- Cebu Pacific Goes for Twenty More A320 Aircraft[Mar. 13, 2007]
Cebu Pacific, the Philippines' low fare leader, has signed a contract for the purchase of ten more A320 aircraft, with options on five aircraft and purchase rights on a further five aircraft. The airline placed an initial order for 12 A320 Family aircraft in September 2004, with the last one of these aircraft delivered earlier this month. Since the delivery of the first A320 in May 2005, Cebu Pacific has totally replaced its fleet of DC-9 and Boeing 757 aircraft. The new A320 aircraft will be used to further expand Cebu Pacific's network that currently extends to 26 domestic and 10 international destinations.
- Finnair, 1st Airline to Sign Firm Contract for A350XWB[Mar. 08, 2007]
On March 8, Finnair signed a firm contract for eleven A350XWBs as well as seven additional long-range aircraft (a mix of A340-300s and A330s). It is the first airline to convert its order for nine of the initial A350, placed in December 2005, into the new A350XWB, and to simultaneously increase the number of aircraft ordered.
- Pinnacle Airlines Corp. Places Firm Order for 15 Bombardier Q400 Aircraft[Mar. 15, 2007]
On March 15, Bombardier Aerospace announced that Pinnacle Airlines Corp. of Memphis, Tenn. has signed a contract to acquire 15 Bombardier Q400 74-seat turboprop airliners. The transaction also includes conditional orders for another 10 Q400 aircraft and options on an additional 20.
- Boeing and Continental Announce Deal for More 787s[Mar. 12, 2007]
On March 12, the Boeing Company and Continental Airlines announced an order for five 787-9 Dreamliners. This order, combined with the Houston-based airline's earlier announced orders, brings Continental's total firm 787 order to 25 aircraft. The airline also has contracted to convert 12 previously ordered 787-8 jetliners to the larger 787-9s.
- Boeing, Volga-Dnepr Group Announce Order for Five 747-8 Freighters[Mar. 12, 2007]
On March 12, the Boeing Company and Moscow-based freight company Volga-Dnepr Group announced an order for five Boeing 747-8 Freighters with purchase rights for an additional five airplanes.
- Boeing and ALAFCO Sign Deal for 787s and Next-Generation 737s[Mar. 12, 2007]
On March 12, Boeing and ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Company held a formal signing ceremony for the direct purchase of 12 787-8 airplanes and six Next-Generation 737-800s. The total value of the deal is US$2.26 billion at list prices. Six of the 787s on order from ALAFCO were booked as unidentified on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries Web site in September 2006. The additional airplanes will be posted to the Web site in March. The Sharia-based leasing and finance company is the first Middle East customer to finalize its order for Boeing's much sought after 787 Dreamliner.
- Boeing to Supply Six 767 Freighters to Re-fleet DHL U.S. Operations[Mar. 08, 2007]
Boeing and DHL agreed on an order for six 767-300ER (Extended Range) Freighters. DHL, wholly owned by Bonn, Germany-based Deutsche Post World Net, is a leading international express delivery and logistics company. The order is valued at US$894 million at list prices. This order has previously been accounted for on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries Website.
- SWISS Posts Its First-ever Black-ink Results[Mar. 08, 2007]
Swiss International Air Lines (Group) improved its earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to CHF 231 million for the 2006 business year (prior year: minus CHF 14 million). Consolidated net profit for the year amounted to CHF 263 million, which compares to a net loss of CHF 178 million for 2005. For the fourth quarter of 2006, SWISS reported an EBIT of CHF 32 million, having sustained a negative EBIT of CHF 38 million for the prior-year period. SWISS generated total income from operating activities of CHF 4,153 million in 2006, an 11.3% improvement on the CHF 3,732 million of the prior year. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) totalled CHF 231 million (prior year: minus CHF 14 million). Net profit for the year amounted to CHF 263 million (compared to a net loss of CHF 178 million for 2005). SWISS maintained its revenue and earnings growth in the fourth quarter of 2006.Total income from operating activities for October to December amounted to CHF 1,098 million (prior-year period: CHF 998 million), while EBIT for the quarter totalled CHF 32 million (prior-year period: minus CHF 38 million). With economic conditions remaining favourable, SWISS thus posted both higher revenues and an operating profit in every quarter of 2006. "SWISS achieved its turnaround and began to climb in 2006," says CEO Christoph Franz, commenting on the results. "We made further progress in improving our cost base. But this is still not sufficiently competitive yet. The cost and revenue synergies deriving from our integration into the Lufthansa Group account for about half of our operating result. And the currently positive economic environment is giving us additional lift." "We are now in a position to take advantage of opportunities for growth and invest in our product," Franz continues. "And we are particularly pleased to be creating new jobs: our fleet expansion is adding around 600 people to our personnel ranks. Our declared goal, however, remains an average EBIT margin of between 5 and 8 per cent over the economic cycle of several years. We're still a fair way from that; and it's only when we get there that we will have reached our required cruising altitude." Key figures from the income statement
- Boeing, First Choice Airways Sign Contract for Four Additional 787s[Mar. 07, 2007]
On March 7, Boeing and First Choice Airways of the United Kingdom reached agreement on an additional four Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. By exercising options for these airplanes, First Choice Airways has placed a third consecutive order for the advanced-technology 787.
- British Airways Releases Market Guidance for FY07/08[Mar. 07, 2007]
At British Airways' annual investor day on March 7, 2007, the airline released market guidance for the financial year 2007/8.