a-half years since shipment of the first unit in May 2007. The momentous wing box will be transported by ship from the pier adjoining the plant to Central Japan International Airport (Centrair), from which it will be flown to Boeing’s Everett Plant in Washington by Dreamlifter, a special cargo airplane dedicated to transporting 787 components.
To commemorate the shipment, a ceremony was held on December 18th at the Oye Plant attended by numerous concerned parties. These included Jack Jones, Vice President of Boeing Company, George Maffeo, President of Boeing Japan , and Yoichi Kujirai, Executive Vice President of MHI.
The Boeing 787 is the first airliner to adopt composite-material wings. The composite material used for the wing boxes is carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). CFRP is superior in strength, rigidity and corrosive resistance compared with conventional aluminum or titanium alloys. According to Boeing, lighter airframes enabled by the adoption of composite material, in combination with newly developed engines and an airplane design that achieves minimal drag based on today’s most advanced aerodynamics, have enabled 20% improvement in fuel efficiency and superior environmental performance.
In reflection of these outstanding features, demand for the Boeing 787 has been increasing stably, and as a result MHI has been called on to expand its production of composite-material wing boxes. In response the company has installed a second unit of the world’s largest-class autoclave, which is used to bake and cure composite-material to form wing boxes; the first unit has been in operation since 2006. MHI has also been endeavoring to increase its production rate through measures including the introduction of automatic riveters enabling further enhancement of productivity.
In tandem with its pursuit of higher productivity going forward, MHI plans to use the shipment of the wing box for the 100th 787 as a springboard toward establishing unrivaled technological expertise in the design and manufacture of large-size composite-material wing boxes, as one way of contributing to the development of new airframes for tomorrow’s aerospace field.

Air Carrier in the Americas Signs Letter of Intent for Up to 30 Bombardier CSeries Airliners

Bombardier Aerospace announced today that a carrier in the Americas has signed a letter of intent to acquire 12 CS100 jetliners with options on another 18. For the moment, the airline prefers to remain anonymous.
At the current price of the CS100 aircraft, a firm order is estimated at about U.S. $ 870 million and could rise to U.S. $ 2.08 billion if all options were converted into 18 firm orders.
“We’re excited about the global wave of interest for the CSeries aircraft program and we are delighted that our clients both traditional aviation markets in our growth markets explore opportunities and focus their analysis on the profitability use of CSeries jetliners, "said Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "When the CS100 aircraft prepares for a historic year marked the first, we are delighted to welcome the idea of another client of the CSeries aircraft. This customer has selected line CS100 jets due to their flexibility and greater operational efficiencies offered only by the CSeries family of aircraft. "
Dated September 30, 2012, Bombardier had booked orders and commitments affecting 352 CSeries airliners, including firm orders for 138 aircraft.
Of the 14 clients who joined the CSeries aircraft program – including nine with firm orders include major carriers in large networks, national carriers and specialized, low-cost carriers, leasing companies operating and a full service provider to airline partners.

Scoot unveils new Qingdao & Shenyang Schedules!

19 December 2012, Singapore – Scoot, Singapore’s newest low cost carrier, today unveiled new schedules for its two new routes in China, Qingdao and Shenyang. To celebrate, promotional fares for guests outbound to these two destinations go on sale today, for travel commencing 11 January 2013.
Said Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot, “The confirmation of our Shenyang and Qingdao schedule is an early Christmas present for us, and to share the cheer we’re offering fantastic promotional fares. What better time for a change of climate! Singaporeans can enjoy the crisp coolness of Qingdao or Shenyang, or take the opportunity to experience the world- famous Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, just a stone’s throw from Shenyang. “
The new schedule requires the thrice-weekly service to operate a route of Singapore– Qingdao–Shenyang–Qingdao–Singapore routing, instead of the originally-planned circular routing of Singapore–Shenyang–Qingdao–Singapore.
Said Campbell, “We’re sorry for any inconvenience the change in routing may cause those already booked, but seek guests’ understanding that this is due to the request of the authorities. However, with this confirmed routing, Scoot is the only airline to operate non- stop between Singapore and Qingdao and the only airline to operate a same-plane, wide- body service to Shenyang. These cities are great additions to Scoot’s fast-growing network, and to Singapore’s aviation hub.”
All fares are inclusive of taxes. The special promotion fares are available from 10.00am (Singapore time) on 19 December 2012 (Wednesday) till 11.59pm (Singapore time) on 24 December 2012 (Monday), or until seats sell out.
Meanwhile, Scoot-Thru, offered in conjunction with Changi Airport Group, saves time and hassle. Guests who have purchased Scoot-Thru can remain in the transit area of Singapore Changi Airport and collect their onward boarding passes, obviating the need to clear customs, collect baggage and re-check in. Scoot-Thru is available online at www.flyscoot.com for just SGD16 per person per flight connection, or to walk-up customers at Transfer desk at Transfer E, Changi Airport Terminal 2 for SGD20.
Scoot’s network now comprises seven cities (Singapore, Sydney, Gold Coast, Bangkok, Taipei, Tianjin and Tokyo), with two more – Shenyang and Qingdao – commencing in January 2013. Fares are available for booking at www.flyscoot.com or through the call centre. To receive the latest news, updates and exclusive promotional offers, register at www.flyscoot.com, www.facebook.com/flyscoot or e.weibo.com/flyscoot.

