Thomas Cook Airlines

Yanking of Jazz Thomas Cook contract underscores ever-growing difficulty in regional airlines

A decision by travel package operator Thomas Cook to end a five-year charter agreement three years early with Canada’s Jazz Aviation reflects the stark realities regional carriers face in attempting to meaningfully diversify their core business of providing feed to network legacy airlines.

While Thomas Cook ended the deal due to souring demand, it leaves Jazz again with just one client, Air Canada. Tensions between Jazz and Air Canada have flared over a dispute on rates paid to Jazz that could result in the regional carrier having to pay its partner CAD26 million (USD26.2 million) if an arbitrator later this year rules in Air Canada’s favour.

UK airports record strong summer and first half, but charter carriers face up to new realities

The UK’s major airports have reported a surprisingly upbeat summer season, with the country’s largest airport operator BAA setting a new passenger traffic record. London Luton, Gatwick, City and Manchester have also posted encouraging results this year, as the country shifted back into growth mode after a difficult few years. But BAA has warned that the better times could to be coming to an end, with a weaker-than-expected growth outlook for the remainder of the year.

Emirates and Lufthansa growing strongly this summer: World's biggest airlines rankings for August

Lufthansa and Emirates are the fastest growing carriers of the global top ten, increasing their capacity (ASKs) by 12.4% and 8.1% year-on-year, respectively. Delta remains the world's leading carrier by this measure, followed by American Airlines and United Airlines. Combined, United-Continental is roughly 3.3% bigger than Delta by systemwide ASKs.

UK Government publishes call for evidence about its stake in NATS

The UK Government is taking another look at its ownership in UK air navigation services provider (ANSP) NATS, announcing a "call for evidence" over its stake. The ANSP, partially privatised in 2000, has been the subject of much debate over the past six months, concerning the ownership levels of the government and other partnersft6.

Narita sees 60% pax decline since Japan earthquake; UK budget shakes shares

The outlook after the Japanese earthquake was still not entirely clear this week even as Narita International Airport Corporation stated all operations at the airport had returned to normal, and Delta reported it was operating its “normal” 40 flights a day to Japan.

Chorus Aviation (formerly Jazz Air Income Fund) net jumps 35.8%

In its first earnings report since its corporate conversion to Chorus Aviation - formerly Jazz Air Income Fund - posted a 35.78% increase in year-end net income bringing in CAD125.8 million. However, ex special items related to its corporate conversion, the company’s net was CAD55 million.