Air France A330 Grounded

An Air France A330-200 (MSN 519 | F-GZCL) operating as flight AF547 from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso to Paris CDG via Niamey, Niger, has been grounded in the Nigerien capital since Thursday after a dead body, believed to have fallen from the aircraft as it approached Diori Hamani International Airport's runway 09R/27L, was discovered in one of the city's arrondissements.

According to the Agence de Presse Africaine (APA) newswire, corresponding blood stains have also been discovered on the aircraft's port side wing.

"We have identified a body (...) in all likelihood it had to have fallen or was dumped from the Air France aircraft (...) there are blood stains on the left wing of the aircraft," said the Nigerien Minister of State for the Interior, Mr Abdou Labo Minister, during a press conference.

"A forensic examination of [tissue] samples, DNA testing will be done and compared with the bloodstains found on the plane. We do not know if it is a passenger or a stowaway," said Minister Labo.

Air France, in a statement quoted by AirJournal, has confirmed the incident and the grounding stating:

"According to preliminary information we have, it appears to be a stowaway who had hidden away onboard the plane. He would have fallen from the forward landing gear bay on July 24."

The Nigerien authorities are currently investigating the incident.

Air France-KLM Unveils Plan For Cost-Cutting

Air France-KLM said on Friday it planned to introduce major new cost-cutting measures as Europe's weak economy thwarts efforts to turn around its medium-haul and cargo businesses.

The airline said the plan would include voluntary departures as well as industrial and commercial initiatives.

Air France-KLM had already renegotiated pay and conditions with airline staff, cutting 5,122 jobs and restructuring its network to cope with high fuel costs, a worsening cargo business and tough competition from Gulf and low-cost carriers.

"The measures already taken have enabled medium-haul and cargo to improve their operating results but not sufficiently in view of the weak economic conditions," it said in a statement.

The airline said it aimed to improve its operating result in the second half in line with the first and reduce its net debt by year-end.

Air France-KLM posted an operating profit of EUR€79 million (USD$104.56 million), reversing last year's loss, helped by lower fuel bills and staff costs.

Revenue rose 1.2 percent to EUR€6.58 billion in the three months to June 30, a level described by the company as "below target at this stage".

(Reuters)

United's Profit Rises On Lower Costs

United Continental on Thursday posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit as costs at the airline fell and it raised airfares.

United said second-quarter revenue rose 0.6 percent to USD$10 billion, the highest ever for that period. The average airfare rose 3.5 percent to USD$289.46.

United has been working to win back customers who turned to rivals after technology problems hurt customer service last year. The company made a number of changes to integrate as one carrier following the 2010 merger of United and Continental, including converting to a new computer reservation system.

In a fast consolidating industry, analysts are looking out for signs that United has moved beyond its merger related issues to make progress in revenue and profits.

Rival Delta has moved ahead after its merger with Northwest and said in May it plans to return USD$1 billion to shareholders over the next three years. American and US Airways are in line to merge pending government approval.

United Continental's passenger revenue per available seat mile increased one percent.

Net income was USD$469 million for the quarter, up from USD$339 million a year earlier.

Operating costs fell 1 percent, with fuel expenses falling 10 percent.

(Reuters)

Delta Quarterly Profit Up As Fuel Costs Drop

Delta Air Lines reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday as fuel costs fell and it held down other expenses.

The carrier said "solid" travel demand trends would help it expand profit margins.

Delta is expanding in high-growth markets and has upgraded aircraft seats and food options to entice passengers to spend more. It recently bought a stake in British carrier Virgin Atlantic that will give it more access at London's Heathrow Airport, an important international business market.

The airline, which in May announced its first dividend in a decade and a USD$500 million share buyback programme, bought a Pennsylvania refinery last year to try to gain more control over its fuel costs. The refinery had a loss of USD$51 million in the second quarter because of costs related to US renewable fuel standards. But Delta added it was reducing fuel costs.

(Airwise)

Bombardier Delays CSeries First Flight Again

Bombardier delayed the first flight of its CSeries jet for a third time on Wednesday, promising the flight "in the coming weeks" instead of July, a move likely to rattle airlines that have ordered the new plane.

"This might make people a bit jittery... This is a new market for them. A lot depends upon the confidence of customers," said aviation industry expert Richard Aboulafia, a vice-president at consulting firm Teal Group.

The delay casts new doubt on Bombardier's ambitious mid-2014 entry-into-service target for the CSeries. Aboulafia expects entry-into-service sometime in the first half of 2015.

The first flight will be the culmination of a five-year, USD$3.4 billion development programme for the CSeries.

Bombardier hopes eventually to corner 50 percent of the lucrative 100- to 149-seat airliner segment with the plane.

The Montreal-based company has announced 177 firm CSeries orders, far short of its target of at least 300 firm orders by the middle of next year. It failed to firm up new CSeries business last month at the Paris Air Show, which saw splashy news and big orders from its competitors.

(Airwise)

Boeing 787 Catches Fire At Heathrow Airport

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Ethiopian Airlines caught fire at London's Heathrow airport on Friday in a fresh blow for the US plane maker.

Heathrow briefly closed both its runways to deal with the fire which broke out while the aircraft was parked at a remote stand. There were no passengers aboard the plane.

It was not clear if the fire was related to the batteries, which led to the worldwide grounding of the 787 in January. Pictures from Heathrow showed an area just in front of the tail that appeared to be scorched.

The 787's two batteries are in electrical compartments located low down and near the front and middle of the plane, while the visible damage to the Ethiopian plane appears to be on top of the fuselage, toward the rear, according to video from the scene.

