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Wednesday, 27 May 2015

BBC News

• VIDEO: Ryanair: 'We've listened and improved'Budget airline Ryanair has reported a 66% rise in profits for the year to the end of March of €867m (£614m; $948m)
• Ireland to sell Aer Lingus stakeThe Irish government agrees to sell its 25% stake in Aer Lingus to IAG, the owner of British Airways.

Financial Times

• Ryanair: Ryan highPremium services and a premium rating. What sort of budget airline is this?
• Ireland approves Aer Lingus sale to IAGDublin backs €1.4bn offer from BA owner

The Guardian

• Inquiry into how Air France plane narrowly missed African volcanoFrench accident investigators examine manoeuvre that put Boeing 777 with 37 people on board on course to hit 4,040-metre-high Mount CameroonFrench accident investigators have opened an inquiry into a near accident involving an Air France Boeing 777 which narrowly missed one of Africa’s highest volcanoes with 37 people on board.An automatic “pull upâ€� alarm went off when the plane, travelling from Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, to Douala, Cameroon’s largest city on 2 May, diverted from its normal route “to avoid stormsâ€�, the BEA accident investigators said. Continue reading...
• IAG given clearance by Irish government for Aer Lingus takeoverBritish Airways owner offers extended guarantees about routes to Ireland from Heathrow in deal that values Dublin-based flag carrier at €1.4bn The owner of British Airways is set to take over Aer Lingus in a deal that values the Dublin-based flag carrier at €1.4bn after the Irish government agreed to sell its stake to International Airlines Group.Paschal Donohue, Ireland’s transport minister, confirmed that the sale of the former Irish state carrier to IAG can now go ahead. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Irish government's green light for BA takeover of national airlineBritish Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) looks set to take over Aer Lingus after the Irish government gave the green light to a £1.03 billion bid.

The Scotsman

• Mhairi Black hits back over airport champagne claimMHAIRI Black, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, has been a welcome addition to Scotland’s political sphere since comprehensively defeating Douglas Alexander in the general election.

Times Online

• Ryanair boss is in rude health [Subscription]That’s more like it. Just when everyone’s sick of Michael O’Leary being so nice, guess what? Up pops the Ryanair boss with hints of a return to form.
• Brace yourself for battle of the sexed-up flight safety videos [Subscription]It used to be the part of the flight where passengers stared blankly ahead, flicked through the remnants of a newspaper or bickered with their children.

City AM

• Aer Lingus is cleared for BA boss’ takeover as Ireland agrees to sellTHE IRISH government last night agreed to sell its 25 per cent in Aer Lingus to British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) after many setbacks. The Irish airline’s board recommended IAG’s proposed €1.36bn (£961bn) offer in February, but it still needs support from the other main shareholder, Ryanair, which has previously voiced its support for earlier bids. If the deal completes it will bring Aer Lingus back under the leadership of Willie Walsh, IAG’s chief executive. Walsh was boss at Aer Lingus from 2001 until 2005. “Acquiring Aer Lingus would add a fourth comp...

The Mirror

• Ryanair readies for take-off in its bid to replace easyJet as Britain's biggest airline The Irish carrier has a 16% share of the market and is determined to become the first European operator to carry 100m passengers a year

Other Regional Press

• Image revamp boosts Ryanair profits Irish no-frills carrier posted post-tax profits of 867 million euros (£614 million)

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Solar Impulse awaits 'moment of truth'It will be a test of man and machine. The Solar Impulse project is waiting to undertake its greatest challenge yet: flying non-stop from Nanjing in China to Hawaii in the Central Pacific. For a passenger airliner, the 8,000km could be completed in 10 hours or so. But for this solar-powered, prop-driven, experimental aircraft, it could take 5-6 days and nights of continuous flight. The plane will need the weather on its side, which is why the team is currently sitting tight in Nanjing, looking out for a sizeable, favourable window. So far on its epic round-the-world quest to promote clean te...
• Ryanair reports big rise in profitsIrish airline Ryanair has reported a big increase in full-year profits. Net profit for the year to the end of March rose 66% to €867m (£614m; $948m), slightly ahead of analysts' expectations. The airline's
• DB Schenker to charter from Etihad for new US freighter serviceDB Schenker has revealed it is chartering an aircraft from Etihad for its new weekly freighter service from China to the US. The forwarder, through its JetCargo division, this week announced it had launched a freighter service travelling between Hong Kong, Chicago and Houston. A company spokesperson told Air Cargo News it was a fully dedicated service using a Boeing 747-8 freighter chartered from Etihad. The service will target the oil and gas, automotive and industrial sectors with freight moving from southeast China to the US southwest, Gulf of Mexico and northern Mexico. As is the curre...

Aviation Industry

• Lufthansa evaluates task force on random cockpit crew checks Lufthansa is considering setting up a task force to evaluate implementing random medical checks of pilots to improve safety in the cockpit, Lufthansa spokesperson Barbara Schaedler told ATW in an email. read more
• Virgin America sees California market as ‘untapped potential’The intra-California market represents “untapped potentialâ€� for its network, Virgin America told investors in a presentation. read more
• Russia’s Far East subsidy program grows in AprilRussian airlines have carried 51,800 passengers within the framework of the Far East routes subsidy program since April 1. read more
• Ryanair profits jump 66%Irish carrier’s charm offensive helps passenger traffic growth
• Malaysia Airlines to axe thousands of jobs in major restructuringFinancially-troubled carrier in administration
• IAG edges closer to Aer Lingus deal25% sale of stake in Irish carrier could be approved this week

Other News Sources

• PM close to backing Gatwick expansion DAVID Cameron is warming to the idea of a second runway at Gatwick, according to sources close to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister could be close to backing the idea amid fears expansion at Heathrow would cause excessive pollution and noise in Greater London. The news emerged as a delayed consultation on expansion was due to close on Friday. The report, due to be published in June or July, will recommend which site should be expanded to increase airport capacity in the south east. While the government is not bound by the report, Mr Cameron is beginning to favour Gatwick in a bid to...