British Airways achète 11 Embraer pour 376 millions de dollars

Source : Les Echos

"La compagnie aérienne britannique British Airways a annoncé lundi l'achat de 11 avions Embraer, outre une option sur trois autres, d'un prix de 376 millions de dollars au prix catalogue, pour sa filiale de vols intérieurs et européens BA..."

Lufthansa targets European network

Source : ATW

"Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber told ATWOnline recently that acquisition of Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines is a "logical step" toward creating a pan-European network. Speaking at Star Alliance's annual board meeting in Chicago, Mayrhuber said LH is targeting further consolidation. "From the LH management perspective, we can do more," he told this website. "What we have already done is no surprise." He declined to say whether LH will bid for either SAS Group (ATWOnline, Nov. 13) or LOT Polish Airlines (ATWOnline, Dec. 15), but said the company's goal is to "create our own Star Alliance network" with a "modular" concept comprising the amalgamation of several airlines. He called it LH's "European answer" to the need for consolidation." Next.

Singapore Airlines set to increase frequency to Abu Dhabi Airport by 133%

Source : Air Transport News

"Abu Dhabi Airports Company, the operator of Abu Dhabi International Airport, has welcomed today’s announcement by Singapore Airlines that from 15 March 2009, daily flights will link the UAE capital and the Asian city-state of Singapore. The carrier’s existing three-times a week service between Singapore and Abu Dhabi will go daily as part of plans that will also see Singapore Airlines extend its network, through Abu Dhabi, by offering flights to Kuwait City four-times a week - on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.While the aviation business in other regions of the world are experiencing slowing growth, the Middle East region, and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in particular, continues to outperform global trends as its aviation infrastructure provides the platform for the sustained and robust growth. This is reflected in Abu Dhabi International Airport’s consistent 30 percentile average growth of passenger traffic over the last two years." La suite.

French Unveil Spending Boost for Defense

Source : Aviation Week

"The French government is eyeing part of a multibillion dollar bailout plan to accelerate deployment of urgently needed weapon systems and to keep beleaguered sectors of France's defense industry afloat. Unveiled this week, the plan calls for injecting 1.4 billion euros in 2009-10 to augment the production of systems in production and move up qualification of some new programs that could help meet urgent requirements in Afghanistan. Another 500 million euros will be earmarked to accelerate payments due to small businesses, which are under struggling under severe cash flow problems, and 110 million euros to beef up research efforts, notably for export." Next.

Etihad Airlines Considers Takeover of Air Berlin

Source : Aviation Week

"Etihad Airways could acquire Europe's third largest low-fare airline, Air Berlin, a move that would lead to an entirely new business model of airline combinations. Industry sources note that Etihad has been exploring the merits of the idea for weeks, looking at how such a takeover could be implemented and how networks would have to be realigned for the deal to make commercial sense. Those sources indicate that Etihad isn't at a decision-making stage and that the in-depth studies haven't been presented to its board of directors. CEO James Hogan declined to comment, though the company posted a boilerplate response: "As a matter of principle we don't comment on rumors and speculation." An Air Berlin representative said he was unaware of any such plans." Next.

Chinese Airline Gets A Head Start On One-Month Service Suspension

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Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways grew capacity by 15% in 2008; Almaty and Los Angeles are newest routes

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