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STOCKTON — Allegiant Airlines will offer flights from San Joaquin County to Las Vegas three times a week starting June 16, officials announced at a press conference at the Stockton Metropolitan Airport on Thursday.

The airline will be the first passenger carrier to make the county airport home since America West left in 2003. Airport Director Barry Rondinella and Allegiant spokeswoman Tyri Squyres promised the airline won’t leave after only a few years. As an incentive, the airline is running a $49 (plus tax) one-way special on its Web site for several months.

“It has been an easy decision,” Squyres said. “This is an enormous investment from us, and we would not have made it if the economy wasn’t there. This is really the type of airport we target.”

Supervisor Jack Sieglock said the airline is not taking a gamble on starting their business here.

At the press conference, which featured a Las Vegas showgirl and welcome sign, Rondinella said the airline will fly passengers in and out Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays on a 150-passanger Boeing MD-83 jet.

Free parking at the airport, a short wait and proximity to home will convince county residents to fly from Stockton instead of Sacramento or the Bay Area, he said.

Supervisor Victor Mow said the airline will assist the county’s economic development and said the airport’s main mission has changed from cargo to passenger service.

“It hopefully will bring other airlines to our community,” he said. “This airport could serve more than 1 million people in our community.”

Rondinella said he had been working on bringing the airline to Stockton since 2001, but that talks picked up less than a month ago. The county will “create a splash” about the airline during the next 30 days, he said, but it is not clear how much county money will be spent on advertising.

“We have invested tax payers’ dollars because we know this is what the citizens want,” Mow said.

Montezuma Fire Department Chief Edward Martel said the department, which protects the airport, will have to have an extra firefighter on duty during all passenger flights at the airport.

Several of the highest officials at Allegiant were also decision makers for ValuJet Airlines, which, after a series of mishaps and a crash that killed 110 people in the Florida Everglades, merged with another company and changed its name.

The self-described “no frills” airline was started in 1997. Squyres said the normal price to fly to Las Vegas will be around $79, plus tax. A computer check of airfare from Fresno, where Allegiant already does business, to Las Vegas was about $100 one-way in mid-May.

Allegiant only offers one-way fares between destinations.

Allegiant offers flight and hotel packages at 35 Las Vegas hotels. Passengers may also purchase a $100-VIP pass that includes admission to several of the most popular bars in the city, as well as a $20-dining coupon book at restaurants in hotels such as the Aladdin, Sahara, MGM Grand, Paris, Riviera, Mandalay Bay and Rio.

“There are so many reasons to love Vegas,” Squyres said. “Anything that your heart desires is there.

Starting June 16, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but starts in Stockton.”

Original Article

The eastern Louisiana city of Monroe (MLU), the place Delta Air Lines was born, is about to land a fourth air carrier.

American Eagle is set to launch three nonstop flights from Monroe Regional Airport to American’s Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) hub on June 15. Saab 340 propjets, with 34-seats, will be the aircraft of choice on the route.

The three daily westbound Monroe to Dallas nonstops depart at Monroe at 7:00am, 11:00am, and 5:07pm. They arrive at American’s Dallas/Fort Worth megahub at 8:40am, 12:27pm, and 6:45pm respectively.

The three daily eastbound Dallas to Monroe flights depart Dallas/Fort Worth at 9:00am, 3:00pm, and 6:50pm. They arrive at Monroe at 10:24am, 4:23pm, and 8:08pm respectively.

With the addition of American Eagle to the Monroe mix, the eastern Louisiana city will be connected nonstop to the hubs of four major airlines. American Eagle will make the trip to Dallas/Fort Worth, Continental Express to Houston’s Bush Intercontinental (IAH), Delta Connection to Hartsfield-Jackson International (ATL) and, finally, Northwest Airlink to Northwest’s Memphis (MEM) hub.

Original Article

The Emirates Group yesterday announced $762 million net profits for the last financial year, as it emerged on another record-breaking performance.
Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said profit for the airline alone was an impressive $674 million, the rest being attributed to DNATA.