Kenya Airways Tops Heathrow’s Punctuality Rankings

Nairobi – Kenya Airways had the most punctual flights that flew into and out of London Heathrow International Airport in the United Kingdom during the month of June 2013, latest statistics from the facility have indicated.

The airline emerged top in the ranking of punctuality of flights. All Kenya Airways’ flights departing from the airport were 100% punctual, while 83 per cent of those arriving were on time.

This is the best rank that the airline has attained over the last 12 months. The closest it has come to this during this period is the second position.

Kenya Airways’ Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr Titus Naikuni welcomed the achievement, stating that: “At Kenya Airways, we are committed to ensuring that we deliver a world class experience to our guests while also that all their flights depart and arrive on time,” Dr. Naikuni added.

Overall, 71 per cent of arrivals by all airlines into London Heathrow International Airport were on time while 75 per cent of the departures were punctual.

The other African airlines in the Heathrow International Airport’s punctuality rankings include South African Airways at the 19th position, Air Mauritius at 59th, Egypt Air at 67th, Ethiopian Airlines at 72nd, Air Algerie at 77th, Tunisair at 79th and Libyan Airlines at 80th.

On a daily basis, London Heathrow International Airport handles an average of 1,288 flights and 191,200 passengers. About 80 airlines fly into and out of the facility.

Kenya Airways flies seven times a week (one flight daily) between its hub at JIKIA in Nairobi and London’s Heathrow International Airport.

Arik Air Introduces New Aircraft To Its Fleet

Arik Air, Nigeria and West Africa’s leading commercial airline has increased its fleet to 24 aircraft with the introduction of an Airbus A330-200 twin engine aircraft. This latest addition to the fleet marks the first of four A330 aircraft due to be delivered over the coming year.

The new A330 aircraft will compliment Arik Air’s long-haul wide body fleet, which currently consists of two A340-500 aircraft. Fitted to offer the very best in-flight comfort and style, the new additions are an environmentally-friendly product that will provide the highest degree of operational flexibility and passenger comfort. The A330s offer a two class configuration with 30 Premier Business Class seats and 187 Economy Class seats, compared to 36 Premier Business Class seats and 201 Economy Class seats in the A340 aircraft. 

Both aircraft types are fitted with the same on-board product, providing the latest in comfort and style and a consistent product experience across the long-haul fleet. This enables Arik Air the opportunity to upgrade the Lagos – Johannesburg route, replacing the existing B737-800 currently flying between the two cities, as well as to look at opportunities to develop new long-haul destinations, such as in China, UAE, Brazil or more cities in the US and Europe.

Asiana Crash: Trouble At 500 Feet

The pilot in charge of landing the Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 that crashed in San Francisco tried to correct its course when he saw it was off centre and too low as it approached the runway at an altitude of 500 feet (150 metres), the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday.

"At about 500 feet, he realised that they were low," NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman told reporters, describing the failed last-second attempts to avoid Saturday's disaster. "Between 500 and 200 feet (60 metres), they had a lateral deviation and they were low. They were trying to correct at that point."

The crash of the Asiana 777 killed two teenage Chinese passengers and injured more than 180 others.

Dana Air Announces Special Ramadan Service

Dana Air has announced that it would offer its Muslim guests a special in-flight service throughout the period of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, which begins on Wednesday, July 10.

According to Obi Mbanuzuo, the airline’s Head of Commercial, “All through the fasting period, we will include special fruits in our in-flight catering due to the numerous health benefits they bring. Also, nutritionists advise to break a fast with fruits before having any solid meal.”

The service, said Mbanuzuo, is “to encourage our Muslim guests who are observing the daytime fasting to take along their in-flight meals while disembarking until they are ready to break their fast.”

Dana Air first introduced the special Ramadan service in 2009 in line with its vision of being ‘Nigeria’s most reliable and customer-friendly airline’, and the initiative has been well received and commended by guests of the airline.

Dana Air currently operates twelve (12) flights daily on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route, four (4) flights daily on the Lagos-Port Harcourt-Lagos route and two (2) flights daily on the Abuja-Port Harcourt-Abuja route. The airline is reputed for its efficient customer services, world-class in-flight services, on-time departures and arrivals, innovative e-airline products and high quality standards.

Dana Air To Commence Uyo And Calabar Operations

Dana Air is set to re-launch flight services to Uyo and Calabar, in addition to its current destinations - Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

The airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Tony Usidamen, disclosed this in a chat with aviation correspondents. According to Usidamen, the decision to re-launch operations to both Uyo and Calabar is based on requests from the airline’s teeming guests to extend its services to the oil-producing states.

“Since resuming flight operations to Lagos and Abuja in January, we have had many requests from air travelers across the country to extend our world-class services to more cities. The commencement of Port Harcourt operations was in line with the requests and, in a few weeks, we will commence scheduled flights to Uyo and Calabar too”, said Usidamen.

“At Dana Air, we recognize the importance of Akwa Ibom and Cross River State in the socio-economic development of the country as oil producing states. With both states playing host to several multinational companies in the oil & gas industry, we are confident that our new services from Uyo and Calabar to Lagos and Abuja will make the states even more attractive to investors”, Usidamen added.

Dana Air currently operates twelve (12) flights daily on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route, four (4) flights daily on the Lagos-Port Harcourt-Lagos route and two (2) flights daily on the Abuja-Port Harcourt-Abuja route. The airline is reputed for its efficient customer services, world-class in-flight services, on-time departures and arrivals, innovative e-airline products and high quality standards.