Annual Passenger Total Approaches 3 Billion According to ICAO 2012 Air Transport Results

MONTRÉAL, 18 December 2012 ─ Some 2.9 billion people used air transport to help them realize their business and tourism needs in 2012, according to preliminary figures on scheduled services released today by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The annualized passenger figure is up 5 percent since 2011 and is expected to reach over 6 billion by 2030, according to current projections.
Total scheduled passenger traffic grew at a rate of 5.5 percent* in 2012, a one percentage point decrease compared to last year’s growth rate. This is a reflection of positive economic results worldwide, despite slow economic growth in some regions and the implementation of fiscal austerity policies in key European economies.
The Asia/Pacific region was the world’s largest air transport market in 2012, with a 30 percent share in terms of world RPKs. The Middle East region, accounting for 8 percent of the world RPKs, recorded the fastest growth rate at 16.8 percent in 2012 compared to 2011.
International and domestic passenger traffic
International traffic grew by 6.5 percent in 2012, the same rate as the previous year. The highest growth for international traffic was registered by the airlines of the Middle East followed by Latin America and the Caribbean. African carriers registered growth almost seven times higher than their 2011 results, at 7.4 percent compared to 1.1 percent.
This makes Africa the third fastest growing international market in 2012, mainly due to the improved performance of airlines registered in North Africa due to increased political stability in the sub-region.
The Asia/Pacific region recorded slower growth than last year, mainly due to lower economic results and the poor performance of Indian and Malaysian carriers.
North America, despite the decent performance of Canadian carriers, registered the lowest growth rate of all international markets. This growth, however, still represents a significant increase in terms of volume.
Domestically in 2012, markets grew by 3.9 percent over 2011. This growth was mainly driven by strong demand for domestic air travel in the Asia/Pacific, Latin America/Caribbean and the Middle East regions. Countries which contributed significantly to these regional results included China, Australia, Indonesia, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Japan was also a noteworthy contributor to Asia/Pacific growth as its domestic market showed signs of recovery in 2012.
The European domestic market declined in 2012, due to financial issues for some carriers and a deteriorating national and regional economic environment. Some major European airlines ceased operations or recorded large losses, notably in Spain, Italy, Greece and Finland. These latter States have recorded the lowest growth during 2012 within the largest domestic markets in Europe.
Capacity
The overall air transport capacity offered by airlines, expressed in available seat-kilometres (ASKs), increased globally by 4.0 percent in 2012. The overall load factor increased slightly at just over one point compared to 2011.
Air cargo
On the air cargo side, traffic expressed in freight tonne-kilometres (FTKs) posted a decline of about 1.2 percent leading to approximately 51 million tonnes of freight carried. This reflects much slower growth in global trade in 2012 than in 2011. Moreover, the heavier economic climate in Europe, coupled with a slowdown in Chinese exports and strong competition in maritime transport, adversely affected cargo traffic.
Industry trends
The world’s two major aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, are expected to have delivered more than 940 new aircraft in 2012 and they have recorded an impressive number of orders, approaching 1,500 new aircraft, to be delivered in the coming years. Together with a more efficient operational process implemented by the airline industry, as well as an improved air traffic management system, these environmental-friendly aircraft will contribute positively to the sustainability of air transport development.