He said: "This is in spite of the fact that fuel prices are on an increase all the time and this has resulted in a big strain. "All of this has, however, been more than made up with tremendously-increased passenger loads, more cargo carriage, an impressive array of aircraft and their optimum utilisation."
He said the airline will continue to strive to make Dubai into a city of the future and will remain part of the overall growth plans. "This is the 18th straight year of profits but this has, perhaps, been the most remarkable year of our growth."
Group revenue increased by an $1.4 billion, or 27 per cent, to $6.6 billion, compared to $5.2 billion last year. The group's cash balance was $3 billion at the end of March, an improvement of 28.6 per cent .
He said for 2005-06, Emirates will pay an increased dividend of $105 million to its owner, the Government of Dubai, compared to $100 million last year. In total, the ownership will have received $396 million from Emirates since the financial year 2000-01.

The group's sales growth and record returns reflect customers' increasing preference for its products, as illustrated by the two million more passengers who flew Emirates in the latest financial year, for a new record total of 14.5 million.
"These results clearly show that Emirates' customer-oriented approach and investments in providing a quality product - the best aircraft that money can buy, top-flight service and travel experience at a competitive price - has paid off in terms of retaining and winning new customers globally," said Shaikh Ahmed
He said fuel costs remained the top expenditure accounting for 27.2 per cent of total operating costs, up from 21.4 per cent the previous year. "We have been forced to increase fuel surcharges on tickets, which only covered 41 per cent of incremental costs."

"Profitability through growth seems to have become a theme of Emirates for the past decade," he said. "I must stress that we have never set out to be a threat to any other airline. We have simply concentrated on trying to provide a superb service for our passengers and cargo customers."
Original Article

Delta Air Lines' troubles and higher fuel costs helped push Cincinnati to the top of a ranking that measures changes in air fares over the year.

The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport had the higher jump in fares — 26 percent — for the fourth quarter of 2005, compared with the same quarter in 2004. It was followed by Greensboro/High Point, N.C., with 19 percent; Grand Rapids, Mich., with 18 percent; Dayton with 16.9 percent; and Atlanta with 16.3 percent.
 
For the 10-year period from 1995 to 2005, Cincinnati ranked 35th of 85 airports for fare increases, with a 17.3 percent jump over the decade.

Airport officials, in published reports, said the quarterly increase was due to the reduction in service instituted by bankrupt Delta (Pink Sheets: DALRQ) in December, with fewer flights resulting in higher fares. The 28 percent rise in the cost of jet fuel also contributed to the fare hike.

Atlanta-based Delta and local commuter airline Comair, a Delta subsidiary, account for about 90 percent of the flights from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Original Article

Etihad Crystal Cargo, the cargo division of Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has been voted 'Best Airline to the Indian Sub-Continent' at the prestigious Cargo Airline of the Year Awards.

The award was presented to Ingo Roessler, VP Etihad Crystal Cargo, by BBC news anchor, Natasha Kaplinsky and Vipul Jain, CEO managing director, KALE consulting, at a ceremony in London.

With more than 22,000 votes submitted, Etihad Crystal Cargo achieved first place in the 'Best airline to the Indian Sub-continent' category ahead of a number of global competitors.

Etihad Crystal Cargo was also nominated for the categories of 'Best Airline to the Middle East' and overall 'Best Cargo Airline of the Year'.

'The award is a tremendous success for Etihad Airways. The achievements of our first two years of operation are second-to-none, because no other airline has ever been able achieve what we have in such short time,'

said Ingo Roessler, Vice President Cargo, Etihad Airways.

The Indian subcontinent is one of the most important markets for Etihad Crystal Cargo, with approximately 25 percent of its overall production.

Etihad Crystal Cargo's Airbus A300-600RF regional freighter fleet serves Chennai three times a week and Kolkata two times a week. In addition, Etihad Crystal Cargo operates one all-cargo service per week to Mumbai, offering a cargo capacity of up to 44 tonnes per flight.

