Business Buzz
¦ The International Air Transport Association (IATA) revised its airline financial forecast for 2009 to a global loss of $9 billion. It is nearly double the association’s March estimate of a $4.7 billion loss, reflecting a rapidly deteriorating revenue environment, according to the association. IATA also revised its loss estimate for 2008 to $10.4 billion from the previous estimate of $8.5 billion.
¦ Swissport Cargo Services, the airfreight division of aviation groundhandler Swissport International, has been named Air Cargo Handling Agent of the Year for 2008/2009. The distinction was bestowed by Air Cargo Week magazine at the recent Transport Logistic fair in Munich, Germany.
¦ Lufthansa Cargo AG announced that it is continuing to campaign for a practicable night flight regulation at Frankfurt Airport. At the beginning of the hearing before the Higher Administrative Court in Kassel, the Workers Council of the airfreight company launched an information offensive for the retention of night-time cargo flights. With an information campaign in the next few weeks, the Workers Council wants to focus on the concerns of around 3,000 Lufthansa Cargo employees in Germany. The State of Hesses Higher Administrative Court in Kassel began hearing the objections to the Planfeststellungsbeschluss on the expansion of Frankfurt Airport — and, in particular, about a possible ban on night flights. Lufthansa Cargo has deferred an investment in a new logistics center at Frankfurt Airport until a corresponding decision has been made.
¦ Tronair Inc. announced that Gulfstream has added the JETporter JP100S electric towbarless tug, with a towing capacity of 100,000 lbs, to their ground support equipment catalog.
¦ Air T Inc. announced record consolidated net earnings of $4,379,000 ($1.81 per diluted share) for fiscal
2009, which ended March 31, 2009,
compared to net earnings of $3,402,000 ($1.40 per diluted share) for fiscal 2008. Consolidated revenue for fiscal 2009 was $90,668,000 compared to $78,399,000 for fiscal 2008. This 16-percent increase resulted from a $3,654,000 (10 percent) increase in ground equipment sales revenue, a $3,729,000 (9 percent) increase in air cargo revenue, and a $4,886,000 increase in ground support services revenue.
Partnerships/Acquisitions/Contracts
¦ Defense and support services company VT Group (VT) has begun a contract with BAA to manage Edinburgh Airport’s fleet of vehicles and ground support equipment. The contract with BAA will see VT ensure the airport’s entire fleet of 170 vehicles and equipment is available for deployment and ranges from cars, coaches and trucks to specialist Carmichael Viper emergency fire appliances and Mercedes-Benz Unimog 4x4 snow plows. VT will provide 24-hour, seven days a week fleet management, availability and logistics across BAA Edinburgh, backed by mobile support vehicles.
¦ National Aviation Services (NAS) announced the signing of an agreement with Royal Jordanian Airlines for the provision of ground handling and support services at the Kuwait International Airport. Through this agreement, NAS will provide Tunisair with airline ground handling services like ground/ramp support, passenger services and cargo management.
¦ As of June 1, 2009, Swiss WorldCargo, the air cargo division of Swiss International Air Lines Ltd., and Jettainer extended their
ULD management agreement for another five years. The agreement terms are aimed to provide Swiss WorldCargo with significantly enhanced flexibility to adapt the ULD fleet size to demand.
¦ Cavotec MSL’s airports market unit announced it has won a series of orders for in-ground fueling systems from major airports in Canada and the U.S., including Chicago O’Hare International and Hartsfield-Jackson International. Cavotec will supply three isolation valve pit assemblies, four fuel hydrant pit systems, one high point vent pit assembly and two low point drain pit assemblies for O’Hare International. The systems are due for delivery in August. In a further order for Hartsfield-Jackson International, Cavotec is delivering two refueling pit systems; including fuel hydrant pits and access cover sets. Elsewhere, Cavotec is to supply three 480V/250A hatch systems, including pit components, accessories and related material for installation at Anchorage International Airport. Delivery is scheduled for the end of August. Construction of the hatch system will start in June, and will be operational in September.
¦ proveo, part of Zebra Enterprise Solutions at Zebra Technologies and a software provider addressing the real-time requirements of ground handlers, airlines and other aviation service providers, announced the signing of a major contract with Abu Dhabi Airport Services (ADAS). ADAS provides ground services at the airports of Abu Dhabi, Al-Ain, Al-Bateen, Delma and Al-Dhafra, all located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. It followed a trial project for some 50 units of GSE in 2008. ADAS has now selected proveo to roll out the proveo system to their entire fleet of GSE, amounting to a total of 472 units. Fifty of these units belong to Abu Dhabi’s in-flight catering company. The proveo hardware Infoman will be installed on a large variety of GSE, covering among others, GPUs, ACUs, conveyor belts, baggage tractors, pushback tractors, passenger buses and water trucks.
¦ Polet Airlines recently announced plans to start scheduled cargo services using the newly launched IL-96-400T freighter. This brand new aircraft, which burns 25 - 30 percent less fuel than the Boeing 747-200F, can accommodate up to 34 PMC pallets in a 25 upper deck and nine lower deck configuration. Polet have appointed Unitpool to supply and manage their ULD requirements.
¦ Gate Gourmet, a member of gategroup, has purchased United Airlines flight kitchen at Tokyos Narita Airport and has taken over catering and provisioning of United flights in the strategic Asian location under a new long-term contract. The transaction closed on June 1, 2009, and will more than double Gate Gourmet Japans meal production capacity at Narita. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
¦ JBT Corporation announced that the state of Hawaii awarded a $10 million contract to its JBT AeroTech business. The contract includes the supply of 15 new passenger boarding bridges and associated equipment for gates in the Diamond Head and Ewa concourses at the Honolulu International Airport. This is the third phase of the Hawaii Airports Modernization Program at Honolulu and represents the sixth project of upgrading passenger boarding bridges that the state has completed. JBT AeroTech has supplied all 56 of the bridges that have been included in these six projects.
¦ Cargo Airport Services USA LLC has been awarded the cargo warehouse and ramp handling contract with China Airlines at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). CAS will handle China Airlines in DFW at the CAS cargo facility that includes ramp parking for wide body aircraft.
¦ Cavotec MSL is to supply a range of in-ground electrical systems to power F-22 fighter aircraft during maintenance operations at the United States Air Force base at Elmendorf, Alaska. Cavotec is to supply several 480V, 120V, and 270Vdc pop-up pedestal units that will be embedded into the floor of a new hangar at Elmendorf. Deliveries are due to start late summer this year, and continue into early 2010.
People in the News
¦ Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A. Inc. announced several management changes, including the appointment of Mark Steenrod to the position of national dealer development manager; Jewell Brown to national fleet sales & operations manager; and Payman Shabbak, who now serves as national strategic planning and pricing manager.
¦ American Airlines announced the appointments of Kenji Hashimoto
to the position of vice president-strategic alliances and Don Casey to the position of vice president-revenue management. Hashimoto joined American in 1998 and has held a series of managerial positions of increasing responsibility within the finance and planning organization. Casey joined American in 2000 as managing director-capacity planning.
