by Lufthansa Flyer | Feb 14, 2012 | Industry News |
Saw this come across the news wire this afternoon. Looks like record results when measuring historical 4th quarter performance. I suspect that relatively calm weather especially in the mid west helped things move smoothly. The report cited On Time Arrivals, Baggage Handling and Bumped Passengers:
Here’s the release:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today reported the best performance ever in 2011 for three key customer-service metrics, including the best on-time arrival rate for any fourth quarter in history.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOT) Air Travel Consumer Report released today, airlines also posted the lowest-ever recorded annual rates in mishandled baggage and bumped passengers.
“Our members are committed to and are delivering levels of safety and customer service that no other industry, given its complexity, matches and the airlines are working to improve on that every day, making air travel even safer and more efficient for passengers and shippers,” said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “Airlines know how important it is for customers to arrive on time with their bags, and today’s report demonstrates the significant investments they have made in technology, training and processes to improve the travel experience.”
According to the DOT report, new records were set in three categories:
On-Time Arrivals: For the fourth quarter of 2011, U.S. airlines recorded an 85.07 percent on-time arrival rate, the best ever for any fourth quarter and the second best of any three-month period recorded by DOT. The previous fourth-quarter record was in 2001 with an 83.24 percent on-time rate. The best on-time rate for any quarter was 85.17 percent in the third quarter of 1991. For full-year 2011, the on-time arrival rate was 79.6 percent, representing the third year in a row that the industry had an on-time rate of nearly 80 percent. Mishandled Baggage: In 2011, there were 3.39 reports of mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, an all-time low for the metric. The 2011 rate represented a 26 percent improvement from 2010. The statistic also shows that nearly 99.7 percent of U.S. airline passengers had their bags delivered on time. Bumped Passengers: In 2011, U.S. airlines reported 0.81 involuntary denied boardings per 10,000 passengers, constituting a 5 percent drop from 2010 and an all-time low.
The new data also shows that consumer complaints dropped in 2011 to 1.18 per 100,000 passengers, versus 1.20 in 2010.
ABOUT A4A
Annually, commercial aviation helps drive more than $1 trillion in U.S. economic activity and more than 10 million U.S. jobs. A4A airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For more information about the airline industry, visit www.airlines.org and follow us on Twitter @airlinesdotorg.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Feb 13, 2012 | Airlines, Industry News |
In a press release from Austrian Airlines, several changes have been announced that are designed to realign Austrian’s focus on the markets it serves. These changes make a lot of sense in that they will be adding service on routes that have traditionally had high yields, especially coming into the busy 2012 summer tourist season.
Another change that I applaud is the decision to cease their Vienna-Mumbai route and taking the aircraft flown on that route and re-deploying it on what should be far more lucrative Middle-Eastern routes and to compete with Emirates and Etihad. With Indian carriers having enough problems with profitability and getting enough passengers aboard their aircraft, there is no reason for Austrian to fly into markets that did not yield the results that they desired.
Keep in mind that this moderate change in focus is due directly to Lufthansa’s (parent of Austrian) desire to make Austrian a profitable part of it’s portfolio of carriers. Recently, I wrote about what Lufthansa had asked Austrian to do in order to receive financial assistance in acquiring new aircraft.
Monday’s announcement serves as confirmation that Austrian is taking the steps necessary to deliver on their commitment to Lufthansa. Let hope it continues!
Here is the actual press release that Lufthansa had issued on Monday:
Austrian Airlines reinforces core markets and increases frequencies to Eastern Europe
· More flights east, as well as to London and Barcelona
· Reinforcement of Middle East by use of largest aircraft
· Flights to Tripoli resumed
· Improved connection between business locations of Klagenfurt, Linz and Vienna
East Meadow, NY, February 13, 2012 – Austrian Airlines has taken the first concrete step in its corporate strategy, the 2012 Work Programme. “From the summer of 2012 onwards, we shall sharply increase flight frequencies to our core markets in Eastern Europe, and build up capacity to the Middle East in a trade-off with the destination of Mumbai,” said Austrian’s Executive Board member Andreas Bierwirth, summarizing the key points of the new route network. Furthermore, focusing on these core markets is designed to contribute to increasing the revenue of Austrian Airlines over the long term.