Myanma Airways’ First Embraer E190 Leased From GECAS Arrives in Myanmar

SINGAPORE, December 19, 2012 – GE Capital Aviation Services Limited (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, announced delivery of the first leased Embraer E190 aircraft to Myanma Airways, the flag carrier of Myanmar.
The aircraft was previously leased to a customer in the U.S. and was transitioned to Myanmar over the last several weeks. It is the first E190 to join the Myanma Airways fleet.
Myanma Airways will complete flight crew training and other transition work by the end of 2012. GECAS is scheduled to deliver a second leased Embraer E190 in early 2013 before Myanma Airways inaugurates domestic and international flights with the aircraft.
Established in 1948, Myanma Airways is the only state-owned airline of Myanmar, currently serving all major domestic destinations from its main base at Yangon International Airport.

Emirates and Lufthansa Systems extend cooperation

Kelsterbach, December 20, 2012 – Lufthansa Systems today announced that Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, will continue to use Lido/RouteManual from Lufthansa Systems. The two companies recently extended their agreement for the navigation charts for another five years. Emirates uses the Lido/RouteManual navigation charts as well as the electronic Lido/eRouteManual charts on its flights. The airline also relies on the Lido/Flight, Lido/FMS, Lido/AMDB and myIDTravel solutions.
The paper-based Lido/RouteManual chart solution and its electronic counterpart Lido/eRouteManual provide Emirates with navigation charts for take-off and landing procedures as well as airport and route charts. Generated directly from the Lido navigation database, the charts contain all important route information including altitude and airport data. They display true-to-scale geographic information such as terrain features and rivers. The electronic solution Lido/eRouteManual offers faster and easier updating and makes it possible to plan routes more efficiently.
“We are delighted to be able to continue our long-standing cooperation with Emirates. Having one of the world’s largest and best-known airlines as a long-term customer is a testament to the high quality of our products,” said Peter Ahnert, SVP Regional Management Middle East/Africa at Lufthansa Systems. “With the renewed contract for Lido/RouteManual and the electronic charts, we can support one of the most progressive airlines in the world as it moves towards a paperless cockpit."

Boeing CEO: 787 problems are not unusual for new plane

(Reuters) - The failure of electrical generators on two new Boeing 787 planes are normal problems for a jet program that is just entering service, the company's chief executive officer said on Friday.
"We're having what we would consider the normal number of squawks on a new airplane, consistent with other new airplanes we've introduced," Boeing Co (BA.N) CEO Jim McNerney said in an interview on cable network CNBC.

"We regret the impact on our customers, obviously," he added. "But ... we're working through it."
On Thursday, Qatar Airways said it had been forced to ground one of its three Boeing 787 Dreamliners after it found the same electrical generator problem that recently forced a Dreamliner operated by United Continental Holdings Inc's (UAL.N) United Airlines to make an emergency landing.

McNerney also said many major companies would say their employment and investment decisions are being affected by the "fiscal cliff."

"Eventually ours will, too," he said. "But we're in a longer-cycle environment."
McNerney said he hoped that solving the fiscal cliff would not impede longer-term tax reform.

