New flights to Libreville with Lufthansa
Lufthansa expanded its services in West and Central Africa by adding another new destination to its network from last month. The airline will fly five times per week from Frankfurt via Accra, Ghana, to Libreville, Gabon’s capital. The route will be operated by Airbus A340 and A330 aircraft with a first, business and economy class cabin. Customers now have flights to 16 destinations across Africa. Gabon has extensive petroleum and manganese reserves and is an important exporter of timber, and lies on the Atlantic coast of Central.
$320m aircraft financing deal with GECAS
flydubai has signed a deal to finance four Boeing 737-800s (worth $320 million), with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). The sale and leaseback agreement covers the aircraft due to be delivered to flydubai from Boeing in 2009, with two delivered last month, one expected in October and one in December. The deal was significant deal for flydubai as was the first financing to be secured from outside the UAE. It will bring the fleet to a total of six aircraft by the end of the year and allow flydubai to operate to around 14 destinations. flydubai was announced by the government of Dubai in March 2008 with a start-up capital of Dh250 million ($68 million).
Business upgrades for economy pax
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Economy class passengers travelling on long-haul flights with Swiss International Air Lines can take the airline’s Business Upgrade Intercontinental offer and fly business class for a reduced premium. Under the scheme, passengers who book a SWISS flight on economy class can upgrade for either one way or return trip to business class for a fraction of a cost. A passenger from Dubai or Muscat travelling to Switzerland and on other destinations to Europe, for example, will just add Dh1,750 ($476) per flight leg. The scheme is available until end of August 2009. The new business class seat on the A330-300 is fitted with an air cushion for adjustable comfort in all positions, and has a two metre fully horizontal lie flat seat, a massage function, larger TV screens and plugs for USB and iPod.
Airline investment in IT declines
Airline investment in IT is set to reach a new low this year as aircraft operators cope with unprecedented financial losses, according to the 2009 Airline IT Trends Survey co-sponsored by SITA and Airline Business. Launched at the annual SITA Air Transport IT Summit in Cannes last month, it was revealed that IT and Telecommunications operating spend as a percentage of airline revenue is forecast to be 1.7 per cent, the lowest level recorded since 2002, as airlines seek to reduce costs against a backdrop of $10.4 billion in losses last year and an IATA forecast of $9 billion in losses this year. The survey stated that 72 per cent of respondents intend to renegotiate IT supplier contracts and 70 per cent will invest in solutions that lower overall enterprise costs.
Etihad Airways to join IATA committee
Etihad Airways has become the first airline in the Middle East to join the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Working Group Committee for Security. The Abu Dhabi-based airline will be represented on the committee by Mohamed Abubaker Al Farea, Etihad Airways’ vice president of corporate safety, security and quality and its foremost international expert on safety and security issues. The security committee’s 10 members are selected from IATA’s 230 member airlines, which together cover more than 90 per cent of all scheduled international air traffic. Appointments to the committee are made in recognition of the airlines’ experience and contribution to aviation security. The tenure of the appointment is a period of two years. The group is tasked with providing technical advice and working with IATA management on issues and campaigns relating to security in pursuit of safe, secure and efficient air transport.