ATR 42-600 Begins Test Flight Campaign

IBA Group Limited   5th March 2010

The ATR 42-600 pre-series aircraft successfully took to the sky for the first time on Thursday. The aircraft, powered with Pratt & Whitney 127M engines, took off from Toulouse, France at 3.00 pm and completed a 2-hour flight, which marks the launch of a flight test campaign of approximately 75 hours.

Bombardier clinches big order for 40 C-Series jets

IBA Group Limited   26th February 2010

Bombardier Inc. said on Thursday that it has signed a highly anticipated $3.06 billion (U.S.) deal to sell 40 of its new C-Series planes to Republic Airways Holding Inc. and that it looks forward to more deals as the commercial aerospace market stabilizes.

JAL shares end final day at one yen

IBA Group Limited   19th February 2010

Shares in bankrupt Japan Airlines finished their last trading day at just one yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Friday, marking another ignominious milestone in the carrier's decline.

Boeing considers 737 update

IBA Group Limited   12th February 2010

Expect a decision by midsummer on a new version of the world’s most popular jetliner, the 737, Boeing chairman Jim McNerney said Thursday.

BA announces £50m losses

IBA Group Limited   5th February 2010

British Airways has reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss of £50 million - but warned it still faces a record annual shortfall.

US Airways saw slight rebound in 4th quarter

IBA Group Limited   29th January 2010

Last year was a bruising year for airlines, with travel demand falling more than it ever had, but US Airways and other carriers ended the year on a relatively positive note.

Southwest, Continental Airlines show profit

IBA Group Limited   22nd January 2010

Southwest Airlines Co. and Continental Airlines Inc. posted fourth-quarter profits, helped by higher passenger traffic and lower fuel costs, but they said the road to recovery would be tough.

Korean Air to Rise on Fall of Japan Airlines

IBA Group Limited   15th January 2010

Korean Air, the nation's largest airliner, will likely emerge as a winner from the unprecedented worldwide economic slump in the Asia-Pacific region, on the back of a stronger won and the rapidly rebounding Korean economy, Daewoo Securities said Friday.

Ryanair says it will not buy 200 Boeing aircraft

IBA Group Limited   18th December 2009

Budget carrier Ryanair Holdings PLC announced Friday it has broken off negotiations with Boeing Co. to buy 200 more 737-800 short-haul aircraft after being unable to extract concessions from the manufacturer.

787 set to fly Tuesday

IBA Group Limited   11th December 2009

Two years late and after five major delays, the Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner is tentatively set to make its first flight Tuesday, the company said late Thursday.

2009 jet order tally so far: Airbus 194, Boeing 91

IBA Group Limited   4th December 2009

Airbus’ commercial airplanes backlog got a boost in November when an unnamed customer ordered 52 of its single-aisle A320 jets.

Boeing issues aviation forecast

IBA Group Limited   27th November 2009

Boeing released its forecast on the economic growth and aviation market in the world over the next 20 years at a press conference in Ha Noi on Wednesday and it emphasised the estimated dramatic growth of air travel in Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, including Viet Nam.

Airbus, Boeing wooing United Airlines for plane order

IBA Group Limited   20th November 2009

United Airlines is close to placing its first aircraft order in more than a decade and has narrowed its search to two groundbreaking airplanes: Boeing's 787 Dreamliner or Airbus' counterpart, the A350-XWB, sources told the Tribune.

British Airways readies to tie knot with Iberia

IBA Group Limited   13th November 2009

British Airways and Spain's Iberia have signed a preliminary agreement for a $US7 billion merger to create the world's third-largest airline by revenue.

British Airways reports £292m six-month loss

IBA Group Limited   6th November 2009

British Airways (BA) has recorded a loss of £292 million before tax for the six months to September.

JAL to seek revival under state

IBA Group Limited   30th October 2009

After about a month of evaluating the assets of Japan Airlines Corp., the transport ministry and a reconstruction task force said Thursday that the struggling carrier needs to go through reconstruction under the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp.

Iberia plans new airline for short, medium haul flights

IBA Group Limited   23rd October 2009

The Spanish national carrier Iberia has unveiled plans to create a new airline to handle its short- and medium- haul routes in an effort to reverse declining revenues, weak demand and mounting losses in the current economic crisis.

Dreamliner delays affect Boeing and its suppliers

IBA Group Limited   16th October 2009

When Boeing Co. unveiled plans to build the 787 Dreamliner, the aircraft was touted as revolutionary, a major technological shift in the way a plane is made and in the way it operates.

Aircraft cancellations plague Boeing

IBA Group Limited   9th October 2009

The Boeing Co.’s order book shrank by nine jet requests as the company again amassed more cancellations than new orders for the week ending Oct. 6. Boeing picked up an order for 11 of its single-aisle 737s from an unnamed customer but logged in cancellations for 20 aircraft. The company has a net total of 70 jets on order, which reflects 181 gross orders and 111 order cancellations.

Japan's first passenger jet lands big order

IBA Group Limited   2nd October 2009

An ambitious project to build Japan's first ever passenger jet received a huge boost on Friday, landing a 100-plane order worth up to 40 billion US dollars from a US regional airline.

Line of credit

IBA Group Limited   18th September 2009

AMR Corp., the parent of American Airlines, has received $2.88 billion in cash and financing commitments from its business partners and will restructure its network next year to eliminate less-profitable routes, company executives said Thursday.