The reworked route network in more detail:
· Reinforcement of Focus East and select destinations in Western Europe
This summer, Austrian Airlines will boost its number of flights in Eastern Europe. The airline will increase flights from Vienna to Bucharest from three to five times per day, and to Sofia from four to up to five times a day. In the winter schedule, the number of flights operated to Belgrade was raised from three to up to four per day. In Western Europe, Austrian Airlines will offer passengers one additional self-operated flight per day to London Heathrow, beginning this summer. Now the carrier will be flying to the British capital four times a day.
Austrian Airlines is building up its flight product to and from Barcelona by one flight a day. From 25th March 2012 onwards, an Austrian flight will be taking off for the Catalonian capital three times a day.
· Better connections between Austrian regions
Austrian Airlines will offer customers more flights within Austria: from 1st March onwards, an extra morning flight will proceed between Klagenfurt and Vienna. Now, Austrian will fly up to five times a day between Carinthia and the national capital. The extra flight to and from Linz, already introduced in the winter schedule, will remain in place in the summer schedule. Thus, Austrian Airlines will fly to and from Upper Austria up to four times a day. Connections to and from Graz, Salzburg and Innsbruck, which are already extremely well-developed, will continue to operate, as will the three flights per day the company operates to and from Altenrhein. The airline, home carrier of Austrian businesses, offers optimal connections to and from the Vienna hub, and from there to approximately 130 destinations worldwide.
· Mumbai aircraft to be used in Middle East from summer onwards
Beginning with the summer schedule, Austrian Airlines will cease its operations to and from Mumbai. Moving forward, the long-haul aircraft previously used on this route, a Boeing 767, will be deployed on flights to and from Tel Aviv and to Tehran. Austrian Airlines continues to fly six times a week to New Delhi.
· Tripoli back in flight schedule
From the summer schedule onwards, Austrian Airlines will be relaunching its flights to Libya, flying five times a week to and from Tripoli. Austrian was temporarily forced to stop flying to and from Libya in February 2011 due to political unrest in the country.
· Three times a day to Stockholm
From the summer onwards, Austrian Airlines will operate three flights a day to Stockholm. This is one trip less since the evening flight will no longer be offered.
Austrian Airlines in USA and Canada
Austrian Airlines provides its customers with a route network of 130 destinations worldwide. Passengers can take flights from either New York JFK, Washington DC or Toronto to Vienna. In Vienna, Austrian Airlines offers time-saving connections and access to over 100 destinations across Europe. In Central and Eastern Europe, the route network is particularly dense: With 46 destinations Austrian Airlines is the market leader throughout the region. Thanks to its favorable geographical location at the heart of Europe, the company’s hub at Vienna International Airport is the ideal gateway between East and West. Austrian Airlines is part of the Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest airline group, and a member of the Star Alliance, the first global alliance of international airlines. For more information or reservations, visit www.austrian.com.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Feb 9, 2012 | Industry News |
In news that was developing throughout the day on Wednesday and made public by Reuters Wednesday night, it appears that creditors are suggesting to AMR to seriously consider merger options.
The creditors, which includes Banks, Bondholders, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp (A quasi-US Government Agency charged with insuring private sector pension plans) and even LABOR UNIONS are asking AMR (American Airlines’ Parent) to seriously consider exploring merger options after reviewing the airline’s initial plans to function as an entity after clearing bankruptcy.
Obviously, creditors want every possible opportunity to recover their investments when a company files for bankruptcy protection, so this should come as no surprise. A merger would likely be the best case scenario for creditors because they would then receive in some form or fashion, equity or debt in the acquiring company versus settling for pennies on the dollar, or LOSING EVERYTHING, as a result of the bankruptcy process.
According to the Reuters article, no one is commenting on this recent development, but the idea of a merger is gaining popularity with Creditors, and I AM POSITIVE we will hear more about this in the coming days and weeks.
Ever since AMR filed for bankruptcy protection, Delta and US Air have both been mentioned as potential suitors. Both airlines have gone as far as retaining advisors to solicit their opinions on the merits of acquiring American Airlines.
I have covered this topic in previous posts, and if you’d like to catch up on it, you can read about it here:
US Airways Getting Serious About Bidding For American…..
Delta and US Airways Among Potential Suitors For American…..
American Eagle Pilots And Flight Attendants Among First Potential Casualties….
American Airlines Files For Bankruptcy Protection….
