El Al Israel Airlines has reported its fourth quarter and full year 2009 results revealing a 21 per cent drop in revenue to US$1.7 billion in 2009 from $2.1 billion in 2008, while the carrier’s net loss soared to $76.3 million from $41.9 million a year earlier. El Al said that its 2009 results were affected by the global economic crisis that began in 2008, which reduced passenger and air cargo traffic, resulting in a surplus of seats and cargo space. Cargo revenues … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: El Al sees cargo revenues plummet 46% in ‘09

Emirates has issued a stern warning to Airbus not to delay the introduction of the A350. “We have clearly told Airbus that we will not accept again what they did to us with the A380,” Emirates president Tim Clark told Germany’s The Daily. He pointed out that unlike in the case of the A380 – which was two years late – Emirates has alternatives to buy elsewhere: “All I have to do is pick up the phone and order more Boeing 777s,” … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Emirates warns Airbus not to delay A350

Emirates is adding a daily 777 passenger flight with over 10 tonnes of freight capacity to its 747 freighter services linking Dubai with the Netherlands. Currently, Emirates SkyCargo ships nearly 1,000 tonnes of flowers to the Aalsmeer flower auctions south of Schiphol, Amsterdam each month from Nairobi, Kenya and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Amsterdam will be the airline’s second new route this year after Tokyo, which was launched in late-March. Prague follows on 1 July with Madrid … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Emirates adds daily Amsterdam service

Royal Jordanian has said flights will be resumed to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur at the beginning of June this year, in light of the signs of recovery and increase in tourism and commercial activity to Malaysia, which is considered a family tourist attraction to the Arab countries. The three weekly flights to Kuala Lumpur will be operated via Bangkok using the Airbus A330s. The new aircraft will also be operated four times a week to Hong Kong via Bangkok, three times a week to Colombo … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Royal Jordanian to resume Kuala Lumpur service

EgyptAir took delivery of its first new Boeing 777-300ER in mid-March, with the carrier taking on an additional five 777-300ERs through the second quarter of 2011 to continue upgrading its longhaul service. The aircraft will operate on EgyptAir’s daily service between Cairo and London Heathrow, while the second aircraft, which will be delivered by the end of April, will operate on the non-stop service to Narita Tokyo. The third and forth aircraft will be put on the daily non-stop … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: EgyptAir gets first of four B777-300ERs

The government of Iraq has signed a deal valued at more than US$1 billion to buy 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners on behalf of its fledgling flag carrier, Iraqi Airways. The transaction follows 18 months of negotiations over the new, wide-bodied, long-haul aircraft after the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding in 2008. The aircraft will replace the carrier’s current fleet of leased planes and enable it to re-introduce long haul services. The airline, which was grounded … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Iraqi Airways leapfrogs into the future