United confirms electrical problem on second 787 in its fleet

(Reuters) - United Airlines and Boeing Co confirmed Monday that a second plane in United's fleet of 787 Dreamliners had suffered electrical problems, notching up to three the tally of 787s that have developed electrical issues this month.
The growing number focused further attention on issues with the revolutionary carbon-fibre and plastic composite plane, which has been rolled out to customers over the past year.
Spokeswomen for United and Boeing said the problems on United's planes occurred in an electrical distribution panel, not a generator, as had been previously believed.
On December 4, a United flight from Houston to Newark, New Jersey, made an emergency landing after it appeared that one of its power generators failed.
Last Thursday, Qatar Airways said it had grounded one of its three 787 jets because of the same problem United had experienced.
On Friday, the Seattle Times reported that the second United jet had electrical problems, bringing the total to three.
The newspaper quoted United as saying that on the December 4 flight, "a power-distribution panel caused a nuisance generator fault indication", prompting the emergency landing. That meant a warning light came on when it shouldn't have. United said it "replaced the panel and returned the aircraft to service".
The Boeing spokeswoman said the power-distribution panel that developed the latest problem was different from one that caught fire during 787 testing in 2010.
The United spokeswoman declined to give further details because the problems are still being investigated and details about them may change.
On Friday, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said in a television interview that the problems were "normal squawks" that occur when new planes are brought into service.
The 787 uses an electrical system with generators and power distribution panels to perform many functions that on other jet models are accomplished with compressed air from the plane's engines.
Problems with the 787, the first Boeing jet to be globally outsourced to suppliers around the world, caused it to enter service 3-1/2 years behind schedule. The electrical problems aren't the only issues arising with the new jet.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration told airlines to make immediate checks of fuel line couplings on the 787 to ensure that they were not leaking. The order came after the agency received notice that two 787s had developed leaks that could cause them to run out of fuel or catch fire.
Through November, Boeing had delivered 38 of its 787s. United is the only U.S. carrier that has put the jet into service. Other carriers flying the jet include launch customer All Nippon Airways Co Ltd (9202.T), Japan Airlines Co Ltd (9201.T), LOT Polish Airlines and LAN Airlines of Chile.

Air Canada picks 'Rouge' as name of low-cost carrier

(Reuters) - Air Canada's new low-cost carrier will begin flying to European and Caribbean vacation spots next year under the name "Rouge", the airline said on Tuesday of the service it hopes will provide a springboard for sustained profitability.
Montreal-based Air Canada, the country's biggest airline, is launching Rouge at a time when Canadians have a growing number of options for vacation travel. It will compete with Transat (TRZb.TO), WestJet Vacations (WJA.TO) and Sunwing Travel Group.
"The Air Canada Leisure Group will be well positioned in the highly competitive but growing leisure segment in Canada, with its strong value proposition and competitive cost structure," said Michael Friisdahl, who is heading up the new venture, at a launch event in Toronto.
Rouge will offer cheap flights to tourists visiting the Caribbean and Europe, starting July 1, 2013 - not June, as was previously announced.
Tickets went on sale on Tuesday for flights to Venice, Italy; Edinburgh, Scotland; Athens, Greece; Cuba; the Dominican Republic; Jamaica and Costa Rica.
The fight for share of the vacation market has become more important for Air Canada as main rival WestJet prepares to launch Encore, its Canadian regional airline. Encore promises to undercut Air Canada fares on domestic short-haul flights.
Rouge will expand to other destinations for next winter, said Chief Commercial Officer Ben Smith. As Air Canada takes delivery of Boeing (BA.N) 787 Dreamliner aircraft starting in 2014, it will funnel more planes into Rouge.
The airline plans to reach 50 Rouge aircraft in three to five years, Smith said. He said the venture is expected to be profitable in the "short, medium and long term".
Air Canada has reported a string of quarterly net losses in recent years, weighed down by non-operating items such as losses on foreign exchange and interest expenses.
But the airline was profitable in the third quarter, boosted by a foreign exchange gain and higher operating income, as tight cost controls started to pay off.
The leisure unit, a wholly owned subsidiary formed by combining the new airline with Air Canada's existing vacation package business, will initially use four Rouge planes taken out of Air Canada's mainline fleet.
Rouge will take over some flights previously operated by Air Canada Vacations, as well as the mainline fleet's seasonal service to Athens.
The unit will have its own management team, headed by Friisdahl, former chief executive of Thomas Cook North America.
Air Canada plans to hire 150 flight attendants and 50 pilots for Rouge and expects to generate profits by fitting its planes with more seats and paying lower wages.
Earlier this year, Air Canada secured new union deals that included lower wages and less-generous pension plans for new hires after more than a year of turbulent negotiations.
Customer service agents went on strike in the summer of 2011. The federal government passed legislation to prevent the two unions that represent pilots and mechanics and baggage handlers from striking, and there were short wildcat strikes involving members of both unions.
Air Canada Chief Financial Officer Michael Rousseau has said the new carrier will not have a material impact on Air Canada's 2013 results.
Shares of Air Canada rose 9 Canadian cents to C$1.79 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

TEXT-S&P : Boeing ups dividend; rating unaffected

Dec 19 - Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today said its ratings and outlook on Boeing Co. (A/Stable/A-1) are not affected by the company's recent announcement that it would raise its dividend 10% and restart its share repurchase program by buying $1.5 billion to $2 billion of its stock in 2013. The company suspended dividend increases and share repurchases in 2009 to preserve liquidity in response to the economic crisis and problems on the 787 program. Boeing had $11 billion of cash and short-term investments as of Sept. 30, 2012, and we assess the company's liquidity as "exceptional." We had expected the company to start returning some of its excess cash to shareholders now that the 787 has begun deliveries and the program appears to be stabilizing, as this should result in a material increase in free cash flow the next few years.

