EasyJet returned what it described as “a solid Q1” in its financial year, but warned the trading outlook would remain difficult. The airline said revenue was up 7.2% at GBP997m (US$1.25b). It did not give profit figures for the period, but said revenue per seat decreased 1.2% on a reported basis to GBP51.64. However, revenue per seat trends improved slightly more than previous guidance, despite increased capacity from competitors, as well as the impact on European tourism markets by the pre-Christmas terrorist attack on a Berlin market. Passenger numbers were up 8.2% at 17.4m, but this was slightly outstripped by an 8.6% rise in capacity, which nudged load factors down 0.3% to 90%. CE Carolyn McCall said revenue, cost and passenger numbers were in line with expectations. <br/>
unaligned
AirAsia X said it had become Asia's first LCC to receive approval to operate scheduled passenger flights to any destination within the US. The airline said it gained approval from the US FAA and that it was considering flights to several US states, including Hawaii. "Our expansion up until now has concentrated on Asia, Australasia and the Middle East, and we are excited about our first foray into an entirely new market as we look beyond Asia Pacific," Group CE Kamarudin Meranun said Tuesday. AirAsia X also said it was mulling the resumption of flights on its London route. The airline suspended its London flights in March 2012 due to high taxes, but has held on to hopes of continuing the route since. "At the moment we…are working towards the necessary approvals," a spokesman said. <br/>
Ryanair fears that Britain's plans for withdrawal from the EU could result in the loss of access to the EU's Open Skies deregulated aviation market in as little as 2 years, CE Michael O'Leary said Tuesday. The flexibility afforded by the Open Skies policy introduced in 1997 has been key to Ryanair's growth into Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers. A third of Ryanair's 120m passengers fly from UK airports. "We worry that the price of remaining in Open Skies will be the UK accepting freedom of movement of people ... I think that may be unlikely, in which case we may be heading for a very hard Brexit," O'Leary said. "I don't think it is possible to get interim arrangements through 27 European parliaments in a 2-year period, so the British will fall off a cliff in 2 years' time." <br/>
Ryanair could sign a passenger-sharing deal with either Aer Lingus or Norwegian Air Shuttle by April or May, according to CE Michael O’Leary. The airline has been in talks with both rivals about the possibility of it feeding passengers into their long-haul networks, in what would be the first agreement of its kind by the carrier. O’Leary said Tuesday that he was hopeful that such a deal could be done with either Aer Lingus or Norwegian “by April or May of this year”. Aer Lingus wants to grow its transatlantic business by taking traffic from Europe through Dublin Airport, while Norwegian is building a low-cost, long-haul network. A passenger-transfer deal with Ryanair would suit both strategies. <br/>
Hawaiian Airlines reported a full-year 2016 net profit of US$244.1m, up 33.7% from net income of $182.6m in 2015. The airline reported adjusted net income of $280m for the year, up 48% over adjusted net income of $189.3m in 2015. Hawaiian’s 2016 revenue grew 5.7% year-over-year to $2.5b. Full-year expenses increased 7.9% to $2b, producing an operating profit of $409.5m, down 3.9% from operating income of $426.1m in 2015. Passenger revenue for the year rose 5.9% year-on-year, with passenger unit revenue up 2.1% and yield declining 1.1%. Traffic increased 7.1% on a 3.7% capacity gain. Total operating costs were up 4%, and fuel costs fell 20.8% year-over-year. President and CE Mark Dunkerley said that 3 expected Airbus A321neos, originally delayed by 3 months, will now not be delivered until Q4 2017. <br/>
China’s Juneyao Airlines has announced an order for 10 Boeing 787-9s, comprising 5 firm orders and 5 options. The aircraft will facilitate the carrier’s rapid international expansion. Juneyao is scheduled to take delivery of 3 787s in 2018 and 2 in 2019, which will increase capacity by 9.2% in 2018 and 4.4% in 2019. If the 5 options are converted into firm orders, the carrier will introduce 1 787 in 2019 and 4 in 2020, which will increase capacity by 6.6% in 2019 and 8.9% in 2020. Juneyao Airlines, which was launched in Sept 2006, operates 56 Airbus A320 family aircraft on more than 80 domestic and international routes to Southeast and Northeast Asian countries. In Feb 2016, the carrier applied to the CAAC to open long-haul intercontinental routes. <br/>
Chinese carrier Loong Air has agreed to acquire 20 aircraft from Irish lessor AerCap. The aircraft type was not specified, but Loong Air is currently an all-narrowbody operation, with 17 Airbus A320s and 3 Boeing 737-300 freighters. It also has A320ceos and A320neos on order. Loong Air chairman Liu Qihong said that since Loong Air was established in Dec 2013, it has grown rapidly and is now considering long-haul operations. The airline’s Hangzhou home base grew beyond 30m passengers in Dec 2016, ranking it the fifth largest in China and one of the busiest in the world. “The airport’s plan to expand further provides historical development opportunity for Loong Air, consistent with our aim to become better, bigger and stronger,” Liu Qihong said. <br/>