Global airline capacity for January 2010 shows positive growth compared to January 2009, according to global aviation data company, OAG, with its monthly capacity report. This growth marks the fifth consecutive month in which airline capacity has shown growth, with 294.6 million available seats this month, an increase of 3 per cent over January 2009. Global frequencies are up 2 per cent compared to January 2009, with a total of 2.37 million flights scheduled for January 2010. Worldwide, … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Global airline capacity continues growth track

Bulgaria-based Cargo Air has chosen Miami-based Aeronautical Engineers (AEI) to provide a B737-300SF passengerto- freighter conversion. The aircraft is scheduled for redelivery to Cargo Air in April 2010. This is the second nine palate B737-300SF Cargo Air has converted with AEI. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Cargo Air goes with AEI for B737 conversion

Following its rebirth in September 2009, Cargoitalia is adding two new destinations to its network. From 16 January the airline commenced a biweekly service to Dubai. This new stop on Cargoitalia’s twice weekly service to Hong Kong replaces the outbound technical stop in Almaty, which is retained on inbound flights. The Dubai service will carry cargo from Milan and will also provide a through connection for traffic from Cargoitalia’s North American stations. From 21 … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Cargoitalia adds Dubai and Chicago services

Leveraging newly acquired 5th Freedom Traffic Rights, Martinair is set to begin scheduled services from Viracopus, Brazil (VCP) to Ecuador (Quito and Guayaquil) and Colombia (Bogota) on its four weekly MD11 freighter flights. Martinair was able to obtain the traffic rights from Sao Paulo to Ecuador and Colombia from the Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency - Agência Nacional de Aviacão Civil (ANAC) in cooperation with Grupo BETA (Brazilian Express Transportes Aéreos), a Brazilian cargo … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Martinair taps 5th freedoms in S. America

Extreme winter weather conditions in the Northern Hemisphere have meant not just operational difficulties for carriers, but added costs as high oil demand has pushed prices firmly back above US$80 per barrel in the first week of trading in 2010 after beginning the climb since mid-Dec-2009, taking jet fuel prices up with it. Aviation fuel prices are now more than double where they were 12 months ago, and the spike in oil is an ominous sign for the industry struggling to recover from the … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Harsh weather = harsher oil prices

The SAS Group has announced it has sold 18 MD-80 aircraft to Allegiant Travel Company, a US based airline, that were made redundant as part of its drive to reduce its capacity by a total of 21 aircraft. By end of December 2009, 18 aircraft had already been taken out of service. As a result of this and earlier capacity reductions SAS holds MD-80 series surplus aircraft. Allegiant has previously bought 13 SAS MD80s. Following the sale, the SAS Group will have 24 MD-80´s in operation out of a … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: SAS sells 18 surplus MD-80 aircraft