Boeing books 47 net new plane orders in latest week

(Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) said it booked 50 new orders for planes in the latest week, including orders for 31 of its widebody 777 jets, worth about $9 billion at list prices.

Customers also canceled orders for three planes - one 747, one 777 and one 787 - bringing the net increase in orders to 47 for the week. So far this year, Boeing has booked net orders for 1,115 planes.

The 50 new orders include four 767s for FedEx Corp (FDX.N), one 777 for the Republic of Iraq, and 15 737s and 30 777s for customers that Boeing did not identify.

The company did not say which customers had canceled orders.

AirAsia to be first operator of A320 with sharklets

(Reuters) - Low-cost carrier AirAsia will be the first airline to sport fuel-saving sharklet wing tips on an A320 plane from December, aircraft maker Airbus said at the Berlin air show on Tuesday.

The bent-back wing tips offer fuel savings of about 4 percent. Airbus completed the first new-build A320 equipped with sharklets in Toulouse in April and previously said it expected the first member of the family to enter service from the fourth quarter of 2012.

AirAsia (AIRA.KL) is Asia's largest budget carrier and last year placed a record-breaking $18 billion order for 200 of Airbus' (EAD.PA) fuel-saving A320neo jets.

The airline is close to a further deal to buy up to 100 A320 jets, although an order may not be ready to be announced in Berlin, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters last week.

AirAsia becomes first airline to use Airbus A320 with fuel-saving wing tips

TOULOUSE (FRANCE): Low-cost carrier AirAsia Bhd has become the first operator in the world to fly the Airbus A320 equipped with new fuel-saving wing-tip devices.
The newly designed wing-tip devices reduce fuel burn and emissions by improving the aerodynamics of the aircraft.
AirAsia chief executive officer Aireen Omar said being the first airline in the world to operate the Airbus A320 with sharklet wing tips would help drive costs further down and enable the airline to optimise revenues, helping to maintain its low-cost leadership status.
The sharklet wing tips would be fitted on previously ordered, newly built Airbus A320s for the low-cost carrier. The sharklets would cut fuel bills by about 4% per aircraft annually and could either increase range by about 100 nautical miles (185km) or allow a payload increase of up to 450kg.
“Cost is always a key focus for the AirAsia Group, which has seen other key initiatives throughout the year such as our recent relocation of operations in Thailand to a dedicated low-cost terminal,” she said after taking delivery of the first Airbus A320 with sharklets at the Airbus Delivery Centre here on Dec 21.
She said the savings from the reduced fuel consumption would, in turn, reduce the airline's cost structure by a certain amount.
“There are other parameters involved but out hope is to translate the reduced cost to lower airfares for our customers,” she said.
Airbus sales, marketing and strategy executive vice president Kiran Rao said the launch of the aircraft marked yet another milestone in the special relationship between Airbus and AirAsia.
“It's also an important day for the Airbus A320 program, heralding even lower operating costs and greater efficiencies for the airline.
“Last week, we announced the deal for 100 A320 aircraft with AirAsia, 36 with current-generation engines, and 64 with new-generation engines, reaffirming the carrier's position as the world's largest A320 family customer,” he said.
He said altogether, the airline has now ordered 475 single-aisle aircraft from Airbus, which is quite sizeable, considering the airline only began operations just over 11 years ago.
“We are extremely proud that our aircraft have played a role in AirAsia's success, providing the efficiencies and reliability required to keep the airline's costs as low as possible. These costs are about to get even lower with the introduction of the sharklets,” he said, adding that the new fuel-saving wing-tip device represented the next phase in the ongoing development of the A320 family.

AirAsia Datangkan Airbus A320 "Sharklet"

TOULOUSE, KOMPAS.com - Maskapai penerbangan AirAsia mendatangkan pesawat Airbus A320 pertamanya, dengan perangkat sayap bernama Sharklet, dari pabrik Airbus di Perancis ke Malaysia, Jumat (21/12/2012).