Furthermore, Etihad Airways offers seven Guest services a week to Mumbai and three Guest services a week to Delhi, with a cargo capacity between 12-15 tonnes per flight at a full passenger load.

'The Indian Sub-continent is one of the most attractive and busiest air cargo markets. Being awarded 'Best Airline to the Indian Sub-continent' shows that we have been able not only to gain significant momentum in this important market, but also to create and successfully launch a service that fulfils our customers' needs,' continued Roessler.

To receive the award, senior representatives from Etihad Crystal Cargo's team travelled to London and attended the festive gala at the Royal Lancaster Hotel.

'This success has to be credited to the enthusiasm of the whole team at Etihad Crystal Cargo. Special praise must go to those working in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Sub-continent,' concluded Roessler.

The 'Cargo Airline of the Year Awards' ceremony was organised for the 23rd time by TabMag Publishing - Aircargo News, and is considered as one of the leading awards in the cargo industry.

Only two days before being voted 'Best Airline to the Indian Sub-continent', Etihad Crystal Cargo has received an award in Germany, its second most important market.

In an 'Aircargo Excellence survey,' conducted by a renowned German institute on behalf of Logistik Inside, a leading German cargo magazine, Etihad Crystal Cargo achieved the first place in the 'value' category and ninth place in the overall performance out of 55 airlines.

Etihad Crystal Cargo also recently received an 'Excellence Award 2006' certificate Air Cargo World (USA), one of the leading air cargo magazines.

The number of awards recently received by Etihad Crystal Cargo underlines the success of Etihad Airways' cargo division in the first two years of its operation.

In its first full year of operation, 2004, Etihad Crystal Cargo lifted 20,000 tonnes of cargo. In 2005 the Abu Dhabi based carrier was able to raise the volume by more than 400 percent to more than 70,000 tonnes. The total turnover in 2005 amounted US$ 100m. The target for 2006 is in excess of US$ 200m.

Etihad Airways is also on a steep growth path, currently introducing at least one new route a month and enlarging its fleet with modern aircraft.

Photo caption: (Left to right) BBC news anchor, Natasha Kaplinsky and Vipul Jain, CEO and managing director, KALE Consulting, presenting the award for 'Best Airline to the Indian Sub-Continent' to Ingo Roessler, VP Etihad Crystal Cargo, at the prestigious Cargo Airline of the Year Awards in London on 23 April 2006.

Original Article

STOCKTON, Calif. — Allegiant Air will soon be offering flights from Stockton to Las Vegas.

The service is scheduled to begin June 16, and to kick things off, Allegiant Air is offering one-way tickets for $49.

Flights to Las Vegas will be offered on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

"Vegas is a very well-requested city coming out of Stockton. So we are more than happy to bring that to you and to the community," Allegiant Air spokeswoman Tyri Squyres said.

Allegiant Air serves 38 cities throughout the United States.

Later this year, Aeromexico is expected to begin offering flights from Stockton to Guadalajara, Mexico.

Original Article

By Shawn Langlois, MarketWatch
Last Update: 4:11 PM ET Apr 26, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — JetBlue Airways' shares clawed back to finish in positive territory on Wednesday, extending the prior session's gains and helping the sector finish higher.
The Amex Airline Index moved up fractionally to close at 51.1 points, as the price of crude oil backed away from last week's record levels. See full story.

JetBlue (JBLU: 0.00, 0.00, 0.0% ) stood out among decliners early, but ended up 8 cents at $10.72. The low-cost carrier's first-quarter results, which came out on Tuesday, surpassed Wall Street targets.

Also, JetBlue's plans to curtail growth gave rise to hopes it can make money even as fuel prices escalate. See full story.

Unable to breach positive ground, UAL Corp. (UAUA: 35.76, -0.14, -0.4% ) , ExpressJet Holdings (XJT: 5.76, -0.09, -1.5% ) Southwest Airlines (LUV: 0.00%, 0.00%, 0.00%) and Alaska Air Group all closed lower.