THAI fails to transfer four long-range jets

IBA Group Limited   11th September 2009

Thai Airways International has failed in its most recent attempt to sell four long-range jets after the bidder low-balled the flag carrier, sources say.

Singapore Airlines delays A380 deliveries

IBA Group Limited   4th September 2009

Recession- hit Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it had agreed with Airbus to defer the delivery of eight A380 superjumbo jetliners by six to 12 months.

First Chinese airline goes bankrupt

IBA Group Limited   28th August 2009

East Star Airlines Co, a cash-strapped private regional carrier, has become the first Chinese airline to go bankrupt, state media reported on Friday.

787 will fly this year, Boeing tells two airlines

IBA Group Limited   21st August 2009

At least two airlines say they have been told by the Boeing Co. that its delayed 787 Dreamliner will fly by year’s end.

Southwest Airlines' Bid to Acquire Frontier Not Selected at Auction

IBA Group Limited   14th August 2009

Southwest Airlines confirmed on August 13 that its bid to acquire Frontier Airlines was not selected.

Japan Airlines announces billion-dollar loss

IBA Group Limited   7th August 2009

Japan Airlines, Asia's biggest carrier, said Friday that it lost one billion dollars in the last quarter as the global economic downturn and swine flu fears triggered a severe slump in demand.

Southwest makes bid to buy Frontier Airlines

IBA Group Limited   31st July 2009

Southwest Airlines Co. is trying to trump a rival bid and acquire Frontier Airlines, a Denver-based carrier operating under bankruptcy protection.

Boeing silent on 787 timing

IBA Group Limited   24th July 2009

Even a reported 17 percent boost in the Boeing Co.’s second-quarter earnings did little to distract concerns over the company’s delayed 787 Dreamliner.

China to encourage private capital to enter civil aviation market

IBA Group Limited   3rd July 2009

On June 28, Xi'an National Aviation Industry Fund Investment Management Company Limited (Xi'an Company), China's first national-level aviation industry fund management enterprise, officially opened for business in Xi'an. This marks a major change to the tradition of China's aviation industry having to rely solely on state special funds for development. The move is a landmark in the history of the development of China's aviation industry.

Qantas cancels orders for 15 Boeing 787s

IBA Group Limited   26th June 2009

Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd. said Friday it had cancelled orders for 15 Boeing 787s and delayed the delivery of a further 15 aircraft due to turbulent market conditions.

Airbus and Boeing battle for order

IBA Group Limited   19th June 2009

Airbus extended its lead over arch-rival Boeing in the hunt for orders at the Paris Air Show with the signature of deals with Chinese and Hungarian airlines.

Boeing lowers 20-year forecast for aircraft

IBA Group Limited   12th June 2009

The Boeing Co. sees a lower demand for aircraft over the next 20 years than it did just a year ago.

Air India to add 7 Boeing to its fleet

IBA Group Limited   5th June 2009

In the midst of the global slowdown, National Aviation Company of India (NACIL), the company that operates Air India, will take delivery of seven new Boeing aircraft by September. The national carrier will add four B777-700ERs and three B777-200LRs to its fleet between June and September. These aircraft will be used for international operations. Currently, the airline has a total fleet of 150 flights.

Virgin doubles profit and beats rivals

IBA Group Limited   29th May 2009

Virgin Atlantic profits almost doubled in 2008/09, in contrast to a large annual loss at UK rival British Airways (BA) and despite choppy oil prices and a fierce recession, the British airline said.

Boeing says credit is available to buy planes

IBA Group Limited   22nd May 2009

Despite an ongoing global credit crunch, Boeing Co. should not have to finance more airplane purchases for customers this year as other funding is available on the market, the company's chief financial officer said Thursday.

SIA profits tumble by 92pc

IBA Group Limited   15th May 2009

Singapore Airlines (SIA) said that fourth quarter net profit dived 92 percent on year to S$41.9m ($28.5m) as the global slump hit passenger and cargo demand.

Boeing jetliner orders decline, but backlog helps its outlook

IBA Group Limited   8th May 2009

Boeing Co. on Thursday reported a sharp drop in orders for its passenger and cargo jets in April, as the troubled global economy continued to hurt demand from airlines and cargo services.

Boeing makes progress on 787

IBA Group Limited   1st May 2009

The Boeing Co. has cleared about two-thirds of the federal certification hurdles needed to put its new 787 into service, the company said Wednesday.

US Airways' first-quarter loss shrinks

IBA Group Limited   24th April 2009

US Airways said its first-quarter loss shrank, and executives are beginning to hope things have stopped getting worse.

Southwest Airlines posts first-quarter loss

IBA Group Limited   17th April 2009

Southwest Airlines Co. [LUV-N] reported a surprisingly large loss in the first quarter as traffic fell in what the CEO called the carrier's toughest revenue environment ever.

Boeing commercial plane orders plunge in March

IBA Group Limited   3rd April 2009

Boeing Co. reported sharply lower monthly orders for jetliners on Thursday, as the ailing economy forced airlines to reduce flights and cancel orders.

Indian air carriers having a hard time luring customers

IBA Group Limited   27th March 2009

India's international and domestic passenger traffic has dropped eight per cent despite many airlines lowering their fares.

Bumpy ride for airlines as premium ticket sales fall

IBA Group Limited   20th March 2009

The slide in premium seat sales that started to hit airlines about six months ago has turned into a virtual collapse, with Asian carriers affected the most.

Bankrupt Frontier seeking a leg up

IBA Group Limited   13th March 2009

This is a tough time to be looking for investors in an airline, but these days that's Sean Menke's job.