Pesawat ini diklaim mampu menghemat bahan bakar, sehingga efektif untuk mendukung penerbangan berbiaya murah.

Presiden Direktur AirAsia Berhad, Aireen Omar, pada acara penjemputan pesawat di pabrik Airbus di Toulouse, Perancis, mengatakan, selain hemat bahan bakar, teknologi baru pada pesawat A320 tersebut dapat mengurangi emisi dan meningkatkan aerodinamika pesawat secara signifikan.
Aireen menambahkan, Airbus A320 Sharklet bisa menghemat bahan bakar sampai empat persen.

Teknologi baru Airbus yang tertanam di pesawat itu, memungkinkan bertambahnya fleksibilitas sampai sekitar 100 nautical miles, dan meningkatkan kemampuan angkut hingga 450 kilogram.

"Kami yakin dengan mengoperasikan pesawat tersebut AirAsia dapat membantu memangkas biaya pengeluaran lebih banyak, dan memungkinkan kami meningkatkan pendapatandan pelayanan kepada penumpang ," tambah Aireen.

AirAsia mengumumkan telah menambah pesawat 100 pesawat Airbus A320 lagi termasuk 36 pesawat A320ceo dengan Sharklet. Secara keseluruhan, AirAsia telah memesan 475 pesawat satu lorong dari Airbus, terdiri dari 264 pesawat A320neo dan 211 pesawat A320ceo. Pengiriman pesawat tambahan dijadwalkan sampai tahun 2021.

Airbus A320neo adalah pesawat dengan mesin terbaru di keluarga A320 yang akan beroperasi pada 2015. Pesawat ini menggabungkan mesin generasi terbaru dan perangkat ujung sayap Sharklet.

Dengan kombinasi ini menghasilkan penghematan bahan bakar hingga sebesar 15 persen.

Dengan tambahan itu, AirAsia menjadi pelanggan terbesar Airbus. "Sebagai pelanggan terbesar keluarga A320, sangat tepat bila AirAsia menjadi maskapai pertama yang mendapatkan keuntungan dari teknologi Sharklet terbaru yang hemat bahan bakar," kata John Leahy, Chief Operating Office Customer Airbus.

Khusus untuk Indonesia, AirAsia berencana mendatangkan 12 pesawat hingga tahun 2013. Setelah pesawat pertama A320 yang dikirim bulan ini, sebelas pesawat yang akan didatangkan ke Indonesia memiliki teknologi Sharklet.

Sejumlah rute domestik baru direncanakan akan dibuka, termasuk rute Makassar-Jakarta dan Makassa-Balipapan yang baru dibuka belakangan ini.

KENYA AIRWAYS & RWANDAIR SEEK STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Kenya Airways (KQ) and RwandAir (WB) have announced reaching their intent of forming a strategic partnership and stronger relations between the two airlines. This will greatly benefit both parties as well as their extensive clientele. Kenya Airways currently offers 4 flights per day between Kigali and Nairobi with a wide network available to the rest of the world. RwandAir is flying to Nairobi 3 times daily and also serves Mombasa from its base in Kigali. The combined flights will offer more choice to passengers and better connectivity at the Nairobi hub.

Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Titus Naikuni stated: “In line with our strategy to exploit the untapped economic potential of the African continent, this partnership with RwandAir allows us, together with our colleagues in African aviation, to further strengthen and enhance our services and network.”

RwandAir Chairman, Girma Wake commented: “We’re pleased to have agreed to this cooperation intent with Kenya Airways. We can now offer more choice for passengers who wish to travel to Rwanda where tourism, trade and investment are on the rise. It is important that we provide the right infrastructure together with partner airlines.”

The collaboration promises to also strengthen the areas of cargo, maintenance and flight training.

Already, RwandAir is using the brand new flight simulators of Kenya Airways to train its pilots.

Benefits for the consumer will initially be felt through improved synergies in the form of scheduling and passenger handling, however, additional value will become apparent as the relationship evolves with further refinement of reservation systems as well as a frequent flyer partnership between the two companies.

The finer details of this strategic cooperation will be mapped out in various agreements which the airlines are currently reviewing for finalisation.