Frontier Airlines (FRNT: 6.92, +0.12, +1.8% ) , and Mesa Air Group (MESA: 0.00, 0.00, 0.0% ) paced advancers, up 1.8% and 1%, respectively

DUBAI (Reuters) - Dubai's Emirates airline announced on Wednesday a 5.8 percent increase in its net annual profit to 4 million, despite soaring fuel costs.

The airline, one of the fastest growing in the world, said fuel costs in the financial year ended March 31 accounted for 27 percent of operating costs, compared with 21 percent in the previous year.
"It has been another tough year, with pressure from fuel costs continuously dampening our robust net income," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Group, which owns the unlisted carrier.
Sheikh Ahmed told reporters he expected Emirates to post a 13 percent increase in its 2006/07 net profit.
Original Article 

From Tribune news services
Published April 26, 2006

JetBlue Airways Corp. on Tuesday reported a first-quarter loss because of high fuel costs, but announced a recovery plan that includes raising fares, sending its stock to its biggest one-day gain since going public four years ago.

The New York-based carrier posted a loss of $32 million, or 18 cents a share, compared with a year-ago profit of $6 million, or 4 cents a share. Revenue climbed 31 percent, to $490 million. The loss was its second straight quarterly decline, but JetBlue still beat estimates by 2 cents a share.

After Chief Executive David Neeleman talked about the carrier's plan to return to profitability, shares of JetBlue jumped $1.24, or 13.2 percent, to $10.64, on the Nasdaq stock market. That's their biggest one-day gain since the company's initial public offering in April 2002.

JetBlue will delay aircraft deliveries, eliminate some cross-country flights and concentrate on higher-return, shorter-haul markets. Neeleman also said it will try to sell more higher-priced tickets on each flight and will increase its average fares, calling them "not good enough."

An 85 percent jump in spending for fuel boosted JetBlue's total costs 48 percent, to $515 million, in the quarter.

In other earnings news:

- Amazon.com Inc. said first-quarter net income fell nearly 35 percent, to $51 million, or 12 cents a share, from $78 million, or 18 cents a share, a year earlier. The latest result met estimates. Sales rose 20 percent, to $2.28 billion.

Before last quarter, profit at Amazon.com declined for four consecutive quarters, as it spent more and incurred higher legal and tax expenses. Profit at Google Inc. and eBay Inc. rose at least 82 percent and 28 percent, respectively, in each of those quarters.

The report came out after the close of trading.

- AT&T Inc. said its earnings surged 63 percent in the first quarter, the first period it reported combined results after SBC Communications Inc.'s acquisition of AT&T Corp.

The San Antonio-based company posted net income of $1.44 billion, or 37 cents a share, up from SBC's earnings of $885 million, or 27 cents a share, in the same period last year. Excluding acquisition costs, AT&T earned 52 cents a share, beating estimates by 3 cents a share. Revenue jumped 55 percent, to $15.8 billion.

- DuPont Co. said higher energy and raw material costs contributed to a 15.5 percent drop in first-quarter earnings.

The Wilmington, Del.-based company reported net income of $817 million, or 88 cents a share, down from $967 million, or 96 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The most recent result beat estimates by 8 cents a share. Revenue dipped to $7.66 billion from $7.83 billion a year ago.

Airbuske writes "Vueling was found to be one of the most valued airline companies among European consumers. A recent survey by European consumer organisations in France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, and Portugal proves it.
Among a total of 8,600 surveys, Vueling ranked as the best Spanish airline with a 7.16 rating. Also, out of the 110 airlines analysed, Vueling came in at 23.

People taking the survey rated: reliability, punctuality, customer service, and the relationship between quality and price. Vueling received this recognition because of the hard work and motivation of all our employees, along with the trust of our passengers.

Thank you very much and congratulations to everyone!

Original Article